New York Jets Free Agency: Why Are Jets Trying to Emulate the Miami Dolphins?

The New York Dolphins? 

When Jets head coach Rex Ryan was made the head coach of the New York Jets in 2009 and brought in players he was familiar with while working in Baltimore, it made sense. After all, the players Ryan went after came from a team that was among the best defenses throughout the decade. 

So the Jets went to work to bring in players to fit their new coach's personnel. Signings made during the 2009 offseason included star linebacker Bart Scott, breakout safety Jim Leonhard and rotational defensive end Marques Douglas—all former Ravens to help push the Jets defense to the next level after a disappointing 2008 collapse at the hands, or arm, of Brett Favre.

And oh boy, did they improve.The Jets led the league in all major defensive categories during Ryan's inaugural season as head coach and helped the Jets all the way to the AFC Championship game for only the fourth time in team history. The signings were significantly important as Scott and Douglas helped the team immensely in the running game while Leonard flourished in the secondary opposite of Kerry Rhodes. 

Bringing in those players from a system that had success worked for the team. The players familiar to Ryan helped the defensive identity the new coach wanted to bring from Baltimore arrive in New York.

But here is a quick question for you folks: What identity should the Jets be so interested in bringing from the Miami Dolphins to New York? 

I understand that the Jets hired Tony Sparano, the Miami Dolphins former head coach, to be their offensive coordinator. I'm not the kind of guy to bash a signing or hiring before even giving the person a chance to show what he can provide. But that doesn't mean that the Jets should be looking to bring in all these former Dolphins for next season. 

The Miami Dolphins are one of many teams that the Jets should not be looking to imitate offensively at all. While the Ravens defense has been consistently among the best in this league, the Dolphins offense has been consistently putrid. 

Yes, the Jets offense was awful last season: There is no denying that. There are problems all over the place for the scoring system heading into 2012. But most of those problems stand out in the passing attack. And how does the prospect of signing rival Dolphin players help the cause?

The Jets finished 21st in passing yards per game this season with 206.1 yards. For a team that had Super Bowl aspirations entering the season, the numbers are enough to bring water to the eyes.

But how much better did the Dolphins do, the team the Jets are looking at for players and as members of their coaching staff? Well, the rival Dolphins sat comfortably behind the Jets in this category, 23rd in the league with only 193.2.

So bringing in Dolphin players from an offense that scored less points and passed with less success than the Jets won't help much.

Sparano may want players who are familiar with his system in Miami, but his system failed and he isn't the head coach here. How many St. Louis Rams did Scott Linehan bring with him to Detroit after he signed there as an offensive coordinator? Better yet, do you envision the Jets' former offensive line coach Bill Callahan bringing any current Jets to Dallas this season when he calls plays for the Cowboys offense? 

No. Because teams with bad offenses aren't going to bring players to their new teams just because they are familiar with the system. Despite all of this, the Jets seem to be intent on bringing in players from a Sparano system that failed. 

Ready to review the many of names we've heard rumored to NY since the Sparano hiring?

After the hiring, Brian Daboll, the man who coordinated the mess in Miami, was rumored here to be Sanchez's quarterback coach. Thankfully, Kansas City hired him to be the coordinator for the Chiefs and saved Jet fans a major headache. 

Then the speculation came regarding the players. One by one Jet fans heard the names of Chad Henne, Vernon Carey and recently Ronnie Brown. Yes, Ronnie Brown, the man who carried the ball 42 times with zero catches for the Eagles and is completely useless in this league from here on out.

Vernon Carey, it appears, will be only brought in by the Jets to replace Wayne Hunter as right tackle. Mind you, Carey was moved to guard this past season for the Dolphins after being replaced over the offseason as a tackle. That said, anyone could probably do a better job than Wayne Hunter did last year. 

Chad Henne, of course, is the quarterback who has managed some solid games against the Jets. But is bringing in a quarterback like Henne the right move? Is he the man you want coming off the bench in case of a poor performance from Mark Sanchez?

The Jets shouldn't be bringing in mediocre players just because they fit a system that failed miserably. They shouldn't try to become the Dolphins.