Link: Rex Ryan Sounding More and More Confident in His QBs?
Newsday’s Bob Glauber has a very detailed discussion with Rex Ryan from the league meetings. Coaches were available for a Tuesday media breakfast and here’s what Ryan had to say about his QB situation and on the weapons of this offense. Keep in mind this is just a snippet (although a long one) with much more good stuff at Glauber’s blog:
On comfort level with the quarterbacks: “I’m comfortable with the guys that we have. These young men have a lot of ability. They just haven’t had an opportunity to showcase what they can do. Kellen Clemens was a second-round pick and I saw him up close and personal (in 2007) while I was in Baltimore. We had a big lead. He brought that team back and if it wasn’t for a dropped post route, they would have tied the game in the fourth quarter against us. I certainly know what his capabilities are. As far as Brett Ratliff, all I can go on is what I saw on tape. I even watched practice tape on him. He had a 122.5 passer rating in the preseason. That’s hard to do against air. He’s going to get a good shot.”
On whether he will bring in a veteran: “I look at it this way. I brought in a veteran quarterbacks coach to lead these young guys in Matt Cavanaugh. Matt played 16 years in the League and won two Super Bowls as a player, won a national championship as a quarterback at the University of Pittsburgh and was the offensive coordinator in 2000 when the Ravens won a Super Bowl. I think I’ve got plenty of leadership there. I also have Jon DeFillipo as the assistant quarterbacks coach. I feel great about the coaching staff. I feel great about the guys that are going to be lead these young guys. I just think these young quarterbacks need an opportunity. Another thing I’m excited about is that they’re not coming in as just rookies. These guys are young but they have veteran experience in the system. This is Brian Schottenheimer’s fourth season, it will be Kellen Clemens’ fourth season. This will be Brett Ratliff’s third season. They’re familiar with the offense and I think that they can hit the ground running.”
On whether he would consider a quarterback that he thought could help his football team: “I feel good about our quarterback situation. Everyone seems to think we have major issues there. I don’t think the situation is what people think it is. I think we’re going to be just fine. As I look at our offense, if we don’t have the best offensive line in the League, I think we’re certainly in that mix. We have one of the best offensive line coaches in the League, if not the best, in Bill Callahan. That’s a great foundation right there. We have two Pro Bowl running backs in Leon Washington and Thomas Jones. We have a former Pro Bowl fullback in Tony Richardson. We’ve got a great receiver in (Jerricho) Cotchery. We’ve got a tight end that scares the heck out of defenses in Keller. I think we’ve got plenty of weapons on offense. I’d like to be the quarterback for those guys.”
Given his weapons on offense, on whether he would still prefer to have a proven quarterback to go with them: “Last year (in Baltimore), we drafted Joe Flacco and he wasn’t supposed to play. Then in a span of three days, we lose Kyle Boller to a shoulder injury, we lose Troy Smith to an illness and now all of a sudden Joe Flacco is our starting quarterback and we made it to the AFC championship game and we were close to beating Pittsburgh. You might have the next superstar in your own building. You’ve just got to give him an opportunity.”
There are QBs who can be successful regardless of what’s around them, and we’ll call them elite players, and then there are barometer quarterbacks … those who are successful when other things around them are successful. Chad Pennington was a barometer quarterback. The Jets don’t necessarily need an elite player (although I’ll take one) they need a caretaker who can work with a very successful line, a very successful running game, and an emerging passing game.
For much more, check out Glauber’s What about Bob? blog.
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Call me fool-hardy, but I like what he’s saying and I believe him. I don’t want to break any continuity until we see that it’s TOTALLY broken.. that NONE of our guys can get it done. With that supporting cast, a QB can definitely excel. We need to be fair to our homegrown guys. Doesn’t matter how “sexy” the name is.
Yay! Finally a voice of reason! After all the BS speculation from those without a vote in the matter, one of the real “DECIDERS” speaks out and makes sense. Angel is right: we don’t need “sexy”, we need sanity. Long live the Rex! Now can all those loose lipped pundits, professional and otherwise, shut up, sit down and let the driving to T-Rex. I really want to see what we’ve got in our hand before calling for another card that may turn out to be another Joker!
We need a #1 WR. We have Keller, Leon, Cotchery, an upset thomas Jones and nothing. Stuckey is an injury waiting to happen. Clowney is a question mark. Smith is a special teamer and so is Wright. This offense need sto be addressed and of course he says these things. What kind of jerk comes out and says I have two bums at QB who are going to lead us down the toilet?
I don’t think its fair to Chad to say he could only win on a strong team, With the exception of 2007, all chad ever needed to win was his own health. Every season that he was healthy he made the playoffs. I don’t think anyone thought the 2006 Jets were that good in Mangini’s first year, but chad got them to the playoofs. And certainly no one thought last year’s Dolphins were that good.
I think, in terms of how Bassett was defining ‘elite’ status, that Chad most certainly is a barometer qb. He isn’t going to take a bad team and carry it offensively into the playoffs.
I like that Rex is behind his young qbs so much. By not bringing in a veteran/making a trade Clemens and Ratliff can both go into training camp knowing that they are in a legitimate qb battle.
JAGG- nitpicking, but you left Marcus Henry off your list. He could mature into a decent big target, but you’re right when you say we need a #1 target.
Do you really think he is going to tell the media that his QB’s are terrible? What would that do to their confidence or even trade value?
“COME ON” and smarten up!!
This is a game of poker; you never show your hand. Why do you think Leftwich, Garcia and others are still available, because every team in the league that needs a QB is in line for a possible Cutler trade?
Once Cutler is off the market officially those QB’s on the free agent market will be picked up and signed.
Same goes for the Jets. If they can not get Cutler they will try to get the next best thing, and that does not mean draft someone because it will take a year or two to develop that player. They want to win now not 2011or later!!!
If they win now, that will help the PSL sales more then any 1 player just like Woody mentioned yesterday.
Smarten up people!!
FREE BRETT RATLIFF!!!!!!!
ratliff 09 baby!
I believe him. Everything he said makes sense.
screwcutler, isnt that exactly what chad did this year? he took a 1-15 team to the playoffs. that deserves credit
you have to take everything he said with a grain of salt. of course, he isnt going to come out and say “our QB suck, we have a gaping hole at the position”. that would give him no leverage in a trade.
if you asked every other HC those questions, you would get near identicle answers
Did he really reference the Raven’s 2000 offense as a positive? They wont that Super Bowl in spite of the offense. Hell, they went like five games without scoring a touchdown during the regular season. Anyways, he does make some good points about how a star QB can come from nowhere, albeit that chance of it happening are still pretty slim.
Cutler can eat a bag of you know whats.
With Cutler, the loser in Cleveland, 3 potential 1st round QBs, Leftwich, Garcia and, potentially, a half dozen others all potentially out there, there’s no reason for Rex to project concern about the QB position, yet. After the draft, things will shake out. I still do not believe that the Jets will enter training camp with just KC, Ratty and Ainge.
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I very much agree with HC Rex Ryan.We might very well have a star in the making in our own building.GIVE THEM A SHOT!!!!But noooo,we want Cutler?in the pre draft evaluations some projected Clemmens as a first rounder coming out but he broke his leg mid way or early in his senior year.Ron Jaworski was real high on the young man coming out .And Ratliff was one of those propects that grades and SAT scores force him to JUCO then to the Utah utes.Let them do their jobs and let us support them.Believe me if the don’t work out then we’ll be targeting Sam Bradford Or Timmy Tebow next year this time.
[...] Rex Ryan has said repeatedly that he’s comfortable with Brett Ratliff or Kellen Clemens as his starting [...]