Also to add, I really think this defense can be an elite unit. What takes them from an elite unit to the 10th best in the league is staying on the field for 35 minutes a game, and a lack of turnovers. The pressure shifts from the cornerbacks straight to needing the safeties and inside linebackers to cause turnovers because all of the action is going to be over the middle of the field. Hopefully Pryor develops and can play a spy type of role over the middle with Gilchrist over the top. A lot of the defenses successes hinge on whether the safeties and linebackers are aggressive enough in jumping routes combined with whether or not they capitalize and actually catch the god damn football when it's in their hands.
Not only get lucky enough to have them develop, but keep them around enough to contribute. A lot of the bigger contracts are off the books by 2017 but it's up to Mac to make sure that he signs the correct players to the correct deals.
What made this short window possible was re-signing Revis and Cromartie and bringing in Marshall and Carpenter. Without those moves nobody is talking about the Jets as a possible playoff team. With the exception of Carpenter those guys are all 2 year talent at this point with Revis maybe being more than that if his salary level declines alongside his play. Having gotten the Trio Thirty the Jets have to finish the deal with a QB somehow. Otherwise we're going to spin our wheels for 2 years because of the QB problem and then the three guys the Jets brought in are going to go away.
Brick is definitely going to be a cap casualty unless he restructures. Quinton Coples will most likely be cut next year if he doesn't produce this year. If Coples is cut, the projected cap goes from 1 million to 9 million. If they cut D'Brickashaw, Coples, and Cromartie next year, they will have 25 million in cap room. Give around 12 million for the Wilkerson contract and that gives 13 million in cap. They could then sign Damon Harrison, draft an O lineman high to replace brick, let Milliner step in for Cromartie, and move on from coples.
Cromartie is a stud and will be for at least a couple more years. Cutting him will never be a good call.
Cromartie's hip injury in 2013 turned him into possibly the worst cornerback I'd ever seen that year. Remember the streak of games where either he or Milliner gave up a 60+ yard bomb? I agree that while healthy, he's a quality corner in the league. However, that injury history is a concern and something to closely watch. Also, he's a corner that's heavily reliant on his closing speed. He's unlike Revis in that likes to take risks on the first move, then make up the ground he lost while the ball is in the air. Revis is technically sound and stays on the receivers hip throughout the whole play and is very patient on double moves. Different play styles, both effective. The pairing of injury history and reliance on speed (which will start to decline) make me believe that Cro isn't a player who's going to age well. That's why I'm glad that his contract has no guaranteed money beyond this year, which gives us the flexibility to part ways with him if my suspicions are confirmed.
Not too worried about Cro. He could outright suck and the Jets would still be ok if the QB situation was ok. If the QB situation isn't ok it just isn't going to matter what anybody else does. The 2015 Jets have some talent on defense but they're not the 2000 Ravens. The Jets went 8-8 in 2013 with both CB's blowing chunks for most of the season and no free safety.
I look at this differently than you. The past is the past, poor drafting and acquisitions have hurt us and there's nothing we can do about it. But looking at this past offseason, Macagnan had to go out and spend in free agency to some extent because of the salary floor. I believe he understands that this is a win now league and wanted to go out a "buy" older veterans for the time being while he bides his time to get that young core of the future. We have gotten young at guard at the very least and we now have Devin Smith to eventually be a starter here. Even behind Revis and Cro, we have Milliner and Macdougle. My point is that this team isnt going to be turned around overnight.
Kinda sad how D'Bricks production is greatly decreasing as his cap hit greatly increases... I think we'll be looking at o-line in the 2016 draft.. first two rounds should be dedicated to the o-line . This team doesn't have a ton of holes... we know that 0-line will be one of the weaker links this season.
please explain how Bricks play is "greatly decreasing". He's rated a top 5 LT in the NFL for a reason. He gave up like 1 sack all of 2014.
Lol just because he didn't give up sacks doesn't mean he wasn't helping geno get killed at times.. maybe having a better guard next to him will help.. but he's tied for 19th in QB hits allowed in all of 2014 also. His run blocking hasn't looked that good either.. He's not who he was.. and being 19th in the league in QB pressures allowed isn't exactly what you would want from the 2nd highest paid tackle in the league.
While I understand that that not allowing sacks doesn't translate into being a good player, and he wasn't great last year, Geno's pocket presence or lack thereof gets himself killed. Not the best example, but my goodness throw the ball in the dirt son. You know the guard just got beat.
To be fair, there was no pocket on any of those plays. Geno doesn't play well under pressure but the pocket has been a mythical thing a lot of the time over the two years he's been on the Jets. The guard play has just blown chunks on a consistent basis and LT -hole - C - hole - RT doesn't work even when the center is Nick Mangold. Colon at least takes penalties when he gets beat. The LG has been a turnstile for 2 seasons now and that has never worked for the Jets.
that too.. i agree 100% it's not all Bricks fault.. other things factor into it.. but my god.. 2nd highest paid LT i wanna see some elite play.. Joe Thomas does his job great with shit QB's and a below average guard next to him.. Regardless we're probably keeping Brick bc his cap penalty for releasing him would be about 9M
