Denver Broncos cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (45) against the New England Patriots during the 2013 AFC Championship football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Jets are looking for a cornerback to replace cap casualty Antonio Cromartie as their top CB, and there are still a couple of top options available on the free agent market. It looks like the Jets are unsurprisingly looking into both closely after addressing the wide receiver position yesterday by signing Eric Decker to a lucrative five-year contract.
According to the New York Daily News’s Manish Mehta, the Jets are still looking to add a cornerback, and they have had “general conversations” with former Denver Broncos cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who was replaced by Aqib Talib. The Jets should get the last laugh on that front, since DRC will be much cheaper than Talib, and he is coming off of a better 2013 season. Is DRC better than Talib? I don’t think so, but I think the gap is closer than a few people would have you think, and the fact that DRC will be considerably cheaper makes him a great option for the Jets. Hopefully he responds well to a long-term deal this time around, because he was a disappointment before turning his career around in Denver on a prove-it deal.
Mehta also reports that the Jets have considerable interest in Carolina Panthers corner Captain Munnerlyn, and they would like to bring him in for a visit. While Munnerlyn isn’t as good as DRC, he should be even easier for the Jets to afford (they have plenty of money, of course), and his ability to succeed in the slot and on the outside makes him a very versatile player. Munnerlyn is also a great locker room guy, and that makes up a little bit for his lack of talent in comparison to DRC.
The Minnesota Vikings hosted Munnerlyn on a free agent visit and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will do the same, so the Jets have plenty of competition.