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Jets replaced a Brick by trading for a gem ... and the payoff will be big

Gas2No99

By Gas2No99
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Gas2No99

Gas2No99

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Jets replaced a Brick by trading for a gem ... and the payoff will be big

 

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- General manager Mike Maccagnan, who once considered a career on Wall Street, showed last season that he has the ability to identify undervalued stocks. His trades for Brandon Marshalland Ryan Fitzpatrick cost him only two late-round draft picks, and the payoff was huge. Those moves changed the New York Jets’ season.

He might have done it again with Ryan Clady.

Because he's an offensive lineman, Clady won't grab as much attention as Marshall and Fitzpatrick, but he will be vital to the Jets' chances in 2016. It's still early, of course, but this has the look of another winning trade.

Capitalizing on an unusual left-tackle situation in Denver, Maccagnan bought low and landed a player with a Pro Bowl pedigree. He got Clady on the cheap because of his injury history -- Clady missed last season because of knee surgery -- but the lineman has shown no residual ill effects. He's taking the vast majority of the practice reps, perhaps more than any other starter on the offensive line.

This could be a new version of the Marshall trade. The Jets gave up a fifth-round pick, receiving a seventh-rounder and a highly motivated, elite player looking to recapture his previous form. Clady's last three injury-free seasons (2011, 2012 and 2014) all culminated with a Pro Bowl selection.

And he believes it can happen again.

"I'm feeling really good right now," Clady said. "[The Pro Bowl] is definitely always the goal. My main goal is to stay healthy and win a lot of games."

Clady is replacing the popular D'Brickashaw Ferguson, who retired abruptly in April. Ferguson didn't miss a practice in 10 years, much less a game, but his performance slipped last season in the opinion of the organization. Truth be told, the Jets went into the offseason with a succession plan. They made a bid for Kelechi Osemele, but he signed a monster deal with the Oakland Raiders. They continued to explore the free-agent market and draft prospects.

Meanwhile, the Jets watched from afar as Clady's situation in Denver deteriorated. The Broncos wanted him to take a massive pay cut and, when he refused, they signed Russell Okung to a below-market contract. Just like that, Clady was looking for a new team. Cold business, the NFL.

As they monitored Clady, the Jets floated the idea of a pay cut to Ferguson, who decided he'd rather be an ex-Jet than stick around for a discount. The Clady trade was announced the day after Ferguson retired, but in reality it had been in the works for several days.

Essentially, Clady is stepping into the shoes of football's Cal Ripken Jr. If Clady misses a game, he'll hear about Ferguson's ironman streak -- 160 straight games and no plays missed because of injury. Just the other day, Clady and left guard James Carpenter were talking about it after practice, marveling at Ferguson's durability.

"Unbelievable," Clady said.

Clady always admired Ferguson, ever since Clady's college days at Boise State. In a way, Ferguson inspired him.

"Great dude," he said. "When I was a younger guy in college, I started looking at the draft and thinking, 'Yeah, maybe I can make it to the NFL.' He was a high pick, a few years before me. I always looked at his career and always respected him.

"When my agent first told me I had the opportunity to come here, I was like, 'What's going on with Brick?' My agent was like, 'I don't know, I think he may retire.' I was happy for him. It was a great career."

Clady is similar to Ferguson in that he's quiet and studious, not a "me" guy. Center Nick Mangold raved about Clady's "attention to detail" and work ethic. This is an unusual situation for Mangold, who played with Ferguson for 10 years. It's surreal not seeing No. 60 to his left.

"It's been a long time since I had to think about the left-tackle perspective, because I always knew Brick was there," Mangold said. "Carp and I have our own little language and we have to make sure [Ryan] gets that. It's been fun doing that because I haven't done it in 10 years."

No one wants to disparage Ferguson, who will be in the Jets' Ring of Honor someday, but Clady is younger, more cost effective and simply better than his esteemed predecessor. The Jets were lucky that he was available and that they could make it happen.

Trader Mike has done it again.

 

 

 

 

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Gas2No99

Gas2No99

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4 minutes ago, Beerfish said:

~*Kelly*~ scooped you on this one old bean.

I saw that, but my format is pleasing to the eye for today's ADD degenerates and seems to get more viewership while its Posts wallow and sink to the bottom of the forum page. It's about INFORMING the Jets Nation members w/INFO! :P

 

And WATCH who you call an Old Bean you Canuck! (jk, I am an accountant by degree, so old Bean COUNTER would be more accurate.:lol:)

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Larz

Larz

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his back up is a roookie 5th round pick with this scouting report

Round 5: T Brandon Shell, C+

This grade has more to do with what the Jets spent on Shell than the player himself. They dealt a future fourth-round pick in order to select Shell, and in general paying a round up to advance a pick by a year is a pretty steep price to pay. So Shell better turn into a starter.

For whatever reason he has played worse at left tackle than right tackle, so ideally for the Jets they groom him for a year to replace Breno Giacomini in 2017.

what could go wrong ?

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jgb

jgb

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On 8/10/2016 at 0:00 AM, peebag said:

sure hope he can stay upright for 16+ games.  If he doesn't - sure hope Fitzy and QB Co. have adequate life insurance...

I'll take 12+

On 8/10/2016 at 0:08 AM, PCP63 said:

If there's one thing the Jets have done well these past few years, it's make great trades. Marshall, Fitz,  and Ivory immediately come to mind.

harvin ;)

On 8/10/2016 at 0:21 AM, Beerfish said:

What's Wayne Hunter up to these days?

he can be seen at the entrance of Gate D on game day

hunter-turnstyle.jpg

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