Why Asomugha Makes Sense

[Doggin94it]

I've seen it over and over: "We can't spend 20% of our cap on a number 2 CB". And if we are truly talking about a No. 2 CB (like Cro), or even a typical No. 1 (great CB, can cover most receivers 1 on 1, can cover elite WRs with safety help) I'd agree.

Asomugha is different. Asomugha is, like Revis, entirely capable of shutting down any WR in the league 1 on 1, without safety help. Here's what adding Asomugha to the Jets would do:

1) Maximize Revis' value. Right now, QBs have learned to avoid Revis. Revis was targeted 108 times in 2009 (7.5 times per game). Despite continuing to cover No. 1 WRs, that dropped to 56 times (in 13 games) in 2010, roughly 4 times per game. Cromartie was targeted 101 times. Putting Asomugha on the other side of Revis would force QBs to target Revis more often (and, with Revis on the other side of Asomugha, Asomugha would see more than his usual share of targets as well). The more usage we get out of Revis, the more value we get for our investment in him.

2) Maximize Our Blitz Packages. Asomugha's presence would also allow Revis to be used as a blitzer, which he is actually fairly good at. With both Revis and Asomugha on the field, Revis is in play as a blitzer, adding another wrinkle for offenses to worry about.

More, Asomugha, like Revis, does not need safety help. As such, Rex will be able to send more varied combinations of blitzers on any given play, as he will be able to rely on two CBs to entirely eliminate two WRs.

3) Maximize Our Run Defense. Similarly, because we will have two CBs who do not need safety help, we would likely play 8-in-the-box as our base defense against standard (2WR) formations, relying on a single high safety to clean up mistakes and play centerfield (a role Lowery is particularly suited for)

4) Maximize Our Pass Defense. Remember what we did to the Pats in the playoff game? Flood the intermediate zones with defenders, double receivers coming across the middle? Playing 9 on 9 makes that strategy even more useful - and even allows it to be combined with a blitzer (who would otherwise be occupied helping our No. 2 CB.

Bottom line: IMO, Asomugha makes a lot of sense for this defense, even at a significant cost. He would take the defense from very good to elite, by allowing Rex to play 9 on 9 against the league. How do you pass when your top two WRs are covered by Revis and Asomugha and your 3rd WR is double covered? How do you run, consistently, against 8 in the box?

[bitonti]

rex with Revis and Aso is a truly scary thought. He could blitz 9 other dudes.

[nycdan]

We still have slow LBs and are probably vulnerable to fast TEs. Can't double cover a TE and still put 8 in the box. Maybe it's a nit-pick, but Cromartie was no slouch and we still got burned in the middle last year if I recall correctly. I'm trying to recall how much safety help Cromartie got last year. I'm thinking not as much as a typical #2CB, but maybe I'm wrong on that.

[madmikeisback]

rex with Revis and Aso is a truly scary thought. He could blitz 9 other dudes.

And they still might not get there. The blitz's didn't really get there last season.

[Doggin94it]

We still have slow LBs and are probably vulnerable to fast TEs. Can't double cover a TE and still put 8 in the box. Maybe it's a nit-pick, but Cromartie was no slouch and we still got burned in the middle last year if I recall correctly.

For teams with a real weapon at TE - pats with Hernandez, Colts, Chargers - that's true. But for most teams, 8 in the box will be the base D.

[Klecko73isGod]

I've seen it over and over: "We can't spend 20% of our cap on a number 2 CB". And if we are truly talking about a No. 2 CB (like Cro), or even a typical No. 1 (great CB, can cover most receivers 1 on 1, can cover elite WRs with safety help) I'd agree.

Asomugha is different. Asomugha is, like Revis, entirely capable of shutting down any WR in the league 1 on 1, without safety help. Here's what adding Asomugha to the Jets would do:

1) Maximize Revis' value. Right now, QBs have learned to avoid Revis. Revis was targeted 108 times in 2009 (7.5 times per game). Despite continuing to cover No. 1 WRs, that dropped to 56 times (in 13 games) in 2010, roughly 4 times per game. Cromartie was targeted 101 times. Putting Asomugha on the other side of Revis would force QBs to target Revis more often (and, with Revis on the other side of Asomugha, Asomugha would see more than his usual share of targets as well). The more usage we get out of Revis, the more value we get for our investment in him.

2) Maximize Our Blitz Packages. Asomugha's presence would also allow Revis to be used as a blitzer, which he is actually fairly good at. With both Revis and Asomugha on the field, Revis is in play as a blitzer, adding another wrinkle for offenses to worry about.

More, Asomugha, like Revis, does not need safety help. As such, Rex will be able to send more varied combinations of blitzers on any given play, as he will be able to rely on two CBs to entirely eliminate two WRs.

3) Maximize Our Run Defense. Similarly, because we will have two CBs who do not need safety help, we would likely play 8-in-the-box as our base defense against standard (2WR) formations, relying on a single high safety to clean up mistakes and play centerfield (a role Lowery is particularly suited for)

4) Maximize Our Pass Defense. Remember what we did to the Pats in the playoff game? Flood the intermediate zones with defenders, double receivers coming across the middle? Playing 9 on 9 makes that strategy even more useful - and even allows it to be combined with a blitzer (who would otherwise be occupied helping our No. 2 CB.

Bottom line: IMO, Asomugha makes a lot of sense for this defense, even at a significant cost. He would take the defense from very good to elite, by allowing Rex to play 9 on 9 against the league. How do you pass when your top two WRs are covered by Revis and Asomugha and your 3rd WR is double covered? How do you run, consistently, against 8 in the box?

Akiva,

If you're on board, I'm on board. I'm still wary of not giving Sanchez as many weapons as possible. I know we've come to terms with Santonio but Santonio/Jerricho is no where near as good as Santonio/Braylon/Jerricho.

[LWC611]

rex with Revis and Aso is a truly scary thought. He could blitz 9 other dudes.

This. That was the first thing that came to my mind is that he could bring the rest of the house.....

[Barcs]

Hey, if we can some how figure out how to afford him while retaining Edwards and Harris, I'm all for it. If not, then it ain't worth it.

[madmikeisback]

Akiva,

If you're on board, I'm on board. I'm still wary of not giving Sanchez as many weapons as possible. I know we've come to terms with Santonio but Santonio/Jerricho is no where near as good as Santonio/Braylon/Jerricho.

If they can't bring back Braylon they need another WR. After Cothery's mediocre y ear last year they need more options.

[slats]

It doesn't make sense from a whole team perspective.

The defense is already very good/great. A top 5 unit most years, and with Revis 100% this season there's no reason for that not to continue.

The offense, however, is mediocre.

Just as it's a lot easier to get from 8-8 to 11-5, than from 11-5 to 14-2: it's a lot easier to get one unit up from middle of the pack to top five, than it is to get a top five unit any higher at all. And far more beneficial to the overall team to get the offense scoring another 4-5 points a game, as opposed to trying to get the defense to shave 2 points or so more off a game. As I mentioned in another thread, the Jets held opponents to 10 points or less five times last year and lost three of those games. The defense is not the problem here.

Now that the Jets appear to have Holmes under contract, I'm less militant about it - but I still think it's a bad idea to bring in Aso unless he's coming very cheap. The fact that there's no rumors of him talking to anyone else may mean that's the case, though. So who knows?

[bitonti]

And they still might not get there. The blitz's didn't really get there last season.

the Jets pass rush is underrated because they lacked a big name. but they were tied for 8th in sacks. and 3rd overall total defense.

[Barcs]

I'd still prefer an elite pass rusher over Asamaoufshlk, but it would be pretty sick if we can get him on the cheap.

[madmikeisback]

I'd still prefer an elite pass rusher over Asamaoufshlk, but it would be pretty sick if we can get him on the cheap.

There are no elite pass rushers who are FA's.

[LWC611]

It doesn't make sense from a whole team perspective.

The defense is already very good/great. A top 5 unit most years, and with Revis 100% this season there's no reason for that not to continue.

The offense, however, is mediocre.

Just as it's a lot easier to get from 8-8 to 11-5, than from 11-5 to 14-2: it's a lot easier to get one unit up from middle of the pack to top five, than it is to get a top five unit any higher at all. And far more beneficial to the overall team to get the offense scoring another 4-5 points a game, as opposed to trying to get the defense to shave 2 points or so more off a game. As I mentioned in another thread, the Jets held opponents to 10 points or less five times last year and lost three of those games. The defense is not the problem here.

Now that the Jets appear to have Holmes under contract, I'm less militant about it - but I still think it's a bad idea to bring in Aso unless he's coming very cheap. The fact that there's no rumors of him talking to anyone else may mean that's the case, though. So who knows?

Slats-

you make a great point about the offense. But the offense was not mediocre because of personnel it was mediocre because of execution. Primarily the QB's execution and the inability to sustain drives. Sanchez has to get better. I would rather have Edwards then Asomugha for consistency on the offense, but at a certain point for the offense it is really a question of execution.

[madmikeisback]

The argument is that it's MUCH easier to get a WR as good as edwards than a CB as good as Nnhandi.

[Barcs]

There are no elite pass rushers who are FA's.

Well that's why there's this crazy thing called a trade.

[Doggin94it]

It doesn't make sense from a whole team perspective.

The defense is already very good/great. A top 5 unit most years, and with Revis 100% this season there's no reason for that not to continue.

The offense, however, is mediocre.

Just as it's a lot easier to get from 8-8 to 11-5, than from 11-5 to 14-2: it's a lot easier to get one unit up from middle of the pack to top five, than it is to get a top five unit any higher at all. And far more beneficial to the overall team to get the offense scoring another 4-5 points a game, as opposed to trying to get the defense to shave 2 points or so more off a game. As I mentioned in another thread, the Jets held opponents to 10 points or less five times last year and lost three of those games. The defense is not the problem here.

Now that the Jets appear to have Holmes under contract, I'm less militant about it - but I still think it's a bad idea to bring in Aso unless he's coming very cheap. The fact that there's no rumors of him talking to anyone else may mean that's the case, though. So who knows?

Slats - without Holmes last year, the Jets scored 10, 28, 31 and 38 points, an average of 26 points per game. An offense comprised of Holmes, Cotchery and Keller as its top 3 targets, with a FA WR as the No. 3 (even a Chansi Stuckey type) will do just fine, IMO.

Here's the thing. We need another WR and another CB. If it's a choice between Asomugha + Chansi Stuckey level WR or Braylon Edwards + Drayton Florence, I'll take Asomugha and Stuckey - and I'm a guy who LOVES Edwards as a Jet. But the marginal value of adding a WR like Edwards (instead of a 3WR type) to the offense as currently constituted is much, much less, IMO, than the marginal value of adding Asomugha (we already have the only other "CB like Asomugha") rather than a Drayton Florence type.

[madmikeisback]

Well that's why there's this crazy thing called a trade.

The only pass rusher on the block is Osi and he's probably not a fit for our system.

[slats]

Slats-

you make a great point about the offense. But the offense was not mediocre because of personnel it was mediocre because of execution. Primarily the QB's execution and the inability to sustain drives. Sanchez has to get better. I would rather have Edwards then Asomugha for consistency on the offense, but at a certain point for the offense it is really a question of execution.

That's all I'm saying. I understand it's on Sanchez to continue to improve, and if I'm in the Jets front office, I'm doing everything in my power to make sure my $50M QB continues to improve.

The argument is that it's MUCH easier to get a WR as good as edwards than a CB as good as Nnhandi.

Like who? And for how much?

It's no easy trick replacing a 17ypc WR who's also willing to do the dirty work in the running game.

[ylekram]

If they can't bring back Braylon they need another WR. After Cothery's mediocre y ear last year they need more options.

que in moss,burress,85, or owens.they are not as good as they used to be,but they are far from done.the more i think about it,i think braylon fell out of grace with the team with that dwi

[ZachEY]

Well that's why there's this crazy thing called a trade.

Hey, I used to play madden too!

[Vudu]

Nnamdi Asomugha and his asking price are an unnecessary luxury fueled by media hype. Resign Braylon dammit.

[slats]

Slats - without Holmes last year, the Jets scored 10, 28, 31 and 38 points, an average of 26 points per game. An offense comprised of Holmes, Cotchery and Keller as its top 3 targets, with a FA WR as the No. 3 (even a Chansi Stuckey type) will do just fine, IMO.

Here's the thing. We need another WR and another CB. If it's a choice between Asomugha + Chansi Stuckey level WR or Braylon Edwards + Drayton Florence, I'll take Asomugha and Stuckey - and I'm a guy who LOVES Edwards as a Jet. But the marginal value of adding a WR like Edwards (instead of a 3WR type) to the offense as currently constituted is much, much less, IMO, than the marginal value of adding Asomugha (we already have the only other "CB like Asomugha") rather than a Drayton Florence type.

Can't say much more than disagree here. I'd much rather see a quality $4M CB and a $7M WR, than a $10M CB and a $1M WR (I don't see Florence as a solution, I'd like to see the Jets target the Ravens' starting CB's).

Sanchez is on the upswing, the priority needs to be continuing that upswing, IMHO. As good a player as Aso is, I don't see him having near the impact people here seem to be expecting as the Jets #2 CB. How much better is he really going to be than Cromartie in that role.

Meanwhile, the offense has a lot of room for improvement. They can achieve that improvement with continiuity.

[JiFtheOracle]

It doesn't make sense from a whole team perspective.

The defense is already very good/great. A top 5 unit most years, and with Revis 100% this season there's no reason for that not to continue.

The offense, however, is mediocre.

Just as it's a lot easier to get from 8-8 to 11-5, than from 11-5 to 14-2: it's a lot easier to get one unit up from middle of the pack to top five, than it is to get a top five unit any higher at all. And far more beneficial to the overall team to get the offense scoring another 4-5 points a game, as opposed to trying to get the defense to shave 2 points or so more off a game. As I mentioned in another thread, the Jets held opponents to 10 points or less five times last year and lost three of those games. The defense is not the problem here.

Now that the Jets appear to have Holmes under contract, I'm less militant about it - but I still think it's a bad idea to bring in Aso unless he's coming very cheap. The fact that there's no rumors of him talking to anyone else may mean that's the case, though. So who knows?

While this is all well and true...you are completely dismissing the factor of Mark Sanchez improving.

Our offense will improve in every category if Mark Sanchez improves. While its great to give him all those pretty weapons...he even said it, it not that realistic to think he's going to be surrounded by that type of talent his entire career.

If Mark Sanchez improves, our offense will be just fine with Holmes/Cotch/Keller, which is better IMO than BE/Cotch/Keller, which got us to the AFCG 2 years ago, in Mark's rookie season.

And lets not dismiss the fact that we drafted 2 WR's, one who Mark is very familiar with and was essentially his pick, granted I'm not banking on him contributing...I am on Kerley contributing. And I'm still a firm believer if we dont resign BE, that we will get an adequate #2/#3.

The Defense we were deploying the playoffs vs. Brady and Manning, would be really really really tough to beat with Aso out there too.

[ZachEY]

It doesn't make sense from a whole team perspective.

The defense is already very good/great. A top 5 unit most years, and with Revis 100% this season there's no reason for that not to continue.

The offense, however, is mediocre.

Just as it's a lot easier to get from 8-8 to 11-5, than from 11-5 to 14-2: it's a lot easier to get one unit up from middle of the pack to top five, than it is to get a top five unit any higher at all. And far more beneficial to the overall team to get the offense scoring another 4-5 points a game, as opposed to trying to get the defense to shave 2 points or so more off a game. As I mentioned in another thread, the Jets held opponents to 10 points or less five times last year and lost three of those games. The defense is not the problem here.

Now that the Jets appear to have Holmes under contract, I'm less militant about it - but I still think it's a bad idea to bring in Aso unless he's coming very cheap. The fact that there's no rumors of him talking to anyone else may mean that's the case, though. So who knows?

We can talk all we want about allocating money, but no matter where you spend the money, the offense only gets better if Sanchez gets better. There's not much we can do in free agency to change that.

[Irish Jet]

You could have just said maximise our defence.

[ZachEY]

While this is all well and true...you are completely dismissing the factor of Mark Sanchez improving.

Our offense will improve in every category if Mark Sanchez improves. While its great to give him all those pretty weapons...he even said it, it not that realistic to think he's going to be surrounded by that type of talent his entire career.

If Mark Sanchez improves, our offense will be just fine with Holmes/Cotch/Keller, which is better IMO than BE/Cotch/Keller, which got us to the AFCG 2 years ago, in Mark's rookie season.

And lets not dismiss the fact that we drafted 2 WR's, one who Mark is very familiar with and was essentially his pick, granted I'm not banking on him contributing...I am on Kerley contributing. And I'm still a firm believer if we dont resign BE, that we will get an adequate #2/#3.

The Defense we were deploying the playoffs vs. Brady and Manning, would be really really really tough to beat with Aso out there too.

dammit, ninja'd.

[Bleedin Green]

Nnamdi Asomugha and his asking price are an unnecessary luxury fueled by media hype. Resign Braylon dammit.

Absolutely. If nothing else, the thing being highly underrated here is QB/WR comfortability. The Jets can get another of the other very good #2 CBs available and still do great on defense. Replacing Edwards with any other WR will once again put Sanchez back to gaining familiarity with a whole new player. And Braylon is going to cost of a whole sh*tload less than Asomugha.

[ECURB]

Nnamdi Asomugha and his asking price are an unnecessary luxury fueled by media hype. Resign Braylon dammit.

I think they sign Nnamdi, Braylon, Harris and that LB from the Chargers... cut Pace or Thomas and Restructure Bart Scott... maybe LT as well..

[Vudu]

Absolutely. If nothing else, the thing being highly underrated here is QB/WR comfortability. The Jets can get another of the other very good #2 CBs available and still do great on defense. Replacing Edwards with any other WR will once again put Sanchez back to gaining familiarity with a whole new player. And Braylon is going to cost of a whole sh*tload less than Asomugha.

This!!!

[jgb]

Absolutely. If nothing else, the thing being highly underrated here is QB/WR comfortability. The Jets can get another of the other very good #2 CBs available and still do great on defense. Replacing Edwards with any other WR will once again put Sanchez back to gaining familiarity with a whole new player. And Braylon is going to cost of a whole sh*tload less than Asomugha.

sanchez has been around enough now that it should be expected that he can deal with some change

[T0mShane]

Good work, Doggin, and well argued. But, eat a dick.

Pieces Missing To Take Jets Defense From "Really Good" to "All Time Great":

1. OLB rusher- The novelty blitz packages will only get you so far. The Jets need the pass-rushing game-changer that can get to the QB by himself.

2. Playmaking FS- There needs to be an opportunistic two-way safety lined up next to Leonhard to capitalize on rushed throws by QB's fearing #1.

.

.

.

.

.

36. Top 10 cornerback to play opposite Revis--Blah.

[slats]

While this is all well and true...you are completely dismissing the factor of Mark Sanchez improving.

Our offense will improve in every category if Mark Sanchez improves. While its great to give him all those pretty weapons...he even said it, it not that realistic to think he's going to be surrounded by that type of talent his entire career.

If Mark Sanchez improves, our offense will be just fine with Holmes/Cotch/Keller, which is better IMO than BE/Cotch/Keller, which got us to the AFCG 2 years ago, in Mark's rookie season.

And lets not dismiss the fact that we drafted 2 WR's, one who Mark is very familiar with and was essentially his pick, granted I'm not banking on him contributing...I am on Kerley contributing. And I'm still a firm believer if we dont resign BE, that we will get an adequate #2/#3.

The Defense we were deploying the playoffs vs. Brady and Manning, would be really really really tough to beat with Aso out there too.

No I'm not. I just want to make sure he continues to improve.

The defense we sent out against Brady and Manning was good enough, and will be even better if the offense can score another 4-5 points per game.

If the offense can score another TD in the AFC Championship last year, they're in the Super Bowl. The defense doesn't have nearly that much room for improvement, and the offense can't afford the step back. Sanchez improving + Edwards leaving probably equals another mediocre offense overall.

[Irish Jet]

Good work, Doggin, and well argued. But, eat a dick.

Pieces Missing To Take Jets Defense From "Really Good" to "All Time Great":

1. OLB rusher- The novelty blitz packages will only get you so far. The Jets need the pass-rushing game-changer that can get to the QB by himself.

2. Playmaking FS- There needs to be an opportunistic two-way safety lined up next to Leonhard to capitalize on rushed throws by QB's fearing #1.

.

.

.

.

.

36. Top 10 cornerback to play opposite Revis--Blah.

Fully agree with 2. What this team needs isn't a Nnamdi Asomugha, it's a Kerry ****ing Rhodes!

[slats]

That's all I'm saying. I understand it's on Sanchez to continue to improve, and if I'm in the Jets front office, I'm doing everything in my power to make sure my $50M QB continues to improve.

Can't say much more than disagree here. I'd much rather see a quality $4M CB and a $7M WR, than a $10M CB and a $1M WR (I don't see Florence as a solution, I'd like to see the Jets target the Ravens' starting CB's).

Sanchez is on the upswing, the priority needs to be continuing that upswing, IMHO. As good a player as Aso is, I don't see him having near the impact people here seem to be expecting as the Jets #2 CB. How much better is he really going to be than Cromartie in that role.

Meanwhile, the offense has a lot of room for improvement. They can achieve that improvement with continiuity.

dammit, ninja'd.

I ninja'd both of you, so there.

How much improvement can you expect when you downgrade his #2 weapon from Braylon Edwards to Chansi Stucky?