New York Jets Need To Act At Right Tackle

UPDATE: The Washington Redskins have signed safety Brandon Meriweather. So, the New York Jets have been saved from themselves there. Look for them to make an aggressive push for Reggie Nelson.

In case you haven’t heard the Buffalo Bills have signed Mario Williams to a monster contract today. Williams is one of the league’s top pass rushers. I don’t believe in making reactionary moves to what other team’s in your division do in most situations and the Jets should have been acting to add a right tackle before the Bills even considered signing Williams, now they must act.

This is a pretty simple case. You have a quarterback who you just reinvested in for two more years. A guy who has shown potential, who you know you can with but a guy who struggles when he constantly has pressure in his face. Last year he was beat around because you had arguably the worst starting offensive tackle, Wayne Hunter. Your team struggled and you went 8-8. This happened because you undervalued your offensive line. When your offensive line was elite, you made the AFC Championship Game twice. When you start the 32nd best right tackle in football for 16 games, you go 8-8, miss the playoffs and have your quarterback’s confidence shaken.

Don’t give us leaks that you expect Vladimir Ducasse to compete with Hunter to start at tackle. Ducasse is one of the few players in the NFL not good enough to start over Hunter. Unless you have seen something I haven’t in the previous two years, there is no reason to think Ducasse is anywhere near being ready to start in the NFL and there is valid reason to question if he ever will.

I understand and appreciate a cautious approach in free agency. Plenty of teams are overpaying players as I am typing this. Yet, the Jets have a troubling history of overestimating their talents on the offensive line, whether it is starting Anthony Clement for two straight years, replacing Pete Kendall with Adrien Clarke or now replacing Damien Woody with Wayne Hunter. There are a handful of options still available on the free agent market and likely on the trade market. You don’t have to break the bank to replace Hunter but you need to do something. If you don’t, you wasted money extending Sanchez, guaranteeing Santonio Holmes contract, and paying any receiver this off-season. No point to invest in quarterbacks and receivers if you aren’t going to give them time to connect.

If the Jets have faith in Tony Sparano to improve their offensive line, that makes sense. It is why they hired him. He should help D’Brickashaw Ferguson have a bounce back year, continue to push Nick Mangold to be great and maybe make Matt Slauson go from being decent to slightly above decent. When it comes to Hunter or Ducasse…if ya ain’t got, ya ain’t got it and no coach in the world can change that.

In case you were thinking of still standing up for Hunter, remember four separate players (Von Miller, Andre Carter, Jason Babin, Jarret Johnson) all won AFC Defensive Player of the Week against the Jets last year for beating the crap out of Mark Sanchez.

What Would You Trade For Wayne Hunter?

Is there anything more simultaneously entertaining and sad than hearing about the New York Jets shopping Wayne Hunter for a trade? I didn’t think it could get any worse than trying to get a team to trade for Bart Scott, an aging linebacker who can’t be on the field on passing downs, can’t tackle and is owed 4 million dollars…well it can when you are trying to trade a right tackle who simply can’t block for 2.5 million guaranteed.

Can you hear Tannenbaum’s pitch on the phone?

“Listen, I know this guy almost got our quarterback killed last year and was repeatedly beat like a drum every single week but there is potential there. What? Yes…I know Andre Carter, Jason Babin, Jarret Johnson, and Von Miller all won Defensive Player of the Week because of Wayne, you see he is a giver! C’mon now, he yelled at Santonio Holmes in the huddle for us at least. How about a 5th rounder? A 6th rounder? A conditional 7th?. Fine. Bye”

I think the Jets could probably get Justin McCariens in return for Hunter, if he un-retired and joined the Titans again. They might be able to get Ray Lucas from SNY to backup Mark Sanchez. They could always trade him to us here at TOJ, we could use an enforcer, I’ll send back a signed picture of me catching a 6 yard out route in college for our Division III team.

TOJ 12 Pack: New York Jets Quarterback Position

Mark Sanchez. Peyton Manning. Mark Sanchez’s feelings. Peyton Manning’s neck. Mark Sanchez’s attitude. Peyton Manning’s flights. Chad Henne. Jason Campbell. And so the cycle continues, let’s talk about the New York Jets quarterback position -

1. It certainly sounds like the New York Jets are just about out of the Peyton Manning sweepstakes. Is it over? Of course not but right now with trips lined up to Denver, Miami, and Arizona those three seem like the most logical destinations. By the way, why isn’t everybody worried about Tim Tebow’s feelings being hurt as John Elway aggressively recruits Manning? Personally, I have thought Manning will end up in Arizona all along. It makes the most football sense and he could use Miami to drive up the price on them. Nobody in sports, outside of maybe the New Jersey Nets, gets more hype for going after big names and then continually comes up nothing more than the Dolphins.

2. None of these teams could be crazy enough to give Manning any type of guaranteed contract without watching him workout first, right?

3. I am as pro-Sanchez of a person you will find out there but by no means do I think Mike Tannenbaum did the wrong thing by inquiring about Manning. He is doing his due diligence like 12 other team’s GMs did. Tannenbaum has made plenty of mistakes recently, most notably guaranteeing Wayne Hunter’s contract and then trying to trade him a month later when he is arguably the worst offensive starter in the league, but this isn’t one of them.

4. On to Sanchez, I am exhausted of hearing about his emotional and physical anguish because of the Jets inquiring about Peyton Manning. First off, Sanchez has been off the grid since the season ended, so unless you have been hanging out with the guy, you have no idea what his current mental state is. According to reports he has been working out at the team facility recently and prior to that likely took a few weeks off to be with his family and friends. Bottom line is that Sanchez has to deal with this. Since he has been drafted what has he done to show you that he isn’t competitive or not intelligent? I can’t remember too much. He knows this is part of being quarterback in New York and he has no choice but to prepare to make improvements next year.

5. That being said, it is about time to hear something from Sanchez. Let’s end the media blackout. I am not against “letting his play and actions” do the talking but it doesn’t hurt to give an interview or two. It is time to hear “this is my offense, I will get it in order and I am ready to roll.”

6. Can we stop acting like Sanchez was Josh Freeman last year? Oh wait, you mean Freeman who is constantly lauded by the mainstream media as having “tons of potential” despite winning 4 games last year, throwing 16 touchdowns and 22 interceptions while Sanchez is considered “done and a lock to be an average quarterback” even though in his supposed “worst year” threw 26 touchdowns, ran for 6 more, and threw 18 interceptions along with winning 8 games.

7. We all know Sanchez struggled down the stretch last year but why, oh why would you give up on him after three years? Go look at Eli Manning and Drew Brees stats after 3 years and then remember they didn’t beat Tom Brady and Peyton Manning head to head on the road in the playoffs within those first 3 years. I don’t know if Sanchez will ever be a “top ten” quarterback in this league and honestly I don’t care because I do believe he has already proven to be good enough for the Jets to win with him, because with him as a starter they are 27-20 in the regular season and 4-2 in the playoffs.

8. Focusing on building around Sanchez, the most important thing is protecting him. I don’t believe for a second that Wayne Hunter will be the opening day starter at right tackle next year. I also think the Jets will add a solid blocking tight end and have improved depth with Robert Turner back and Austin Howard continuing to develop.

9. Valid criticisms of Sanchez – He gets rattled after taking a few hits. He lets a few bad throws snowball into a bad game. His body language isn’t great. His mechanics are inconsistent.

10. Invalid criticisms of Sanchez – He doesn’t have the arm to make every throw needed. He doesn’t work hard. He isn’t athletic. He has never “won” any games for his team.

11. I think the Jets want to add Chad Henne as a backup and it makes a ton of sense but he could very well end up being too costly.

12. Any backup is an improvement over the Mark Brunell joke from the past two years.

BREAKING NEWS: SOURCE ON PEYTON MANNING AND NEW YORK JETS

Considering how NFL news is being reported these days, I found it important to pass along the following information on the New York Jets pursuit of Peyton Manning. The following has been confirmed by a source -

- The New York Jets will inquire about Peyton Manning potentially playing for them.

- The New York Jets will determine how healthy Peyton Manning is.

- If Peyton Manning is healthy to the team’s standards and expresses a desire to play in New York, the Jets will make an offer to him.

- If he accepts that offer, he will be their starting quarterback next year.

- If he declines that offer, they will attempt to make nice with Mark Sanchez…and Sanchez will get over it and be under center for the Jets next year.

- Certain players on the New York Jets team think they’d be better off with Peyton Manning, others would rather stick with Sanchez.

My source? It is called common sense and it doesn’t need a headline on a New York newspaper or a bunch of asterisks next to it on Twitter (looking at you Incarcerated Bob).

Of course the New York Jets will inquire about Peyton Manning. Mike Tannenbaum would be negligent in his job if he didn’t. You know who else will inquire about Manning in the coming days, either publicly or not publicly? About 18 other teams. It is called doing your job. You at least research what Manning’s status is in terms of monetary demands and health.

If the Jets reach out, determine he is healthy to the team’s standards and he says, “hey, Mike, Rex, and Woody I want to be a Jet.” Guess what, folks? He is going to be on the team. Woody is too much of a star lover and Rex is too infatuated with Manning’s skills for it not to. Is that going to happen? Probably not. Is it a smart decision, if it does sign with them? Probably not, but that is an argument for a different day.

Finally if the Jets pursue Manning, fall short and turn back to Sanchez, he will deal with his “hurt feelings” that people are speculating about and remain their starting quarterback. People are talking like Sanchez is going to demand a trade the second the Jets call Manning’s agent. Where is Sanchez demanding a trade to? Where does he think he will be welcomed as an unquestioned starter? The kid isn’t stupid and he is a competitor. If given a chance to remain the Jets starter, regardless of a Manning pursuit, he will do it…he will do it because he will want to prove himself and the Jets will give him the best chance to do that. You think he wants to run off to Seattle to split snaps in camp with Tavaris Jackson? Stop it.

Finally, it isn’t news that “certain players” in the Jets locker room anonymously think Peyton Manning is better than Mark Sanchez. Manning is a first ballot Hall of Famer, it isn’t hard to find somebody to say they’d rather have him under center. But wait…maybe it is, since that person won’t reveal their name. I do know Nick Mangold, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Dustin Keller, Muhammad Wilkerson, Darrelle Revis, Sione Pouha, Antonio Cromartie, and multiple others have put their name to supporting Sanchez.

Let’s not let the Manning madness blind us to the fact that the Jets have one safety under contract right now and are in a division with the New England Patriots, who have 2 of the 5 league’s best tight ends or that Wayne Hunter is still the starting right tackle.

I hope the common sense source continues to divulge knowledge for the rest of the off-season.

TOJ Monday Night Rant: New York Jets Passing Game

Considering the disappointment of the 2011 NFL season, I find it fitting to kick off the next few weeks with a rant. Today’s topic is the New York Jets passing game…or lack thereof.

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• Pass Rush

Watching the New York Jets passing game last year was an ongoing exercise in frustration. You know how your favorite NFL team has the ability to pick up big chunks of yardage by completing 15-20 yard passes to open receivers? Well, the Jets didn’t have that ability. It was at the point where if it was 3rd and 8 or longer, you knew they weren’t converting because it didn’t seem they had a play in their playbook to pick up the necessary yardage.

The Jets passing game last year consisted of check downs, 5 yard stop routes to Dustin Keller, 4 yard crossing patterns on 3rd and 12, and of course slants…and then more slants.

The blame falls on a number of people: Mark Sanchez, the wide receivers, former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and inconsistent pass protection to start. Basically, you had the toxic recipe of an awful right tackle, a usually premier left tackle having a down year, an offensive coordinator with limited downfield playcalls, a quarterback who struggles heavily with the pass rush in his face, a painfully slow #2 receiver, and #1 receiver double teamed who was playing frustrated. Yikes.

What is the solution? Tony Sparano isn’t known for his passing game knowledge and the Jets never got around to hiring that “passing game coordinator” there was talk of. However, Sparano should help improve the protection up front which will go a long way towards helping improve Mark Sanchez’s play. If you have watched Sanchez since he started playing in the NFL, you know he has enough arm strength to make the deep throws necessary but he needs the protection, personnel, and playcalling to support him.

Sparano has emphasized he wants to pick up “chunks” of yardage through the passing game, despite having a run first approach. He will need to find a way to create mismatches for Dustin Keller and Santonio Holmes, along with Jeremy Kerley in the slot for that happen. Hopefully they will be supported by a split end with some speed via the draft or free agency, which will help open things up. He should also work to get Joe McKnight out in space in the passing game. He has the receiving skills to make a large impact in both the screen game and being split out wide.

Fellow TOJ writer Rob Celletti asked me numerous times this season, “how come the Jets can get a broken coverage, where a corner falls down or the defense makes a mistake to allow them to get an easy big play?” The reason was the Jets never threatened down the field, there was nothing for defenses to get confused over or cornerbacks to trip from. Teams would just bracket Shonn Greene on his checkdown and Dustin Keller on his short stop route.

Times need to change with the Jets passing offense and hopefully Sparano can deliver on the “big chunks of yardage” he has talked about.

New York Jets: Where Does Dustin Keller Fit In The New Offense?

There has been some minor speculation this off-season about the potential of Dustin Keller being traded. Yet, it remains more likely he will remain on the New York Jets roster next season as an integral part of their offense. The question is, how will Tony Sparano use a tight end who is not much of a blocker and has a skill set more suited to being a wide receiver?

First off, the Jets are going to add a blocking tight end after parting ways with Matthew Mulligan (better known as “Holding. Number 82″). If Anthony Fasano gets cut, which seems like a strong possibility, look for the Jets to add him. Fasano or whatever blocking tight end is added is going to have a large role on the offense as a key part of the running game.

Keller is likely to see less reps in the traditional tight end spot. Look for Sparano to have him help fill the gaping hole the Jets currently have at split end by using him both as a H-Back and putting him out wide.

We have discussed the possibility of adding Robert Meachem, Pierre Garcon or Laurent Robinson here. Unfortunately, those three remain fairly long shots. Garcon is likely headed back to Indianapolis, where the Colts have prioritized him over Reggie Wayne. Robinson and Meachem will both be sought after by many teams. Are the Jets and their Ground and Pound approach really going to spend big money on a wide receiver in the free agent market? Beyond that, couldn’t you see them having reservations about coming into this offense, especially with both coming from wide-open passing attacks?

I think it is more likely the Jets will spend a 3rd or 4th round pick on a wide receiver with some size and groom him for the starting spot opposite Santonio Holmes. For the upcoming year, Keller could spend a chunk of reps at receiver, along with Jeremy Kerley taking some reps on the outside, while the rookie is working up to speed.

Tony Sparano is going to look at Dustin Keller and see more of a wide receiver than a tight end, so anticipate him being used that way and for the Jets to spend more money on a free agent tight end than a free agent wide receiver.

Can Tony Sparano Turn Joe McKnight Into Reggie Bush?

Joe McKnight was brought to USC in 2008 to be the next Reggie Bush. Instead, those sky high expectations in following the nation’s top RB, contributed to McKnight’s decision to forego his senior year.

“My career was OK. It was good, but not like Reggie. There was a constant pressure to be like Reggie.”

Gang Green took McKnight in the 4th round of the NFL draft that year. Perhaps the stage could be set again for McKnight to get get another chance in trying to be “the next Reggie Bush.” This time as a top tier NFL back under the guidance of new Jets OC Tony Sparano, who coached Reggie for much of his breakout year with Miami in 2011.

The Jets rushing attack needs an infusion of speed and the threat to gain big time yardage outside. Before looking outside of the organization for this solution, the stage could be set for a real hard look at McKnight as a split carry back. After all, he showed what he could do in the open field this past season on special teams.

Score touchdowns.

RB Trent Richardson of Alabama has been a name that has been tossed around as a potential first round choice for the Jets who may want to press reset in the feature back department of the new rushing attack altogether.

Should the Jets choose NOT to take a RB in April’s draft, opting to stay with Shonn Greene and McKnight as their top duo, then an attempt to mirror the rise of Bush in Miami with McKnight, may be the Jets best path to an increase in production on the ground. With Greene being the straight ahead compliment, who already owns a solid resume of late game knockout blows.

Bush made some big game breaking plays over his first four seasons as a Saint, but rushing attempts went from a Saints high of 157 in 2007 to 216 in his first year in Miami. A number that would have been higher had he not taken weeks to wrestle the feature back job away from Daniel Thomas.

More touches and a game plan better suited to revolving around HIS strengths helped Bush go from the perimeter ornament he was in the Big Easy, to one of the NFL’s top feature backs by seasons end. This despite the knock on Bush that he was too small to handle the increased workload. Especially inside the tackles.

The same label that McKnight currently faces.

Following Bush’s act as a USC Trojan was asking too much. Could McKnight obtain similar numbers in games to Bush’s in 2011, with twenty or so carries a game? We bet plenty of those who follow the Jets would love to see McKnight get the chance to.

New York Jets: Any Stars In Hiding?

We have seen two local sports teams pull stars out of the back of their roster in the past few months. First Victor Cruz for the New York Giants and more recently Jeremy Lin for the New York Knicks. Do the New York Jets have an opportunity to have such luck this season?

The real answer is who knows? You can never really see these things coming. Regardless of Cruz’s monster pre-season performance or Lin’s success at Harvard, nobody thought they’d produce the way they have been or they wouldn’t have spent any time on the bench to begin with.

However, the Jets might have a few young players who have the potential to become game changers in 2012.

The first one who comes to mind is a guy who you are going to hear plenty about in the coming months here, Jeremy Kerley. He showed enough in limited action last year to make us believe that with a bigger role, he could be one of this team’s top playmakers on offense. Kerley has something that many players on the Jets offense lack…straight line speed combined with excellent short area quickness.

Tony Sparano had a successful slot receiver in Miami with Davone Bess and there is no reason to think Kerley won’t be a large part of the Jets passing game. Beyond that, Kerley has the ability to run the Wildcat, while being a threat to complete passes down the field. Hey, the guy completed a pass to Matthew Mulligan last year…that takes talent. Kerley also showed flashes of being a very good punt returner last year and he should only grow in that role.

Outside of Kerley, Joe McKnight showed some big play potential last year and might be able to thrive in a Reggie Bush type role for the Jets. Austin Howard could turn into a capable right tackle. On defense, maybe a role player like Josh Mauga will turn into a quality starter to replace the missed tackle machine Bart Scott or Gerald Alexander will match his Twitter ability with on the field play at safety. You just never know.

Who do you think could be the Jets star in hiding?

New York Jets: Wait…What The Hell Just Happened With Wayne Hunter?

Lost in the commotion of Santonio Holmes being guaranteed his contract for the next two years and the Linsanity in New York City, is the fact that the Jets didn’t release right tackle Wayne Hunter yesterday. As a matter of fact, they guaranteed his 2.45 million base salary for the 2012 season.

Yes, the same Wayne Hunter who was the human turnstile this season, nearly got Mark Sanchez killed on multiple occasions, and was ranked the fifth worst offensive tackle in football by Pro Football Focus. One of my main memories of this past season was watching the Jets/Eagles game with my good friend who was an All-American college football lineman and is currently an offensive line coach for a prep school in Philadelphia. After watching Jason Babin embarrass the Jets entire line, he commented he had never seen a NFL lineman both look so confused and have worse technique than what he saw from Hunter that day.

So…

If your initial reaction is that Mike Tannenbaum is 0-1 to start this off-season, that is okay because he very well may be. Yet, let’s try to figure out the real motivation for keeping Hunter since I have to assume somebody in the Jets building watched some game tape this year.

Depth was a major problem for the Jets offensive line last year. Hunter was a very good depth player the few years leading up to him being a starter. He can handle being a backup tackle and playing in short yardage packages. With Robert Turner coming back, the Jets have the potential to have two quality backups on their offensive line. Nevermind if Caleb Schlauderaff and Austin Howard develop in any way or if that Ducasse guy ever becomes good enough to be a #7 or #8 lineman on a NFL roster…hey it isn’t like we spent a 2nd round pick on him, right?

More seriously, I think Tannenbaum realizes free agency isn’t going to be filled with quality right tackles and he probably isn’t spending a round one or round two pick on one. He needs to pay a backup quarterback, wide receiver, linebacker and safety this year. Unless the Jets swing a trade, there aren’t getting a big money, top-tier tackle this off-season. Most likely, they will sign a middle tier player and spend a mid-round pick on one and have the two compete with Hunter, who will provide insurance. They are also likely hoping that Tony Sparano can have some type of positive impact on him. Hunter has been decent in spurts, he has just had no consistency and can’t handle elite pass rushers one on one. Sparano might…might be able to coach around his deficiencies by doing a better job giving him help.

You can’t have it all this off-season Jets fans. You aren’t getting a big time WR, a backup quarterback that pushes Sanchez, a premium right tackle, another running back, a ball-hawking safety and a pass rushing outside linebacker all in one off-season. Be prepared to be disappointed in some areas. Right tackle just might end up being one of them.

New York Jets: Keeping Santonio Holmes Is No Brainer

There are plenty of New York Jets fans calling for the head of Santonio Holmes today. It isn’t happening. It was never going to happen. Yes, they are now on the hook for not just his 7.75 million this year but also his 7.5 million next year and honestly it was a no brainer for the organization not to release him today.

You have every right to be pissed off with his 2011 season, in particular with the way he quit at the end of the Miami game and the reported problems he had in the locker room with quarterback Mark Sanchez. Holmes still needs to prove that he can be this team’s number one receiver and needs to earn the respect back of many of his teammates.

Yet, this is an offense woefully short on speed and playmakers who already has salary cap issues. There is no way to improve the offense by cutting ties with Holmes, eating his 7.75 million of cap space this year and then trying to find both a number one and number two receiver, along with a right tackle, backup quarterback and running back depth.

Let’s not act like the 2010 season didn’t happen and Holmes didn’t make the game winning play in four regular season games, and make two huge touchdown catches during their playoff run. The existence of chemistry between him and Mark Sanchez isn’t a lost cause.

Holmes was saddled with an inefficient number two receiver opposite him this year, who had no ability to create separation between the 20s, an average running game, an inconsistent quarterback, and questionable playcalling. He handled these problems poorly both on and off the field without question but let’s not write off his career yet.

Let’s see Holmes with the “C” taken off his chest and in an improved offensive system, hopefully paired with a split end who can stretch the field along with a dangerous slot receiver in Jeremy Kerley.

The Jets have enough holes to fill on offense this year without creating another one by releasing Holmes, while simultaneously limiting their ability to fix their other problems by taking on his cap hit. Locker room problems can be fixed easier than finding receivers as talented and clutch as Holmes.