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LaDainian Tomlinson thinks the Jets would miss Darrelle Revis as a leader if he was traded. If that true?
“When I was there, Revis was so important not only to the team on the field but in the locker room, with the young guys in the film room,” Tomlinson told the New York Post. “He actually made [Antonio] Cromartie a better player. Cromartie was already a veteran player, but he made him better. I just think sometimes organizations make decisions based on strictly business when you can’t replace a guy like Revis.”
I just don’t buy that.
And I don’t even think Cromartie would agree with that. In fact, he’d probably be pissed at it.
Cro’s best football with the Jets was when Revis was on injured reserve this year, and wasn’t around the team much.
And how would Tomlinson know what is going on in the defensive backs film room? He didn’t spend much or any time in there.
Look, I’m sure Revis has helped defensive backs at times, but this idea of him being a great leader, is overblown.
I recently shared two anecdotes about Revis from last summer.
When asked how the two 2012 draft pick safeties (Antonio Allen and Josh Bush) were coming along in training camp.
He said he wasn’t paying attention.
I was floored by this. You have two raw developmental safeties in their first camp in Cortland, and the leader of the secondary isn’t paying attention to them?
I’m sorry, that doesn’t fly.
And the other anecdote from camp was when Sal Pal asked him about the defense flying around making plays when Revis was out a few days with an injury.
And he said, “What do you mean by that?”
Instead of being proud of his teammates, he seemed to take it as a personnel affront.
Another situation where I was thinking inside – why are you saying that?
Wouldn’t you want your teammates to shine in your absence?
And there was all this talk about his big influence on Kyle Wilson.
Wilson is still very inconsistent and clearly not a first round corner. To me, the impact there has been minimal.
In my opinion, Revis is a tremendous player, but an average leader.
If they traded him, they would miss him on the field a great deal, but his “leadership” they would overcome . . .
Tomlinson also thinks the Jets are going to have to stick with Mark Sanchez at quarterback, and doesn’t buy the whole “open competition” rhetoric.
“They said that last year,” Tomlinson said. “They brought Tim Tebow in and it wasn’t much of a competition because [Tony] Sparano didn’t know what to do with Tim Tebow. I just think they’re in a situation where they have to stick with Sanchez.”
I could not disagree more.
If they have an open competition between Greg McElroy and Mark Sanchez for the starting QB job, I think McElroy would be him out.
McElroy is the smarter and more instinctive QB.
I think people like L.T. and most of the best writers are selling McElroy short.
Consider one thing – the Jets are putting in the West Coast offense.
If you think about the history of that system going back to Joe Montana and Bill Walsh, there are a lot of passes in that scheme that are short throws that allow the receivers to run after the catch, like quick slants.
McElroy is good at that.
Keep in mind, Montana, the greatest West Coast offense QB of all time, did not have a rocket arm, and was fantastic in this scheme. You need to be a quick, smart decision-maker and be accurate – McElroy is both.
I’m not saying McElroy is a long-term answer, but I think he’s worthy of a try, especially in the West Coast offense.
I absolutely disagree with Tomlinson’s opinion – “they have to stick with Sanchez.”
January 31, 2013
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