Jets needs: Threesome not too sexy, so QB at 17? New coach Rex Ryan takes over a team that was a major disappointment last season as they dealt with the Brett Favre fiasco. Ryan brings a feisty attitude to the Jets, almost sounding cocky when he talks about his team's plans to win big. He expects it. To make that a reality, the quarterback position has to be fixed. Favre retired -- thankfully for the Jets -- and that leaves a three-man competition right now. Those three are Kellen Clemens, Brett Ratliff and Erik Ainge. Of the three, Clemens is the only one with starting experience. So who's the favorite right now? "If you ask the organization, it's probably split right down the middle, who they think can do it," Ryan said. "And you've got Erik Ainge. He's the dark horse. Maybe he doesn't get the reps of the other two guys, but he's definitely going to get an opportunity as well. It's definitely an open competition." It may include one more. The Jets, who pick 17th in the first round, will likely consider a quarterback. They could see USC's Mark Sanchez on the board. Or they could take Kansas State's Josh Freeman. If they pass, a veteran quarterback could be signed later. Ryan has a defensive background, so the Jets could choose to use the pick on that side of the ball. Or they could go receiver. But if they don't fix the quarterback position, none of the other stuff will matter. QB: They have three young passers in Kellen Clemens, Brett Ratliff and 2008 draft pick Eric Ainge. Clemens will go into the season as the guy with the most experience, but he is far from set as the starter. Ratliff is raw, but he has talent. Ainge played well in college, but he has to show he can handle the pressures of the NFL. RB: Thomas Jones had a good season for the Jets in 2008, earning a Pro Bowl berth. He is set as the starter. Leon Washington is the third-down back who is coming off his best season. The depth after those two isn't much and with Jones now 30, they could use help. WR: The team decided to part ways with Laveranues Coles, leaving Jerricho Cotchery and Chansi Stuckey as the top two receivers. That isn't great. They need to get a big-play receiver in this draft, maybe even in the first round. They have some decent young players with potential in Brad Smith and David Clowney, but there isn't enough here to scare a defense. TE: Dustin Keller, a first-round pick last year, emerged as a good receiver as a rookie. He will only get better. But he isn't a great blocker. They lost Chris Baker to the Patriots, so they need a tight end who can seal the edge. OL: The Jets return all five starters from a line that played well in 2008. Center Nick Mangold is the best of the group. The other four are all above average, although left guard Alan Faneca is getting up in years. There isn't much depth at all behind the five starters, so that's a concern. DL: The addition of Kris Jenkins last year from Carolina really stabilized the front. He was a force inside. He will be the key to the Rex Ryan 3-4 scheme. Shaun Ellis and Kenyon Coleman are decent starters next to him. The depth is full of young players who could use some help. LB: The addition of Bart Scott to play next to David Harris inside gives the Jets two good players to key the defense. Both can get to the football. The key for the defense will be how well Vernon Gholston, last year's first-round pick develops. He was a disappointment last season. There isn't much in terms of depth. Secondary: An emerging star, Darrelle Revis is one of the league's best cover players. The other spot will be a battle between Dwight Lowery, who started some as a rookie, and veteran Lito Sheppard, who came over in a trade from Philly. The loser is the nickel corner. The safeties are Kerry Rhodes and Jim Leonhard, who came over from Baltimore. Leonhard lacks great range, but he played well for Ryan last season. Eric Smith offers depth.
So there's no solution? He doesn't point out our needs, he just looks at our roster and tells us what we already know and argue about in different threads everyday. I disagree with the "young depth" on the defensive line, because there really is none, but I do agreed we need young offensive line depth, preferably a very solid right tackle somewhere in the draft if someone slides. I'd like to look at one in the 2nd/3rd round, there should be some value there for quality right tackles. Pretty much, we need depth everywhere. As I've argued with people on this message board before, we cut a bunch of guys and replaced them with old as hell ex-ravens, and they all have one year contracts. I trust rex ryan, but adding guys over 30 on our roster to one year contracts is a one year fix, I would like to see some younger depth on the roster. There are still some guys left in FA, and I would like to sign a bunch of UDFA's to add some quality guys to our roster, especially in the linebacking area. The draft should be interesting, no pressing needs besides the wide receiver because we lack a number one receiver, but we definitely need depth in every area.
Who are those "old as hell" ex-Ravens. I'd like to see the guy who 32 from Baltimore on this team minus Marques Douglas, who is a depth player.Signing three Ravens is nothing. If we signed 6 or 7, then its a different story, and who has a 1 yr contract? Howard Green? That's one guy, and he's from Seattle not Baltimore. Scott is 29, Leonhard is 26. Get the facts correct. And you want quality UDFA's??? The percentages on those are so low you're asking for a miracle. If a team find 5 quality UDFA's then their GM is a certified genius. That doesn't happen. UDFA stands for Undrafted Free Agent - there is a reason they go undrafted, and for the very few stories you hear about a UDFA becoming a star, there are 50 others that are cut everyday.
I apologize, I thought Howard Green played for the ravens to, but we signed him to a one year deal, and he's not very good. Weve looked at Ex Ravens (Corey Ivey, Samari Rolle), just as an example, but were not young by any means. I should have said weve looked and shown interest in ex ravens. So according to the article, what young depth do we have on the defensive line? Pouha? We need a ton of guys for depth that the draft can't cover, so getting UDFA's is a good way of getting some younger guys on the roster to be signed dirt cheap. I never said i want them to be miracles, nor even starters, but at least to give us depth. I would rather have a 23 year old kid with some potential, with something to prove and right out of college to give time, then a guy like howard green or Marques Douglas. I didn't phrase my first post the way I wanted, but other than our starters, we have no one really young for depth....linebackers, tightends, defensive and offensive line.
Pretty obvious that the Jets need a QB or another RB for depth. They can't go into the season and expect any success with what they have now at those positions. At QB they have nothing and at RB they are in big trouble with any kind of injury at all. People around here think WR is important, it isn't. Not until the other two are fixed first.
Don, are you trying to say depth at running back is more important than a starting receiver? Wow. Do(w)n Syndrome...
The thing that boggles my mind is last season Pace was a big addition in FA and now his name never gets mentioned. Why isn't this guy getting any respect? If i'm Rex Ryan i'm pointing that out to him and using it to fuel his fire.
this is all nonsense first position to address is qb if jets go into the season with these three the jets will have a poor season
how do you know?every one said the pats were done when bledsoe went down.th rams gave uo when trent green went out preseason.the giants won with hostetler when simms got hurt.no one knows whats on the bench until they play.if rex and schoty think they have the q.b. then i believe.and we'll know that answer in 5 weeks
NO sense in adding talent when you can right? :rofl2: If a WR is the best option at 17#, you take him. No matter what the QB is. I bet no matter what QB Detroit ends up with is glad as hell they took Calvin Johnson a couple of years ago.
Here's my problem with the theory that those guys know what we have at the Qb position. Schotty may know, but I'm not entirely sure Schotty is a quality OC, so what's the point? Rex hasn't seen any of them throw a ball yet, other than Clemens for one game, so that's out the window. All of those guys you've mentioned are the exception, not the rule. For every instance that a backup comes in and exceeds the starter, there are 5 others that haven't. And that's a generously low ratio. To have that ability to bring guys along to be winners or have a winner sitting there waiting is only reserved for great coaches and great players. KC couldn't win out a starting job over a twice baked shoulder, owned by Chad. Ratliff had an exceptional preseason. Big deal, preseason. But I will say this about the guy....great arm and really nice foot work. But does he have the head to beat 1st stringers at regular season game speed? That's a big "if" Ainge - does anyone really know anything about him? Danny Ainge, maybe. I think it's time to get a true starter at QB, move Kellen out and the other 2 up. If you watch Kellen he eyeballs and his foot work looks like absolute dog shit. If you have crappy drops...1 step, 3 step, 5 step it will sooner or later translate into INTs. Add to the fact that he stares down his receivers and you have the recipe for disaster. Maybe I'm off base here, but I just don't see it.
maybe all the qb panic is over rated. the pats found themselves wih a qb who never even throw one pass is the nfl or college. that worked out ok.
so what's your solution?there's just as many first round busts as guys that came out of nowhere.i'm against drafting a qb in rd 1 this year for a couple of reasons 1 i don't see a can't miss prospect in this draft.even i there was we couldn't get him @17. 2. i'd like to see this draft be used to get the other pieces rex needs to get his system going so if we do need a qb the pieces will be assembled to give him the best chance to succed.the nfl history books are full of qb's that failed because they were on a terrible team. 3.if we're running the ball 60% of the time that doesn't leave many oppurtunities for k.c/b.r. to screw it up. 4. and most importantly despite everything thas happened in my last 30 years of rooting for the jets i believe this year they'll make the right decision.
Exactly. I've got faith in Ratliff. Attack me if you want but i do. Cutler would be the perfect option but if he doesn't pan out i'm ok with Ratliff beating out Clemens in TC and winning the starting nod. If that does in fact happen, Schotty is going to run the ball control offense and the dump passes we've come to despise with Pennington at the helm. An occasional shot downfield to keep opposing defenses honest and that'll be our offense. Unless of course Ratliff/Clemens surprises us and Scotty starts to develope some confidence. All Ratlff/Clemens would have to do is play smart and not turn the ball over and we could rely on our defense to keep us in the game. Cutler at the helm we become the downfield team we thought we'd have with Favre. Either way i think we'll be successful.
when you have 3 QB fighting for the starting job that not good news at all. Sounds like the samething Minigi did and look what happen with him. We need to go get Jay Cutler at almost any cost,,,PERIOD
