New York Jets Rumors: C.J. Spiller Could Rejoin Former Coach In New York
The New York Jets may have had a disappointing 2014 season, but the team is already making waves in the free agent rumor mill with indications that they could be targeting former divisional rival C.J. Spiller.
The Buffalo Bills running back is set to hit free agency this year, and may not be a priority for the Jets’ AFC East rival. The team will likely be spending some money on the defensive side of the ball, with Brandon Spikes and Jerry Hughes both free agents, which could allow Spiller to fall to the Jets.
The New York Jets could have an inside track to C.J. Spiller. The team just hired former Bills head coach Chan Gailey as its offensive coordinator, a connection that Spiller noted in an interview with Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
“There is that familiarity between me and him in that offense,” Spiller told the Daily News on Thursday. “So that would be a perfect match. Who knows what can happen, but I’d be foolish not to have those guys on my list. I had my best years in the league with Chan. So it’d be dumb not to give it serious thought.”
C.J. Spiller had his best season under Chan Gailey, averaging 6.0 yards per carry in 2012 with 1,703 yards from scrimmage.
Spiller still had good things to say about Gailey, noting that he will likely do great things with the Jets as well.
“When you look at guys on that roster, Chan’s going to find ways to get those guys the ball and move them around,” Spiller said. “That’s the thing that I love. He loves moving his guys around so they can keep defenses off balance. In Buffalo, he had so much on his plate. I can only imagine the things that he’s going to be able to do now.”
If the New York Jets are in the market for C.J. Spiller, they could get him at a discount. Spiller spent most of his contract year on the sidelines after breaking his collarbone. His disappointing last two seasons in Buffalo — when coach Doug Marrone struggled to utilize the speedy back — could have also sunk Spiller a bit.
