This, I'm more worried about depth than the starters. I think starting wise, Rex will be able to keep the defense top 10. If we suffer a major injury in the LB core, I will be a lot more worried if he can.
I am not that worried about our LB position. Coples - Harris - Davis - Pace/Barnes That will be more than fine and probably better than anything we've had under Rex. Plus, I think we will be playing a lot of 4-3.
I may be worried about our offensive line along with our QB position but our LB's are not a concern (for me at least). Not sure what the concern about David Harris is (amongst some of our fan base). He's only 29 years of age but yet we're seeing some Jet fans talk about him being in a potential decline? I strongly disagree. David Harris wasn't the problem last season, but instead Bart Scott was due to being an aging IMLB with nothing left within the tank. Harris on the other hand played in all 16 games while putting up 123 tackles and 3 sacks last season. Those 123 tackles ranked 17th amongst all NFL players. Now we're featuring a very strong defensive line in front of Harris, and I look for Harris to rank top 10 in tackles with 140+. David Harris is the leader of our linebacker unit, excited for this front 7. DeMario Davis should really compliment Harris as well due to DeMario's speed. He's blazing fast for an IMLB. Put up 36 tackles as a rookie last season playing behind Bart Scott. Looking for Davis to improve greatly as the season goes on. He may have looked a little lost during game one of the preseason but then again, he's only a 2nd year player during limited action of a preseason game. Playing alongside a tackling machine in Harris should really open up lots of opportunities for Davis to impact himself. And then at OLB we have a true pass rusher in Quinton Coples, a 2nd year player who just put up a sack during our first preseason game. 5.5 sacks during his rookie season. Not only can he pin his ears back and rush the quarterback like a bat out of hell but Coples is also very strong and physical at the point of attack. Ryan fell in love with this kid since day one of last years offseason. I'm not confident in his coverage ability but against the run, I'm confident he'll be able stuff the run time and time again. Really excited about having a true pass rushing OLB for the first time since Calvin Pace was enjoying his prime years. Then opposite of Coples we have a veteran in Calvin Pace along with another solid OLB in Antwan Barnes. Who knows Ryan's defensive system. Don't sleep on Barnes who's only 28 years of age, kid put up 11 sacks the year before last season (2011). Depth may be a concern for us (as it is for all teams) with the likes of Sapp, Mauga, Bellore and McIntyre but I do believe that Coples, Harris, Davis, Pace and Barnes has all the makings for a very solid group of LB's. We have speed in Davis. Quickness in Coples. Leadership in Harris and Pace. Up and coming potential in Coples along with a player in Barnes who knows this system. LB's who can get after the quarterback in Coples, Pace and Barnes. Even Harris gets after the QB for an IMLB. But more importantly? We have a beastly defensive front which means our linebackers will indeed benefit from a stout defensive front.
Everyone loves a 4 man rush and drop everyone else but opposing offenses love it to One thing I won't question is the defense but remember there's a ton of new faces so it'll take time 4-6 more weeks to gel by mid season we should see great progress
My lone worry on defense is stopping the outside run. It's the one thing that still seems to haunt this defense.The Lbs struggle to set the edge. If the Jets get this fixed,however, forget about it.This D will have teams in constant 3rd & long situations which will be lethal against this DL in Rex's scheme. Pace is basically still on the team b/c he's the one proven edge setter the team. Coples has the size & movement to be very good at it..but it may take some time.
I question if Coples can make some plays to the sideline on outside runs. He has solid speed. Thats definitely something Ill be looking for in the upcoming weeks. I think adding a sideline to sideline LB in Davis to the starting lineup should help. Although it was a small sample, the defense seemed solid against Bush who is the type of back that traditionally kills our defense.
Good stuff I can't agree more. Everyone expects us to have a star at every position. Harris is well above average for a middle linebacker and half the teams in the league would be happy to have him. He had one "down" year, still had 123 tackles. I still to this day hate the Vilma trade. Probably the most talented ILB weve had in a long time and traded him because the couldn't fit him into the system. I loved how he would be running stride for stride with tight ends 30-40 yards down field batting passes away. I hope Davis can play like him, dude has a lot of speed
I also completely agree, good post. I think the salary of Harris is what specifically drives the negative opinions of him among alot of Jet fans. I'm also not too worried about him and think he'll have a solid bounce back year, but as soon as he loses an RB in the flat on a dump off pass the Jet message boards are gonna have 35 threads on how much he sucks. It is what it is. Having Davis and Barnes in the LB core should help tremendously w/ our biggest problem on D last year: the lack of speed. That, in addition to the the DLine collasping the pocket and stuffing the run (looked solid against Det 1s) should help cover for the lack of talent at safety. I expect another top 10 D and think they'll be the reason Rex keeps his job for next year. It's the RB and QB I'm worried about.
Well this weekend should be telling. Even with a vanilla defense being called, this unit should be able to manhandle the Jags in the first quarter. So we'll see. But I understand the OPs concern. The LBs look slow.
LB is a weakness at this time. Lack of speed & talent. Jets will have to bring in F.A.'s & other teams trainiiing camp cuts to improve unit. There is alot of untalented players taking up roster spots right now.
This Jags game may be actually mis-leaing. Jags are one of leagues weakest teams & Jets players may shine...a false shine. But a glimmer is better than nothing.
You hit the nail on the head. Rex Ryan is so damn stupid he never benches a player or make any adjustments that other coaches would make. He gets it in his head that 3-4 is a better system even when the jets have had 4-3 talent for years. It took Rex 4 years and a new GM to finally cut S Eric Smith who couldn't cover a grandmother going out for a pass. Rex still chirps that Sanchez gives us the best chance to win while the rest of the league laughs at butt fumble. If that clueless nerd Woody Johnson wasn't the owner Rex would be in the unemployment line. I think Woody always wanted to be ON a sandlot football team as a kid, but he was probably the last kid chosen Woody now thinks it's cool to be the friend of real live NFL coach. Nerd.
Great summary. Let me add that the play of Harris and Davis will be determined in large part by Ellis playing NT in front of them. If Ellis becomes the run stuffing beast we all hope for, Harris will come off on 3rd downs in place of Nickle DB, whoever wins that job. As far as containing the outside runs, screens, reverses, etc, the outside DB's play a huge role in that. Cromartie has come light years from his days with the Bolts as far as aggressiveness and tackling in the run game, and Milliner has been labeled as a hard hitting solid tackler as well (although he did miss that tackle on Bush). On a Ryan defense, no player is on an island in the run game. ALL 11 players swarm to the running lanes to shut down long gains off a broken tackle. We'll be fine.
Chicken little Jets fans or chicken shit Jets fans ...which ever it is...it's still the "same old jets fans!"
In case you missed it or choose not to read, I am going to summarize the thread. 2013 JETS : Everyone Is Worried about Every Position.
