I think Ryan is moving in the right direction. Stop bring in stop-gap QBs. Let's give one of the present QB a chance to prove themself. We just might have a fanchise QB on the roster. Let's play good old NorthEast football .... great running game and a powerful defense.
We all know Training Camp is just that... Training Camp. A lot of QBs look good in Red Shirts. But IMO, all things being equal, Ratliff outshined Clemens in TC last year. He moved the chains with ease and accuracy, demonstarted he knew the playbook as well as Clemens, demonstarted he has every bit the arm and also demonstrated (to me) that he had a bit more poise and accuracy than Clemens. But Clemens was the solid #2 behind Pennington. Oh sure, that was never publicly announced by Mangini, but there was always the feeling it was Clemens' #2 to lose. Then the whole Penny/Favre debacle occurred and neither Clemens or Ratliff ever got to take any meaningful snaps behind our now much-improved O-line. This was a major stumbling block in our development (or quest) for the franchise QB, IMO, and I stated so here. Jettisoning Penny (while necessary) and bringing in Favre (was never so sure how necessary that was) only prolonged the agony of our QB quandry. So here we are again, same place we were a year ago, after not having drafted my favorite prospect for QB, Joe Flacco. In fact, it can be said that we had enough warning signs with Pennington by as early two drafts ago, by the spring of '07. So we're now 24 months behind in dealing with this, because we chose the stop-gaps and the Favre ride and neither Clemens or Ratliff have still been given enough time under center to truly exhibit what they have. So I think it's a huge mistake to not address a good, young prospect for this position in some way this spring. Ainge aside, who I consider TC fodder, we can't run the risk of only being able to choose between Clemens and Ratliff, period. And it sounds like (and rightfully so) that Ryan is opposed to bringing in any other mentor/veteran/has-been. He as much states that we "already have one," and I believe his statement is genuine and not smoke. More needs to be done to research Freeman and/or any other possibility of any other Day One QB. We really need to get this one position stabilized by this year or next if we are going to have any chance at all of running for the VLT with the current talent we've got. We still need a TO/Randy Moss-like prototype WR too. Huge need there if we're going to be an offensive threat, no matter who is under center.
Glad to hear that we won't be bringing in a veteran. I was never thrilled with that idea, for many reasons. Do I think the QBs currently on our roster are the answer at the position? I really don't know. I guess we'll have to wait and see. As the preceding two posts mention, the Jets really need a game-breaking WR. I like Coles and Cotchery, but the guys are both #2s at best. Neither one of them gets any separation and I think this is what has really hurt our QB play the last two seasons.
At this point.....i doubt that. Until Ratliff is the starting QB, i'm not beliving any of this talk about how amazing Ratliff is.
I totally agree with your assessment. IMO Freeman is an option at 17 but we have some other needs (RB, #1 WR and additional back-ups in both the OL and DL. The starters fine but I'm afraid we don't have adequate back-ups. So if we can?t get a impact player at 17 I would consider trading down for more help.
Here is Eric Boland's reaction to the exact same news conference, which comes to pretty much the exact opposite conclusion: http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/ny-spjets216043907feb21,0,3653970.story All that has happened so far is that Ryan has said he has confidence in what the Jets have, which is about as meaningless a statement as you could make in February. Personally, I will be surprised if the Jets go into the season without a QB on the roster who has more than 8 games of NFL starting experience.
I actually disagree with the Ainge statement. I do not know if he will get the opportunity and he could be out of the NFL by 2010 but I think the upside of Ainge is better than Clemens or Ratliff, and if one is going to make it as an NFL starting qb it will be him. Though it could be very well that none of three will ever be starting caliber NFL qbs.
That is pretty much what Pats fans were saying after Brady went down... Cassel loked like shit in preseason. We just don't know, and we won't know until the season starts... the rest of this is pure guess work, and any opinion is as good as any other. While I can't see what Ratliff has done to make so many so sure he'll never be any good, it's just as groundless to think he can be very good. We just don't know, and neither does the CS.
I agree with everybody but Houshmanzadeh. I mean I don't want T.O. on the Jets, but I would like a WR with his type of ability
