INDIANAPOLIS — The Jets usually are not comfortable with Mecole Hardman.
General manager Joe Douglas responded Wednesday to what the previous Jets wide receiver said on “The Pivot Podcast” this week, specifically when Hardman said he talked to Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and quarterback Patrick Mahomes before Kansas City acquired him by trade at midseason.
“Like, it’s over. I already talked with Veach and Pat. Like, ‘Hey, come get me, boy. What y’all doing? What are we talking about? Man, come get me,’ ” Hardman said on the podcast.
If the Chiefs and Hardman had contact before the October trade without the Jets’ permission, that may very well be considered tampering.
Douglas was asked on the NFL Scouting Mix if the Jets would ask the league to analyze the matter.
“I’ll just say those are comments that definitely resonated with us,” Douglas said.
As for Hardman’s criticism of the Jets’ culture and their offensive coaching staff, Douglas said rookie Xavier Gipson beat out Hardman and that led to the trade.
A number of Jets players chimed in on social media, too.
Cornerback Sauce Gardner posted on X: “We ain’t gon speak about how our offensive gameplan got leaked vs. the Eagles tho.” Gardner later deleted the post.
“Watch out getting information from disgruntled former employees,” punter Thomas Morstead posted on X. “Getting beat out by a rookie free agent after being guaranteed tens of millions of dollars is hard to take care of.”
Robert Saleh has not come to the mix since he has been the Jets head coach. But he’s coming in for this weekend.
Douglas said he and Saleh talked recently and the coach decided to are available for 2 days.
“We each thought it was a very good opportunity to fulfill with some people and form of explore that landscape we talked about,” Douglas said.
Quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs work out Friday here and offensive linemen work out Sunday.
Douglas said the Jets don’t plan on using the franchise tag on edge rusher Bryce Huff, who’s scheduled to be a free agent.
It seems like Douglas thinks Huff will test the free-agent market.
“Those conversations are going to choose up as we get going here,” Douglas said. “This can be a big week simply to have a variety of different discussions with a variety of different agents. Bryce is an impressive player. He definitely deserves this chance to see where he’s within the open market.”
Douglas said no decision has been made on whether to choose up the fifth-year option on guard Alijah Vera-Tucker. Teams have until May to exercise the choice on 2021 first-round picks.
Douglas said Vera-Tucker is doing well in his rehab from Achilles surgery and reiterated the plan is to maintain Vera-Tucker at one position this season, but he didn’t say which one.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Jets usually are not comfortable with Mecole Hardman.
General manager Joe Douglas responded Wednesday to what the previous Jets wide receiver said on “The Pivot Podcast” this week, specifically when Hardman said he talked to Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and quarterback Patrick Mahomes before Kansas City acquired him by trade at midseason.
“Like, it’s over. I already talked with Veach and Pat. Like, ‘Hey, come get me, boy. What y’all doing? What are we talking about? Man, come get me,’ ” Hardman said on the podcast.
If the Chiefs and Hardman had contact before the October trade without the Jets’ permission, that may very well be considered tampering.
Douglas was asked on the NFL Scouting Mix if the Jets would ask the league to analyze the matter.
“I’ll just say those are comments that definitely resonated with us,” Douglas said.
As for Hardman’s criticism of the Jets’ culture and their offensive coaching staff, Douglas said rookie Xavier Gipson beat out Hardman and that led to the trade.
A number of Jets players chimed in on social media, too.
Cornerback Sauce Gardner posted on X: “We ain’t gon speak about how our offensive gameplan got leaked vs. the Eagles tho.” Gardner later deleted the post.
“Watch out getting information from disgruntled former employees,” punter Thomas Morstead posted on X. “Getting beat out by a rookie free agent after being guaranteed tens of millions of dollars is hard to take care of.”
Robert Saleh has not come to the mix since he has been the Jets head coach. But he’s coming in for this weekend.
Douglas said he and Saleh talked recently and the coach decided to are available for 2 days.
“We each thought it was a very good opportunity to fulfill with some people and form of explore that landscape we talked about,” Douglas said.
Quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs work out Friday here and offensive linemen work out Sunday.
Douglas said the Jets don’t plan on using the franchise tag on edge rusher Bryce Huff, who’s scheduled to be a free agent.
It seems like Douglas thinks Huff will test the free-agent market.
“Those conversations are going to choose up as we get going here,” Douglas said. “This can be a big week simply to have a variety of different discussions with a variety of different agents. Bryce is an impressive player. He definitely deserves this chance to see where he’s within the open market.”
Douglas said no decision has been made on whether to choose up the fifth-year option on guard Alijah Vera-Tucker. Teams have until May to exercise the choice on 2021 first-round picks.
Douglas said Vera-Tucker is doing well in his rehab from Achilles surgery and reiterated the plan is to maintain Vera-Tucker at one position this season, but he didn’t say which one.
