Because we're in one. Right now. And no one seems to realize it or be able to deal with it. You guys fell for the talk. Our #2 WR is a rookie. Our #3 WR is a 2nd year player. We're 1 season from having a 2012 1st rounder, a 2011 3rd rounder, and a 2011 1st rounder as our defensive line. These are obvious signs of a rebuild, but it's one we're keeping our heads held high for and competing through. Trying anyway. I think the only rebuild fans would accept, with maybe a one year grace period, would be new GM, new coach, and trading every player on this roster with a cap number over 8 million for picks. This season is, to a degree, the price of 2010. I know everyone has short memories, but we loaded up for a Super Bowl run that year, the roster was just plain stacked: Holmes, Edwards, Cotchery, Brad Smith, Keller, Richardson, Tomlinson, Ferguson, Mangold, Moore, Woody, Kris Jenkins, Ellis, Trevor Pryce, Jason Taylor, Cromartie, Revis, so on and so forth. A lot of these names have either had some dead money in the last 2 years, or are on the back ends of pricey contracts. Pace, Scott, and Eric Smith alone off the books next year will save 18 million and that's after subtracting their dead money. Pouha another 4, Harris another 4, if we so choose, them two combining to take up 19 million in cap next year. We had a legitimate championship caliber team in 2010, but didn't quite get it done, mostly for reasons involving Mark Sanchez. By Football Outsiders metrics we had the #7 pass D, #2 run D, #2 in yards per drive allowed, #1 in forced punts, #2 in starting field position for the offense, #5 rushing offense, and Weatherford actually had one of the better punting seasons (regular season anyway) in NFL history... but we only managed to be 19th in passing and drive length, 21st in points per drive and drive success rate. Anyway, we didn't get it done, but we damn well tried, and got kinda close. This team has never had sustained failure to allow it to rebuild through the draft. Up and coming elite teams like Atlanta and Houston have had that luxury. Houston had years of high picks and has stuck with the same coaching staff for 7 years. Atlanta is in year 5 with its coach, and their offense is powered by a 2nd overall pick QB, two first round WRs, and a few solid/pricey FA additions. You guys talk about the Giants as an example of sustained success. They've outperformed us in the scouting department, but other than that, not that much is different. They had a shit season and traded up to the #1 overall pick, and he, along with their numerous first round defensive linemen, are carrying that team. 6-10, 11-5, 8-8, 10-6, 12-4, 8-8, 10-6, 9-7 isn't that special, but they got hot when it mattered twice. A sustained success team like New England isn't comparable. They have a hall of fame head coach and quarterback, and that era will end when Brady hangs up the cleats. Pittsburgh is a better ideal, but no one seems to remember the years they suck. I think the point I'm trying to make is, it's unrealistic to expect this team to compete year in and year out in a sustained run of excellence, without a sustained period of shit first. I'm not talking 7-9, 8-8 type shit, I'm talking 4-12. Continuity isn't the worst thing, guys. I still have faith in Rex as a coach. I still have faith in Tannenbaum as a cap manager/team builder, although we surely need some help in the scouting department. We are rebuilding. Right now. We're missing our most dynamic player on each side of the ball, during a rebuilding year. It's not gonna be pretty. Cleaning house, gutting the team, starting over in new schemes isn't gonna make things any prettier any sooner. Though the elephant in the room is going to be whether or not our quarterback is one worth rebuilding around.
we aren't in a rebuild mode, we are in a re-tooling mode. The biggest mistake we could make would be to make a regime change. Good organizations aren't constantly turning over the GM, coaches and roster which is what we'd be doing if we got rid of our GM.
We don't even need to rebuild. We have enough talent in place on both sides. It's all about filling the holes. We have two young promising receivers all we need is a veteran WR and a vet RB. On defense this team really just needs a pass rusher. If those holes get filled we could be back in contention.
I agree with unc. It's definitely a re-tool. The foundation, albeit growing older, is certainly there. Edit: Enough with these defensively focused drafts. Strong defenses are becoming obsolete with the severely one-sided rules favoring offensive production. The Jets need multiple viable, league leader type, options on offense.
Nice post. It gave me the warm and fuzzies too at times. But theres two gigantic problems. We need a QB and we need a GM. Sustained failure would prolly be best for the long run as you said, but with Tanny as GM, our drafts will continue to suck so whats the point? We also need to find a real QB. This could take years with the combo of bad picks and bad luck
Sanchez clearly isn't the answer at QB. But other than that, I completely agree with what you said. We need to stay the course with Rex at the very least, and possibly Tannenbaum, assuming that he has a decent draft this upcoming year.
I could not disagree more. The team went 8-8 last year and before that had very good seasons. Jets beat Denver and Miami last year and they once again are in the playoffs. Quarterback play cost those two wins. Critical errors. The defense is still very good but has lost its will. How many times do you expect the defense to bail out the offense before they get discouraged? Nobody can criticize the quarterback of this team, plain and simple, no matter how sorry he has been after 4 years. You're not rebuilding all of sudden after your No1 defender gets hurt and No1 receiver gets hurt. Those are two unexpected injuries. This team has talent. The defense played fine against the Texans, and Special Teams is a good group. Rebuilding mode is unacceptable. The team is 2-3. The season is not over. But right now, the locker-room is a shell. The players talk the "company line" after the games to the media, but come on. There's no belief in what's going down on the offensive side of the ball. At this point you have to question why the management even traded for Tim Tebow with how he is being used. And how the rhetoric was that he'd somehow help Mark Sanchez. The old way is not working. Its time for a change. Jets tried putting a CB at wide receiver it was so desperate. Rex Ryan to me is a good coach and has been good for the Jets. But right now, he needs to shake things up in a way that he so far has been against. If Pete Carroll can play a Russell Wilson rather than the big pay Matt Flynn, then Rex needs to figure out how to grow a pair and put Sanchez on the pine. Jets should have not even traded for Tebow with how he has been used so far. So far this trade looks like a complete circus side-show and these mysterious awesome Tebow Wildcat packages ... I don't see it. And neither does anyone with half a brain. I seriously doubt that any of the Jet players do. Right now these guys are punching a time clock.
We brought in Tebow for no reason. We extended Mark Sanchez for no reason. Gave David Harris a gigantic contract for no reason. Havent had a good draft in 5 years. Took another bust in the first round this year. This isnt rebuilding. This is a team with absolutely zero direction.
I think we're somewhere between rebuilding and re-tooling. This team although it has talent, has GAPING holes that need to be filled. The LB Corp needs retooling, we need a better option at QB, RB, we need a blocking tight end. Our OLine outside of Brick and Mangold needs to be rebuilt, not retooled. Slauson is NOT the answer at LG and our RG and RT situation is SO-SO. I'm actually impressed at how Howard has held up thus far. WE need a TRUE FS and we need DEPTH at every position outside of DL. With that many holes we need to do a little more than re-tool and a little less than rebuild. IMO
If you stay with Tannenbaum you don't let him draft. You have to fire Bradway and find another 'football' guy. I've said it before and I'll re-hash, I do not want Tannenbaum having anything to do with the 2013 draft. They bought into the notion that they were so well off they could draft projects completely ignoring the notorious statistic of there being last place teams every year who jump to first place and make the playoffs the following year. This isn't a roll with what you have league, you can't get comfortable, the guy behind you is always knocking and always finding ways to improve. You must continue building and you can never rest, you must always be looking for cunning ways to improve your team. Keep that in mind Tanny.
Mangini. I don't care what anyone says, but I'd happily bring him back in a GM role. Relegate Tannenbaum to cap specialist and let Mangini be the football guy in the organization. My dream scenario is bringing back Parcells but that would never happen. I'm a big Parcells guy, always loved the guy for everything he did here.
The 2007 offseason where we went apeshit with spending and building a fantastic oline was the biggest reason. Damien Woody was that good. The drafts were a bit better back then too. Even then, we werent winning division titles. We went 9-7 in 2009. Hardly anything parade worthy.
JUNC my fellow Tar Heels fan. Point taken it was Tanny. However, for some STRANGE reason. His batting avg over the last couple of drafts and FA periods has been well under .300. Tanny is a CAP MASTER, but a terrible evaluator of talent, as of late, let's make that clear. He also selected Gholston too. I'm just sayin' But I get cha my friend
Nonsense I say. This fanbase would accept a rebuild if we were told we were rebuilding. This franchise has sucked or been average (with a few good seasons sprinkled in) most of our lives. If we were told today by Tanny that we're starting over, full rebuild, committed to drafting and developing players because it's the only way we'll ever have a Super Bowl champion, I think most fans would accept it.
Nice Post, but I think Jet fans could accept a complete reboot. With the way college kids are coming out of college so offensively proficient and FA. I think that the Jets could restock the talent pool and be very competitive by the start of the 2014 season. Simply, here is what has to be done. 1. 2 good to great drafts over the next 2 years picking from the top 10 in each round. Trade players and/or down to accumulate 10 or more players in each draft. 2. Remake your cap situation. By 2014 have Pace, Scott, Thomas, and Sanchez, off the books. Keep Cromartie or Revis, but not both. Build the D around the young DL and hope they develop. 3. Go into the 2014 season with a new HC and GM with a new direction and vision. The fact that Rex felt that this team had the best talent of his era proves conclusively that he doesn't have the vision to lead this team. Keep him in 2013 if you want, but he has to be gone by 2014 4. Build your team with lots of solid mid level FA guys. Stay away from the big money guys. Draft your next franchize QB or pay for one in FA. THere will be guys who will be capable of being the next Matt Schaub out there over the next 2 years, or you can bite the bullet and draft one early. I think you will be better off doing the former unless you get a top 3 pick and there are a couple of QB's of the Luck/RG3 quality available. The sad fact is that you are likely stuck with Sanchez/Tebow for next year, because of contract obligations. But that's not totally a bad thing since it will improve your draft position. 5. The end result is that in just 2 seasons, including this one the Jets can add 25 bodies of new talent between the draft and FA all likely to be improvements on what you currently have. Have a stable and sound Cap situation that will give them complete flexibility to add key pieces without crushing their salary structure Plus have built up the overall depth of your team so that when you get more than your share of injuries, like this season, the team as a whole can survive. Jet fans have become accustomed in the last few years not having these kinds of injuries, but for the rest of the league, its a lot more common. The Jets as currently constructed aren't ready to deal with it. The new improved Jets will be. So Bottom line: A loyal fan base who have put up with the last 40 years can easily handle a less than 2 year reboot if they knew they were heading in the right direction and not off the cliff.
holmes is our veteran wr. for better or worse. what this offense needs is a road grader on the right side of the line and a young,home run threat 3 down rb. on defense they need a pass rusher and a sideline to sideline ilb.
