The Jets have a laundry list of needs to address this offseason. Some of those needs are best served being addressed in free agency, while others should wait until the 2021 NFL draft.

Like every free agent class, this year’s group has its strengths and weaknesses. Some positions are loaded with talent from top to bottom, while others are paper-thin and littered with undesirable options. It’s on Joe Douglas to distinguish which positions are worth targeting in free agency based on the talent available and which ones should be addressed in the draft as he works to build New York’s roster back up to contender level.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the four Jets’ positions of need with the strongest free agent classes.

Running Back

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Aaron Jones is this offseason’s only true marquee free agent running back, but don’t let that fool you. This year’s crop of players set to hit the open market is impressively deep.

Chris Carson and Kenyan Drake can add a lot to any team’s running back room, while secondary targets such as Phillip Lindsay and Jamaal Williams are talented enough to be the top free agent running backs in most years. Carson, Drake, Lindsay and Williams aren’t stars, but they are proven commodities and impact players.

That should be more than enough reason for the Jets to go shopping in the running back market.

Wide Receiver

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The franchise tag wiped out the possibility of Chris Godwin and Allen Robinson landing with the Jets this offseason, but there is still plenty Joe Douglas can do to upgrade the position before free agency.

With names like JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kenny Golladay and Will Fuller V set to hit the open market next week, wide receiver is one the strongest free agent position groups this offseason. Even secondary targets such as Nelson Agholor and Josh Reynolds would provide the Jets with a substantial upgrade to their wide receiver depth chart.

Jamison Crowder and Denzel Mims are going to have a new running mate next season. At this point, it’s safe to assume that player comes courtesy of free agency. The talent available is simply too intriguing for the Jets to ignore.

EDGE

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This might be the offseason the Jets crack the code of the pass-rushing woes that have plagued them for a decade.

Shaquil Barrett is arguably the top free agent left on the board following the franchise tag deadline, while Leonard Floyd and Haason Reddick are coming off standout seasons and are in line to cash in on lucrative contracts. Bud Dupree, who is coming off a torn ACL, is also a viable option to upgrade any team’s pass rush.

New York desperately needs help off the edge and now is the time for Douglas to get that help. He can’t go wrong with the bevy of top-end pass rushers set to become available.

Safety

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Now that Marcus Maye is locked up for 2021, Douglas can shift his attention to finding a quality partner to play alongside him at strong safety.

Ashtyn Davis has the potential to develop into that player, but he still has work to do before he can be viewed as a full-time starter next to Maye. Keanu Neal is an attractive candidate to fill that void given his familiarity with Jeff Ulbrich, as is Jalen Mills, who is fresh off a career year with the Eagles. There’s also John Johnson III, who is one of football’s best young safeties.

The Jets’ secondary needs an influx of talent greater than one player to take the next step in 2021, but finding a quality strong safety is a good place to start. New York might not dedicate big money to the position, but it’s likely that an addition will be made.