NY Jets: Next few drafts will make or break future

For the NY Jets, these next few draft classes will make or break their future in being a consistent contender in the NFL.

After replacing running back Chris Ivory with Matt Forte, the Jets have truly given themselves an identity as a team on the older side of the spectrum. Of course the talent is phenomenal and they are by no means a “win-now” group, however there are plenty of guys in the later stages of their careers.

Darrelle Revis, David Harris, Brandon Marshall, D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold are all huge pieces for Gang Green at 30 years of age or older. Retaining quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick would add one more to that list. The window for this team may be small given the ages of those players, but good drafts in these next few years will make up for it.

Dec 19, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) talks with Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) after a play in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Looking at the roster, the majority of the experienced players are on the offensive side of the ball. The average age of all offensive players on the current roster is 25.6, although the average age of the starters is much higher.

Acquiring Khiry Robinson and re-signing Bilal Powell were huge moves to add youth in the backfield while throwing a low-round tender on four-year veteran Kenbrell Thompkins keeps their receiving core depth intact. The one issue age-wise on offense is the line which has an average age of 28.8.

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The Jets are actually in great shape defensively due to the fact that Revis and Harris are their only old players.

The next oldest player is Trevor Reilly who’s 28, so head coach Todd Bowles will have most of these youngsters in his system for several seasons. You can expect New York to get even younger defensively given their hole at outside linebacker and a potential need for an inside linebacker to play alongside Harris.

On top of that, Gang Green will be in line for compensatory picks after letting Ivory and Damon Harrison walk on huge contracts. General manager Mike Maccagnan will have full houses of picks, all he has to do is come through and grab the right guys.

The Jets cannot afford to do what they did in previous years under Mike Tannenbaum and John Idzik. Swinging and missing on Quinton Coples, Stephen Hill, Dee Milliner and Geno Smith destroyed the team from 2012-14, so the very same could happen again if Maccagnan doesn’t get it right. Revis, Marshall and Forte as well as the other big name players will simply not be here in 2020.

‘Magic Mike’ has done New York wonders thus far, but splashes in free agency are made by GMs every March. Where he can really re-shape this franchise is in the draft and in order to see long-term success, acing it is a must.

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Last offseason he did a superb job picking up stud defensive lineman Leonard Williams, two promising young pieces in Devin Smith and Lorenzo Mauldin while of course trading up for the potential quarterback of the future in Bryce Petty. Let’s see if he can keep the train rolling. Screwing up in the draft would only put the Jets right back where they were a few seasons ago.

For the NY Jets, these next few draft classes will make or break their future in being a consistent contender in the NFL.

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