DEVELOPING STORY: N.Y. Jets Shopping Thomas Jones For Anquan Boldin

Usually there isn’t a lot of news made in Cortland, New York, and ever since the Jets moved their camp to the New York campus, other than stories about how much “fun” players are having during training camp there hasn’t been a lot of sizzling gossip.

That is about to change.

Yahoo Sports! and the National Football Post, are reporting that the Jets are looking to trade disgruntled running back Thomas Jones. Jones, who has two years left on his contract, wants a expensive extension at the age of 31-years-old the time when most backs start to break down.

According to the report, the Jets have, “placed a call to an NFC West club.” That club, I believe is the NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals. Throughout the spring there were rumors that the Cardinals were looking to trade receiver Anquain Boldin, who is also unhappy about his contract status with the franchise.

At the time, the Jets were rumored to be a possible suiter for Boldin, but some thought the Cards would get more from the New York Giants instead. Talks with the G-Men got nowhere; the story died by Memorial day, and it is now on August 11. It appears that the Boldin story is starting to heat up again.

This trade would be a boon for both teams. The Jets need a No.1 quality receiver since they don’t have one in camp to complement Jerricho Cotchery. Boldin would give the Jets the kind of receiver they have not had since Keyshawn Johnson left town after the 1999 season. Boldin stands at 6’1″, which would make him the tallest receiver on the roster.

Last season, he had 89 catches for 1,038 yards with 11 touchdowns, including a 51 yard touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the wild card game.

Boldin can stretch the field and be that burner the Jets desperately need. Plus, the Jets are close to signing team MVP Leon Washington to a mega contract, and the team drafted Shonn Greene from Iowa. Greene is expected to be a big, bruising back, think Brandon Jacobs, or Jones, if Greene develops.

As for the Cards, they struggled to find a consistent running game last year. The Cards were last in the NFL on the ground, averaging 73.6 yards; the team couldn’t get any consistency from former Pro Bowler Edgerrin James.

The Cards eventually benched James, who declared before the playoffs that he was done with Arizona. Not exactly a team player.

Thomas Jones would give the Cards an incredible threat on the ground and morph them into a more complete and dynamic offensive squad. With Pro Bowl quarterback Kurt Warner and receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston and tight end Jerheme Urban already in tow, the Cards would be scary if they could add a guy who led the AFC in rushing with 1,312 yards last fall.

This sounds like a win-win for both squads.

The only concerns should be Jones’ age. At 31-years-old, many should be wary that 2008 might have been the last good season that Jones has left in his tank.

As for Boldin, his public blow up with offensive coordinator Todd Haley during the NFC title game, and the story that leaked out later that Boldin skipped out on the team celebration because he was angry about his playing time, could raise eyebrows, but Rex Ryan’s zen-like personality should make Boldin into a team player.

Rex Ryan’s Promise of Hope and Change: A Preview of the 2009 New York Jets

What should we realistically expect from the New York Jets this fall?

After an interesting off-season headlined by the firing of Eric Mangini, the retirement of Brett Favre, the hiring of boisterous new head coach Rex Ryan, and the drafting of the California sunshine boy, Mark Sanchez, are the Jets really ready for take off a month from now?

The franchise is banking on Ryan playing the role of the Anti-Mangini. His player and media friendly persona has rubbed off quite well so far on the people who spend even a few minutes with him, or who listen to him in his press conferences. He is confident, comfortable with himself, comfortable with his players, and a true believer that this team can be a winner immediately.

His bold prediction that his Jets will get a chance to meet President Barack Obama within the next three and a half years, and his bold statement on Mike Francesa’s radio show on 660 WFAN that he didn’t come to New York to “kiss” Bill Belichick’s championship rings typify Ryan’s confidence. 

He is clearly the yin to Eric Mangini’s yang. Mangini never dared to make a bold statement about how confident he was in his team and was constantly negative about his team’s performances on a week in-week out basis. 

Still, it should be very interesting to see how long the bright smile on Rex Ryan’s face will last, especially with a team that has no true identity at the quarterback position, no depth at wide receiver, and no track record for the new defense still to be executed in game action. 

The Jets couldn’t ask for a tougher opening to their season than its first five weeks: At Houston, vs. New England, vs. Tennessee, at New Orleans, and at Miami. All five teams have solid offenses that might leave a vanilla Jets offense so far in the dust that the Jets defense will have to score if the team wants to have a chance to win games. In short, an 0-5 or 1-4 start is not inconceivable for this team. 

Here is a position by position break down of the 2009 Jets, and what needs to happen at each position for the Jets to be a success on the field: 

 

Quarterback

Here lies the biggest conundrum for the 2009 New York Jets. Once Brett Favre decided to leave the Jets so he could mull another comeback with the Minnesota Vikings, it left Gang Green very vulnerable at the position.

Kellen Clemens was underwhelming as starter in 2007, compiling a 3-5 record while completing only 52 percent of his passes, throwing five touchdowns, and 10 interceptions during a rough 4-12 season.

The one excuse that Clemens had from that 2007 season is the fact that he was playing behind a patch-work offensive line. The Jets improved the line before the 2008 season, and now it is up to Clemens to prove that he is better than advertised. 

If Clemens fails to distinguish himself this summer, the load will fall on the shoulders of 22-year-old Mark Sanchez. Sanchez had only 16 starts in college; granted they were excellent starts, he went 14-2; however, lack of playing experience, and the fact that his college coach, Pete Carroll, felt Sanchez wasn’t ready for the NFL, makes many wonder how long it will take Sanchez to fully develop into an NFL quality quarterback. 

So far in OTA’s and in just a couple of training camp practices, Sanchez has not been good. He has missed his on-field reads, and has struggled against the Jets new 46 defense. Clemens on the other hand, had a strong second day of camp, but still has not totally distinguished himself either as the team’s legit opening day starter.

If the Jets fail to get any positive consistency from either quarterback this year, they are in big trouble. The last thing the Jets want to do is shuffle between both QB’s like they did with Clemens and Chad Pennington in 2007. Shuffling the QB’s will set the Jets waaaayyy back in the development of either player.

 

Running Back

The strength of the franchise. Who knew after a lousy 2007 season, that Thomas Jones had anything left in the tank? Last fall, Jones led the AFC in rushing with 1,312 yards. He showed great explosiveness through the line and into space, creating a lot of havoc for opposing defensive backs. 

Many credited the presence of Favre, and the revamped offensive line for Jones’ great season. However,the guy was a great back for the Chicago Bears in 2005 when he rushed for 1,335 yards and in their Super Bowl season of 2006, when he rushed for 1,210 yards.

Even though he is 31 years old, it is only during the last four years that Jones has received an opportunity to be an every down back. One should expect Jones to have another big season; he will need to if the quarterback position is struggling.

The lone concern with Jones is his contract; he has a year left on his current deal for the 2010 season, but Jones wants an extension and more money. In spite of the contract problem, Jones is in camp and is working with the team.

As for his running mate, Leon Washington, Washington threatened to hold out from training camp unless he received an extension from the Jets. As of the weekend, Washington’s agent and Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum were diligently working out a new contract for the Jets greatest weapon, and the speedster showed up on day two.

Washington is a burner; he is so fast that once he gets into space, it is impossible for any defender to catch him. Last year, the speedy Washington had a career year. He rushed for 448 yards on 76 carries with six touchdowns on the ground and recorded 1,231 yards and a touchdown on kickoffs. His highlights included a 78 yard touchdown run against the Bills at home, a 66 yard touchdown against the Titans, and a 94 yard kick off return against the Patriots.

With Washington in the fold, the Jets are very difficult to defend. It is always a mystery as to when and how Washington will touch the football, but when he does he is more often than not, effective. Expect the Jets to feed both Washington and Jones the rock all season long on running plays, bubble screens, and dump off passes.

By the way, the Jets could borrow a little “Earth, Wind and Fire” from their stadium mates the N.Y. Giants this fall. The Jets drafted Shonn Greene from Iowa in April’s draft. Greene rushed for 1,850 yards and 20 touchdowns in his senior year; keep in mind they only play 11 games in college, that is how impressive Greene’s statistics were last fall.

If Greene can develop into a solid back, the Jets could consider moving on without Jones, who is still upset about his four year contract with the team.

 

Wide Receiver

If quarterback is a weak spot on the Jets, than wide receiver is a black hole. Let’s just say that Keyshawn Johnson, Wayne Chrebet, and Laverneous Coles are not walking through the doors at the Jets Atlantic Health Center any time soon.

Outside of Jerricho Cotchery, the Jets have a lot of problems at wide receiver. The team is hoping that either David Clowney, Chansi Stuckey or Brad Smith can develop enough to become a legit No. 2 receiver. Clownely and Stuckey don’t have a lot of experience.

Clownely lit up the scene last summer in a pre-season game at Cleveland but never had an impact on the team during the regular year, snaring only one catch. As for Stuckey, he is more of a third down/slot receiver. He had a big impact on the Jets early in 2008 with 12 catches for 122 yards and three touchdowns. After that, Stuckey disappeared into the abyss.

The Jets could have addressed this position in the off-season with veterans like Tori Holt and Mavin Harrison available, but chose not to because of the declining skills of both players. They could have drafted a receiver, i.e. Michael Crabtree, Hakeem Nicks, or Kenny Britt but chose not to, instead electing to trade up in the draft to get Sanchez.

Unless a veteran receiver gets released by somebody in camp, the Jets are going to have a lot of problems here. For all of the talent that Cotchery possess, he is not a No. 1 receiver; he’s more of No. 2 receiver. Expect Cotchery to get double and triple teamed a lot during games. That will put a lot of pressure on Stuckey, Smith, and Clowney to make big plays for the first time in their careers.

 

Offensive Line

This is a huge strength of the team. Nick Mangold, Alan Faneca, DBrickshaw Ferguson, Brandon Moore, and Damion Woody are all returning for the second straight season; expect this group to provide great running lanes for Washington and Jones, and provide enough protection for the inexperienced Sanchez or the veteran Clemens.

If the Jets are going to contend at all for a playoff spot, all five linemen will have to remain healthy and build on their Pro-Bowl reputation.

 

Defense

Now for the bread and butter of Rex Ryan’s coaching expertise. Ryan wants to bring his nasty, blitz happy, 46 defense to the Jets. While with the Ravens, Ryan coached a group that was in the top five in almost all defensive categories during his three year tenure as defensive coordinator.

The Jets have some very good players, and a lot of raw talent on the defensive side of the ball, and it will be interesting to see how quickly this group comes together to make this D as good as advertised.

On the defensive line, the buck stops with tackle Kris Jenkins. In the 46, pressure from up front is paramount to its success, and Jenkins, who got a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks last fall, will have to do the same and more so.

Last season, Jenkins played in all 16 games, collecting 52 tackles and 3.5 sacks. However, down the stretch, Jenkins seemed to tire, and, as a result, the Jets defense didn’t play at as high a level as earlier in the year.

Jenkins did suffer a leg injury in camp, but he is expected to be back on the field very soon. Nevertheless, if Jenkins should miss any time the Jets are in trouble up the middle. With him, opposing offenses have extreme difficulty in running the football.

It is the linebacker position that is most intriguing about this new Jets defense. The Jets brought in Bart Scott from Baltimore to bring the kind of mental toughness and leadership that Scott had experienced with the Ravens. Scott was a pro bowler in 2006 and has recorded four straight 100 plus tackle seasons.

He has been a leader for this team already. He trash talks with teammates, encourages his fellow defenders, and even teaches them a little bit along the way. He will have a huge impact on the likes of David Harris, who will be next to him in the middle, as well as Vernon Gholston.

Speaking of Gholston, he will get an opportunity to start this year, with Calvin Pace suspended for the first four games of the year for substance abuse.

Last year, Gholston was a major disappointment as the team’s top draft choice in the ’08 draft. He had only four tackles, lost his confidence, road the pine, and spent time in Eric Mangini’s dog house. Now, Gholston gets a second chance.

Ryan has promised better play out of Gholston, saying he can make him into another Terrell Suggs, the Pro Bowl outside linebacker with the Ravens. If Gholston can pick up the slack and have a major impact on this blitz happy D, than Ryan will look like a genius. If not, Gholston could be looking for work elsewhere real fast.

The Jets could have one of the best secondaries in the game. When was the last time anyone could say that about the Jets?

The Jets added safety Jim Leonard, corner back Donald Strickland from San Francisco, and corner back Lito Shepard from Philadelphia. Leonard is only 5’8″ but is a fierce hitter. He is not afraid to go head first into a charging running back, or take a swipe at a receiver down the middle.

Leonard should be a perfect fit to team up with Kerry Rhodes, who could have a Pro Bowl year with the same defensive scheme that made his Baltimore counterpart Ed Reed into a future Hall of Famer.

As for Shepard, he spent the last year and a half in Andy Reid’s dog house down in Philly. Constant injuries made Shepard expendable last season when the Eagles acquired Asante Samuel from the Patriots. He will likely rotate with Strickland who had a decent career with the 49ers from 2006 to 2008.

One guy the Jets can count on in the secondary is Darrelle Revis. After a breakout rookie campaign in 2007 where he recorded 85 tackles, Revis took a hit statistically in 2008, recording only 58 tackles.

However, Revis did pick off five passes and returned one for a touchdown. If Revis can continue to improve as a classic shut down corner, then, indeed the Jets will have the best secondary in the AFC East.

 

Overview

Can the Jets compete for a playoff spot this year? Can the Jets win 10 games? Absolutely. That is, if Sanchez or Clemens can take a firm hold on the starting job, and provide the same kind of jolt that Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco provided for the Falcons and Ravens last year.

That is, if the Jets address the wide receiver position before the end of the summer, and, if the defensive players can learn the 46 defense quick enough and gel fast enough to become a stout defense.

In short, expecting a 10 win season may be expecting too much too soon.

Inexperienced quarterbacks do not typically lead their teams to the playoffs. The norm is more like Peyton Manning’s first year (3-13 in 1998), and Eli Manning’s first year (6-10 in 2004). There are growing pains and struggles.

What the Jets cannot do is shuffle the quarterbacks. If Sanchez wins the job, he must stay the starter all season no matter how much it hurts to watch, and no matter how much fans kick and scream on sports talk radio.

Defensively, it usually takes time for a group to truly grasp and gel in a new system, meaning that it takes more than four preseason games to get all the kinks out. The Jets defense could be lights out in the final three-quarters of the season, but for fans to expect to see the Ravens defense in green uniforms on September 13 is expecting a bit much.

There are great expectations for the Rex Ryan regime. Maybe Ryan will make good on his premonition that he will shake President Obama’s hand one day; that one day won’t be this year. Prediction: 5-11, third place AFC East.

A Dark Knight: Brett Favre Lacks Class If He Returns Again

Human beings like to believe that all men and women are endowed with the ability to ask for forgiveness when they have wronged others, or grant forgiveness to others who have wronged them.

Nevertheless, we are a flawed species, not perfect. The reality is man possesses ugly, fatal flaws that lust for money, fame, power, and other passions which lead to his downfall time and again. History is witness, and Greek tragedy testimony to such harmartia. 

In 2009 A.D., sports fans have been spectators to such figures that qualify for tragic heroic treatment that even Sophocles could use.

Such a figure is Brett Favre. 

For the past 16 months, Favre once again has tormented himself with the question of his retirement from the gridiron.

Still fresh in collective memory is his tearful goodbye to Green Bay in March of 2008. Then, there was his controversial return to the field of battle last summer, but the Indian summer of his heroic achievements soon turned to nightmare before Christmas with the New York Jets.  

Now, it’s another summer of rumors that ‘ole No. 4 is not ready to hang up the cleats and pads for a pair of hush puppies, a cigar, and a fishing rod. 

Favre wants another comeback, this time with the Green Bay Packers’ most hated rival: The Minnesota Vikings.

Favre in purple, not green. 

The question remains: What is his real goal? To win a second Super Bowl? Probably. Most athletes want to go out the way John Elway departed in 1997 and 1998 with back-to-back Super Bowl titles.

But most assuredly, it’s not the norm. Michael Jordan tried and failed. Roger Clemens tried too. Dan Marino wanted to try, but couldn’t do it because of his battle-scared knees. 

Or, is his motivation something darker, more disturbing? Could it be revenge? 

Favre made it no secret last summer that he was angry at the Packers for not welcoming him back like a returning hero when he changed his mind in July, and it became obvious that the Packers had no choice but to move with Aaron Rogers as the team’s starting quarterback. 

Favre threatened he wanted to be traded to only the Vikings, or Chicago Bears—such a move would have occasioned the lives of Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy to become miserable.

Nonetheless, the Packers finally rid themselves of Favre on Aug. 7, trading him to the Jets. 

Favre wasn’t done taking his anger to the Pack, as rumors surfaced in late September that Favre had called former Lions general manager Matt Millen to highlight some secret plays that the Packers usually gameplan for whenever they played the lowly Lions. That phone call didn’t help the Lions much, who still went 0-16 for the season. 

Then Favre’s new team, the Jets, took center stage for the nation to see. Favre led the Jets to an 8-3 record through Thanksgiving, then orchestrated one of the greatest regular-season collapses in NFL history. 

Rumblings from fellow teammates like Kerry Rhodes and Thomas Jones began to surface that Favre was always “distant” from his Jets teammates, rarely hanging out with them, rarely talking to them, and never showing any leadership when the team needed him the most. 

On top of this, Favre played his final five games injured, refusing to take himself out of the game so that “his team” might have a better chance to win. As a result, the Jets finished 2008 at 9-7, and Eric Mangini lost his job as head coach. 

Did Favre take any responsibility for what had occurred? Any remorse? No and no. 

Instead, Favre had his sights set on returning to the field with the Vikings. Once the Jets let him go in April, Favre was a free man. 

Now, he is toying with the Vikings.

He claims he is “unsure” how his newly-repaired right shoulder will react to the violence of throwing a football consistently, and he continues to tantalize the Vikings by telling them that he will come to a final decision before the end of the month on his playing status. 

Meanwhile, the Vikings, who some think have the talent to compete for a World Championship, are trying to find ways to prepare for a season amid the distractions of the latest blockbuster summer sequel Favre Mania Redux. 

Does Favre care about the Vikings? Does he feel any responsibility for permitting the 90-plus players at camp twist in the wind awaiting with bated breath on his decision? Probably not.

Favre just cares about Favre.

If Favre wanted to do the decent thing, he would come out today and announce his retirement. He would ask for forgiveness from the Green Bay Packers for causing them so much heartache last summer. He would apologize to the New York Jets for not giving them 110 percent all season long, and apologize to the Vikings for confusing them at the most critical time of the year for an NFL franchise.

Then, he should tuck tail and ride into the sunset the way heroes are supposed to do, not to return to the public view until his induction Canton six years from the day he finally retires.

Only then can the fans forgive Favre his harmartia. 

Jets’ Mini-Camp: Change Is in the Air

The verb “change” became as much a part of the fabric of American culture over the last year as fireworks is to the Fourth of July and Santa Claus is to Christmas. Unlike the bitter and hateful political arena, where the word has been used and abused, change is clearly in the atmosphere at One Jets Drive in Florham Park New Jersey.

For the entire week, the Jets opened its year-old facility to the public for the first time ever for a series of events and extravaganza that included five practices.

After personally attending the two afternoon practices on Tuesday and Wednesday, it was quite clear that Rex Ryan has changed what used to be a group of timid tightwads into a group of confident, happy, and gracious players.

On Tuesday, Jet fans were allowed to stand alongside the outdoor field-turf practice field with nothing but small advertising billboards separating them from the players. Unlike past years, when fans were forced to stand seemingly miles away from the players, spectators had close contact with the players on this afternoon.

Tuesday showed an entirely different approach: kicker Jay Feeley joked around with the fans when he turned around and told people to duck when the ball was punted in his direction. Later, Feeley walked through the crowd, undeterred of course, to get to the grass practice fields to run some kicking drills.

While setting up an exercise bridge for his tight ends, Mike Devlin, the team’s tight end coach, spotted a young fan of five or six, and summoned the youngster over to help him out. The young boy was excited, looked back at his father and then dashed over to Devlin. Devlin gave the boy some pointers about the exercise that he was going to have his tight ends run and let the kid run through the bridge twice, with applause from the fans.

After the practice, players walked right up to the fans to sign autographs, a stark contrast from the team’s days at Hofstra, where fans had to run to a 10-foot chain-link fence in the back of the facility, hoping against hope that players would sign.

Wednesday’s practice was slightly different. With nearly 2,000 people present, the Jets had to block off the fields with a waist-high soft mesh fence, but the sense of change was still in the air where it was most important…on the field.

Players like Kris Jenkins, Kerry Rhodes, and Bart Scott were talking trash within earshot of the delighted fans and fooling around with their teammates all day long. At one point, Nick Mangold and Jenkins were seen playfully sparing with each other after a play had been completed.

More importantly, the quarterback battle is heating up. Both Kellen Clemens and Mark Sanchez had their moments in mini-camp. Clemens looked sharp in the pocket, standing with more poise against the blitz than Sanchez, and even threw a 50-yard touchdown on Tuesday.

As for Sanchez, he possesses a superb arm, but when faced with a blitz, Sanchez tends to shrink under the pressure and overthrow his receivers. Luckily for Sanchez and the Jets, the young quarterback signed his five-year contract insuring against the possibility of a holdout so he can continue to progress.

If Ryan is going to be right about one thing this season, it is his defense. After viewing the team’s new 46 defense over the past two days, the Jets could easily have a top 10 or 15 defense this season. Kris Jenkins was seen playing at defensive end, Bart Scott moved around from inside to outside linebacker, and Shaun Ellis was seen on the outside as well. The Jets threw everything but the kitchen sink at their young quarterbacks on Wednesday, confusing them and forcing costly blocked passes and interceptions.

On Thursday, after the Jets’ final open practice, Ryan opened his press conference by thanking all the Jet fans for coming down to support the club throughout the week. That is a rarity; when was the last time that either Herman Edwards or Eric Mangini thanked Jet fans for anything? Change is here. Change is good. Viva Rex Ryan.

Jets Must Boldly Go to the Stars for a Big Time Receiver

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello once had a famous skit titled, “Who’s on First?” in which the comic duo struggled to identify the name of a first baseman on a baseball team lineup.

Flash forward a half century and more, and it just so happens that Jets fans are finding themselves imitating this famous skit when it comes to the wide receiver position on their own team.

With the departure of Laveranues Coles shortly after the season in a salary cap saving move, the team has struggled to fill the vacancy. There have been constant rumblings that the team was either interested in signing former Giant Plaxico Burress, or trade running back Thomas Jones to Cleveland for Braylon Edwards, but—so far, it is all rumors with nothing looking imminent.

Looking at the Jets wide receiver corps can cause agitation in even the most placid personality. In a division where the New England Patriots will be fully healed, in a conference that is loaded with good football teams and offensive talent, the Jets have little to show that inspires confidence in their ability to put points on the board in a big way.

Jerricho Cotchery returns as the lone ranger of this inexperienced group.

Last season, Cotchery proved to be a versatile receiver, possessing a great ability to stretch the field into big game-changing catches. Yet, Cotchery had only 71 catches for 858 yards and five touchdowns by season’s end. So what appeared to be a breakout season for him in the opening weeks of the 2008 season, went for naught.

Cotchery will play a huge role in the Jets’ offense this season, especially if Jets management can’t snag a top flight receiver to complement him. He will be the team’s No. 1 target this year, and if Mark Sanchez should win the starting quarterback job late this summer, then Cotchery’s presence will be manifold since his hands will be the pair that Sanchez will trust most.

Therefore, Cotchery will likely be double teamed. Opposing teams will play bump and run coverage on him with a corner and bring in the free safety to block off any possible throwing lanes.

That leaves Rex Ryan and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer with a huge question: Who can catch the ball?

David Clowney enjoyed a great preseason last year highlighted by a 75 yard touchdown against the Browns, but that came against Cleveland’s third string secondary. No one really knows how good Clowney can be; he has played in only two career games with one catch for 26 yards.

Before that, Clowney was a practice squad player for the Green Bay Packers for a year. If the preseason can tell anything, it is that Clowney commands very good speed and his height, 6’0″, are pluses, especially if he can execute plays down the middle on slants and crossing routes.

Chansi Stuckey, whom the Jets drafted in the seventh round of the 2007 draft, is expected to become a legitimate No. 2 receiver.

In 2008, Stuckey staked a claim on 32 receptions for 359 yards and three touchdowns. He proved to be great down the middle or on the left, making 17 catches for 206 yards and a touchdown. The best that can be said about Stuckey is that he is a nice third down receiver.

On the other hand, Stuckey might become the next Santana Moss. In 2003, Moss redeemed his terrible rookie season, snatching in 74 balls for 1,105 yards and 10 touchdowns in his second year.

Will Stuckey become this good? Only time will tell.

Finally, for your consideration: Brad Smith and Dustin Keller.

Ever since being drafted in 2006, Smith, a slash player who plays both quarterback and receiver, caused the Jets to hope that Smith would be their version of Antwaan Randle El, a solid third receiver famous for throwing a touchdown to Pittsburgh’s Hienes Ward in Super Bowl XL in 2005.

Nonetheless, Smith failed to develop into that kind of player. Last year, Smith hauled in only 12 catches for 64 yards, coming off a breakout year in 2007, when he caught 32 balls for 325 yards and two touchdowns.

As a quarterback, Smith, given fewer opportunities, never took to the deep water.

Keller is the Jets’ second best option after Cotchery. He broke onto the scene at midseason as a tight end, making 48 catches for 535 yards and three touchdowns.

Once last year, Keller became Brett Favre’s go-to-guy down the middle of the field in coverage with a linebacker or nickel-corner. Keller won most of those battles but was thrown into Eric Mangini’s dog house at the end of the year because of key dropped passes.

If Keller develops into a solid pass catching tight end, then the Jets will possess something that is very difficult for defenses to guard against. Many compare Keller to Colts tight end Dallas Clark; so far, Keller is not only bigger than Clark, he is possessed of a stronger ability to get down field as a wide receiver.

Still, with so much uncertainty at this important skill position, the Jets must make a move and quickly. The team failed to recruit a big receiver in April’s draft; with training camp on the horizon, the dawn of the 2009 season looms near, leaving the Jets without a quality receiver.

Ever since the departure of Keyshawn Johnson before the 2000 season, Gang Green struggles to find a tall, powerful receiver who can stretch the field and make the tough catches in the corner of the end zone.

Coles and Moss were okay, but neither had the size required to be a top flight wide receiver in the NFL.

Thus, the Jets must boldly strike a deal with either the Arizona Cardinals for Anquan Boldin or the Cleveland Browns for Braylon Edwards, subjects of many journalistic and fan speculation for months.

Forget Plaxico Burress. His future hangs under a cloud of legal uncertainty. Even though adding Burress is the easy call since he is a free agent, Burress’ off field antics might prove to be a poison pill.

Edwards or Boldin are the real deal.

In 2007, Edwards had a career with 80 catches for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns. Those stats eclipse the entire Jets’ receiving corps of last season. Edwards’ height is not an issue; at 6’3″ the Jets would possess a legitimate threat to move deeply down the sidelines or jump for a ball in the back of the end zone. 

Of the receivers that are potentially available, Edwards would be the best addition the Jets could make at this position. And, if all it takes is Thomas Jones and maybe a draft pick or two in the 2010 draft, then so be it.

The Jets must get it done.

As for Boldin, some worry about his personality…and for good reason.

First, he demands over $8 million a year from the Cardinals, a franchise not known for paying anybody well; furthermore, he screams at his coaches on the sidelines.

Remember the verbal spat he had with then offensive coordinator Todd Haley? Apparently, Boldin, upset over his removal for a few plays from the NFC title game against the Eagles, skipped out on the team’s party afterwards.

Not exactly sterling team temperament.

If the Jets refuse to risk too much to get a guy with that kind of attitude, no one can blame them. But the stats are there: 89 catches for 1,038 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Boldin is one of the more dynamic receivers in the league. Against the Falcons in the wild card game last January, Boldin snared an 81 yard catch and ran for a touchdown to help Arizona triumph. Consequently, some argue that a deal with the devil could be worth it.

In the end, the Jets have a choice: stick with the group on the roster, which is not a terrible decision, especially if they want young Mark Sanchez to grow with a collection of young receivers with potential. Or to be bold; to bring in a guy who can give the offense instant credibility.

The choice is obvious.

Who Is Kellen Clemens and What I Would Ask Him in an Interview

In 2006, Jets Head Coach Eric Mangini and GM Mike Tannenbaum felt a strong need to find a new franchise quarterback to possibly replace Chad Pennington at some point in the near future since Pennington was coming off two horrific injuries in three seasons.

The team passed on drafting Jay Cutler or Matt Leinart in the first round, selecting instead offensive tackle D’ DBrickashaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold with their first two picks. Then, in the early part of the second round, the club drafted a young man from Oregon University named Kellen Clemens.

Clemens had a brilliant college career; he threw more yards, 2,390, and touchdowns, 16, than any sophomore in school history, surpassing even Dan Fouts, an NFL Hall of Fame quarterback.

Clemens finished his career with 7,555 yards passing, well was on his way to setting school records if it weren’t for a serious ankle injury at the end of the 2005 season.

Many felt that the Jets were intent on making Clemens THE guy when he stepped in for Pennington who went 1-7 as a starter in 2007. Clemens was decent in his first real opportunity to play. 

Against the Ravens in Week Two, he threw for 260 yards and a touchdown and almost led the Jets to a come-from-behind victory if it were not for a couple of touchdown drops by former Jet Justin McCareins.

Clemens went 3-5 as a starter in 2007, posting an impressive victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and two more against the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. Yet, there was something missing.

Even though he played well at times, Clemens was average overall. He threw only five touchdowns, while throwing ten interceptions, completed only 52 percent of his passes, and looked like a fish out of water most of the time.

In training camp last summer, Clemens underperformed and was even being beaten out by Pennington, until the Jets pulled off the Brett Favre trade. With Favre in town, Clemens had to sit on the bench for another year wondering when his next opportunity would strike.

The Jets went 9-7 with Favre, and the legendary quarterback retired, leaving open another opportunity for Clemens. But, there is still question as to whether Clemens will ever start for the Jets.

The team drafted Mark Sanchez with the fifth overall pick in the NFL draft and are marketing him throughout New York and New Jersey as the team’s new starting quarterback.

With training camp just two months away, Clemens has to gear up for another starting quarterback competition, as he tries to prove, once again, that he can lead Gang Green.

If I were to sit down with Clemens for a one-on-one feature, I would ask:

1)  What were your initial thoughts when you heard that the Jets had drafted Mark Sanchez?

2) How confident are you in your abilities to earn the starting job heading into training camp this year?

3) What have you done differently this offseason, as compared to the last two or three years, in your efforts to prove that you are the starting quarterback of the New York Jets?

4) Scouts and coaches have praised your arm strength and accuracy, but fans in New York are still curious to learn more about Kellen Clemens. Do you feel, now, in year four with Brian Schottenhiemer as your offensive coordinator, that you are comfortable with the offense game plan?

5) What were the toughest road blocks in understanding the system?

6) I remember hearing an interview with Coach Schottenheimer on the NFL Network in which he compared your situation to the situation to that of Drew Brees in San Diego when they drafted Phillip Rivers; if you had any communication with Brees to pick his brain about a situation like this, what do you think he would he tell you?

7) If you could describe your experience with the following people in one sentence how would you characterize your time with: Brett Favre? Chad Pennington? Eric Mangini? Rex Ryan?

8) Did Coach Mangini give you a fair shot at the starting job? Do you feel he believed in your abilities?

9) When you got the opportunity to play in 2007, what was the biggest lesson, or moment, or play that you took away from the game that gives an advantage today?

10) If you are the starting quarterback on Sept. 13, what should Jet fans expect from you?

11) What aspects of your game do you believe still needs work? Can you tell me what are you doing about it?

12) On a more personal note: What is your favorite movie? Favorite actor/actress? Favorite dinner? Favorite ice cream?

13) You are a cattle rancher, do you work at the ranch during the offseason?

14) What do you do on the ranch, and what does the ranch mean to you?

15) The best part of running a ranch is what?

15) One of your hobbies is horse back riding, would you consider owning or training a race horse one day?

16) What has it been like living in New Jersey, as compared to your home of Oregon? Pros and cons?

17) What is your favorite play or play call to run either performed in college or in the NFL?

18) Let’s try a couple of hypothetical situations. You are down by four with less than three minutes to play. It is 2nd-and-2 at your own 36-yard line, and you have only one timeout.

What play would you rather run: a play action and look for a wide open receiver down field, check down to a receiver across the middle, a flea flicker to get the safeties to bite, or do you run the ball to pick up the first down and then try to hurry to the line for the next play?

19) You have moved to your opponent’s three yard line; the clock is ticking down to 15 seconds; it’s third down and goal against a stout Patriots defense, what would you call? A fake to Thomas Jones and try to scramble on a naked bootleg, diving into the corner of the end zone?

Drop back a couple of steps and loft the ball to the corner of the end zone? Or try to ram it into the end zone with either Jones or Leon Washington?

20) Would winning the starting job mean a sense of vindication for you personally?

AFC East Will Be Too Tough for Young Jets

In the first quarter of the first game of the 2008 season, a major shift happened in the AFC East. Tom Brady, a two time Super Bowl MVP for the New England Patriots, went down in a heap with a severe knee injury that knocked him out for the season.

For the New York Jets, it provided an opportunity. They had Brett Favre, Alan Faneca, Kris Jenkins, and Calvin Pace as their major off season additions to help the team improve from a 4-12 disaster in 2007. Surely, the Jets would win the division. But no, the Jets blew that golden opportunity when they lost four of their last five games of the season to finish 9-7. Instead, the Miami Dolphins led by former Jets castaway Chad Pennington captured the AFC East with an 11-5 record, one of the best turnarounds for a team that had gone 1-15 the year before.

Now Brady will be back, and so should the Patriots this season. Add that to the fact that the Buffalo Bills have acquired Terrell Owens and the fact that the Jets are going with a new youth movement on the offensive side of the ball, it obvious that it will be hard for Gang Green to make much of a move in the division.

Here is a breakdown of the moves by the Jets’ AFC East rivals.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: The Patriots were pleased with the yeoman-like effort of quarterback Matt Cassell  last year, as the young man led the Patriots to an 11-5 record, narrowly missing the playoffs. But with Tom Brady ready to go, the Patriots should be back to their usual unstoppable selves.

Everyone remembers what the Patriots offense did in 2007 as they lead the NFL in points scored and passing yards. Brady had the year of his life, throwing for 50 touchdowns and a mere 8 interceptions, while making Wes Welker into a mega threat, and revitalizing the career of Randy Moss. It was Brady’s ability to spread the field with his cannon arm and the superior abilities of Moss, Welker, Jabar Gaffney and Donte Stallworth that made the Patriots 16-0 in the regular season, clearly the best in the NFL.

Even without Brady, Welker and Moss had big years in 2008. Welker had 111 catches for 1,165 yards; while Moss had only 69 catches but still had 1,008 yards in the effort. With Brady back, expect those numbers to be about the same, if not greater than those numbers in 2008. The only difference might be that Brady won’t throw for 50 touchdowns, but 30 to 35, which is not too shabby either.

On the ground, the Patriots have always had success without a great running game, but if Laurence Maroney can return to his 2007 form where he accrued 835 yards on 185 carries, then the Patriots will have a pretty formidable ground attack to go along with that great passing game.

Defensively, the Patriots still show a lot of age. Richard Seymour, Teddy Bruschi and Vince Wilfork are still the faces of the Pats D after all this time, but, with the emergence of second year linebacker Jerrod Mayo, who had 128 tackles last year, and any contributions from rookie corners Darius Butler and Patrick Chung, the Patriots should enjoy a top 10 defense in the NFL for another season.

BUFFALO BILLS: The Bills are a strange team to figure. Last season, the Bills opened up at 5-1, with Trent Edwards and Marshawn Lynch lighting things up, but injuries to Edwards and inconsistent play from the offense, combined with poor tackling defensively, spelled the end of the Bills as they collapsed to a 7-9 finish.

Even with the horrible finish, the Bills placed their confidence in Head Coach Dick Jauron, who has only one winning season as a head coach in his coaching career (13-3 with the Chicago Bears in 2002). There will be pressure on Jauron to win this season, especially with the addition of the biggest mouth in football,Terrell Owens.

For all the problems that Owens can cause off the field for the team he plays for, he will add a dimension to an already talented Bills offense. Lee Evans (63 catches, 1,017 yards) and Josh Reed (56 catches, 597 yards) were the leading receivers for the Bills in 2008. Both possess good speed but lack the quality size necessary for jumping for balls in the corner of the end zone. Owens has the ability with his 6’3″ frame. Owens’ ability to also break through coverage and leave corners and safeties in the dust is something that will make the Bills extremely scary in 2009.

Now, with Owens on the team, expect defenses to try to double cover him, leaving either Evans or Reed in single one-on-one coverage where they can make plays on slants or crossing patterns. In short, Trent Edwards could have a lot of fun throwing the football if his stays healthy.

The Bills believe that Edwards is their guy. He is smart and has a decent arm. He threw for 2,699 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2008. Expect those numbers to go up this year, big time.

Finally, if Lynch can rebound from a bad 2008, when he had only 1,036 yards rushing to become a good 1,300 yard rusher, the Bills could be a playoff team in 2009.

Defensively, the Bills will be happy to have Aaron Schobel back at full speed. In 2008, Schobel played in only five games due to injury, but, before that, he was one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL. In 2007, Schobel had 6.5 sacks, and in 2006, he had 14 sacks and was a Pro Bowler. If Schobel can regain his old form and reak havoc with Marcus Stroud, rookie Aaron Maybin and Chris Kelsay then the Bills could have a ferocious front seven in 2009.

Miami Dolphins: 2008 was supposed to be a transition year for new coach Tony Sparano and Head of Football Operations Bill Parcells, but, as things turned out, it was the best turnaround for a Parcells team in all of the Tuna’s stops.

Chad Pennington, who was left on the scrap heap by the Jets in favor of Brett Favre, lit it up last year for the first time in his nine year career. Pennington had his best season since 2002 when he broke in with the Jets. He threw for a career high in yards, 3,653, had the second best rating of his career, 97.4, and had his best touchdown season with 19. For a guy who has battled injuries and a weak throwing arm, Pennington displayed great poise and was exactly what a young Miami offense needed in 2008.

Can Pennington perform an encore? For a guy who has only two complete seasons under his nine year belt, it is hard to believe that Pennington can pull off a miracle for the second straight season. There is no telling when Pennington will get injured again, and, if history is any guide, the Dolphins better hope that back-up Chad Henne is ready to step in at a moment’s notice.

One reason for the Dolphins success in 2008 was the Wild Cat offense. It was here that running back Ronnie Brown either took snaps from center and sprinted down the middle for quarterback scrambles, or Brown took the ball in running back option plays and threw the ball down the field to wide open receivers. It is hard to imagine that Brown will have similar success this year. Teams will be scheming for it this year and might even put an extra linebacker, or nickle back, on Brown in case he tries to throw.

That is probably why the Fish drafted quarterback Pat White, who was really successful running a Wild Cat style offense at West Virginia. White is not a great thrower, but he can run all over the place. Expect to see White have a big impact on the Dolphins plans as they try to confuse people again in 2009.

It probably will be hard for the Dolphins to compete this year. Unlike last season, the Dolphins play one of the league’s toughest schedules. Just look at the opening three weeks: @ Atlanta, Indianapolis, and @ San Diego. The Dolphins could easily by 1-2 or 0-3 in a blink, so if the Fish have any plans of repeating as division champs, they better get off to a fast start.

 ….

The question remains, however, can the Jets compete in this division? Probably not. The Jets have some great talent on defense with Bart Scott, Jim Leonard, Darrell Revis and Kris Jenkins, and by adding Rex Ryan’s blitzing 46 defense to the plans, the Jets should be in every game, but it will take time for them to gel.

The bigger concern is the offense. A rookie quarterback going up against a Patriots defense that lives off rookies may be too much for Mark Sanchez in year one. Bill Belichick is great at making a confusing game plan for a rookie quarterback, so much so that rookies usually find themselves looking through the ear-hole of their helmets.  Don’t expect the Jets to win a game from the Patriots at all in 2009 which will keep them from competing.

The Jets usually split a season series with the Bills, but in recent years, the series hasn’t been as close; the Bills swept the Jets in 2007, with the Jets returning the favor in 2008. Expect Buffalo to have success in rushing Sanchez and forcing the quarterback into some major turnovers. The Jets will also have trouble covering all three prime receivers for the Bills, even with the additions of Donald Strickland, Jim Leonard and Lito Sheppard to help Darrell Revis in coverage.

Finally, the Dolphins might be the one team that the Jets should be able to beat at least once in 2009. The Dolphins should come back down to earth this year, and if they should have any injuries then the Jets can certainly take advantage of them.

It will be a tough year in the AFC East, but the Jets right now are nowhere close to competing with the Patriots, who are still the number one team in the East.

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