Stay or Go: Should Jets bring back Marcus Maye for 2022 season?

Safety Marcus Maye was the longest tenured player on the league’s youngest team last season, but his fifth year as a Jet didn’t really go to plan. 

After an offseason arrest which could mean he faces suspension, Maye started six games in 2021 but then suffered a torn Achilles tendon and was ruled out for the rest of the season.

The Jets hadn’t given the 28-year old the long-term deal he was after during the offseason and instead opted to place the franchise tag on him. He recorded 42 tackles, two passes defensed and one sack in his six appearances.

Why Maye should be back

Head coach Robert Saleh didn’t hold back when discussing Maye’s importance to the Jets, calling him “a fantastic young man” and “a heck of a football player” and praising the fact that he had done everything the team asked of him.

Maye was a settling influence and an experienced leader in a young secondary, and the Jets definitely have a need at the safety position. With plenty of cap space and his familiarity with the system, there are a lot of good reasons to bring Maye back, albeit that it would have to be at right price.

Ahead of the 2021 season, Saleh said the Jets were “working relentlessly” to get a deal done, so they were clearly keen to have him back before the injury and had even stood by him once details of the potential legal issues emerged.

Why Maye shouldn’t be back

The Jets will have plenty of cap space in the offseason, but it could be a risky move to sign Maye coming off such a serious injury. Based on the usual timescale for a torn Achilles, it’s not certain he would be back in time for training camp, and he might have lost some explosiveness. Even if he is back in time for the opener, he also faces a possible suspension.

There was some contentiousness between the Jets and Maye’s agent during the negotiations, which could make a “hometown discount” less likely. It’s unlikely bridges have been burned completely though, especially after the goodwill that was generated by the team standing by Maye.

Although they have a clear need at the position, the Jets have the resources to upgrade and there are multiple intriguing options available including free agent Jessie Bates III and potential top five pick Kyle Hamilton.

Even when healthy, has Maye made enough impact plays to warrant a big money deal with the Jets? He didn’t have an interception or a forced fumble in 2021 and the team won just one out of six games with him in the lineup. They perhaps didn’t miss him as much as you might expect either, with low-cost youngsters like Jason Pinnock and Elijah Riley showing potential in his absence.

Verdict

While it will obviously come down to price, the arrest and injury might mean that there isn’t much of a market for Maye’s services. Either one of those might not have had a major effect on demand, but both arising at the same time could deter teams from being prepared to commit to him long-term. This should make him affordable, giving the Jets a chance to show that they’ll stand by their veteran players without making a risky commitment.

If a bidding war does push the price upwards, then the Jets will probably let Maye walk. But if he can be signed to a low-risk deal he should stay. This is definitely not certain, though, because the Jets have plenty of other alternatives.