The New York Jets were dealt a huge blow on Friday when starting left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson retired at 32 years old. His decision left a major void on the Jets’ offensive line and with it coming so late, the free agent market is devoid of any impact offensive linemen.
General manager Mike Maccagnan knew he had to work quickly to replace Ferguson, and on Saturday he got his guy. The Jets reportedly worked out a deal with the Denver Broncos for left tackle Ryan Clady who missed most of 2015 with a torn ACL.
The #Jets trade a 5th rounder to the #Broncos for Ryan Clady and a 7th rounder. More ammo for Denver in a potential Kap trade & cap space.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 9, 2016
Clady was once one of the most dominant left tackles in football, but he’s struggled to stay healthy since suffering a Lisfranc injury to his foot in 2013. If he’s fully healthy though, he would be well worth the risk for the Jets who needed an impact player to replace Ferguson.
For the Broncos, the deal makes a lot of sense after they signed Russell Okung earlier in free agency. They weren’t going to have room for Clady and his $9.5 million contract, and adding a fifth-round pick will give them another pick should they choose to trade for Colin Kaepernick.
