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2009 Team Report: New York Jets

Quarterbacks

Starter: Mark Sanchez [R]
Backup(s): Kellen Clemens, Erik Ainge

Starting QB: Mark Sanchez is the presumed starter after being selected with the fifth overall pick in April's draft. He isn't very experienced at the higher levels of football, with little more than a year's worth of starting college experience. Still, the Jets felt strongly enough about him to make a bold trade and move up twelve spots to select him. During the draft telecast, he was visibly excited about becoming a Jet, something that will help endear him to the New York fans (at least until his first interception). Assuming he gets into camp relatively on time, it would be a pretty big surprise if he is not able to win the starting gig right away. Even if it does take him a little while to get going early on, it shouldn't be too long before he's under center for good. The Jets didn't make the move to acquire him just to have him sit on the bench. As head coach Rex Ryan said, "We wouldn't have traded up for Mark if we didn't think he had the ability to compete for the starting position".

Backup QB: Until the draft, Kellen Clemens was likely in line to start on the opening weekend for the first time in his NFL career. With the selection of Mark Sanchez in the first round, however, it appears that Clemens's starting days may have to wait. He is a former second-round pick so the talent is there, but the Jets are clearly trying to hit a home run with the Sanchez pick -- and they'll give him every opportunity to live up to the hype. Clemens would need to clearly outplay Sanchez in training camp to secure the starting gig. Erik Ainge was due to battle Clemens for the starting gig, though at this point he has really no chance of winning the starting spot. He'll vie for the backup job, but more than likely his role will be the No. 3 QB this season.

Running Backs

Starter: Thomas Jones
Backup(s): Leon Washington, Shonn Greene [R]
Fullback(s): Tony Richardson

Starting RB: Thomas Jones is the starting tailback, although he's expected to share some more of the workload this season. He turned in his best pro campaign a year ago, with his highest yards per carry average since 2003 and career highs in both yards from scrimmage and touchdowns. His fifteen total scores were thirteen more than he had the year before. In fact, his previous career high was just nine. While it's entirely possible that Jones is about to enter a late career resurgence, history tells us that the number of scores was something of an outlier and that we should expect that number to decrease. The increasing viability of Leon Washington as a complementary back more than a straight backup would seem to be more beneficial to the offense as a whole, and the addition of rookie Shonn Greene could greatly cut into Jones' goal line work. Jones is still a very important part of the offense, but ironically enough that could be the reason his touches decrease as the team tries to ensure he remains effective late into the season.

Backup RBs: Leon Washington proved last season that he is a dynamic complement to Thomas Jones and is capable of taking one the distance from just about any spot on the field. His 5.9 yards per carry average was outstanding, and could earn him more work this season. He's an outstanding receiver, which should solidify his role as the third down back on the team. The addition of Shonn Greene, an Iowa rookie drafted in the third round, could somewhat cut into the production of both Washington and Jones. New head coach Rex Ryan saw how effective a three-headed running back committee was in Baltimore a year ago, and Greene, at 6'0, 227 pounds could fill the goal line/short yardage role that Le'Ron McClain did for the Ravens.

Fullback: Tony Richardson is getting up there in age (he turns 38 during the season) and isn't an offensive contributor, statistically speaking. He hasn't had more than twelve carries in a season since 2003 and hasn't scored a touchdown since 2005. He was a productive receiver for several years, but even that has gone by the wayside as he caught just one pass a year ago. He'll certainly help in the blocking aspect, but that won't do much for his fantasy stat line.

Wide Receivers

Starters: Jerricho Cotchery, Chansi Stuckey
Backups: Brad Smith, David Clowney, Wallace Wright, Marcus Henry

Starting WRs: Jerricho Cotchery will fill the role of number one receiver somewhat by default after the defection of Laveranues Coles to Cincinnati. Over the last few seasons, the two have been sort of co-number one receivers anyway, so Cotchery at least has some experience as something of a go-to guy. He was expected to elevate his game into the fringes of the elite a year ago, especially after developing a great rapport with Brett Favre during training camp. But for whatever reason, it never really came to fruition for Cotchery. The news this past April that the Jets had contacted the agent for Plaxico Burress also doesn't speak well about their feeling of Cotchery as the No. 1 receiver, either. Still, for now that's what he is. After missing his entire rookie season, Chansi Stuckey made a splash a year ago with touchdowns in each of his first three career games. He didn't comeclose to maintaining that level of production the rest of the way (zero touchdowns the last 13 games), but he showed enough to convince the Jets that he's worthy of a starting gig -- at least for the time being. He's not so far ahead of the backups on the depth chart that his spot is set in stone, and he'll need to turn in a good camp to entrench himself in the starting lineup.

Backup WRs: After the presumed starters, there's something of a muddied field of players following them. Brad Smith has very good skills, but hasn't been very productive in his limited work over the first three seasons. He's typically very good once he's got the ball in his hands, but he's still something of a raw project the team is trying to mold into a wide receiver. David Clowney caught just one pass last year, his rookie season. The former fifth-round pick played in just three games due to injury, and will look to make more of an impact this year as he is elevated to No. 4 on the depth chart. The Jets' No. 5 spot will be filled by someone from amongst the group of sixth-round pick Marcus Henry, undrafted free agent Wallace Wright, or perhaps someone not even on the roster yet.

Tight Ends

Starters: Dustin Keller
Backups: Andrew Davie, Robert Myers, J'Nathan Bullock

Despite being a rookie, first-round pick Dustin Keller was worthy of starting in stretches for most standard twelve team leagues a year ago. He had a particularly strong run in the middle of the season in which he consistently caught a high number of passes in each game. He did nothing to dispel the notion that he is one of the league's bright young talents at the position, and with the departure of veteran Laveranues Coles, Keller will be relied upon even more heavily to help shoulder the receiving load in 2009. Whether or not it's a myth, many believe that having a solid tight end greatly helps the progression of a young quarterback. With rookie Mark Sanchez expected to line up under center this season, he could look to Keller even more than Brett Favre did. Sanchez will need to use Keller not only as a threat down the field, but as a safety valve for when the play breaks down in front of him. As of press time, Keller was the only Jets tight end we can say with 100 percent certainty will be on the roster. The remaining tight ends on the roster will likely do nothing more than block for the ground attack. The team will scour the list of available free agents over the summer, either players already on waivers or players who get cut by other teams, to try and fill in a bit more depth at this spot as none of the current TEs (other than Keller) is an impact player in any way.

Place Kicker

Jay Feely : When Mike Nugent was injured during the first game last year; the Jets signed Jay Feely, who kicked for the remainder of the year -- even after Nugent was healthy again. Last year Feely made 24 of 28 (85.7 percent) field goals. He has been perfect on PATs the last five years. Twice he has led the league in scoring: in 2002 with Atlanta and in 2005 with the NY Giants. During his first six years in the league, Feely did very well on kickoffs; however they have been a subject of debate the last two years. Last year the Jets ranked 20th in kicker scoring. They ranked near the middle of the NFL in kicker scoring in eight of the nine prior years. The Jets signed Feely to a one-year deal for 2009, after Nugent went to Tampa Bay as a free agent.

Kick and Punt Returners

Kick Returners: Leon Washington, Brad Smith, Jerricho Cotchery, Wallace Wright, Chansi Stuckey, Danny Woodhead

Already returning punts, RB Leon Washington added kickoff returns to his duties in 2007 and turned out to be just as good as Justin Miller, and perhaps even a little better (47 returns, 27.5 avg., 3 TDs). Last year he averaged 25.6 yards on 48 returns and added another TD. Potential backups include WR Brad Smith (4 returns, 9.8 avg.), WR Jerricho Cotchery (one return for 54 yards), and WR Wallace Wright (2 returns, 15.5 avg. in 2007). WR Chansi Stuckey had only two kickoff returns during his college career at Clemson, but has practiced in that role for the Jets. RB Danny Woodhead was a prolific rusher at Chadron State, but did not handle returns. He practiced in that role for the Jets last summer before getting injured.

Punt Returners: Leon Washington, Jim Leonhard, Darrelle Revis, Jerricho Cotchery, Dwight Lowery, Chansi Stuckey

Provided a contract dispute doesn't get in the way, the Jets have one of the top return specialists in the NFL. Leon Washington took over on punt returns during the latter part of 2006. The following year Washington handled all 20 punt returns (9.2 avg.), and his combined numbers made him the second ranked fantasy returner for 2007. Last year he once again handled every punt return (29 returns, 10.4 avg.) and finished as the fifth ranked fantasy returner. Free agent acquisition DB Jim Leonhard served as Roscoe Parrish's backup during his years with the Bills. Midway through last year he took over on punt returns for the Ravens (20 returns, 11.6 avg.). CB Darrelle Revis averaged 10.3 yards on punt returns during his college career at Pittsburgh and scored twice. Jerricho Cotchery led the team in punt returns in 2005, with 23 returns and a 7.9 yard average. CB Dwight Lowery averaged 14.4 yards on punt return for San Jose State in 2007 year and scored a TD in the Sugar Bowl. Chansi Stuckey averaged 7.5 yards on punts during his college career and scored once. After placing in the top ten in fantasy returns two consecutive years, the Jets slipped to 18th last year.

Offensive Line

Projected Starters: LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson, LG Alan Faneca, C Nick Mangold, RG Brandon Moore, RT Damien Woody
Key Backups: G Matt Slauson [R], G Mike Kracilik, G Robert Turner

The Jets offensive line features as strong of a starting five as any team. They are talented, experienced and played every game together last year. The only question mark for the Jets is with the limited depth currently on the roster. None of the players in backup roles have the experience or upside to cover injuries should they occur. It's the only thing keeping the Jets from an elite overall rating.

Team Defense

New head coach Rex Ryan comes over from the Ravens where he has been the architect of one of the leagues best high pressure defenses. A new coach usually has to make a lot of changes to bring his style of play to a team but the Jets transition won't be so tough. Not only has New York been using a 3-4 for a couple of years, they have had some success with it. The Jets struggled against the pass in 2008 while finishing middle of the pack in yards and points allowed, but they were among the league leaders in big play production. Totals of 41 sacks, 30 takeaways and five defensive touchdowns landed them among the Top 5 fantasy defenses in many scoring systems. When Eric Mangini left he took a handful of players with him, Ryan answered by bringing some of his players over from Baltimore. Free agents Bart Scott at ILB, Marques Douglas at DE and safety Jim Leonhard will all step right in as starters. Add former Eagle corner Lito Sheppard and the Jets not only filled the holes but probably improved the overall talent. Offense got the attention on draft day, but this is a solid unit. Expect another Top 10 finish.

Defensive Line

Starters: DE Shaun Ellis, DE Marques Douglas, NT Kris Jenkins
Backups: NT Sione Pouha, DE Mike DeVito, DT Howard Green, DE Kareem Brown

Starting DL: Shaun Ellis will be entering the 10th season of his career, but last year was probably one of his best. He has an ideal combination of strength and quickness to play DE in the new aggressive 3-4 defense being implemented by Rex Ryan. Last year's starter Kenyon Coleman was traded to the Browns on draft day and it appears that Marques Douglas is the frontrunner to replace him. Douglas has a lot of familiarity playing in the Jets new defense so he should be a solid replacement. Kris Jenkins was a big free agent addition for the Jets and helped anchor the entire defense. He's had some injury problems in the past but has managed to play a full season for 3 years in a row now.

Backup DL: The Jets don't have a lot of depth up front. Sione Pouha is the player with the most experience and a big body who will likely be used to spell Jenkins at NT. Mike DeVito made the team as an undrafted free agent out of Maine a couple years ago and will compete for a backup spot. Howard Green is a 5-year veteran who saw regular playing time as a Seahawks backup last year. Kareem Brown was a 4th round pick of the Patriots in 2007 who the team may consider moving to TE.

Linebackers

Starters: OLB Calvin Pace, ILB Bart Scott, ILB David Harris, OLB Bryan Thomas
Backups: OLB Vernon Gholston, OLB Marques Murrell, ILB Jason Trusnik

Starting LBs: The Jets signed Calvin Pace to a big contract last year and he lived up to it with a lot of big plays. He appears to have joined the ranks of 3-4 OLBs that can be reliable every week starters for your fantasy team. Bart Scott followed his former coach Rex Ryan from the Ravens and will help implement the new defense. Although Scott was often overshadowed by bigger names in Baltimore, he's an intense competitor who should provide an upgrade over Eric Barton who signed with the Browns. David Harris was a 2nd round pick out of Michigan who put up some incredible numbers over the 2nd half of his rookie year. He didn't live up to the high expectations many had for him in 2008 but he should team up with Scott to provide a very strong ILB tandem for the next few years. Bryan Thomas has had an up and down career, but he played well enough last year to hold onto his starting job. A former DE, he clearly has the ability to be an effective 3-4 OLB as long as he's motivated.

Backup LBs: The Jets made a concerted effort to upgrade their pass rush last year and Vernon Gholston was a key part of that strategy. Widely regarded as one of the best pass rushers in last year's draft class, Gholston struggled to adjust to the NFL and didn't record a sack in 15 games played so he'll need to take a big step in his development this year to avoid being labeled as a bust. Marques Murrell was a small school college player who could be ready to make a bigger contribution this year, particularly if Gholston continues to struggle. Jason Trusnik looks like he could be the primary backup at both ILB spots although he's mostly contributed on special teams up to this point.

Defensive Backs

Starters: SS Kerry Rhodes, FS Jim Leonhard, CB Darrelle Revis, CB Lito Sheppard
Backups: CB Dwight Lowery, CB Drew Coleman, CB Ahmad Carroll, S Eric Smith

Starting DBs: Kerry Rhodes is one of the best playmaking safeties in the league but his tackle numbers have been disappointing the past two years. The Ravens safeties haven't normally put up big tackle numbers either so he figures to finish outside of the elite tier of fantasy safeties once again. Jim Leonhard is an intelligent and athletic player who has done an impressive job filling in for injured players the past two seasons. Rex Ryan was obviously very happy with his play with the Ravens last year so he brought him with him to fill the Ed Reed role in the deep secondary. Darrell Revis was the top corner drafted in the 2007 draft and he's quickly developing into one of the best corners in the league. He saw a drop in his tackle numbers last year as teams stopped throwing towards his side of the field, although he still managed to pull down 5 interceptions. The Jets upgraded the other corner spot when they brought over Lito Sheppard in a trade from the Eagles. Sheppard has been a productive starter in the past, but he was reduced to playing a nickel role last year so look for a big increase in his production.

Backup DBs: Dwight Lowery was a 4th round pick a year who played well enough to earn a starting job early on. He's a physical corner who should put up solid numbers working out of the slot as the team's nickel back. Drew Coleman is a very small corner who struggled badly last year so he is likely to remain no better than 4th on the depth chart. Ahmad Carroll was a 1st round flop with the Packers who might be able to earn a roster spot with strong play on special teams. With Abram Elam being traded to the Browns on draft day, Eric Smith appears likely to enter the season as the primary backup at both safety spots.

Last modified: 2009-06-07 14:12:50