For what it is worth, here are my thoughts on the Jets 2006 Draft... #1 - I think we need to all realize that several things have occurred in the FO that have influenced the Jets draft strategy this year. -The Jets were not going to trade away picks to put band-aids on the team ala Bradway and Herm. (See D-Rob, Moss, etc) -The Jets basically came in with a plan (unlike Bradway and Herm) to build this team and stuck with it throughout the draft. -The Jets were looking for team-first, high-motor, intelligent players with some talent and that "over-achiever" label that you either love or hate. #2 - The first round LT or QB quandry... -LTs in the first round are the closest thing to "money" in the NFL draft. Their success rate is over 50% -QBs, on the other hand, are a less than 33% successful when drafted in the first round. Basically, out of Young, Leinart and Cutler, plan on 2 being a bust. -The Jets had a gaping hole on the offensive line that needed to be immediately filled. A QB is going to take a couple of years to develop. The Jets needed someone to step in and stabilize the line for the QBs and RBs of 2006. They simply couldn't wait. (FYI - For the record, I believe Leinart is going to be the best pro. However, NY would not have been the best place for him to succeed. Stepping into Arizona with those weapons on offense and to play in basically good weather, is the best thing for him and his career. I don't believe that whatever success he may have in Arizona would necessaryily translate to the Jets if we had picked him). #3 - Pennington, Ramesy or Clemens to start in 2006? -I think Pennington is done...as in done for his career. I think the Jets and he re-negotiated his contract for cap reasons and for Chad's comeback. I do not believe he will be the starting QB come opening day. I also do not believe he will be on the Jets roster in 2007. -I think Ramsey is a bit of a mystery for the Jets. The Jets have some talent on the o-line now and have some offensive firepower with Coles, Cotchery and McCareins. They say "32 starts" are the key to see if the light turns on in a QB. With Ramsey nearing 32 (he has appeared in 34 games, with a good number being short appearances in garbage time,etc), I think the Jets will have a pretty good idea where he is at by Game 6. Perhaps all he needed was a change of scenary. -I don't think the Jets plan on having Clemens play in 2006. If he does, that means bad things have happened. It is my belief that they will try to slowly bring him along...even if this means bringing back Ramsey in 2007. The advantage to the 2nd round pick here is this: If Clemens busts, no one has any heartburn. If Ramsey plays lights out or Chad can return at a high level, there is no QB controversey with a high #1 drafted QB sitting on the bench. #4 - The Jets Draft philosophy 101: Picks in Rd 3 through 7 -Alot of people have been squawking about this or that pick in Rd 3-7 and have been saying we should have been taking this or that guy. Bottomline is that very few of us now what we are talking about. We are going buy what we have seen on tv or read in the Sporting News. If we did know what we were talking about, we would have been in some NFL team's war room over the weekend. -Everybody tries to unrealistically swing for a home run on the second day. The Jets, hopefully, took some solid players who are going to contribute. They are following the Patriot and Steelers blueprint of picking guys who can contribute 20-30 plays a game and perhaps develop into spot start or decent starters down the road. Not every 6th rd pick is going to be Terrel Davis. But if they guy you took returns a punt for a game-winning TD that gets you into the play-offs, he is worth it!!! -The Jets were looking at "system" guys in their draft picks. Perfect example is the ILB Joe Schlegel. The guy will play ILB in the Jets 3-4...and you can never have enough LBs in a 3-4 defense. Is he worth a 3rd rd pick??? I really don't know and neither do you. But I do know that he played at Ohio State with two other very good LBs. Now one of two things happened: he benefited from their tremendous success OR his play contributed to their tremendous success. If it is the former, then we basically got a 3-4 LB who may provide good depth and ST play. If it is the latter, then we basically got a 2-down 3-4 LB who can play 25 snaps on defense and perhaps do some of the dirty work inside to free up Vilma. #5 - Comparing the Jets draft to other teams is futile. -Really it is pointless to talk about the Patriots or the Steelers did in the draft and compare it to the Jets. First off, the Patriots and Steelers have won 4 of the last 5 Super Bowls. There teams have a solid foundation where there is minimal roster space available. They have the luxury of trading picks around and target specific players that fit their scheme. The Jets have so many hole everyone, that one or two players OR even one or two drafts are not the answer. -Comparing the Jets to other non 3/4 defensive teams is stupid. I can't remember how many threads over the weekend we saw about the Jets should have taken this LB or DT, etc. Has it ever occured to anyone that perhaps these players would not do well in the system Mangini wants to run? This doesn't mean so-and-so won't be a good 4/3 LB or DT on another team, it just means that they may not fit into the Jets defense. -The draft is a process and different teams are different points in that process. The Jets problems are not going to be fixed, despite what everyone may thing, in one draft or in one free agency period. It is going to take some time and effort to re-build the organization. I personally think it is refreshing to have someone from Hempstead (Mangini and Tannenbaum) admit that this team isn't going to be built over night. Unlike the previous regime that spent more time putting band-aids on gushing arterial bleeds and switching philosphies every other weekend. Anyway, this is just my two cents and I am sure everyone will have their own opinions on the draft. Reasonable people can disagree.
Excellent post, except for the part I've quoted. They had been making this big thing about versatility too and that's Schlegel's problem. He's ONLY a 3-4 inside backer. At best. I'm not really upset by the pick because I do want a body guard for Vilma, but still, I thought the pick was high.
Great post....good effort and it will be interesting to reread it this time next year in light of what is to come this season and our next draft.
I was one of the complainers yesterday. It wasn't because of the first round though. No, we didn't get any glamorous picks. However, the guys I wanted were mostly off the board when our pick came up. I wanted Mario, he was gone on Friday. We used the 4 in the best way for the team. We could have gone with Davis, but Brick is a huge improvement for our line. Even if his run blocking isn't great, he will protect our QBs, and who knows what this staff can teach him. Hearing him speak, he sounds sharp as a tack. My hopes for this kid are very high. Mangold was the perfect pick. Hell, I consider us lucky to have gotten him where we did. A great replacement for Mawae. The only other guy in the first I wanted was Lawson, and he was gone already. I thought the second round was a mess. However, Exit117 made a great post that actually made a lot of sense. I won't repeat it here, but it does sound, if even remotely true, like pure genius. I was complaining throughout the rest of the draft that we were wasting picks. Another CB and TE, but for now, the jury is out on why they were picked. The RB and converted WR were good moves I think. Shlereth was a reach, but these guys must have done their homework, so I'll wait and see. I'm just unhappy he is a north/south guy, and Vilma will be the only guy in the front 7 that can go east/west, but we will just have to see. I felt redeemed when we finally took a DT with the seventh. One of the best picks of the draft IMO. The guy's profile may look a bit shotty, but he actually makes a ton of sense for us. He can split downs with DRob, keeping BOTH of them fresh, and he is viewed as a very good 3-4 NT.
Your post is good but wrong in one point. Pennington will be the 2006 starter. No one works harder then Chad. He was at the Complex at 7 a.m. Saturday morning going over film. He will start in 06' how long he plays remains the ?. Ramsey would still be at Washington if Gibbs felt he had any upside. Clemmens wqill be holding the clipboard till 08' like you said in your post if he's staetring in 06' we have big problems. No doubt about it Chad's injury prone and he has a lot to prove this year. I'm optimistic that he'll play well and get us back to the playoffs in 07'
H'mmm did not know that the NYJs are paying me to work for them as you allege. Do you know where they are sending my paycheck as I am surely not receiving it?
I 100% agree with the post. I wonder what the negative members of this forum could say against that? Jetfan? Buttle? Anything to contest any of that?
Good post! You better watch out! This site is where logic and reason goes to die! I wanted to add just a little to the philosophy of taking two OL in the first round. The line is the key to the skill players preforming. As we saw last year if the line does not preform you end up with two QB's on the operating table. The defense also benifits because they will get more rest and stay fresh later in the game. So not only did th FO take the safer picks (more likely to suceed) they took players in key positions that will allow the rest of the team perform better.
That line should be the first thing you see when you get on this website! And I find it funny that people think we lost a lot on our o-line with Mawae and Fabini. Yes Mawae is excellent, but you wonder how much longer he will last and Fabini hasn't been healthy or reliable in 2 years. Also factor in Cavka was injured. Maybe he could still do something as well.
I think their draft philosophy was to draft as many captains as they possibly could have. They did a great job. :breakdance:
