TOJ: Mike Maccagnan Draft Pick Evaluation '15 & '16

[Gas2No99]

New York Jets – Mike Maccagnan Draft Pick Evaluation

 

By Joe Caporoso.

It is generally premature to evaluate a draft class until after three seasons. However, it is a long offseason and it never hurts to take a step back to look at the big picture. Mike Maccagnan has made 13 draft picks since becoming the New York Jets GM. Here is an overview of their performance so far. (Note, this does not include UDFAs, which we will include when looking at his free agent signings next week).

2015

Leonard Williams (1st round, #6 overall) After two seasons Williams is headed to his first Pro Bowl and has the look of a player who will be there with a high amount of frequency. Generally regarded as the best overall player in the 2015 draft, he surprisingly fell to the 6th pick and the Jets pounced. In a vacuum Williams is a great player and a great pick. However, the grade of this pick is lowered somewhat because it should have been compounded with a trade of Muhammad Wilkerson. If the Jets had no intention of trading Wilkerson, they should have selected Vic Beasley, who led the NFL in sacks this past season.

Basically, having three very good 3-4 defensive ends with zero edge rushers is not better than having two very good 3-4 defensive ends with one very good edge rusher. The Jets will now likely trade Sheldon Richardson this offseason with his value at an all time low, after the experiment of having all three on the roster over the past two years didn’t work out and the first year after paying Wilkerson looking like a bad choice.

Again, it is not a knock on Williams who has been everything you could have hoped for and more through two years but this pick is not the “A+” it could be because it is about building the best overall team, which was not achieved by keeping all three defensive ends.

Devin Smith (2nd round, #37th overall) Smith has been a disappointment through two years, to put it politely. After some minor flashes as a rookie, he sustained a serious knee injury last December and basically missed his entire sophomore campaign. In the meantime, he was passed over by players like Robby Anderson, Jalin Marshall and Charone Peake on the depth chart. Smith will get another shot this summer but it will be an uphill battle for him to make an impact, despite having a unique skill set to make an impact as a vertical receiver.

Lorenzo Mauldin (3rd round, #82 overall) After an encouraging rookie year as a situational pass rusher, Mauldin regressed in year two. He missed five games due to injury, dropped from 4 sacks to 2.5 sacks and struggled to consistently generate pressure as a full time player. It is fair to question after two years if Mauldin can be a starter at outside linebacker or is better served being a role player as a pass rusher off the bench.

Bryce Petty (4th round, #103 overall) A mid round project quarterback who will already be 26 before the 2017 season. He was given a chance to start 4 games and play in 6 games as a sophomore after a redshirt rookie year and didn’t look the part of a future NFL starter (56 completion percentage, 6.1 YPA, 3 TDs, 7 INTs). The ceiling for Petty (whether Jets fans want to hear it or not) is becoming a decent backup quarterback and honestly that may be generous.

Jarvis Harrison (5th round, #152 overall) Did not make the roster as a rookie. There were concerns about his passion for the game coming out of college and he struggled to make any type of impression last summer. One of the few picks at this point that you can definitively say was a miss.

Deon Simon (7th round, #223 overall) Showed signs of being a capable full time nose tackle in his second year. He looked the part when given a bigger opportunity so it will be interesting to see how his playing time is divided up with veteran Steve McLendon next season (if McLendon is back). Simon may end up being a late round steal and helps soften the blow of the Petty and Harrison miss to an extent.

2016

Darron Lee (1st round, #20 overall) It was an okay rookie campaign for Lee, who was generally considered solid value at the 20th pick. He missed 3 games due to injury and struggled heavily in pass coverage when out there. However, Lee showed flashes of the sideline to sideline speed and instincts the Jets drafted him for, finishing with 42 tackles, 1 sack, 2 passes defensed and 4 tackles for a loss. He is far from a proven inside linebacker after one season but will get the chance to start alongside David Harris next season.

Christian Hackenberg (2nd round, #51 overall) A controversial pick that did not get any less controversial after one season, as he spent the majority of it as a 4th string, part time scout team quarterback. It does not seem the Jets think Hackenberg will be ready to start in 2017 either. All we have seen from him so far is an ugly preseason and a handful of anonymous quotes questioning if he can play at this level. This might be a miss that sticks with Maccagnan for awhile but we’ll have a better idea after 2017 of where Hackenberg really stands.

Jordan Jenkins (3rd round, #83 overall) After a quiet start to the season, Jenkins finished strong down the stretch (2.5 sacks, 1 FF in the last 4 games and a top ten pass rush grade from PFF in the final two weeks). Hopefully he can avoid the sophomore slump that plagued Mauldin, as he likely projects to being a starting outside linebacker next season.

Juston Burris (4th round, #118 overall) Put together an encouraging preseason, was not involved until the final few regular season games, where he had a few flashes against the Dolphins and Patriots. It is hard to project if Burris can be a full time player at this point but at a minimum, he has earned the chance to compete for reps in the Jets base defense next season. For a fourth rounder, it is hard to be anything but content with what you saw from Burris as a rookie.

Brandon Shell (5th round, #158 overall) Stated the Jets final three games and held up way better than expected. He will likely get to compete to be the starting right tackle next season and if the Jets found a starting tackle in the 5th round, that will be a big win for Maccagnan.

Lac Edwards (7th round, #235 overall) If you are going to use a pick on a punter, he better be good. Edwards was not good as a rookie with a 40.8 yards punt, no consistency pinning kicks inside the 20 and a muff that led to a touchdown vs. the Ravens. He will be back next year but if he plays at the same rate, may be cut sooner rather than later.

Charone Peake (7th round, #241 overall) Flashed in a very limited role and took advantage when given targets. Peake will be a rostered player next year. The size of his role will depend how the rest of the depth chart shakes out. Regardless, this has potential to be a good value pick in the 7th round.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Obrien2Toon]

Wow didn't realize Edwards fell off so bad at the end of the year.

He was great the first half of he season

[Joe W. Namath]

No one on this list can put points on the board.

GET PLAYERS THAT CAN PUT THE BALL IN THE ENDZONE!

[ljr]

Yeah , I couldn't watch much of the end of the season without wanting to bludgeon someone or something ... But I think the review is off on Edwards ... Outside of he & Folk the rest of our Special Teams (including coaches) s*cked the big one though !

[ASH1962]

1 hour ago, Joe W. Namath said:

No one on this list can put points on the board.

GET PLAYERS THAT CAN PUT THE BALL IN THE ENDZONE!

What an awesome point....Absolutely spot on, there is nobody on that list that any opponent fears.

[Gas2No99]

3 hours ago, Joe W. Namath said:

No one on this list can put points on the board.

GET PLAYERS THAT CAN PUT THE BALL IN THE ENDZONE!

I believe Devin Smith was supposed to be that Offensive Threat guy you describe. It's like Santana Moss all over again, a Speed DEMON but very fragile. A Ferrari being driven in midtown rush hour traffic- an eventual disaster waiting to happen.

If you recall most of the write-ups declared Devin Smith to be an instant  scoring threat due to his speed:

2015 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Devin Smith

Strengths: 

• Very fast 
• Deep-threat receiver 
• Skilled at getting separation 
• Threat to score on any touch 
• Home-run hitter 
• Leaping ability 
• Attacks the football 
• Able to make contested catches
• Stretches a defense vertically 
• Explosive play-maker in college 
• Dangerous run-after-the-catch receiver 
• Quick release off of the line 
• Plug and play; ready to contribute 
• Experienced and successful against quality college programs 
• Good size for a speed receiver

Weaknesses: 

• Needs development as a route runner 
• A little straight line 
• Raw 
• Has to learn to run underneath routes

For the NFL, Smith looks like a dangerous deep-threat receiver who can take the top off a defense. He will challenge cornerbacks vertically and many teams are going to have to consider safety help over the top. While Smith is fast running downfield, he also is skilled at making leaping grabs over defensive backs. Smith can high-point the football and make contested catches. He has very good body control along the sideline and end zone. 

Smith needs to develop his route-running and ability to function on underneath routes. He showed some ability to do that at the Senior Bowl, but he needs more work and refinement. Smith will need to learn to run all of the route tree for the pros. 

In the 2015 NFL Draft, Smith could get late first-round consideration and is unlikely to be lower than a second-round pick. Right where Mack look him.

 

IMO,

I think two factors contribute as to why Devin Smith has been a significant disappointment thus far:

1) He's too light and fragile for the initial physicality of the NFL and MUCH LIKE S. Moss, Ted Ginn, DeSeasn Jackson, Terry Glenn, and Peter Warrick, these guys are NEVER healthy during their initial contract and FINALLY show up during the final year and put a team in a hard place on whether to commit long-term. I believe Devin Smith will have a similar career arc. 

 

2) Smith was drafted when NFL-CANNON armed Geno Smith was declared the starter in Spring 2015. Smith & Smith  COULD HAVE developed a nice deep ball relationship, but that never came to fruition and Pick6Patrick could never truly feed him the deep ball.

 

With strong armed Petty, Hack, and . . . . Glennon? Smith can still SALVAGE his career if he stays healthy, adds strength, and FINALLY becomes the offensive scoring threat he was in college. 

 

 

 

[rangerous]

the list is fine as far as the drafted players go but what's also missing is that mac gave up a draft pick for marshall and also signed udfa's like anderson and j marshall.  they do need to get players that scare their opponents. imo the two drafts have been good.

[CrazyCarl40]

11 hours ago, Joe W. Namath said:

No one on this list can put points on the board.

GET PLAYERS THAT CAN PUT THE BALL IN THE ENDZONE!

They traded a pick for Brandon Marshall. They picked up Anderson, Smith, Peale, and Jalin Marshall in the draft or UDFA. While I agree they've ignore the running back position, it's not like they haven't picked up anyone. Your analysis is way off. I'm guessing they address RB and maybe TE in the middle rounds this draft. 

[kennyo7]

While there may be no stars here outside of L Williams, he's putting together a solid core of young players that will provide quality depth, something that Mangini was putting together taking Rex to the AFCCG back to back years. When Rex and company let the depth go without replenishing it the team crumbled to where we are. 

While I have my doubts about the coaching , philosophical I like the approach to rebuilding this team. 

If Shell becomes a starter at RT and Jenkins/Simon/Lee continue to develop into solid starters at their positions coupled with quality depth/role players in Anderson, Peake, Burris, Mauldin and a solid back up QB in Petty then we are heading in the right direction despite whiffs with Hackenberg and Devin Smith

[drsamuel84]

1 hour ago, kennyo7 said:

While there may be no stars here outside of L Williams, he's putting together a solid core of young players that will provide quality depth, something that Mangini was putting together taking Rex to the AFCCG back to back years. When Rex and company let the depth go without replenishing it the team crumbled to where we are. 

While I have my doubts about the coaching , philosophical I like the approach to rebuilding this team. 

If Shell becomes a starter at RT and Jenkins/Simon/Lee continue to develop into solid starters at their positions coupled with quality depth/role players in Anderson, Peake, Burris, Mauldin and a solid back up QB in Petty then we are heading in the right direction despite whiffs with Hackenberg and Devin Smith

Agree with this point 100% the biggest part of building a roster is finding those role player/depth guys in rounds 3-7/UDFA and I think Macc has done a fine job of that.  This team was a mess thanks to Tannenbaum giving draft picks away like candy and the toxic environment  of the two Rex/Idzik years.  As much as last year was fun, 10-6 was a mirage, this team is in desperate need of a full rebuild.  Unless this team is a complete disaster next year.  Macc deserves at least two more years before we start to see real results.  

[FidelioJet]

1 hour ago, kennyo7 said:

While there may be no stars here outside of L Williams, he's putting together a solid core of young players that will provide quality depth, something that Mangini was putting together taking Rex to the AFCCG back to back years. When Rex and company let the depth go without replenishing it the team crumbled to where we are. 

While I have my doubts about the coaching , philosophical I like the approach to rebuilding this team. 

If Shell becomes a starter at RT and Jenkins/Simon/Lee continue to develop into solid starters at their positions coupled with quality depth/role players in Anderson, Peake, Burris, Mauldin and a solid back up QB in Petty then we are heading in the right direction despite whiffs with Hackenberg and Devin Smith

Except impact players is how you win in this league.  Yes you need depth but that's basic competence from a GM.  Look around the league.  Teams that win have impact players - the Jets have none.

[Big Blocker]

ON MAULDIN

 

with all the focus on the Qb position drama and concerns about the CS, I have to rank Mauldin's drop off when I and many fans expected him to improve to be one of the big stories from last year.  It did not seem the least bit unrealistic to expect him to develop into a solid starter, bringing needed youth to the linebacker corps, and a sack threat to the overall D. 

This is one I simply do not understand.  Was it injuries?  His first season was actually his ceiling?  Poor use of him?

Very disappointing.

[LIJetsFan]

Coaching

[kmnj]

he drafted one good player-williams who anybody would have taken at the spot-it is the same garbage people did with our last gm-he is following the EXACT route-he maxed out our cap and now will do a dump of vet players to free up cash so he can rinse and repeat

Jet fans are funny our team sucks something awful but yet they say "we have talent" , our" drafts are good "and "our coach is good"-I guess it is bad luck that he were one of the worst teams in the league-now some will say we had no qb and I would say thank mac for overpaying and bringing back a jag qb who never had a history of winning any big game or a game on the road vs a winning team in YEARS

We are a bottom tier team sinking fast-we have regressed greatly this past year.

Out of all of the guys listed above only Williams would be considered a starter by most teams.

I wonder what some of you folks do for a living where you can tolerate and justify incompetence over and over again.

 

 

 

 

[T0mShane]

In the first three rounds of both drafts he's found one decent player, and that player fell into his lap presumably because he's got a massive weed addiction. Lee, Devin Smith, and Hackenberg not only suck, but drafting them at all was dumb. Smith runs one route, which Fitzpatrick couldn't throw. Lee is a strong safety playing ILB for a team that just handed David Harris a fat extension, and Hackenberg was a flambè de basura from the get-go. 

[kmnj]

2 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

In the first three rounds of both drafts he's found one decent player, and that player fell into his lap presumably because he's got a massive weed addiction. Lee, Devin Smith, and Hackenberg not only suck, but drafting them at all was dumb. Smith runs one route, which Fitzpatrick couldn't throw. Lee is a strong safety playing ILB for a team that just handed David Harris a fat extension, and Hackenberg was a flambè de basura from the get-go. 

exactly lol

 

 

[dbatesman]

25 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

In the first three rounds of both drafts he's found one decent player, and that player fell into his lap presumably because he's got a massive weed addiction.

wait wat

[JustInFudge]

13 hours ago, Joe W. Namath said:

No one on this list can put points on the board.

GET PLAYERS THAT CAN PUT THE BALL IN THE ENDZONE!

Technically, Hack, Petty, Smith and Peake all can put points on the board, if they actually do, is a totally different story.  

[JustInFudge]

2 minutes ago, dbatesman said:

wait wat

He gets the weed shakes.  It's a really terrible thing.  Between snaps, he has to hit one of those oil pens on the sidelines.  Everyone thinks he's just hitting a tobacco vape but it's the real deal high concentrated THC oil.  It then soothes his addiction and he can play like the monster he is. 

It's like LT but weed because it's basically the same thing.

[T0mShane]

4 minutes ago, dbatesman said:

wait wat

Tying the drop in the draft with his hookah parts thing. I'm like Columbo 

[T0mShane]

Just now, JiF said:

He gets the weed shakes.  It's a really terrible thing.  Between snaps, he has to hit one of those oil pens on the sidelines.  Everyone thinks he's just hitting a tobacco vape but it's the real deal high concentrated THC oil.  It then soothes his addiction and he can play like the monster he is. 

It's like LT but weed because it's basically the same thing.

Impressive that you overcame the dick shakes to type this all out.

[RutgersJetFan]

35 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

In the first three rounds of both drafts he's found one decent player, and that player fell into his lap presumably because he's got a massive weed addiction. Lee, Devin Smith, and Hackenberg not only suck, but drafting them at all was dumb. Smith runs one route, which Fitzpatrick couldn't throw. Lee is a strong safety playing ILB for a team that just handed David Harris a fat extension, and Hackenberg was a flambè de basura from the get-go. 

are you gonna factor this stuff into your next mock

[T0mShane]

5 minutes ago, RutgersJetFan said:

are you gonna factor this stuff into your next mock

1. Yes.

2. Going all seven rounds, baby. Free up some gigs.

[JustInFudge]

11 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

Impressive that you overcame the dick shakes to type this all out.

I have a dick necklace that I can suck on to help me overcome my addiction. 

[T0mShane]

Just now, JiF said:

I have a dick necklace that I can suck on to help me overcome my addiction. 

Welllllllll done, sir lol

[Beerfish]

Williams - Great pick resisted any urge to get too cute, when the Redskins screwed up and took a guard the jests smartly jumped on this guy,

Smith - Terrible pick, never looked good, got hurt, turned the ball over for a td, got hurt again, is left in the dust by UDFA, he'll be cut this coming camp.

Mauldin - Decent pick, had a good looking rookie year, is a victim of the Todd Bowles awful defense system.

Petty - Decent pick, got a guy with a good arm and some success in the 4th round worth a developmental pick.

Harrison - Ended up being bad but this is the range you can take a chance on a guy with skills even if he is not the total package.  Harrison signed on with I think Tampa recently.

Simon - Great pick, the guy looked good in his limited playing time last year

Lee - Bad value pick, Lee made some tackles but made a lot of terrible plays and made zero big plays.  Certainly not a bust at this point but his instincts are suspect.

Hackenburg - Worst 2nd round pick out of all our horrible 2nd round picks.

Jordan Jenkins - Good pick a versatile guy with a good attitude, will be handicapped like Mauldin by Bowles awful defense'

Burris - Good pick, the has shown something in his rookie year but he has work to do as well. 

Shell - Initially looked like a bad pick in camp as the guy looked awful but for once we have a guy wh seems to have learned and improved,  the pick is looking pretty good right now, if he is our starting Rt next year the pick was great.

Edwards - I still think this is a good pick but I can sense some over coaching with this guy.  Starts the year as a rocket legged guy who was making a difference, had a return or so and a blocked punt and suddenly he can't kick anymore.  smacks of coaches messing with his timing and harping on placement.

Peake - Good pick our udfa guys got a bit more ink and playing time but Peake looks like he has a good overall skill set, when the dust settles I think he may end up being the best of the wr group.

[detectivekimble]

12 hours ago, Big Blocker said:

ON MAULDIN

 

with all the focus on the Qb position drama and concerns about the CS, I have to rank Mauldin's drop off when I and many fans expected him to improve to be one of the big stories from last year.  It did not seem the least bit unrealistic to expect him to develop into a solid starter, bringing needed youth to the linebacker corps, and a sack threat to the overall D. 

This is one I simply do not understand.  Was it injuries?  His first season was actually his ceiling?  Poor use of him?

Very disappointing.

He was heavy footed to begin with and they had him gain 15 pounds in the offseason so he'd be more stout against the run.  So now he blows against the run and pass.

[Sperm Edwards]

18 hours ago, rangerous said:

what's also missing is that mac gave up a draft pick for marshall

 

17 hours ago, CrazyCarl40 said:

They traded a pick for Brandon Marshall. 

If you're going to go this route, then include the 10+ draft picks traded away or turned away from 2015 & 2016, not just cherry-pick the one for Marshall.

[BurnleyJet]

18 hours ago, Big Blocker said:

ON MAULDIN

 

with all the focus on the Qb position drama and concerns about the CS, I have to rank Mauldin's drop off when I and many fans expected him to improve to be one of the big stories from last year.  It did not seem the least bit unrealistic to expect him to develop into a solid starter, bringing needed youth to the linebacker corps, and a sack threat to the overall D. 

This is one I simply do not understand.  Was it injuries?  His first season was actually his ceiling?  Poor use of him?

Very disappointing.

They asked him to put on weight which slowed him down. They missed used him. They also gave his reps at OLB to Sheldon Richardson.

#KaceyRogersDefensiveGuru!

[BurnleyJet]

On 20 January 2017 at 4:37 AM, Gas2No99 said:

I believe Devin Smith was supposed to be that Offensive Threat guy you describe. It's like Santana Moss all over again, a Speed DEMON but very fragile. A Ferrari being driven in midtown rush hour traffic- an eventual disaster waiting to happen.

If you recall most of the write-ups declared Devin Smith to be an instant  scoring threat due to his speed:

2015 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Devin Smith

Strengths: 

• Very fast 
• Deep-threat receiver 
• Skilled at getting separation 
• Threat to score on any touch 
• Home-run hitter 
• Leaping ability 
• Attacks the football 
• Able to make contested catches
• Stretches a defense vertically 
• Explosive play-maker in college 
• Dangerous run-after-the-catch receiver 
• Quick release off of the line 
• Plug and play; ready to contribute 
• Experienced and successful against quality college programs 
• Good size for a speed receiver

Weaknesses: 

• Needs development as a route runner 
• A little straight line 
• Raw 
• Has to learn to run underneath routes

For the NFL, Smith looks like a dangerous deep-threat receiver who can take the top off a defense. He will challenge cornerbacks vertically and many teams are going to have to consider safety help over the top. While Smith is fast running downfield, he also is skilled at making leaping grabs over defensive backs. Smith can high-point the football and make contested catches. He has very good body control along the sideline and end zone. 

Smith needs to develop his route-running and ability to function on underneath routes. He showed some ability to do that at the Senior Bowl, but he needs more work and refinement. Smith will need to learn to run all of the route tree for the pros. 

In the 2015 NFL Draft, Smith could get late first-round consideration and is unlikely to be lower than a second-round pick. Right where Mack look him.

 

IMO,

I think two factors contribute as to why Devin Smith has been a significant disappointment thus far:

1) He's too light and fragile for the initial physicality of the NFL and MUCH LIKE S. Moss, Ted Ginn, DeSeasn Jackson, Terry Glenn, and Peter Warrick, these guys are NEVER healthy during their initial contract and FINALLY show up during the final year and put a team in a hard place on whether to commit long-term. I believe Devin Smith will have a similar career arc. 

 

2) Smith was drafted when NFL-CANNON armed Geno Smith was declared the starter in Spring 2015. Smith & Smith  COULD HAVE developed a nice deep ball relationship, but that never came to fruition and Pick6Patrick could never truly feed him the deep ball.

 

With strong armed Petty, Hack, and . . . . Glennon? Smith can still SALVAGE his career if he stays healthy, adds strength, and FINALLY becomes the offensive scoring threat he was in college. 

 

 

 

I never got the whole Devin Smith love thing. The guy flat out can not play football, he's made of glass and after two years Stephen Hill look All Pro in comparison.

Hill.

Receptions:    45
Receiving yards:    594
Receiving touchdowns:    4

Smith

Receptions:    10
Receiving yards:    135
Receiving touchdowns:    1

 

 

I realise he's missed time, but this guy won't jump Q, Anderson, Peake or even J.Marshall on the Depth chart. What's his ceiling #3 receiver?

He's a classic:-

"Jets 2nd Round Bust®".

[JETdawg1389]

1 hour ago, BurnleyJet said:

I never got the whole Devin Smith love thing. The guy flat out can not play football, he's made of glass and after two years Stephen Hill look All Pro in comparison.

Hill.

Receptions:    45
Receiving yards:    594
Receiving touchdowns:    4

Smith

Receptions:    10
Receiving yards:    135
Receiving touchdowns:    1

 

 

I realise he's missed time, but this guy won't jump Q, Anderson, Peake or even J.Marshall on the Depth chart. What's his ceiling #3 receiver?

He's a classic:-

"Jets 2nd Round Bust®".

Got to cut the guy some slack, not great as a rookie, but hes coming back from a long lay off and a nasty injury. Give him a full offseason, and a chance to build some chemistry with whoever is under centre, he's shown he's quick off the mark and can gain separation, so he could develop into a nice slot option

 

[rangerous]

1 hour ago, JETdawg1389 said:

Got to cut the guy some slack, not great as a rookie, but hes coming back from a long lay off and a nasty injury. Give him a full offseason, and a chance to build some chemistry with whoever is under centre, he's shown he's quick off the mark and can gain separation, so he could develop into a nice slot option

 

i'm not a real fan of smith but i agree.  he also had that punctured lung in his first training camp.  pretty freak injury if you ask me.  right now anderson has him beat as a deep threat but there is a reason why he was an udfa and smith was drafted (no jokes about mac taking him too high) in the 2nd round.  he may turn out to be a decent receiver once the injury bug is sorted out.

you know there are guys who come into the league and have all sorts of injuries early on and then turn into decent players.  some of these guys are still growing and their bodies aren't set yet.  and look at a guy like powell.  his first two seasons he looked pretty slow and just not a very good runner.  now it looks like he gets shot out of a cannon and runs hard.  it took him until is third year to become good enough to start.

[LIJetsFan]

21 hours ago, Beerfish said:

 

Edwards - I still think this is a good pick but I can sense some over coaching with this guy.  Starts the year as a rocket legged guy who was making a difference, had a return or so and a blocked punt and suddenly he can't kick anymore.  smacks of coaches messing with his timing and harping on placement.

 

......"The emphasis will be leg strength. It'll help me get through the year with the volume of kicks and how long the season is," Edwards told me at the end of the season before heading for points west (Texas and California) to train. "That's one thing I probably didn't have a great base on coming in was just the leg strength that will help me get through the year.

"Other than that, just working on every facet of the game, getting reps, volume of kicks, and, really, fundamentals to get into good habits so that when I come back the next year, it's going to be automatic, I'm not falling into bad habits halfway through the year like I did this year. That's really the main focus.......

full article: http://forums.jetnation.com/topic/131025-lachlan-edwards-~-~-~/

 

[kennyo7]

22 hours ago, FidelioJet said:

Except impact players is how you win in this league.  Yes you need depth but that's basic competence from a GM.  Look around the league.  Teams that win have impact players - the Jets have none.

Most winning teams have one or two truly impact players. Look at the Pats. They have Brady and a whole bunch of solid depth players that they plug in and play as they lose players year in and year out. 

Winning teams have solid depth that can fill in and not miss a beat when starters go down or leave. The number of impact players is usually limited. We have one or two on the D Line. We have no depth. You are underestimating the value of depth and its impact on winning but more importantly sustained winning. Our cupboard is bare. Mac is just starting to fill it. Rebuilding takes time. Our lack of patience has made it longer than it should. We had a good plan in place when Mangini was here but Woody couldn't be patient and take the lumps while a young coach learned on the job

[BurnleyJet]

5 hours ago, JETdawg1389 said:

Got to cut the guy some slack, not great as a rookie, but hes coming back from a long lay off and a nasty injury. Give him a full offseason, and a chance to build some chemistry with whoever is under centre, he's shown he's quick off the mark and can gain separation, so he could develop into a nice slot option

 

What are your expectations for Smith? - I think he's lucky he makes the 53. Even Bowles said he was full go when he cam back week 7/8. We have our 9 route runner, he's called Anderson, and he can actually play.