Content available exclusively for subscribers
Please subscribe now to unlock this article!
You must learn from history not to repeat it.
Pro Football Hall-of-Fame safety Ronnie Lott played for the Jets at the end of his career, in 1993-94, and wasn’t the same player as in his prime.
And some players resented him trying to be a leader when he wasn’t playing that well.
To paraphrase, Linebacker Mo Lewis said something like, “We don’t need speeches, we need to make plays.”
So this brings me to the present and free agent cornerback Richard Sherman, who some have linked to the Jets, for obvious reasons, because he played under Robert Saleh the last three years in San Francisco.
But they really should only consider signing him if they still think he can play on a high level, not to just become the leader of the defense.
He turns 33 in March.
It should be pointed out that he played very well in 2019, with 11 PDs and 3 picks during the season the 49ers went to the Super Bowl and lost to Kansas City.
Last year, he only played five games due an calf injury, and his career in Seattle ended in 2018 after an achilles injury.
These are two leg injuries, so you wonder about his speed at this point, which wasn’t even great when he came out of Stanford, running 4.56.
So the bottom line is the Jets think he can be a terrific player for them, like he was in San Francisco in 2019, they should consider signing him, but not to come in and be a leader/slipping player.
The guy they probably should be more focused on is another 49ers free agent cornerback, Jason Verrett, who’s had injury issues in his career, but is a very underrated player .
If he didn’t have so many injuries over the years, he’d be at the top of the free agent cornerback list this year. Has only played 39 games in seven seasons, but look what he did in his two more healthy seasons – 2015 in San Diego in 14 games he had 3 picks and 12 PDs, and then last year in San Francisco with 2 picks and 7 PD’s in 13 games. He’s an instinctive, tough corner with a nose for the ball.
If the doctors and trainers check off on it, they Jets should consider signing Verrett. He stayed healthy last year, and played very well, and he’s four years younger than Sherman.
Verrett is exactly what the Jets need, a tough as nails ballhawk, with great, great coverage instincts.
The last couple of years, too many of their corners were see-and-go reactors, and you didn’t see a lot of routes being jumped.
So with all things being equal, Verrett is the guy they need to sign, not Sherman.
Plus, as Saleh is looking to establish himself as the leader of the Jets, he might not need a larger than life leader in the locker room who could overshadow the leadership position he’s trying to establish.
Plus, Sherman will probably want to sign with a championship contender anyway, something the Jets probably won’t be ready to be this year.
February 26, 2021
Premium will return by 9:30 pm on Monday.