Jets 2009 Draft: Mark Sanchez, Shonn Greene, Matt Slauson & Lito Sheppard

Discussion in 'New York Jets' started by klecko73, Apr 27, 2009.

  1. klecko73

    klecko73 Guest

    This review of the Jets 2009 draft builds upon my previous post yesterday...

    Now that draft is at a close, it is important to look at what the Jets did in its entirety. Too many people are jumping off bridges tonight because the Jets made a trade for a potential franchise QB. Of course those same people have been lamenting the lack of a potential franchise QB at the same time. If someone can explain that paradox, I am open to the hear that explanation...

    Anyway, this is how I see what the Jets have done on Day 1:

    -Before the draft, the Jets sent their 5th Rd pick & a condition 2010 pick to the Eagles for CB Lito Shephard.

    Lito steps in right away at the corner spot opposite Revis. The Jets will be playing a much more aggressive 3-4 version than what Mangini employed, and this system requires CBs that can play man-to-man. Lito fits the bill and has Pro Bowls and experience to back it up. Yes he had his issues in Philly, but realistically no one could expect a 5th rd CB pick to step in on day one and play right away. The Jets secondary was torched last year and they needed immediate help. If Lito pans out, this is a great move and the Jets resign him and send a 2010 pick to Philly. If he fails the audition, the Jets cut their losses and move on, having only surrendered 5th round pick.

    -In Rd 1 of the Draft, the Jets trade the #17 pick overall, their 2nd Rd pick (#52 overall), Kenyon Coleman, Abram Elam and Brett Ratliff to Cleveland for the #5 pick overall, and select USC QB Mark Sanchez.

    Well if you adhere to the "old" trade value chart, the Jets swapped #17 (950pts), # 52 (390pts) and 3 players (worth the equivalent of a 2nd round pick at 360pts) for the #5 pick overall (1700pts). I guess different people will have different opinions of the 3 players in question - Coleman, Elam and Ratliff - and they may skew your opinion of the trade if you like to stick to the "old" trade value chart. That being said, from the Jets viewpoint, one must concede that at best Elam is the #3 S on the depth chart (with the Leonhard signing), Coleman is a starting 3/4 DE (however the Jets did sign Marques Douglas) and Ratliff was a former UDFA who would either be a QB 1/2 depending on the camp competition with Clemens. Given that the Jets were using the #5 pick to take Sanchez, that basically explains how they valued Ratliff - if he was the "guy" they wouldn't have traded him!

    To compare what Cleveland did in 2007, the Browns gave up their 2008 first-rounder (#22 overall) and a 2007 second-round pick (# 36), to move up and get Quinn at #22 in 2007. In this exchange, the Browns essentially swapped the equivalent #1 picks with Dallas, but had to pay the premium of a 2nd rd pick to move up.

    In 2004, the Giants traded with SD for Eli Manning - the Giants sending Rivers (#4 overall), their third-round pick in the 2004 draft (No. 65 overall), and first and fifth-round picks in the 2005 draft to the Chargers for Manning. Overall, the Giants ended up with Manning (and a Super Bowl Victory!!!) in exchange for Rivers, and what turned out to be Nick Kaeding and Shawn Merriman.

    I don't think anyone can say that in comparison the Jets got "fleeced" in this trade. Obviously the Jets believe Sanchez is "their" guy and potentially a FRANCHISE QB. Swapping first rounders, sending a 2nd round pick, your #3 safety (who was replaced in FA), a back-up QB and a starting average 3/4 DE (whose production was replaced in FA) is hardly getting ripped off. In my opinion, the Giants gave up alot more for Manning - and obviously their confidence was proven right with the Super Bowl victory. As for Cleveland and Quinn, well the verdict is still out and he could still be shopped this weekend.

    Day 2:

    - In Rd 3, the Jets make another splash by trading up to select bruising RB Shonn Greene from Iowa. The Jets traded their 3rd, 4th and 7th pick to secure the rights to the first selection of day 2.

    Was this too much to give up? Well I guess if you believe this RB is the BAP on the board and your starting RB is 31 and having a temper-tantrum, a 4th and 7th maybe ok at this point. The Jets drafted a potential franchise QB in RD 1, have built - on paper - a potentially very good defense, and obviously want to "protect" their new QB by running the ball...alot. Ryan appears to be taking a page from the 2008 Ravens playbook: start a rookie QB, play dominating defense and run the ball, again, again and again. They have lightening in Leon Washington, now they have a bruising back to be thunder. I have no problem using a 3rd pick to take a RB - given that RBs are a dime a dozen and their NFL career expectancy isn't very long, it doesn't make much sense to draft them any higher. IF Greene is the real deal it is a good investment - especially with an already very good OL. Your rookie QB will handle the ball 55 snaps a game and the combination of Greene, Jones (if he is still on the roster) and Washington will get 30+ touches a game.

    -Rd 6, the Jets selected Matt Slauson, OG from Nebraska.

    From the Jets perspective this makes sense. Slauson can play multiple positions on the offensive line. They obviously have committed to running the ball to protect the QB. And of course with depth issues, the Jets need OL bodies to protect their franchise investment. The Slauson pick makes some sense given Bill Callahan is coaching the OL and he is a former Nebraska HC. I wonder if he had any input in this one?

    IN SUMMARY:

    The bottom-line is that in the NFL, QB is the single most important position on the field. IF you have a franchise QB, it hides alot of warts on the rest of the team. The single biggest difference maker on the field - whether it be Pitt, NE, Indy, SD - versus the rest of the field is the guy behind center. The Jets believe they got their "guy" and if they are right, a 1st rd, 2nd rd and 3 spare parts will in hindsight be a small price to pay. To boot, the Jets got a CB who can step right in for the price of a 5th rd pick and if he returns to Pro Bowl form the defense can overcome the lose of an avg 3/4 d-end who contribute a 1/2 sack last year. Additionally, the Jets are going to run the ball alot this year to protect Sanchez, so the selection of Shonn Greene makes alot of sense - this bruising back will replace Thomas Jones, perhaps as early as training camp but definately in 2010. Slauson adds depth to the offensive trenches and can be developed to potentially replace Faneca in a few years.

    On the issue of the number of picks - or lack thereof - this can be deceptive. If the Jets "hit" on the Sanchez pick, they secure a franchise QB for 10 years. No one else will remember what else they sent in the trade if he is hoisting a Lombardi Trophy. If he doens't, well at least they didn't give up any 2010 picks to take the chance. As for comparing the lack of volume with the other teams such as the Patriots??? Apples and Oranges: the Patriots have a franchise QB and the Jets do not. If you have an opportunity to get one, you pull the trigger. The Patriots have the luxary of trading down every year because they do not have to expend any effort at the most important position in football.

    Additionally, the QUANTITY vs QUALITY argument can be deceptive. The Jets had 4 picks several years ago and secured to starters in Revis and Harris - that is a 50% success ratio. Most drafts of 7 picks or more only net at most 3 guys who make the team with the others gone within a few years. This year the Jets got a starting CB in Shepphard, a likely-to-start and potentially franchise QB in Sanchez and a RB who will likely start in 2010. By 2010, they could have secured 3 starters out of 4 picks: a 75% success ratio coming out of this draft is nothing to sneeze at!
     
  2. -MC-

    -MC- Active Member

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    Good post, I love our offseason.
     
  3. bigalxc

    bigalxc Active Member

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    was a great draft
     
  4. winstonbiggs

    winstonbiggs 2008/2009 TGG Bill Parcells "Most Respected" Award

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    The key to this off season is Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez. If we have our HC in place and our franchise QB in place and they are both great at what they do the team will be fine. Without those two in place it doesn't matter how many value players you find in the draft.
     
  5. ukilledkenny

    ukilledkenny You bastards!

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    it was a bold move to go for a franchise qb. i applaud the effort and hope sanchez can live up to the hype. we now have the potential to be a contender for 10+ years if sanchez turns out to the qb he was drafted to be. A for effort, jury will be out for awhile on how well it actually turns out.
     
  6. xmscott

    xmscott Well-Known Member

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    I read the entire thing!

    And loved it.
    Go Jets.
     
  7. TurkJetFan

    TurkJetFan Well-Known Member

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  8. TheBlairThomasFumble

    TheBlairThomasFumble Active Member

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    Klecko73>>>>>Cimini.

    Great post!
     
  9. WW85

    WW85 MOCKERATOR
    Moderator

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    Klecko..........great stuff!! Awesome read!!
     
  10. klecko73

    klecko73 Guest

    Thanks for the feedback.

    For some interesting insight in "how good" Sanchez may be, check out this well thought blog from Fox Sports:

    http://community.foxsports.com/blog...ecting_QB_success_not_necessarily_a_crapshoot

     
  11. DefenseWinsChampionships

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    A little bit of Thread Necro in order to compare the excitement level of our 2009 draft before heading into an AFC Championship Game Appearance in comparison to our overall excitement level here in 2021.

    I must say.

    The drafting of Zach Wilson, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Elijah Moore, Michael Carter and Hamsah Nasirildeen in white and green (sorry as an FSU fan had to include him)...

    Has this fan base FIRED UP quite like never before!
     
  12. DetroitRed

    DetroitRed Well-Known Member

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    Slauson in round 6. That’s how you win on Sundays
     
    PJ4Ever likes this.
  13. DefenseWinsChampionships

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    I don't know why this guy included Lito hah but yeah hindsight is always 20/20 but to be fair not many players were worth drafting after Slauson either? Maybe punter Pat McAfee lol
     
  14. dmw

    dmw Well-Known Member

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    Interesting thread. What a throwback! Personally, I wasn't paying much attention to the Jets back then, so it's hard for me to compare my personal excitement level then to this year's draft. Sanchez turned out to be not so great and same for Rex Ryan. Rex was one-dimensional.
     
  15. K'OB

    K'OB 2021 TGG Fantasy Football Champ

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    Far to much time on his hands, I am left wondering who klecko73 was? Certainly a long post.
     
  16. RPOZ51

    RPOZ51 Well-Known Member

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    I was also just thinking: It looks like klecko73 and DWC sure do share a lot of DNA!!
     
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  17. Quinnenthebeast

    Quinnenthebeast Well-Known Member

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    While Sanchez was never anywhere near elite, they never gave him much outside of his first two years here. They got rid of weapons he had chemistry with like Edwards and Cotchery replaced them with two over the hill veterans like Burress and Mason. They stopped investing in offensive line after Faneca and Woody left and went all in on interior defensive line.

    It’s why Rex should have been relegated to coaching duties only and not treat the draft like a joke. A perfect example was allowing his son to pick Tajh Boyd if I remember correctly.
     
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  18. Dierking

    Dierking Well-Known Member

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    Never before or comparable to 2009? Make up your mind you stupid fuck.
     
  19. abyzmul

    abyzmul R.J. MacReady, 2018 Funniest Member Award Winner

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    Here in 2021.
     
  20. Br4d

    Br4d 2018 Weeb Ewbank Award

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    I was a Mark Sanchez fan after the first two seasons and I still believe that if the Jets had sat him for all or most of year 1 and then prevented the talent from collapsing around him he would have been a good NFL QB.

    He was never going to be elite but he could easily have been a solid QB for a decade for the Jets, winning when the talent around him was good and so-soing when it wasn't. He had the mental qualities necessary to hang tough with any opponent in crunch time when the talent around him allowed him to do so. His ability to do that was very much like Vinny and Jim Plunkett and Eli Manning and a bunch of other guys who wouldn't be the reason their team lost if that was what happened.

    However the iffy WR situation after Jerrico Cotchery was let go and the beatings he took in 2011 when the line was allowed to collapse (Wayne Hunter at RT!!!!) basically destroyed his career as a starter - even though he was on his way to a then record 32 TD's passed and scored.

    The Tim Tebow hilarity in 2012 just put the icing on the cake.
     

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