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UPGRADING OFFENSE FIRST CONCERN FOR GANG GREEN


SoFlaJets

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The Jets spent the free agency period signing and trading for players to bolster their defense. In the draft, the focus now likely will shift to the offense.

The retirement of Brett Favre and the departure of Laveranues Coles to Cincinnati mean the 2009 Jets offense is going to look much different than the 2008 version. GM Mike Tannenbaum and new coach Rex Ryan have been huddling for weeks, formulating the draft plan that will get the Jets back to the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

Here is a primer on what to expect in the April 25-26 NFL Draft:

THREE GOALS

Find a playmaking receiver: Favre took much of the blame down the stretch last season, but he was not the only problem. Opposing defensive coordinators said the Jets were hindered by their lack of a deep-threat receiver. Jerricho Cotchery is the only proven receiver returning, and he is more of a possession receiver. If one of the top receivers in the draft falls to the Jets in the first round, expect them to scoop him up.

Get a blocking tight end: Chris Baker and Bubba Franks are gone, leaving Dustin Keller as the team's only true tight end. Keller showed flashes of brilliance in his rookie season catching the ball, but often was removed in blocking situations. Barring an unlikely trade, the Jets are going to enter the season with a young, untested quarterback. That leaves a heavy burden on the running game. A tight end who can open up holes for Thomas Jones and Leon Washington is a must.

Add some depth on the defensive line: The Jets learned in Kris Jenkins' first year with the team that he is going to need some rest throughout the season. The big nose tackle was a force for the first two months but faded down the stretch. The team also needs help at defensive end, where Shaun Ellis is getting older and Kenyon Coleman is serviceable but not much more.

DON'T BE SURPRISED IF . . .

The Jets draft a quarterback. Publicly the team is backing Kellen Clemens and Brett Ratliff as its quarterbacks of the future, but if one of the top quarterbacks still is available at No. 17, the Jets will grab him. The Jets like Mark Sanchez and Josh Freeman but both may be long gone by the time the Jets are on the clock. Tannenbaum could decide to trade up a few slots to grab one of them, too.

CALLING THE SHOTS:

This will be the first draft with Tannenbaum as general manager without Eric Mangini at his side. Instead of Tangini we now have T-Rex. How Ryan influences the draft remains to be seen. His background is all defense, but Ryan also comes from an organization in the Ravens where GM Ozzie Newsome is clearly the guy calling the shots. Tannenbaum's drafting track record is pretty good. Nick Mangold, Darrelle Revis and Washington all made the Pro Bowl last season. The jury is out on Vernon Gholston, but Keller, drafted with the team's second pick in the first round last year, looks like a keeper.

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The only qb I would want from the draft is Sanchez. And I don't want to mortgage the farm for him either. If he starts to fall and we don't have to give up a lot to move to grab him then do it. Otherwise draft rb, wr, or de. I could also see us trading down a few spots and take a te. I wouldn't want to, but I could see it happening.

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I'm not a huge fan of Freeman.

He's very slow and one of his main strengths in college was his escapability in the pocket. He will not be able to do that in the NFL, he's not fast enough.

sounds like about 28 of the starters in the NFL, and the QB for the defending champs

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sounds like about 28 of the starters in the NFL, and the QB for the defending champs

Meh, it's a decent comparison but VERY few people have been able to emulate Ben and what he's been able to do. Most other QB's who are elusive in the pocket are fast QB's. Freeman is not, he's also not nearly the passer that Ben is, he's not very accurate at all.

I'm not ruling him out by any means, he could be a good QB or even a great one but from watching highlights of him I don't like how his style of play translates to the NFL.

JMO.

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Thanks for the read SFJ. Where did it come from?

Not exactly news here, but well written. I hope we address the needs in the draft with hierarchical order representative of the list in this article; WR, TE, DL, DL. That being said, the 1st rd pick should be the BPA. There will be a ton of value at 17, so the Jets would be fools to pass on a better player for a lesser talent at a position of need.

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Thanks for the read SFJ. Where did it come from?

Not exactly news here, but well written. I hope we address the needs in the draft with hierarchical order representative of the list in this article; WR, TE, DL, DL. That being said, the 1st rd pick should be the BPA. There will be a ton of value at 17, so the Jets would be fools to pass on a better player for a lesser talent at a position of need.

Brian Costello-The Post I think

http://www.nypost.com/seven/04122009/sports/jets/upgrading_offense_first_164120.htm

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DON'T BE SURPRISED IF . . .

The Jets draft a quarterback. Publicly the team is backing Kellen Clemens and Brett Ratliff as its quarterbacks of the future, but if one of the top quarterbacks still is available at No. 17, the Jets will grab him. The Jets like Mark Sanchez and Josh Freeman but both may be long gone by the time the Jets are on the clock. Tannenbaum could decide to trade up a few slots to grab one of them, too.

I would be surprised. And I'd be extremely surprised if the Jets trade up for one of them.

I think their QB interest is a bit of a smokescreen. I think they'd like teams to trade ahead of them to clear the QB's, so a prospect they're more interested in has a better chance of falling.

If one of the QB's is there at #17, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Jets trade down.

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I would be surprised. And I'd be extremely surprised if the Jets trade up for one of them.

I think their QB interest is a bit of a smokescreen. I think they'd like teams to trade ahead of them to clear the QB's, so a prospect they're more interested in has a better chance of falling.

If one of the QB's is there at #17, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Jets trade down.

hey slats read the thread I just posted about Quinn being on the block. In that new story from today he's saying he has heard that Freeman, Sanchez and Stafford could all be top ten picks

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Is this article news to anyone on this board? Offense and more offense will be the tone of our '09 draft. I also think that Josh Freeman will be going to Denver at pick #12 and Stafford and Sanchez will be gone before that. So, if you look at it there will be only WR's and RB's at that point to pick from.

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