How Mike Tannenbaum Can Rebuild the New York Jets

You can blame Rex Ryan, Mark Sanchez, Wayne Hunter or even Tim Tebow for the New York Jets' struggles this preseason and for the struggles many believe they'll have during the 2012 regular season. But if you do, you're not blaming the right people. 

General manager Mike Tannenbaum is at the epicenter of Gang Green's perceived ineptitude following an offseason in which his complacent nature led to a feeble attempt to upgrade the weak spots of his roster. 

Instead of a retrospective, let's look ahead at what Tannenbaum can do to rebuild the once-mighty New York Jets. 

Presently, Tannenbaum has to do something about his right tackle position. Why he thought the team could rebound from an 8-8 season with Hunter at that spot entering this season is beyond me. However, that's in the past, and he must find a solution as soon as possible. 

Former practice-squad player Austin Howard could man the position for the interim, but the chances of him developing into a viable starter are unlikely. And Tannenbaum would be scraping the bottom of the barrel if he signed a street free agent to play right tackle, but that's certainly an option at this point. 

Either way, right tackle must be one of the top priorities in next year's draft or free agency. 

Secondly, the running back spot must be addressed. It might be too late this year, but Shonn Greene can't be trusted as the long-term solution toting the rock. He's a bruising runner, but he lacks explosion and lateral agility to progress into a truly productive player that the Jets can build their offense around.

They may be onto something with Bilal Powell, but if he doesn't develop into a steady back and piece together a surprisingly productive 2012, the team absolutely must look to find their franchise runner elsewhere. 

Many want the Jets to follow the NFL's pass-happy trend, but I'm fine with Ryan staying true to his coaching philosophy and remaining dedicated to the run. However, adding a possession target in the offseason would undoubtedly help the maturation process of Mark Sanchez.

Santonio Holmes can still be a fine contributor, but looking for his eventual replacement is far from a bad idea. Stephen Hill has the raw talent to blossom into a formidable downfield threat, but he's miles away from becoming a reliable chain-mover. 

With that being said, the Jets' first draft pick in 2013, regardless of where they select, has to be the best available offensive tackle or most punishing running back with a sprinkle of home-run hitting ability. 

Tannenbaum's lack of aggression has led to what could be a disastrous 2012 campaign. He should still be looking to upgrade his roster for this season, but the market is extremely scarce. 

If he keeps his job behind 2012 , there'll be plenty of work to do. 

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