This morning, Alex Lewis and the New York Jets agreed on a restructured contract, that will surely see the veteran guard make the roster in 2021. Douglas made a shrewd move, converting Lewis’ $5.8M cap hit to just $3M, for the upcoming season.
The Jets and G Alex Lewis have agreed to a reworked contract that pays him a base salary of $3M this year (previously $5.8M) while eliminating the final year of the deal in 2022.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) May 27, 2021
Lewis, who is competing for the starting RG spot, is now scheduled to be a free agent in 2022.
For months, a lot of Jets fans (myself included) have assumed that Lewis would be a cap casualty. Between placing him on the NFI list in 2020 and bringing in Alijah Vera-Tucker and colt hero Dan Feeney, the writing appeared to be on the wall. However, Douglas and the Jets’ front office recognized that while Lewis may be a well below average starter, he’s a valuable depth piece, especially a cap hit of $3M.
Lewis, Van Roten, Clark and Feeney will now battle it out in camp for the starting RG spot, next to George Fant. With Feeney’s experience at center, it’s likely all 4 lineman could make the roster, three of which in a backup capacity.
While I’m not in love with the Jets’ starting options at RG, the backup depth is the best it’s been in a decade. It’s funny what happens when a front office invests draft capital into the offensive line and the incumbent starters become depth players! Hopefully for the Jets, Lewis can be a swing guard and a contingency plan in their efforts to keep Zach Wilson upright.
