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New Jersey – I’m sure a lot of you read what Peter King wrote today about the Jets-Bucs-Revis front. Let’s take a closer look and analyze it.
“In fact, a source said, if the Jets are willing to take both picks in 2014, Tampa Bay would likely deal its first- and second-round picks for Revis,” wrote King.
So right now, it looks like that the Jets will be able to get a first round pick from Tampa Bay for Revis, but the Buc’s would rather it be next year, and not in 2013.
But something else King wrote caught my attention, and I have to respectfully disagree with his theory.
“I think it’s much smarter for New York to try to get both Tampa picks in the 2014 draft, and to push for the Bucs’ top two picks,” King wrote. “With the likelihood that this is Rex Ryan’s final season as head coach, and the certainty that New York will try one last time to make Mark Sanchez work at quarterback this year, it doesn’t make much sense to draft a quarterback in the first round.”
So what do I disagree with? It’s this part of his premise – “The certainty that New York will try one last time to make Mark Sanchez work at quarterback this year, it doesn’t make much sense to draft a quarterback in the first round.”
Well first off all, I don’t think it makes sense to pick a quarterback in the first round this year because there isn’t a player worthy of the first round at the position.
I don’t think any of these guys belong in the first round, and that includes the over-hyped Geno Smith. He’s a major project with great raw ability as a runner and thrower, but in need of a lot of work. He’s a better fit for the second or third round because he holds on to the ball too long and often struggles reading defenses. He’s also a little on the skinny side.
I think this is a really good second and third round QB draft with led by Smith, Matt Barkley, E.J. Manuel (pictured above), Ryan Nassib and Mike Glennon, but not a great first round QB draft. Maybe one goes late first round, but to pick any of them earlier than that, is probably a reach.
But that is a much bigger reason not to pick a quarterback in the first round, more so than, “trying one last time to make Mark Sanchez work at quarterback this year.”
Let me ask all of you a question – Do you really think it’s Rex Ryan’s mission this year to make it work with Mark Sanchez at quarterback?
No way. He wants to win. I don’t agree with all the hot-seat talk the media is pushing (they love this angle because it’s an easy story), but there is no question Ryan needs to win his share of games this year (which I think he will). I’m not saying he needs to go to the Super Bowl, or AFC Championship Game, but he needs to be competitive after two disappointing seasons in a row.
The last thing on his mind is making it work with Sanchez. He might have thought that way at times the last two years, to his detriment, but no more.
He has embraced the QB competition mindset this year, and he’s going to see it through. David Garrard, Sanchez, Greg McElroy and maybe somebody else – he’s going to let them compete, and may the best man win.
So this idea that he’s going to go to great lengths this year to make it work with Sanchez, is far from the truth. That thinking is in the rear view mirror.
March 21, 2013
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