NFL veteran safety Marcus Maye will not hit the open market, as the New York Jets have franchise tagged him. If signed, this will keep him with the team through 2021. Maye has emerged as a top safety this past season with the New York Jets.
Jets placed franchise tag on safety Marcus Maye, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2021
Marcus Maye Franchise Tagged
Last offseason, all the attention was on Jamal Adams and if he would earn a new deal. All while Maye quietly was coming off yet another productive year. In the final year of his rookie deal, Maye started every game, posting career-highs in numerous categories. He had 88 total tackles, four for a loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and 11 pass deflections. Most importantly though, Maye stepped up as a respected leader in a young Jets locker room, something that the team desperately needed.
Dating back to his time at Florida, Maye has been viewed as a versatile player who can fit in anywhere on the field. At 6-0 and 207lbs, Maye has the size to play in the box, and the range to play deep too. After all, his ability to play both is why the Jets picked him just one round after Adams in 2017. While Adams was the more publicly vocal player, Maye was quietly establishing himself as a star in his own right. After a rookie year of ups and downs, Maye has been one of the top safeties in the league over the past three seasons. He has posted grades of 80.0, 74.5, and a career-high of 82.8 in 2020 per PFF. Good for the fifth highest out of 93 qualifying safeties.
Apart from an injury-riddled second season, Maye has started every game each season. In 54 starts, Maye has six interceptions, 22 pass deflections, four forced fumbles, and 266 total tackles to his name. Maye has played well enough that he should be considered amongst the better safeties in the league, though has not gotten into the elite category. Maye will be 28-years-old in 2021 and will look to build off a career-year to put himself in the elite conversation.
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