| Ondre Baronette. 11th February, 2009 - 1:19 pm
 The NFL Draft is only twelve weeks away, and the New York Jets will embark on a new era once again.
Jets fans know this scenario all to well. Unable to break away from the unfulfilled legacy left behind by Bill Parcells, Herman Edwards, and now Eric Mangini, they turn to Rex Ryan, and turn the page on yet another coach.
Edwards was traded to the Chiefs for a fourth round pick, which turned into Leon Washington, and young Mangini was hired. He was a senior assistant coach with Bill Belichick and in New England, and at the time was the youngest person to be hired as a head football coach in the NFL.
After finishing his first year with a record of 10-6, and receiving The Coach of the Year award, Mangini, was touted as "Man-Genius," and was expected to continue the progress he and The Jets had made. But, it all collapsed. After a disappointing 2007 season (4-12), the Jets brought in Brett Favre and quietly released Chad Pennington, who was their Comeback Player of the Year, the season before and would be the winner again in 2008, this time with the Miami Dolphins.
Brett Favre started 8-3, and the media attention picked up. Pundit rankings, had them as high as #4 in the NFL, but the team went 1-4 down the stretch, losing at San Francisco and Seattle on back-to-back road trips. And, on December 29th, 2008, the first day after his third year of five year deal, Mangini was fired by Mike Tannenbaum, and owner Woody Johnson. It came just one day after their disappointing loss to Pennington and the Dolphins.
On January 21, 2009, there was a scene that has been seen before in New York, all too frequently. Maybe not with the same ferocity as coach Ryan displayed, but they know it none the less. Seeing different coaches come in, some leaving on good terms, not accomplishing much besides securing talent (Bill Parcells).
Some left and went on to coach college (Al Groh), and others accepted the job, only to quit the next day (Bill Belichick). The Jets have hired their fourth coach since 2001, and are moving into a new building that has received grumblings for its private seat licensing and its corporate price tag. With a brilliant mind on defense in Ryan, with a personality consistent of a likable drill sergeant, the Jets defense are primed and ready to see what "The Mad Scientist" has in his formula for them.
They can't afford to get this one wrong, they passed on Steve Spagnuolo and didn't even try to talk with Bill Cowher, even though he expressed no desire to come back in '09. Mike Shanahan was out there too. Ryan has a tough inaugural season, and if Spagnuolo brings the Rams to respectability, fans will start to second guess. Listening to Johnson, they got it right this time, they were solely focused on finding the right head coach and not other things...
The fundamentals are the same as Mangini, and players like Darrelle Revis, seem primed to flourish under Coach Ryan. He looks like the stud that was worthy of moving up to get in 2007 Draft. Dustin Keller showed some good skills, but dropped a couple of easy passes as defenses focused on him, but was worthy of the jump in 2008 to get him as well. The offensive line is thin, but seemed to find the groove envisioned when they drafted players like D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold.
Vernon Gholston will be the wild-card for the Jets. Ryan will be looking to transform him into the mold of Terrell Suggs, who has recorded ten sacks only once, but has a motor. Although Gholston had a disappointing rookie campaign, he seems to have untapped ability. At Foxboro, he showed a minor glimpse of his pass-rushing ability.
Barring a trade, the Jets should look to secure their secondary. The attacking style Ryan portrayed in Baltimore, left many players like Ed Reed, Samari Rolle, and Chris McAlister, on an island and they weren't hesitant to rush the line. With Ty Law probably not coming back and Dwight Lowery not looking like a great cover guy, they may need a corner, and another free safety to help out Rhodes, after a 2008 season where he had more tackles, but less interceptions.
The Jets have been known to jump in the draft and go get their guy as I alluded to with Revis and Keller. Their offense was not the problem last year, even though it was middle of the pack, and with Rex Ryan on board, a multitude of options on defense seems to be their best move.
Coach Ryan's Baltimore defenses ranked 5th, 1st, 6th, and 2nd. Under Brian Schottenheimer the Jets offense has ranked 25th, 26th, and 16. It's obvious that their defense will be ahead of their offense this coming season.
Even with Rex Ryan on board, and Favre Era clearly behind them, the Jets are still behind Belichick and the Patriots.
Given the circumstances, the Jets would be best served letting their scouts do what they do best, and jump up for Michael Crabtree in April's NFL Draft, or at least get it right this time around. |
