With the combine wrapping up and the Jets cap number becoming more defined it seemed time. Free Agent Signings ILB Bart Scott - Scott would help bring the defensive attitude Ryan wants to instill as well as plug the hole next to Harris nicely. S Jim Leonhard - Leonhard is a solid safety who did well in the same system and will be a good compliment to Rhodes. DE Anthony Weaver - Weaver is a versatile lineman who has experience in Ryan's defense and would provide depth and and flexibility. G Kynan Forney/Mike Goff - Forney is probably going to be the man out in San Diego, both him and Mike Goff are unrestricted free agents. Forney is the lesser known quantity who will come at a lesser price. Goff is getting up there in age but is still very good and if he hits the open market I think making a play for him would be smart. Schottenheimer knows him from his SD days and I think either of them will be an upgrade. TE Jim Kleinsasser - A little older but still a very solid blocker and would be a nice compliment to Keller Trades Jets trade 2009 Second Round Pick (2.20) and 2010 Third Round Pick for San Fransisco's 2nd Round Pick (2.11) and 2010 5th Round Pick Draft 1) Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois. At this point he might not even be on the board by this point. Has all the physical tools to be a shut-down corner, with him it comes down to desire. I think Rex Ryan can get the most out of Davis and putting him with a veteran, talented secondary will only help. Being able to cover man to man down field is imperative for Ryan to have his flexible scheme up front and Davis is a step towards having a very good secondary. 2) Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers. Would've loved to have picked him up where we were orignally slated but I don't think he'll last that long. By trading up with San Fransisco we move ahead of a couple teams that could snag Britt. Has excellent size at 6'4 and would give whoever is throwing the ball a nice big target. A receiving corp of Coles, Cotchery, Britt and Clowney is very solid. 3) Fili Moala, DE/DT, USC. Once was thought of as a top-5 pick he'd be a great value in round 3. Defensive line depth is important and Moala has the talent to eventually become a very good starter. 4) Jasper Brinkley, ILB, South Carolina. Before he got hurt he was a 1st round prospect but now looks like an early day 2 player. Very good run stuffer who would look good on the inside of a 3-4. Can't have enough LB depth and with Harris, Scott, Brinkley and the guys like Cummings and Trusnik we have we'd be looking pretty solid on the inside. 4) Kevin Ellison, S, USC/David Bruton, S, Notre Dame. Both are good safeties who would provide some depth behind Rhodes and Leonhard. 5) Andy Kemp, G, Wisconsin. Solid guard who played for a big program. Would add some youth and depth to the interior of the line. 6) Jeremiah Johnson, RB, Oregon. Late round running back prospect, has some talent coming off an injury. Never know when you find the next Derrick Ward. 7) Eric VandenHeuvel, OT, Wisconsin. Another badger lineman, has had many injuries but if he could stay healthy could make the team as an insurance policy. Depth Chart QB: Clemens, Ratliffe, Ainge RB: Jones, Washington, Johnson FB: Richardson WR: Coles, Cotchery, Britt, Clowney, Smith TE: Keller, Kleinssasser OT: Ferguson, Woody, Hunter OG: Faneca, Goff/Forney, Kemp C: Mangold DE: Ellis, Coleman, Weaver, Moala, Mosley NT: Jenkins, Pouha OLB: Pace, Thomas, Gholston, Murrell ILB: Harris, Scott, Brinkley, Cummings, Trusnik CB: Revis, Davis, Lowery, Coleman, Carroll S: Rhodes, Leonhard, Ellison/Bruton, Elam
I love this. I'm not the biggest Vontae fan, but he does have all the tools to be great. Britt is a great pick there and it's a solid trade. Jeremiah Johnson will be a late-round steal IMO. Ellison is also a great pick. Good job overall.
Solid free agency period... I would prefer Alphonso Smith, but I would be satisfied with Davis instead. I'm not sold on us needing another WR anymore, but Britt would add height to this receiving core. I would be fine with that pick. Not a big fan of drafting Moala especially since we signed Anthony Weaver anyway. I think we might need to take Jasper Brinkley in the 3rd round to get him. Same deal with Bruton. He had a great combine and will certainly move up draft boards. I'm not too big on 40 times, but Ellison did run in the mid 4.8s I believe, which is just awful. Overall this is a very very nice offseason. Well done.
really good post...and would go nutts if things worked out this way. Really good mock, but somewhere in there, I see us taking another linebacker in the later rounds to give us some more depth, and the linebacking class this year is pretty deep.
I definitely feel your mock is the most realistic, however i would prefer an ILB of great instinct and intelligence like Laurinaitis or Maualuga, but overall I would not be disappointed if the draft worked out that way. Because I doubt that Scott will be there for us to pick up.
Vontae scares me. When was the last headcase CB taken in the first round that it worked out well for the team that drafted him?
This is what concerns me a bit as well. I've read a few times about questions about questions about his commitment to the game and things like this. I'm on the Hakeem Nicks at #17 bandwagon now, but if we went CB, I'd take Alphonso Smith over Vontae Davis anyday. Of course, Davis has tons of potential and might very well end up being a great player, but I think Smith is more NFL ready and a more overall complete player.
