The Jets have been active and have made some huge moves during the draft. I will start with the draft:
First Round: Kyle Wilson: CB
The Jets drafted Kyle Wilson with the 29th pick of the 1st round. Apparently the Jets did not expect any of the top cornerback prospects to be available with this pick and they were absolutely thrilled when Wilson fell so far. Wilson should be able to fill in right away as the 3rd cornerback and could serve as a replacement to Antonio Cromartie if the Jets are unable to resign him after this year. Rex Ryan loves cornerbacks and this move should free up the Jets to blitz even more than they did last year.
Second Round: Vladimir Ducasse: OL
Vladamir Ducasse is a monstrous offensive line prospect who should take over the starting job right away for the Jets. His measurables are 6'5 332 pounds and he should fill in at guard. The Jets were ready to take him late in the first round before Wilson fell. This move prompted the Jets to release Alan Faneca.
Fourth Round: Joe McKnight: RB
McKnight was drafted by the Jets in the fourth round to be the replacement to Leon Washington as the 3rd running back. McKnight is a good change of pace back with good speed and elusiveness. He may not be Leon Washington but he should be able to contribute right away.
Fifth Round: John Conner: FB
Conner was drafted by the Jets to be the eventual replacement to Tony Richardson. Conner will be able to contribute on special teams right away and is a favorite of Rex Ryan.
Released/Traded Players:
Alan Faneca: The Jets said goodbye to Alan Faneca when they drafted Vladimir Ducasse in the second round. Faneca was horrible in pass protection this year and the Jets hope that Ducasse can fill in and do the same kind of job. The Jets will miss Faneca's leadership and veteran presence up front but his salary was far too high to keep for this year.
Leon Washington: Washington was traded shortly after the Jets drafted Joe McKnight in the fourth round. He was traded for a 5th round pick where the Jets drafted John Conner. Washington has been my favorite player for years and I was in shock when I heard he was traded even though I had been expecting it. The Jets did not get the value that I thought they could get for a player with Washington's abilities and therefore there must be some legitimate concern about whether he can return successfully from his horrible injury last year. I hope Leon fully recovers and becomes a great player in Seattle.
Overall, I think the Jets made some necessary and unnecessary moves yesterday. The release of Alan Faneca and the plan to replace him with Vladimir Ducasse is a good one and should give the Jets a solid left side of the line for years to come. However, the trade of Leon Washington for a 5th round pick was hard to stomach as Washington has been a fan favorite for years.
I don't like draft grades but I will give the draft a solid B.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Jets Sign Tomlinson
The Jets have agreed to a two year deal with Ladainian Tomlinson. This deal will bring in one of the best running backs in recent history to be the 3rd option on the Jets roster. Tomlinson should excel in the role of getting 5-10 touches a game behind the best offensive line in football. Although he has lacked production in recent years, behind this Jets offensive line and with a reduced role I believe that he will get his YPC average up over 4 and be a great boost to an already good Jets running game. I am excited and overjoyed by this move as it provides an insurance policy if Leon Washington is unable to return to his old form after the broken leg. Great signing by the Jets.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Scouts Inc. is a Joke: Kerry Rhodes
So, I'm on ESPN.com today on the AFC East blog looking at their analysis of the Kerry Rhodes trade to Arizona. While there I run across this Scouts Inc. profile on Rhodes that I would like to comment on:
"Rhodes has size, athletic skills and functional play strength. He has deceptive speed and physical toughness. He shows good speed and quickness as a blitzer. He has been a very physical and productive player coming off the edge in zone dogs. He has good closing speed underneath. He takes good angles when supporting the run but can be inconsistent in this phase of the game."
Let me do a little analysis of this critique on Rhodes. Rhodes was consistently half a second late on every single play and usually ended up either throwing his body over a pile or standing around watching. This "deceptive speed" is bullshit and doesn't actually exist. The only time he shows any speed is when he is rushing around the edge and this has resulted in 3 sacks in 3 years. This last year he registered 0 sacks while playing in a Rex Ryan defensive system that sends more blitzers than anybody in the league. As far as "good speed and quickness as a blitzer", I can't really see how this is actually helping him out if he is getting absolutely not sacks.
They then make the claim that Rhodes is "very physical". Do they know the reason that Rex Ryan benched him midway through the season and then proceeded to run him out of New York. He was benched because he was soft on tackling Wes Welker in one of the Patriots games earlier in the season. This was a trend that we had to deal with all season. Rhodes consistently misses tackles and doesn't show any of this toughness that Scounts Inc. claims he has. As far as taking "good angles to support the run", it seems to me that this is some bullshit that can be said to appease any fan because there really is no argument against it. I don't have the access to the tapes of all of Kerry Rhodes games to analyze whether he really does take these good angles. What I do know is that he will consistently miss the tackles after taking these good angles.
I am not a huge Rhodes fan anymore but I do not hate him like the majority of fans. However, I will never take anything Scouts Inc. says seriously after this joke of an analysis. They clearly have not watched enough footage on him and are basing this review off a season that was 3 years ago. If you can't pain an accurate picture, don't even try.
"Rhodes has size, athletic skills and functional play strength. He has deceptive speed and physical toughness. He shows good speed and quickness as a blitzer. He has been a very physical and productive player coming off the edge in zone dogs. He has good closing speed underneath. He takes good angles when supporting the run but can be inconsistent in this phase of the game."
Let me do a little analysis of this critique on Rhodes. Rhodes was consistently half a second late on every single play and usually ended up either throwing his body over a pile or standing around watching. This "deceptive speed" is bullshit and doesn't actually exist. The only time he shows any speed is when he is rushing around the edge and this has resulted in 3 sacks in 3 years. This last year he registered 0 sacks while playing in a Rex Ryan defensive system that sends more blitzers than anybody in the league. As far as "good speed and quickness as a blitzer", I can't really see how this is actually helping him out if he is getting absolutely not sacks.
They then make the claim that Rhodes is "very physical". Do they know the reason that Rex Ryan benched him midway through the season and then proceeded to run him out of New York. He was benched because he was soft on tackling Wes Welker in one of the Patriots games earlier in the season. This was a trend that we had to deal with all season. Rhodes consistently misses tackles and doesn't show any of this toughness that Scounts Inc. claims he has. As far as taking "good angles to support the run", it seems to me that this is some bullshit that can be said to appease any fan because there really is no argument against it. I don't have the access to the tapes of all of Kerry Rhodes games to analyze whether he really does take these good angles. What I do know is that he will consistently miss the tackles after taking these good angles.
I am not a huge Rhodes fan anymore but I do not hate him like the majority of fans. However, I will never take anything Scouts Inc. says seriously after this joke of an analysis. They clearly have not watched enough footage on him and are basing this review off a season that was 3 years ago. If you can't pain an accurate picture, don't even try.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Kerry Rhodes Traded
The Jets have traded Kerry Rhodes to Arizona for a 4th round pick this year and a 7th in 2011. My first reaction to this news was that I am not very happy that this trade was made. Rhodes is a great talent who never seemed to be comfortable in the Rex Ryan defense. The compensation doesn't seem to be enough for a player who is going to step right in and start. This should open up the possibility of the Jets drafting Myron Rolle in the 3rd or so round or picking up a free agent safety like OJ Atogwe. I would be a huge fan of picking up Atogwe but I am not sure how the final four restriction rules will play into this. I am a bit concerned about giving up a starter on defense for unproven picks but Rhodes made too many enemies in New York and it was time for him to go.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Offseason News
As the beginning of March passes there are two HUGE moves that the Jets have made in recent weeks. I will start with the move that happened today as the Jets acquired Antonio Cromartie from the Chargers for a conditional third round draft pick which could turn into a second based on playing time next year. This trade will give the Jets the best pair of defensive backs in the NFL. Cromartie has come under fire the past few years as he has not produced like he did in his all-pro year 2 years ago. However, playing opposite of Darrelle Revis I can see Cromartie getting many opportunities to become a game changer. Quarterbacks cannot complete passes to Revis's side and Cromartie has the explosiveness to take advantage of any qb that targets him. I expect great things about the Jets secondary come next season.
The second big move of the offseason is the release of Thomas Jones. I am a huge Jones supporter and he put in some very, very good years with the Jets. He was extremely under appreciated by the majority of Jets fans. He was consistent, stayed healthy, and put up a few huge seasons. However, the Jets have decided to move on in the running game with Shonn Greene and Leon Washington both coming into next season healthy. It is a move that I think had to be made with the way Greene ran in the playoffs. There is some risk involved with Greene seeming a little injury prone and Washington coming off a horrible injury but the Jets should sign a veteran #3 back as an insurance policy. Thank you Thomas Jones for what you brought to this team in the past few years and I hope he has another few good years in him for somebody.
The second big move of the offseason is the release of Thomas Jones. I am a huge Jones supporter and he put in some very, very good years with the Jets. He was extremely under appreciated by the majority of Jets fans. He was consistent, stayed healthy, and put up a few huge seasons. However, the Jets have decided to move on in the running game with Shonn Greene and Leon Washington both coming into next season healthy. It is a move that I think had to be made with the way Greene ran in the playoffs. There is some risk involved with Greene seeming a little injury prone and Washington coming off a horrible injury but the Jets should sign a veteran #3 back as an insurance policy. Thank you Thomas Jones for what you brought to this team in the past few years and I hope he has another few good years in him for somebody.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Season in Review: Defense and Special Teams
Defensive MVP: Darrelle Revis
Defensive Line:
Shaun Ellis had another good season anchoring the defensive line. He finished with 53 tackles and 6.5 sacks which are pretty good numbers for a defensive end in the 3-4. The longest tenured Jet should be returning next year in the same role.
Season Grade: B+
Sione Pouha played great this season filling in when Kris Jenkins went down with an injury. Many thought the Jets defense would suffer greatly without last seasons defensive MVP but Pouha was able to step in and play great.
Season Grade: A-
Marques Douglas was serviceable at the defensive end position this year and I expect that we will see him back next year in the same role.
Season Grade: B
Linebackers:
Calvin Pace- A-
Vernon Gholston- F
David Harris- A
Bryan Thomas- B
Bart Scott- B+
Defensive Backs:
Darrelle Revis- A+
Lito Sheppard- C+
Dwight Lowery- B
Donald Strickland- C
Kerry Rhodes- C
Jim Leonard- A-
Eric Smith- B+
Special Teams:
Jay Feely- A
Steve Weatherford- C
Brad Smith/Leon Washington Returning Kicks- B-
Coaching:
Rex Ryan- A
Brian Schottenheimer- C+
Mike Pettine- A
Mike Westhoff- B+
Defensive Line:
Shaun Ellis had another good season anchoring the defensive line. He finished with 53 tackles and 6.5 sacks which are pretty good numbers for a defensive end in the 3-4. The longest tenured Jet should be returning next year in the same role.
Season Grade: B+
Sione Pouha played great this season filling in when Kris Jenkins went down with an injury. Many thought the Jets defense would suffer greatly without last seasons defensive MVP but Pouha was able to step in and play great.
Season Grade: A-
Marques Douglas was serviceable at the defensive end position this year and I expect that we will see him back next year in the same role.
Season Grade: B
Linebackers:
Calvin Pace- A-
Vernon Gholston- F
David Harris- A
Bryan Thomas- B
Bart Scott- B+
Defensive Backs:
Darrelle Revis- A+
Lito Sheppard- C+
Dwight Lowery- B
Donald Strickland- C
Kerry Rhodes- C
Jim Leonard- A-
Eric Smith- B+
Special Teams:
Jay Feely- A
Steve Weatherford- C
Brad Smith/Leon Washington Returning Kicks- B-
Coaching:
Rex Ryan- A
Brian Schottenheimer- C+
Mike Pettine- A
Mike Westhoff- B+
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Season in Review: Offense
Offensive MVP: Thomas Jones
Quarterback:
Mark Sanchez had the kind of season that is normally expected out of a rookie quarterback. He started out extremely hot in the first 3 games and led the team to a 3-0 record. However, this fast start may have caused Brian Schottenheimer and Rex Ryan to open up the offensive playbook a little too much which resulted in a tough middle of the season. However, Sanchez matured towards the end of the season and realized that his role on the team was to make sure the team didn't lose.
The biggest turning point of the season for Mark Sanchez may have been when Rex Ryan delved into the offense. He simplified the playbook and started limiting Sanchez's throws to 15-20 a game. Once this happened Sanchez became much more efficient and was a major factor in leading the Jets to the playoffs. Sanchez's play in the playoffs was a major reason that the Jets were able to advance. He played arguably his two best games of the season against the Bengals and Chargers in the playoffs.
Overall, this season was a growing experience for Sanchez. He matured greatly as the season progressed and I am almost 100% sure that he will continue to develop and eventually be one of the best starting quarterbacks in the league. He has the tremendous ability to escape pressure and make throws while on the run. Also, as the season progressed Sanchez showed much more poise in the pocket and was able to make the tough throws.
Season Grade: C+
Running Back:
Thomas Jones had an absolutely incredible season which exceeded all of my expectations. He finished with a league leading 331 carries and was 4th in the league with 1402 yards. He was also able to pick up 14 touchdowns. Jones was the workhorse back all season and was the main reason that the Jets were able to make the playoffs. Jones was consistent all season (until the playoffs) and was able to wear defenses down late in games. Jones wore down a little bit come playoff time because of a bad knee and a huge workload during the regular season. However, his play during the regular season is what propelled the Jets to having the #1 running game in the league.
Season Grade: A
Shonn Greene took over as the backup running back when Leon Washington went down with a broken leg in the beginning of the season. Greene finished the regular season with 108 carries for 540 yards and 2 touchdowns. The one thing I loved about Greene this year was his style of running the ball. I haven't seen a running back run as hard as him since Jamal Lewis during his prime and maybe Adrian Peterson. Greene absolutely wrecks people who attempt to tackle him. However, as well as Greene played during the regular season he really stepped up his game during the playoffs. As Thomas Jones appeared to be wearing down Greene took over the workload at running back and finished with 304 yards and 5.6 yards per carry. He was the major reason that the Jets were able to advance past both Cincinnati and San Diego and the Colts game might have turned out differently if he hadn't gone down with an injury. The only negative with Greene this year was a fumbling problem. However, he seemed to correct that because the ball was secure in the playoffs.
Season Grade: B+
Leon Washington was on his way to having another very good season before going down with an injury during the Raiders game. Since he wasn't around for much of the season I am not going to do a full write up but Washington looked like he would have had a greatly increased role this year and I hope he will be back at 100% next year.
Fullback:
Tony Richardson had another stellar year to add to his long and brilliant career. Richardson anchored a running game which finished #1 in the league and even at his age he is still able to open up holes for the running backs. As I said before the season, Richardson is great and I really hope he decides to forgo retirement for another year and be the lead blocker for this running game. If he retires he will be sorely missed.
Season Grade: A
Wide Receiver:
Jerricho Cotchery had an outstanding season with 57 catches for 821 yards and 3 touchdowns. Although this may not seem so special with the great numbers many wide receivers put up around the league, Cotchery anchored the Jets receiving core and provided a consistent target for Mark Sanchez. Cotchery rarely had a drop and he is one of the crispest route runners in the league. He stepped it up against the Colts (in a losing effort) and made a few incredible catches.
Season Grade: B+
Braylon Edwards came to the Jets with much hype after week 4 in a trade that sent Chansi Stuckey to the Cleveland Browns. Edwards came in with much fanfare and with a reputation for dropping the ball. We saw two sides of Edwards over the 12 games that he was a Jet. First, Edwards made some absolutely incredible catches this season. The one that stands out to me is his first game where he bailed out Mark Sanchez with a great catch down the sideline while somehow getting both feet in bounds. However, with the great plays came the inevitable drops. Most Jets fans will have trouble forgetting his drop where the ball literally hit him in the head. However, the one thing about Edwards that the casual fan will miss is his run blocking. He showed this year that he is committed to the team with outstanding run blocking on the outside. Unlike receivers like Randy Moss and Terrell Owens who give up on plays Edwards is always there making a key block.
Season Grade: B
Brad Smith entered this season as a disappointment to most Jets fans but he is leaving it as a fan favorite. Since he has been drafted we have heard that Smith has the ability to change the game by both running, catching, and even throwing the ball. However, we haven't seen this talk come to fruition. After Leon Washington went down the "Seminole" offense seemed to die and a new option offense was formed from it led by Brad Smith. Smith was incredible out of this offense and we even got to see him throw in the Colts game which I know most people were not expecting. Smith is still not a great receiver but his ability to make plays out of the option offense is something that cannot be overlooked. He ran straight through the Bengals in Week 17 to put the Jets into the playoffs.
Season Grade: B+
Quarterback:
Mark Sanchez had the kind of season that is normally expected out of a rookie quarterback. He started out extremely hot in the first 3 games and led the team to a 3-0 record. However, this fast start may have caused Brian Schottenheimer and Rex Ryan to open up the offensive playbook a little too much which resulted in a tough middle of the season. However, Sanchez matured towards the end of the season and realized that his role on the team was to make sure the team didn't lose.
The biggest turning point of the season for Mark Sanchez may have been when Rex Ryan delved into the offense. He simplified the playbook and started limiting Sanchez's throws to 15-20 a game. Once this happened Sanchez became much more efficient and was a major factor in leading the Jets to the playoffs. Sanchez's play in the playoffs was a major reason that the Jets were able to advance. He played arguably his two best games of the season against the Bengals and Chargers in the playoffs.
Overall, this season was a growing experience for Sanchez. He matured greatly as the season progressed and I am almost 100% sure that he will continue to develop and eventually be one of the best starting quarterbacks in the league. He has the tremendous ability to escape pressure and make throws while on the run. Also, as the season progressed Sanchez showed much more poise in the pocket and was able to make the tough throws.
Season Grade: C+
Running Back:
Thomas Jones had an absolutely incredible season which exceeded all of my expectations. He finished with a league leading 331 carries and was 4th in the league with 1402 yards. He was also able to pick up 14 touchdowns. Jones was the workhorse back all season and was the main reason that the Jets were able to make the playoffs. Jones was consistent all season (until the playoffs) and was able to wear defenses down late in games. Jones wore down a little bit come playoff time because of a bad knee and a huge workload during the regular season. However, his play during the regular season is what propelled the Jets to having the #1 running game in the league.
Season Grade: A
Shonn Greene took over as the backup running back when Leon Washington went down with a broken leg in the beginning of the season. Greene finished the regular season with 108 carries for 540 yards and 2 touchdowns. The one thing I loved about Greene this year was his style of running the ball. I haven't seen a running back run as hard as him since Jamal Lewis during his prime and maybe Adrian Peterson. Greene absolutely wrecks people who attempt to tackle him. However, as well as Greene played during the regular season he really stepped up his game during the playoffs. As Thomas Jones appeared to be wearing down Greene took over the workload at running back and finished with 304 yards and 5.6 yards per carry. He was the major reason that the Jets were able to advance past both Cincinnati and San Diego and the Colts game might have turned out differently if he hadn't gone down with an injury. The only negative with Greene this year was a fumbling problem. However, he seemed to correct that because the ball was secure in the playoffs.
Season Grade: B+
Leon Washington was on his way to having another very good season before going down with an injury during the Raiders game. Since he wasn't around for much of the season I am not going to do a full write up but Washington looked like he would have had a greatly increased role this year and I hope he will be back at 100% next year.
Fullback:
Tony Richardson had another stellar year to add to his long and brilliant career. Richardson anchored a running game which finished #1 in the league and even at his age he is still able to open up holes for the running backs. As I said before the season, Richardson is great and I really hope he decides to forgo retirement for another year and be the lead blocker for this running game. If he retires he will be sorely missed.
Season Grade: A
Wide Receiver:
Jerricho Cotchery had an outstanding season with 57 catches for 821 yards and 3 touchdowns. Although this may not seem so special with the great numbers many wide receivers put up around the league, Cotchery anchored the Jets receiving core and provided a consistent target for Mark Sanchez. Cotchery rarely had a drop and he is one of the crispest route runners in the league. He stepped it up against the Colts (in a losing effort) and made a few incredible catches.
Season Grade: B+
Braylon Edwards came to the Jets with much hype after week 4 in a trade that sent Chansi Stuckey to the Cleveland Browns. Edwards came in with much fanfare and with a reputation for dropping the ball. We saw two sides of Edwards over the 12 games that he was a Jet. First, Edwards made some absolutely incredible catches this season. The one that stands out to me is his first game where he bailed out Mark Sanchez with a great catch down the sideline while somehow getting both feet in bounds. However, with the great plays came the inevitable drops. Most Jets fans will have trouble forgetting his drop where the ball literally hit him in the head. However, the one thing about Edwards that the casual fan will miss is his run blocking. He showed this year that he is committed to the team with outstanding run blocking on the outside. Unlike receivers like Randy Moss and Terrell Owens who give up on plays Edwards is always there making a key block.
Season Grade: B
Brad Smith entered this season as a disappointment to most Jets fans but he is leaving it as a fan favorite. Since he has been drafted we have heard that Smith has the ability to change the game by both running, catching, and even throwing the ball. However, we haven't seen this talk come to fruition. After Leon Washington went down the "Seminole" offense seemed to die and a new option offense was formed from it led by Brad Smith. Smith was incredible out of this offense and we even got to see him throw in the Colts game which I know most people were not expecting. Smith is still not a great receiver but his ability to make plays out of the option offense is something that cannot be overlooked. He ran straight through the Bengals in Week 17 to put the Jets into the playoffs.
Season Grade: B+
David Clowney had a very disappointing season and didn't even eclipse 200 yards. He got into trouble early in the season with Twitter and he never really regained a prominent role in this offense.
Season Grade: C-
Dustin Keller came into the season with high expectations (at least in my mind) and he partially fulfilled them. Keller is a great pass catching tight end and he showed that during the playoffs with 3 straight games with a touchdown. However, Keller was hurt this year by the slow development of Mark Sanchez. With the Jets only throwing the ball 15-20 times a game by the time the season ended there weren't enough balls going around for Keller to put up gaudy stats. However, he had a fairly good season and was second on the Jets in both receptions and yards. I expect him to be utilized next year a lot more as Sanchez develops.
Season Grade: B-
Offensive Line:
D'Brickashaw Ferguson has developed into one of the best left tackles in the league. In a division where there are some great pass rushers (Aaron Schobel and Jason Taylor) Ferguson rarely missed an assignment. Also, I will say this for every member of the line, anytime your team leads the league in rushing the offensive line is the major contributor in that. Ferguson is going to the pro-bowl along with teammates Alan Faneca and Nick Mangold
Season Grade: A
Alan Faneca is one of the most respected offensive lineman in the league but he is going to the pro bowl this year based on reputation and not play. Faneca was the most disappointing member of the line this year. However, even while having a disappointing season Faneca is a veteran anchor who still is good at his job. I am not sure if he will be around next year (I am thinking he will be).
Season Grade: C
Nick Mangold is the best center in the league and he continues to get better year after year. I recently read an article that said that there were two types of centers in the league. There are power guys and finesse guys. This article said that the reason Mangold is so good is because he is a mix of both. I can't say it any better myself so I will just refer to that. A few years ago the Jets made the brilliant move of picking up two offensive lineman in the first round of the draft. Although many were skeptical at the time, this move has turned out to be genius. Mangold has replaced Kevin Mawae and hasn't missed a beat, which is really saying something. Mangold will once again be going to the pro-bowl.
Season Grade: A
Brandon Moore came into this season as the most underrated member of the Jets offensive line and he leaves it the same way. However, you can't downplay his impact in the power running game. The Jets run over the right side of the line a ton and Moore is a major reason for that. He is a dominating run blocker who doesn't get the credit he deserves.
Season Grade: B+
Damian Woody is another member of the line who gets overlooked. Woody has made the move to right tackle flawlessly over the past 2 years and now anchors the right side of the line where the Jets run the ball all the time.
Season Grade: B
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