JaMarcus Russell: No Way, No How

JaMarcus to the Jets? Will NOT Happen.

Late Monday night, the Newark-Star Ledger reported that the Jets have had "very exploratory, informal discussions" regarding former-Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell. We all remember him right? The man who signed a $61 million contract, that of which guaranteed him $32 million, after being selected first overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. The man who showed absolutely no work ethic or winning attitude during his three seasons as a Raider. This was also the man who showed up to the 2010 training camp weighing 300 pounds. 300 POUNDS! That is what most defensive tackles weigh in the NFL. Mercifully, for Raiders fans, he was released from the organization in 2010. 

Now, of course, Jets fans are ready to grab their pitchforks and march on Florham Park. But, let's not get too carried away. Where most uninformed Jets fans see this and say, "Here's the circus again," or, "This is just Woody Johnson trying to sell PSL's," they could not be more wrong. Being in New York, the Jets are probably the most overblown team in terms of media and reporting. Most people think that "very exploratory, informal discussions" means that they are looking to sign him....that can't be farther from the truth. Let me give you an example of what "very exploratory, informal discussions" can consist of: 

Guy #1: Should we do this?

Guy #2: No.

End of story. If you have an inkling common sense, you can see that even JaMarcus Russell was a lousy quarterback, and an even lousier person. He was 7-18 as a starter for the Oakland Raiders.....in 3 seasons. Seven wins in three seasons, during which he was lazy, selfish, and a complete jerk to everyone around him. The Jets might be ambitious, and they might be crazy, but their not this stupid. Signing Russell would be the equivalent of Woody Johnson throwing a grenade into the middle of the Jets organization and kissing it "goodbye"....figuratively speaking, of course. Nobody in the NFL would be stupid enough to sign a 300 pound "never-was." 

I used to think maybe a team would be smart giving this guy a chance. He's 6'6, was the No.1 Draft pick, and would have the biggest arm in the NFL if he was allowed back in. My stance quickly changed when I read this from SI.com :

"Things weren’t going right, and it felt sometimes like everything fell back on me. ... I may have missed a throw, but I didn’t give up 42 points, I didn’t miss a block. ... I stuck my neck out for (Cable). Didn’t complain when he benched me as the starter. Didn’t complain when he called the same plays five damn times. Didn’t [badmouth] him to other coaches. When the [media] asks me, I say, ‘He’s a good coach, a good guy.’ Then I hear he says I was the worst thing ever happened to the Raiders, if it weren’t for him we’d be in the playoffs?" 

This is just simply an unacceptable comment. If he had come out and said that he messed up and that it was his fault, then I would see a guy trying to seek retribution and forgiveness. This, though, is just sickening. JaMarcus Russell has NO business in the NFL, and I don't think the Jets will be the ones to let him back in.

2013 Potential Break-Out Candidate: Quinton Coples

Quinton Coples: Showing Signs of Stardom

THE New York Jets were ridiculed with there No. 16 selection of Quinton Coples in the 2012 NFL Draft. Coming off a down senior year at UNC, Coples was looked at as a "bust-in-the-making." This down year was characterized by "only" 7.5 sacks, a year after sacking the quarterback 10 times, with 59 tackles and being named first team All-ACC.  In case you don't know, a college football season is usually 11 to 12 games. So that is 17.5 sacks in just around 22-24 games. Correct me if I am wrong, but that is pretty impressive. Still, with questions about his motor and work ethic looming around football nation, many Jets fans were skeptical about the pick. 

AFTER a slow start to the season, we saw Quinton Coples start to gain some traction. With only 6 tackles in the first five games, Jets nation was quietly getting ready to press the panic button. Right on cue, Coples showed some life against the Indianapolis Colts to the tune of 4 tackles and 2 sacks. With very inconsistent playing time until the last four games, Coples' production began to dip back down. It wasn't until these four games that I was ready to jump on the Coples bandwagon. 

IN the last four games of the 2012 season, Coples racked up 10 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Coples' playing time increased, but he was still nowhere near starters minutes. Still, he began to explode for great numbers. The 2013 season is crucial for Quinton Coples. Jets nation is done waiting for a pass-rushing star to come along. It is safe to say we have all been starving for one since John Abraham left. With Muhammad Wilkerson quietly becoming one of the best 3-4 defensive ends in the league, Coples should be primed and ready to break out. Coples was coming on strong at the end of the season. His presence was clearly felt whenever he was on the field. If he was sacking the QB, he was right in his face.

THE interesting thing about "Que" is his versatility. Where everyone pegs him as defensive end, they don't realize the damage he does on the interior line at defensive tackle. In sub packages, Coples' size speed combo is too much for many offensive guards to handle. Being able to play across the entire defensive line makes him extremely valuable and very tough to prepare for. With Rex Ryan staying for the 2013 season, Que can take that next step forward to giving Jets fans their first 10+ sack player in 10 years. 

John Idzik: Rapid Reaction to NY Jets New GM Presser

John Idzik: New Jets GM

A new beginning of sorts came about today as John Idzik was introduced to Jets nation as the new General Manager. Idzik stood in front of the tireless group of New York reporters and journalists and laid out a road map for the organization, now firmly under his control. Though quite non-specific in the upcoming moves he will make, Idzik displayed confidence in the organization, and more importantly in himself. Idzik stated very clearly at the beginning of the presser, "We're going to be all in all together and that is going to help us build a sustainable winner."

Here are a few things I took away from the press conference:

1) The man is confident in his ability to lead an organization. There was no hesitation or wavering in his voice. He took this job knowing he had a long road ahead, but he seemed to be excited, not nervous.

2) He said exactly what needed to be said. He didn't say too much, but didn't say too little. The last thing we needed was another guy coming in saying the Jets would win right away. 

3) Idzik made it affluently clear that he was not hired to just fill a position, and that he was in control. Ordinarily, he explained how it will be a collective effort and then he will make decisions with everyone's input, but it was clear that the final decision will always be his, as it should be. 

4) One of the most important things I took away from this press conference was Idzik's emphasis on the draft. He made it clear that the draft was crucial to their success, referring to it many times as a "lifeline." The draft has always been an area that I felt former GM Mike Tannenbaum struggled. Obviously, the Jets have had a fair share of good first round draft picks, such as CB Darrelle Revis, C Nick Mangold, DE Muhammad Wilkerson, and just recently DE Quinton Coples. The monkey on Tannenbaum's back was of course the Vernon Gholston pick. What Tannenbaum had struggled with was finding talent in the later rounds in the draft. Those are the money rounds. It seemed that so much emphasis was put on the first two rounds, and then they would shift to auto-draft, putting no thought into their picks. When was the last time we saw a Jets star rise from the later rounds of the draft. You see players like Arian Foster, James Harrison, Victor Cruz, nay I say...TOM BRADY. They are all later round picks or undrafted, and are all talented stars in the NFL. The NY Jets had four picks in the 6th and 7th round last year. Only one player is currently on the 53 man roster. ONE! That is unacceptable. Talent must be found in these rounds, and I feel that Idzik recognizes this. In a year where they will not be able to pay big time starters, starters must be found in the later rounds of this draft.

5) John Idzik is the anti-Rex Ryan, which is exactly what the Jets need right now. Surely within the next few weeks, New York media outlets will conjure up witty headlines comparing the two to The Odd Couple. Regardless, this will be a huge help. Over the last season, we saw a more professional and well-mannered version of Rex Ryan. Whether we like to accept it or not, being a head coach is a tough job, and sometimes it takes time to figure out how to be a "leader of men," which is the most important quality required of a head coach. I think Idzik's hiring will only help Rex become more mature in his actions as head coach, and I think the two will combine to make a good team.

6) Lastly, Idzik did not fall for any traps that the media set up for him. He consistently insisted that what was in the past will remain in the past. He seemed focused solely on the future of the organization, whether it pertained to the salary cap, the roster, or the staff. This can only be a good sign. The Jets have a bad enough past to drive a man insane. If Idzik was to dwell on the past, he would be doomed. He also refused to offer any dialogue on the Revis trade rumors, which was smart. He stated that everyone will be evaluated, which is exactly what needs to be done on a roster of underachievers. In closing, the man knows what to say. I don't see him getting into any trouble with the media.

It wasn't the typical New York Jets press conference that we are used to. In fact, it seemed way too professional to be NY Jets press conference, but hey, isn't that what we've been waiting for? It's been a long time coming for the Jets to get a positive surprise -- a spark, if you will. John Idzik could be it. Not saying he will be....but, just maybe.

Trade Revis? Get Out of Here!

PSL's would be the least of Woody's worries if a Revis Trade happens.

Life as a New York Jets fan has been painful, to say the least, these last few months. After getting off to a great start in Buffalo during Week 1, the Jets began to crumble, eventually leading to a 6-10 season, multiple coaching staff firings, and a new GM. If all that was not enough, there is yet another thing to add to the pile -- Darrelle Revis trade rumors. 

It seems like Woody Johnson has finally pushed the panic button in regards to Revis. After a lengthy holdout during the summer of 2010, there is a fear that Revis could be lost in free agency in 2014. Woody Johnson has made it clear that the Jets will be exploring Revis' trade market, but I think this a mistake. 

Rarely does a player of Revis' caliber fall into your lap. After being drafted as the 14th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, it seems that Revis could be considered a steal based on his play on the field. Had teams known the defensive menace that Revis would eventually become, he would have gone in the top 10 easily. He is by far the most dominant player at his position or of any position in the NFL. There is nobody else that plays there position with such perfection and authority. Many would argue for Peyton Manning or Tom Brady for that title, but answer me this...when was the last time Revis gave up a touchdown pass? When was the last time Revis gave up a 50-yard pass? When was the last time Revis missed a tackle? He is the epitome of dominance in the NFL. 

This upcoming year is a HUGE year for the New York Jets. After two lackluster seasons, which displayed a team playing even worse than their record suggests, the Jets are in need of an upward push. They need to show some sort of commitment to winning and to playing a good brand of football. Trading Revis will destroy any hope that Jets fans hold for the future. Though many recognize that this upcoming year is a rebuilding year of sorts, we cannot accept the trade of our best player. Though trading Revis would definitely yield at least a first round pick, it still would harm the team more than it would help. 

A huge argument that has been made around the media circuit is that, even without Revis, the Jets pass defense still ranked second in the NFL. What people seem to forget is how many other positions Revis effects when he is on the field. Being able to leave one side of the field completely in Revis' hands allows Rex to do so many creative things with the defense. It means that he can bring a safety into the box for run defense, or blitz a safety off the edge, or blitz a corner off the edge. The list is endless of things that a defense can do differently with Revis on the field. Unless you have a pass rusher on the level of Demarcus Ware, not having Revis in coverage simply dumbs down the defense and makes it much more vanilla. Though the pass defense did rank second, it still can't be overlooked that Kyle Wilson repeatedly got burned all over the field. 

The simple point remains that, as an organization, you cannot be afraid to pay your best players. If it means cutting another player to keep Revis, than that is what must be done. Revis is simply a priceless player right now and cannot be replaced in any defensive scheme. The Jets would be foolish to trade a future Hall of Famer, and potentially the greatest cover corner to ever play the game.