New York Jets Week 11 Team Grades

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By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

Week 11: New York Jets Team Grades

November 17^th, 2013

Final Score: Jets 14 Bills 37

The New York Jets coming off a great win against the New Orleans Saints and a bye week headed up to Buffalo with a chance to separate themselves a bit in the Wilda Card standings, but laid a egg. The loss moves the Jets to (5-5) on the season, and (1-4) on the road now, but if the season ended today they would still have the sixth spot in the AFC Playoffs.

Passing Offense Grade (F)

The Jets passing offense was a total disaster on Sunday, as basically nothing went right. Geno Smith had a disaster of a game throwing for just 103 yards on eight for 23 passing with no touchdowns. The turnovers from Smith really did the Jets in during the game, as he lost one fumble, threw three interceptions, one of which was a pick six to Da'Norris Searcy, and the other two were to Jairus Byrd. The Offensive Line didn’t do a very good job protecting Smith either, as they allowed four sacks, two of which were from Kyle Williams. One good thing for the passing offense was that they got some weapons back for the playoff push, as Santonio Holmes, Kellen Winslow, and Jeff Cumberland were all back in the lineup. Matt Simms got some playing time late in the game and looked good in junk time throwing for 60 yards on four for six passing with a touchdown pass to Cumberland.

New York Jets Team Grades: Week 9

canalstreetchronicles.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

November 3^rd, 2013

Week 9 New York Jets Team Grades

The New York Jets up and down season stayed true in Week 9 against one of the better teams in the NFL. After a blowout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8, the Jets bounced back with a great 26-20 win at home against the New Orleans Saints. The win puts the Jets at (5-4) on the season, which if the season ended today would be good enough for a spot in the AFC playoffs.

Passing Offense Grade (C-)

In the win on Sunday the Jets passing offense wasn’t asked to do much, but maybe most importantly Quarterback Geno Smith took what the Saints passing defense gave him and didn’t turn the ball over. Smith threw for just 115 yards on eight for 19 passing, but what cant be stressed enough is that he protected the football. The “Wildcat” offense showed a nice wrinkle, as Josh Cribbs threw his first pass as a Jet for 25 yards, which clearly caught the Saints off guard. A big loss for the Jets did happen to the Jets passing game in the second quarter, as Jeremy Kerley dislocated his elbow on what was a nasty looking injury, and will be out for a few weeks, but hasn’t been ruled out for the season. Two guys did step up for the depleted Jets receiving core, as Greg Salas had two catches for 57 yards, and Zach Sudfield had two catches for 46 yards. The bye week should allow for the Jets to get Santonio Holmes back, which should greatly help Smith.

New York Jets Team Grades: Week 8

nytimes.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

October 27^th, 2013

Week 8 New York Jets Team Grades

The New York Jets suffered their worst loss of the season on Sunday to the AFC North Cincinnati Bengals, who dominated the Jets, and handed them their fourth loss of the season. The Jets record now half way through the season is (4-4), which is a bit better than most people probably would have predicted at this point.

Passing Offense Grade (F)

Sunday was not an easy day for the Jets passing offense led by Geno Smith, who had one of his bad games against the Bengals good defense. Smith finished throwing for 159 yards on 20 for 30 passing, but the big problems for Smith were the two interceptions he threw, both of which were returned for touchdowns. To Smith's defense one of the interception might not have been his fault, as there was a clear mis-communication between him and Jeremy Kerley. The poor play from Smith, and the lopsided score led to Matt Simms getting some action, and Simms finished up in mop up time throwing for 17 yards on three for seven passing. The one bright spot for the passing offense was the nice game put together by David Nelson, who caught eight passes for 80 yards.

Week 7 New York Jets Team Grades

wfmz.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

October 20^th, 2013

Week 7 New York Jets Team Grades

The New York Jets were able to pull off a great win against their division rival New England Patriots on Sunday in an overtime thriller. The win moves the Jets to (4-3) on the season, which keeps them right in the hunt for a Wild Card spot in the AFC.

Passing Grade (B)

The passing offense was pretty good for the Jets in this game led by Quarterback Geno Smith, who in his second game against the Patriots played much better than he in the Week 2 loss. Smith did have one major mistake in the first quarter, as he threw a pick six to Logan Ryan when the Jets were driving. Smith did bounce back from his first quarter woes and finished with a nice game throwing for 233 yards on 17 for 33 passing with a touchdown. The Jets receivers did a good job in this game despite being short handed without Winslow and Holmes, as Jeremy Kerley had a fantastic game catching eight passes for 97 yards and a touchdown. David Nelson made the most of his opportunity to play more, as he caught four passes for 80 yards.

W2W4: New England Patriots vs New York Jets

bostonherald.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

October 20^th, 2013

W2W4: New England Patriots vs New York Jets

The New York Jets coming off of a tough loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at home in which they only scored 6 points at home. On Sunday they will be playing their division rival the New England Patriots for the final time this season, and will be looking to bounce back from an early season 13-10 loss.

- Welcome to the Crib

With a depleted Wide receiving core and the loss of Clyde Gates for the season, who was their kickoff returner, the Jets have signed one of the better kickoff returners in history in Josh Cribbs. In his career Cribbs has returned eight kickoffs for touchdowns, which ties him with former Jet Leon Washington for most in NFL history. Cribbs probably wont factor in much of the passing offense however, as although he is technically a Wide Receiver he only has caught 107 passes in his eight NFL seasons. To fill in the role Gates served in the offense, the Jets signed Greg Salas from the Eagles practice squad, but he was on a stationary bike for most of the Jets practice.

W2W4: Pittsburgh Steelers vs New York Jets

behindthesteelcurtain

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

October 13^th, 2013

W2W4: Pittsburgh Steelers vs New York Jets

The New York Jets will be back home on Sunday afternoon after a great win on Monday Night Football against the Atlanta Falcons to host the (0-4) Pittsburgh Steelers, who are coming off a bye week from their loss in London England against the Minnesota Vikings.

- Barnes to IR

In the win against the Falcons the Jets did suffer a pretty big loss in the fourth quarter, as Linebacker Antwan Barnes had his knee buckle while rushing Matt Ryan, and will be out for the rest of the season. Barnes has played in 41% of the Jets snaps this year, as they have been using him as a pass rush specialist, and he was producing quite well in the role, with two sacks, and a team-leading 12 hits on the Quarterback. To replace Barnes the Jets resigned Linebacker Ricky Sapp, who was waived by the team on Saturday.

New York Jets Team Grades Week 5

nytimes.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

October 7^th, 2013

Week 5 New York Jets vs Atlanta Falcons Team Grades

The New York Jets headed into Atlanta to play the Falcons as 10 point underdogs, but surprised the country on Monday Night Football with a season changing 30-28 win. The victory improves the Jets to (3-2) on the season.

Passing Offense Grade (A)

Rookie Geno Smith was able to bounce back from a bad game in Tennessee with a great game in Atlanta, as he was able to protect the ball and make some big plays for the Jets passing offense. Smith was in a bit of a game manager mode in the win, but really excelled when throwing the ball. Smith threw for 199 yards on 16 for 20 passing, with three touchdowns. Without Santonio Holmes, Smith was able to utilize his Tight Ends very well especially in the red zone, as Jeff Cumberland, and Kellen Winslow each had a receiving touchdown. Jeremy Kerley had a big game in the absence of Holmes, as he caught a team-high five passes for 68 yards, and a touchdown.

W2W4: New York Jets vs Atlanta Falcons

www.thefalcoholic.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

October 7^th, 2013

W2W4: New York Jets vs Atlanta Falcons

The New York Jets will be on the road in the South for the second straight week this time facing off against the Atlanta Falcons, whose tough beginning part of their schedule has the with a (1-3) record, making this game against the Jets a must win for Atlanta.

- Do Or Die

In the last two weeks the Atlanta Falcons have lost two straight game to AFC East teams, as in Week 3 they lost to the Dolphins on the road, and then in Week 4 they were defeated at home by the Patriots. Monday Night Football will be an important one for the Falcons in the tough NFC, and in their division alone the New Orleans Saints are (4-0). Last year the Falcons were close to making the Superbowl, and came into this season with a lot of expectations, and a loss to the Jets would in all likelihood make their chances of making the playoff very slim.

Week 4 New York Jets Team Grades

bleacherreport.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

September 29^th, 2013

Week 4 New York Jets Team Grades

The New York Jets suffered a tough loss in Tennessee against the Titans on Sunday, and with the loss fall to (2-2) on the season. It wasn’t a very pretty game for Gang Green especially on the offensive side of the ball, and their poor protection of the ball was well indicated on the scoreboard.

Passing Offense Grade: (D)

The passing offense was rough to watch in this game, as rookie Quarterback Geno Smith looked very much like a rookie against the Titans defense. The main problem for Smith in the loss was the turnovers, as he had two interceptions and two fumbles, which really put the Jets defense in a tough spots. Smith finished throwing for 289 yards on 23 for 34 passing with one touchdown. The only bright spot for the Jets passing offense was the production for the Tight End position, as Kellen Winslow caught six passes for 73 yards, and Jeff Cumberland caught the 34-yard touchdown pass from Smith in the fourth quarter.

New York Jets Week 3 Team Grades

sfgate.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

Week 3: Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets

Jets Team Grades

Passing Offense Grade (B+)

Jets Quarterback Geno Smith had his best game of his young career against the Buffalo Bills, as Smith threw for a career-high 331 yards passing on 16 for 29 passing with two passing touchdowns. The one downside for Smith in this game was the turnovers yet again, as he threw teo interceptions to former Jet Jim Leonard, and Kiko Alonso. The Jets receivers also had very good days along with Smith, as the Jets looked to actually have an explosive offense at points during this game. Santonio Holmes was the Jets leading reciever with five catches for 154 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown catch, which gave the Jets the lead in the fourth quarter. Stephen Hill also put together one of his better games as a Jet with three catches for 108 yards, and a 51-yard touchdown.

W2W4: Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets

Nflrush.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

September 22^nd, 2013

W2W4: Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets

The New York Jets will be playing their division opponent the Buffalo Bills for the first time this season, with both teams coming into the game with a (1-1) record, and both have lost to the New England Patriots in close games for each team.

- Rookie Quarterbacks

This game will probably come down to the battle of rookie Quarterbacks, as E.J. Manuel will be facing off against Geno Smith. Even though it is only two games through the season so far, Manuel has the edge over Smith so far, as in his two games Manuel has been pretty good throwing for 446 yards on 68% passing, to go along with three touchdowns passes. Smith has fared as well as Manuel, as in Smith's two games hes thrown for 470 yards on 53% passing, with one touchdown and four interceptions. Protecting the ball has been done much better so far by Manuel compared to Smith, as Manuel has just two turnovers, and Smith has five so far.

Geno Struggles Against Patriots

By Ryan McDonald(@RonnieMac90)

The Jets fell to 1-1 on the season after a 13-10 lost to the Patriots in Foxborough Thursday night. It was a mistake filled night for both teams but the Patriots made less.

It was a missed opportunity for the Jets, as Tom Brady looked anything but his normal self. Brady missed numerous throws early on, overthrowing a touchdown pass to Edelman. Combined with the rookie receivers the Patriots had out there which resulted in numerous drops and miscommunications, it was anything but the normal passing attack we've come to expect from the Patriots. However, even with all of the Patriots offensive problems, the Jets couldn't capitalize.

The young rookie Geno Smith looked like a rookie, throwing for 3 interceptions, all in the fourth quarter. One interception was the result of a bad decision by Geno to throw into coverage while the Jets were in field goal range. The other two interceptions were the result of poorly thrown balls late in the fourth quarter. It's definitely a setback for Geno, but there are other factors that largely contributed to the Jets loss.

There were some positives for the Jets in this game. Mainly, they were able to find their running game. Against Tampa Bay in week 1, the Jets were not able to run the ball at all. That changed against the Pats as Chris Ivory rushed 12 times for 52 yards and Bilal Powell rushed 13 times for 48 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, the Jets went away from the running game in the 2nd half. Even though the Jets were only down a field goal, offensive coordinator Marty Morthinweg decided to go with more a pass heavy attack. It didn't work and Marty wasn't able to provide help for his rookie quarterback in playcalling.

It was an ugly game, and ended ugly with a scuffle breaking out after Geno's last interception. Two Jets offensive linemen, Willie Colon and D'Brickishaw Ferguson were ejected and fined heavily by the NFL for their actions during the scuffle. Luckily, they will not be suspended.

Next up for the New York Jets are the Buffalo Bills at MetLife. Both teams are 1-1 with one loss in the division.

W2W4: New York Jets vs New England Patriots Week 2

nydailynews.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

September 12^th, 2013

W2W4: New York Jets vs New England Patriots Week 2

The New York Jets will be heading up to New England for a Thursday night game against the Patriots, who like the Jets had a close last second win in Week 1, as New England was able to defeat the Buffalo Bills on a Field Goal by Stephen Gostkowski.

- Geno's Encore

Geno Smith had a pretty good NFL debut earning his first victory as a NFL Quarterback on Sunday against the Buccaneers, and on Thursday night he will be getting his first taste of the big rivalry between the Jets and Patriots. In Week 1 Geno threw for 256 yards on 24 for 38 passing, with a touchdown pass, as it was clear that the Jets didn’t mind letting Geno lose in Week 1 showing confidence in their rookie QB. Geno did however have two turnovers in the game, as he fumbled and threw an interception, which is something he will have to continue to work on. Maybe most impressively about Week 1 for Smith was his ability to run the football, as he extended a few drives on good runs, and finished with 47 rushing yards on six carries.

Jets Take Advantage of Bucs Mistakes

By Ryan McDonald (@RonnieMac90)

The New York Jets defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 18-17 on Sunday. Nick Folk kicked a game winning 48 yard field goal after the Jets capitalized on Lavonte David's personal foul penalty. As Geno Smith ran out of bounds, David unneccessarily pushed him, drawing a 15 yard penalty which put the Jets in field goal range with 7 seconds left.

-Positives:

The Jets defense picked up where they left off last season, stiffling the Bucs offense. They held Doug Martin to 24 rushes for 65 yards. Josh Freeman completed less than 50% of his passes for 210 yards. This is the type of defensive performance the Jets would like to see every game but it's worth noting that the Bucs offense didn't look stellar to begin with.

Geno Smith started and won his first NFL game. Smith went 24-38 with 256 yards and one touchdown and interception. Smith also scrambled 6 times for 47 yards, which made him the Jets leading rusher. Smith wasn't known for his running ability but he proved he could gain some yards if left unattended. Smith did seem to struggle with pressure but what rookie doesn't, with experience he'll hopefully get used to it. It's also worth noting that the Bucs secondary, with Revis, looks to be one of the best in the league.

Kellen Winslow recorded 7 catches for 79 yards. Winslow was Geno's favorite target as he was targetted 8 times. Winslow played well, and was able to separate himself from the Bucs linebackers fairly easily. It's a good sign and as long as Winslow stays healthy they'll have a satisfactory receiving tight end.

-Negatives:

One of the question marks to begin the season was the running game of the Jets. After week 1, those questions remain. Geno Smith, their rookie quarterback, was their leading rusher. Bilal Powell ran the ball 12 times for 29 yards and Chris Ivory had 10 rushes for 15 yards. The Jets could be one of the worst rushing teams in the NFL this season. It certainly doesn't bold well for Rex Ryan's mentality of ground and pound. This will also put additional pressure on rookie quarterback Geno Smith.

Santonio Holmes only caught one pass for 13 yards in the entire game. Holmes simply didn't look the same as he used to pre-injury. He was only targetted 3 times, and couldn't lose his defender often. Hopefully Holmes will improve with time.

Antonio Cromartie struggled against Vincent Jackson. Jackson had 7 catches for 154 yards and beat Cromartie for big plays on 3rd down especially. It's a glaring concern as Cromartie is now the Jets best cover corner and if he cannot take away the opposition's best receiver, it will be a long season. Cromartie did well last year as the Jets best corner after Darrelle Revis went down. It was hoped he could repeat that performance, but he is off to a shaky start.

-Expectations:

Geno looked much better than expected giving hope to Jets fans everywhere. However, this isn't the team that dragged Sanchez to two AFC title games. The talent around Geno simply isn't there. Geno doesn't have the weapons around him like Sanchez did in 2009, nor the running attack. If the defense doesn't hold the opposing team to under 20 every game, it's going to be a long season.

The Jets play at the New England Patriots on Thursday.

W2W4: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New York Jets

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

September 8^th, 2013

W2W4: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New York Jets

The New York Jets will be kicking off their 2013-2014 season at home with a new regime running the show after an off-season of lots of change, as they will be facing off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and a familiar face in Darrelle Revis.

- Return Of Revis Island

Revis will be making his return to Met Life Stadium after tearing up his knee last year, but this year he wont be playing in the green and white anymore, as in one of the biggest moves of the off-season, Revis was sent to the Buccaneers. It will be something to watch for early to see how the Jets attack their former best player coming off surgery, as they may look to run outside to his side, or possibly have Geno Smith go at him in the passing game to see just how healthy Revis is.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs New York Jets Recap

By Ryan McDonald (@RonnieMac90)

On 8/17/13, The Jets defeated the Jaguars 37-13. Due to injuries to Geno Smith and Greg McElroy, Mark Sanchez played into the 3rd quarter of the game.

Sanchez started off well, leading the Jets to a touchdown on the first drive of the game. Sanchez completed all his passes and looked comfortable in the pocket on the drive. However, it wouldn't last as he threw a pick in the redzone on his 3rd possession. Then on a muffed punt by the Jaguars, Sanchez and the Jets started on the Jaguars 5 at the end of the half but could not score on 4 plays. Sanchez scrambled for far too long on the last play and time expired so the Jets could not kick a field goal.

Sanchez finished the game 13-23 for 169 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. The starting quarterback position still remains an open competition due to Sanchez's miscues.

The Jets running game was effective against the Jaguars as well. Bilal Powell had 7 rushes for 68 yards and the offensive line caused huge holes for Jets runners. Chris Ivory who has been dealing with hamstring issues lately played in his first preseason game. Ivory did look slow and rusty, 6 rushes for 13 yards.

A new problem for the Jets may be their defense. Blaine Gabbert picked them apart completing 13-16 passes for 165 yards and a TD. The Jets couldn't muster any pressure on Gabbert and the Jets corners couldn't lockdown any of the Jaguars receivers one on one. It's worth noting the Jaguars came out in a no-huddle offense which took everyone by surprise including the Jets.

Another problem for the Jets defense is the loss of Quinton Coples for 3-5 weeks with a broken ankle. Coples was the Jets first round pick last year and was slotted to start as Outside Linebacker last year. Coples looks doubtful for the season opener againt Tampa Bay.

The Jets will hopefully name a starting quarterback after their 3rd preseason game against the Giants. It was suspected that the Jets would name their starter after their game against the Jaguars, but Geno's injury seems to have delayed these plans.

New York Jets Draft Review

By Ryan McDonald (@RonnieMac90)

2013 NFL Draft

Dee Milliner, Alabama CB (R1 P9)
Sheldon Richardson, Missouri Dline (R1 P13)
Geno Smith, West Virginia QB (R2 P39)
Brian Winters, Kent State G (R3 P72)
Oday Aboushi, Virgina OL (R5 P141)
William Campbell, Michigan OL (R6 P178)
Tommy Bohanon, Wake Forest FB (R7 P215)

Things started off smoothly in the draft for the new regime of the Jets. Grabbing Dee Milliner, cornerback out of Alabama. Widely considered a top 5 talent, Milliner dropped due to injury concerns. At 9, getting this talent was great value and it filled a need at corner after trading Revis. Make no mistakes though, he won’t be Revis, but he’ll be better than Kyle Wilson for sure.

Next up was the defensive tackle out of Missouri, Sheldon Richardson. At first, this was a head scratching pick. Richardson was undersized to play DT in a 3-4 and the this extended the Jets streak of selecting a defensive linemen in the first round to 3 years. It was suspected that the Jets would move to a 4-3 or at least use the front more often than in past years, but they decided to go into a different direction entirely. A huge need for the Jets was OLB which was not addressed in this draft, but the plan was to have Richardson play defensive end and move last year’s 1^st round selection, Quinton Coples, to outside linebacker and play the pass rushing role. Coples played OLB going into his draft and teams looked at him for that position. Coples led the Jets in sacks last year at a meager 5.5 sacks but note this is from the defensive end position. Expect production to increase for Coples as a pass rusher with this move. As for Richardson, not a true nose tackle, defensive end seems like the perfect place for him, making this pick less head scratching.

Next up is the quarterback from West Virginia, Geno Smith. Projected to go in the top 10 of the draft, and even considered by some to go 9 to the Jets, getting him 30 picks later is excellent value. After round 1 ended, the Jets had looked desperate to try and trade up in the 2^nd to go get Geno which would’ve been a huge mistake as he fell to them anyway. It’s good that they didn’t lose another pick just to get Geno 5 picks sooner. But it also begged the question of why the best QB in this draft fell to the 2^nd round. This was answered with how he interviewed and his persona. Apparently, Geno Smith is a diva and was texting and tweeting from his phone during interviews with NFL teams. Geno’s drop also caused him to fire his agents which was another diva-ish move. It comes to question if you can lead when you blame others for your bad interviews though and should be a red flag for the Jets. Also keep in mind that if this was the 2012 draft, Geno would’ve been a 2^nd-3^rd round pick anyway and was only projected as a top 10 pick due to being the best of the worst of the QB crop this year.

With their 3^rd round pick, the Jets selected Brian Winters from Kent State. An offensive linemen, Winters brings versatility to the position. Winters played right tackle in college but was drafted and looked at as a guard. Anytime a player can play multiple positions makes him an attractive pick, and although the Jets need a guard desperately, Winters can also fill in at tackle if needed.

The Jets traded their 4^th round pick for Saints RB Chris Ivory. As many positions, RB was a need for the Jets. Ivory was the 3^rd RB on the depth chart in New Orleans behind Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram. Ivory did see the field seemingly a lot despite this, and played quite well when given the ball. Ivory is a power back that likes to run over people which fits well with Rex Ryan’s ground and pound mentality. Overall, this was a very good trade for the Jets as they acquired their starting RB for only a 4^th round pick.

With their 5^th and 6^th round picks, the Jets continued to address their offensive line depth. Oday Aboushi and William Campbell were both drafted as offensive linemen. This seems to be only for depth with only Aboushi being able to see the field if he switches from left tackle to right tackle and current Jets starter Austin Howard does not produce. Campbell was a defensive tackle in college and only played guard in 2010 briefly. With all the Jets needs, this was a bad pick as taking a project for offensive line doesn’t seem like a smart idea.

With their final pick, the Jets took fullback Tommy Bohanon. Bohanon has some nice hands for a FB and can add to the passing game but not much is expected from a 7^th rounder.

Overall, the Jets had a very good draft, but with so many needs at so many positions, it was hard to have a bad draft. With solid picks in the first five rounds, and a very good trade, the Jets started their rebuilding process quite well. Geno Smith will have to change his personality under the bright lights of New York and hopefully he can be the quarterback of the future for the Jets.

Overall Grade: B+

Jets Part Ways with Tim Tebow

tracking.si.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 29th, 2013

On Monday morning the move many people expected the New York Jets to make happened, as after just one season with the team Tim Tebow was cut by new General Manager John Idzik.

When the Jets drafted Geno Smith in the second round it became apparent that someone had to be let go, as the Jets didn’t want to go into camps with six quarterbacks, so unfortunately for Tebow he was the odd man out. 

For Tebow now he will have to work on his skills, as its not expected that a lot of teams will be lining up to sign the now free agent Quarterback. Tebow did have some value when the Jets traded for him after he had a nice season with the Denver Broncos, which included an overtime win in the playoffs against the Pittsburgh Steelers. However Tebow never got a fair shake in New York, as he was mishandled horribly by Rex Ryan and Tony Sparano in the “Wildcat Offense”.

New York Jets Draft Preview

By Ryan McDonald(@RonnieMac90)

On the eve of the draft, the Jets find themselves as having an extra 1st round pick at 13 from the Darrelle Revis trade giving them 8 picks total.
 
1st round(9)
1st round(13)
2nd round(41)
3rd round(74)
4th round(105)
5th round(136)
6th round(166)
7th round(197)
 
Sadly, it's not enough for the rebuilding Jets.
 
With needs almost at every position, it'll be hard for the Jets to land value for every spot.
 
Quarterback - Currently, the starting quarterback position is up for grabs among the guys still on the roster. That means it's between ex-Jaguars QB David Garrard, Greg McElroy, Mark Sanchez, and Tim Tebow(Yes, he hasn't been cut yet). So to sum things up, the Jets don't have a starting quarterback on the roster.
 
Sadly, the 2013 draft is not the draft for quarterbacks, that was last years. Geno Smith(West Virginia), the speculated #1 quarterback draft would most likely find himself as the 6th quarterback in the 2012 draft. That being said, Smith is still projected to go in the top 10 with need being used as an evaluator. Even he does fall to 9, I just can't see the Jets taking him with more talented players at other needed areas.
 
If the Jets do select a quarterback, it'll most likely be in the 2nd round, and that QB I speculate would be Ryan Nassib(Syracuse). Nassib doesn't physically impress you or make you get out of your seat, but he plays the position intelligently. Think of him like a Chad Pennington with better arm strength, and at least he's 6'3", two inches taller than Sanchez. It'll be lucky if Nassib falls to them at 41, but if he does, I do think the Jets should take him.
 
It's also hard to think why the Jets were so hard pressed to take the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2013 1st round pick instead of the 2014 1st round pick they originally offered for Revis. The quarterbacks in 2014 are projected to be better than 2013.
 
Running back - The Jets lost Shonn Greene who was last year's starting running back. The load currently will fall on Bilal Powell who did show some promise in the 2012 season. However, Rex Ryan always shouts "ground n pound" and with Powell and newcomer Mike Goodson, it'll be hard to win games using that philosophy without improvement.
 
Like quarterback, this draft just isn't that great at the running back position. The top RB is Alabama's Eddie Lacy which is a solid pick but Lacy is projected to go in the 20s. The need for RB doesn't outweigh some needs in other positions such as Safety and OLB, so it's doubtful they would use the 13 pick on Lacy.
 
After Lacy, the talent at the RB position drops off significantly. Le'Veon Bell(Mich. St.), Montee Ball(Wisconsin), are two other options the Jets could look at with 74 and 105. It's probable that both will still be on the board by at least 74. Neither player would make an impact that Lacy could though.
 
Wide Receiver - With Santonio Holmes coming back slowly from injury, it'll be a rough few games with this current receiving core. The now sophmore Stephen Hill dropped way too many catches in 2012. He cannot be counted on in 3rd down situations and doesn't seemed to have grasp the game at the NFL level. Jeremy Kerley is a good slot receiver but the problem is he needs to stay in the slot.
 
Tavon Austin(West Virginia) is one option the Jets could look at with one of their 1st round picks. Austin can also return punts and kickoffs as well as make plays in the passing game. More of a big play guy, and only 5'-8" in height, Austin is not a vertical threat in the passing game. In the NFL, he'd most likely be used as Reggie Bush was in New Orleans. Unfortunately, he's not as athletic as Bush coming out. The other option is Cordarrelle Patterson(Tennessee). At 6'-3", Patterson is the more typical receiver. He also has the potential to return kicks, but isn't as versatile as Austin.
 
If the Jets pass on both, they most likely will not select a receiver in the draft.
 
Tight End - With the Dolphins signing Dustin Keller, the Jets starting TE right now is Jeff Cumberland. Cumberland is in no way the passing threat Keller was and downgrades the passing game significantly.
 
The two top tight ends in this draft are Tyler Eifert(Notre Dame) and Zach Ertz(Stanford). Eifert was a great tight end in college and give the Jets a nice blocker and pass catcher. Eifert is projected to go in the 18-28 in numerous mock drafts. Selecting Eifert at 13 would be a slight stretch but it could happen. If the Jets decide not to select him, Ertz is 6'-5" with good hands. Ertz doesn't have great speed like Keller but he can move the chains and is a big target.
 
Pass Rusher - With numerous cuts on the defensive side such as Bart Scott, a pass rusher is what the Jets have lacked for years. The Jets have had a history of failure in selecting pass rushers such as Vernon Gholston in the 2008 draft. The defensive line is young with tons of potential in Muhammad Wilkerson and Quinton Coples, so look for the Jets to address this need at the outside linebacker position. Luckily, this draft is rich in this exact area, especially in the first round.
 
Dion Jordan(Oregon) is scouted to be the best pass rusher in the draft. The problem with this is that he is a projecte top 5 pick. It's doubtful the Jets will trade up. The next two players are both first rounders with good talent. Jarvis Jones(Georgia) and Barkevious Mingo(LSU), it makes sense that if you want good defensive players you take from the SEC. Both players are a great fit with the Jets at the outside linebacker position and both might be available at the 9-13 area.
 
The draft is also deep with defensive linemen but some prospects do not fit the Jets 3-4 system. One potential pick here in the 1st round is Star Lotulelei(Utah). However, it's doubtful the Jets take another lineman in the 1st round.
 
Safety - LaRon Landry who played well with the Jets in 2012 left for the Colts. The Jets decided to sign Landry's less productive bother Dawan, formerly of the Jaguars. Dawan struggled with the Jaguars and isn't as hard a hitter as his brother. The safety position is in need of a major upgrade.
 
A player that the Jets seem to have their eye on is LSU's Eric Reid. The Jets would most likely trade down to take Reid in the 1st round. It's unlikely they go for this though, and look at other options such as Matt Elam(Florida) in the later rounds. Elam's 5'-10" in height but has good play recognition skills. Elam was also a leader on one of the best defenses in college football in 2012. Elam could be a very productive player and good value with pick 74.