Insider: Jets Could Cut $55 Million Stud Following Haason Reddick Move.

The New York Jets may face a bad fallout from the acquisition of Philadelphia Eagles pass rusher Haason Reddick.

ESPN’s Rich Cimini speculated that veteran defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers “could be the odd man out” following the Reddick deal. He stated in a column published on Sunday, March 31, that “his roster spot is vulnerable because of a $16.4 million cap charge.”

JFM’s Contract Could Force the Jets Hand This Offseason

Franklin-Myers, 27, has two years remaining on the $55 million contract he signed in October 2021.

Spotrac estimates that if the green and white left JFM, they would lose $11.1 million in dead cap. The dead cap charge for 2025 is much more manageable, at just $6.5 million.

Franklin-Myers has proven to be a significant feather in general manager Joe Douglas’ cap. After the Los Angeles Rams released him in September 2019, New York claimed him off waivers.

He enters the league as the Rams’ No. 135 overall choice in the fourth round of 2018. JFM spent only approximately a year and a half with LA before being released.

JFM’s Jets debut was delayed due to injury, but he made it well worth the wait. According to Cimini, JFM proved to be adaptable, productive, and “reliable” throughout the next four seasons.

JFM became the Jets’ full-time starter in 2021 and has remained so ever since. New York has positioned him all over the defensive line formation, playing both inside and outside. For the past three seasons, he has played at least 55% of the defensive snaps.

Franklin-Myers has over 125 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 17.5 sacks, and seven pass deflections in his career with Gang Green.

Reddick Impact and the Plan for Will McDonald

According to Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap, the Jets will incur a $15 million salary cap charge for Reddick, but it is likely that the team will immediately restructure the contract by adding vacant years and paying the majority of the contract as a bonus. That would cut his cap charge to around $4 million for the season, deferring the remainder until 2025.

Fitzgerald emphasized that Reddick, “should be a significant upgrade for the defense as a whole.” While older than [Bryce] Huff, Reddick is a far more complete player and makes more sense for the Jets at this price than Huff did.”

The problem with the addition is that it pushes the Jets’ first-round pick in 2023, Will McDonald, to fourth on the defensive line depth chart.

Jermaine Johnson, Reddick, and JFM are all presently ranked higher of the previous 15th overall choice.

According to The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt, the Reddick acquisition was a “net positive” for McDonald.

It should ease the expectation on him to be a one-for-one substitute for Huff. In the same breath, Rosenblatt stated that it is not ideal, “for a first-round pick to be your fourth defensive end, but alas.”

If the Jets released or traded JFM, McDonald would climb up the depth chart and have a better chance of playing time.