I hear ya. Cromartie's conditional value being a 2nd rounder instead of a 3rd hurts. I don't really mind either way if the team goes DL or LB with the first pick, I'm just making my argument towards our DL needing improvement just as much as OLB needs improvement. I feel that a lot of people disregard the DL because when you think pass rush in a 3-4, you think LB. IMO the problem goes deeper than that. If Tanny strikes gold and drafts a stud OLB at #30 the pass rush will improve but I'm not sure at how great the impact. I think a stud DL will improve the LB/passrush as a whole while a stud OLB only improves the pass rush statistically, not sot so much the players around him.
I feel we can get a body for the DL in the free agency ( if there is one ) . Reed is my vote for the first right now. Let me him start or rotate him from the start and learn in the fire. I hate sitting rookies
While I agree that the Jets' pass rush problems goes deeper than just the OLBs and that upgrading the DL should improve the pass rush, I totally disagee that upgrading the DL will have the biggest impact on the pass rush, or that upgrading the OLB would only statistically improve the pass rush. That's nonsense imo. Very few 3-4 DL make a real impact with regard to the pass rush. Richard Seymour is about the only 3-4 DE that has made a big impact as a pass rusher. How many sacks do NTs normally get? Jenkins is certainly better than Pouha in that regard and gets more push on the pocket, but he can't stay healthy and there aren't a lot of Kris Jenkins types running around. Picking at #30, the only DL I see that could possibly have any kind of real impact on the pass rush is Phil Taylor if (and that's a BIG if) Rex can turn him into a consistent terror and Taylor can live up to his potential. I don't believe that any of the DEs that will possibly be available at #30 (save for Wilkerson) would have much, if any, impact on the pass rush. IMO, the biggest problems with the lack of consistent pass rush stem from the lack of speed in the Jets' linebacking corps. They're all pretty darned slow. Having a guy or two with real jets puts a lot of pressure on opposing OL, much more so than getting a DE who gets 15-20% more push at the LOS. Think back to the last two seasons. The Jets' DL does a fair job of pushing the pocket, and often times the Jets would come close to getting there, but usually would take too long to get there. Add a strong, fast rusher who can get around the corner before the OT can get out there to block him and things change dramatically. Further, a fast OLB should also improve the run defense as he should get more TFLs, prevent RBs from getting the edge, and be able to chase down ball carriers before they can break off longer runs. What the Jets' D needs more than almost anything else is a serious infusion of speed at the linebacker position. I've cooled on Martez Wilson a lot, but if the Jets could coach him up, get him studying film and developing his instincts, he could become a real terror for opposing teams in Rex's system. He could line up inside or outside. He could easily drop into coverage and blanket TEs and RBs over the middle, and should be able to get to opposing QBs with some consistency.
Agreed with pretty much everything but I should clarify a bit more. I'm not expecting the DE's or NT's to get sacks in this defense. I'm speaking in the sense of having a D-Lineman that will command a double team on every snap to free up gaps for our LB or seal the edge (in defensive terms) for the L/ROLB to get by. Let me put it this way, and this is all opinion here, If one of these players got injured for the season, who would affect the Ravens pass-rush/front 7 more: Haloti Ngata or Terrell Suggs? I'd say it's about equal. You lose out on the 8-12 sacks and x amount of pressures Suggs generates but the LB corps imo drops about 20% in production with Ngata's dominant presence gone. As long as the Jets go OLB and DL with the first two picks (in either order) I'm happy.
You are talking about 2 of the best at their position in the NFL today. I know we aren't looking at any DL with the potential to become Haloti Ngata at 30 overall. The chances any pass rusher around at 30 (houston, ayers, reed sheard or some one else) develops into a Terrel Suggs type is very slim, not impossible just highly unlikely. I think that there is a better chance of getting a guy who can develop into a good-great rusher at #30 than there is of finding a good - great 3-4 DE at 30. We should be looking pass rusher at 30 and hopefully the board fall the way we want it too, just like it has the past two years...
BTw, another VERY important pro about getting an OLB, one who can run (e.i: justin houston, akeem ayers, brooks reed) is that they can help cover TE's and RB's, something our linebackers have sucked at. It could help our back end and our front 7 if coverage over the middle gets better. I dont think a D lineman could help that in anyway.
