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Now that the Jets have released safety Marcus Gilchrist, you heard the narrative all day that this once again proves they are in full-rebuilding mode.
It’s not true.
It means they might start two rookie safeties, but I think at the beginning of the season, it could be one rookie safety starting, and the other spot a platoon. Obviously Jamal Adams is going to start, but Marcus Maye will play a lot, but might not start from the get-go. Expect guys like Calvin Pryor, Doug Middleton, Rontez Miles and Ronald Martin to be I the mix at that second safety spot. Not all of them obviously, but I expect a couple of them to be factors at that spot. Remember, those four guys know Todd’s system. The two rookies will first be learning it.
Wouldn’t it behoove the Jets to start somebody next to Adams, especially early in the season, whose been around, for the rookie to lean on?
But let’s just say there are two rookie starters in the secondary.
Last year the Atlanta Falcons went to the Super Bowl with a starting rookie safety (Keanu Neal) and a rookie nickel back (Brian Poole).
Aside from those two players, no rookies are likely going to start for the Jets. So the rest of the starters will be young veterans, or middle-aged veterans.
The backfield will feature Bilal Powell and Matt Forte, with perhaps the sixth-round pick mixed.
The wide receiver corps will have Quincy Enunwa and Eric Decker (if he’s healthy), second-year player Robbie Anderson, perhaps fifth-year player Quinton Patton (very underrated) and the rookie ArDarius Stewart, who won’t start, but be an extra receiver and core special team’s player.
The tight ends will likely be Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Brian Parker and Eric Tomlinson, None of them are rookies.
The defensive line will have ends like Mo Wilkerson. Leonard Williams and perhaps Sheldon Richardson (if he’s not traded) and nose tackles Deon Simon, Mike Pennel and Steve McLendon. None of these guys are rookies.
The linebackers will be David Harris, Darron Lee, Jordan Jenkins and Lorenzo Mauldin. Once again, no rookies.
The corners won’t be rookies.
The offensive line will have no rookies.
I think you get my point.
I’m not saying this is the best roster in the league, but there will be a lot more experience on the field than the rebuilding narrative would suggest.
And in a fair QB competition, there is no way Hackenberg or Petty will beat out Josh McCown. In my worldview, neither is ready to do that. And do not forget Hackenberg and Petty are getting a new playbook thrown at them this year, which is far from ideal for a young quarterback. It’s actually very bad for young quarterbacks. They finally get one system down, and now they have to start from ground zero. This will set them back. McCown has been in so many different systems, learning John Morton’s playbook should not be a problem for him.
McCown obviously expects to win the job. He’s not going to come out and be that blunt about. He’s not that kind of guy, but he does.
“My goal is to come in and learn this offense, do everything we can to master it this spring and training camp, and I’m the guy, then play the position as well as I can until that changes,” McCown said. “And obviously as a competitor you don’t expect that change.”
And if he does win the job, and can stay healthy, he can be a cerebral game-manager; the Jet can win games with this guy. I’ve said this a million times. I love older quarterbacks (if they still have their skills) because mentally they are on top of their game at a very tough mental position.
So to me, this isn’t a rebuilding year for the Jets.
“You rebuild as far as people and names but you don’t rebuild in terms of trying to win or not win-we’re trying to win all the time,” Bowles said. “We’re always trying to win. We don’t do anything in the mindset [of rebuilding].”
May 4, 2017
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