Our 2021 Draft debacle

Discussion in 'New York Jets' started by ouchy, May 1, 2021.

  1. ouchy

    ouchy Well-Known Member

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    After the 2020 debacle of a season we knew it was time to start building this team correctly. After losing out on Lawrence things looked a little glum. Meanwhile the Bills and Dolphins have been rebuilding gangbusters.

    Then the NFL gods had mercy on us by sending the league into a QB frenzy. This frenzy made the number 2 pick into a piece of sold team building gold, which opened up several paths to a quality rebuild for our team. We screwed it up badly, and here is how.

    The biggest issue we had was becoming set on one player at #2, and ignoring all trade offers. That was a monumental mistake that removed flexibility from our draft and rushed us into one golden pick, without weighing what we had, what we needed, and what we were giving up.

    Here is how it bite us hard in the ass.

    By rejecting the Niners trade up offer we missed out on getting three #1s and a 3 to move down to pick 12. At 12 we could have taken Justin Fields or Mac Jones, and pocketed 2 more 1sts and a 3rd going forward. That alone makes the draft a massive failure.

    The argument going into draft season was needed to use #2 on a QB or it would cost us way too much to get one down the line. It was a silly argument but people seemed to believe it, sadly JD included. As it turns out we could have gotten a FQB while increasing our capital by two 1sts and a 3rd! The complete opposite of what people were saying. Even if our FQB busted cold we'd have 3 firsts and 3 second next season to replenish him.

    But that is just the start of sorrows. The options we would have had this draft were incredible. Lets just forget about taking Fields for a moment. Lets talk about what else easily could have been.

    FLEXIBILITY

    At 12 we could have taken the Bears trade and got another 1st and 4th to move down from 12 to 20. For those keeping track that is now three extra 1sts, a 3rd, and a 4th acquired. (4 firsts in 2022).

    Now we have picks 20 and 23. We make the same trade JD made at 23 for the 14th pick (two thirds while getting a low 4th back). But instead of taking Tucker we take Mac Jones. This is great for three reasons.
    1. We get a FQB.
    2. It makes giving up 66 and 86 more worth it.
    3. We leave NE with only Trask.

    Now since there is so much Tucker love we move up from pick 20 to pick 16 to grab him, which would cost both 4ths, ours and the one we just got from the Viks. This is more in line with Tuckers value.

    So lets compare what we got for what could have been:

    What We Got......................What We Missed
    Zack WIlson (QB)................ Mac Jones (QB)
    Vera-Ticker (G).................... Vera-Tucker (G)
    Elijah Moore (WR).................Elijah Moore (WR)
    ...............................................Choice of Wyatt Davis/Kindrick Greene (G)
    ..............................................Three future 1sts

    We now have 4 firsts in 2022 and 2 firsts in 2023.

    Is the difference between Mac Jones and Zack Wilson really that much? No flexibility.

    Which teams draft do you think has a brighter future - column A or column B? Even if Jones busted we could afford to replace him. The only difference between these two drafts was a rigid stance on Zack Wilson, or any QB at #2.

    Trading with the Niners wasn’t the only much better option. Taking the Eagles offer would have provided just as exciting results. Lets look.

    We trade down from pick 2 to pick 6 for their 2nd, 3rd, and a 2022 1st and 2nd. We now have picks 6 and 23, 34, 37, 64, 67, 86 in the first 3 rounds - plus an extra 1st and 2nd in 2022.

    At pick 6 we take Devonta Smith.

    Then we do the same trade with Minn for Mac Jones, going from 23 to 14, for picks 66, 86, and getting 144 back.

    At pick 37 (Eagles 2nd) we take choice of Landon Dickerson/Creed Humphry.

    At pick 67 (Eagles 3rd) we have a choice of multiple corners. I’ll take Paulson Adebo.

    Lets compare these drafts. What we got:

    What We Got...............................................What We Missed
    Zack WIlson (QB).........................................Mac Jones (QB)
    Vera-Ticker (G).............................................Devonta Smith (WR)
    Elijah Moore (WR)........................................Elijah Moore (OT)
    ......................................................................Choice of Dikerson/Humphy (G)
    ......................................................................Paulson Abedo (CB)
    ......................................................................Choice of Wyatt Davis/Kindrick Greene (G)
    ......................................................................2022 1st
    ......................................................................2022 2nd

    Once again, this draft slaughters what we got, plus we now have three 1sts and three 2nds in 2022. Every build I’ve run from trading the second pick provides not only a far superior draft then what we got, but also a far superior draft next year. Overall a FAR superior rebuild. We lost all of our flexibility by locking in on Wilson.

    As I said leading up to this, I cant think of another adjective to describe this path but dumb. In reality, in this draft we made 3 picks in the first 3 rounds. Its basically a normal draft.

    Lets compare that to our competition.

    What We Got............................................. What Miami Got
    Zack WIlson (QB).......................................Jaylen Waddle (WR)
    Vera-Ticker (G)...........................................Jaelan Phillips (EDGE)
    Elijah Moore (WR)......................................Javon Holland (S)
    ................................................................... Liam Eichinberg (OL)
    ....................................................................Hunter Long (TE)
    ....................................................................Future 1st
    ....................................................................Future 3rd

    Their draft mops the floor with ours and they are already 8 wins better then us. Plus, since they traded down they re-passed us in future capital. Do you really think we are going to be able to compete with them anytime soon? No need getting into the Bills…or even the Pats. Yes, even the Pats.

    We had one chance to become a player in our division and we mucked it up. There was never a better option then trading down.

    We have no more arrows in our quiver to catch up to these teams. Nothing more worth big capital to trade. Unless we tank 2021, or trade Quinnen, where empty. Those are paths to get back into the fray - and they are both vastly inferior to what we just had.

    We waited and waited to see JDs plan. Two drafts and two FAs later its clear he has no viable plan to get us back into this. We are slapdash rebuilding on a long journey to the middle. JD is a great deal maker and a personalble/likable guy, but terrible at rebuilding a team.

    And Jet fans, I love you all for enduring the same misery. Please don’t become irate at me because I pointed this out. This was one of the worst draft seasons we have ever executed.
     
    #1 ouchy, May 1, 2021
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2021
  2. patleahy

    patleahy Well-Known Member

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    Seems like you had A LOT to get off of your chest, Ouchy....lol....:(
     
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  3. Pepsiguy5

    Pepsiguy5 Well-Known Member

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    I kind of agree with this general sentiment. Keeping Sam and doing "the Niners trade" or some close facsimile I feel like would have netted us so many more picks that its difficult to see how what happened was the best odds of success.

    However....

    If Zach turns out to be the real deal and really turns out to be a baby-faced top 10 NFL QB then everything will be roses and what we did will turn out to be brilliant.

    So really nobody knows if it was smart or not until we see what happens. I'm personally extremely skeptical about Wilson pulling it off but I'm sure as hell hoping he does.
     
  4. Pepsiguy5

    Pepsiguy5 Well-Known Member

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    Also I should add.

    I don't think the people currently running the Jets are stupid. And they obviously weighed the general idea of what Ouchy laid out on their scales. So with whatever expertise they bring to the table they obviously decided that Zach Wilson was the way to go. And that is literally the ONLY thing that keeps me hopeful that we didn't just blow the living piss out of a golden opportunity to put a decent team together.
     
  5. egelband

    egelband Well-Known Member

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    With QB you want the best. They’re not fungible. So if our guy ends up being better than those others, we’re fine. If Mac Jones or one of the others is better, we indeed screwed up. Time will tell.
     
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  6. Mogriffjr

    Mogriffjr Well-Known Member

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    I'm quite tired of the madden esque trades you guys come up with or hypothetical scenarios that won't happen. Here's the bottom line. Wilson is the QB the staff felt fits perfectly in this system. If Fields was the answer, maybe the Jets entertain offers, trade back and get him. Guess what, they didn't so this post is moot. Wilson is the guy Saleh, LaFleur and JD felt fit the most. Not fields, not mac Jones, not any other QB aside from TL.

    Here's another shocking thing. Teams trade up because they have a board of prospects they like! The Jets sit there and feel they got two top 10 prospects in Wilson and AVT. Then feel Moore was totally worth NOT trading down and in fact felt he was a first rounder in itself.

    So it's silly to think all of these players WE feel are worthy of the team when the staff didn't feel that way. So it's silly to compare to the Dolphins do or feel envious. I don't feel nor care what other teams did with their drafts.

    And if you want to hang your hat on what pundits say, consensus is the Jets had a good draft especially bringing in weapons on offense.
     
  7. KY Jets Fan

    KY Jets Fan Moderator
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    If we make the playoffs in the next 2-3 years with Zach Wilson leading the team, will create an equally as lengthy post on why you were so wrong here?

    As for the post itself, I essentially stopped reading when you asked, “Is the difference between Mac Jones and Zack Wilson that much?” Because yes...yes it is. Also, JD crushed his first 4 picks. We just got impact players and probable starters at 4 different offensive positions.

    No more arrows in the quiver? You forgetting we have 2 1sts and 2 2nds next year?

    Jesus man, I know you wanted to trade down and keep Sam. Then you wanted us to trade down because “everyone trades down the year before they take their QB”. Which is just factually incorrect btw. Like I said in another response to a post of yours, JD may not be rebuilding this team according to the plan you prefer but if you can’t see the foundations he’s already laid for this team then I can’t help you. Enjoy wallowing in your own misery while I celebrate these new additions to my favorite team!
     
    #7 KY Jets Fan, May 1, 2021
    Last edited: May 1, 2021
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  8. Mogriffjr

    Mogriffjr Well-Known Member

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    And another thing. Two Shanahan-run offensive teams who needed QB's felt Fields wasn't THE guy for their teams. It speaks a lot....maybe they both are wrong...but there you go.
     
  9. JackBower

    JackBower Well-Known Member

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    The guy with the Sam avatar wanted to keep Sam.

    Think it's time you accepted a hard troof: he wasn't the answer for the Jets.

    I agree with another poster the trade down scenarios year in year out get stale real quick. Like if they don't accumulate 100 picks it was a bad draft.
     
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  10. ColoradoContrails

    ColoradoContrails Well-Known Member

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    I stopped at "Don't read this if you don't want to know the harsh truth".

    And the only reason I'm responding to this is because it's boring, tedious, and simply a screed based upon false assumptions. I'm not going to take the time to pick apart these assumptions, because most people here can see how wrong they are without any help form me.

    Of course you're entitled to your opinion, but people who have a reputation as having good opinions also know when to admit they're wrong or have made a mistake, and don't continue beating everyone over the head with their wrong opinion.

    But, hey, you're entitled to do what you want.
     
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  11. JetFan20

    JetFan20 Well-Known Member

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    You are stressing out way too much about this. When you take a test they don’t give you the answer key. Of course the Jets would change some things if they knew how the board would play out.
     
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  12. dawinner127

    dawinner127 Well-Known Member

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  13. NYJFOREVER

    NYJFOREVER Well-Known Member

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    You said multiple times you would've have drafted Devonta Smith at two, now you're complaining about not trading down.

    Also hindsight is 20/20.
     
  14. CotcheryFan

    CotcheryFan 2018 ROTY Poster Award Winner

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    This reads as, "I'm displaying my frustration and anger because the Jets didn't do what I wanted to do in this draft."
     
  15. FJF

    FJF 2018 MVP Joe Namath Award Winner

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    Tl:dr from what I managed to read before I had a seizure was op doesn’t like Wilson should have traded down. If only there was a thread where the subject was Wilson.
     
  16. RIPJimLeonhard

    RIPJimLeonhard Well-Known Member

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    The only reason to bash a draft or a player before they even take a step on the field in the NFL is so you can come back later with bragging rights to say "I told you so."

    Can't even let the kids play before shitting on them, huh? At least if they do fail it can help you with the illusion of repairing your fragile ego, so it's win-win for you.
     
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  17. NYJFOREVER

    NYJFOREVER Well-Known Member

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    And if only Douglas' foresight was as good as ouchy's hindsight!
     
  18. bicketybam

    bicketybam Well-Known Member

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    This x1000. All credibility shot. Sounds like sour grapes to me.
     
  19. Kryoptix

    Kryoptix Well-Known Member

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    Let me start with one thing. I am usually a huge fan of trading down when we can get value.

    Now my first problem with your assumption. All draft are not equal. Collecting future asset value does not guaranteed you will get premium players in the future. Next year draft could stink ass and the picks you got trading down could be in the late 20s or even in the 30s.

    Furthermore, I truly believe that this year QB draft class is special and we will talk about it for years to come just like 2004. Next year draft class is still very unknown and there are no guarantee we would be well positioned to draft the best talent at the position again.

    Second, you truly are NOT a fan because you don't like Zach Wilson. It is very obvious and quite farcical. If we had landed the 1st overall you would never suggest all these crazy trade down scenario to get Mac Jones. My belief is that we got a special talent at QB and he will become a superstar player, it is also obvious that Joe Douglas and co. have the same belief as they were focused on Zach Wilson from day 1. If you believe in Zach Wilson you don't consider any trade down scenario.

    As for trading up for AVT. I am obviously not a fan as it was a self inflicting wound type of selection. We painted ourself in a corner by not addressing the obvious guard need in free agency. AVT is by far the best guard in this year draft class, so we made sure we filled that need and were very aggressive in doing so. I am not a fan of trading up to 14 maybe a bit higher could have worked but maybe JD did not want to risk losing him and then have nothing to show for at guard. I also think that if AVT become a pro bowl guard nobody would bat an eye that we traded away 2 x 3rd round pick to get him.

    Finally, it is obvious that JD has a plan and Zach Wilson is the most important piece of that plan so getting him protection and tools early is also great as it could prevent us from another Darnold situation.

    Also we will also have a ton of draft capital next year and we could continue building on from this year draft.

    I am on the opposite of your draft evaluation. I believe that Joe Douglas knocked it out of the park and this draft will be pivotal in our future super bowl championship team.
     
  20. bicketybam

    bicketybam Well-Known Member

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    I give him an A for effort.
     

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