New York Jets: The truth about the 2019 cap space

Many people are touting the 2019 cap space for the New York Jets as a positive for being able to build around Sam Darnold, but how much can we reasonably say will be there?

The New York Jets will have in the neighborhood of $80 million in cap space in 2019, per Over The Cap. That’s before the eventual carryover from this year’s unused cap number. So, let’s guess and say the Jets will have around $90 million in cap space to play with.

There’s one problem with just assuming that’s a good thing and thinking about a spending spree for the Jets when it comes time for free agency. Five of the key pieces around Sam Darnold — Robby Anderson, Quincy Enunwa, Terrelle Pryor, Jermaine Kearse and Bilal Powell — will be free agents.

The Jets can match offers made to Anderson if they want to, but the other four will be unrestricted free agents, and they may just want one last good payday. Are the Jets prepared for, and should they want, to hit the reset button on that many pieces around Darnold in his second season?

They probably won’t want to do that. Some may say, “Well the Patriots do it. So why can’t the Jets?” The Patriots have done it with a veteran quarterback, and they didn’t do it until after he established himself.

There’s also another problem with signing free agents next year, and even the ones that were signed this past offseason. We’re making a lot of assumptions about cap ramification in the future that can’t possibly be known by anyone, even Mike Maccagnan.

The current collective bargaining agreement ends after the season ends next season. So, we won’t know the cap structure or how the contracts teams sign in 2019 will affect teams moving forward beyond 2019.

The truth is the Jets — and the entire NFL — shouldn’t be concerned about a play beyond 2019. Jets fans and the media think 2018 is about developing and taking the next step for 2019 and beyond. The problem is the CBA ending leaves the entire NFL with a void in the beyond part.

So, what the Jets really need to do is consider trying to build a team that can contend in 2018 and 2019. Otherwise, we might be seeing the “same old Jets.”