This is where tangini is now, through two years of their own doing. It's up to them to get it sorted out and get it right.
I also agree that a QB is needed. I was all about the Clemens hype, but his inept style just does not sit well with me. I don't care who the Jets plan to draft as their "future." So as long as it ISN'T Colt Brennan or Chad Henne.
The Jets couldn't beat anybody with Chad starting last year. Chad made himself the fall guy by throwing the pick 6's down the stretch in several very winnable games. If he doesn't throw those INT's he's still out there...
Nobody we can bring in here right now is going to know the system, the coaching staff, the players, the playbook, the congeniality, the need for mentoring, the commeraderie or the look of our opposing AFC East defenses better than Chad Pennington, not to mention the team loyalty and undying devotion to everything J-E-T-S. This coaching staff does not "let go" of Chad this year... mark my words.
i admit i am a chad lover and i pray he stays with this organization...i know the long ball excuse but how many bombs did we throw with our strong armed stud Kellen this year ? 4 ? i mean no one can function with this o-line this great organization put together, we could of been in the playoffs this year if we had a line and if our d played like they did in the last four games.
I agree with many of the posters above. The top priorities for the Jets this offseason are to shore up the OL and the defensive front 7. The skill positions and the offense in general can't be properly evaluated until they fix these two problems. The Jets simply can't run or pass protect and that is because 3 of the 5 members of the OL stink. As for the defense, for most of the year, the Jet defense could not get off the field, allowing the opponent to eat up yards and time. They did not create turnovers either. This put inordinate pressure on the offense to play on a long field with few opportunities. Once the OL and defensive problems are fixed - and they have to be fixed this offseason or Tangini are both gone, then you can evaluate the QB situation fairly during the 08 season. Their are no real viable QB options out there under these circumstances other than to keep Clemens and Pennington. To use FA money or a high draft pick on a QB would be a waste if the OL and defense are not addressed. With a new OL and a better defense, Clemens gets a TC as the starter and the first half of the season to prove himself. If he does, fine then trade Pennington after 08. If Clemens stinks again, Pennington goes back in. If Pennington reverts to old form and wins with the revamped lines, he stays for now and the Jets know they have to find a replacement, but not out of desparation. If Pennington stinks, then QB becomes a top priority after 08. If the Jets bring in a FA QB, they will either pay almost as much as Pennington is being paid for somebody else's trash (who is out there - Grossman??? Culpepper??? Pennington is leaps and bounds better than these guys). If they use a top draft pick on a QB, it will kill the cap for an unknown and the Jets pass up an opportunity to get the impact defensive player they sorely need. I vote for status quo at QB until the real problems are fixed.
This is what I was asking the other day. if they do trade Pennington, who is out there to bring in to become the Jets #2?
Until the guy I wanted out of that draft (see avatar), gets his chance to prove that he too isn't "anything to write home about", I will second guess.
That would be nice but the truth is a mid-round QB wouldn't really "compete" with Clemens. Coaches and GM often deny it but salary, draft position, age and experience unlevels the palying field. If that wasn't the case, McCareins wouldn't still have a roster spot. Remember Clemens was a second round pick we traded back up in the 2nd round to get, only a QB drafted in day 1 of the draft would actually get a chance to compete for the job next and even that would be a looooooooooooooooooooong shot.
When trying to make a case for Clemens' season, you find yourself stating all the things he does or did better than Chad; you don't have a case. Chad was completely ineffective this past season and only won 1 game. I've said this before, this thread and those like it are not about the QB change that was already made (had to be made I might add), it's about the QB situation for the future. Trust me 1-2 years from now, you won't give a rat's @$$ that Clemens is much harder to tackle, faster runner and stronger arm than Chad if we are still a terrible team and Clemens continues to be eratic and inaccurate.
I think having another young guy with some talent in the mix (and Chad gone) is the best way to insure that Clemens both gets a fair shot and is not looking over his shoulder all the time. If Clemens doesn't work out next year and needs to be benched I don't want to go back to Chad, because he'll fail also in that circumstance, just as he did this year. I'd rather have a 23 year old with a training camp under his belt and a fresh perspective to take the reins and try to run with them. Realistically if the line is as bad as it was this year it won't matter, but then throwing Chad out there is just spinning our wheels in the mud.
Not to seem argumentative but I honestly don't care if Clemens gets a fair shot, neither should you or the organization. I want him to have to look over his shoulder. When I read these posts and the newspapers, I keep getting this overall feeling that we have so much invested in Clemens as if he is some sort of high. We don't. The only thing in jeopardy is the organization's pride really. Yes he is a 2nd round pick but he's not Eli Manning, Ryan Leaf, Rex Grossman, Akili Smith, Alex Smith, David Carr or whatever 1st pick whose organization has or continues to give countless opportunity to prove that the investment was not a waste. I really can't recall a similar situation like this other than Browning Nagle. Generally QBs drafted outside of the 1st round (really you can go as far as outside of the top 10) don't get the luxury of a year to takes their lumps, learn and grow without viable competition. They earn that when given the opportunity. Clemens didn't show me anything that would tempt me to want to grant him that year to develop free from any real pressure. Do you think Kansas City is not going to try bring someone who can actually take the job from Brodie Croyle? How about Miami? Think Parcells will be concerned about John Beck looking over his shoulder?
Honestly....Post is 2 long 2 read it all. But Clemens can perform the same game plans that Phil Rivers does with the Chargers & even better....if he has a good, solid ground game. Clemens has all the intangibles 2 succeed as an NFL QB. He's a tad short, but has been that way all his life. He shouldn't be asked to win the game by himself. One thing for sure....At the end of games, he's always able to get Jets' down the field for a score. Sometimes the WR's drop the ball. "Chew on That NUGGET"...lol:martin:
I'm suggesting the Jets should bring in somebody who is both young and potentially capable of taking the job from Clemens. What I think doesn't make sense is keeping around an aging and ineffective QB who was previously the starter and who still covets that status. The big difference between Vinny in 2003 and Chad next year will be that Vinny knew the jig was up and accepted his status as the backup. Chad's not there yet and he's standing in the path of our rebuilding effort as a result. Would I like to see him renegotiate, as Vinny did every year, to get his cap number down to a manageable figure and then stand on the sidelines to assist Clemens (or whoever we draft) progress? Sure. Will he do that? You tell me.
They do have something invested in him- they have been grooming him as the heir apparent for the past two years. If he flops, that wont reflect well on tangini. WWBPD?
Two months ago, I would have said trade Chad for a 3rd or 4th Round pick (in fact, I did say it). But my opinion has changed in just 8 short weeks. Clemens is not ready to be annointed the solid #1 guy and to not have at least as good a #2 on the bench as Chad is suicide, IMO, because Clemens hasn't proven himself yet. Clearly, Mangini sees this too and has his doubts, otherwise he would have been a little more positive on Clemens' starting next year when specifically asked that question by the media after the season. Something else has happened also. Chad remained a team guy throughout his embarassing benching. No Pete Kendall temper tantrums, no demands to be out of here. He showed real class and continued to help Clemens on the sidelines. In my opinion, Clemens' value on the team diminished and Chad's actually increased. Besides, to trade Chad now for a 4th or even a 3rd, as Joe Willie White Shoes basically says above, "Where are you going?" Who are you going to bring in then? Grossman? Culpepper? It's still going to cost you almost as much to bring them in as we get for Chad and these guys will NOT contribute anywhere near what Chad totally brings to the table. If you guys think Mangini is going to insert his nuts in a ringer that way with the only viable QB on the bench being Clemens, you're sadly mistaken. Clemens hasn't proven himself yet. If he stinks up the field or goes down, you're looking at another 4-12 season and Mangini's job will be in jeopardy, and he's not about to put that at risk. Mangini keeps Chad one more year and pays him his contract. We'll probably also draft another QB. Both of these are costly options because we needed to invest the money and the pick elsewhere this offseason, but that's just the way it is because of the uncertain QB situation that has developed.
Is Ainge projected to go early in the 3rd? I kind of had him in the late 3rd early 4th. The more I think of it, the more I like the Ainge idea.
Culpepper or Grossman would be no better or worse than Chad would be. The difference is they would be signed as backups and would understand that they are backups. Chad does not realize he is done and the Qb debate will never end until he is gone. We have waited for Chad to get his arm together for six years. The time has come to sever the ties. With or without Chad this team is at least two years away from being able to seriously compete. The thing that I agree with you about is Mangini being on thin ice regarding his job if we have another 4-12 season. He is a victim of his own success of last year. If Chad would have been gone and the team would have had to go another route rebuilding would be accepted with the fans and media. Unfortunately in this town we don't have the customary 2-3 years for our Qb's to get it together. Peyton Manning would have been run out of this town if he were on the Jets at this time. Mangini might keep him around to save cover his a** but at the end of the day keeping him will help push him out the door. Does it make a difference who we bring in as a backup. Until both lines and major parts of the ball are upgraded we are not going to win next year anyway. If we are going to ever win we have to suck it up as fans and realize that this thing is going to take a few years to fix and look for progress over that time. It was not Chads fault what happened this year no matter how bad he played but it is his time to go. We need to find out if Kellen is our future or if we need to draft another Qb.