"Other quickie free-agent tidbits I hear: The Jets will go after 31-year-old Pittsburgh guard Alan Faneca, but not after former Eric Mangini pupil Asante Samuel ..." http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...combine/2.html Could be the MUCH smarter signing. Thoughts?
I'm starting to think I'd love this signing. I love Jacob Bell more, but Faneca ain't bad. Either Bell or Faneca + Callahan should make a huge difference on our OL.
Putting a solid peg in between D'Brick and Mangold has to be the #1 or #2 priority the Jets have this offseason. Normally I don't like the concept of signing post-prime free agents or relying on post-prime players but the need to solidify the line so the Jets can successfully rebuild at LT and QB trumps those concerns.
You say you dont like to sign post-prime free agents and for the most part I do agree with you, but if you think about it, most offensive lineman (good ones especially) can last into their mid 30's easily. So if we were to sign Faneca I don't think it would be crazy to think he has at least four years of good football ahead of him.
It was probably more important for us as fans to see that they recognize the problem. I don't doubt that they knew this problem existed...they just didn't have much out there to help them solve it as quickly as we wanted.
Absolutely! No need to chase a guard in the draft if Faneca is brought on-board. Pick-up DL, LB and RT help instead.
More flexibilty definitely. But they still need to address RT and depth. So I would still like to see them draft 1 or 2 Olinemen. (And not 6th or 7th rounders). Even with Faneca, the oline is still VERY thin. We need to start drafting OL regularly to build depth, so we don't have this problem in the future or if someone gets injured. Also having a young OG learning behind Faneca for 3 or 4 years is a good idea.
I'd like the Jets to pick up a mid-round guard as well as signing Faneca (if, indeed, they do sign him). Have someone to groom to replace Faneca in three years or so and add a little quality depth. I don't like Clarke even as a backup...