The best place for Kellen Clemens...

...Ok, first off lets state the obvious, it's not with the NYJ.

He has zero chance to start unless Sanchez were to go down, and it's so hard for a back up, with little to no regular season playing experience, to step in and pull a Jeff Hostetler. The back up spot is best filled by a veteran who's prime has passed. He is in a no win situation here.

Clemens is 26 years old, he has started a grand total of 9 games in 4 full seasons with the Jets. He was a second round pick in a draft that yielded 3 high profile 1st round QB's. I would say that more often than not he would have been a late 1st rounder like Teabow or Josh Freeman. He had a successful career at Oregon and slipped in the draft because of a minor knee injury that hampered him in the combine.

He has a good arm and respectable speed for his position. He could have a lot of success in the NFL if he was able to get into an offensive system that would allow him to roll out of the pocket and make plays IMHO. He has good size for a QB and has shown nothing but class as the Jets perennial stepping stone. Pennington, Favre and Sanchez all beat him out, and he has always said the right thing and walked the line.

He has never had a fair shot to show what he could do. He played with a swiss cheese offensive line and a poor group of skilled players during his 8 starts in 2007. Peyton Manning would not have been able to win games with that squad. In a QB needy league a guy like Kellen should be in demand.

But, how needy is the league? There are maybe 12-13 established, experienced, proven winners at the QB position in this league. Maybe 5 could be referred to as elite. That leaves over half the NFL with unproven signal callers at the helm (the NYJ's being one of them). But how many teams provide an open opportunity for a QB like Clemens to come aboard and compete in a fair QB competition?

Teams like the Jets, Falcons, Ravens and Lions all have guys who are their unquestioned starters. They may not have resumes like Brady or Peyton yet, but they are "the guy" on their respective teams. I only see 3 teams where the starting spot is up for grabs... Buffalo, Cleveland and the 49ers. Even the Raiders traded for Jason Campbell, so that starting spot is wrapped up... at least for the first half of the season.

• The 49ers are starting to feel good about Alex Smith again (If Kellen had been in Smiths draft, 2005, he would have been a 1st rounder). Smith will start for them and he has a real chance of finally making it work in 2010. They are out.

• The Browns have an NBA squad sized QB depth chart, and Mangini was never high on Kellen anyways... so I don't see that as a solid landing spot for him, especially considering how little talent they have on the offensive side of the ball. A cashier position at a local supermarket may be more attractive than the Browns Starting QB spot right now.

• That leaves the Buffalo Bills. They have hitched their carriage to some low round draft picks like Brohm, Fitzpatrick, Edwards and Levi Brown, who I think was the guy who knocked up Sarah Palins daughter. Kellen would be just another face in the crowd in upstate NY.

Two other potential landing spots for him would be in Minnesota or Pittsburgh. I think he could beat Leftwich and Dixon out to start the first four games for the Steelers. Four good starts could raise his stock value dramatically. It could even give the Steelers the confidence they need to trade Big Ben and move on from that nightmare. Thats one hell of a long shot.

With the Vikings, if Favre is finished, Kellen would have a fighting chance against the other two losers who are on the Vikings QB depth chart. But, imagine for a moment a scenario where Kellen gets signed by the Vikings... works his way up the depth chart... looks like he is going to be the opening day starter... just to have Favre swoop in and pull the rug out from under him all over again. That would be painful.

If the Jets cut him, Kellen Clemens will have a hard time finding a fair chance to get his foot in the door and compete for a starting job. One final thought... how about The Indianapolis Colts? Peyton can't play forever, and if you are going to be someone's understudy... why not the greatest of all time? If nothing else, Kellen will have some sick stories to tell his grand kids about backing up couple of HOFer's.

My depth chart after free agency and the draft...

A lot can still happen that could change our overall roster, and the OTA's and summer workouts haven't even started yet. It's absurdly early to start looking at who will start and who will contribute in various packages. So... here we go!

QB- Not sure yet, need to see more from our current players. That was an attempt at humor. Clemens is not the right guy to be our #2 anymore. First of all he deserves to go somewhere else. He deserves the chance to compete. If Eric Ainge isn't ready to step up to #2 after 3 seasons he should be dumped.

RB- Shonn Greene should be our starter, and LT should be able to contribute on 3rd down. I would like to see Greene average 20 touches a game so that we can get a crystal clear picture regarding his durability. He could easily break 1200 yards if he can play all 16 games. I can care less about Mcknight.

FB- Obviously Richardson is the man, but I hope to see John Conner get some playing time.

WR#1- Braylon Edwards.

WR#2- Santonio Holmes. He is better than Edwards, but #17 has more potential. We need to know if he is worth a big contract when this season ends. Also, Holmes is used to the #2 spot.

Slot- Jericho Cotchery. He could put up 100+ receptions this year if things fall into place.

TE- Dustin Keller. I am very concerned with our depth at this position. If Keller goes down our whole offense would feel the effects.

LT- D'Brick.

LG- Vlad the Impaler.

C-Mangold.

RG- Moore. He was amazing during our playoff run last year. I am thrilled we held onto him.

RT- Woody. He's getting older, and eventually I could see Vlad playing in Damien's spot.

RE- Very interesting position for the Jets in 2010. I could see Gholston lining up here in any 4 man fronts (nickel or dime). I would very much like to see Ropati Pitoitua get as many snaps as possible as our 3-4 RE. Rodurique Wright will probably be able to contribute here.

DT- Big Jenks and Pohua. Devito and Pohua showed some real moxey when Jenkins went down last year, and I hope they can rotate in to rest Jenkins.

LE- I have been waiting for an upgrade here for 2+ seasons, but no one can deny Sean Ellis's contribution last year. He may have one or two more big years left thanx to Rex Ryan.

ROLB- This position should be filled by Adalius Thomas on 1st and 2nd down and Jason Taylor on 3rd down. I am not sure if the Jets will snatch Thomas up, but he was born to play our system, and no one knows that better than Rex.

WILB- Bart Scott and Jamal Westerman. I feel that Scott is useless on 3rd down. Westerman has the young legs and strength to pressure the QB on passing downs.

SILB- David Harris. His back up should be Scott. If Harris goes down I would rotate Scott to his spot and use Westerman and Josh Mauga on the weak side.

LOLB- Calvin Pace. Nuff' said.

FS- Leonhard. Had a slow start last year, but has a knack for the big play, especially down the stretch.

SS- Dwight Lowery. He should move from nickel back to SS and take Rhodes spot. Brodney Pool has a history of injuries, and would be better used in Dime and Quarter packages. He can still have an impact, and will take less punishment.

CB#1- Again, I need to see more. Hardy har har!

CB#2- Cromarite. I really think he can excel considering the attention our other offseason pickups will draw. He can simply lay back and pounce on those desperation passes that will be soaring this year. Our pass rush should create endless opportunities for Antonio, and playing opposite Revis shouldn't hurt either.

Nickel Back- Kyle Wilson. Wouldn't be shocked if he is our #2 in 2011. He has what it takes.

The future...

The Jets have scored some players via free agency and the trading block that have received a ton of attention. LT, JT, Cromartie, Holmes... yada yada yada. These players may all be playing in a different uniform in 2011... or retired. I wanted to focus on some of the new faces (mostly rookies) that may develop into future starters for our beloved NYJ.

I have commented on our new CB and offensive linemen that were taken in the first 2 rounds of last weekends draft. I haven't said much about John Conner from kentucky, who was picked up on day three. He shows some real potential, and he is named after the main character from the Terminator series... cool! He is 5'11" and 246lbs. He was a top performer at the combine, bench pressing 225lbs 24 times.

He has strength and a nice big chip on his shoulder when he lines up across from opposing LB's. He is an excellent lead blocker and his only real weakness in in the passing game. He is not a natural pass catcher, but he is a natural athlete, so he should be able to be coached up.

Another player who stands out in my eyes is Josh Mauga. He is an extremely talented ILB who can make plays all over the field. He has adequate speed and shows all the signs of a youngster with the potential to become a playmaker in this league. I wouldn't be shocked if he ended up in the Probowl in years to come.

He was an undrafted free agent that Mr. T and Rex snatched up as soon as the draft ended. There is a reason why he wasn't drafted. He has had a few very significant injuries while in school. His durability is a major league issue. If he can kick the injury bug and stay healthy for a while he could end up replacing Bart Scott down the road.

S.J. Green is a big, fast WR out of south Florida who started making noise last year in the CFL. He has some huge upside, and not every great receiver comes from the NFL Draft. Ask Wes Welker, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, and Mr. Wayne Chrebet (7,300 yards and over 40 TD's in his career.)

Nick Folk was a bright shining young star in this league 12 months ago. He went into the 2009 offseason in great standing after 2 excellent seasons and a Probowl nod. In 2009 he simply crashed and burned. No one can really put their finger on why he fell apart, and frankly, no one probaly knows but Folk himself. It could be personal issues, it could even be a drug problem. He might be a sex addict or maybe he has depression issues.

The fact remains that this guy showed that he could hit 90% of his FG's and has never missed an extra point for two straight years. Last year was very out of character and I hope that Jets were able to get an answer on why he struggled. I also hope they know how to fix whatever the problem is. Considering what was available, I think Folk was the best choice.

Lastly, safety Brodney Pool was a top 40 draft pick and has a ton of talent. When he is healthy he is a force to be reckoned with. He came with a very high recommendation from Rex's brother Rob, who is the defensive coordinator in Cleveland. There is no doubt that he can play at an all-pro level in the NFL.

He was released because it was just two expensive to hold onto considering his injury history. He has had 4 concussions in 5 seasons and the next one could very well end his career. We have rolled the dice on this one and have little to lose. Another good pick up.

The rest of the draft and a 'not-so-fond' farwell(s)

In Round two we missed my pick Linval Joseph (who went to the G-men) and landed an impressive offensive linemen out of Massachusetts. Vladimir Ducasse is a the size of a small house and excelled at the LT position in college. I am assuming he will be plugged into the LG spot to fill in for Alan Faneca who was unceremoniously dumped by the Jets not long after drafting Vlad.

I think ultimately he will line up at RT when Damien Woody get jettisoned. But, for now the rookie will most likely line up between D'brick and Mangold. Faneca is owed over 5 million dollars and his cap number would have only been about 7 this year. So, essentially, the Jets dumped a pro-bowl, veteran guard who helped lead the best overall O-line in football last season to save 2 million. There is no other way to look at it.

There's a saying, 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'. I don't subscribe to that philosophy. I think we need to always be striving to get better as a team because all 31 other teams will be a little better next season. However, I do subscribe to the school of thought that says 'if you are #1 don't fix it'. We had the #1 rushing attack in football last year, and the credit doesn't go to Jones and Greene. It was Bill Calahan and his O-line that got the job done.

To break up an all-pro left side of the O-line and break the continuity was just simply wrong. Some other AFC team will snatch up Faneca and be better off. Have we learned nothing from the Pete Kendal fiasco. We traded away a good quality LG who was our veteran leader on the O-line and our offense fell apart. The Pennington debacle should have also yielded some lessons. We released him and he led our most bitter rivals to the division championship and knocked us out of the playoff run. If Mr. T felt we should dump Faneca than he should have been traded for a 6th round pick to an NFC team. I know Alan was past his prime, but if there is ever a time to hold onto guys like him and Thomas Jones, it's an uncapped year.

In round 3 we traded up for a RB out of USC named Joe McKnight. I see nothing in this player that makes me think he has what it takes to make it on the pro level. First of all, he can't break a tackle. If he is touched by a defender he hits the ground. He has average speed and little burst. When USC is playing some small school guys like McKnight look like gold out on the field. When he starts playing against NFL defenders he will look like exactly what he will be in 3 or 4 years... a very talented, high school physical education teacher.

Hate this pick, however I do like the idea of dumping Neon Leon Washington. He will turn 28 during the 2010 season and the injury he suffered lat year will end his career. He will probably make a short lived comeback and have some moderate success, but I am sure his best days are behind him. His wife posted a statement on her Twitter account that said "thank God we are out of here". What a hardship this experience with the NYJ has been. Sorry the Jets drafted your husband and offered him a ton of money to sign a long term contract, and his greedy agent probably cost your family it's long term financial security... our bad.

Round 5 yielded a very interesting prospect from Kentucky. John Conner is an excellent prospect at the FB position. Nice value on day 3. We need to groom someone to take Tony Richardson's place next season... Conner could be an important part of our offense in a few years.

We did nothing in free agency or the draft to address our defensive line.... again. Rumors are surfacing that Vernon Gholston will move back to DE. I say why not? He couldn't possibly be less effective in that role. When ever we have a package with 4 linemen on defense (nickel or dime) Vernon should be our RE. I like Mike Devito and Ropati Pitoitua, but this team is suppose to be being built for a Superbowl run this year. Why have such big question marks on the offensive and defensive lines? I just don't get it.

Our veteran leadership has been tossed by the side of the road, and players like LT and Jason Taylor have been moved in to fill those holes. These guys are future hall of famers, and are also both stinking rich. They are not hungry, and have nothing left to prove. It will take a long time to get our current roster to start respecting these guys as leaders. Why mess with the delicate balance of a roster that carried a rookie headcoach and QB to the AFC championship game?

I disagree with Tannenbaum more often than not. That being said, he is a professional and I am just a fan. I know the pro's have a lot more insight than an amateur observer like me, but this offseason just doesn't add up. You can't throw together a bunch of stars and win it all in the NFL. This is not the NBA. It takes a long time for players to trust one another enough to make plays in big games and win in the playoffs. It takes an equally long time to assemble an elite offensive line and have them perform the way ours did last year.

I am getting a bad feeling that this is all going to come crashing down and Mark Sanchez will end up as the scapegoat. If we fall flat on our faces in 2010, one man should be blamed, and one man should pay the price... Mike Tannenbaum.

Round 1

Some thoughts about the first 28 picks. First off, I love this prime-time thing. I watched the entire first round and will probably watch all of 2 and 3 tonight. Ratings were up 30% and I think this new format is a winner.

• Bradford to The Rams is gunna' be a car wreck. He looked like a deer in the headlights when they called his name. The formula of the 1st round QB to the team that is completely devoid of talent usually end up badly for everyone involved. If there was ever a time for one of those John Elway or Eli Manning stand off's, when a player makes it clear they won't play for a team if they draft them, this was it. Good luck with your paper mache signal caller.

• Anthony Davis at #11... and the 49ers traded up for him? Just don't like chasing a guy who has a reputation of being lazy and picking him in a spot that will demand big bucks. He was an early 2nd rounder to me.

• Ryan Mathews at 12 seemed like a reach to me to, but how can I criticize the guy who drafted L.T., Michael Turner and Sproules?

• The Giants got their guy at #15. JPP is the prototype Giants pass rusher. No brainer. I am not a JPP fan, but he fits them so perfectly.

• Love Mike Iupati at #17. If Davis does pan out, the 49ers have a very nice young nucleus on the O-line including Joe Staley.

• Bryan Bulaga at #23 is the steal of the draft IMO. I ranked him as my #2 overall player this year. Solid 10 year starter and future probowler. Nice pick up!

• Dez Bryant will do well in Big D. I felt he had a lot of bust potential, but in Dallas he may flourish. He and Austin will light it up. The Cowboys now have an excellent QB, two starters at the TE spot, two starters at the HB position and two big playmaking WR's. If the O-line holds up, watch out.

• The Broncos went crazy this year. They traded all over the place to position themselves to pick up a player who would have probably been available on day two. I don't think any other team would have touched Teabow before Clausen, and he is still on the board. He will get 20 million (at least) to play maybe 5-10 snaps a game in special packages. I don't get it. Love their pick up of Thomas from Georgia Tech!

• The Pats took McCourty to prevent the Jets and Dolphins from getting him. They simply don't have a need at that position. I see it as a desperation move. They have a ton of holes to fill... CB isn't one of them.

• So glad we didn't take Odrick, he is a complete bust as far as I am concerned.

When #29 came up and Kindle, Hughes (my fav) and Kyle Wilson were all still on the board I was nothing short of shocked. I never mentioned Wilson because I didn't see any chance he would make it out of the top 15. he is arguably the best cover corner in this draft. So many teams are desperate to fill holes in their secondary.. how did this guy slip down to us??? Who cares, he's ours and we are rock solid now at one of the most important positions on an NFL squad.

For the record I would have preferred Jerry Hughes (who was snatched up by the Colts), but Mr. T got his man, and I can see very clearly what an impact this pick will have for us. I have to think that we passed on Kindle and Hughes only because it would send a 'once and for all' message that we are done with Gholston. Thats a hard thing for any GM to absorb... a complete bust with the #6 overall pick.

Looking forward to round two. Wouldn't be shocked if we trade up for a D-linemen.

Final Draft Thoughts... and the perfect spot for Big Ben

I have posted some in depth "analysis of this years draft"... Translation: I have posted my opinions. We can call it what we like, I wanted to post a list of guys who I see as future stars and a few future busts.

Stars: Bryan Bulaga Tackle, Jummy Clausen QB, Joe Haden CB, Sergio Kindle OLB, Jerry Hughes LB, Demarius Thomas WR, Charles Brown Tackle, Colt Mccoy QB, Nate Allen safety, Mardy Gilyard WR, Linval Joseph DE/DT.

Busts: Sam Bradford (injury issues and the Rams are a horrible organization... if he went to a different team my opinion may change), Eric Berry safety, Taylor Mays safety, Jared Odrick DE, Tim Teabow QB, Anthony Davis tackle, Arrelious Been WR, Golden Tate WR, Jahvid Best RB.

My top 5 overall would be Jimmy Clausen, Bryan Bulaga, Jerry Hughes, Joe Haden, and Charles Brown. i rank them because of the overall value of their position and how I see them as long term starters. I think Clausen can make it in the NFL and it doesn't matter what team takes him. By this time tomorrow we should know who the top ten are.

On another note...

I find it fascinating that the Steelers are seriously shopping Big Ben. They are looking for a top 10 pick. So far the Bills and Rams have made it clear they are not interested. I have to scratch my head on that one. If you can get a guy like #7 for a 1st round pick... straight up with no add ons, you jump on that. Look what Chicago gave up for Cutler.

Teams that should be fighting to make this trade happen are obvious... Rams, Bills, Raiders, Jaguars, 49ers, Cardinals. Arizona is the perfect fit for Ben. You will only lose him for the first 4 games. If they offered their #26 overall pick, a 2nd in 2011 and Matt Lienhart I think it could happen.

You start Derick Anderson for the first few games, and then use Big Ben for your final 12 games. They have the easiest schedule, so they can afford to play without #7. They open week 1 against the Rams (win), week 2 is against Atlanta (loss) week 3 is the Raiders (win), and finally San Diego (loss). They should be 2-2 by the time Big Ben is back. Lets not forget who his offensive coordinator was during his first two years in the league. Make it happen Wisenhunt!

It makes no difference to me....

... what impact this low life douche bag makes. I feel this is a huge mistake by the NY Jets. I don't want this player on my team, even if he breaks the single season sack record and we win the Superbowl. I don't want him here. Watching Jason Taylor raise the Lombardi trophy in a Jets uniform will be sickening. NO OTHER TEAM had any interest in him, and he has released statements making it clear that he is only joining the Jets because he has no other options.

He has disrespected the fans and the organization. If he had any value the Patriots (who seem to love signing old past their prime players) would have snatched him up by now. I have always been clear that I am very aware that I don't know nearly as much about football as the brain-trust that currently runs the NYJ. I know that they are professionals and experts and I am just a fan.

That being said, as a fan I don't want this scum bag here, and if we are going to pay him over a million dollars for his services, Tannenbaum should have paraded him out in front of the cameras and made him say, unequivocally, that he is thrilled beyond words that he gets the privilege to wear the green and white this year.

Instead he has released a statement saying he is torn about the whole situation, but he had no other options. For God's sake.... he was released by the REDSKINS!!!! Even they were smart enough to see he is undedicated, not even slightly hungry, disloyal and simply washed up. Big mistake Rex and Tanny!

Feel free to read my post from lat year which very clearly illustrates my feelings about this loser: Dancing Alone.

48 hours until draft time... don't make this mistake again

Ok, it's starting to look pretty clear... it's all coming into focus. The Jets will do one of two things with the #29 overall pick. They will take Jared Odrick if he is still on the board, or they will try and trade out of the first round and pick up some later picks.

Who would want to trade up and why? Tampa or Kansas City are the only two teams that really have the hardware to make a move. They both have two second rounders and that would probably be the price to leap frog into the late first round. Players like Taylor Mays, Jerry Hughes, Tim Teabow, Demayius Thomas and Charles Brown are all very attractive and may very well still be available at #29. Both of the afore mentioned teams have a TON of holes to fill and I would be shocked if either gave up two valuable picks to land one player.

For the NYJ's it would be a no brainer. In a very deep draft this scenario would leave us with 3 second round picks. I would go for Mardy Gilyard the WR from Cincinnati, Linval Joseph the DE from East Carolina, and Nate Allen the safety from South Florida.

And, to be clear, I will rank Jerry Hughes as my top prospect for the NYJ. I have said it before, but I think we are now in a position to take the best player available. If Hughes survives the first 28 picks, I say we take him and try to dump Vernon Gholston for a late round pick. I think Mr. T will take Odrick, Mays or Hughes if any of them are still on the board... probably in that order.

Two big big time WR's join the AFC East...

Jericho Cotchery was the #1 WR on our depth chart 12 months ago. In six full seasons (3 as a starter) he has 4,000 yards and 16 TD's. Our newest recruit Santonio Holmes has only been in the league for 4 seasons. He has 3800 yards and 20TD's, including over 1,200 yards and 79 receptions last year. He also had a few nice catches in the final drive of the biggest game of the year, including a toe tapping, circus catch TD to win the game and the Superbowl MVP.

Statistics aren't everything. I love Cotch-diesel, and I have a feeling he may end up with some huge numbers in 2010... but Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes are simply more dynamic because of their elite speed. Cotchery might make his first pro-bowl because of the talent that he is surrounded with this year. The idea of Edwards and Holmes out wide with Keller and Cotchery in the slots, and Washington, Tomlinson or Greene in the backfield, is mind boggling.

We now have four first round picks on our O-line, two first rounders at WR, a first round TE, another former first rounder (and future hall-of-famer) in the backfield, and the #5 overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft behind center. I guess you can tell I am thrilled with the trade this past week which landed us Holmes for the price of a 5th round draft pick.

Holmes has had a few off the field issues that have been blown out of proportion. The Steelers have started to believe their own press. Apparently they are the premiere franchise in all of pro sports. If a young player strays a little he needs to be taught a lesson and run out of town. However, that only seems to apply if he is black. Their 6'5", 100 million dollar, white QB can crash motorcycles and sexually assault women, but somehow he hasn't had to throw in his terrible towel yet.

Frankly, I hope they trade Roethlisberger, or suspend him for a large chunk of games. Without Holmes and Big Ben that Offense will be useless. Their high character WR Hines Ward had better have a 1400 yard, 100 reception season left in his old body,and Rashad Mendenhall better start playing like a 1st round pick, or they are looking at a 5 win season and a second straight year with no playoffs in Pittsburgh. I am curious how high and mighty the Steeler nation will feel when they have a run of drafting in the top 5 for a few seasons.

Before big Ben and Holmes came to town the Steelers hadn't won the Superbowl in over 20 years. I think that organization and their fans are a bit spoiled. This game is about winning, and players like Holmes and Roethlisberger who can execute perfectly with the whole season on the line and win the Superbowl in the dramatic fashion that they did the year before last don't grow on trees. Here's a highlight reel of the amazing game winning catch the punctuated a 76 yard drive in which Holmes stole Fitzgeralds Superbowl MVP award:

The Holmes trade is a huge misstep by 'the greatest team in the history of sports' and a total win for the NY Jets. Holmes won't play in the first 4 games of the 2010 season. Why? Because he likes to smoke weed. There is no way around it. He will pull it together and take advantage of this new opportunity here under the bright lights of the big city. If he ends up becoming another Ricky Williams and chooses pot over the NFL, he cost us a 5th round pick.

I would guess that approximately 10% of 5th round draft picks end up becoming productive starters in the NFL. At least 90% end up as busts. Thats what we gave up... a '10% chance' for a proven player who can make big plays on the biggest stage, and can also put up elite numbers during the grind of the regular season. Even if he flops we can't lose in this trade.

The Miami Dolphins... on the other hand, have rolled the preverbal dice on Brandon Marshall. They gave up 2 second round picks and 50 million dollars (with 25 million guaranteed) on a guy who can completely take over a game and dominate, almost single handedly. Thats a fact when talking about Marshall. Another fact is that he is very young and has had the bare minimum of injuries in his short career. Here's one final fact... with all of these accolades the team that drafted him couldn't ship him out of town fast enough. It's easy to watch the highlight reals and look at the stats... it's what you don't see, what happens behind the scenes that makes the real difference.

Holmes was dumped because the Steelers were trying to score some points with their fans by deflecting some of the negative attention Big Ben has brought upon their team. The Steelers players were vocal about their dissatisfaction with losing their teammate. Not one Bronco has said a word about Marshall being missed. The Broncos traded Marshall because he is a cancer.

Mr. T has completely out foxed his former mentor Bill Parcells. Tannenbaum has obviously developed a phenomenal relationship with other teams around the league. The sweetheart trades with Cleveland last season and this gift with Santonio are perfect examples of low risk high reward wheeling and dealing. At least 20 other teams could have used a player like Holmes more than the Jets and any of them would have probably been able to pay the same price or higher. We got him because Mr. T always has his ear to the ground.

He has made his fair share of mistakes during the past four seasons, but I have to give respect where respect is due. Marshall may do great things in south Florida, and I do love his playing style. He plays the game with no fear and it's hard not to like him when he is making those jaw dropping plays. But, just like I said when the Titans let Hanesworth walk last year... you have to ask the question WHY?

"Bay-Bay"

The draft is approaching very quickly and the latest mock drafts have been shaken up by the recent trade of Donavan McNabb to Washington. Jimmy Clausen has plummeted down to the late first round according to most "experts" and some other players have been steadily moving up.

Odrick, Hughes, Mays and Kindle have all moved up and are starting to look unattainable with the #29 pick. Everson Griffin the 6'3", 280lb DE from USC will probably be available in our spot, but his work ethic is a major concern. I would be more comfortable taking him in the late second or early third. He is a project player, so why pay him big bucks with little return for the first few years?

Another very very interesting prospect is Demaryius "Bay-Bay" Thomas, WR out of Georgia Tech. He's nearly 6'4" tall and 224lbs.

He played his entire college career in a run first offense. He has physical skills comparable to Calvin Johnson of the Lions. Same body frame, height, massive hands and football speed. He missed the combine because of a freak foot fracture. He was very durable while at GT and the foot shouldn't prevent him from working out in OTA's and training camp. I think it's a non-issue.

This minor injury could end up being a "lucky break" (hardy har har) for the NYJ. If he had made a big splash at the combine he may have very well moved up to the top 10. But, now he will almost surely be waiting for us at #29. His strengths are the afore mentioned speed, size, strength and huge hands. His weaknesses are his route running and his overall concentration. He makes some real circus catches, but will drop easy balls when he has separation (remind you of another tall receiver who wears #17?)

He is also an amazing blocker, which is hard to find in a WR fresh out of college. Our overall offensive philosophy would fit him well. We are a run first team just like GT. He is used to limited touches and knows how to make them count. He just needs more experience learning a complete route tree, and that can be said of almost any rookie WR. Cotchery and Edwards are excellent route runners, so I think he would benefit from their tutelage.

This player is a real gamble, however he fits my personal mold for what a first round pick should be. His upside is unlimited. Thomas, Sanchez and Greene could become our version of the 'triplets' in the next few years. However, we have some serious holes to fill regarding our pass rush. It's hard to ignore them and chase a young player with the type of upside that would make any NFL GM drool.

Alex Brown was released by the Chicago Bears. He is 6'3" and 260 lbs. He has a real knack for getting to the QB. He is a bit small for a 3-4 DE but he may fit in well as a ROLB for us. Brown, Pace, Harris and Scott could cause some real match up problems for offensive lines around the league. However, they are all a bit slow and would really struggle in coverage.

I think if Odrick falls to us we will snatch him up. I don't like his value at #29, but there is a hole to fill. I would not be shocked if MR.T makes a move and tries to land a guy like Ndamukong Suh in the top 5. Detroit has made it clear that the #2 overall pick is up for grabs. We would probably have to give up a bunch of picks to land that spot and that player, most likely our 1st and second this year and another high pick from 2011. Suh would play DT and DE for us and have a very similar role to Haloti Ngata from the Ravens (who Rex got tremendous production out of). Suh, Jenkins and Ellis would make most O-lines quake in their boots.

I don't like the idea of trading up this year because this draft is so very deep. Picks are like gold, and I would hate to bust our whole nut on one draft pick. I'm so glad I don't have to make these choices, Tannenbaum and our brain trust have some big decisions to make later this month. The wrong move could really hurt us badly. On the other hand, the perfect draft class could put us over the top and win us a championship. Thats how important the draft is.