Jets 2013 Cap Situation

yes i found this humorous as well. id be fine letting both walk if they wouldnt take half those salaries

 

I saw a quote on the jets blog from the NYJetsCap.com guy saying something along the lines of the Jets 2013 cap situation isn't too bad even if it appears so at first glance. He seems to know his stuff.

 

It's not as bad as it seems at first glance. Cutting Scott and Pace nets us 15.6 mill in saves. Hunter is another 4 and Smith 3 mill for a total of around 22.6 mill in cap savings on players that should be replaceable. If our young guys that are around pan out or we draft replacements we can find ourselves easily under the cap entering next year.

 

Yes but then you go to 2014 and you're looking at another cap-busting contract for Revis. You're looking at paying the guys recently drafted big numbers to lock them up if they worked out or finding free agent talent to replace them if not. You're looking at a flat cap that the Jets are already pressed up against and the only way to alleviate that being to draft a bunch of quality players who will be cheap for their first several years.

And BTW, 2013 is not rosy under the cut-all-the-vets scenario, it is just livable and it assumes that the Jets replace the vets with quality players at cheap prices. If the Jets have to pay real money to maintain the player level they have then the cap structure turns into play a JAG you drafted or struggle to fit in a quality player.

 

Of the players I mentioned, pace is the only one that I would say I was happy with his play at the end of last year. Most of these guys made good money to play at a JAG level. These positions need filled now with them on the roster. Improved play from hunter may be able to save him, but Pace and Scott are on the down swing. Smith has proved to be nothing more than a ST/role player type.

We have two drafts between now and then to address the issue of finding new bodies to fill these positions. The incoming player will be cheaper. If we draft well they should at the very least mirror the production of a bunch of guys that are nearing over the hill status or players that seem to not have what it takes to be nfl starters. It's not as if we are trying to replace all pro players if we cut those four.

You often take the stance that we have drafted poorly and brought in the wrong players, seemingly implying that we need a talent upgrade in several areas. Now that I'm suggesting removing some of the most bloated contracts on the roster in 2013 and replacing them you worry about filling their roles. You can't have it both ways in the argument. Either we need roster change over or these players are important. We can not worry about losing highly paid under achivers.

 

I'm not worried about filling their roles. I'm worried about the Jets ability to find talent in the draft without cherry-picking to do it.

It was easy when the Jets had 10 picks and 2 1sts to go find some of the pieces they needed in 2006. It was easy when CB and ILB were huge needs to go cherry-pick Revis and Harris in 2007.

The Jets have a lot of holes right now and a few more impending ones in 2013 and 2014. It isn't going to be easy to fill those holes given the Jets recent draft record and the cap situation moving forward.

There's a reason that the elite teams in the NFL don't rely on 28 year old free agents as a normal talent resource. Those guys only give you 3 or 4 years and then they're gone and you don't really want the last year they gave you either.

That's why the elite teams draft to make sure their core is solid year-after-year and then occasionally grab a high impact free agent when they need a boost outside the core.

The Jets have been in a 3-4 since 2006. A 3-4 runs off of its linebackers. They're the key in the defense and a 3-4 with great linebackers is usually successful while one without is not.

Tell me where the Jet's LB's have come from to populate that 3-4? Now look at the Steelers. Look at the Ravens. What's different about the philosophies in play? Why should anybody think the Jets know better than those two franchises about how to run a 3-4? Why should anybody think that the player acquisition philosophy of the Jets in terms of manning a 3-4 is not losing value in the process?

 

Because they had the number 1 overall D in 2009 3rd in 2010 and 5th in 2011. That said I would love some youth to our LBs. It is the difference right now from good to great. If Maybin gets better this offseason and get a LB with our 1st round pick whether its Upshaw or Hightower it will look a lot better for us.

 

I see where your coming from better with that statement. I can agree to a point that the Jets needs to draft well. We have the picks in place to find some impactful players, now its a matter of how good is our scouting.

The Jets do have holes, but every team does in a cap based league. I think the big part is to focus our assets in the areas we want to be strong in and move forward. Those being the defense and running game.

For defense, we need better skill and depth all along the LBing core. I've been a proponent of double dipping at LBer in this draft. We need bodies/talent/youth there badly. We need to draft at least one saftey this year as well.

As for our offense, I think we need to draft along the line. Even if Vlad works out somewhere, we still need another guard. I think a healthy Slauson will help out as well. Our Running backs are good, not great, but we don't need great ones. Build a great Oline and plug decent runners behind it.

I do belive that we have the talent to compete. With two good drafts we should be set up nicely. Now if Rex and company bomb on these drafts we are in trouble, but I have hope taht they will find the peices we need to stay in the race for the AFC east and beyond.