Ed Reed

New Jersey – One potential weakness on the Jets isn’t being discussed as much as it should. And this area of concern, is one reason Ed Reed should be on the Jets’ short list.

One thing I found very impressive about Reed last year, aside from his three picks down the stretch, was his leadership ability.

Hey, we all knew he was a great leader in Baltimore, but when a player signs mid-season with a new club, which is what Reed did with the Jets last year, how often do they emerge as a leader?

It’s hard to be a leader on a team you entered mid-stream

Reed did it.

In recent years, leadership hasn’t been a strength of the Jets.

I mean, they had some leaders-by-example, who work and play hard.

But not many, if any, of those players have the “it” factor in the leadership department.

DeMario Davis seems to possess some decent leadership skills, but until he establishes himself more as a player, how impactful are his words?

I was a little surprised to see him giving the “fire-and-brimstone” speech to the players before games last season. I’m talking about that huddle you often see on NFL Films before the game, with guys like Drew Brees giving an emotional address to the troops. Davis did this a lot. I’m sure he gave some good speeches, but how many teams have a first-year starter handling this role? I’m sorry, but that doesn’t make a lot of sense.

And as I mentioned in the latest issue of the JC Magazine, I would throw open the competition for the linebacker position next to David Harris that Davis handled last year. Davis did a good job against the run, but his coverage instincts were suspect.

Remember, everyone made such a big deal about how Davis was a big upgrade over Bart Scott in space due to this speed. Guess what folks, it really didn’t happen. While Davis is faster than Scott, the Arkansas State product’s instincts often led to him arriving late to the scene.

Getting back to the leadership front.

Reed emerged as a terrific leader for this team, even in his short time in Florham Park. Getting a chance to watch him up-close, there is no doubt, he’s an awesome leader.

And the Jets could use some guys like this.

I think Geno Smith has a lot of potential as a quarterback, but he doesn’t seem to be a powerful leader, and this goes back to West Virginia, where he didn’t get high marks in this department.

If Michael Vick takes over at QB, at some point, he could turn into a leader for this team, but he can’t do it in the backup role.

So to me, Reed, who can clearly still play, based on what he did down the stretch last year, should be on the Jets’ short list.

If a safety gets hurt, he should be on speed dial for the personnel department.

Aside from coming in and giving this team a much-needed dynamic leader, can you imagine what a great influence he would be on Calvin Pryor as a rookie? Who better to teach the kid than Ed Reed, a future Hall-of-Fame safety?

June 3, 2014

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