2008 Jets State of the Union Part 4: Don’t You Forget About Me
In part four of an ongoing series, we are trying to look at the Jets from a high-level approach. Today’s topic, the players on the Injured Reserve.
Don’t You Forget About Me
Once a player goes on IR during the season, it’s easy to lose track of what value they can add to the team in the coming year. Here’s a look at the talent that currently resides on the IR and how they can help the Jets in one way or another for next year …
Jonathan Vilma – First round talent, but questionable at best in the 3-4 and to top it off, his replacement has proven him expendable. David Harris is a monster in this scheme, and he’s proven that it’s not just what’s lined up ahead of Vilma that’s causing Jon-boy’s woes. Also consider that Harris had five sacks in his first season (second most among rookies to a defensive lineman) while Vilma has had two and a half in his whole career. This is the time for the Jets to address this situation head-on with the least hit. If the Jets can trade him, they should take what they can get. The problem is that since he’s rehabbing off an injury, it only complicates and devalues any potential trades in which Vilma might be involved. At this point, I imagine the Jets would be hard-pressed to get a first rounder for him. If the Jets keep him, can he play alongside Harris in a way that benefits his strengths?
Justin Miller – Tearing up a knee for a speedster can be seriously problematic. Will he be able to make cuts as a corner as effectively as he once did? Either way, it’s clear that the Jets would benefit from Miller playing (he was rated well amongst slot corners, believe it or not) by limiting opponents in the slot. I don’t think that he’ll ever be a top corner and he probably won’t address the spot across the field from Revis, but getting extra depth back at CB won’t hurt, especially since Andre Dyson disappeared for much of the season’s second half.
Stacey Tutt – People had big hopes for Tutt this year (myself included) but Tutt was more mummy than anything else while on the field offensively. I still think he has a niche that he can fill as a H-Back on this team, the one pass thrown to him during the Eagles game was abysmal and his security on this roster seems less secure now than a year ago, especially with the emergence of JoeKo.
Chansi Stuckey – I think Stuckey has great potential to be this team’s true slot receiver in a year or two, and will battle Wallace Wright and Brad Smith for the honor. I think that shelving him for the 2007 campaign was more a factor of strategically keeping him on the roster than exposing him to other teams through the practice squad. My hope is that he can benefit from a full offseason program, can rehab fully off the injury from his senior year and hit the ground running at camp this summer. Depending on what moves the Jets make at receiver, I will expect to see Stuckey on the roster and active Week 1 of the 2008 season.
Jason Trusnik – One of those guys who seems to hang around. Trusnik was activated late in the season and contributed well on special teams (six games with six tackles) but was put on the IR in December. Need to see more from him but he’s found a niche while healthy on special teams. A good place to start.
Laveranues Coles – Just like Trusnik it was a late shelving, but Coles did spend some significant time late in the season on the bench due to his injuries. Coles might be the heart-and-soul of this team, but he ain’t getting any younger. His gutty play has been important to the Jets over the last three seasons, but it will be worth watching to see how the organization treats Coles between now and OTAs. Tannenbaum’s indications are that they will get something done, which I hope will only further free some cap space for the Jets at least for this year.
Tomorrow a look at some of the “Down the Roster” guys …
[Part 1: Darkest Before the Dawn]
[Part 2: The QB Quandry]
[Part 3: The Woe Line]
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If they decide to trade vilma, they will need to utilize any picks they get for him, to replace him with a better fit in this defense. If we can get a middle 2nd rounder for him, make the trade, otherwise he’s probably not worth trading.
If the jets can fix the D line, and get someone to rush the passer, I think we’ll all be amazed at how much better Vilma plays. David Harris definitely stepped in and opened my eyes, but with a better dline, and harris, I think vilma will come back to being an impact player.
I think the ability to shed blocks, has less to do with how much you weigh, than it does with technique, and situation. You see cornerbacks and safteys break through screen passes to make plays all the time. In an ideal defense, its not one guy making all the tackles, its getting multiple defenders on the man with the ball..
I would agree with Redd 5 that the JETS should not give Vilma away. A second round pick is probably good value. Otherwise with his speed can he play OLB?
No. He’s far too small.
I think Vilma would do fine along side Harris where they can hide each others flaws and bring out each others strenghths
Maybe someone (Bent?) can go over the draft picks that would fit the 3-4, specifically LBs. Would J. laurenitis (sp?) fit or does his talent overlap Harris? I’ve seen the terms “Mike & Will” used for different spots but am not sure what the other 2 names are or their roles.
Also, can Vilma be moved to safety and paly alongside Rhodes if we can’t get decent trade value?
Why are we so sure Vilma is too small for outside linebacker?
Julian Peterson is 6-3, 240.
James Harrison is 6-0, 242.
Vilma is 6-1, 230.
I find it hard to believe that he lacks the athleticism to match these guys’ production regardless of next year’s scheme on defense (about 9 sacks a piece). I’m not saying I know for sure that he’s capable of playing the position, I’m just saying we tend to look at things stubbornly sometimes based on our preconceived notions of what a player at a certain position has to be in terms of height/weight.
I would hope and expect that the front office has at least entertained the thought of trying him on the outside despite lacking IDEAL size.
Mike C. you can add Teddy Bruschi to that list, who played for several years as OLB in New England’s 3-4, before he got older and was moved inside, consistently in the 230’s (now he plays in the low 240’s).
Yes, I agree with Mike C, I mean Vilma has been the undisputed leader of our D since he was drafted in 2004. We cant just trade him for 2nd rounder.
There is a lot of thoughtfull and positive commentary on this thread, Nelson, Liam, Mike C, I do agree with all of you. I think Vilma is too talented to be traded for a second rounder and when you have a proven talent, then it is the job of the coach to find ways to utilize it fully. The idea that we hire a coach who can coach just one way and if the players do not fit we trade them away is ….whatever.
I agree with Nikolas
I am sure Vilma is too small because his weakness is getting off blocks and he would have to face an offensive lineman on every play.
By all means line him up there now and again, but if you did it on every down it would be too easy to run at him or pass over his head.
As for 3-4 guys in the draft, in theory Harris could play either the MIKE or TED spots, so most 4-3 LBs *could* play alongside him (as the MIKE). However, as we have seen with Vilma, this can take time for a guy used to playing in space to adjust to.
Off the top of my head, good fits inside next to Harris could be Laurinitis, Leman, Maualuga, Connor, Moffitt, Crable. There are a bunch of guys with decent size this year, whereas in the past two years, there have been very few and most LBs were 4-3 guys who play well in space, which would be a horrible fit alongside Vilma. With Harris’ emergence, coupled with the guys available this year, there are far more to choose from.
As for outside linebackers (for our scheme) the main guys have been well documented: Harvey, Gholston, Groves. Maybe even Chris Long.
Harris/Vilma could still work though, but are the FO ready to give that another shot?
I’m a huge ohio state and jets fan and under no circumstances should the jets draft Laurinitis with the 6th pick. He had a good first half of year but slumped after that. Second round maybe, 6th pick? NO WAY.
Laurinitis and Gholston were completely ineffective in the game against LSU. As this was probably the best team they faced all year, it makes me skeptical as to there ability to translate well into the NFL, especially as early 1st rounders.
Bent,
I would add Crable to the list of OLB, not inside. He played outside for almost his entire career at Michigan and is much better suited to play outside in the 3-4 then inside. His greatest attribute is his speed off of the edge. I actually think he might make a lot of sense as a second round pick.
I agree with Ilan. Laurinitis, and to a lesser extent Ghlston, were dominated by LSU. Crable as an OLB would be a possible good addition in the 2nd round. If we can get a 2nd for Vilma, It’s worth a shot to spend it on Crable
Does Dorsey get any credit for the tackle next to him (Ricky Jean-Francois) getting five sacks while Dorsey was being double teamed?
Thanks, Liam. You are probably right, although I think he could play there with Harris and utilise that speed, together with his size to make plays and take on blockers when required. His versatility (and character) do make him an appealing possibility and he bounced back well after a rough start to the year. Plus he could wear number 50 and then I could get my old Bob Crable jersey out of storage.
Bent is right, Vilma is just a terrible fit for a 3-4 ILB. Vilma is undersized and his skill set doesn’t match the position. Vilma is not good at shedding blockers and he’s not good at blitzing. He’s excellent at sideline-to-sideline pursuit, but that talent may be a liability at ILB because Vilma had a tendency to over-pursue, making him suceptible to cut-back runs. Also, he is not a fill-the-hole, form-tackling, forced fumble machine, like Harris. As for OLB, he would have to play on the weakside, which is a blitzing position. I just don’t believe Vilma can become a good edge-rusher. As for the strong-side, does anyone think Vilma could shed OT/TE double-teams?
I think that he’s the biggest square-peg in a round hole on the 3-4. It’s more than a technique or size issue, it’s just the way he plays the game. He may be the perfect 4-3 MLB, but he’s lost in the 3-4. You wouldn’t have Jose Reyes bat clean up and you wouldn’t put Vilma in the 3-4.
As for his trade value, I would think that a 3rd-rounder is probably all the Jets could get, and I would gladly take it. Anything better would be gravy, but having Vilma continue to fail in the 3-4 will only further devalue his worth. As for the draft, if he comes out, I would target USC’s Rey Maualuga. In the biggest game of the year for USC, he had a dominant game and he has the size (6-21/2, 251) to be a force. I’ve soured on Laurinaitis. Maualuga and Harris in the middle would plug up the middle and make the Jets hard to run on inside for a decade (and one or both of them will take out a QB on a blitz).
Whooaaa lets not get the cart before the horse here,first off redd5 the second paragraph is dead on, and second defenses of nowaday need to be versatile to be a exceptional defense of the NFL lets say top 5-7 you can’t play one style of D you have to be able to play it all 34,43,46,Tampa 2,50 Etc. so keeping Vilma would be beneficial as for Rey Maualuga he’s not declaring for the draft it’s a fact that he is staying in school, personally Quentin Groves is better 6-3 250 run’s in the, 4.46-4.49 range you like apples well how do you like them
and another thing!!! for the Jets to cover themselves and fix the Defense #1 Free Agent Signings’ a: Tommy Kelly DE/DT Oakland Raiders 6-6,300 lbs. age 27, b: Corey Williams DT/NT Green Bay Packers 6-4,314 lbs. age 27, c:Terrel Suggs DE/OLB Baltimore Ravens 6-3,260 lbs. age 25 d: Marcus Trufant CB Seattle Seahawks 5-11,197 lbs. age 27. There are some others Adalius Thomas getting a little up in the age.Lance Briggs probably looking at big dollars as well as Asante Samuels, here could be a real steal Randall Gay hes’ only 25 and getting better. #2 let go of ,cut,dump whatever a: D-line M.Murrel, M.DeVito,S.Pouha. b: LB’s B.Kassell, M.Chatham, D.Bowens. and Hobson probably is gone as a free agent