2014 Draft: Rounds 1-3

With the NFL draft right around the corner, the obvious question that looms is who will the Jets select?  There are exactly 73 days until the draft, but who's counting, and I assure you organization's are wasting no time evaluating talent.  As the scouting combine comes to a close, we start to form a better grasp on who will exceed at the next level.  There have been many standouts and many underachievers to thus point.  The Jets own the 18th overall pick in May's draft, as well as a second-rounder and 2 third-round picks in the first 3 rounds alone.  I can almost guarantee that this draft will feature a change in tactics for the Jets.  The last offensive first-round selection for the Jets was Mark Sanchez in 2009, since then the team has selected strictly defensive prospects (Kyle Wilson in 2010, Muhammed Wilkerson in 2011, Quinton Coples in 2012, and Dee Milliner/Sheldon Richardon in 2013).  A lack of drafting early-round offensive talent has largely influenced the Jets offensive demise.  Expect the team to go out this year targeting elite offensive talent early in the draft.  I would like to see the Jets take these prospects come May:

Round 1:
18th Overall - Eric Ebron (TE - UNC)
Although every fan would love to see Mike Evans or Sammy Watkins name called on draft day, it is highly unlikely the wide receivers will still be there for the Jets to take.  After absolutely killing it at the combine, selecting Ebron would be anything but "settling".  Ebron stands at 6'4" and weighs in at 230, giving him okay size to work with at the NFL level, and likely serving as his major flaw heading into draft time.  He also does tend to struggle at times blocking.  What Ebron lacks in size he makes up for in athleticism.  Clocking in at 4.60 seconds on his 40-yard dash and jumping 120 inches on his broad jump proves just how athletic Ebron is.  He possesses the speed and athleticism to become an instant starter for the Jets.  He will add much needed play making ability to a team that lacks play making ability to be polite.

Round 2:
Brandin Cooks (WR - Oregon St.)
Cooks absolutely nailed his combine, widely considered to be one of the most impressive prospects to participate.  Undersized at 5'10" and 190 pounds, Cooks owns the speed to make up for his lack of size and then some running a jaw-dropping 4.33 40-yard dash at the combine!  Durability is not an issue for Cooks which is promising for the youngster, especially taking his lack of size into account.  Light on his feet and extremely elusive, Cooks can provide a great contribution to the team in the slot, along with Jeremy Kerley, and on some outside play.  He does struggle in blocking and has small hands, but his play making ability and lighting speed makes him a worthwhile roll of the dice for the Jets.

Round 3:
Dri Archer (RB - Kent St.)
Assuming Archer is still on the board the Jets must take a chance on this combine standout.  Archer performed like a stud on his combine day, running an astonishing 4.26 40-yard dash! Yes, you heard right, that was a 4.26!  It is true Archer cannot cary the load out of the backfield at the NFL level but he would be an excellent compliment out of the backfield to Chris Ivory's bruising style of running.  His long-term durability is his greatest concern, as his narrow thin frame does not do him any favors. With top-end speed, acceleration, and elusiveness Archer is a great gamble to take.  He will immediately help the team in the return game, and add some explosiveness and big-play ability to a team that has almost none.

Craig Loston (FS - LSU)
It's no secret the Jet's lack of safety play last season severely hurt their secondary.  An upgrade at safety is a must and Loston should be the guy the team takes.  Loston is a big man for a safety at 6'0" and 215 pounds.  He likes to assert his size on the field through his big hitting ability, mostly lining up in the box making him a perfect fit for coach Rex Ryan's blitz happy schemes.  What Loston lacks in coverage skills he makes up for with a great football IQ, a hard-working demeanor, and very coachable personality.  Also, one word to describe Loston is versatile.  The kid can line up at a variety of spots, although excelling inside the box as stated earlier.  If available drafting Lofton is a must, as he will provide the team with leadership and solid physical safety play in the secondary for years to come.
  

Current Cap Situation

For the first time in what seems to be forever, the Jets are finally not in salary cap purgatory heading into the offseason.  If played right, the Jets are poised to make a splash in free agency and the draft promising a wild offseason to come.  Expect GM John Idzik to build on his team through solid free agent acquisitions and strong selection in the draft.  Two free agents, tackle Austin Howard and kicker Nick Folk, are practically locks to be resigned, or at minimum one of them is at least worthy of the infamous franchise tag.  Coming off injury-plagued and unproductive seasons it is likely cornerback Antonio Cromartie and wide receiver Santonio Holmes will be cut, as well as embattled quarterback Mark Sanchez.  By cutting these 3 players alone the Jets will save approximately 25 million dollars in cap space, setting them up to sign one or two elite players that could potentially launch the Jets into the postseason.  Now let's break down the cap situation by position:

Offense:

Quarterback - It is no secret the Jets are being choked by Mark Sanchez's whopping 13.1 million dollar cap charge.  Expect the team to part ways with the famed "Sanchize" saving them a total of 8.3 million in cap space.  Also do not expect the team to resign Sanchez as a backup/insurance policy as it is time for both parties to head in a totally new direction.

Running Back - This is not a position of concern for the Jets heading into the offseason.  With Bilal Powell and Chris Ivory producing steady numbers at a low cap number the Jets are content, at least for now.  However Mike Goodson faces a strong possibility of being cut after trouble with the law and an injury that cost him the majority of the 2013 campaign.

Wide Receiver/Tight End - Even the casual Jet fan understands how important getting this position right this offseason will be for the future of the organization.  Santonio Holmes will no doubt be cut saving the Jets 8.25 million, but the money will most likely be immediately reinvested in a top free agent at the position (Jeremy Maclin or Eric Decker).  Look for the Jets to try and resign tight end Jeff Cumberland to a low-cap deal.  Instead of shelling out money via free agency for a mediocre tight end, GM John Idzik is more likely to go out and draft a tight end possibly in the first round (Jace Amaro of Texas Tech or Eric Ebron of UNC).

Offensive Line - The Jets already have a lot of resources tied up on the o line.  Left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold command a combined 18.9 million in cap space.  It is also paramount for the team to resign right tackle Austin Howard who will likely obtain a deal in the 4 to 6 million dollar cap range.  This being said the Jets will most likely try and find a low cost option at guard, possibly allowing free agent Willie Colon to walk.

Defense:

Defensive Line - There is no doubt the defensive line is the nucleus of the New York Jets.  Currently all of the d-linemen are young studs still playing on their rookie contracts or low-cap commanding deals.  This will soon one day blossom into a position of much concern for the Jets in finding a way to pay and keep all of these players, but for now they are fine.  Defensive end Muhammed Wilkerson could find himself receiving a major pay day this offseason.  The Jets would be smart to suck it up and come to a long-term contract extension with Wilkerson.  Coming off a dominating breakout season, it will be cheaper in the long run to resign Wilkerson now, not to mention it will definitely keep him happy.

Linebacker - Only three starters are currently under contract (David Harris, Demario Davis, and Quinton Coples).  Expect the Jets to try and resign veteran Calvin Pace, or a similar veteran through free agency.  Although unlikely it is possible the Jets could cut David Harris to save a total of 5 million in cap room, but leaving a gaping hole in a run defense that served as the backbone of the team.

Cornerback - It seems as though Antonio Cromartie will be a cap casualty this offseason unless he is willing to restructure his deal.  At 14.98 million the Jets will certainly part ways with Cromartie at that number if need be.  Coming off the worst season of his career it remains to be seen whether he will willingly restructure his deal with the green and white to a more fair and cap friendly deal.

Safety - This is a very intriguing position for the Jets heading into the offseason.  Safety Dawan Landry could possibly be cut to make room for an elite replacement, although the Jets would only be saving 1.5 million in space.  The Jets seem to shop low cost in the safety department under coach Rex Ryan but that could change this offseason as the Jets are at major need for a playmaker in the secondary.  Expect the Jets to try and sign a Jairus Bird (if the Bills are dumb enough to let him walk) or a T.J. Ward in free agency.

Special Teams:

The Jets will most likely use their franchise tag for the first time since the 2011 season this year. Following an excellent season, kicker Nick Folk will most likely obtain the franchise tag if a deal cannot be reached with the team.  This is the safest and most intelligent option for the Jets as the franchise tag on a kicker would only cost them a fraction of the money a long-term contract could cost for Folk.

Evaluating The 2013 Season

As we all know the 2013 season was one filled with many ups and downs for our beloved Jets.  Despite the team's struggle at times, there were many bright spots to take from this season besides massive amounts of frustration and countless moments of "getting our hopes up" (as ALL of us Jets fans are all too well acquainted with).  An overall finish of 8-8 with marquee wins over New England and New Orleans was a huge success for the Jets, especially considering many "experts" projected the Jets to finish the season as one of the worst teams in the league.  Here are my season grades for the team:

Offense:
Grade - C+
Don't get me wrong the grade could have been a lot lower here but I felt the need to be a little generous.  Considering how productive the running game was, finishing 6th overall in the NFL, with a rookie quarterback, who's inconsistency was obvious, really impressed me.  The offensive line did a solid job on the season in run blocking, with Chris Ivory clearly establishing himself as the "go to" back as the season progressed.  Ivory was able to earn hard fought yards with his bruising style of running which really impressed fans.  Perhaps even more impressive was for the first time in his career Ivory was able to stay healthy throughout an entire season while carrying the load in the Jets backfield.  The passing game is another story however.  Although quarterback Geno Smith showed much improvement in the final month of the season, he displayed more inconsistency and question marks then anything else being labeled as a "turnover machine" in his rookie campaign.  It remains to be seen if Smith can be an effective quarterback at the NFL level after throwing for 3,046 yards, 12 touchdowns, 21 interceptions, a completion rate of 55.8%, and an abysmal 66.5 QB rating leading the league's 31st ranked pass offense.  Yes, we all know Smith lacked weapons on offense with Santonio Holmes having another awful, unproductive injury plagued season and Jeremy Kerley being forced to be the team's number 1 option.  The passing games struggles can also be attributed to weak offensive line play in pass protection and an overall lack of connection between Smith and his receivers.  The offense also struggled mightily finishing off drives and turned the ball over often, finishing with a -14 turnover ratio ranking 2nd to last in the AFC.

Defense:
Grade - B
The defense was obviously the bright spot for the Jets this season finishing 11th overall in total yards allowed throughout the NFL.  I couldn't award the Jets a higher grade because of their lack of pass coverage.  The secondary was extremely inconsistent at best, owning the 22nd worst pass defense in the league.  Antonio Cromartie had one of the worst seasons of his career likely setting himself up to become a cap casualty in the upcoming offseason.  Dee Milliner, the Jets 9th overall selection in the draft, rebounded nicely from a rough start to his rookie season to be named the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Month for the month of December.  His season's drastic turn around can be partially attributed to the Jets mid-season signing of Ed Reed and his veteran tutorage he offers to younger players.  The pass rush of the Jets was able to generate pressure pretty consistently with Muhammed Wilkerson and Calvin Pace both finishing the season with 10-plus sacks on the year.  However, the Jets' front seven really earned their keep in the running game.  With a defensive line anchored by Damon "Big Snacks" Harrison, breakout star Muhammed Wilkerson, and the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year Sheldon Richardson, the Jets completely shut down their opponents running attack finishing with the NFL's 3rd ranked rush defense.  This group of studs put the entire league on watch and will be a force to be reckoned with for many years to come.

Special Teams:
Grade - B
Nick "Folk-Hero" was the definition of clutch for the Jets this season missing only 3 field goals and hitting every game winner/tier he attempted.  Folk was the lone bright spot for the Jets in special teams this season as his punter counterpart, Ryan Quigley, struggled greatly all season long.  Quigley's net average was 38.9 yards per punt this season can be considered pedestrian at best.  Finally the return game was horrendous, rarely giving the Jets an advantage in field position and producing 0 touchdowns all season.

Coaching:
Grade - A-
I personally believe this was Rex Ryan's best coaching job yet.  Faced with a roster void of talent Ryan managed to put together an 8-8 season.  He coached up his defense to play at a high level and really did an incredible job with the front seven.  Perhaps his most impressive feat was getting his roster of 53 men to all buy into his system.  Despite being the laughing stock of the league preseason, Ryan got his team to believe they were winners, in turn his team greatly overachieved on the season.