Though dedicated to analyzing their young talent, Mike Maccagnan hasn’t ruled out seeking outside help for the New York Jets’ front seven.
The NFL regular season is less than a month away, but the New York Jets are still open to making some additions, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
Via Twitter, Cimini reports that the team is looking to add an edge rusher or outside linebacker, with general manager Mike Maccagnan calling it “an area we’re focused on.”
Cimini adds that the Jets are open to either a trade or free agency as the preseason winds on, while young players on the roster will continue to be evaluated.
Surprisingly, the Jets did not upgrade their outside help in the draft with any of their six picks.
At outside linebacker, Jordan Jenkins returns after a strong 2017 season, but the Jets are lacking depth next to him. Second-year Jet David Bass headlines the group after a mini-breakout last year, but Dylan Donahue continues to deal with legal troubles, and Lorenzo Mauldin is coming off a back injury that cost him all of 2017.
An outside, but possible, option via a trade could be to add Oakland Raiders star Khalil Mack. A stud defender who has been listed as both an All-Pro defensive end and linebacker, Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman has recently disclosed a rumor from an NFL executive that the Raiders could be “open for business” in terms of a Mack deal.
Notable veteran free agents at defensive end include former first-round pick Robert Ayers (aged 32) and Devin Taylor (28), while available outside linebacker help is perhaps headlined by Elvis Dumervil (34) as well as hybrid type Willie Young (32).
The Jets will get their first chance to analyze their already-obtained young defensive prospects in a game situation on Friday night when they welcome in the Atlanta Falcons to MetLife Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET, WCBS).
