The next big event on the Jets’ offseason calendar is OTAs, which are set to begin next week and will continue for parts of June. OTAs will be the first chance
National wide receiver Caullin Lacy of Louisville runs a route during National Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images The next big event on the Jets’ offseason calendar is OTAs, which are set to begin next week and will continue for parts of June.
OTAs will be the first chance for the coaches to see the vets, rookies, and undrafted free agents together on the practice field. For the undrafted free agents, this will be another prime opportunity to show they belong in the NFL and. The Jets have 13 UDFAs who will hope to become the next Brady Cook, Dean Clark, or Jordan Clark—all UDFAs for New York who saw playing time in 2025.
Regarding this year’s undrafted class, some players got more guaranteed money than others, even though they all signed a standard three-year contract worth $3.1 million. This could give us a small hint about what New York thinks of said player and their chances to make the team. Below, we’ll highlight who received the biggest guarantees on the team and also break down the competition at their respective positions with OTAs on the horizon.
The financial info comes from Over The Cap. Among all the undrafted free agents the Jets signed following the NFL draft, Lacy received the highest base and total guarantees. In fact, no other player comes close, as the next highest base guarantee is $13,750, shared by two players. Lacy had a solid collegiate career spanning six seasons, playing at South Alabama and Louisville.
Despite his size , he can create explosive plays in the passing game out of the slot and on special teams as a returner. Looking at the Jets’ current wide receiver room, the three slots seemed to be locked in with Garrett Wilson, Omar Cooper Jr. , and Adonai Mitchell.
However, after those guys, spots are in the air. The Jets recently signed Tim Patrick, who gives them a veteran in the room, and we can’t forget about Arian Smith and Isaiah Williams. Smith is coming off a quiet rookie season, while Williams made a lot of noise on special teams as a returner.
When you factor in all those things, plus the other UDFA WRs on the 90-man roster, Lacy has a tall task ahead of him to get on the 53-man roster. But with the Jets giving the young receiver that big of a guarantee, they must believe he’ll push someone for a job. The former BYU cornerback was one of two players who received $13,750 in base guarantees after the draft.
Bamba is in the same situation as Lacy, as the Jets’ cornerback room added a couple of new faces earlier this offseason. In free agency, they signed Pro Bowl cornerback Nahshon Wright to a one-year deal, and then in the draft took D’Angelo Ponds in the second round. Those guys have a chance to start right away, which then pushes a guy like Azareye’h Thomas down the depth chart.
There’s a lot of talent on the boundary , which is where the 6-foot-2 Bamba will play. Based on his upside and athleticism , Bamba could be one of those guys who will have a chance to show the staff at OTAs that he’s worth keeping around over a Womack III or Brown, both guys who have NFL experience under their belts.
McClain received the same base as Bamba, but wasn’t lucky in the total guarantee area. But he will get a chance to compete for a roster spot, which is all you can ask for as an undrafted free agent. McClain is a completely different type of receiver than Lacy and DT Sheffield, another UDFA, as he’s a bigger-body wideout, coming at 6-foot-4 and 199 pounds.
He doesn’t have a huge speed element to his game, but he has strong hands and isn’t afraid to get dirty in run blocking, which is one way to impress the coaches. It’s the little things that could make the difference between being on the cusp of the 53-man roster or practice squad and packing your bags at the end of training camp.
Last season with the Arizona State Sun Devils, McClain had 31 receptions for 441 yards and a touchdown. New York doesn’t have many wide receivers his size, which could work to McClain’s benefit. But he’ll still have to outshine a guy like Lacy, who will be his direct competition starting at OTAs. Linebacker has been a hot topic among Jets fans this offseason as they wait to see if the club will sign a veteran to bolster the depth.
In the meantime, Blackshire, who was given a $5K base guaranteed, will try to lock up a spot over guys such as Kobe King and Jaden Heller, the latter of whom was a tryout player and signed after rookie minicamp. Last season at UTSA was Blackshire’s lone year as a full-time starter in college. He started his career at the University of Alabama with a brief pit stop at the University of Texas.
With the Roadrunners last year, the 6-foot-1, 230-pound defender had 48 combined tackles, a tackle for loss, a pass deflection, and an interception . Given that New York could still add a veteran to this room to back up Demario Davis and Jamien Sherwood, not to mention they still have Kiko Mauigoa and two vets in Mykal Walker and Marcelino McCrary-Ball, Blackshire will have his work cut out for him in OTAs. Loading recommendations...
Please wait while we load personalized content recommendationsJovan has over 13 years of experience in sports media, including stops at The Philadelphia Tribune, SB Nation, FanSided and Hoops Habit. Most recently joining OnSI, his teams covered include the New York Jets, New York Yankees and New York Knicks.
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