So as Jets fans, we talk a lot about the negatives, but I was just thinking that as a fan of any sports team, what's most exciting is to see young home-grown talent develop and take your team to the next level. Slightly over one year ago, things could not have been any worse for the Jets in this area. We were over the back-to-back AFC championship run, without having won the big game, and the team was full of aging players who were on the back-end of their careers, or never had much talent to begin with. Our best player (Revis) was coming off a major injury and then traded. Kyle Wilson was an obvious disappointment (at least as a top 2 corner), the two mercenary safeties we had left, and Cromartie, who in my opinion, was always overrated anyway, was no spring chicken either. On the D-Line, Wilkerson was the only bright spot, but even he didn't look as good then as after this last season. The other spots were taken up by run stuffing veteran journeymen like Pouha and DeVito. Kenrick Ellis looked like an injury prone bust. Coples had a fairly quiet rookie year and finished with only five sacks. The linebackers were all up there in age and mostly slow, with Bart Scott, Bryan Thomas, David Harris and Calvin Pace. The offense was likewise bad. The only two quality players, Ferguson and Mangold, were getting older. After that, we had the likes of Sanchez, Holmes, Stephen Hill, that terrible Tackle whose name eludes me at the moment but who was like a turnstyle until Austin Howard replaced him, Shonn Green, and Kerley who hasn't developed yet. So when I looked at that team back then, there was really nothing to get excited about, and it was probably the lowest level of my fan enthusiasm as a Jets fan. I mean heck, even during the Kotite years we had some talent. Fast forward slightly over a year, and the story could not be any more different. At almost every position on the field, we are filled with young players who have either already shown something or at least have the potential to do so. Our D-Line went from a promising Wilkerson with role players to suddenly one of the best young units in the league with Wilkerson emerging as dominating player, Richardson winning DROY and Harrison coming out of nowhere to play like an elite nose tackle. The linebackers got much faster and younger with Demario Davis and Coples moving there, and now with George, Reilly and IK coming in from the last draft. The secondary is completely remade with young guys like Milliner, McDougle, Pryor, Patterson, and others behind them. Despite all the accusations, even the offense got a huge infusion of youth and talent. We've got two young quarterbacks now in Geno and Boyd, three young tight ends in Amaro, Cumberland and Sudfeld, and a ton of young receivers with potential. Even the O-Line, probably our oldest unit, now has some young pieces who could emerge down the line in Dozier, Aboushi, Campbell, and Freeman. So I dunno about you guys, but for me, this is an exciting time to be a Jets fan! Not all of these guys will work out for us, and we ll certainly need to add more pieces over time, but to go from an aging, badly performing team to what looks like a future powerhouse in the short span of less than two years is quite an achievement.
Agreed. It is a refreshing approach to building a team from the ground up. Unfortunately, there are many who still subscribe to the "Oh look, something shiny!" approach. What you see as promise and potential, they see as unproven commodities who need to be replaced by overpriced has-beens. This organization has proven time and again that that short-sighted approach doesn't work, yet there are many who still demand it. Let's hope Idzik sticks to his guns.
I agree. There are a lot of places on this roster to look at with wonder and expectation. Some will disappoint, but mostly we're on the rise, and it's exciting. I'm far more optimistic than I am concerned.
This is exactly how I feel. Maybe we will still miss the playoffs this year but future really looks promising.
Yeah generally I'm upbeat about the future for us, but I really think we need to make the playoffs this year and keep Rex. Not because I think Rex walks on water, but I just worry about someone new coming in and trying to "make their mark," especially on defense. This D has been built down to the last man for Rex's unique scheme, and anyone else might start deciding Mo Wilkerson is now a "square peg." We have a brilliant defensive mind, a proven offensive mind, a ton of youth, a favorable contract/cap situation, and a division where the undisputed champions are reaching the end of the line and the rest are a mess. We could be in a hell of a position for the next five years as long as nobody decides to blow it all up.
I am beyond excited for how Idzik is building this team. Whether everything shakes out the way we want or not, who knows, but this is how great teams like The Seahawks, Ravens, 49ers, the Bucs of the early 2000's, and a whole lot of other great winning teams get built. Stay away from high priced free-agents, until you need one or two that can put you over the top. Don't treat your 4th - 7th round picks as risky throwaway picks, but instead do everything you can to find great value at the position. Create a defense that teams fear, and then build an offense that can score "enough". The best part of it all to me is that there really isn't anyone else in our division building their team this way. The Bills gave the Browns a top 10 pick next year all in hopes that Watkins will be the next Calvin Johnson. The Pats apparently have no interest in giving Brady any help and are more interested in drafting his replacement in the 2nd round. The Dolphins are a disaster...not much else to say there. The Jets have build primarily through the draft and stockpiled picks to accelerate that process. The Pats right now too IMO are really ripe to be taken down, the problem is that nobody else has stepped out to do so, so they just keep winning by default.
Got to believe we are 1-2 seasons away from developing a real contender; otherwise what's the point.? Make it to the playoffs anything is possible. Wildcard teams have won it all before. That's why they say... "Any given Sunday." Got to get hot at the right time and have enough wins under the belt to walk the road only a champions know. Got to get there. It's time, damn it, it's time.
We may be thin in a few spots, but we at least SHOULD be at least average in even our worst spots, and we have at least moderate to high hope for every position on this team. There is just constant youth all over, which is what you want for long term success.
I like how Idzik is infusing the team with hungry young players, and low risk high reward guys. We are a lot deeper and more talented than we were this time last year. This team is still rebuilding so this approach makes sense.
I'd call em Risky - Hi reward. While they are cheap on the cap ("low risk") the downside is that if they suck it's still a roster spot and a weakness at that position. It's happened to us many times (Especially at LG) where we went "low Risk" and got burned big time
Under Idzik so far these has been his low risk/high reward moves. Antwan Barnes Kellen Winslow Mike Goodson Willie Colon Zach Sudfeld And I'd say that most of his moves worked out. When you're rebuilding these are the kind of moves you have to make.
good post. a bit too bright and shiny, but on point. We have a potentially historically dominant D-Line and a TON of promising, high-character youth & depth at all offensive and defensive positions (barring offensive line). I like the foundation of this team. As this board's been saying for a while - it all boils down to how much of this years draft turns into players that shine.
Good improvements to the depth and talent on the roster overall. However I'm still concerned about the linebackers being too slow(Harris and Pace) and Coples being an effective edge rusher if he's going to play on the outside. Obviously I also want to see the QB and WR improvement as well as the secondary.
Is the NFL a numbers game? The chance a drafted rookie becomes a star or even an above avg starter is less than 20%. 1 in 5, or 2 in 10. But to get 2 in 10 you gotta have 10+ draft pics to play with. Go Idzik. Numbers. And the game itself is so violent players drop faster than Kate Upton's boobs. Next man up. A team HAS to have bench, and a lot of it. And not just warm bodies, but players. Pushing immediate need aside (slightly) to load up on really good players, 52 of them, may be how you win a numbers game. Paying and keeping 52 really good players may be why Idzik's is so tight with FAs. You couldn't pull a greased screw driver from his ass with a bulldozer, but he now has the most cap in the NFL to show for it. Cap he'll need to hold serve down the road. Where Tanny went for a super nova, Idzik is going for the milky way. He's playing the numbers.....we'll see soon enough.
Even the big question marks like QB have their silver linings. If Geno works out the Jets have the best backup QB in the NFL and one of the few guys who could step in and lead them through the playoffs if their starter went down. It's a lot of little things that are working in the Jets advantage right now. Things could still go wrong but you have to like the 2014 season right now and the window into 2015 is only widening.
I can't say I'd vote for Idzik as a political candidate but I like what he sells the team. Fiscal responsibility, building through the draft, competition in the squad for roster sports, but what I most like is bringing stability to the franchise. He realizes that his job is probably just as hard working with the current coach as some new hire who would change everything. I can't think of a team outside of the playoff contenders, San Fran, Seattle, and Denver that has improved so much within just two drafts. Give Idzik a couple more years and I think we are a real contender. And I think Woody will.
