Back in February, the Jets opened up contract talks with right tackle Austin Howard in hopes of keeping him from becoming a free agent when the market opens on Tuesday afternoon.
They haven’t come to an agreement yet, but they are reportedly still trying to make it happen. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports that the Jets continue to push for a contract with Howard as he also speaks to other teams that are hoping the Jets aren’t able to secure a signature on the dotted line.
Howard, who placed 60th on PFT’s Hot 100 list of free agents, has started 32 straight games for the Jets and turned in a solid season as a pass blocker in 2013. Right tackles don’t break the bank the way their counterparts on the left side of the line do, but their value has risen in the last couple of years as teams do all they can to secure strong blocking across their entire frontline.
Michael Oher, Anthony Collins and Breno Giacomini are others with right tackle experience who could be on what could be a deep market at both tackle spots come Tuesday afternoon.