The Best and Worst Free-Agent Signings by the New York Jets and New York Giants

The New York Jets are currently ranked fourth in the AFC East with a record of 4-12-0. Their NFL stats indicate that they score 20.8 points (23rd in the league), 299.2 yards (29th in the league), 197.8 passing yards (25th in the league) and 101.4 rushing yards (26th in the league) on average. The team’s total passing yards is 3,165 compared to their opponents’ 4,065, and their field goals 33/36 compare to their opponents’ 33/39, with 34 touchdowns for the New York Jets versus 49 touchdowns for their opponents.

This begs the question: Which players have been the best/worst free agent acquisitions in recent history for the New York Jets?

Like other NFL teams, the New York Jets have enjoyed tremendous success with free agent acquisitions over the years. There have also been signings which have not been as fortuitous as the team would have liked. In 2018, the New York Jets had a less than auspicious pool of free-agent signings to add to their lineup. For starters, Trumaine Johnson #22 CB was signed for the 2018 NFL season for the New York Jets. To date, he has 40 tackles to his credit, 0 sacks, 1 fumble, and 4 interceptions. His 5-year contract set the New York Jets back $72.5 million, and he has hardly inspired confidence in his new team. But Johnson remains an active member of the team, while other free-agent signings in the form of Terrelle Pryor and Spencer Long #C don't feature. In fact, Pryor is now contracted to the Buffalo Bills as is Spencer Long.

Some of the most successful acquisitions in the free-agent arena include some pretty spectacular athletes. In the 25 years since the free-agent system has been effective, the New York Jets have benefited immeasurably from it. The measure of success for a free-agent acquisition is performance, leadership, and team unity. The most successful free-agent signings have proven themselves valuable members of the team and the franchise for quite some time. Prior to 1993, there was no free-agent system in place and players contracted before that are not included in this listing. Here are some of the top free-agent signings over the years:

• Damon Harrison signed up with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent back in 2012. He featured in 48 consecutive games between 2013 and 2015 and was involved in 193 career tackles. In 2015 he was the Pro Football Focus # 1 run defender. He was brought in from a relatively unknown university – William Penn University - which is no longer part of the NCAA. By his second season with the team, he became a full-time starter and he was the team's starting nose tackle. There is no doubt that the Jets regret losing Damon Harrison via free agency, especially since he signed up with the New York Giants and became one of the finest nose tacklers in the NFL.

• Nice Folk signed up with the New York Jets in 2010 and enjoyed an auspicious run of form with the team all the way through to the end of the 2016 season. His performances were steady over the years, averaging 19.6 through 22.9. His 1-year contract with the New York Jets cost $545,000, but he enjoyed 104 career games with the team and he remains the all-time leader in FG (field goal) percentage for the New York Jets. He was regarded as a fine kicker, perhaps one of the best ever in the history of the New York Jets and with 175 kicks through the uprights, he has an 82% conversion rate. Nice Folk ultimately became a Pro Bowl Player, but he was replaced by Chandler Cantazaro at the end of the 2016 NFL season.

• James Carpenter signed a 4-year contract with the New York Jets in 2015 valued at $19.1 million. He has enjoyed 58 career games with the team and was nominated the Secret Superstar back in 2016. He was a left guard for the New York Jets. During his first couple of years with the New York Jets, he put together an impressive string of performances notably in 2015 and 2016. What makes this signing particularly impressive is his performance and cost effectiveness.

• Brandon Moore’s career spans almost a decade of pulse-pounding action with the New York Jets. He was signed as an undrafted free agent back in 2002 and actually played in the Pro Bowl with the New York Jets in 2011. Over his career, he has enjoyed 142 games. He was a regular starter at RG (right guard) and played in 8 successive seasons. Moore became known as one of the most consistently reliable performers in the New York Jets. He never missed a single game in 8 seasons across 141 games. He competed at the highest level for multiple seasons, ultimately making the Pro Bowl in his penultimate season. He may have inadvertently coined the phrase Butt Fumble, but that should not detract from his career of spectacular plays.

• Bart Scott hung up his boots at the end of the 2012 NFL season, but he enjoyed 4 seasons with the New York Jets after signing up with them in 2009. His 6-year contract cost $48 million and he played 60 career games with the New York Jets. He also enjoyed 299 tackles throughout his career and 9.0 career sacks. This powerfully built linebacker hit the field hard and he was feared and respected by his opponents. Perhaps known as the best example of trash talking, brazen, arrogant and abrupt players in his team, he nonetheless served as the bedrock upon which the New York Jets forged plenty of victories. Back in 2010, the New York Jets won the AFC divisional round of the play-offs against the New England Patriots, and Bart Scott let the NFL know just how valuable he was as part of the team. Few players have as much presence as Bart Scott, and he was a fantastic signing for the team.

• Calvin Pace was an OLB for the New York Jets between 2008 and 2015. In 2008 he signed a 6-year contract with the NYJ for $42 million and played in 116 career games. Over this time, he enjoyed 426 career tackles and 46 career sacks. Originally regarded as a nonstarter, Pace turned things around and proved that anything is possible. He is now regarded one of the most efficient edge rushers in the history of the New York Jets. Pace saw plenty of action with the New York Jets, particularly with the defensive plays of Rex Ryan and Ryan Fitzpatrick later on. Calvin Pace left a fantastic legacy with the New York Jets that remains to this day. This #97 player enjoyed an overall NFL career total of 187 games played, with an approximate value rating of 91, with 60.0 sacks, and 462 tackles.

Who Have Been Some of the Biggest Free-Agent Successes with the New York Giants?

The New York Giants have also had their fair share of success stories over the years with free agent acquisitions. The Big Blue have signed, sealed, and delivered plenty of deals over the years as they seek the perfect combination of undrafted players and drafted players. Below is a list of the 5 most successful free agency selections for the New York Giants:

• Kurt Warner was drafted by the New York Giants in June 2004. His contract was worth $9.5 million. While he only played for a single season, he was instrumental for the effect he had on Eli Manning. Manning is the guy around whom the New York Giants have revolved for many years. Warner was a former Super Bowl MVP, and he threw 2,054 yards and scored 60 TDs with 4 interceptions. At the end of the season, Warner bid farewell to the Giants and Manning stepped up. He served as a mentor and this deal paid off handsomely.

• Sam Madison previously played for the Miami Dolphins before joining the New York Giants. He was given a 4-year deal worth $7.4 million in March 2006. His best season with the New York Giants came in 2007, and he competed in 16 games with 67 tackles, 4 interceptions and a single forced fumble. He was an important team influencer, and he provided expert guidance to up-and-coming stars like Michael Johnson, Kenny Phillips, Gibril Wilson, and company. His final season with the New York Giants was in 2008 and then he retired from the NFL.

• Madison Hedgecock was seen as a terrific acquisition when Jim Finn got injured. He was playing for the St Louis Rams at the time and was contracted to the New York Giants for 5 years in September 2007. His contract price: $5.5 million. Thanks to his ability on the field and strong leadership skills, he was instrumental in helping the New York Giants to gain 2000+ yards in 2007. In 2008, they pushed their total up to 2400 yards, making it the best running attack in the National Football League. He often found himself on the receiving end of Eli Manning's torpedoes and he caught a few TDs in his career. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury sidelined him in 2010 and he retired in 2011.

• Antrel Rolle came into sharp focus when the New York Giants were seeking a free safety with big match temperament. He was signed in March 2010 for 5 years at a cost of $37 million. A former Cardinals player, Rolle became one of the most expensive safeties in the league and Giants fans had high hopes for him. Unfortunately, the learning curve took time, but by 2011 he had made 100 total tackles with 2 interceptions and a single forced fumble. In 2011, Super Bowl XLVI was showcased in grand style against the New England Patriots and it was a hard-fought victory for the New York Giants. The final score was 21-17 and the MVP was quarterback Eli Manning.

• Shaun O'Hara was contracted to play with the New York Giants in March 2004. His 3-year contract came at a price tag of $5.4 million. At the time, Chris Bober left the Giants for the Kansas City Chiefs. Cleveland Browns player, Shaun O'Hara came in as a no-nonsense lineman. O’Hara was a player at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Sean O'Hara was instrumental in allowing the New York Giants to form one of the best offensive teams in the NFL. In fact, such was his pedigree that he re-signed with the Giants in another 5-year deal worth $19 million and he played with them through 2010 including Pro Bowls in 2008, 2009, in 2010.

Of course, there are many other contenders worthy of placement on these lists. New York Giants players like Jeff Feagles, Kareem McKenzie, Kerry Collins, Steve Weatherford and company should not be summarily dismissed. On the flipside of the coin, there have been plenty of busts with the free-agent signups for the New York Giants over the years. We will just mention several players who have had a less than auspicious run of form with Big Blue, including CC Brown, Dorsey Levens, Jay Feely, Dave Thomas, Kenny Holmes, Brian Mitchell, Chris Canty, Carlos Emmons, and Barrett Green. The 2019 NFL Draft and Free Agent signups will allow this tale to continue unfolding and it’s safe to assume that these teams will be seeking out the most talented performers based on their budgetary constraints.