Maccagnan, Jets Trying to Assemble Arsenal for Future Signal Caller

[JetNation]

By Glenn Naughton

 

The New York Jets may not have a franchise quarterback on their roster right now, but if they do manage to snag one in the 2018 draft as many fans are hoping, the moves they’ve made this season and last, could benefit any future signal caller for years to come.

Charone Peake is one of the many young receivers who will be battling it out in camp this season.

This is not a dismissal of the potential of current QB Christian Hackenberg, but an acknowledgement that what he showed last year gave onlookers little reason to believe he’ll be the answer at quarterback for the franchise moving forward. Of course fans are free to hope Hackenberg can be great, but how many of us remember hoping that John Idzik was going to be a master deal-maker, and that Geno Smith, another second round QB, was going to end the team’s decades-long drought at quarterback?  So much for that.

With the addition tight end Jordan Leggett and a pair of wide receivers in ArDarius Stewart and Chad Hansen in the NFL draft, followed by undrafted free agent additions Gabe Marks and KD Cannon, the Jets currently have a total of 21 wide receivers and tight ends to audition in training camp, with Eric Decker being the only one with 8 pro seasons under his belt.

Behind Decker, there’s Quinton Patton and Quincy Enunwa, with five and four pro seasons respectively, as the elder statesmen of the group.  In all, the Jets currently have sixteen receivers and tight ends with fewer than five years of pro experience.  That’s a lot of young talent to mold and evaluate.

Should he stick around, Eric Decker will be expected to play the role of mentor when camp kicks off this season.

In looking up and down the list of receivers and tight ends, you see that it’s a versatile and potentially deep group with speedsters such as Robby Anderson, Charone Peake, and Cannon, along with Enunwa and Stewart adding physicality at the position.  Decker’s veteran savvy could prove critical in the development of some of the youngsters. and  his route-running is second to none.

At tight end, there are two big question marks in Leggett and last year’s in-season addition, Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Both have the skills to be legitimate threats in the passing game, but neither has much interest in blocking opposing defenders, which could limit what the team does if they had any interest in using both players in any two TE sets.

One player worth keeping an eye on is Braedon Bowman, a young H-back/tight end out of South Alabama as Bowman may not have the ideal size to play in line at 6′ 4” 244, but he has good hands and is more than happy to mix it up with opponents as a blocker.

He’ll have an uphill battle with so many options on the roster, but the aforementioned Gabe Marks is another

Gabe Marks caught 28 TD passes in his final two seasons at Washington State.

youngster who may not have elite speed at 4.56, but he shows excellent hands and quickness in and out of his breaks. He may find a way to stick as a slot receiver this season.

In the end, what matters most is that the training camp battle at wide receiver should be one of the best in camp, with a pair of quality pass catchers to throw in to the mix at tight end.

We’ve seen time and again that today’s NFL is all about having a quarterback who can sling it.  Without one to turn to, the effort being made by the Jets to have the pieces in place for that quarterback, should they ever arrive, is probably the next best thing.

 

 

 

 

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[Warfish]

21 WR's and TE's eh. 

With what, about 5 that may actually have NFL level production talent/potential?

Seriously this group is quite overhyped for what is a rather weak group today. SOJF.

[ZachEY]

2 minutes ago, Warfish said:

21 WR's and TE's eh. 

With what, about 5 that may actually have NFL level production talent/potential?

Seriously this group is quite overhyped for what is a rather weak group today. SOJF.

In Jets-Land, a wealth of average is the same as one or two talented players.

[dbatesman]

Eric Allen just read this story and rolled his eyes.

[Jetdawgg]

29 minutes ago, Warfish said:

21 WR's and TE's eh. 

With what, about 5 that may actually have NFL level production talent/potential?

Seriously this group is quite overhyped for what is a rather weak group today. SOJF.

It was the weak armed QB that kept this group from flourishing last season. Wilson or Rodgers would love this unit.

[AFJF]

Jets fans: Why doesn't this team build from the ground up and get some young talent?

JN: Look Jets fans, Jets are building from the ground up and got some young talent.

Jets fans: OMG Jets fans 

[AFJF]

23 minutes ago, Jetdawgg said:

It was the weak armed QB that kept this group from flourishing last season. Wilson or Rodgers would love this unit.

Exactly.  With a better QB, Robby Anderson would've been a moster last season. Blew past CB's on a regular basis and couldn't do enough to come down with the terrible throws coming his way.  

[JetFaninMI]

18 minutes ago, Jetdawgg said:

It was the weak armed QB that kept this group from flourishing last season. Wilson or Rodgers would love this unit.

Unfortunately we don't have either one. It's easy to be skeptical at this point given the unproven nature of the WR corps and the unsettled nature of the QB situation. I for one will try to give whoever the starter is the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. Lets face it, its going to be a crap shoot and all I want to see is improvement this season and guys working hard. All I ask is they don't give up and that's really all We the fans can ask at this point.

[Tinstar]

1 hour ago, Warfish said:

21 WR's and TE's eh. 

With what, about 5 that may actually have NFL level production talent/potential?

Seriously this group is quite overhyped for what is a rather weak group today. SOJF.

From the group of players listed, can you find anyone who could be a Wayne Chrebet  clone ?  How about an Eric Decker clone that runs solid routes and has excellent hands ?  Is there anyone who could be an Anquan Bolden type receiver  ? Is there anyone who can stretch the field and take the top off a defense opening up underneath routes . In all of this, the only thing I don't see is a TE who can actually block at the POA .  Everything you need to have a successful receiving core the Jets have in camp, now the rest is up to the players themselves and their position coach .   

What more can a GM do  ?

When the Steelers drafted Antonio Brown, did anyone thing he would become their #1 Receiver and arguably the best receiver in the sport ?

The thing I like about this group of youngsters is that all of them catch the football well and it's arguably their best attribute .

  

[Tinstar]

44 minutes ago, JetFaninMI said:

Unfortunately we don't have either one. It's safe to be skeptical at this point given the unproven nature of the WR corps and the unsettled nature of the QB situation. I for one will try to give whoever the starter is the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. Lets face it, its going to be a crap shoot and all I want to see is improvement this season and guys working hard. All I ask is they don't give up and that's really all We the fans can ask at this point.

Fixed that for you .

 

[Sperm Edwards]

1 hour ago, AFJF said:

Exactly.  With a better QB, Robby Anderson would've been a moster last season. Blew past CB's on a regular basis and couldn't do enough to come down with the terrible throws coming his way.  

I can identify a number of teams in the league where, if subjected to the Jets' QBing, plenty of fans would have still been crying about the need for a "true #1" WR. It wouldn't hurt, but really all a good QB needs is a few of them capable of getting open, or 2 of them plus a TE, and the whole "#1 WR" prerequisite will seem to fade away.

It's a big enough group as it is. Decker-Enunwa-Anderson seems a more than adequate trio to not whine about wepponz, health/suspension permitting, even if none among them is a top 5-10 WR individually. Further/immediate results from any one - even better if more than one - of our two TEs, Peake, our pair of rookie WRs, or anyone else in camp, is gravy for this year alone.

They're all young enough, though, that replenishment due to declining skills won't be necessary for at least a couple of seasons.

[Jetdawgg]

There is a great deal of negativity surrounding the QB position here. Particularly Hack.

[AFJF]

2 minutes ago, Jetdawgg said:

There is a great deal of negativity surrounding the QB position here. Particularly Hack.

I can understand why, but I like that they're drafting/signing a lot of young receivers with a lot of potential so they'll have something for any new QB's to work with if/when they draft one.

[Tinstar]

2 minutes ago, Jetdawgg said:

There is a great deal of negativity surrounding the QB position here. Particularly Hack.

Yes, and there should be until these players prove themselves

[Jetdawgg]

1 minute ago, AFJF said:

I can understand why, but I like that they're drafting/signing a lot of young receivers with a lot of potential so they'll have something for any new QB's to work with if/when they draft one.

 Agree with the WR portion of your post. Just how many more drafts is Macc going to get if he continues to draft QB's like Hack? Again, he has not played any significant time yet there is so much negativity. That is not sustainable.

[AFJF]

Just now, Jetdawgg said:

 Agree with the WR portion of your post. Just how many more drafts is Macc going to get if he continues to draft QB's like Hack? Again, he has not played any significant time yet there is so much negativity. That is not sustainable.

I think if Mac hits on a high enough percentage of his other draft picks, he gets to take another QB.

Time will tell.

[Jetdawgg]

5 minutes ago, Tinstar said:

Yes, and there should be until these players prove themselves

2 out of the three Jets QB's are proven losers right now. The third one has a very negative rating before he can even get out of the gate well. 

[section314]

47 minutes ago, Tinstar said:

From the group of players listed, can you find anyone who could be a Wayne Chrebet  clone ?  How about an Eric Decker clone that runs solid routes and has excellent hands ?  Is there anyone who could be an Anquan Bolden type receiver  ? Is there anyone who can stretch the field and take the top off a defense opening up underneath routes . In all of this, the only thing I don't see is a TE who can actually block at the POA .  Everything you need to have a successful receiving core the Jets have in camp, now the rest is up to the players themselves and their position coach .   

What more can a GM do  ?

When the Steelers drafted Antonio Brown, did anyone thing he would become their #1 Receiver and arguably the best receiver in the sport ?

The thing I like about this group of youngsters is that all of them catch the football well and it's arguably their best attribute .

  

Kind of a good thing for WR,s no?

[Warfish]

1 hour ago, Tinstar said:

From the group of players listed, can you find anyone who could be a Wayne Chrebet  clone ?  How about an Eric Decker clone that runs solid routes and has excellent hands ?  Is there anyone who could be an Anquan Bolden type receiver  ? Is there anyone who can stretch the field and take the top off a defense opening up underneath routes . In all of this, the only thing I don't see is a TE who can actually block at the POA .  Everything you need to have a successful receiving core the Jets have in camp, now the rest is up to the players themselves and their position coach .     

A perfect example of overhype and unearned optimism.

[Fantasy Island]

How did we get ready for a 2018 QB draft pick exactly?  I don't remember drafting OL heavily this year.   

[Beerfish]

Well there is no doubt about it you do assemble and arsenal via late round picks and udfa with the odd 3rd rounder kicked in.  We have 75 wr, are bringing in nuclear weapons like ridley and Robinson at rb and have just stocked the iron wall oline with high picks.

Hackenburg should be thanking his lucky starts the jets spend so much draft capital and $$$ on this budding juggernaut of an offense.

WEAPONZZZZZ

 

[T0mShane]

FUN THOUGHT PROJECT:

 

Name one other NFL team whose skill position group you wouldn't trade the Jets' skill group for right now 

[UnitedWhofans]

10 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

FUN THOUGHT PROJECT:

 

Name one other NFL team whose skill position group you wouldn't trade the Jets' skill group for right now 

Browns, maybe Bills because Watkins gets hurt a lot.

Ravens is separated only by Pitta.

Saints because Brees makes that system go.

Vikings aren't really that set up offensively

Patriots because Brady makes that system work. Gronk gets hurt a lot too

[T0mShane]

2 hours ago, AFJF said:

Jets fans: Why doesn't this team build from the ground up and get some young talent?

JN: Look Jets fans, Jets are building from the ground up and got some young talent.

Jets fans: OMG Jets fans 

I fondly recall your calls for patience during John Idzik's two seasons at the helm.

[UnitedWhofans]

You see @TomShane's question becomes muddled because if Tom Brady had our skill players, I think he might be as good or even better than his skill players right now.

Same with Drew Brees.

[Beerfish]

3 minutes ago, UnitedWhofans said:

You see @TomShane's question becomes muddled because if Tom Brady had our skill players, I think he might be as good or even better than his skill players right now.

Same with Drew Brees.

Good thing hanckenburg is at least as good as those guys.

[UnitedWhofans]

6 minutes ago, Beerfish said:

Good thing hanckenburg is at least as good as those guys.

That wasn't the question he posed.

He posed that were there teams that you wouldn't trade the Jets skill players for. Said nothing about the QB. Therefore his barb is flawed and comes out being reamed by an idiot like me.

[Bugg]

17 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

FUN THOUGHT PROJECT:

 

Name one other NFL team whose skill position group you wouldn't trade the Jets' skill group for right now 

Followup-name any NFL which would swap OL group  with the Jets. Or even less than that-swap out center and LT. 

[UnitedWhofans]

10 minutes ago, Bugg said:

Followup-name any NFL which would swap OL group  with the Jets. Or even less than that-swap out center and LT. 

Giants

[The Troll]

Maybe they should try, like, in the first two rounds or something.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bugg]

4 minutes ago, UnitedWhofans said:

Giants

Take out Erick Flowers. Not sure I'd swap the whole group or the 2 big ones, but he is terrible and the guy who may cost them. 

[ZachEY]

6 minutes ago, The Troll said:

Maybe they should try, like, in the first two rounds or something.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Then where would they find their safety talent?

[AFJF]

38 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

I fondly recall your calls for patience during John Idzik's two seasons at the helm.

I'm pretty sure I did, until he was the only GM in the entire NFL to draft a WR who wasn't good enough to get a single catch in an entire season, in what was arguably the deepest WR class in the past million years, with that position being arguably the team's top need.  That alone was a fireable offense.  Passing on Derek Carr b/c he already had Geno was also brilliant.  Oh, I miss those days.

I can't imagine how overwhelmed he felt that offseason with all the GM job offers that came flooding in all at the same time since the Jets were so foolish to send him on his way.

[SAR I]

4 hours ago, JetNation said:

The New York Jets may not have a franchise quarterback on their roster right now, but if they do manage to snag one in the 2018 draft as many fans are hoping, the moves they’ve made this season and last, could benefit any future signal caller for years to come.

We’ve seen time and again that today’s NFL is all about having a quarterback who can sling it.  Without one to turn to, the effort being made by the Jets to have the pieces in place for that quarterback, should they ever arrive, is probably the next best thing.

This is great news.

When Mark Sanchez returns next season he'll finally have some young weapons to bond with. 

SAR I

[varjet]

I don't mean to be a party pooper here, but the Jets do appear to be obsessed with accumulating young WRs.

Given the timeline for this team's ultimate success, I am having a hard time keeping Decker and cutting a player who could potentially contribute later, like Peake or Patton.  Particularly with the saved cap cost.

Including the TEs in this article is less relevant-we are not stacked there.  Bowman and Leggett are on the 53, and we will see what happens with ASJ.

But it does appear that the Jets could cut WRs that make other rosters.  I don't know whether you can say the same thing about our TEs, OL, ILB, OLB, S or CB.