Jets putting together best offseason in years
By William Snell Jr.
The Jets’ new coaching staff, led by Adam Gase, and General Manager Mike Maccagnan have put together the best offseason in years. Maccagnan has proved he deserved another shot, and boy has he made it count. It’s the last day of the draft, so let’s take a look at what the Jets have changed since last season.
–All-Pro Running Back (Le’Veon Bell): Easily the most covered move of the Jets’ offseason, adding Bell was the biggest step in getting the Jets back to the playoffs. Fresh off of a year to rest, Bell is primed for a great year in the Green and White. Bell has been attending the Jets optional workouts, proving he is more than ready to get to work.
-All-Pro Guard (Kelechi Osemele): It’s no secret that the Jets have plenty of work ahead with the offensive line. By trading for Osemele, Mac directly answered the fans complaining. He’s an All-Pro lineman who’s knowledge in the film room is almost as valuable as his on field talent. He fills the Jets biggest hole on the line in a very weak offensive line market. Awesome move.
-All-Pro Linebacker (CJ Mosley): Am I getting tired of typing All-Pro? Yes. Nevertheless, Mosley is an incredible defender who will make the Jets defense so much better. At Inside Linebacker, Mosley will play a massive role in leading Gregg Williams’ defense and stopping the run game. At only 26 years old, Mosley already has tons of experience in the league with Baltimore. The Jets might have paid a little too much for him, but he is a big upgrade from Darron Lee.
-Slot Receiver (Jamison Crowder): The Jets have a solid WR core, but they need more weapons around Darnold. Adam Gase loves to use slots in his system, and Crowder will play a huge role in the Jets new offense. At only 25 years old, Crowder was considered one of the best slots on the market, so bringing him to the Jets was huge.
-Defensive Line (Quinnen Williams): Adding Williams to the Jets defensive line was massive. Williams was considered the best player in the draft by many, and adding him to Williams defense was a great move. While the Jets considered drafting an edge rusher, they just couldn’t pass up on Williams talent. The “Big Baby” has an awesome attitude, and no shortage of discipline coming from Alabama. Alongside Leonard Williams, the new duo could create one of the best run stopping defenses in the league.
-Edge Rusher (Jachai Polite): Coming into the draft, the Jets had a big task of getting an edge rusher. Passing up on Josh Allen was tough, but Polite is a talent the Jets are lucky to have. Polite has tremendous upside off the edge, while also being an extremely risky pick. His poor showing at the NFL Combine caused his draft stock to plummet, but his last season at Florida says otherwise. The good news? Football isn’t a combine. What is more concerning were his interviews. He bombed multiple interviews. Polite is a value pick, he has a ton of upside, but even more to prove.
-Future Tackle (Chuma Edoga): Whether it was in the draft, or free agency, the Jets needed to find a possible future left tackle. At Right Tackle with the Trojans, Edoga is no stranger to protecting Sam Darnold. With uncertainty surrounding Brandon Shell, the Jets needed another tackle ready to step up. Known as more of a run blocker, Edoga will take a little time to develop in pass protection.
Overall, it’s tough to find something not to like about the Jets offseason. The last hole the Jets need to fill is at Center, and it’s one I expect they will fill at the closing of the draft. It’s been an extremely balanced offseason, adding massive assets to both the offense and defense. The Jets added loads of athleticism to the roster, taking them from a rebuild to possible playoff contender. It’s been a huge offseason in Florham Park, and the Jets are poised for a bounce back year.