Jets prepare to be more Game Plan Specific as Lockout Drags On

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Jets prepare to be more "game-plan specific" as NFL lockout drags on

Published: Saturday, May 21, 2011, 12:20 PM Updated: Saturday, May 21, 2011, 12:35 PM

Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger By Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger

the lockout drags on, the Jets are preparing for the impact it may have on the football field.

The Jets seem, on paper, better-equipped to be a post-lockout contender than many other teams, with a head coach, franchise quarterback and offensive and defensive systems in place. But as the NFL's work stoppage drags on, with no indication of when the labor dispute may be settled, the organization is preparing for the adjustments it may have to make on the field.

If preparation time were significantly shortened, general manager Mike Tannenbaum said the Jets would use more of a "game-plan specific" offense and defense, "especially early in the season." He also said coach Rex Ryan has spoken to his staff about dialing back the playbook.

"Rex has done a great job with his coaches in terms of, 'Hey guys, if we have this much time, we’re going to do this; if we have less time, we’ve got to cut back,' " Tannenbaum said this morning at the Alliance for Lupus Research's annual New Jersey 5K walk to cure lupus, chaired by team owner Woody Johnson. "Rex has looked at all those things."

The lockout was imposed on March 12, and the offseason workout program has now been essentially wiped out. Organized team activities and rookie mini-camp would usually be held around this time, and mandatory mini-camp in June, all of which are now up in the air.

A district court judge ruled to lift the lockout last month, but that ruling has been permanently stayed through the NFL's appeal of that injunction. Oral arguments begin June 3.

Tannenbaum said the Jets will have to be "flexible" with what they can install through the offseason.

"There is a foundation of two years of our program on both sides of the ball, so anything we’re going to tweak, it’s not going to be drastic changes from what we’ve done," Tannenbaum said. "But other teams always tweak both sides of the ball in terms of their systems. I think our core will be there, but depending on how much time we have, we’ll evolve from there."

Coach Rex Ryan echoed Tannenbaum's assessment that the team may have to be more game-plan specific early on.

"Depending on what the situation is," Ryan said. "If we don’t have the practices, it absolutely would be."

The Jets have seven offensive starters from last season under contract, and eight on defense, but they also have to confront a double-digit list of free agents, including receivers Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards and cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

The longer the lockout lasts, it has been suggested that teams may be more inclined to re-sign their own players and less aggressive with trades or free agency. On a compressed timetable, acclimating new players could be a challenge.

Tannenbaum doesn't necessarily subscribe to that theory and said it's hard to say how long the lockout would need to last for that to be the case. Instead, he expressed confidence in the teaching ability of the Jets' coaching staff to get new players up to speed quickly.

"I know that theory has been out there, but I think our staff is adaptable enough," Tannenbaum said. "We’ve talked about those possibilities, but we still want to get the best players."

The Jets' attentions have been turned to getting better in the ways they can control, including visits with outside coaching minds. The staff has consulted with Tom Moore, Charley Casserly and Joe Gibbs, and hopes to arrange time with Jon Gruden and Jim Bates. Position coaches each get to select one coach to bring in for a visit.

"Rex and I are looking at a lot of things we can do better, on the field, off the field and how we run the organization," Tannenbaum said. "The only part of the process we can control is preparation. We feel good about what we’ve done, and whenever they say to go, we’ll be ready."

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This is the ninth year the Jets have partnered with the Alliance for Lupus Research to hold the North Jersey Walk With Us to Cure Lupus. Johnson founded ALR in 1999 after his daughter, Jaime, was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease that can damage the skin, joints and vital organs.

Johnson is committed to finding a cure for lupus, and this morning was joined by thousands of supporters for the walk at New Meadowlands Stadium. Along with Tannenbaum and Ryan, several other members of the Jets organization were present, including special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff, assistant coaches Anthony Lynn and Jeff Weeks and director of pro personnel Brendan Prophett.

Johnson funds the administrative costs for the organization, so all money raised can go directly to research.

"It tells the kind of person he is," Ryan said of Johnson. "He has two callings in life: the New York Jets and his philanthropy. You look at the work he does with the ALR, and he never puts his name on it, it's not the 'Woody Johnson' thing. It's amazing."