If you have the best player in the league at any position on either side of the ball you could build around that. Throughout their careers, Ronnie Lott, Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu had as big a role on their defenses as just about anyone on that side of the ball. (That is elite company, but Adams has that kind of potential) The idea that a true elite safety cannot be built around is ridiculous. An edge rusher, stud LB or CB will not singlehandedly transform a defense without a good number of quality players around them. We have a stud in #33, but without quality players to support him the defense will not be top notch. We get a healthy Mosely, a decent edge rusher(doesn’t need to be top notch) and a serviceable CB the Jets D Could be in the top third in the league.
It's not ridiculous at all. There is no evidence that any of those teams "built" around those players. They are a piece of the puzzle, safety Is not the QB position. Which Is really the only part of the team I can realistically see you build a team around. The rest is just trying to find the perfect balance of players for the team that will complement each other enough to get to the big game. I did not follow Ronnie Lott's career all that much. I do know that Ed Reed always had Ray Lewis. Troy Palamalu had James Farrior and James Harrison the majority of his career. Both of those teams always had great pieces in place to complement one another, with a very strong defensive ILB at the helm of It all. They didn't build around those safeties, they were just very good additions towards the bigger picture. So I think we agree mostly, I just don't believe that you build an entire defense around a single position, and If you did, I don't believe that safety Is the position you would want to build around. I think good teams are always looking at the big picture and finding pieces to the puzzle to complement what you have overall, and trying to find exceptional talent in the draft where you can, regardless of position. That's all. I know that is simplistic but I believe In that general idea. Regardless. I'm glad we have, Adams. Hopefully he only gets better and better.
I disagree. If you have the best guard in the league it doesn't really mean much beyond that. The best fullback, the best tight end, the best safety, etc.. I don't think it matters. Some positions are just far more important than others.
If you drafted a Guard at #9 overall and in year 3 he is arguably the best in the league. You do not get rid of him. You build your offensive line around him. After watching the Jets Oline the past 2 years. Do not try to tell us that O line isn’t important. Your Franchise QB or Stud RB will not do shit without an Oline. The Jets have had a damn good Oline for most of the time throughout the last 40 years until Brick and Mangold left, so a lot of fans have taken it for granted until recently.
After Ray Lewis was drafted the year before. The great Ravens defense was built around Lewis and Reed. Suggs didn’t come to 3 years later and Bart Scott even later. Ed Reed was an anchor of that defense for a long time. Name one defensive starter for the 49ers on their first Super Bowl team, Second Super Bowl team. If you can good for you because I would wager that 95% of non San Fran fans could not name one. Charles Haley did not get there until Lott’s 8th year. Matt Millen arrived at the end of his career for the third Super Bowl and Bill Romanowski’s first year as a starter was the year of their 4th Super Bowl. That defense was absolutely built around Lott. It is ridiculous to say that a team that won 4 Super Bowls in less than a decade has arguably the best, HOF safety and a bunch of no names that he wasn’t the heart, soul and center of that defense. Lott was the only defensive starter on all 4 of Montana’s Super Bowls.
Sorry D safties just do not win SBs maybe a FQB does with a wonderful supporting cast. If you need proof of that see Revis who was for the sure a shutdown CB of CB & what did that get us even under Rexy D?
Didn’t really read all the responses in this thread. The ones I die read though I can’t understand why there is any opposition let alone so much opposition to the premise of this thread. If anything it’s obvious. Yes Darnold and Adams are blue chip talents to build around. That should be obvious to everyone that knows anything about the Jets or NFL in general. The hard part and what is not so obvious is whether Joe D can build a championship level team around them and if he does can Gase coach them to a championship?
This is not about "safties," this is certainly not about Revis or any other corner. It's not about a long gone coach whom Darnold may never have met or his defense. This is about a guy going all in on Darnold, who has a long way to go.
