Big Off Season for New York Jets

Since winning Super Bowl III, the New York Jets have been a failing franchise.  In that period of time, the Lions, Saints, Cardinals, Browns, and Texans are the only teams besides the Jets that haven't made the Super Bowl.  However, it's not just the Jets' Super Bowl appearences that makes them so bad.  Their awful front office and coaching staff haven't been able to acquire many players worth watching. 

Year after frustrating year, the Jets have gone to the NFL draft and made some of the worst selections ever seen (including the time they drafted Divsion II QB Ken O'Brien over Hall of Fame QB Dan Marino).  Then, after their horrific draft performances, they'd fail to complete any blockbuster deals or sign any halfway-decent free agent.  It seemed like the Jets would never do anything right. 

Then, Eric Mangini came. In 2006, the Jets finally had a good draft, which they surprisingly followed by having another solid draft in 2007.  These drafts produced the 7 vital players to the Jets' organization. 

After the spying incident in 2007, Mangini has been looked at as a traitor, a tattle-tail, and a hypocrite, but the matter of the fact is Mangini has given the Jets a chance to win in the present and future.  They had a 4-12 last year so making it to the Super Bowl this year is a little bit far-fetched, but their acquistions in the past few days suggest they could be considered playoff contenders this year. 

While the Jets have had some solid drafts, trades, and free agent pick ups over the past two off seasons, this one promises to be the best off season the Jets have ever had.  Within the past couple days, the Jets have reached an agreement with 7-time all-pro OG Alan Faneca on a 4 years, $32 million contract and dealt their 3rd and 5th round draft picks for all-pro DT Kris Jenkins before signing him to a 5 year, $35 million deal.

Faneca will help a Jets offensive line that boasts promising center Nick Mangold, former #4 overall pick OT D'Brickashaw Ferguson, and solid OG Brandon Moore.  This group should form a nice pocket around 3rd year QB Kellen Clemens and give RB Thomas Jones a chance to score more touchdowns.  An OT, FB, WR's and TE remain needs for the Jets on offense.

Jenkins should be a tremendous help to the Jets, who had the 29th ranked rush defense last year.  The Jets had trouble stopping the run because of a weak front seven, but that should no longer be the case.  Former all-pro DE Shaun Ellis and young DE David Bowens are going to be playing next to the 335 pound DT while 2nd year MLB David Harris and veteran LB Eric Barton and Victor Hubson will take up three of the four spots behind him. The fourth spot is up for grabs.

That fourth spot was filled in by Jonathan Vilma until the Jets dealt him to the Saints for a conditional 4th round draft pick in this year's draft and potentially a 2nd/3rd round pick in 2009.  People may think the Jets countered two smart moves with a bad one, which is something the Jets normally do. The thing is, they actually made a decent acquisition.  Vilma didn't fit into the Jets 3-4 Defense and is better off being the only MLB in a 4-3 defense.

The Jets still need an OT, FB, WR's, #1 CB, LB, and TE, but they clearly have taken steps to improve what was a 4-12 team last year.  They aren't a playoff contender yet, but it's quite possible they will be by the start of the 2008 season.  In this year's draft, the Jets have the 6th overall pick and a high second round pick to go with it.  This has been a failing franchise for decades, but now there's hope that the Jets will one day make the super bowl again.