Being in the position we're in I think we're going to have to have a few guys that are 1-2 year stop gaps. No 1-2 year stop gap should prevent us from drafting players at the same position. It would instantly create competition and depth. If Westerman or a rookie can't beat out an old man for the position he's probably not good enough.
Again, I generally agree with your first paragraph, but in the second the Jets should use their situation at LB, who they already have on the roster, as stop gaps that already exist but who do not bring the level of competency we should expect from a key position like pass rushing OLB. In other words the NEED to add someone becomes the OPPORTUNITY to upgrade.
Over the last 5 years, the Patriots have AVERAGED 13 wins a season. You don't average 13 wins a year by drafting lousy players.
How many rings in the last 5 years? Building a regular season juggernaut and a team built for January are 2 completely different things.
Comments like this from Jets fans are hilarious. Built for January??????? In case you missed it, the Pats were playing in yet another Super Bowl in February.
The Colts and Pats say otherwise. When Goodells wet dream is to make the QB the only player that counts, and your team has gotten nothing but lucky on drafting a QB, then nothing else matters. Look at the Colts without Peyton, thats gonna be the Pats in a few years.
I never implied that FA signings were inappropriate. I stated that bringing in late-prime to over the hill players to fill gaps was inappropriate. If the Jets could find a 26 or 27 year old LB who was worth something then signing him to compete with Westerman and company would certainly be appropriate. If they could find a 28 or 29 year old star to bring in to take the position then that would be appropriate also. What's inappropriate is signing a 31 year old guy who is already in decline to fill a position that the Jets need to find a long-term fill for. It places the Jets in a position where the decline of their own players is magnified because the guys they're bringing in to supplement the talent are also in decline.
I agree with pretty much all of this. I hate the idea of bringing someone who is 31, on the decline, going to be overpaid and not a good passrusher. IMO, for JJ to be successful or even for our OLB core to improve, we need at least 1 OLB that can consistently put pressure on the QB. JJ can not do that. Calvin Pace can not do that. Signing a player that has absolutely no upside and possesses the same weaknesses as what we already have doesnt do us much help, especially in the future. Its like the signing of Derrick Mason (sort of)- is on the decline, old stop gap player, doesnt solve our problem of a deep threat and came from Bmore... except JJ is probably going to come at a higher price. If we sign JJ, we limit ourselves in FA by overpaying on a player who’s declining, and we just continue to push off the problem at OLB. Then, by next year, we will once again have a hole at LOLB, along with ROLB. I really think we have to draft someone in the 1st or 2nd round and let him get a good deal of snaps, let him rotate with Maybin and Westerman. And then hopefully by next year we will have at least 1 of the OLB positions filled looking towards the future. I would rather sign BT for vet minimum if he passes a physical and another role player (Braylon) than overpay on JJ.
What would happen if the Jets played in 5 Super Bowls in a 10 year period, winning 3 of them? All the goo from the circle jerk would create the biggest tsunami the world has ever seen.
Here's my view of the Jets current 1 to 2 year stopgaps, the ones already on the roster or likely to be after free agency: Offense LG - Matt Slauson (debatable) RG - Brandon Moore RT - Wayne Hunter TE - Dustin Keller (will wind up out of the Jet's price range as a UFA and not worth tagging) Defense NT - Sione Pouha RILB - Bart Scott (nobody is going to take him and Jets won't cut him is my guess) ROLB - Calvin Pace FS - Eric Smith That's a lot of stopgaps already sitting on the roster. Adding 2 or 3 more in free agency is just building decline into the Jets makeup and they're not starting at an elite level to begin with. Do you know how many free agents the Steelers have brought in to start for them on the defensive side of the ball over the last decade? One. James Farrior. The Steelers live and die with their defense and so they take special care to keep it well provisioned with fresh in-house talent.
I would also prefer that option if there is a big gap between what BT will command and what JJ will demand. I think JJ should be relatively cheap, but could be dead wrong on that. The concern with BT, is whether he'll be able to hold up in the trenches at his age coming of an injury that has ended many careers.
Signing JJ would be a good move, as long as we don't have to overpay and can get him on a modest one or two year deal. A lot of you guys seem to be focusing on our need for a pass rusher, but let's not ignore the fact that our run D took a big step back last year. That can be attributed largely to the injury to BT, as well as Ellis leaving and Bart being another year older. Johnson is the kind of player Rex likes, who can set the edge and eat up blockers. He's had success in Rex's system in the past, and most indications suggest that he is in better shape than most LBs his age. It would not prevent us from drafting a linebacker to fill our pass rushing void.
So what's your plan? You have a lot of complaints about the Jets lately and very few answers. Clearly we can't fix enough of our problems with the draft unless you want to just pick based on need in every round giving up value. Then we can start a bunch of late round rookies because you didn't want to fill holes with stop gaps. Is that your plan? I don't understand what you want the Jets to do. They obviously need to take a better approach with the draft and not trading picks away, but that's a long term approach that needs fixing. This year we need to field a competitive team.
But the patriots didn't WIN the super bowl.Of course you're response will be "Well the jets haven't won a super bowl since 1968". But you can't have it both ways..either we're including the Jets in the conversation or we're not. If we are...the patriots & Jets both have not won anything in the last 5 years..and if we aren't talking about the Jets..despite an obscene ammount of ammo going into the past 4 drafts or so...the Patriots have holes all over their roster.
Btw you can always count on a Fine American Gentleman like tx and ken to derail a thread. Fuckin trolls
I reread your post, and I withdraw my comment that you "never" agree with FA signings. You are correct, in the middle ground of a younger player such as mid to late 20's who is "worth something", meaning up and coming with several years still before them, you did not rule out signing such a player. In turn I expect you will agree such players tend to be rare in FA. Considering the immediate subject of OLB, such players tend to also be expensive, without question this being a function of their rarity. Again that by extension means that there is little reason to think a reasonably priced mid to late 20's effective OLB will be available in FA. But if there were one, sure we both agree the Jets might be well served going after him. Most FA signings are more of the aging vet type who has some years, but how many?, left, and a somewhat lesser level of performance than at their peak. Signings like that can still make sense, I think, if they provide a missing piece for a position you need a proven and effective player to fill right away. I am not sure you agree with that positino from what you have said here today.
