JETS BREAKDOWN

Now What?

By Dr. Donovan Goldbond

Lead NFL Draft Expert

The New York Jets have gone through a major face lift over the last 2 years. Not only do they have a new coach, they gained and lost a Hall of Fame quarterback in the span of one year. At least it’s better than gaining and losing a head coach in the span of one day (via Bill Belichick). All in all, this Jets team has been thrown in the washer, hung up on a clothes line to dry and now folded to be put in a drawer for the next guy. The Jets better hope there seat cushions can be used as more than a floatation device and maybe a quarterback instead.

Brett Favre announcing his retirement was really no big surprise to a lot of people, including myself. What Hall of Fame QB wants to start over with a new coach after struggling to learn a new system last year? After the hangover subsided from the last 5 games of the season, in which the Jets were beaten by bottom dwellers such as San Fran, Denver , Seattle and Oakland , many Jets fans look back on the season with a faint smile. That smile comes from knowing that they had possibly the greatest QB of all time wearing New Jersey green at least for a year. In fact, at one point of the season, after beating the Pats and the undefeated Titans, some considered them to be a legit Superbowl contenders, which is more than they would have been able to say if Favre and other FAs did not sign in the off-season,

So after going through a roller coaster of emotions last season, where does this Jet take off to now? The first question is, what will defensive maestro and new head coach Rex Ryan bring to this team? Rex Ryan is a different style of coach than the Jets have ever seen. He is considered a player’s coach but does not shy away from speaking his mind. Many former players of Ryan seem to love him because he, “treats you like a man and in return you want to play football like a man”. Ravens LB Terrell Suggs stated.

One thing I know for sure, we will see the 3-4 defense, which the Jets installed over the last 3 years with Eric Mangini, run with reckless abandon. Ryan has already made it well known that the Jets will take a different mentality going into this season and will be blitzing from anywhere at anytime on defense. We can expect a smash mouth style of football that we have seen from the Steelers, Bears and Ravens over the years. Do the Jets have the personnel to make this successful; right away? They are very close but still need a lot of help.

First and foremost, the Jets no longer have a QB. They do have three QBs on their roster right now, including former starter Kellen Clemens, 2nd year player Erik Ainge and Brett “The Jet” Ratliff. All three quarterbacks combine for starting 9 games in their NFL career. The Jets front office seems to think they have their QB of the future on their team and open try outs, come training camp, will find him. I don’t disagree with the Jets organization although I think Clemens already had his chance and failed numerous times. Erik Ainge is too raw and does not display the arm to be able to win games at the windy Meadowlands. That turns us to Brett Ratliff who is the third year player out of Utah . He signed a practice squad contract with the Jets on 9/3/07 and has shown that he has the arm to be a very good QB at this level. Is Ratliff the savior that all Jets fans have been waiting for? We don’t have enough information or experience to answer that question yet, but even if he is, the Jets need depth at the position.

Most likely the Jets will start by looking at Free Agent QBs. Let’s see, old Jeff Garcia, injury prone Byron Leftwich, total bust, Joey Harrington or Lions winless back-up Dan Orvrolosky. Veteran journeymen Kurt Warner and Kerry Collins will probably re-sign with their respected teams and the Patriots Matt Cassell will be franchise tagged. Although trade talks of QBs like Cleveland’s Derek Anderson or Cassell have arose, it’s hard to know what will shake out in 2009. Could Ryan bring Kyle Boller over from the Ravens? We can only hope not.

The next place to look for a starting QB is the 2009 NFL Annual Players Selection Meeting (fancy name for the draft). After Georgia ’s Stafford and USC’s Sanchez, the QB class really drops off. No matter what happens, the Jets need to find a diamond in the rough and find him soon. Otherwise you might as well slap some purple on them and call them the Ravens (without the great defense).