Well, at least it's finally over. No matter how you spin it (even though I saw it before the season), this year was a gigantic disappointment for Jets football. Before the team meets up again in July for training camp, it will look completely different. We already know that we will have a new GM and a new offensive coordinator. I am throwing my hat in the ring for the new Jets General Manager position. I will go through every position on the team and give my thoughts on who to keep and who to dump.
Offense
Quarterbacks
While this is the weakest position, I don't see much change coming in 2013. Mark Sanchez had his worst season since his rookie year, throwing for only 2,883 yards, and -5 TD/INT ratio (with a career high 9 fumbles), and the 31st ranked QB rating and 30th ranked completion percentage. After a promising start to his career, Sanchez looks completely lost now, and will now have to learn a 3rd offense in his 5 years. Unfortunately for the Jets Rutgers wouldn't trade a fat sandwich
Let's play a game.... What do Mohamed Sanu, Jeremy Kerley, Jonhny Hekker, and Kellen Clemens have in common? They all had more passing yards than Tim Tebow this season. Whether you believe anything coming out of the Jets' coaches and players mouths or not, you can't argue that Tebow is a good quarterback. If he showed anything in practice I doubt that Rex and Sparano would've kept throwing Sanchez to the wolves. The season got so bizarre that now Timmy is considered a bad locker room guy. There is no way he comes back to the Jets or maybe even the NFL.
Greg McElory's injury prevented us from getting a large enough sample on him. The fact that he was sacked 11 times is alarming, and I doubt that he's going to see much playing time next year with Ryan's job on the line. With the Jets cap situation there is a 99.9 chance that they won't sign a decent veteran like Mike Vick or Alex Smith to compete with Sanchez. Add in the fact that this a weak quarterback draft class and best case scenario is that you can make a trade for Kirk Cousins or Matt Flynn, and I'm not convinced that is much of an upgrade.
Running Backs
Believe it or not Shonn Greene was 14th in the NFL in rushing yards this season, with his second straight 1,000 yard season. Greene is a solid starting running back, but is nothing special. He hits the holes hard, but doesn't have the speed to get big gains when he gets into the second level of the defense. He is a free agent this season, and I wouldn't mind bringing him back for the right price.
Bilal Powell and Joe McKnight compliment Greene well, but are nothing better than 3rd down backs. I would take a flier on Marcus Lattimore late in the draft or if we trade down take Monte Ball late in the 1st round
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
Santonio Holmes will be back, like it or not. Like Mark Sanchez we gave him a player-friendly contract and it will hurt us too much to let him go. Plus, in the limited time before his injury he was playing more like the 2010 Holmes, including a 100-yard performance against the Dolphins. The late season acquisition of Braylon Edwards is something the Jets should have done two years ago. He gives us a deep threat that we severely lacked early in the year. Teaming him back up with Holmes should give whoever our quarterback is a solid 1-2 receiving threat.
Jeremy Kerley reminds me of a Wayne Chrebet or Jerricho Cotchery type player. He is a good slot receiver and is sure handed. Stephen Hill came out of college as a raw talent, and he just isn't an NFL quality player yet. He is able to get open, but Sanchez lost confidence in him after a case of the dropsies. Chaz Schillens proved why the Raiders got rid him. I don't think he's getting re-signed.
Dustin Keller never lived up to expectations. After a career-high 815 yards last season, nagging injuries cost him the season and he never really got going, catching 28 balls for 317 yards. When he was healthy he seemed to disappear at times during games. I feel like we should bring him back, but he may be asking for too much. Jeff Cumberland is a solid player. I would bring back the restricted free agent.
Offensive Line
Nick Mangold, D'Brickshaw Ferguson, and Brandon Moore will all be back. Austin Howard and Matt Slauson are decent, but we should look to upgrade at left guard and right tackle.
Defense
Defensive Line
Quinton Coples and Muhammad Wilkerson were starting to heat up as the season came along, combining for 10.5 sacks. Mike DeVito has probably played his last game as a Jet. Sione Pouha played poorly this season after getting his money in the offseason. He's going to need to be a run stuffer like he was in 2011.
Linebackers
As a whole, our linebacking corps is getting slow. Bart Scott, Calvin Pace, and Bryan Thomas are veteran leaders, but just aren't cutting it on the field anymore. This is an example of where Rex Ryan's loyalty may hurt the team. David Harris led the team in tackles, but he isn't playing like a Pro Bowler anymore. Rookie DeMario Davis has shown some promise so far, and gives us the speed that we lack. We definitely have to look to upgrade at this position. Maybe we can give Khaseem Greene from Rutgers a look.
Cornerbacks
After Darrelle Revis' season ending injury, Antonio Cromartie has stepped up his game. Enjoy Revis next season, because I don't see him coming back in 2013 when his contract expires. He is going to want too much money, and he's not going to stay on a rebuilding team. Kyle Wilson was picked on a lot after Revis went down. He wasn't worth a first round pick.
Safeties
After comments that he's not going to give a home team discount, LaRon Landry will be gone. Landry is a playmaker, but was his first healthy season in years. Yeremiah Bell had a great year. I would bring him back and he will start next season with Josh Bush or Eric Smith.
Coaching and Front Office
Mike Tannenbaum is officially gone. Tony Sparano is gone, but it hasn't been announced officially yet. Mike Pettine's contract is expired and is going to be up for some head coaching jobs, plus with the rumors that he is one of the leaks to the media he is likely gone. All-time great special teams coach, Mike Westhoff is retired. That leaves us with Rex Ryan and a lot of question marks for next season.
Rex Ryan was on top of the world two years ago, now there are a lot of people looking to put him on the chopping block. Rex is a great defensive mind and gets guys to play hard for him, but he is horrendous on the offensive side of the ball. Whenever we find a general manager and he starts looking for coordinators, it might be hard to get them on board with a coach who is entering a lame duck season in 2013. As a Ryan supporter, the team is between a rock and a hard place right now. Perhaps a complete overhaul could make this team better instead of plugging up holes on a leaky ship.
2013 is going to be the start of a period of change for the Jets franchise. The team has quietly been in a rebuilding stage, and now it is full-fledged. Woody Johnson has to have some patience if he believes that Rex Ryan is the man to turn this mess around, if not do everyone a favor and let him go now and start from scratch.
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