This is the way I would try to fix this franchise: 1. Hire Rex Ryan as coach - He's smart, tough, his players like him, he's been successful, and there's no one clearly better. 2. Let Ryan pick his staff - Forcing coordinators on a head coach undermines the coach and takes away accountability. Force a head coach to keep staff he doesn't want and you're got a built in excuse for failure. 3. Cut Brett Favre - My feelings are well known here. He's going to be 40 and he's not taking the team to the Super Bowl. Plus I need his cap room. 4. Develop a long-term plan at QB - Let Ryan determine if Ratliff or Clemens is the answer. If not, have my scouts look at every decent QB coming out this year and figure out if any of them have to potential to lead this team. If so do everything possible to draft them. If not, sign a veteran to lead the team for a year or two and keep searching for that QB. 5. Draft a potential stud wide receiver. The team hasn't had one since Johnson. Nobody on the Jets offense scares anyone; it's time to change that. 6. Find a #2 cornerback to pair with Revis - Look at FAs or the draft. 7. Have the coach figure out if Lowery can be a successful CB or safety. If he's not geared to play safety, draft one or get one through free agency. 8. Get a true 3-4 defensive end. Ellis isn't the answer and neither is whomever the team currently plays on the other side. 9. Get another inside linebacker to complete the front seven. Pace and Harris are good, but the rest are mediocre. 10. Have the coach see if Washington can be an every down back. The Chargers seem to think they have a replacement for LT and he's smaller than Leon. If not, the team needs to find its back of the future. 11. Get as much line depth as possible. 12. I'm not going to comment on potential FA signings until we actually know who's available. This would be my plan for the next few years. The closer the Jets come to it the more successful they will be. Too bad they won't ask me for my opinion. :wink: :metal:
I'm guessing it would probably take two off-seasons to do it all, but you'd be in pretty good shape at that point.
You did good with 1 and 2..maybe even 3 if you can name his replacement who obviously isn't on the team now. After that it became a dream world...there are no long term plans for this team unless you consider the '09 season long term. That is all that matters to the Jets right now. That may change after the stadium opens but not until.
Most of these could come true with a strong draft/ The QB part is the biggest challenge. To adequately address this spot could (and probably will) take several years. I agree that we don't have much choice but to pick up a veteran (Garcia??, Leftwich???) to compete with the youngsters.
Good post. Mind if I give it a shot? 1. Hire Rex Ryan. We have to eventually sign a coach that pans out...right? And Ryan is the best available candidate. 2. Let Ryan shape this team. I'm not a guru when it comes to contracts in the NFL, but if you cut a player, I think he has to be paid the remained of his bonus the following season, which goes against your cap ***I think*** If that's the case, consider '09 a rebuilding year and allow him to trade or cut any players he so chooses, to include our free agents from last year. Take the hit on the bonuses and press on into '10. There's no point in bringing Ryan in if he's going to have to work with players who don't fit in his plan. 3. Trade Down in the draft. I know it's probably not popular to say that, but I'd be interested in MORE picks rather then higher picks. Plus I think that would be a great way for Ryan to get HIS guys. 4. Another unpopular opinion, go after Nnamdi Asomugha. I know we went after big names last year, but I think, and I think most people think, Asomugha is the real deal shut down corner. I think he's more coveted then Asante Samuel is. Just my opinion....for the record. The rest I'd probably agree with OP. Except for Leon. I don't think Leon will ever be an every down back. I don't think his body will take the abuse. With that said, I think every team in the NFL realizes 2 backs are better then one, so I wouldn't be opposed to seeing him get 30 or so more carries a year. They had 400 rushing attempts this year as a team. I'd like a 275-125 ratio for carries between Jones and Washington. I think that'd preserve Jones and enable Washington more chances to be explosive. But with all that, still look for our future RB.
Overall a very good post. I disagree with 8 and 10. Ellis is fine as a 3-4 end. He was drafted to be one, has good size and is still getting to the QB. Coleman on the other side needs to be replaced. He lacks any kind of pass rushing skills to speak of. a DE is still a priority though. Washing ton needs more touches, but the two back system is really the way to go. It keeps both key guys fresh and more healthy throughout the season. That said, any coaching staff thats not giving him 10 to 15 touches a game needs thier heads checked. This guy is a real game breaker.
Hire a coach with an excellent braintrust. A HC is only as good as his braintrust.. This coach cannot be a pussy either like 80% of Jets coaches. Franchise QB, and protect him well Above average running game/Top tier WR Control the LOS on both sides with physical scary OL/DL. A true leader at MLB/ILB, one good CB or safety. No injuries or great depth to compensate Win multiple rings.
Good post LTJF. Thing thing i like'd the most is you never used the WWBBD? solution to any of our problems (What Would Bill Belichick Do?)
I don't agree with 6 myself. If the front 7 actually put pressure on, we may find we have the best CB's in the NFL. Until we pressure the QB, our corners can't be expected to cover forever.
+1lowery will be a solid no2 cb.but he's gonna get thrown at due to revis being on the other side.if he's moved to safety its gonna be like his rookie season all over again.
This is a valid point. Its no coincidence that Lowery's play dropped off at the same time our pass rush disapeared. He could be the answer long term. He started out very well for a rookie corner. Still added depth at the position would not hurt at all.
#10 - you need someone else to tell you this guy is not an every down back...... c'mon. teams more often than not make the mistake of of tweaking what works well to see if it can work very well. leave LW as is - get him 10-12 touches a game and he will be happy. the jets will have to cough up some dough for him but tough shit on them. he's a playmaker and thats what you have to do. jil
Your #3 is a great idea only problem unless Brett retires you dont have the $$$. Even if he does you may not b/c that guys gonna get huge money.
If Favre retires, clearing 13mil, this is no doubt the FA i'd pursue. Ryan's 3-4 unbalanced blitz packages, and 46 schemes if he runs any, will not work with no 2nd corner. Nnamdi would have MAJOR impact to this defense, and give us true bump and run corners. He'd be worth the price tag.
l I would like to see what lowery will do with another year at CB. He reminds me of Otis Smith. Otis would get burned at least twice a game , but he would come back the next play and make up for it. D Lowery impressed me in his first few games. He shows playmaking ability at times. In the first few games he showed aggressive coverage which will allow him to get beat occasionally. I would like to see if it was the scheme or his skillset that allowed him to get torched. Very few players can wait ten yards off the ball and wait for a receiver running full speed to reach him and stay with them. I will have to say that I also thought J. Miller would be better if put in the right scheme. Only time will tell.
If Favre retires you will spend a good part of that on another FA QB instead. Maybe Warner. Let me put it another way. Favre came here because of PSLs Jenkins, Woody, Faneca and Pace came here because of PSLs Mangini was fired because of PSLs Ryan will be hired because of PSLs (Over names like Schittenheimer and Spagnuolo...a name recognition thing). There is no way in the world the Jets put a no name QB under center in 2009.
LOL, no way man. We've tried that with Favre already. Time to develop a QB. Only QB FA I'd consider at this point is Leftwich, and let him compete for a starting job if Clemens and Ratliff aren't ready.
