Whatever the Jets decide to do when their number 17 pick is called upon Saturday night, and whatever they decide to do in the rounds that follow, one thing is clear: this draft is a lose-lose for the Jets.For a team that has no really experienced player at quarterback, the team has flirted with the idea of drafting another rookie quarterback, which would be the fourth straight season that they have drafted a quarterback. The team is rumored to be in love with quarterbacks Mark Sanchez of USC and Josh Freeman of Kansas State.
Sanchez is supposed to be 6'2", but if you watch him on film, he looks smaller than that. He doesn't have a great arm and is compared a lot to Chad Pennington. Not exactly the ringing endorsement Jet fans want to hear. The upside that Sanchez has is that he is a great leader, which is nice, maybe he should run for president of the United States someday. But what is most troubling about Sanchez is the fact that coach Pete Carroll demanded that Sanchez not test the NFL waters, since he was not ready to get in the swim, as it were. Carroll knows something about quarterbacks having coached Carson Palmer, a pro-bowler when healthy; Matt Cassell, who broke onto the scene last season; and Matt Leinart, who has been the biggest bust of the three.
Sanchez is expected to be gone when the Jets draft in the first round with many predicting the Seattle Seahawks taking the small quarterback. The guy the Jets are really looking at is Josh Freeman. Freeman is 6'6" and is supposed to have a big arm but lacks consistency in his throws. Some have compared him to Joe Flacco of the Ravens, or Ben Roethlisberger of the Steelers because of his size and throwing abilities; knowing Rex Ryan, who got a front row seat to Flacco, Freeman would be most attractive.
But here is the problem with drafting another quarterback. The Jets don't know what they have in camp right now. They have three virtual rookies as it is in Brett Ratliff, Eric Ainge, and the slightly experienced Kellen Clemens. Clemens was unimpressive in 2007 as the team's starter, but some in the Jets camp feel the jury is still out on him because of the patchwork offensive line he played with that season.
We shall see, but it behooves the Jets to avoid drafting another rookie QB in this draft if for no other reason than to avoid creating more confusion as to whom will be the starter next fall.
Another player the Jets are looking at is Branden Pettitgew, a 6'6" tight end, who is known for being a better blocker than receiver. The Jets feel they need a new blocking tight end with the departure of Chris Baker via free agency to New England. If history means anything, the Jets should stay away from Pettitgew, not just because of his criminal record, but because the Jets are terrible at selecting tight ends in the first round. Can you say Johnny Mitchell and Kyle Brady?
Here is my take on what the Jets should do. If Darius Heywood Bey or Kenny Britt, both talented receivers, should fall at their laps at 17, draft one of them. The Jets desperately need a receiver with the departure of Laverneous Coles; moreover, they have desperately needed a receiver taller than 5'10" for almost a decade. Both Bey and Britt would fit the bill as tall receivers with good catching abilities. If the Jets don't want a receiver, and Georgia running back Knowshawn Moreno should fall to them at 17, take him; he is the most complete running back in the draft.
But, as history once again demonstrates, the Jets will find a way to muck things up. Get your hands on some chairs Jet fans because you're going to be flinging them on Saturday.
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