On March 2019, the New York Jets made football waves by signing free-agent running back Le'Veon Bell to a four-year contract. Despite a somewhat disappointing first season, Bell is one of a few key free-agent acquisitions that the Jets had throughout their history, with many of them have contributed to their success over the years.
Bell is just but one example of a big name free agent signing with the Jets. Time will obviously tell with modern day players, but the franchise does have a deep history of inking quality players on the free agent market.
Here are the five best free agent signings in New York Jets history.
5. Alan Faneca
Guard Alan Faneca signed with the New York Jets in 2008 on a five-year, $40 million contract, making him the highest-paid offensive lineman at the time.
Faneca was already a multiple-time All-Pro player when he joined New York, and he'd bring that level of effectiveness with the Jets, as he would be part of an offensive line that would block for the number one rushing team in the league in 2009, helping the Jets make the AFC Championship game.
Faneca will only play for two years with the Jets, but he will earn an All-Pro second team and a Pro-Bowl selection during that stint before being released in 2010.
4. Vinny Testaverde
The former no.1 overall pick in the 1987 NFL Draft, quarterback Vinny Testaverde bounced around three teams before signing with the Jets in 1998 for a two-year, $5.5 million deal in 1998. It doesn't sound like a lot of loot, but at the time, it was a good amount of money.
In his first season, Testaverde ended up tossing it around for 3,256 yards, completing 61.5 percent of his passes for 29 touchdowns, recording a 101.6 QB rating. Testaverde will be selected for the Pro-Bowl in the same season, as he led the Jets to a 12-4 record and an AFC East division title, the first for the franchise since the merger.
He would continue to play for the Jets until 2003. During the six-year stint, Testaverde will log in 11,720 yards for 76 touchdowns. Somewhat lost to time, Vinny was a big deal just a couple of decades ago.
3. Calvin Pace
Drafted by Arizona in 2003, Pace was not the player the Cardinals wanted for the first four years of his career as a defensive end.
In 2007, the Cardinals switched to a 3-4 defense and played Pace as an outside linebacker. With the shift in position came a breakout year, totaling 99 tackles and 6.5 sacks for the season. Obviously, there's that saying about guys balling out in their contract-year, but this felt bigger than that. That career year prompted the Jets to offer Pace a six-year, $42 million deal.
Playing for the Jets for eight years, Pace was one of the most reliable defensive players the team will have. In that span, he amassed a total of 316 solo tackles with 65 of them resulting in a loss, with 46 sacks.
Pace called it a career in 2015 and will rank fifth all-time in career sacks with the Jets.
2. Kevin Mawae
The New York Jets signed center Kevin Mawae to a five year, $17 million contract in 1998, and they got their money's worth.
In his first season, Mawae was part of a daunting offensive line that put the Jets fourth in the league in average yards per game. In 2000, he was part of a protection corps that allowed the fewest sacks allowed in the league with just 20, tying with the Indianapolis Colts for the honors.
Mawae served as the team's starting center for the better part of eight years, playing a total of 118 games, earning five first-team All-Pro honors, and making it to six Pro-Bowl games with the Jets. He is arguably, at least for a stretch of years, the best center of his generation.
1. Curtis Martin
The one that the Jets poached from their rivals New England Patriots, Curtis Martin signed with New York on a six-year, $36 million contract.
From 1998 -2004, Martin eclipsed the 1,000 rushing yards for seven consecutive years, including gathering 1,697 yards from the ground, which is a team record to this day. The Jets only had one losing season during Martin's tenure.
Martin retired in 2005, ending up New York's all-time leading rusher with 10,303 yard and 50 touchdowns. By the time it was all said and done, he was named to three Pro-Bowl selections, to go along with three All-Pro teams.
To this date, not only is Curtis Martin the best free-agent signing for the New York Jets, but he is also one of the best players the team has ever had in their history.
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