Quack's Complete Mock Off Season

Welcome to Quack's Complete Mock Off Season: It's like a carnival in your mouth, and the carnies are all popping their pimples simultaneously. Or it is like a mock off season. Really, it is whichever one suits you best.

Yes, I did a mock draft a week ago. It was an act of pure boredom, however, and I didn't really get to go into it as deeply as I wanted to. So I spent a couple of days doing research, watching game replays, and constantly reworking and redoing this complete off season until I was happy with it. Now that I am finally satisfied with what I've come up with, I'm going to share it, because it really means a lot now doesn't it? I just have a few notes to read before the rest:

-I'm big on the ACC and the Big East, so you'll find that these are the teams and players that I know best and thus will lean towards in the draft.

-In the Draft, I select Dre Moore in the third round. I feel that he could quite easily go earlier, landing almost anywhere in the second round. Should Dre Moore be gone, I would feel confident with selecting Red Bryant (DT, Texas A&M University) in his stead.

-In Free Agency, I also want to see about getting a depth man to spell Sione Pouha at nose next season so that Dewayne Robertson is free to concentrate on playing end. With a high first round pick, two high second round picks and two offensive linemen in the insanity that is the modern day free agency, I don't foresee the Jets wanting to get anywhere near a dangerous level on the cap, so I didn't have the Jets going after one. Had we gone after one, he would have taken the roster spot of one of the following players: Matt Chatham, Jason Pociask or Will Montgomery.

-In my selections with who stays, who goes, who is pursued in free agency and who is selected in the draft, I tried to keep within the front office's new youth movement and focus on versatility in the players they select. They also seem to have no qualms with taking risks, which I attempted to ingrain into this off season.

With that, let's move to the off season.


Contracts Up:

TE Sean Ryan
FB Stacy Tutt
QB Marques Tuiasasopo
FS Erik Coleman
FS Abram Elam
CB Hank Poteat
LB Brad Kassell
LB Victor Hobson
OL Wade Smith
WR Wallace Wright


Re-Signings:

TE Sean Ryan - 1 Year Contract
FS Abram Elam - 1 Year Contract
CB Hank Poteat - 3 Year Contract
LB Brad Kassell - 1 Year Contract
LB Victor Hobson - 3 Year Contract
WR Wallace Wright - 1 Year Contract
OL Wade Smith - 1 Year Contract


Non-Signings:

FB Stacy Tutt
QB Marques Tuiasasopo
FS Erik Coleman
CB Manny Collins
WR David Clowney
DB James Ihedigbo


Releases:

OLB Jason Trusnik
WR Justin McCareins
DE Kareem Brown
DE Mike DeVito
LB Eric Barton
OG Adrien Clarke
OG Robert Turner
OT Anthony Clement
CB David Barrett


Trades:

Jonathan Vilma & the Jets' 2009 Fourth Round Pick to the New Orleans Saints for the Saints' 2008 Second Round Pick. The Saints need someone between Fujita and Shanle, and the two aging veterans (Simoneau and Simmons) just aren't cutting it. Despite coming off of an injury, I believe that Vilma can be that player for the Saints.

/sarcasm on
McCareins to Snoop Dogg. Snoop Dogg can't drop it like it is hot anymore, so he picks up McCareins who drops everything like its on fire.
/sarcasm off

This gives us the sixth pick in each round, plus the tenth pick in the second round for a total of eight picks. With that in mind, we move on to . . .


Free Agency:

OL Jacob Bell, Titans - 4 Year Contract - A great young lineman. The Titans have a large amount of cap room and last year only gave him a minor tender offer as a restricted free agent. If they were going to extend or give him a new contract, he would have received the offer by now and if he hasn't signed it, he most likely isn't going to, at least until after he tests the free agency waters. There is no way, in my mind at least, that he gets franchised (the Titans have to save that ammunition for Albert Haynesworth) I say we give him good reason to come to New York with a decent length contract and some good but not outrageous money.

OL Stacy Andrews, Bengals - 5 Year Contract - I feel that Andrews will garner more attention than Bell and while people will complain that we are repeating the mistake of investing too much in the offensive line (Like we did in the 06' draft), I will argue that the offensive line was neglected for years and that our veterans were allowed to walk. This is a big part of rebuilding. We looked at him last year as an RFA, and this year we will go out and get him for the long haul.

With free agency out of the way and the market for offensive linemen down a little from the year before, the Jets will look in alright shape entering the draft. We already did our wheeling and dealing; This is where we play it safe and just ride the rest of the off season out.


Draft:

Round 1 Pick 6: Vernon Gholston, DE/OLB, Ohio State University
The reasoning behind this pick has been debated to death here on the board, but it really boils down to a simple idea: The 3-4 is built to give the linebackers the ability to make plays. To further this goal, we draft a play making OLB to put on the strong side. Bryan Thomas will return to the weak side, where he did well for the first time in his career, last year (though everyone did better last year, to be fair).

Round 2 Pick 6: Limas Sweed*, WR, University of Texas at Austin
Despite not playing this year due to having wrist surgery, Limas Sweed should still be a top wide receiver prospect in this year's draft. I asterisked (*) him because I have not seen him play and have no film of him to reference (On top of that, I don't think that I've seen a Texas game this season, much less last season). He is a big guy and if he is fully recovered from his injury, should develop into a fine receiver from what I've read. With Coles breaking down, it is important that we have an insurance policy going into the season.

Round 2 Pick 10: Roy Schuening, OG, Oregon State University
In a weak class of guards, Roy Schuening is, in my opinion, the best prospect: the cream of the crop, the head honcho, the big cheese, the Top Ramen if you will. While not by any means a game breaker (What guard is? Just joking, don't hurt me.), Schuening has shown both the versatility (playing all over the injury-plagued Beavers' line) and reliability (started 49 straight games) necessary to succeed at the next level. Hell, look at Jacob Bell and Stacy Andrews. What is so great about them? They're above average blockers, young, and extremely versatile, showing the ability to play well all over the line. You can understand why Schuening is the pick here, then.

Round 3 Pick 6: Dre Moore, DT, Maryland University
Dre Moore has been a force to be reckoned with for the Terrapins, and while producing six sacks and forcing two fumbles he excelled at anchoring himself on the line and playing stoutly against the run, which is exactly what you want in a 3-4 End. He should be able to start right away opposite Dewayne Robertson.

Round 4 Pick 6: Owen Schmitt, FB, West Virginia University
Owen Schmitt is the prototypical H-Back: He can carry the ball, he can hit someone hard once he has it, he can block and he can run a route if you ask him to. As I also say of Peyton Hillis, he is what Stacy Tutt was supposed to be.

Round 5 Pick 6: Jameel McClain, DE/OLB, Syracuse University
Jameel McClain has played both at linebacker and as a down lineman and has done well for himself both as a pass rusher and during the occasion that he drops into coverage. He, at the very worst, could light a fire under Bryan Thomas' ass and be a good backup.

Round 6 Pick 6: Tyvon Branch, CB, University of Connecticut
Justin Miller, say hello to your clone. Let's see if this one can cover well. If Justin Miller comes back from his injury well, we will incite fear into opposing teams through our return game with Miller, Branch and Washington all waiting for the ball to come to them. Hopefully the loss of Westhoff doesn't destroy our special teams, though.

Round 7 Pick 6: Joe Fields, FS, Syracuse University
Joe Fields has proven himself to be a good college safety despite limited experience. He played QB and has liked up at tailback, too. He is a smart, versatile player that has a chance to succeed at the next level. He is a good gamble to pick up with the Jets' last pick of the draft.


--Truncated due to Length--

 

Resulting New York Jets Roster:

QB: Kellen Clemens, Chad Pennington, Brad Smith
RB: Thomas Jones, Leon Washington
LWR: Laveranues Coles, Limas Sweed (R), Brad Smith
RWR: Jerricho Cotchery, Chansi Stuckey, Wallace Wright
FB: Owen Schmitt (R), Jason Pociask
TE: Chris Baker, Sean Ryan, Joe Kowalewski, James Dearth
LT: D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Clint Oldenburg
LG: Jacob Bell (FA), Will Montgomery
C: Nick Mangold, Wade Smith
RG: Roy Schuening (R), Brandon Moore, Jacob Bender
RT: Stacy Andrews (FA), Clint Oldenburg, Jacob Bender

LE: Dewayne Robertson, Shaun Ellis, C.J. Mosley
NT: Sione Pouha, Dewayne Robertson
RE: Dre Moore (R), Kenyon Coleman
LOLB: Vernon Gholston (R), David Bowens
LILB: Victor Hobson, Cody Spencer
RILB: David Harris, Brad Kassell
ROLB: Bryan Thomas, Jameel McClain (R), Matt Chatham
LCB: Hank Poteat, Justin Miller, Tyvon Branch (R)
RCB: Darelle Revis, Andre Dyson, Drew Coleman
FS: Abram Elam, Joe Fields (R)
SS: Kerry Rhodes, Eric Smith

K: Mike Nugent
P: Ben Graham
LS: James Dearth
H: Ben Graham
KR: Leon Washington, Justin Miller, Tyvon Branch
PR: Tyvon Branch(R), Leon Washington, Darelle Revis


The way that I see it, Dewayne Robertson can play either at the nose or at end but is far superior when lined up at the latter. With him or Dre Moore at end at any given time, we are guaranteed to have a pass rush with our defensive line. Kenyon Coleman is better against the run than against the pass and will probably come in on short yardage and Shaun Ellis should be able to play significantly better due to not having to pace himself. Due to the deep end rotation, Dewayne Robertson should have no problem spelling Sione Pouha at nose and our defensive linemen should have no problem playing hard on every down and being well rested between.

On offense, the bolstering of the offensive line coupled with the addition of two solid receiving threats should open up the running game significantly and allow for effective use of play action. We won't have to use tricks and misdirection to beat the defense, which will make them that much more effective when we do use them.

 

I go to school about an hour away and have friends at Syracuse. I've always had a soft spot for Louisville (wanted to go there out of high school. How does this apply? I started paying attention to The Orange after they upset the Cardinals.), I think the Big East is better than it is often given credit for, and the two players I selected (in late rounds mind you) are the two bright spots in that, as you put it, shitty program. One is a versatile player who holds up the secondary, and someone that I feel that the Jets would give a shot. The other is one of the better DEs in the Big East and was a highly recruited linebacker coming out of highschool. The later picks are about potential. We all know how much Mangini loves former QBs: I wouldn't have Joe Fields in this draft without that fact.

Laveranues Coles: He has two more years with us, and he won't be terribly expensive. He probably only has two more years in him anyway, and as much as I love him as a player, business is business. He doesn't like it but he sure as hell understands it, which contributes (along with his competitiveness) to him constantly playing through injuries. Don't get me wrong, it's not all him. Mangini rode Coles into the ground just like Herm did with Martin, however Mangini had no other viable options, whereas Herm had LaMont Jordan. This isn't about that, though, so end tangent. I would not give Laveranues Coles an extension on his current contract unless he can go through all of next year without getting hurt, and even then, it would not be at as high of a salary as he is currently expecting to get paid (5.5mil/year) for the last two years of his current contract.

Dewayne Robertson: I expect Sione Pouha to be able to take most of the snaps at nose next season, and from what little Robertson has played at end this season, I am immensely impressed. He deserves credit for playing at nose, a position he clearly isn't fit to play, and he won't be getting more money than he is currently getting from the Jets from any other team, no matter what position he plays. The best play for both him and the Jets is to renegotiate his contract as soon as possible, lowering his salary by a small amount (I have read that he is due $8 million next year - I would prefer $6.5 million at most) and extending it so that he can have some job security. Due to his current play level (influenced greatly by his playing out of position), there is no big payday waiting for him anywhere. Quite to the contrary, he will find himself on a short-term, low paying and incentive laden contract anywhere he goes. New York is his home, we want him here, and he should want to be here. I don't know what that bit about him removing his name from his locker is about, maybe him trying to get more money, maybe we're attempting to move him. I have no way of knowing, but I would prefer him to be here.

Chad Pennington: He is going to be the best paid backup in the league, and if he doesn't take another cut, he knows and the team knows that he can be moved: We are just left without a backup QB in that scenario. This topic has been beaten to death, but you cannot tell me that, say for example, the Vikings are happy with Tarvaris Jackson. The man throws off his back foot and horribly inaccurately when he has protection, and he is even worse when pressured. He often makes bad decisions on top of that. He is replaceable.

As far as the free agent money goes, I cannot honestly tell you at the moment. It would take time to figure it out and I would need the contract numbers for the entire Jets roster to know what I'm dealing with. I can't locate those numbers and if anyone else knows how to get them, I would gladly take the time to figure all of this out. It makes for a more in-depth mock and should figure to be pretty interesting. I'm sorry that I can't go any further than that at the moment.

Baker should not command that much money and as far as Rhodes goes, we will have to see. He deserves more money than he is getting, and we may not be able to give it to him. If we aim lower and go after lesser free agent linemen as pure stopgaps rather than long-term answers, then we will have the money to keep him. As a note of interest, we have been renegotiating quite a few contracts and releasing a couple of players, which lends towards opening up cap room for next year.

 

Nah, not at all. There's a thin line between being skeptical and inquisitive and being a jackass. You were on the first side by a long shot, no worries.