Time to Focus on the Offense
JP Pelzman writes for the Bergen Record that now that the defense has gotten made over, what about the offense?
… there still are a few holes to fill if the Jets are to improve an inconsistent offense that ranked 16th in the NFL last season.
One of those holes is at tight end. Although Dustin Keller has star potential as a receiver, his blocking still needs work. And unlike the way in which they released Moore and re-signed him one day later, the Jets showed no such interest in veteran tight end Chris Baker after cutting him loose Feb. 20. Baker signed with New England.
The Jets’ decision to let wide receiver Laveranues Coles become a free agent rather than extend his contract was a smart one. Coles is a tough customer who plays hurt and risks his body catching passes over the middle, but the Jets need to replace him with someone younger and faster who can stretch defenses. Maybe that player is David Clowney. Or maybe the Jets can find him when they pick 17th overall in a draft loaded with first-round talent at wideout.
Pelzman has diagnosed the needs well, but I wonder about plugging the holes.
In my mind, Keller is going to soak up more short passes and targets (he had 78 last year, already 12th in the league among TEs) across the middle, effectively filling the role that Coles has taken on for the past few years. Coles target numbers have been trending down (2005: 131, 2006: 151, 2007: 89 [injury], 2008: 115), and Keller was brought in to quickly address that.
Adding an exlcusively blocking Tight End with an exclusive catching Tight End has strategic limitations, but it doesn’t mean the Jets can’t still run an effective offense.
As far as Wide Receiver, it will be interesting to see if the Jets do anything there. My gut tells me that if there’s a value pick like Maclin that has slipped at #17 versus a Heyward-Bay then they’ll do it.
53 Responses to Time to Focus on the Offense
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Chris says:
What about Kenny Britt?
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JP says:
Nicks is getting looked at by the dolphins at 25 who may even trade up for him…we have to take nicks or if we really like britt trade not too far back in the first round
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on a side note…report is that nugent signed with the bucs…sign feely NOW
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AL says:
3rd and 1, 3rd and 2, 4th and 1. We can’t get a first down on these downs running the ball. We need a Power back more than anything.
I’m praying no more empty back field sets on 3rd and 1
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J says:
O line depthy, a real left tackle and move dbrick to right tackle! Receivers in the draft usually take 2-3 years.
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johnl says:
WE NEED TO DRAFT A O.LINEMAN TO GET OUR LINE FROM “VERY GOOD” TO GREAT…..and besides what if one of them has an injury? who do we have? hunter? turners terrible! oh yeah mabey stanely daniels will step in!……… do you guys get my drift now…please tell me you do
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Brett Justin says:
Our O line is no where near our biggest glaring need we need a wideout to pair up with cotch and have to get heyward-bey/Britt/Maclin we can address o line in the 4th or so if we really need to but thats not on my list of worries for us were pretty solid there and with a year together under there belts will get better
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Roman says:
I say we go for KNOWSHON MORENO with our 1st pick in the draft. we can always trade up in the 2nd and pick up kenny britt. with Knowshon, we would have a sick backfield and with all the running ryan seems to want to do – we need 3 good backs. Plus TJ has maybe 1-2 years left if that.
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sackexchange says:
what about joey galloway cheap and then drafting d-line which after the first 20 picks is going to dwindle in talent?
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id like moreno also plus you could trade thomas jones which has high value right now that he had his best year. TJ missed alot of oppertunities last year taking it to the house, by not cutting back or just not being able to beat someone
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Harvlis says:
I do not believe in using a tight end who is exclusively a blocker. If that is the case, use a lineman. If someone is lined up at TE, he should be able to hold on to a pass. The guy they don’t think will hurt them is the guy who is wide open in the endzone. Happens every time.
As for wide reciever, Percy Harvin. Many fans are off of his bandwagon, due to his past injuries but, this guy is a game-breaker. He can score from anywhere and he can line up in the backfield. With Leon Washington and Percy Harvin in the game, we are very dangerous. There are lots of other solid, fast receivers out there that would make me happy but, Harvin is the most dangerous guy out there.
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Jerry says:
Oh Basset are you okay? Their number 1 need is WR!! you think only if Maclin falls then they will consider it!?!?!? Hello!! they already filled up their holes on defense have solid RB’s and OL what exactly should they pick if not WR??
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Live4Draft says:
Since we are talking offense, I will continue to beat my Pettigrew drum! If someone like Stafford or Maclin fall in our laps take him!
If Pettigrew is the best value at #17, take him or trade down for a WR. Draft picks are assets and you exchange your assets for value.
An argument could be made that a complete TE would be of greater importance in a power offense than a WR. If we commit to the run, we may use two TE sets, as much as, a conventional set. In addition, Keller’s skill set is a lot closer to that of a WR than a traditional TE. A traditional tight end is a need for this team!
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I don’t usually like first-round WR’s, but I’m a huge Jeremy Maclin fan. Outstanding speed, excellent hands, and unlike some of the other highly touted WR’s, his potential actually translated into production in college. And he’s a great return man too. If he drops to the Jets – unlikely but def possible – I’d love to pick him up.
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Mikey913 says:
I wrote this yesterday, but I’m reposting as it makes more sense here:
I dont know if anyone else noticed this, but Rex/Tanny decided to release coles AFTER the combine. AND, in free agency they havent so much as sniffed a Free Agent wide receiver. I think both Tanny and Rex know we can’t go into this season with cotchery/stuckey/smith/clowney being our wide receiving corps. They MUST have seen somebody they fell in love with and KNEW they could get at #17. Just a prediction, that guy is Hakeem Nicks. He ran well, has a big frame, plays well in the big game, and has great hands. Some people think is 2nd best to Crabtree and would be a great complement to Cotchery. This seems to be the silver lining with all of this…I just HOPE that this is true. Nicks is getting looked at from the mid to end of the first round, so I really don’t think this is a reach. It’d be interesting to see what would happen if maclin fell, but Nicks just seems right.
It’s possible that the guy is Heyward-Bey also, but he doesnt have nearly the body of work as a receiver in college or hands that a top flight draft pick needs.
Kenny Britt is a 2nd round draft pick. Based on what I read, he wasnt overwhelming at the combine. It’s nice that everyone saw Britt at Rutgers, but he is really a notch below Nicks.
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Bent says: Mikey – it’s an interesting theory, but personally, I think the timing had more to do with the fact that they had to get it done before the FA window opened for Coles to be able to void the final year and negotiations probably went on until the last minute (or they had just decided to do all their contract stuff once the Combine was out of the way and spent the rest of their time before that focusing on the Combine itself).
I do see a lot of love for Britt and also wonder whether this could be because of the locality of Rutgers. I too think Nicks and Heyward-Bey are a notch above him. He’s decent though – and a deep threat…but I agree, not a first rounder based on anything I’ve seen.
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Mickey913
Good point about the timing of cole’s release, and the lack of FA interest. Go Nicks -
GlockNSoul says:
I love the idea of getting Pettigrew, because it can serve two purposes – good blocking TE, plus good receiver. This would allow us (similar to SD) to tailor our passing game more around the TE. Cotchery would still be a good #2 WR, and maybe we go without a true #1, and use Clowney for the speed to stretch the field. Pettigrew could also be our red zone savior – 6/5″ and 263 provides a nice target down deep.
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ramble914 says:
J,
“A real LT, and move D’Brick to RT”? You don’t know what you are talking about. D’Brick is as real as they come at LT, and he is definetely not suited fro RT. Try to learn about football before you post here.
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bc says:
Roman & sackexchange are right on! If K. Moreno is available at #17 we should grab him without hesitation. He reminds me of Freeman McNeil (who was great player & is a nice guy).
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JerryB says:
I would be happy with Pettigrew or Nicks at 17. Robiske and Britt will go in the first half of the second round so it doesn’t look likely that we will draft either one.
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we cant draft another tight end in the first round…we will start to turn into the lions with their WR
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Take Nicks or Moreno in the first round. The only reason I say Moreno is that if you look at Thomas Jone’s cap number in 2010 it is like 7.5 mill so basically we probably only have him for one more year. Put Moreno into the line up next year and we don’t even miss a beat with him and Washington.
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Bullet says:
Please no tight ends in the first round!
Kyle Brady?
Johnny Mitchell?
remember it may be a new season but the JETS remain the same -
Why can’t we draft another TE?? If you want to run the ball you need two tight ends. With Pettigrew you have a great in-line blocker with soft hands who can work the middle of the field. He is also strong enough to carry tacklers before going down. Keller can work the deep zones and pull LBs off the line. TE is as big a need as WR.
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Bent says:
I have to side with those who say the Jets should just get a cheap role player at TE, sorry.
Build a solid, deep team, don’t spend your best assets on luxuries until you get to that stage.
Anthony Hill, if he’s still there in the fourth, would be a good pick.
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Jeffdolini- I am not sure why we would get rid of him just because his cap number is 7 million. Remember that 2010 is an uncapped year.
I am one who is starting to come around on Nicks… At first I thought people were crazy to look for him a 17. But as I have watched him I realized how great of hands this guy has. He is now my choice for 17th pick.
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vinnywasthebest says:
Blocking TEis a priority but not over a #1 WR. We should definitely NOT pic up a TE with a 17th pick thats just silly.
Aside from O-line depth and a veteran qb, we need a number 1 WR and a blocking TE. Free agency can take care of the vet qb and blocking TE and the draft for the rest. anyone feelin me?
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Ramble,
When did you become the omnipotent football guru?
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JustAGreenGuy says:
J- He has a point on the RT LT talk. Dbrick is a solid LT and would be a horrible RT. RTs need to run block and that isn’t Dbricks strength.
He could have said it nicer tho.
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Thanks Green Guy,
sorry If I am only a fan
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john r says:
to sackexchange,
what do you mean trade thomas jones, what else do you want from your running back?
what i thought was the problem last year is that we gave the ball to brett to much,
we have a great, or even one of the best one two running games in the league
remember people, you cant have pro bowlers at every position on the field. you have strengths and weaknesses in sports, and thats why teams win games -
Thomas Jones is getting older. If we could get good value for him and draft one of the top 2 backs it would be a good move. I’m in no rush to get rid of a guy who just broke the majoirty of our records last year.
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but we have bigger needs than thinking about the running game. i think we need a go to wr. its something we havent had since santa moss and coles.
we need to give clemems some solid support and a go to person to rely on -
Matt says:
Cotchery and Hakeem Nicks are both Tarheels. Think that could come into play here?
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Gazzo says:
I like Heyward-Bey, hes BIG and he ran a 4.30 which im not exactly sure but was one of the top times in the 40 at the combine. he can definitely stretch defenses, and I think we need to go after a WR in the draft since there are so many good ones. Moreno would be nice as TJ is definitely getting older but we also need some pass rushing. We might be skeptical to draft one tho (cuz of Gholston).
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And matt, cotchery i believe is from NC State not UNC. Pretty sure him and Phillip Rivers were a nice tandem in college.
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trevor says:
at pick 17
1. moreno,maclin,sanchez,pettigrew
my pick:maclin2. heyward-bey,nicks,pettigrew,harvin
my pick:nicks3. tyson jackson,pettigrew,harvin,britt
my pick:pettigrewits a battle of what is available and what we really need.
i personally think its an offensive battle for he most part but what would you take when faced witht he decision.
ive created 3 different scenarios with 4 guys who would u takewhos going to be available and whats ur top 10 list of guys u want in the 1st rd of this yrs draft availability order?
1. michael crabtree
should be gone but if he magically slips we better get him
2.jeremy maclin
the next best thing to crabtree
3.tyson jackson
if top wrs are off the board a guy like this will tighten up the hole at the DE position
4.knowshon moreno
now that the top wrs and de is gone a rb like this is hard to give up
5.hakeem nicks/heyward-bey
with these guys all off the board comes the second duo of top wrs is an option
6.jason smith/eugene monroe
if either of these guys slip the jets would be smart to pick up an offensive lineman which would be very rare
7.brandon pettigrew
with the top OL,WRs,and RB off the board a TE would be a great choice here. (dont mind the OL thatd be impossible to get at pick 17)
8.percy harvin
not exactly the wr type were looking for but with 4 wrs gone hed be the 8th option of the nyjets
9.aaron curry
itll never happen but boy if hes here and every one else is gone then hell yea! take him
10.kenny britt/lmccoy/wells/donald brown
all these guys would be an absolute last option for a first rd pick and unless we really want britt or wells if it cam to this we should move out of the pick(i didnt include qbs sanchez and stafford because i think that could be the worst pick for the jets)
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my bad for the third scenerio i meant to type tyson jackson
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we need a man to replace coles and we need for emergency a good qb, bring ctler or queen, or do a miracle ad bring cassel…..or warner
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jim says:
kenny britt was the tallest and impressed the most at the combine out of all the WRs.. ran the 40 faster, he’s 6-4, 215, i like britt… but that also means he wont come close to dropping to us in the second round which means we have to make a decision here.. draft QB (if sanchez and stafford are gone, we’ll still probably take freeman) first round, and WR/lineman second round.. fili moala outta USC… we need an extra lineman when we jump to a 4-3, 46 and we can either shuffle things around with the ends and move one of em inside (ends would be coleman, ellis and gholston) or take a true lineman.. whatever the case i trust rex to make the necessary amends to our D.. we should monitor the samari rolle situation carefully cause if we sign him then we’re good to go in the secondary and rex knows he needs beef on the line to play a 4-3 and 46 any time…
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BubbyBrister/shovelpass says:
Please please no TE in the first round. They are usually not worth the pick. Notable exceptions of course being Gonzo, Heap, Witten, Keller, and sometimes Winslow. typically are good but rarely Great. You need to get a difference maker in the first round. Just my opinion.
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any way we can rip detroit off and trade for the 20th pick??
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Brabble says:
HAKEEM NICKS
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James in TN says:
Here’s an idea, why not just have the coaching staff teach Keller to block? Player development is still a key to winning. We have a great blocking FB, so a TE is not a priority a speedy WR however is. We can trade up to get Crabtree or wait and take a WR in a heavy WR draft. No pressure with the great moves by the FO. I can’t yet decide if the acquisitions were my favorite moves or the subtractions. It’s all good. Love this offseason just like I loved last year. Ahhh the subtractions were the best part: MANGINI gone!!!!!!!
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Brad says:
I am sorry, but i havent seen enough of Hakeem Nicks to jump on him. Took a long look at him on youtube- he looks real good, but reminds me of Cotchery. A good #2 but can he be a #1? He lacks the speed to be a true #1. I am very intrigued, and favor Darius Heyward-Bey. He looks great, and can do everything. The only bad thing is he is a former track guy, still learning the nuances of WR so he might not be the most productive in his 1st year but most WR’s arent anyways. At just under 6’2″ and running the 40 in 4.3, he has good size and great speed that cant be taught. He is a great athlete and he will always be the fastest guy on the field.
Maclin and Harvin are slow compared to Heyward-bey -
klecko71 says:
harvlis…and anyone who thinks we should take harvin….
go here:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/history/fulldraft?abbr=F&collegeName=Florida&abbrFlag=0&type=school
and tell me the florida reciever who was ever better then average.
if harvin hits a pothole while driving he could be out 2 weeks….
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Reprocity says:
I think the “deep threat” WR is a little over hyped… I’d take a Keyshawn over a Clowney any day. Deep threats can be specialists and not starters… see Dedric Ward, Jonathan Carter, and maybe Clowney.
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JesusRevis says:
Matt, Cotchery played at NC State, not UNC.
We should trade back and take Kenny Britt or Hakeem Nicks.