1. If It's so easy to find a good slot guy how come we havent found the answer from Brad Smith,David Clowney, Chansi Stuckey,Danny Woodhead among others? All those guys HAVE talent, but have been unable to fill the need we have. Additionally, Tate provides YAC threat that we really don't have outside of Leon AND is able to fill the huge void we have at punt returner. Tate helps keep the offense moving the chains and immediately improves our chances in the battle of field position 2. Ryan Sims, William Joseph, Jonathan Sullivan, Damoine Lewis, Steve Emtman- Don't DT's bust just as much? 3. Aside from the occassional crossing Route, Keller isn't a great over the middle threat and is better on deep routes and stretching the seam. He can be neutralized by any defender w/ good strong hands on short routes. I'm not saying he isn't a great weapon...but there's a reason why Sanchez never looked to anyone over the middle on short routes. There was no one getting open on the checkdowns! 4.Pouha didn't show you enough when Jenkins went down? Really? Aside ferom the first couple weeks that defense didn't miss a beat in the grand scheme of things. I'm not suggesting that there aren't other options and I'm not saying that Tate is our only option at out first round spot. There are many others including Cody who make sense too. But c'mon guys..if you don't think Tate helps this team from day 1 as well as long term...You're crazy.
Point 3 is most improtant, you need another guy that offenses fear, to make them choose between keller and the slot guy.
Stuckey was doing just fine here. Woodhead, Smith, and Clowney could just suck...but even Smith was useful out of the slot because of his run blocking. Also, not surprisingly the only one that's worked has been Stuckey, who was the closest to a prototypical slot WR on the roster. ALSO, getting Leon back with Keller means we have two targets who aren't outside targets that can gain YAC. I also think you underrate Edwards' and Cotchery's ability to gain YAC on the outside. True, but those guys weren't drafted to be the #3 DT on their teams. Keller was just a 2nd year player, and it was his first year with the future QB. I don't think it's impossible for him to learn more than the occasional crossing route. Leon coming back will vary the targets in the short passing game even more, creating more opportunities for Keller. Also, new slot guy will also be able to be neutralized by a good defender with strong hands. He'll be a rookie, that defender probably won't be, and if the bigger, stronger Keller can be that easily handled then surely.... Pouha was fine. He's also older than Jenkins and has spent a shyteload of time injured himself. I just want a DL in general, and Cody offers the most upside of all of them. I realize Tate would help us. I also think it's crazy to pay 1st round money (even if it's not high first money) for a guy who'll be our #3 WR for at least a few years.
Chansi Stuckey was perfect for the slot but we got rid of him for a better WR in Edwards As far as I'm concerned WR isn't out of the relam come the draft. I would love Damian Williams or Golden Tate. I don't like Benn and Bryant probably won't be there at 29
I really wouldn't mind a receiver in the first round, at this point. I saw what having a half a dozen options did for the development of offensive dominance watching the offenses of Indy and New Orleans, and there is no doubt that Roger Goodell is turning this into a passer's league. I'd also like our young franchise QB to have as many options as early as possible. But I'm not sure that I buy into the notion that the Jets are going offense in round 1 for the second year in a row under the Rex Ryan regime. Rex fielded a pretty damn solid defense with a lot of injured players, and a lot of backup players, and most of them not being guys that he brought in. You have to think that Rex is licking his chops at the vision of building a legendary defense with the players that he likes for his attacking schemes. That includes a true edge rusher, and by a number of accounts, a dominant secondary. I can't remember where I read this, but someone close to Ryan said straight out that he loves players in the secondary, more than any other unit on the field. That may even mean a dominant safety. None of that equals a wide receiver to me in the first round. Especially after what we gave up for Edwards.
Then I hope we try going for Decker or Shipley in the 2nd round or going for a late rounder like Freddie Barnes
Tanny was talking about how Ryan loves to use 6 DB's. When he did that, we only had 4 DL's active. Depending on the opponent, Ryan also went with 5 DB and 5 DL. He does like to use a lot of DB's, no doubt, and that's why I think the Jets will go that way, unless another position player they like a lot falls pretty far. I believe the first two picks will be on D. Then on day two, look for a project WR and maybe another RB. I'm going to guess they try to find more O line depth after teams make their final cuts after TC. Not saying I agree with all of that, just what I think they will do.
I'll say this once..I'll try to be clear... The League favors offense.Period. Therefore it follows...that you need to be deeper on offense than the opponent is on defense. We are ...................VERY...............close. One player on offense. We already field the leagues best defense, and that is while missing the teams best defensive player for half a season. We're in the bottom third on offense. How do you pick to create Balance ?
I'm still not sold that we're taking a WR in the first round. Does Tate return kicks? I can't image we'd take WR that doesn't return kicks. I still think we need to go CB first round...
While the league may favor offense, Rex Ryan is his father's son. And he is coming off of a 2009 draft in which he devoted every single available draft pick (in addition to 2 defensive depth players) on 3 offensive player picks. I love Kris Jenkins, but we cannot count on him for a full season anymore. That's not to say he won't last a full season, but a 360 pound man with 2 ACL surgeries is not a dependable commodity. And it is also a fact that while Rex fielded the #1 overall defense in 2009, the reason we didn't make the Super Bowl (in addition to the reason we almost missed the postseason altogether) was that our defense was not as deep as it needed to be against elite competition, and in a number of cases, far less than elite competition. The offense may have been able to compete if the D had been able to hold Indy to as few points as New Orleans had. We also lack a true edge rusher - and it showed immensely when we had to switch coverage to zone. We could not get to the QB with a 4 man rush, in most cases. I don't see how we can realistically select a slot wide receiver in round 1 when our defensive head coach has not been able to really build his own choice of youth for the foundation of his defense. Rex can only disguise the weaknesses on defense for so long, and then the D will begin losing games for the team with regularity.
Over the last three drafts, we've spent picks on Revis, Harris, Gholston, Lowery, Sheppard... as opposed to Keller, Sanchez,Greene. When you have a defensive coach, you draft offensive Talent, and defensive ability that can be coached. Being able to hold the ball makes your defense better (and admittedly the converse is true as well)..But #1 Defense, #20 Offense, tells you which side is unbalanced.
Those stats are pretty unreliable when you take into account the fact that we had a rookie QB learning the ropes from the first game of the season, along with a rookie runningback learning the ropes after Leon Washington broke his leg. And if you are going to talk about draft picks lost in trade (Sheppard) you have to take into account the draft picks and players we gave up for Braylon Edwards. Also, choosing to pay attention to the last 3 drafts instead of the last 4 drafts is far too convenient to your argument. We spent 2 first rounders on Brick and Nick and we also scored a steal with Leon in 2006 - and they are now in their primes. You are being a bit too stereotypical with your notion of defensive coaches drafting for offensive talent. Rex is as far from a stereotypical coach as you can possibly get. He wears his heart on his sleeve, always - and when he says he wants ground and pound and the most violent defense in the league, that is what you are going to get. I think you are going to be a bit disappointed on draft day.
We also spent several draft picks on Mangold, D'Brick. I've always believed in having a team with depth, it's an absolute must we can't beat Peyton without a legit, 2nd corner back and a pass rushing linebacker so we don't have to use all of our players to blitz, so IMO we need more defensive players so we can have an elite defense to win the big thing I do agree we need another slot receiver, but we won't have to worry bout that till later in the draft, there's some gems down there, no need to go after a WR in the first round there are players later in the draft we can grip up. Cotchery, Braylon, Keller, Leon those are 4 good weapons to go along with our young QB. Bottom line is Tanny needs to draft for depth, we can't continue to get lit up by these receivers like Wes Welker and fucking Garcon/Collie. No doubt draft for defense early, offense late
I dont think Tate lasts until #29 but if he does I'd hang him out there as trade bait. I don't trust B.E. one bit, but we have to roll with him for now. We can get a nice slot receiver if we trade down and pick up an extra pick. Or, Shipley will be there round two and he's a nice fit if not a future starter down the road. I'm starting to believe we need a corner more than anything.
To the title... No, I don't agree. Maybe it's because of recently sitting through three years of Mangini's amorphous team mentality, but I really, really enjoy the concept of "team identity." I hope "New York Jets football" is synonymous with "ground and pound" for the next decade. I'd much rather solidify what we do well than strengthen what what we don't. Offensive lineman or defensive player.
