FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets traded defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers to the Denver Broncos on Saturday for a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Franklin-Myers, whose base salary this season was $13.3 million, was due to count about $16.4 million on the Jets’ salary cap. Instead, New York cleared $7.3 million in cap space by dealing him to Denver in the middle of the final day of this year’s draft.
“It’s an unfortunate part of the business not being able to keep him,” general manager Joe Douglas said. But, got a hell of a player. I’ll say that.”
Franklin-Myers became expendable on the Jets’ defensive line — generally considered the team’s best position group — after New York acquired edge rusher Haason Reddick from Philadelphia on April 1. The Jets also have Quinnen Williams, Javon Kinlaw, Leki Fotu, Solomon Thomas, Micheal Clemons and Will McDonald on a loaded D-line.
“That was a difficult one because when we made the trade for Hasson, we knew it was going to be next to impossible to keep JFM at his salary,” Douglas said.
Franklin-Myers, who had 3 1/2 sacks last season and 17 1/2 in four seasons with the Jets.
It’s the second trade between the teams this week after New York sent quarterback Zach Wilson and a seventh-round pick in this week’s NFL draft to Denver for a sixth-rounder on Monday.
Franklin-Myers appeared to know his days with the Jets were numbered when he posted a cryptic message on the social media platform X on Friday.
“Life’s a trampoline,” he posted. “I’m gone bounce back regardless.”
Franklin-Myers was likely going to see reduced playing time and was due to make about $29 million over the final two years of the four-year, $55 million extension he signed in 2021. ESPN reported the defensive lineman agreed to a new two-year, $15 million deal with the Broncos.
“We opened it up to let them explore an opportunity elsewhere, a trade elsewhere and that was a few weeks ago, obviously, after we traded for for Hassan,” Douglas said. “And we got the deal worked out with Denver today after a lot of talks.”
In Denver, Franklin-Myers would figure to have a chance to start at defensive end opposite Zach Allen.
Franklin-Myers was a fourth-round pick of the Rams out of Stephen F. Austin in 2018 and had two sacks as a rookie, along with a sack and forced fumble against New England in the Super Bowl. The Jets claimed Franklin-Myers off waivers before the 2019 season and he developed into a productive pass rusher for New York.
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