Knowshon, 'Beanie' or Brown?

Lets take a look at the three possible running backs the Jets could make a move for this year in the draft. Knowshon Moreno-Georgia, Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells-Ohio State, and Donald Brown-Connecticut.

Knowshon is 5’10” and 210lbs. I have made it no secret that I feel he is the back in this year’s draft that fits the Jets the best. He ran a slow 40 yard dash at the NFL combine and because of this he has probably slipped from a top 15 pick to the second half of the first round. We should be able to pick him up without needing to move up. He is an underrated pass catcher, and as I have said in the past, he is fast. He has ‘football speed’. Powerful for his size, he has the type of frame that is a work in progress. Some more time in the weight room can get this young man up to a healthy 218-220lbs. He has great agility and vision and has been an every down, bell cow back since high school. He and Neon Leon would be an excellent one two punch moving forward.

Beanie Wells is a monster back standing 6’ 1” and 237lbs. He will obviously draw comparisons to fellow Buckeye alumni Eddie George. He is a fast power back with great vision. My problem with him is he has horrible agility and spent his college career running behind an O-line that was far superior to the opposing defenses week after week. He has a simple north to south style and can turn on the jets (no pun intended) when he sees day light. He had a foot injury that kept him out of the USC game this past September. I would have loved seeing him running against a world class defense like that. He runs very high and doesn’t have the moves to make anyone miss at the NFL level. He isn’t much of a threat in the passing game either. Much like George I think he will make a splash and take a lot of punishment in this league. He has already shown he is injury prone. I just don’t think we would get more than two or three productive years from him. That’s not enough for a first round pick.

That leads us to Donald Brown, 5’10” tall and 208lbs. Like Moreno he is a local product who played High School ball in Red Bank NJ. He went to a smaller school than these other two prospects and should be obtainable in the second half of the second round. He has good speed, agility, quickness, and vision. His overall size and power are a concern. He is by far the best pass blocker of the bunch and that usually translates into playing time for young backs in the NFL. He can catch the ball out of the backfield and has the best hands of this group. If the Jets pick him up with their second round pick (#49 overall) I would be disappointed. I don’t think he would compliment Leon Washington moving forward. We already have a small, quick, change-of-pace, scat back on the roster. We need more of an every down player to carry the load.

I like all three of these backs and I can almost guarantee at least two if not all three will make a real impact at the NFL level. Mr. T may go WR #1 and RB #2 this year but I feel that is a mistake. I’d take Moreno #1 and WR Kenny Britt in the second round, even if we had to trade up to get him. I’m not sure Britt will still be on the board at #49.

At this stage of his career I still have faith in Tannenbaum. I like Mangold, Washington, Revis, Harris, and Keller. Players like Stuckey, Lowey and Coleman have been productive late round picks. He’s had no real big busts yet, but this is the year his two highest picks (Ferguson and Gholston) need to shine as well as his QB of the future Clemens. If these three guys can live up to their potential MR.T could start to be regarded as an elite GM. If they turn out to be busts he may find himself looking for a new employer.

Lots of pressure for the 4th year executive in 2009.

J.Wagner

Questions???????????????

As jets fans we have three simple questions that will determine how effective our 2009 team will be.


Will Vernon Gholston begin to blossom and complete our line backing corps? With Harris, Scott and Pace, an effective Gholston could give us the biggest strongest and most intimidating LB squad in the league.

Can Jericho Cotchery step up and be a true #1 wide receiver? He doesn’t have elite speed but Hines Ward (who is similar to Cotch in many ways) has held down the #1 spot in Pittsburgh for years and was instrumental in helping ‘Big Ben’ develop.

The final and most important question: Is Kellen Clemens the future? He brings a lot to the table. I think he is far enough removed from the nightmare 2007 campaign to start fresh.

The Gholston and Clemens questions are simple ones. As fans we need to understand that young players rarely step into the NFL and produce at a high level from day one. It’s especially hard for quarterbacks. Frankly, Clemens couldn’t be in a better situation. He has been around this system for three years. He has played behind two excellent quarterbacks who have very different styles. This job is his for the taking. If he can’t make it here he won’t make it anywhere.

As for Gholston, his situation last year was a bad one to be thrown into. He was drafted very high to a New York professional team and given a huge salary. He was put in an over complicated system and asked to move from DE to LB. I’d call this a recipe for disaster. Our old 3-4 ‘one gap’ system was useless, and the new ‘two gap’ brought in by Ryan and Pettine will fit #56 much better.

He and Kellen might end up as busts, but we need to accept that world class QB’s and LB’s don’t grow on trees. In the words of Bill Parcells “you can’t just dial 1-800-quaterback” and get a good starter. A lot of the great players in this league took time to adjust and learn. There is no way of knowing if these guys will end up on the NFL scrap heap with Brian Bozzworth and Ryan Leaf, or super bowl champions. Only time will tell.

The Cotchery question is much more complex. We know who and what he is. I must say that I love the way he plays the game. He is a WR in a RB’s body. His hands are amazing and his lower body strength makes him a nightmare for corners and safteys to tackle. However, he is slow. There is no other way to say it. He has some quick moves, but he is not going to stretch defenses. As a #2 WR or a slot guy he is a major weapon, but as a #1 I feel he will fall flat on his face.

The front office has addressed a lot of issues and holes so far this off season. Our defensive line and WR corps are still areas of need. A number of DE’s and wide outs who I targeted in free agency are long gone. A trade for Braylon Edwards would cost us our #1 pick and I feel we need it to pick up a young RB. I hope Tanny hasn’t painted himself into a corner with this one.

Who ever ends up as our signal caller this year is going to need some real targets. Cotchery Stuckey and Clowney are a nice supporting cast but we need a star. We also need a big solid blocking TE to fill out the pass catchers. If Dustin Keller goes down we have no real option at TE. Things are looking good but I hope Mr.'T’ dots all the I’s and crosses all the T’s.

J.Wagner

WR's, RB's and QB's ..Oh my!

“Big Play Abe” Elam is still a Jet. As I stated in the past, allowing him to leave for Cleveland would have been a real mistake. Tanny stepped up to the plate and paid a player who has earned it. Now Abe knows this franchise values him and I expect more big plays in 09’.

I really like our Secondary: Revis, Sheppard, and Lowery at the corners, and Leonhard, Rhodes and Elam at the safety spots. I still feel we should use an early pick on the Wake Forest corner Alphonso Smith. He has been described as ‘Pac Man’ Jones without the baggage. I can’t say I spent a lot of Saturdays watching Smith play, but I have seen a lot of highlight footage of him on the field and there is no question he is a playmaking ball hawk. I also like the fact that there isn’t one negative assessment of Smith from any scout or expert anywhere. There are no sure things in the NFL draft but this guy could be the real article.

Four of our games this year will be against T.O., Lee Evans and the supporting cast from the Bills and Moss, Welker, Galloway and Brady in New England. Just to be a wild card we are going to need a top 5 secondary in 2009. Some may say a high draft pick like Smith is overkill considering the talent we have at that position, I say one or two major injuries and we are toast.

I am excited about Thomas Jones making waves by skipping the Jets off-season workout program and team meetings. Why is that? I hope it will push the front office to make RB a top priority with our 1st round draft pick. Jones will be hitting the wall very soon. He is 30 years old and historically that’s the beginning of the end for most NFL backs. Recently I wrote about Curtis Martin and how much I admire him. He’s everything that Jones is not.

Jones got a 4 year 20 million dollar deal 2 years ago. The contract was front loaded meaning in 07’ and 08’ he got a large portion of the money. The way it is structured in year 3 (2009) he would see less than 1 million. He had a lack luster season in 07’ and collected a boat load of cash. In 08’ running behind a 100 million dollar O-line he made the probowl. Now that it’s time to pay the Jets back for their early investment he is starting to cry and looking for a big extension. He knows that no one is giving a 30 year old back a big money extension. He also knows he is an important part of our offense and that the Jets are under a ton of pressure to win NOW. So, he decides to blackmail the team and cause a distraction.

He is a 'B minus' 'journeyman' running back. He is playing behind an excellent O-line on a team that is going to give him a lot of touches. He needs to shut his mouth and enjoy the next year or two as a probowler. As I said, all of this is a good thing in my opinion. Mr.T and the powers that be need to take a good hard look at Knowshon Moreno. He is another player that has long term NFL starter written all over him.

All of this QB talk to me is ridiculous. Jay Cutler, Mark Sanchez, Stafford, and even Brett Favre’s name is being thrown around. I am sticking behind my prediction, Clemens, Ratliff, and a veteran QB (most likely Garcia) will fight it out in training camp with Kellen as our starter opening day. I don’t think we pick up a QB anywhere in the 09’ draft. If Jay Cutler is somehow traded to the jets I am going on record saying I think it is a mistake. He doesn’t fit the identity of our offense. We need a game manager not a gun slinger. Funny, there’s this QB down in Miami who would probably fit in well with our team which is now being built in the Ravens image. A game manager… imagine that!

On the wide receiver front, I am just blown away by the interesting WR’s available throughout this year’s draft. So many young men with amazing upside. I wonder if the 2009 draft will rival the 1996 draft that produced a bounty of productive long-term starters. Some were bigger starts than others but they were all significant WR’s for years, some still playing.

I’ll name them in draft order, Keyshawn Johnson, Terry Glenn, Eddie Kennison, Marvin Harrison, Eric Moulds, Amani Toomer, Mushin Muhammad, Bobby Engram, Terrell Owens, and Joe Horn. WOW!!!. That’s one hell of a WR class. As a bit of a bitter note, we had the #1 pick in every round except the fourth and our main need and priority was wide receiver. We could have had Harrison, Owens, and Toomer. In stead we took ‘MEshawn’ #1 and Alex Van Dyke (Van-Who??) with the 1st pick of the second round. Not a shinning moment in Jets history.

All that being said, I am in favor of taking two WR’s in this draft. An early pick like Kenny Britt in the second round, and maybe a project player like Ramses Barden from Cal-Poly. This 6’6” 230lb beast has potential. His speed in not elite and he plays for a small school. Therefore he will be available in the 3rd or 4th round. His size and jumping ability can be a real asset in the red zone and can really help the learning curve of a young QB. Ask Eli Manning how much it meant to have a target like Burress in the early stages of his NFL career. This player was productive in school and has good enough speed to be a weapon in this league.

I am still wishing upon a star that the Jets will sign Torry Holt to short money, but with a big question mark at the QB spot for us I am sure Holt will have better options. He is over-the-hill, but he still has gas in the tank and can be a real leader on our WR corps. I am not usually in favor of old, big name free agents but I have a feeling he could be the missing link for our offense. I can in vision him lining up all over the place and creating mismatches.

J.Wagner

Curtis Martin: a true legend...

I was thinking today about what Curtis Martin really meant to the New York Jets. For me he legitimized the franchise. Sure, Joe Willie put the NYJ’s and the entire AFC on the map, but that was 40 years ago. In the modern era the Jets looked more like a USFL team than an NFL Franchise. We were 54-104-1 form 87’ to 96’. This span includes the infamous one win season (96’) and only one season over .500 (88’ and we were only a half game over .500 8-7-1). In 1997 things started to turn around and in 98’ C-mart arrived. I was never so excited to have a player join my team.

I loved the first three years of his career with New England. He wasn’t flashy but he was quick and tenacious. As the years past he slowed down a bit, but his fluid running style and his concrete grip on the football made him productive for 10 consecutive thousand yard seasons. Only HOF’er Barry Sanders has matched that feat. There are countless stories from teammates, coaches, fans and friends that can tell you how Martin’s character and discipline inspired them. Mine is from September 12th 2004. It was the Jets home opener vs. the Bengal’s.

Two interesting notes: It was Carson Palmers first game as a starting QB, and Vilma’s first ever NFL game. Pennington was back and healthy, and our team looked real good. Names like Chrebet, Moss, and Mawae… Abraham, Ellis and Ferguson and of coarse Penny and Curtis. You had to like the looks of things on paper. But, we are Jets fans; we hope for the best and expect the worst. I remember the coin toss and all the captains from both sides gathering at mid-field. Curtis waited until everyone was assembled and then slowly walked out onto the field sending a clear message to everyone in that building that this was his house. We won the coin toss and the stadium was electric.

However, the Bengal’s were also hyped up. This was a red letter day for their franchise. They drafted the USC super star Carson Palmer and had been preparing him for this day for over a year (he spent his rookie season on the bench). We looked good but they were confident as well. Jonathan Carter fielded the kickoff after 5 or 6 deafening J!E!T!S! JETS! chants led by Fireman Ed and proceeded to trip over his own feet and fumbled the ball! There wasn’t a player within 15 yards of him. As he lay on the ground and the football floundered across the field the crowd fell silent. Cincinnati recovered and two plays later we were already trailing 7-0.

The experience of sitting in those stands and the dramatic emotional rollercoaster that was the first few minutes was unsettling to say the least. The sound of sixty thousand plus fans on their feet cheering is powerful, but the collective gasp and the utter silence that followed were equally powerful. Curtis took the field and calmly carried the ball. Ten plus yards to the left, ten plus yards to the right and Chad dinked and dunked. Gradually as the team moved the ball the crowd started to come around.

The first drive of the 04' season culminated in a 1 yard screen pass to Curtis for 6. For a player who was usually very poised and subdued his reaction to the touchdown catch was animated and inspired. He got the fans back to their feet and his 200 plus yard day was the first step to him winning the rushing title in 2004. For a back that was over 30 and considered over the hill, he made a definitive statement to the league and his teammates. He willed his team to a 10-6 season and a playoff berth.

That game was a micro chasm for his entire career with the Jets. He was a rock when we needed it. He was a calm and steady leader and could take the team on his shoulders and carry them when necessary. More importantly he was the face of the franchise for over 8 years and gave us a source of pride and an identity. His seventeen thousand plus all purpose yards and 102 TD's (90 rushing 10 receiving and 2 passing) ensure him a place in Canton.

He is my favorite NFL player of all time; however he is not my favorite Jet. How does that work, is that logical? Well my train of thought is this: my favorite Jet can't be a player who played for another team, so C-mart is out. #80 will always be my favorite Jet. And if you don't know who I mean, you're not a real Jets fan.

A note on the upcoming draft... The Jets have scheduled private work outs with the 6'6" 250lb QB from Kansas Josh Freeman and also the USC product Mark Sanchez. I have shared my views on Sanchez. As for Josh, he is still developmental, he has had a bit of a rollercoaster career and he hasn't beaten any legitimate teams. Everything about him says: "I NEED another year in school, but I am hoping to get first round money in a draft that is weak at the QB position." He may have a good arm and big strong frame, but he is not anywhere near being ready to be a NFL QB.

He announced to the press that he is a cross between Mcnabb and Roethlisberger. Anyone else feel they are being sold a lemon from a used car lot? If we waste the #17 pick on him it will be sickening. Schotty is meeting with him today to talk X's and O's and Rex will give him a private work out tomorrow. The way I see it, if we take a QB with either of our first two picks, this organization is not taking Ratliff seriously. Ainge is a future prospect; they know he is at least two years away from being a legitimate contender for the starting spot. Clemens will get a shot to compete, but if we draft a QB high, it will be because the Jets don't feel Ratliff is good enough to compete.

Again, I feel we have the 'young gun' QB prospects already on the roster; we should address some other pressing needs in the draft and bring in a veteran signal caller as insurance.

J.Wagner

Bring the Violence...

"I'm willing to take the pain longer, I'm willing to break whatever I have to break, hurt whatever I have to hurt on me, to hurt you more. And just get me to my feet and I'll do it again"

That is a quote from ILB Bart Scott from SNY's Jets Nation. Wow! It kinda reminds me of a quote from the movie Casino from Joe Pesci's character… "I should explain to you exactly what it is that I do... tomorrow morning ill get up nice and early, take a walk down over to the bank and... if you don't have my money for me, I'll... crack your F'in head wide-open in front of everybody in the bank. And just about the time that I'm comin' out of jail, hopefully, you'll be coming out of your coma. And guess what? I'll split your F'in head open again.” ... I love it! Scott also said he's sees no reason the Jets defense can't be #1 this season. He said we have all the personnel in place and added "Why not now?".

The current QB situation is obviously in the spotlight and to be very frank it's exciting. I don't know if Clemens or Ratliff will ever be real NFL starters, but they both are the type of prospects that can generate hope. Brett has the innate ability to move in the pocket and extend the play. Kellen has the mobility to be able to move in the pocket but has looked a bit like a statue. They both have good arms and prototype size for the position. I guess it will come down to decision making and who the players rally around. The one who wins the locker room will win the competition. I really hope we give them one more legitimate target to work with.

One final note. Abram Elam is exactly the type of player I want on my team. For some reason the popular opinion seems to be that because we now have Leonhard and Rhodes as our starting safety’s we have no need to think about quality depth. This player is in his prime and positioned to have a real break out year. He is relatively inexpensive and proved he can be a playmaker last year.

Elam is a restricted free agent (RFA). He was undrafted and received the lowest tender possible from the Jets. All this means if some other team makes him an offer we have the right to first refusal, but if we loose him we don't get any compensation. From what I understand the Browns will offer him 1.5million. We can certainly afford to keep him and I feel he's well worth the money.

The NFL differs quite a bit from other sports. This is not the NBA, you need more that a few good starters to win. I'll even go one step further... I think Elam could push Leonhard for the starting job. Don’t get me wrong, I know he is not the center piece to our defense, but he could be a very strong link in the chain. Considering what he showed us last year, and his overall cost, I think it's crazy to give him to 'Mangina' in Cleveland.

I think these 'homegrown', 'role player' type guys are way undervalued by this organization. Super Bowl winning teams are littered with these blue collar players. There's a loyalty that develops and a work ethic that makes its way from the practice field to game day from them. We have developed this player. Just like my view on the Brandon Moore situation a few weeks ago, I'll say it again, we suffered the growing pains, now let's enjoy the harvest. Don’t drop the ball Tanny!

J.Wagner

Dancing alone....

I don't know if anything can turn your stomach more as an NFL fan than the current state of Jason Taylor. I don't know if he is a good person or a bad person, all I know is his behavior is sad. Taylor was one of the most feared sack masters in the entire league. He has a ton of probowl nods, and was defensive player of the year only a few years back. I would think one of the greatest defensive ends to ever play would be pretty hungry to get a ring as exclamation point on his career.

However, when the Redskins asked him to attend off-season workouts, with the simple goal of having him develop some much needed chemistry with his team mates he said: 'no thanx'. So they offered to pay him five hundred thousand dollars for what would have amounted to about 25 workouts over a 3 month period (twenty thousand per workout), he said: 'no thanx'. The team spent 100 million on a DT that would demand a double and even occasionally a triple team. Meaning, Taylor could expect to be in one-on-one match ups all season. This could easily equal double digit sacks for him. Considering all this he said: 'no thanx'.

He couldn't be bothered, and to my surprise Washington stepped up to the plate and said: 'goodbye'. They cut him and sent a message to the entire team that certain minimum requirements apply to everyone. I applaud them, and at the same time cringe when I think about the second round draft pick they game up for him only last year. I guess the easiest way to look at this situation is if Bill Parcells takes over a team and the first thing on his list is to get rid of you... it's time to pack it up. Parcells loves veteran players, so if he's giving you your walking papers, your useful days are done. Some team will pay Taylor, even though he has shown that football is not at the top of his list of priorities. I just hope it's not a team that wears green and white!

As free agency moves along the Jets have made no moves regarding the WR department or the D-line. I am sure they will pick up at least one WR in the draft, and most likely it will be with one of our first two picks. I feel they may be thinking one of two things. Either they plan on Cotchery being the #1 guy this year, or they think they can land a wide out in the draft that can be a #1 from day one. I think both of these ideas are bad ones. If we had an established QB, maybe this could work. We don't have a veteran signal caller so we need an established #1 WR. It's that simple to me.

As for the D-line, I think they plan on addressing that in the draft as well. Igor Olshansky is now a Cowboy and I don't see any other quality 3-4 DE's on the market. The Daily News reports the Jets are interested in FA DT Howard Green. He played for Seattle and is listed at 6'2" 320lbs. I guess they want him for depth. He fits nicely into my "who's that guy" department. He's been in the NFL for 5 years and has one sack.

Finally, the AFC East just got a little more interesting. The tired, childish, tabloid T.O. show has landed in B-town. The Bills signed Terrell Owens 3 days after he was released from Dallas. I have a few thoughts on this. First off, I don't see him having an amazing impact. I don't think the Bills make the playoffs, but Lee Evans and Owens will cause issues for any defense and they will be a threat every week. Next, I am amazed that he was in so little demand. His agent said he fielded multiple offers. For Owens to except a 1 year 6 million dollar deal with a cold weather team that doesn't have a dominate QB, there must have been nowhere else to go. It's one of the lowest profile teams to play for. Will Owens play with something to prove? Will Trent Edwards mature into a real NFL QB? This may be a marriage made in heaven or hell. Either way, the NYJ's have two games this season that just got a little harder.

One final thought on the Bills. After their epic collapse last year they elected to keep their head coach. I was blow away by that move. I mean this guy lost his team, they gave up on him. However, Marv Levy their former head coach turned GM has be a bit of a maverick since taking over the team a few years back. Is he positioning himself for 2010 and the amazing group of coaches who will be on the market?? Names like Cowher, Shanahan, Parcells, Billick, Gruden, and Holmgren and their collective 8 suprbowl rings and 11 confrence championships makes any NFL GM's mouth water. This may have been a really smart move by a crafty old-school football guy thinking a step ahead.

J.Wagner

The veteran wide-out carousel...

Eric Mangini is purging his roster in Cleveland. The newest Brown on the chopping block is Braylon Edwards. The trading block might be a more accurate way to describe Edwards’s current status. My opinion on this player is that he could quite possibly be the most dynamic and productive receiver in this league for the next 4 to 5 years. He could probably be very productive well past that time frame; I am referring to him being the top WR in the league, the #1 guy. I don't see any character issues, and as for his drop in production last year, that has everything to do with the musical chairs situation at QB for the Browns in 08'.

A player this good, this young, who doesn't have a rap sheet of off the field issues and is available via trade is a rarity. I would give up a 1st and a 3rd for him, he's that valuable. Even though Mr. T fired Mangini, he and Eric are supposedly still close friends. He should be able to make this happen. With a WR corps like Edwards, Cotchery, Stuckey, and Clowney, Kellen Clemens would have every opportunity to make it happen. I would also consider a player/draft pick package. Sean Ellis and a 1st? Maybe throw in Brad Smith for good measure? I don't know, just make it happen!

I really have little interest or opinion on Terrell Owens being dropped. He will get a job, and I don't believe all these teams that have already said they are not interested. ESPN reports that 29 NFL teams are either not in the market for a WR (Arizona, Bengals, Patriots...ect.) or just don't want Owens. That’s a lot of big talk to me. I believe Mr. T doesn't want Owens, and I am 99% sure the Giants wouldn't touch him, but teams like Minnesota, Chicago, Jacksonville, and even San Diego will take a close look. They may look very quietly, but with the pressure GM's and coaches are under to win, a 1000+ yard, 10+ TD WR will be very interesting. I think he gets way too much criticism, and I also don't want him anywhere near my team!

Another wideout who may become available is Tory Holt. Loved him in his prime and I still think he has something left in the tank. Again, this is a veteran #1 guy who could who could really help the learning curve of whom ever ends up behind center for us. If Holt is released I feel very confident the Patriots will make a run at him. For that reason alone I would look close at this playmaker. Holt won't play for the Rams next year, and if they can't make a trade happen they will be forced to drop him. Saying he's unhappy would be a gross understatement. I really think he has something to prove. He wants out of St Louis because he wants to win, it has nothing to do with money.

We need a true #1 WR if we plan on making the playoffs in 09'.

J.Wagner

More draft thoughts, including USC recruits

The NY Jets are my number one passion, but I am also a fan of the great USC Trojans. That being said, I feel drafting players from USC is a huge gamble.

I have heard some grumblings regarding the Jets targeting the Trojans DE Fili Moala (6’5” 300lbs). I can tell you from watching him first hand he is simply lazy. He looks good from time to time because of the consistency of high level talent surrounding him. That holds true for most USC recruits. That’s why I see Sanchez as such a gamble and Moala as well. These two players could end up as hall-of-famers one day; my point is that it’s so hard to evaluate players coming from this elite program when their collective talent is so superior to the opponents they face.

No one ever seems to focus on the amount of 1st and second round busts USC produces. I won’t even begin to list the WR’s and RB’s not to mention defensive players. Let’s not forget to include the USC legend that holds Kurt Warner’s clipboard out in the Arizona. To be fair they do produce high quality defensive backs and linebackers consistently. Their 2009 LB class is amazing.

Like usual, the top 20 players in the collective mock drafts from experts across the net are in constant motion. Not unlike a shark that needs to move to live, the even flow of elite college players can have an interesting effect on a team holding the #17 overall pick. It looks more and more likely that Mathew Stafford, the QB from Georgia, will not go #1 to Detroit. I think they will follow Miami's and Cleveland’s lead by skipping a QB at the top of the draft and taking a premier Tackle (Alex Smith, Lienhart, and Vince young are not helping the cause of young signal callers coming out of school). Taking an O-lineman in the top 5 makes sense on many levels including the overall cap space you save. The new group in Detroit has the ultimate reclamation project trying to turn around the 0-16 Lions.

That being said, they do need a QB. I have already covered the whole trade scenario where a team like Detroit would want to move up to #17 to pick up Mark Sanchez if he is still available. There are other directions the Jets could go with this pick. Players like Sanchez, Crabtree, Moreno, and Percy Harvin looked like top 15 picks and out of our reach at 17 only a few weeks ago. The newest mock drafts are predicting that most if not all of these guys could be waiting for the NYJ to snatch them up in the second half of the first round. Some experts are now ranking Sanchez above Stafford, Moreno had a bad 40 yard dash time in the combine (which is meaningless to me) and Crabtree has a much publicized foot injury. Oh, how things change.

With all the trade scenarios, the quality that will be available throughout the first 3 rounds and the big time players who could be available at #17 Mr. T has his work cut out for him. As I have said before I am all in favor of trading down and scoring more draft picks. Players like Kenny Britt, Alphonso Smith, and Clay Mathews will almost certainly be available in the second round. In my opinion they would be 1st rounders in past drafts. The quality and quantity of LB's and WR's in this draft really raises the value of 2nd and 3rd round picks.

On to the free agency department. Let’s break this down: Coles found a perfect place to land in Cincinnati. One must wonder if we had waited on releasing him until the Houshmandzadeh situation had been resolved, could we have received a 4th or 5th round draft pick for Coles by trading him instead of letting him walk. Just a thought, and I am very aware that hindsight is 20/20.

The Jets signed my guy Leonhard. Finally Rhodes has a counterpart that can help him and not use him as a crutch. Our secondary is getting better day by day. I'm so glad the front office didn't sit back and think Rhodes and Revis were good enough to carry a bunch of below average teammates. Remember those guys Brady and Moss? Oh, and that other dude Welker? It takes more than 2 excellent players to patrol their neighborhood. We have 3 good safteys and 3 good corners right now. When I think how the addition of these new players as well as Ryan’s new system could affect Rhodes, it feels real good!

One other quick note on the Jets and free agency... Why have we not talked to LJ Smith from Philly??? We need a TE to compliment Keller, and Smith lives in NJ. He will be signed somewhere else within days if not hours. Why haven't we even sniffed at him? I really think the Jets have dropped the ball over the years when it comes to picking up FA and RFA from the Eagles. Most of these guys wouldn't have to move or relocate their families if they jumped ship from Philly to the NYJ. That’s a big bargaining chip.

Kurt Warner signed a totally crazy contract that basically guarantees him 19 million for one season. It's technically a two year deal, but 19 mil is guaranteed, so if he retires after 09 he still gets the money. That’s a simply horrible move, especially with Matt Lienhart (who has already collected over 18million dollars for sitting on the bench) still on the roster.

And a final note: The Giants are having a great off-season signing Boley, Canty, C.C. Brown and Rocky Bernard to continue to build their D. Considering the players that were already on the roster I have to say, I love that defense! When Ernie Accorsie bailed out as the Giants GM and Jerry Reese took over, I really thought he was just going to be an interim figure head until they could find someone better. Boy has he made a name for himself. Let me slow down before I get mistaken for a Giants fan.

J.Wagner

As the dust settles after a busy FA weekend...

One of the most common mistakes for any die hard fan is viewing the off-season with blinders on and over examining each move the team makes (or doesn’t make). DE, CB and WR are our top team needs in my opinion, as I have stated for the past few weeks. I don’t view the QB situation with the same urgency as others. I think our secondary, D-line and WR corps need to be bolstered.

So far Mike Tannenbaum has addressed the secondary bringing in Lito Shepard. On a local radio station Mr. T was very honest when he said he sees Lito as our #2 CB. He also said this is not a negative reflection on Dwight Lowery and that he was pleased with his rookie performance in 08’.

He also spoke about our QB situation and seems to share my view. He says he is confident with our 3 young signal callers and if the right situation should arise with a veteran free agent he would take a look.

A new development this week has been the growing tensions in Denver between Jay Cutler and the Broncos. Some reports say that things have gotten so bad so fast that he has contacted the team demanding a trade. Would Cutler fit the Jets? He brings a lot to the table, but he has diabetes, and I think his highly productive years won’t last into his 30’s. I just don’t feel his body will be able to handle the game for more than a few more years. I love the heart he plays with. You can see he is very fatigued during games and even seems to be in pain from time to time. I give him credit, but I wouldn’t give up much for him.

J.C. was the 3rd overall QB picked in the 06’ draft, and Kellen Clemens was number 4. As Jet fans we have to accept that we know nothing about Kellen. He has had some low lights and a handful of highlights in his very limited playing time. 2007 showed us nothing about this player. Peyton Manning would have struggled with the offensive personnel we fielded that year. I feel that Jet fans are way too high on Ratliff and too critical of Kellen. Let them fight it out. I still think we will be picking up Jeff Garcia as insurance, but the front office is letting the market settle a bit so we don’t overpay for a guy with one or two years left.

The WR dept. is drawing a lot of attention from fans and you don’t have to be a football guru to see we have a gaping hole there. T.J. Housmazadeh is no longer available, and he was the only debatable #1 WR on the market. For the record I was right, he signed a multiyear 40million dollar deal with the Seahawks. Way too long and too much coin for a guy with maybe 2 big years left in him.

The draft is looking very interesting and our #17 overall pick has become more dynamic. The latest mock drafts have Mark Sanchez slipping down the board to us. I think there is ZERO chance we take a QB early in this draft. That being said, teams that draft after us in the first round like the Bucs, Lions and Vikings would have a big interest in the QB from USC. If Detroit doesn’t take a QB #1 overall they will be drooling to move ahead of the Bucs to steal Sanchez. I would be open to trading down a few spots if it included an early 2nd rounder as well.

With all of their holes to fill, would Detroit give up the #20 overall pick as well as the first pick of the second round to leap frog Tampa up to our #17 and snatch Sanchez? Honestly, I doubt it. But if he fell to us and the Lions make a move I would take it in a minute. Knowshon Moreno looks like he will be a late 1st rounder and Alphonso Smith, the CB from Wake Forest I am so high on, looks like he will be available in the early second round. I’d pick em’ both up, if this trade materialized.

I know HB and CB are not on most fans list as our pressing team needs, but I just don’t see a ready made #1 WR in this draft, especially with Crabtree being injured. There are surely some future #1 wideouts, but we need a go to guy now, not 3 years from now. This draft is also deep at WR, so I think we will find excellent quality later in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Considering the big money and commitments that are demanded by players in the top 35 of the draft we should target guys who can have and immediate and long term impact.

Two quick points to wrap things up. #1. Our D-line need to be shored up, ideally with a veteran FA as a starter and a rookie for depth. I had my eye on Chris Canty from Dallas and the Giants beat us to him. Igor Olshansky is still out there. Not my first choice, but 6’6” 300lbs DE’s don’t grow on trees. #2. The Jets need to sign Jim Leonard the SS FA who played for Rex in Baltimore. My dream secondary of Revis, Lowery, Sheppard, and Alphonso Smith at CB, with Elam, Rhodes and Leonard as our safeties can be a reality. Boy would it be a sick group!

I feel the Jets will be making some more signings in the next week or so. Don’t be shocked if some blockbuster trade suddenly appears for a WR either.

J.Wagner