You hit it right on the head Joe Willie. Although I disagree w/ you regarding Ellis, as I believe he has been consistent and provided a decent pass rush for a 3-4 DE, the main weakness of this team is lack of power/physicality along both lines. We need another NT to at least give D rob a breather now and again, and someone w/ some size, strength and power to replace Kimo whose been awful. Onn the OL, we need help at one of the guard spots and at the RT spot. Either Moore or Kendall has to go. Both are serviceable and relatively cheap, but one of them needs to be replaced in favor of more size and power. My guess would be to retain Moore as he is younger and cheaper than Kendall and the CS is pretty high on him. At RT, Clement has exceeded expectations, but he is way too weak for his size and his pass blocking leaves alot to be desired. Ed Blanton maybe the long term solution as he is very big and has some upside..but competition must be brought in. Lets get more physical along both lines..and it will results in at least 2 more wins come next season.
I agree, you can look at my sig to see what I think this team needs. 1) a big load at NT, move Robertson over to Kimo's spot 2) RT - Clements sucks, he is killing the run game. 3) OG x 2 - Kendall is getting old and Moore is average on a good day. 4) a good blocking FB - ask LT or Alexander what having a good run blocking FB does for your run game 5) DE/OLB to play opposite Thomas 6) CB to play opposite Dyson, because Barret and Miller aren't cutting it. Then some depth is needed along the lines, at WR, TE, CB and Safety
I dont agree entirely with that statement, the Defense has improved vastly since the Browns game and has been coming along strong. I think the more they play under Mangini/Sutton system they will become more comfortable and better. I think the run defense has been good lately besides the Bills game. Dewayne is really starting to flourish in his new role, there are plays that i watch of him and i can see him disrupt the entire play, i remember one of them vs Miami the other night. I think the weakness for the Jets is the Cornerbacks, Justin Miller hasn't been what we expected. But I am focusing on Sunday and let the offseason happen when it does, right now they are on a roll.
If we can get a real solid RT and a great lead FB we can change the personality of our team to be able to run on a stacked box. That would take us back to a more Hackett like O with Chad and eliminate a lot of the dink and dunk for running plays but it would open up more play action opportunities for him.
This is the bottom line. Good post, Kurt. If the '07 draft is anything like last April, you'll probably get your wish because I see us doing the same thing. Tannenbaum seems to have a knack for importing talent (Dyson, Poteat) and that will only get easier IMO as Free Agents will be wanting to come to NY to be a part of all this. So, I see Tangini going back to the same scheme in the draft and looking to "finish what they started" by completing a championship OL and DL in acquisitions in the early rounds. They will then use what's left of our picks to comb through remaining talent and then get the rest of what we need off F/A.
It completely changes the scheme of the offense. Excellent points Winston. It wouldnt shock me at all if thats exactly whats on the top of the list on offense..and probably the only main additions to it.
Just acouple comments - I'd like to keep 1 of the 2 guards as they are both pretty serviceable and inexpensive. You also don't wanna mess too much w/ the cohesion of a relatively decent O-line that could become very good w/ time - I think it's too early to give up on Miller.. WAY too early. We're talking about a guy who isn't even 23 yet and still has the physical skills to be a very good corner in this league. I agree that more depth could be needed..but lets not go crazy w/ the need at the position. - D rob doesnt neccessarily hafta be moved to DE. I believe he'd be more successful there, but to me a bigger need is just getting more size and power along the DL in general. Mammouth 3-4 Nts are not easy to come by...and therefore we might be better off keeping D rob at his current spot where he is blossoming, and simply finding a bigger, stronger upgrade to Kimo at DE. W/ Mosley developing and Pouha coming back due next year...D rob maybe getting some better depth behind him to solidify that aspect.
The most encouraging thing this season has brought me is that my wildest dream might be realized. I was hoping for us to be a SB contender beginning in September, 2007, but I knew this was an extremely ambitious goal given where we were last year. This season has so far exceeded my expectations that I now think that goal is attainable... that we just might be ready to make a legitimate SB run next year!
Although we have seen much improvement, the defensive line has provided little if any pressure on the qb. Its also hard to say that we have become a dominant run defense. Mangini and company will go out and get the people they need. I have never been so sure of a front office/coaching staff in decades.
I hope so too, but that might still be too optimistic, the schedule is brutal next year. I'm hoping/thinking we might do something like the Chargers. 2004 the Chargers surprised everyone and made the playoffs when they were supposed to be the worst team in the league. 2005 they played a brutal schedule and missed out, but were probably a better team than 2004. 2006 they put it all together and are maybe the favorite to win the superbowl. I think next year we will be a better team, but not get a whole lot better record wise, or maybe even worse. Than in 2008 we could be ready to make a real run. But that's all just a gut feeling. Maybe we have a great offseason, fill most of our needs, and are a legitiment contender next year. I wouldn't complain if I was wrong.
I'm sorry I was writing fast, I am at work. I should have clarified. 1) You are right about the guards. I think Moore can be replaced, and we can draft a second OG to sit behind Kendall for a year, and take over in a couple years. But one OG and a RT is needed. 3) As far as CB, this is how I see it. Dyson is a starter. Barrett is gone, he has sucked this year. Miller is good at Nickel or dime, but I don't think he has it as a starter, but is grat depth an KR. Coleman and Poteat fills out the depth chart. But I think we need someone to start opposite Dyson, Samuels would be a good pick-up or that guy from Buffalo, Clements I think his name is. 4) I think Robertson has proven himself this year, but I don't think he can last at NT in the 3-4 for too long, especially with his knee how it is. He is better suited be in Kimo's spot. Maybe Pouha or one of the others like Mosley can filll out the line but I have my doubts. If they can get a natural big NT and move Robertson over, that would be an exceptional line.
Great post! I think the getting more physical on both lines has been the staple of Parcells and BB teams and Mangini is clearly going to follow that pattern. I happen to really like our Defensive secondary, especially the safties and Dyson. You can't have everything and I'm okay with Barrett and Miller rotating on the other side. If we had a more physical front 7 I think what is allready a good back 4 will be an excellent unit when they don't have to cover as long or as deep a field.
Great post as usual, Kurt. I think in a perfect world, we'd move D-Rob to Kimo's spot and find ourselves a mammoth NT, but of course that'll be really tough. I'd like to draft a DE to take Kimo's spot (Carriker, or Okam if he declares would be my top 2 choices), and then hope that Pouha recovers from his injury and continues his progression (a lot of people were high on him at NT during training camp), so we can rotate D-Rob and Pouha at NT, allowing D-Rob to stay fresh and decrease the wear and tear on his knee. On the OL, I also agree that we have to get stronger. I wouldn't mind signing a FA (other than Manuwai, not really sure who the top FA guards are) to replace either Kendall or Moore, and then draft a guy on the 1st day to groom, who can replace the other in 2008 (not sure how much you know about him Kurt, but Manuel Ramirez is a guy I wouldn't mind picking up in the 3rd round. I don't know if he's athletic enough for this offense, but he is a monster. Incredibly strong and a dominant run blocker, who I've heard is a team oriented type of guy with top intangibles, something I'm sure Mangini/Tannenbaum would love.) Nothing against Moore, he's decent and cheap, but I think we can improve the position. RT also needs to be addressed, especially if Moore returns next year. Levi Brown is a guy I wouldn't mind in the 1st round. Luckily, I think we will continue to get bigger and stronger along the lines. Unlike the previous regime, I don't see us looking for smaller, more athletic linemen (nothing against them, but the only position that is a must for is LT, and we have that already). Like his two mentors, Parcells and Belichick, Mangini will get big and strong in the trenches.
Manuwai just got re-upped w/ Jax and rightfully so.Eric Steinbach is available and he'd fit in perfectly, as he has pretty good size/bulk and is very athletic. I truthfully have not seen anything on Ramirez, who does he play for?? The 2 guys I really like for us upfront draft-wise are Levi Brown(like you mentioned) and Justin Blalock(as a guard). I don't think Blalock is worth a 1st round pick(no guard is) so we'd hafta hope he'd slip to the 2nd round, which is unlikely. Brown may very well be available when we select and I think he'd make a great RT.Only thing is, we'll have a hard time passing on oe thf many 3-4 De's who'll be available in round 1. Mangini has been on record saying he likes lighter more athletic guys..however, unlike Bradway, he computes strength and toughness into the equation, while the previous regime put more emphasis on agility and technique.
That post is a good argument for taking a DE/DT in Round 1 of the next draft instead of a RB. Do the run defense problems mean the Jets aren't a championship team? I don't think you can jump to that conclusion. Like every great coach says, get in the tournament, and anything is possible.
I totally forgot about Steinbach. Unfortunate about Manuwai, but I would like Steinbach, as well. This is the write-up I read on Ramirez: http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scoutingreports/og/manuelramirez.html