Offseason Additions Will Make 2015 a Success for New York Jets
Midway through the New York Jets' 2014 season, everyone—players, coaches, ownership, pundits and fans—knew there were going to be changes coming for 2015. We just didn't know how big.
From the executive suites to the end of the 53-man roster, the 2015 New York Jets not only will have new faces, but a new mindset in how they are approaching the NFL. From schemes on the field to management off it, these aren't former head coach Rex Ryan's bold, bombastic New York Jets anymore.
The changes aren't done yet. There is still the NFL draft, minicamps and a little free agency left. There are still some holes to fill. But the additions brought in to represent the New York Jets are already helping shape the 2015 season into a successful campaign for Gang Green.
Let's look at how these new pieces are going to fit and where there might be some work left to do.
New York Jets' Offseason Additions: Front Office
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Once the clock ran out on the 2014 season for the New York Jets, it was assured that former head coach Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik were going to be gone. Who replaced them would be the biggest decisions facing owner Woody Johnson in a long time.
General manager Mike Maccagnan was hired first, coming from the Houston Texans with experience not only running a team, but putting one together through scouting and drafting—a trait Idzik was shown to be highly incapable of in his short tenure with the Jets. According to sources who talked with the New York Post's Brian Costello prior to Maccagnan's hire.
"Maccagnan has a solid plan on how to build a team, something the Jets surely saw in the interview. 'It’s a travesty if he doesn’t get the job,' a second source said ... A third source said Maccagnan is a 'brilliant' talent evaluator."
Compare that to Idzik. With a mountain of money at his disposal in both his offseasons as New York Jets general manager, Idzik refused to sign free agents who could bolster the team. Idzik's hard-line stance on keeping salary-cap flexibility hamstrung this team.
They passed on a reunion with All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis. They let their own starter, Antonio Cromartie, leave by low-balling him during negotiations. These are only two examples of Idzik's failures.
Said New York Daily News Jets reporter Manish Mehta:
"He shouldn’t be fiscally irresponsible, but sometimes going over budget with so much cap space available is required to get a valuable commodity. However, Idzik hasn’t exhibited the ability to quickly adapt to the ever-changing landscape during free agency.
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Idzik's draft classes were also unsuccessful, aside from defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson. The team's other first-round picks in Idzik's reign (cornerback Dee Milliner, safety Calvin Pryor) have barely played, much less live up to lofty expectations.
New York Jets' Offseason Additions: Coaching
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There was never a question that former Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles was going to be a head coach in the NFL. The question was when it would happen, and who would be lucky enough to get him.
That team is the New York Jets. And Bowles is a perfect fit for not only what the Jets currently have in place, but where the team is planning to go.
Bowles, who last season was voted the NFL's Assistant Coach of the Year, brings with him an aggressive, attacking defensive mindset not unlike what his predecessor employed during the Jets' recent string of AFC Championship runs.
The difference: Bowles' philosophy is based on adaptation. No matter his personnel, he's coming after you. And opposing coaches don't know when it's coming, only that it is coming. This is what Greg Cosell of NFL Films told SI.com's Doug Farrar about Bowles:
"What Bowles does up front is as multiple and aggressive as you'll see from any NFL team -- but somehow, the Cardinals are also able to keep things solid at the linebacker and secondary levels ... Bowles has perfectly married scheme and personnel. ...
They've got certain things that you need to have a good defense, if you're just looking at talent. ... Now, you could argue that they don't have a pure pass-rusher, but this is where Bowles comes in. This team blitzes more than any team in the NFL, and they blitz more on first down than any team in the NFL, and they're creative with their pressures. They're also very good with disguise.
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Bowles' strength is working with his secondaries, which is why bringing former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers on as his defensive coordinator makes sense. During Rodgers' tenure in Tampa, he has overseen the development of players such as Gerald McCoy and Adrian Clayborn.
Letting Rodgers oversee a Jets defensive line that has ranked among the NFL's best over the last two seasons is a perfect match.
On offense, Chan Gailey brings experience and, much like Bowles on defense, adaptability. Gailey's offenses, while never prolific, have been steady, efficient and balanced, which is what Bowles told the media in February:
"Chan’s been a good coach in college as well as pro football. He’s put in a lot of different offensive schemes. He can get the most out of his players. Everybody respects him. He can get it yelling. He can get it talking to a person. He’s very sharp in understanding what he has. He’s well balanced offensively, running the ball and passing the ball. I thought it would be a great choice for us.
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Gailey will have to work some magic with a unit that ranked 22nd in total offense and 32nd in passing offense in 2014. At least he'll have a top-three running attack to work with.
New York Jets' Offseason Additions: Defense
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Fact: The 2014 New York Jets were, statistically, the sixth-ranked defense in the NFL.
Fact: That ranking was based solely on the play of the front seven, as the Jets' secondary was one of the worst in pro football.
"The Jets don’t have a secondary," wrote Brian Costello of the New York Post. "It’s more like a tertiary. The nickel defense is worth about three cents, and the dime is so bad that FDR doesn’t want to be associated with it."
So heading into free agency this offseason, GM Maccagnan did what his predecessor wouldn't: He opened the wallet to fix what was broken.
Welcome home, Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie. Thanks for coming, Marcus Gilchrist and Buster Skrine. Add those additions to safety Calvin Pryor and cornerback Dee Milliner—young players who haven't reached their potential yet and can now learn from some of the best in the game—and you've got the potential for something special.
The new-look secondary, combined with a front line that has been among the NFL's best, affords head coach Todd Bowles options to disrupt opposing offenses. Add in the wrinkle that Cromartie can help tutor the new guys in the ways of Bowles (the corner played for Bowles last season in Arizona).
Cromartie already called the combination of he, Revis and Skrine "a three-headed monster" in an interview with the team's official website (h/t NJ.com's Dom Consentino).
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New York Jets' Offseason Additions: Offense
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While most of New York's attention during free agency focused on the defensive side of the ball, the Jets did manage to make some moves to help bring its offense back to life.
The big move was acquiring wide receiver Brandon Marshall from the Chicago Bears for what amounts to a fifth-round draft pick. That move, combined with the release of disappointing Percy Harvin, actually saved the Jets about $3 million in salary-cap space.
Marshall will be combined with Eric Decker to create a formidable receiving tandem for the Jets. Add in developing tight end Jace Amaro and the Jets don't look so desperate in the passing game, so long as there's a quarterback who can get them the ball.
Which makes the team's second offensive newcomer, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, a wild card. Brought in from the Houston Texans for a late-round draft pick, Fitzgerald is going to challenge Geno Smith for reps in training camp.
With Fitzpatrick's background in offensive coordinator Chan Gailey's system (Fitzpatrick was Gailey's quarterback in Buffalo), he at last provides a mentor to Smith should the incumbent keep the starting job.
And earlier this week, NFL.com's Ian Rapoport announced that the Jets nabbed running back Stevan Ridley from the archrival New England Patriots. Ridley, who is rehabbing from a knee injury, provides the Jets with depth in a backfield that ranked as the third-best in the NFL last season.
New York Jets' Offseason Additions: Question Marks
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Even with all of the moves made by the New York Jets this offseason, there are still plenty of questions. And most of them start behind center.
Bowles stated that incumbent Geno Smith will remain the No. 1 quarterback heading into training camp. But questions continue to swirl regarding who will helm the Jets in Week 1 of the 2015 NFL season.
Will the New York Jets select Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota in this month's NFL draft? Will Fitzpatrick usurp the man who former GM John Idzik chose to lead this team? Or will something crazier happen, like a trade for Chicago Bears' Jay Cutler?
B/R's Jason Cole reported that the Bears are interested in trading up for Mariota and that they may be willing to include Cutler in that trade package (h/t SportsWorldReport.com's Lauren Moranor).
Another position the Jets didn't fill through free agency was linebacker, instead electing to re-sign aging veteran David Harris. Don't be surprised to see the Jets use their top pick in the draft to select the best pass-rusher available—potentially Randy Gregory from Nebraska or Dante Fowler Jr. out of Florida—to play alongside Harris.
And while the Jets did sign offensive guard James Carpenter from the Seattle Seahawks, that unit was beset by inconsistent play throughout the 2014 season. The Jets tried to get some of the top free agents in Mike Iupati and Orlando Franklin to come to the Big Apple, but were spurned throughout free agency, according to Costello.
New York Jets' Offseason Additions: 2015 Outlook
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So what do all of these changes mean for the Jets? If you listen to Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson, you'd think this team was headed to the Super Bowl.
"We strongly feel like we're going to be the top defense in the league—and top team in the league, not just defense," Richardson told NewYorkJets.com's Eric Allen (h/t NFL.com's Dan Hanzus). "This is going to be a great season. I strongly feel like this is going to be a great season for us."
Let's not start making hotel reservations for Santa Clara, California, just yet. But looking at this team through a realistic lens, the 2015 New York Jets have moved up a couple pegs to be talked about as a serious playoff contender.
Let's face it: The New York Jets were a four-win team last season. When the season ended, there were glaring holes throughout the roster and a black hole where the leadership should have been.
Today, there is strong leadership from the top down. The general manager and head coach agree on things, which is saying a lot for the Jets. There are veteran players who have proven themselves in this league.
This is what a playoff team looks like, Jets fans. You just don't recognize it because it's been absent for so long.
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