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Open Competition between Becton and Fant at LT, per Saleh


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1 hour ago, jbt said:

is it really a competition?

 

If Becton takes this as he should, as a challenge, then he will come into camp in shape and ready to dominate. Fant is coming off injury himself and it won't exactly be a picnic for him to hold on to the LT spot.

This is great news if both guys approach it in a positive way- as healthy team competition.

And by the way, I have no problem with a solid LT in Fant and a dominant RT in Becton.  

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2 hours ago, More Cowbell said:

They must be extremely  pissed off at Becton to say this publicly.  

Really? He said that he isn't going to hand the job to Becton. Should he? He said Fant has the advantage. Why not? Fant played the spot most of the season, it is his spot to loose, no?

Saleh has made no bones about having the best player play. He didn't sound pissed. He basically said, Becton can't come off of injury and expect the job. Sounds just about right to me.

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1 minute ago, bostonmajet said:

Really? He said that he isn't going to hand the job to Becton. Should he? He said Fant has the advantage. Why not? Fant played the spot most of the season, it is his spot to loose, no?

Saleh has made no bones about having the best player play. He didn't sound pissed. He basically said, Becton can't come off of injury and expect the job. Sounds just about right to me.

There is no way they drafted Becton to be anything but the LT. This would be a giant admission by the organization  that the 2020 draft was a total fail. If Fant was brought here to play LT, that is one thing but he wasn't.  Fant got the job because GVR not only sucked at his job, he rolled up on Becton. Then Becton proceeded to get out of playing shape while injured. This is why I think the Jets are doing this. They are sending a message to Becton that if you are not ready to play and committed yo staying in shape, we will get someone else to take your spot, but for them to say this in public means they are pissed off how this whole thing turned out and they are not going through it again. 

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2 minutes ago, More Cowbell said:

There is no way they drafted Becton to be anything but the LT. This would be a giant admission by the organization  that the 2020 draft was a total fail. If Fant was brought here to play LT, that is one thing but he wasn't.  Fant got the job because GVR not only sucked at his job, he rolled up on Becton. Then Becton proceeded to get out of playing shape while injured. This is why I think the Jets are doing this. They are sending a message to Becton that if you are not ready to play and committed yo staying in shape, we will get someone else to take your spot, but for them to say this in public means they are pissed off how this whole thing turned out and they are not going through it again. 

well, I think he said it because he was asked. my guess some of it is posturing to light a fire under becton (not necessarily pisded) and because they would expect becton to win the job easily - so, it shows that they are fair and not giving starting jobs out (like Gase did based on seniority), light a fire, and still get Becton playing at LT - Just my opinion.

I also doubt that if the Jets were really thinking about drafting a LT, Saleh would spill the beans; it is posturing to keep other teams off guard to protect a player or encourage a trade. Again, just my opinion.

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1 hour ago, Sperm Edwards said:

I think too many dramatically overvalue the importance of a team's second guard. The #4 pick in the country on a guard is insane imo. There are enough guards & centers in FA, not to mention ones with experience in ozb.

The Jets have 4 starting OLmen: a more than adequate pass-blocking LT who only turns 30 (30, not 50) in June; a #14 pick LG who looks like a keeper; an under-30 B/B+ veteran center; and a #11 pick RT with more talent than any of the rest. They need a guard -- bfd.

You don't draft a second guard with the #4 overall pick when that role is so easily filled with a FA and/or a much lower pick. With some $60-70MM in cap room, sign someone like Tomlinson, Daniels, C.Williams, etc. or any of the FA centers. Too early to know who'll be re-signed before then, but it won't be all of them. I'd also sign a veteran RT on top of that. Then take a C/G prospect in round 3 or 4. That's a solid OL with legit redundancy at all 5 positions, not including any other OL backups they'd roster. 

Then use the #4 pick on the type of FA who'd cost $15-25MM, like an edge rusher; not the type who can be replaced by a $7-12MM FA or a mid-round (or late round) pick, like the team's #2 guard. Cin has I believe one 1st round pick invested in their OL. StL has zero. Both are in the Super Bowl. 

Sperm, on any team but this one, I agree. But if you take Ekwonu at 4, it's not to play him at OG long term. Ideally, he gets his feet wet at OG year 1, Becton dominates, and we let Fant walk for a comp pick and slide Ekwonu out to T year 2. Alternatively, if Becton is good but not great, we extend Fant and decline Becton's 5th year option, planning to shift Ekwonu out to tackle when Becton walks in FA; if Becton and Fant both resign for low enough APY to make resigning both workable, then you keep Ekwonu at OG (but that's the least likely option). Or if Becton is terrible (in camp or in season) Ekwonu immediately becomes your starting RT. And no matter what happens, Ekwonu is the primary backup at T in case of injury.

The point is, you don't draft Ekwonu to play G for his entire career, you draft him to give you time and flexibility in dealing with your current problem at LT (a vet coming off both a career year and injury, and a potential stud/potential dud who regressed from year 1 to year 2 camp and then never came back from injury). And that's especially true in a draft that lacks a truly elite top 5

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42 minutes ago, More Cowbell said:

There is no way they drafted Becton to be anything but the LT. This would be a giant admission by the organization  that the 2020 draft was a total fail. If Fant was brought here to play LT, that is one thing but he wasn't.  Fant got the job because GVR not only sucked at his job, he rolled up on Becton. Then Becton proceeded to get out of playing shape while injured. This is why I think the Jets are doing this. They are sending a message to Becton that if you are not ready to play and committed yo staying in shape, we will get someone else to take your spot, but for them to say this in public means they are pissed off how this whole thing turned out and they are not going through it again. 

No, Fant was brought in to be a LT in the event that (1) the tackles they wanted were all gone by their pick or (2) the guy they drafted wasn't ready to start at LT day 1. He was insurance and flexibility.

Turned out they need it.

If Becton comes into camp and dominates, he'll get the LT job, Fant will play RT for a year (and be the primary backup at LT in the event of a Becton injury), and they'll let Fant walk as a FA and get a great comp pick when he signs a LT-level contract. If Becton is anything less than dominant, they'll play him at RT and leave Fant at LT. 

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I think it already has been determined that the Johnsons are not signing up for $80MM+ to sign Becton to a second contract.  So finding a new OL that could play LT or RT in the next few years makes complete sense.  

If he does not play well this year his fifth option will not be exercised.   If he turns it around year 4 the Jets can Franchise Tag Becton.

But this is not the way top 16 first round picks are supposed to go.  They are supposed to be extended before the end of their 4th season, happily.   Becton will be a dysfunctional pick, like Wilkerson, Richardson, Leo Williams, Darron Lee, Sam Darnold, and likely Quinnen Williams.   

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Agree with the general sentiment of taking a versatile oline that can play either guard or tackle. What else you gonna take at 4 if you can't find a trade partner? Assuming thibs and hutch are gone, Neal and ekwonu are prime candidates. You can take one of the next pass rushers I guess but I have a feeling one or two decent ones will be there for our second round picks. I think you can get the best oline at 4 and have your choice of wr at 10. This is shaping up to be an offense round 1 fellas!

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6 hours ago, Doggin94it said:

Sperm, on any team but this one, I agree. But if you take Ekwonu at 4, it's not to play him at OG long term. Ideally, he gets his feet wet at OG year 1, Becton dominates, and we let Fant walk for a comp pick and slide Ekwonu out to T year 2. Alternatively, if Becton is good but not great, we extend Fant and decline Becton's 5th year option, planning to shift Ekwonu out to tackle when Becton walks in FA; if Becton and Fant both resign for low enough APY to make resigning both workable, then you keep Ekwonu at OG (but that's the least likely option). Or if Becton is terrible (in camp or in season) Ekwonu immediately becomes your starting RT. And no matter what happens, Ekwonu is the primary backup at T in case of injury.

The point is, you don't draft Ekwonu to play G for his entire career, you draft him to give you time and flexibility in dealing with your current problem at LT (a vet coming off both a career year and injury, and a potential stud/potential dud who regressed from year 1 to year 2 camp and then never came back from injury). And that's especially true in a draft that lacks a truly elite top 5

I hear you but still think it’s massive overkill, particularly for this team. This team has at least one starting LT already; two if Becton gets his head out of his ass. They don’t need a third just to unnecessarily make one of the other two expendable a year later. 

Anyway I don’t think that change lifts the overall team as much as upgrading from a dire need (edge rusher) to a prospect worthy of pick #4.

Conversely, taking a tackle at #4 is potentially solving a problem they don’t have, instead of a problem they absolutely do have, and using their top draft asset to do it. 

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Wait, everyone told me that you don't lose your starting job because of an injury lol...  Respect for Saleh saying this, and I don't care if it's out in public. Maybe all the private talks with Becton haven't worked. Nobody on the team unless they get to STAR status should ever be handed a job. Every year everyone should have to compete for a starting job. You can still have a likeable coach with that type of situation.

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9 hours ago, Sammybighead said:

Agree with the general sentiment of taking a versatile oline that can play either guard or tackle. What else you gonna take at 4 if you can't find a trade partner? Assuming thibs and hutch are gone, Neal and ekwonu are prime candidates. You can take one of the next pass rushers I guess but I have a feeling one or two decent ones will be there for our second round picks. I think you can get the best oline at 4 and have your choice of wr at 10. This is shaping up to be an offense round 1 fellas!

One concern I have with going OL at 4 is that you then end up missing out on one of our two main needs - edge and WR - at 10. I know we shouldn't draft specifically for need, but if we miss out on a top edge or WR that was on the board at 10 because of an OL pick at 4, it would bug me immensely.

My ideal outcome (excluding the trade down option) is edge at 4, WR at 10. Rest can be taken care of in Rd 2 onwards. We can even potentially double dip on one of these if the option arises. 

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One of my favorite things that we’ve seen from Saleh so far, is when he talks about players that love ball.

When he really unpacks the statement, he talks about loving every part of being a pro… including practice, rehab and study.

Those last points seem to be areas of deficiency for a handful of young Jets.

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18 hours ago, johnnysd said:

Reading this can't help but think that they may entertain trade offers as well for Becton. Straight up for Cinci's pick?

Agreed.  If they Pick Neal or Ekwonu at 4.  Becton is immediately up for sale to the highest bidder.  The 2020 draft was a total disaster.

I think they open the check book for Daniels to fill RG.

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21 minutes ago, shawn306 said:

Just put Becton on the right side and be done with it. Shouldn't even be a competition. Fant more than earned the job this past year

I'd be fine with that.  Look, Fant was very good at LT last year...not so much in run blocking, but he looked like elite at pass blocking.  If Becton comes back strong this year at RT, he might get to slide back to LT in 2023.  Fant will be a free agent and might be looking to get PAID more than JD is willing.

One concern is injuries and depth.  Even Fant had knee problems late in the season.  The Jets do need a young swing OT for depth and as a possible starter for part next year, even if they resign Moses, b/c Edoga and McDermott are crap and Becton cannot be counted on for anything. 

However, they do not need to necessarily take an OT in the first round as there looks to be quite a few good talents who will be there in the 2nd round, and maybe even beyond. But really, JD needs to nail his picks, whatever position they are.  The Jets need good young players all over the team.

 

 

 

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10 hours ago, Sperm Edwards said:

I hear you but still think it’s massive overkill, particularly for this team. This team has at least one starting LT already; two if Becton gets his head out of his ass. They don’t need a third just to unnecessarily make one of the other two expendable a year later. 

Anyway I don’t think that change lifts the overall team as much as upgrading from a dire need (edge rusher) to a prospect worthy of pick #4.

Conversely, taking a tackle at #4 is potentially solving a problem they don’t have, instead of a problem they absolutely do have, and using their top draft asset to do it. 

My prior comments stand but I can totally get behind the next tier of pass rusher at 4 assuming thibs and hutch are gone. This draft is deep at the position, and it's really the most important position in Saleh defense. Heck, I think they should double dip at edge in this draft, there are a ton of prospects and Saleh wants a good rotation of guys.

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15 minutes ago, Sammybighead said:

My prior comments stand but I can totally get behind the next tier of pass rusher at 4 assuming thibs and hutch are gone. This draft is deep at the position, and it's really the most important position in Saleh defense. Heck, I think they should double dip at edge in this draft, there are a ton of prospects and Saleh wants a good rotation of guys.

Ultimately it's too early to have the top 3-4 slots locked in, before both the senior bowl and especially the combine & then pro days. 

The Jets aren't desperate for a LT either way, unless both Fant and Becton prove inadequate. So they really need a RT at best - excuse me, a future RT -  and that doesn't come close to requiring the #4 overall pick.

I think it's overkill to burn such a high pick to purportedly upgrade over good-enough (if the pick pans out, of course), at the expense of investing in any among so many other positions that clearly aren't good enough.

Doing so is poor allocation of limited resources for a team that already has a LT (and probably a RT, too). If Cincy did that, by doing the "smart" thing in drafting Sewell over Chase - a move that was mocked as shortsighted and stupid by a great many, including here - the odds are they aren't in the Super Bowl. Since they were only 10-7 in the regular season as it is, there's a very good chance they wouldn't have even made the playoffs outright. 

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