OLB/Pass rusher an overrated need.

As long as Rex is the HC this will be a Defense first team. Defensive teams generally need TOP type offenses. I don't see us being a pass first team as long as Rex is the HC and we shouldn't be.

The Pats tried to rebuild their SB team around a pass first O and it didn't work. Build the D and the running game and let Sanchez develop. That's the formula.

 

...but it did work for the Patriots. Their passing offense in 2007 was ridiculous.

I don't know why Rex Ryan would pick Mark Sanchez if he didn't plan on building the franchise around him. Ryan can produce big time defenses with players that other teams considered practice squad players - I think he takes pride in winning with lesser knowns.

I'm not saying the Jets are going to throw the ball 40 times a game, they'll still run it a lot, but eventually Sanchez has to become a top tier passer.

 

That team was a failure by any standard. The reality is the Pats won 3 SB with teams that were essentially built around Defense, no mistakes on O and a balanced Offensive attack. When they rebuilt around a prolific passing attack and allowed the running game and D to decline they won nothing.

 

The Patriots couldn't run the ball in 2007, so it was better for them to pass.

I believe the Jets will eventually be able to do both.

 

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've been saying that for a while now.

Sure having an elite talent at OLB wouldn't be bad but I think we have far bigger needs.

The average fan thinks: Rex D applies pressure = Rex D needs strong OLBs.
That's not necessarily the case.. it depends on HOW you apply pressure and Rex's D does it without a pure pass-rusher.

 

As much as I hate them, that's wrong. They went 16-0* in the regular season, and that doesn't happen very often.

Yeah, they didn't win a championship that year and the Giants' pass rush played a huge role in that win, but you can't say that they won nothing.

 

The 16 and 0 regular season coupled with their double digit favorite position to win the SB makes them the single biggest choke team in NFL history. If you want to call that a successful season that's fine. I want to see the Jets grind out a 11, 12, 13, 14 win season and knock the crap out of a couple of teams in the playoffs and be SB champs.

 

This was the point I was trying to make yesterday with the Koa Misi debate with -MC-.

Having an OLB, like Misi and even Graham, who are excellent in coverage, is much more important than a 3-4 OLB that has no coverage skills and only rushes the passer.

Rex can drop an OLB in coverage and have the safety/CBs come in on the blitz........versatility is the key with our OLBs.

 

So do I, but just because a team did it a different way doesn't mean they aren't successful.

In the opening round of the 2007-2008 playoffs, Brady went 26-28 for 262 yards with 3 TDs and no INTs. That's ridiculous...

The Patriots did choke, but they were also a double digit favorite in the Super Bowl because no one had even come close to stopping them that year until the Giants did.

 

Graham, Misi, and Eric Norwood too, are better in coverage than most of the 3-4 LB prospects because they've been asked to do it before.

Their experience at multiple positions is going to help them contribute right away.

Misi played a lot of defensive tackle this year for the Utes. I wouldn't say he's a poor pass rusher, he's just unproductive because he's moving around to different positions many times a game.

 

The Pats' offense was one dimensional all season long and no one stopped them - why change it?

The Giants outplayed them in that Super Bowl, plain and simple.

 

I think you're letting your hatred for the Pats get the better of your rationale here. While I disagree entirely with the premise of the OP's comments, the '07 Patriots, SB win or not, were a great team who lost that game by 3, on a 2-minute drive that included five near-INTs by Eli (including that wholly unnecessary fling in between four Pats defenders on 3rd and 5). Simply put, "any given Sunday" kicked them right in the balls, and the Giants reaped the rewards. I hate the Patriots too, but lets be real here.

Regarding the OP, I disagree entirely. I think many on this board feel last year's defensive scheme was set in stone from day one. I don't. I think Rex recognized the lack of a pure rusher on our D-line, and schemed up his blitz packages to account for that void. Landing a quality pass rushing DE would free us from having to blitz >50% of the time, making us even more formative. I agree with others, too, that another cover-CB would be highly beneficial, but not nearly as much as a DE. We have enough skill position players ATM, to wait until round 5, 6, or 7 to pick someone up.

Preferably, though, I think trading down in the 1st and/or 2nd for additional mid-round picks would be the best case scenario.

 

Yup

But my point is that I think Pace and Thomas are pretty versatile themselves so it really isn't a need (it's a comodity) to draft someone that high when we NEED a #2 CB and a 3-4DE.

That said if we acquire a 3rd pick and we get CB, DE and OLB in the first 3 rds I won't be pissed.

 

The Patriots choked as an organization because they built the team wrong. It was clear with two weeks to prepare the Giants were able to take away the Pats strength and they didn't have a back up plan.

BB has only him self to blame. The Pats beat the Rams by essentially knocking the Rams WR off their patterns. The Rams unlike the Pats actually had a good running game, Martz simply didn't deploy it. In the Pats case they didn't have one to deploy. They lost the AFC Finals in 06 essentially because BB panicked and didn't run the ball enough in the second half. Granted Manning bitched slapped the D all over the field but a few grinding drives by the Pats would have been enough.

 

Who on this team scares the QB?

The Jets need someone who can get up field and beat a tackle.

I'd like having a defense that doesn't need constant CB blitzes to create pressure. how about rushing 5 and having all CBs in coverage.

This team needs someone who they can groom into a pass rusher who can also be versatile enough to handle Rex's scheme. Pace doesn't have suggs' skill, and Thomas is still a JAG.

The new OLB won't play right away, contracts dictate that, but he needs to be a can-do OLB that can get 8+ sacks every year and be game planned for. The Jets don't have that right now.