Not exactly. One of the best aspects of Bart Scott's game is his ability to blow up plays and defend against the run. He is a strong, physical tackler, and though I've seen him miss tackles on occasion, when he hits he hits hard. When it comes to taking on blockers (linemen, fullbacks, TEs) he is one of the best. He is so good at moving people to where they don't want to be, forcing backs to reroute themselves and change up what they want to do. Scott is great at taking players on at the point of attack and moving them to fill up gaps or to push them back into RBs and QBs, and disrupting the play. He doesn't really become invisible per se, but rather a disrupting force all on his own. You can't really say that he has to do the NT's job, because the down lineman can't take on ALL of the lineman, the TE, AND whichever backs are left in to block. Harris is so effective (in part) because Scott is so good at disrupting plays. I don't agree that Smith and Ihedigbo should be cut. Digs is a really good blitzing safety, and even though he is an abomination in coverage, I like seeing him rush off the edge. And Smith is a great ST, one of the better one's we have. @joeklecko: Mike DeVito is a starter. Period. He's not exactly Justin Smith when it comes to being a 3-4 end, but he is damn good. He is incredible at stopping the run, and yeah, he can't rush the passer well, but he doesn't have to. In Rex's scheme, DeVito doesn't have to be a pass-rushing force, because the pressure comes from other positions. He can focus on being a wall for running backs, and he is one of the reasons why we have such a good Run D.
I've been perusing the LB FA list and, aside from Tamba Hali (who KC probably won't let go), there's no legit player to sign realistically. For a minute, I thought maybe Manny Lawson might be a good fit, but then I read he's pretty much only a 2-down LB, and also, apparently, anyone who's not 6'4, 260lbs just won't flourish here. I guess it's up to Tanny to find the next Suggs/Woodley/Ware in the Draft with the 30th pick for us to have any chance of generating pressure from the OLB position. I hope we can find someone elite with that pick or a later pick.
Good thread idea. As for the D-line Devito and Pouha have been more then efficient as starters for us since Rex got here. Thats 2 spots locked up as I feel Pouha can play nose tackle and DE. Its really tough to decide what to do about Jenkins. It seems the guy really wants to make a comeback but theres no way we keep him unless he takes a paycut. He can probably still play but how will his knee hold up this season? Theres no way Gholston isnt cut, the savings isnt much but I would take a UDFA over him at this point, we could at least spend that savings on a project type player rather then a guy that hasn't nearly lived up to his potential since he was drafted here. The guy that really seems intriguing to sign is Shaun Rogers. He seems like the type that would really benefit from being in this type of locker room. That being said, I wouldnt mind bringing Ellis back, if I had to choose between the 2 I would go with Ellis. Theres just no way i pay either of them good money at their ages. We sign Rogers and we can potentially rotate him and Pouha at NT and DE where as Ellis only plays the one position. Either way it would be really foolish not to take someone in the draft and groom them as our future NT. As for the linebackers I just don't think theres any way David Harris doesn't end up coming back. That sets up our ILB for at least one more season. After next season Bart Scott has to take a pay cut. Its obvious he doesn't make too many impact plays but hes very good in run support and frees Harris up to wreck the ball carrier. By the end of next season I doubt we'll need him to help set our defense and we can easily find a linebacker that can take on blockers like he can. Calvin Pace has done his job so theres really nothing wrong here. Bryan Thomas is an awful pass rusher and decent in run support. Hes the type of guy you keep around for depth. I would like to keep him around especially if theres no one we can pick up to replace him but hes another one that has to take a pay cut. The one guy I would consider breaking the bank on this off season is LaMarr Woodley. This really is the type of pass rusher the team has lacked the past few years and would make our pass D so much better. Bring back Cromartie. He was great for us this season and he earned the contract he'll be getting this off season whether its from us or another team. It would be great to pick up Nnambi and have him playing opposite Revis but lets face it, hes gonna want an enormous contract and unless he'll be willing to take a lot less just to play with Revis it isn't happening. Kyle Wilson is the reason I would bring back Cro. He just didn't show enough to solidify himself as a solid #2. Drew Coleman was getting reps over this guy during the season so what does that tell you? The kid clearly needs a lot of work and hopefully he can step up as the 3rd corner on the depth chart. Theres really no pressure at all on him and all he needs to do is show progression. As long as he continues to work hard this off season and learn from Revis I think he will easily solidify himself as our #2 but right now I wouldn't depend on him for anything. Hopefully Leonhard comes back at full strength, if not were gonna have a bit of a problem, and by bit of a problem, its gonna be a huge problem. This is the true quarterback of our defense and its urgent he returns. Hes just way too smart and it really hurt us toward the end of the season when he got hurt. Brodney Pool is meh. I don't hate him but im not in love with him. I would bring him back with whatever contract the front office feels is fair for a guy like him. He did start to play better toward the end of the season though. We all know the Tannenbaum method of drafting has worked really well. I just don't feel the quality over quantity approach will work this year. I would honestly take the best defensive players available with our first few picks and rebuild some of that depth were missing here.
Great (and I'm not trying to be a dick and single you out Christian) but our answer is signing Woodley? Really? We should try to be realistic in this discussion. And, in reality, we're not getting Woodley (I doubt any other team is), and we're probably not getting Tamba Hali. So, in regards to a pass-rushing OLB, what's Option B?
Aldon Smith, Jeremy Beal, Jabaal Sheard or Justin Houston. And those names should be Option A. For Option B, I would I would like to see the Jets take a look at Mathais Kiwanuka(just hear me out). He's coming off an injury so that should make him cheap. He has played OLB - albeit in a 4-3 - so he has experience playing standing up and has the size that fits Rex's scheme. I've always wanted to see what he could do in a 3-4 system. Downside: He's 27, not exactly the youth movement we need. Yea, the injury. No experience in a 3-4. Best year as a pass rusher was 8 sacks in 2008(sound familiar?) Before everyone starts slinging the lit toilet paper at me, I don't see him as a future starter in Rex's system, just a stop-gap at best if we cannot find a pass rusher in the draft. If he's not asking for a Pace-like contract, then I think the Jets should at least hear him out. If he wants to get paid like a premier starter then fuck him and forget what I just said.
I think Kiwanuka is someone to keep in mind. However, his injury was a herniated disc in his neck, right? I have no idea how serious (and potentially recurring) that is, so Idk... As far as rookies go, yea sure, those guys sound great. But if our main issue in the Front 7/on Defense in general is the lack of legit edge-pass-rusher, then we're going to bank on the 30th Pick being that player? Of course, that very well could happen, but I think someone needs to be signed at least to compete (and/or be a fallback if the drafted player is another Gholston) for the starting position because, whether or not we cut Cactus/JT, we still go into 2011 without a proven pass-rusher. That's a problem.
You'll notice I edited the post to clear up my opinion on him. We need to bring in a rookie regardless. Anyone we bring in may not be an every-down starter immediately but at #30 with this scouting department and a coach who knows how to trust them instead of overruling them for a combine wonder, I think we can trust the decision. Again, see the edited post. Kiwanuka is not the only one I see filling the role of a stop-gap, he's just the first example I could think of. Really, you can take out his name and fill in for any other reasonably priced, middle tier OLB you like and it still fits the idea. Kiwi was just one player I've been intrigued about in a 3-4.
For the most part, I agree with you. I just think that - undersized or not - SOMEONE with pass-rushing ability at OLB (who could be acquired cheaply) needs to be signed, along with another guy we draft. If Bryan Thomas and Jason Taylor are gone, we need to go into camp with both a rookie who has potential and guy who has shown, even if inconsistently, that he can get to the QB.
Please don't tell me you're trying to defend the Ernie Sims idea. It was terrible. Just let it go. I agree we need a veteran there regardless of the draft, but we need someone who can at least survive the position. Vrabel and Takeo Spikes have the position experience but...they're also old as fuck(in football years). The biggest problem is that there just aren't too many people on the FA list that are actually appealing.
Chances are he wont leave Pittsburg but hes a game changing pass rusher and if by some miracle he does hit free agency I would definetly take a look at him if we fill in the other spots on the roster that we need. You keep as much of the core on defense that you can and then add a pass rusher like Woodley? We would be seeing that dominant defense we had in 09'. Unreal. And I think you misunderstood the idea I was trying to get across. I don't think the only answer is signing Woodley but hes the type of guy that would improve every part of our defense. Theres no one on our roster that comes close to being a pass rusher of his caliber.
I like Bryan Thomas and think he's actually a good player, but in the 3-4 he needs to pressure the QB better. I know he didn't play a lot of 3rd downs with Pace and JT in, but being great against the run isn't good enough. I would love to keep him though, but if cutting him gets The Jets one of the big FAs we have to sign, it's an opportunity you have to take.
1) How can Lowery learn the position while not playing the position? He played well considering the limited time he had there and with a whole new off-season in his true position he can only get better. 2) He lost his job to E. Smith when he didn't know the D. By the time he learned it he was back starting and playing a lot better than the beginning of the season. I'm not saying we can't do better... we clearly can... but the Pool I saw at the end of the season was better than the Leonhard at the beginning. 3) Are you fucking kidding me!? E. Smith gets a big penalty once in a while (they're all flashy but he doesn't get penalized a lot) plus when we play with multiple backs Smith is vital in a S/LB position. Just to be clear... is E. Smith a starting FS? NO, N-O, Noooooo! BUT when we have 3 S on the field and we need one that can tackle hard he is the guy you want. 4) Where is all the love for Leonhard coming from!?!?!? Didn't you see him at the beginning of the season getting burned time and time and time again!? The scheme is clear... make the TE run a route near Leonhard and there is NOTHING he can do 'cause he's a midget. Leonhard is very good in 2 things: 1) run support 2) being in the right place at the right time Too bad that he gets so outmatched physically by certain types of plays that even if he's in the ruight place at the right time he is useless. Well not useless but you get the point I'm trying to make. Go ahead and love Leonhard all you want, I prefer someone with better athletic skills. With time you can learn the D and learn were you need to be, you can't go over the ceiling of your athletic abilites...
If we bring back Cro and get an athletic free safety with strong coverage ability, Eric Smith could do very well as a starting strong safety.
I believe all the conditions were met and we got Cro for a 2nd rounder. I doubt we will get the same back in a trade, but I think it's likely we would get a 2nd-4th round conditional pick for him. I mean, Cromartie is a proven player. He makes mistakes and can't hit to save his life, but he would most likely provide more value to a team than someone drafted in the middle rounds.
Well the conditional pick system is a confusion system based on players lost versus gained and the size of their salary and how they perform. At best Cromatie could net the Jets a third round conditional pick in 2012 if he left in free agency. I have a tough time based on his season thinking that someone is going to give him a 5 or 6 year deal for 40 million. I know all it takes is one, but I think has he some serious flaws in his game. I view him as the randy moss of cornerbacks. He can flip his hips and run with anyone but as soon as he has to make a cut and run laterally he gets beaten by anyone. He's a penalty machine, seems like he averages 2 a game. And we all know he can't or won't tackle.
He always has a knack for interceptions. We saw it early in the year, but it kind of died down towards the end. This will hurt his value as well, considering his picks were down compared to other seasons.
Leonhard has been a key component of the the Rex/Pettine defense for a long time. They've had a top 5 defense I believe most years. I think the difference about this year is that no matter what our coaching staff did during the regular season their blitzing scheme didn't work and it put a ton of pressure on the secondary. I don't know why it took 16 games for Rex to realize that he had to change the defense and find a way to get pressure with 4. Once they changed the defense everyone looked a lot better in the back 7/8. I believe that the Jets will try to bring back Eric Smith and Brodney Pool and they will again utilize 3 or 4 safeties in different roles with Pool and Leonhard being the starters. The secondary was fine once they fixed the the defense in front of it. Leonhard and Scott would probably kill for Rex and vice versa. Leonhard is probably one of the better tacklers in the NFL regardless of size. He's great on special teams. Leonhard's size was never an issue on top 5 defenses up until this year. it's not him, it's the lack of a pass rush.
Cromatie has his good things but I don't have any interest in having that much cap space tied up at cornerback. Kyle Wilson has to become the 2nd cornerback next year.
