Help Wanted: New York Jets Offense

(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Defense wins championships. We hear it all the time and the statement often rings true on the football field. As a follower of the New York Jets, you have to feel good about the assembled pieces on the defensive side of the ball and the guy calling the shots. The Jets have pro-bowlers at all three levels of their defense, solid depth, and an aggressive, confident head coach making decisions. If everybody stays healthy, the Jets very well may have a top five defense in the NFL this year.

However, they have issues on the other side of the ball. The Jets appear to be comfortable letting one of their young, untested quarterbacks start under center for them this year.

Personally, I don't have a problem with this decision. Why? I believe Kellen Clemens or Brett Ratliff could be the right answer at quarterback for the long term.

Clemens can play and succeed at this level. Go back to 2007 and watch the 4th quarter of the Jets/Ravens and Jets/Steelers game, along with the full Jets/Redskins or Jets/Dolphins game.

Let's see Clemens get a shot with a good offensive line and two Pro Bowl running backs taking pressure off him, before we write him off.

Brett Ratliff is an undrafted free agent who came out of nowhere to enter this competition. However, that doesn't mean he can't play in the NFL.

The guy has the size and arm strength you want in a starting quarterback and you need some kind of talent to light it up the way he did last preseason. Whoever wins this quarterback battle is going to be asked to manage the game and take an occasional shot down the field, and I think both of these guys can handle that.

Just because Clemens or Ratliff could be the answer at quarterback doesn't mean they don't need more support around them, particularly at wide receiver and tight end.

With the Jets current depth chart, Jerricho Cotchery is the unquestioned number one receiver and there is a gaping hole opposite him. My initial reaction would be to say, it's not a big deal, they can focus on making Dustin Keller (48 catches last year) the number two option, even though he is a tight end.

Yet, they can't do that right now because they don't have another tight end on the roster to line up if they split Keller out. Literally, the only other tight end on the roster right now is James Dearth, who hasn't caught a pass or played a down on offense in years.

I know the Jets are experimenting with switching defensive end Kareem Brown to tight end, but that isn't enough. The Jets need a legit, blocking tight end who can play 30-40 snaps a game.

Dustin Keller is a wide receiver, who is listed as a tight end. The Jets drafted him to catch passes, not block. It is going to be receiver by committee opposite Cotchery and Keller needs to lead the way, by being a 60-70 catch guy.

Beyond him, Leon Washington needs to catch more passes as the Jets hopefully find a way to get him the ball far more frequently than they did last year.

What about the wide receivers besides Cotchery? First off, the Jets need to spend a first day pick on a receiver. Chansi Stuckey is a guy who is built to be a slot/number three receiver. Yes, he can be more involved than he was last year, but asking him to be a full time split end doesn't play to his strengths and will likely result in him getting hurt.

I know David Clowney has potential but honestly he reminds me more of a Dedric Ward in 1998 type player. He would be best used as a home run hitter and occasional starter because he also has injury issues. Brad Smith has been given plenty of chances at receiver the past two years and has never stepped up.

The best case scenario for the Jets is that Clowney, Smith, and Stuckey can form a serviceable committee opposite Cotchery that allows their first or second round pick time to adjust to the NFL.

Hopefully, the Jets pick the right guy and by the end of the year he can be a capable starter opposite Cotchery, which will allow Stuckey to slide back into his natural position in the slot and let Clowney focus on being a deep threat.

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