First things first, the Jets made a great hire and got one of the best coaches in the game when hiring Robert Saleh. He will be an asset in so many phases and make the Jets a playoff team and championship contender.
1. They will play solid football with a strong emphasis on the under center run game. Expect wide zone, toss, play action, boot, jet motions and other motions to take advantage of numbers and situations. But understand the Jets will have a top 10 run game.
Here is the 49ers wide zone scheme. I've covered their toss scheme in detail in my other posts but expect a heavy wide zone, toss system with play action off of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1fVitTdihg
2. As covered in some of my other posts, Saleh is a great defensive mind. He will bring a very solid defense with him. He always has a top 10 defense and this year they kept them in every game. You watch the Cowboy game and some others, the defense was good enough to win 10 games. He adjusted his scheme once he lost 2 pass rushers and this impressed me the most. The last 4 games of the year teams were 8 of 45 on 3rd downs of 3+. That is OUTSTANDING.
3. He will recruit players to come with him. He has that Rex personality where people gravitate to him. Richard Sherman already said he's coming, who even at his age will be an asset on the defensive side. Sherman is one of the smartest players in the game. That's just one of the many players lining up to come to NY.
4. He will run his schemes to fit his players. He won't force Darnold or whomever his qb is to be something he is not. His offensive system is very qb friendly. Not too many hot reads and sight adjustments and allows a qb to play fast, make their progressions and be comfortable. It is a mobile system which plays to Darnold's strengths but Lafleur knows his stuff. He has the right pedigree.
Now the roster decisions.
The best thing about this year is the Jets have 70+ million dollars. The other nice things is that free agency ties up with the Jets needs. Wr-deep #1 class,
JD made some moves on the offensive line last year. But other than McGovern, they could easily cut any of the signings without a major cap hit. Lewis, Van Roten and Fant can be cut without major damage to the cap.
Going into this season the Jets have a real solid foundation with 70 million in cap space, 2 1st round picks and a 2nd round pick. That allows you to sign 2 premium free agents, 4-6 starters, and also add in other spots. Also, gives them great options in the trade market if they decide keeping Darnold is the way to go. Lastly, they can save another 8.8 million if they cut Fant (8 mil) left guard lewis(5.8 mil) and right guard Van Roten (3 million). On the defensive side, Mayes is the biggest question in Free agency and a player that should be brought back for the right price. But, that being said there are good safeties out their if the price isn't right.
As we all know the biggest decision is to what to do at #2. Many of the fair weather fans watch 10 snaps of a qb and think wow, I want this guy. It doesn't work that way in the NFL. You need your qb to have great arm strength, accuracy, pocket awareness, and most importantly good decision making skills. The mental part is also key, but I think Lafleur is not the Bruce Ariens with 150 plays each week. The NFL game happens so much faster than a college game and with all the man free you better be accurate and be a good decision maker.
THE QB DILEMNA WILL KEEP JOE DOUGLAS UP AT NIGHT! IT ALL STARTS WITH THE QB SITUATION FOR THE JETS.
Here are 3 scenarios
Option #1 at #2
Draft a qb. Everyone loves Wilson and Fields but that's a starting over approach. Usually rookie qb's have a tough time going to the playoffs. If you take one, do you trade Darnold? Maybe you don't have to. What about keeping the 2. Possibly. Why not have a qb competition but I don't know if you need that controversy in year 1.
Logic tells you if they do take a qb they will trade Darnold and do you bring in a veteran qb and let him learn. Tyrod Taylor, Andy Dalton, Cam Newton, Jameis Winston(You see where this is going) Seems to be the thought process.
Option #2
Trade for Carson Wentz. Carson Wentz is talented and more talented than Darnold, Fields and Wilson. Joe Douglas knows this being a football mind but does he roll the dice. You probably don't have to give up the bank to get him. Wentz salary is more friendly to a team that trades for him. He is a franchise qb, are the others?
In the 3 prior years:
2019 27 TD 7 INT 93.1 RATING
2018 21 TD 7 INT 102.2 RATING
2017 33 TD 7 INT 101.9 RATING
He has something to prove. He's been in the MVP talk. Sam has not. Joe Douglas is bold. Personally, Wentz is better than Darnold, Fields and Wilson. Hands down. Joe could renegotiate a good portion that the Eagles can't and make it work for a reduced cap hit.
Then at #2, the Jets could draft Sewell, the best prospect in the draft, or trade down. To me getting your bookend tackles for the next 10 years would be ideal. I could even live with him at guard and signing Thuney. Really its Thuney and a bunch of other guys at guard. Don't be surprised if Patriots resign him because the guard market is limited.
Imagine this offensive line.
Becton,Thuney,McGovern,Sewell, Fant could be a very good line. Fant is another possible cut candidate. so we shall see.
Option #3
Trade the pick and go with Darnold. The possibilities are endless and the Jets have the money to spend. Trade down and you can get a really good wr/fs/guard in the draft and probably a starter from another team. Just a matter of who you target. An edge de or guard are a necessity.
Lets look at the current roster. They have 5 major spots to consider on offense
The starters on offense right now:
WR2- Mims
WR3-Crowder Berrios
WR1-?
TE- Herndon
TE 2- Griffin
LT- Becton Edoga is solid backup at both tackle spots
LG-?/Lewis Alex Lewis is a 5.8 million savings if cut
C-McGovern McDermott or cut him and bring back Eflein and resign him for flexibility)
RG-? Van Roten is a 3 million savings if cut
RT-Fant Fant is a 8 million savings if cut
G Pat Elflein, QB Joe Flacco RB Frank Gore
WR Breshad Perriman WR Jeff Smith WR Vyncint Smith
Now, how do you fill those spots:
There is depth at certain positions in free agency (cb, for example and lack of depth at others) but right now we are focusing on the offensive side of the ball.
Free agency
#1 wr: No matter who plays qb this is a must. This I anticipate happening as this was the weakest part of the offense. They need a #1 wr. This the Jets will spend on. That I can assure you.
There are several good options here:
2. Marvin Jones-Detroit
#2 Left guard and or right guard: You could keep Lewis and only sign one guard but the Jets had some issues with him last year. He's the best of the guards they currently have. Is he better than the 2nd tier options in free agency or possibly a late first round/2nd round draft pick. The only real blue chip players at guard in free agency are Scherff and Thuney. So, the market will be high for their services. WFT will probably sign Scherff. That is why I thought maybe going Sewell and moving him to left guard is a possibility. It all depends on what you do with the qb situation and if you draft one. Joe Feliciano and Lane Taylor are other options I would consider. Again if you sign one and draft another, your O line situation is solid.
#3 Rb .You need 2, 1 you may be able to get in free agency and the other in the draft. Definitely need a better passing game option for 3rd down. Drake, Carson, David Johnson are a few options. Not breaking the bank.
DE ? Nathan Shepherd
Solid group inside but they need some speed on the edge.
CB ? Bryce Hall
FS ? Elijah Campbell
SS ? Ash Davis
DIME ?
CB Kyron Brown, 25
DT Trevon Coley, 27
S Matthias Farley, 29
LB Bryce Hager, 29
LB Neville Hewitt, 28 had a good year 102 tackles may be retainted
CB Bennett Jackson, 30
LB Harvey Langi, 29 played solid, probable return RFA
LB Frankie Luvu, 25 gave jets some depth
CB Arthur Maulet, 28
S Marcus Maye, 27 best safety, could return.
S Bradley McDougald, 31
LB Patrick Onwuasor, 29
CB Brain Poole, 29
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