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The Daily News reported today that the Jets will target receivers Jeremy Maclin and Emmanuel Sanders.
The paper reports that team might sign both.
This is pretty remarkable reporting.
A month before free agency even starts, a reporter has uncovered a big part of the team’s plans.
And the reporting goes even deep than that. It also states that Eric Decker (Denver Broncos) is also on the Jets’ radar, but some in the organization aren’t sold on his potential as a #1 receiver.
That is pretty amazing investigative reporting.
Considering John Idzik is as tight-lipped as any GM I’ve ever covered, it’s hard to believe he would allow this kind of information to get out.
Before I continue on the sourcing of this story, let me ask this question – Emmanuel Sanders (Pittsburgh Steelers) a #1 receiver?
I don’t think a lot of people would agree with that.
I do agree that Decker isn’t a #1. He’s a solid player, but he benefitted a great deal from all the attention that Demaryius and Julius Thomas garnered from opposing defenses.. Decker got some great matchups.
Maclin (Philadelphia Eagles) has the potential to be a #1, but he blew his knee out last year, and it’s unclear how he’s going to come back from that.
“Twenty-two NFL players scored more touchdowns than the entire New York Jets wide-receiver corps combined in 2013,” wrote Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. “General manager John Idzik is working to ensure that it doesn’t happen again next season.”
I’m not going to lie. I have a big problem with this paragraph.
Don’t get me wrong, I do think it’s smart for the Jets to add some more weapons. No doubt about it.
But this narrative out there that the Jets passing game problems in 2013 were mostly the weapons has been blown way out of proportion.
Geno Smith’s accuracy and decision-making also had a big impact on the number of touchdowns.
I will give you two perfect examples.
Against the Oakland Raiders, on the first series, the Jets got a major mismatch with linebacker Kevin Burnett on Kellen Winslow down the left seam. This should have been a touchdown, but Smith was way off target.
In the second Miami game, a potential touchdown was missed, on a pass deep right to David Nelson. He was open around the right goal line.
“The ball was late and high,” said Dan Dierdorf.
Smith needs work on his footwork and accuracy.
People who entirely blame the Jets weapons for the team’s passing game issues in 2013 are misguided.
Of course the receivers deserved some blame at times but the quarterback deserves a big chunk of the blame. Accuracy is a huge part of being a successful NFL QB.
Back to the sourcing of this story.
In my opinion, I think this story was probably driven by agents, not somebody in the Jets’ front office.
Idzik doesn’t roll that way, and the people under him known darn well not to leak stuff. A new sheriff is in town.
February 7, 2013
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