Gotham Green Grades: My Take on the Jets 2020 NFL Draft

From left to right: Mehki Becton, Joe Douglas and Denzel Mims. Photo: Bill Kostroun/AP.

Joe Douglas just completed his first NFL draft as GM with the New York Jets. With a lot of his picks, I found myself often thinking: "I don't hate/dislike the picks; I get it. I understand where he was going with it, but I thought there were better playmakers who were available at those spots." 

Well, there was one pick I disliked, but I will explain all of that and more, plus my overall draft grade in this analysis. Usually I do an exclusive post with the first pick, then another post on the rest of the draft later, but with other projects on the horizon, it's easier for me to combine their entire draft at this point.

First Round: Mehki Becton, OT, Louisville

An example of what I was talking about when I said I didn't hate or dislike the pick, but I thought there were playmakers there who could possibly come in and contribute right away were available starts with their very first pick. Honestly, I wanted edge rusher Chase Young, but realistically I wanted WR CeeDee Lamb, who I thought was the best receiver in the draft. By that I mean, I knew 9 times out of 10 Young was going with the first two or three picks, so the odds of him being available at No.11 was slim-to-none at best, but they had a realistic shot at drafting Lamb, and he went to a team I literally despise, so of course my thoughts of him have immediately changed.

I was thinking with Joe loading up on offensive lineman in free agency, you can pick a WR here and get solid OL later, but I understand the need to protect Sam (Darnold). The offensive line gave up 52 sacks last year, the second most in the league. It's going to be hard for Sam or any quarterback for that matter to do anything if he's constantly on his back.

Anyway, I was a tad disappointed they didn't draft Lamb, but when the slight disappointment subsided, the more I looked at Mehki's tape and did research on him, the more impressed I am with his upside and warmed up to the pick. The guy's 6-7, around 360 pounds, but he's no stiff. He ran a 5.10 in the 40 at the Combine, which is fast for a dude his size, he's nimble and light on his feet. One analyst during the draft referred to him as a "dancing bear."

Last season, he won the Jacobs Blocking trophy (best blocker in the conference) and made First Team All-ACC. Of course, there were concerns about his weight and if he can keep it under control, and a few concerns about some aspects of his technique, but those things are easy fixes with time and coaching.

The Jets are all-in on building around Sam and it starts with protection. If Mehki plays up to or exceeds his upside-- I'm confident that he will-- Sam may never get sacked from that side of the field again. I say that jokingly, but it's going to be hard to get around him. It's hard enough getting beyond or around a wall, nevertheless, a mobile one.

Grade: A

Second Round: Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor

Okay, so I was thinking with this pick they should go after a pass rusher. An edge rusher was what I really wanted with the first pick, but I didn't think there was anyone of that caliber to be taken that high after Young was drafted, which is why I was hoping they would've drafted Lamb. I wanted an edge rusher, but I didn't want him to reach to get one, so kudos to Joe for not nutting up.

In this round, I was hoping he would've picked edge rusher Zack Baun from Wisconsin, who I thought was the second best rusher in the draft, but I knew his stock would drop once I found out he lacked prototypical size for an NFL edge rusher. He traded down in this round in a deal with the Seattle Seahawks, picking up an extra pick in the third round-- which I liked. Baun was still there when he picked at No. 59, but he chose WR Denzel Mims.

Again, I understood that Sam needed more weapons at the receiver position. I don't hate or dislike the pick, but with a deep receiver class, I thought at this point-- especially with three third round picks at the time-- this position could've been addressed later. Anyway, Joe traded down and still got the player he wanted.

In Denzel, they're getting a receiver with size, speed and is reliable in the clutch (I watched a few Baylor games last year). Being that he dropped so low in the draft considering he was viewed by most as a first round pick, plus stating that he felt slighted by that notion and that he has been underestimated most of his life, he's coming in with a chip on his shoulder and a ton of motivation, which could spell trouble for those who passed him up.

Grade: A-

Thrid Round: Ashytn Davis, Safety, California (Berkley)

With his first pick in the third round, Joe drafted safety/return specialist Ashtyn Davis. I said myself that they needed to address safety depth after starters Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye (both dealt with injuries last season) so I don't hate or dislike the pick, but again, this could've waited, especially with Zack Baun still being available.

Another story of one being overlooked, Ashtyn didn't draw any attention from schools until he started to excel in track. He wound up attending California and getting on the team as a walk-on, a story similar to last year's fifth round pick Blake Cashman.

He's kind of small for a safety, but he plays much bigger than he looks. A rangy thumper, you can line him up all over the defensive backfield and he has some experience at cornerback, so I'm sure Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams will have fun utilizing him in his defense. I like his explosiveness and eye for the ball. He reminds me of Tyrann Mathieu, but better in coverage.

Grade: B+

Third Round: Jabari Zuniga, Edge Rusher, Florida

Finally, a pass/edge rusher is taken with Zuniga at No. 79 overall, but Baun was available at No. 68 before eventually being drafted by the New Orleans Saints at No. 74. After a breakout season his junior year, he decided to stay in school for his senior season that was plagued by injuries, which I'm sure hurt his stock considering he was viewed as first round value had he entered the draft last year.

Looking at his tape, he doesn't have the freak athleticism as Chase Young, but he's sufficient in that area, he has solid fundamentals and he's versatile, which goes a long way with any team. He seems like the type of player that will have solid production, but will fly under the radar. Another thing that will make Jets fans at him look side-eyed is the fact that they drafted Jachai Polite an edge rusher in the third round from Florida last year, who didn't even make the team.

Now, I don't think it's fair to automatically assume the same fate with Zuniga. He's not Jachai Polite. According to a professed Dolphins fan, he likes the upside of Zuniga as a prospect more than Becton. Again, I don't dislike the pick, it addressed a need, but I thought a better prospect was available earlier in the third round.

On a side note, the third 3rd round pick was traded to the New England Patriots, gaining an extra 4th round pick, and a sixth round pick for next year, a move that I thought was solid.

Grade: C+

Fourth Round: LiMichal Perine, Running Back, Florida

I liked this pick at this stage of the draft. I thought they needed to add depth behind Le'Veon Bell, and I think this was the right time to do so. Another pick who seems to have a chip on his shoulder, he was ousted by Auburn recruits stating he was a bit too slow, later burning them for 130 yards and a touchdown last year.

He strikes me as the type who won't wow you with natural athletic gifts, but compensates for that with hard work and being fundamentally sound. He's also a good receiver (out in the flat and you can line him up as a wide out). He's the prototype for coach Adam Gase's offense, and I think he and Bell will be a dangerous duo for years to come.

Grade: A-

Fourth Round: James Morgan, Quarterback, Florida International

My biggest question mark here. I didn't like this pick, at all. I know he has the measurables coaches and scouts covet (big and tall with a rocket arm) but there were more pressing needs. They could've picked another pass rusher here or even another receiver. You never know how these situations will turn out, but as of right now, he seems to be a project/third stringer at best.

I understand that Sam needed a backup (he has dealt with injuries his first two years in the league) but I was hoping they would've signed a veteran instead, which they still could. If they were going to go quarterback here, I would've preferred Tyler Huntley from Utah, someone who reminds me of Russell Wilson.

Grade: F

Fourth Round: Cameron Clark, Offensive Tackle, Charlotte

I liked this pick at this stage of the draft as well. He was named MVP of his team in 2017. That's unheard of from an offensive lineman on any level. Not to mention, you can never have enough protection for your quarterback(s).

Grade: A

Fifth Round: Bryce Hall, Cornerback, Virginia

From what I've heard about Bryce, it seems the Jets got a steal getting him this late in the draft. Most had him as high as the third round, but I'm sure his injury back in October is what dropped his draft stock. I like his size and he's good in press coverage, which is a plus in Williams' defense, where the corners are usually on an island.

He will be thrown into a pool of cornerbacks competing for the spot opposite of Pierre Desir. It will be interesting to see how this plays out come August and September.

Grade: B+

Sixth Round: Braden Mann, Punter, Texas A & M

Could've used another skill position, but a good pick at this point in the draft, where special teamers are usually taken off the board. He won the Ray Guy Award (nation's best punter) and Best Special Team Player in 2018 and made the First Team All-SEC two years in a row (2018 and 2019).

Grade: A

Overall, as I've said (repeatedly) for the most part, I didn't hate or dislike the picks. Needs were addressed, but I thought there were better prospects that were available at the time. I thought Joe did a solid job in his first draft. I definitely liked the way he spun trades. Speaking of which, he traded his second sixth round pick to the Indianapolis Colts for cornerback Quincy Wilson.

He gave up a low value draft pick for someone who was a second round pick in 2017. From my understanding, it didn't pan out with the Colts (obviously) but he showed some flashes in the process. It was a low risk, high reward situation, in my opinion. Honestly, I liked his wheeling and dealing better than his draft.

Overall Grade: B

 

How Sweet It Is!

Sam Darnold. Photo Credit: Adam Hunger/AP.

Yesterday afternoon, the Jets defeated the Dallas Cowboys 24-22 to get their first victory of the season and under the era of Adam Gase. Aside from the Patriots, I couldn't think of a better team for them to get their first victory against than the Dallas Cowboys. I can't stand those scumbags; particularly Jerry Jones and Dak Prescott. My reasons are non-football related, so I won't discuss that here. Besides, I already wrote a post concerning that matter last year. I hate them more than I hate the Patriots.

Personally, I think they should be 2-3; they had no business losing to the Bills on Week One, but what's done is done, no use looking back. Moving forward, it was great for them to get Sam Darnold back, who missed the last three games due to mononucleosis. He threw for 338 yards and two touchdowns, including a 92-yard bomb to wide receiver Robby Anderson.

Speaking of which, those last three games which started with Trevor Siemian, who is now out for the season, and finished with Luke Falk-- who was recently released-- at the helm was god awful, and hopefully, those days are behind them.

On a side note, I was tied up with other things, plus I don't rock with the NFL too much anymore outside of perhaps watching play-by-play online, but I had no idea the game was on TV until I turned it on for a few moments to see the final seconds before turning it off again. Those few moments were great to see. No, it wasn't a Super Bowl victory-- it's not that deep-- but it has definitely made my week, so far.

Now the question is, where do they go from here? Personally, I don't see why they can't bounce back from an ugly start. Throughout league history, there have been teams who came out of the gate slow and had a strong finish. Case in point: the New York Jets. In 2002, under Herman Edwards, they started off 1-4 and finished 9-7 to win the AFC East Division and advanced past the AFC Wild Card round. It's a long season. We'll see what happens.

Prior to the game, I thought to myself how sweet it would be for them to get their first win against the Cowboys, not only for the reason I alluded to above, but because they desperately needed it. How sweet it is.

Is The Jets Season Over?

Sam Darnold. Photo Credit: Bill Kostroun/AP.

Yes, I know. Following the goofy loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday after holding a 16-0 lead for three quarters, they look like the same ol' Jets. Then, I get online today only to find out that Sam Darnold will be sidelined indefinitely with a case of mononucleosis AKA "the kissing disease". Already there are questions and posts on whether or not the Jets season is over.

Before I give my answer, let me say this: taking over for Sam will be Trevor Siemian, a guy who has NFL starting experience, and after watching him for two years in Denver, I like him better as a No. 2 quarterback holding down the fort until the starter returns, which is the situation he's in now.

I wouldn't say he's trash; one even referred to him as being "incredibly average," so he might not be a Pro-Bowler necessarily, but he's adequate enough to get things done-- hopefully, it will be on a consistent basis this time around. Adam Gase's offense suits his skill set, being that he favors the intermediate-to-short throws. Again, my hope is that he doesn't settle for those too much this time around.

Trevor Siemian. Photo Credit: Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com.

There's a great supporting cast starting with the running backs featuring Le'Veon Bell; they added veteran wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, who's familiar with Gase's offense going back to their days with the Denver Broncos, to go along with the productive three they have already in Quincy Enunwa, Robby Anderson and Jamison Crowder. Hopefully, the first two are more productive moving forward than they were Sunday.

Despite that let-down in the fourth quarter last week, the defense looks promising-- for the most part. So, is the Jets season over? We'll see, but for a short answer, I will say, no. Besides, that was only the first game of the season, we have a long way to go. Calm the fudge down!!!

Taking Flight: Part Two: Grading the Rest of the Class

Jachai Polite. Don Juan Moore/Getty Images.

After my exclusive post on the Jets first round pick, Quinnen Williams-- which I usually do for the first round pick or picks, if there's two or more-- here's my take and recap on the rest of the Jets 2019 draft class.

Third Round: Jachai Polite, DE/OLB, Florida

The edge rusher position was addressed with one of their two third round picks with the selection of Jachai Polite. To me, the Jets got a steal with this pick. He's explosive getting up the field, he uses his hands very well, and using subtle dip moves to evade double blocks, and is also able of doing some two-gapping, which is rare for a player his size. He has a non-stop motor and is willing track down the ball carrier to make the play. To me, he has some traits similar to Quinnen Williams, except Polite is smaller.

The seemingly downside I keep hearing about him is "character issues" and "maturity." I'm looking more into this, but from what I've seen so far, it seems to me that this character issue thing is overblown. I've seen him over pursue on some plays, and I didn't see him drop in coverage that often, which could've been based on his role in the defense.

Update: From my understanding, his "lack of maturity" is based on his poor combine results. Due to apparent weight gain, which caused him to run a slower 40 time, which can turn off a lot of coaches and scouts. There was an issue with the Green Bay Packers staff, where he was asked to explain what happened on some bad plays he made. I'm not sure what his answers were, but apparently it didn't bode too well for him.

I can understand where this can be a cause for concern, but at the same time, these mistakes can be easily corrected. People are acting as if he shot or molested somebody. From what I can see so far, I was correct, somewhat. To an extent, these issues they're bringing up are overblown. Granted, you want to be mindful of these matters because small things can lead to bigger things, but again, with self-discipline and wisdom on Polite's part, this can be corrected.

Third Round: Chuma Edoga, OT, USC

Sam Darnold (14), Chuma Edoga (70). Circa 2017. Courtesy of  newyorkjets.com

This pick addressed another need in terms of helping protect Sam Darnold. Speaking of Sam, Chuma was a teammate of his at USC, so there's familiarity there. Aside from that, from my understanding, he's athletic and agile for a guy his size, has good footwork, versatile and he's more of a run than pass blocker.

Scouts and experts were concerned about him being slightly "short" for an OT (He's nearly 6-4), but that's the least of my concerns. Like Polite, he has also been said to have maturity issues; also like Polite, so far, I've only found one thing from his collegiate career that stands out, which was violating team rules/policies, but nothing specific. I'm still looking into it. It has also been said that he can get lackadaisical and not finish blocks. If that's accurate, that definitely bothers me.

All in all, I'm fine with the pick. It seems that he has a lot of upside, just a bit raw, and his shortcomings on the field can be coached. His familiarity with Darnold might give him an edge and have him among the starting lineman come Week One.

Fourth Round: Trevon Wesco, TE, West Virginia

Temitayo Adesokan/The Daily Athenaeum.

This one was a head-scratcher. Nothing against the young man personally, I've heard they found a gem in him, but I thought they could've drafted a cornerback here. He was used primarily as a blocking tight end, but his role was expanded a bit in the second half of the season in the passing game. He can line up inline as a tight end or in the back field as an H-Back.

Trevon looks like he could be a sneaky good addition to the Jets offense. A perfect complement to a faster, more athletic Chris Herndon. The only issues I have with this pick is there are a bunch of tight ends on the roster already, and on top of that, they already have a player like Trevon in Eric Tomlinson. They basically just drafted Eric Tomlinson.

Fifth Round: Blake Cashman, ILB, Minnesota

Blake Cashman (36).

Another head-scratcher. but not as much as the aforementioned. The only things I see sensible about this pick is depth behind linebackers CJ Mosley and Avery Williamson, and an immediate contributor on special teams.

They have also made it clear that they're done with Darron Lee-- who I thought would get traded at some point during the draft. Aside from that, although he's not that big or fast, he has been said to have a tenacious motor and is a sure, willing tackler. At Minnesota (University) he was a walk-on and eventually earned his way to a starting spot his senior year. Can he do the same in New York?

Blake seems to be an underdog story who seems to be the type that's not physically gifted such as great speed or athleticism, but he more than compensates for that by being a hard worker.

Sixth Round: Blessaun Austin, CB, Rutgers

Blessuan Austin. Photo Credit: Chris Pedota/The Record.

With their final pick of the draft they finally addressed the corner position, drafting Blessuan Austin. From what I've gathered, he's a capable cover corner with decent size, but he's injury prone, suffering two torn ACLs the past two seasons. I'm interested to see how he fares. If his knee(s) hold up, he might be a hidden gem as well.

Overall, I thought the Jets did well with this draft, but it could've been better. I love the Williams and Polite picks; I'm good with Edoga; the Wesco and Cashman-- particularly Wesco-- picks were questionable. I'm glad they addressed the cornerback spot with Austin, but I thought they should've addressed it sooner (with the fourth round pick) than later (with the sixth round pick). The selections of Williams, Polite and Edoga earned them an A; the grade starts dwindling from the 4th-6th rounds.

Overall Grade: B

A Gase at the Jets New Head Coach

Adam Gase, Photo Credit: Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post.

The Jets hired their new head coach in Adam Gase after the firing of Todd Bowles. On a quick side note, I liked Todd and his approach, and the players usually play hard for him, but after three out of four losing seasons, three straight double-digit losing seasons-- I'm sure it wasn't all his fault-- it was time for a change.

Gase coached the Miami Dolphins from 2016-2018. After making the playoffs his first year with the Dolphins, he finished 6-10 and 7-9 respectively from there, leading to his firing after the season. When I heard Adam was being considered for the Jets vacancy, I'll admit, he wasn't who I had in mind. I was pushing for Bruce Arians, but I thought later that he probably wouldn't be interested in taking the job after they fired Todd Bowles, who was Arians' defensive coordinator when coached for the Arizona Cardinals, and have now reunited in Tampa.

I will say that prior to the hire, I mentioned that I would prefer him over a coach from college-- unless they've had prior NFL coaching experience, I'm not a fan of them coaching at the next level-- as they were pursuing some collegiate names as well. Right now, the only two college coaches I would roll the dice with is Alabama's Nick Saban or Stanford's David Shaw.

When Gase was hired over Mike McCarthy, a Super Bowl winning head coach, and who was next on my list, I wasn't too thrilled, but there were a few things I considered immediately afterwards: he checked some of the boxes; he wasn't straight from college, the Jets wanted an offensive minded guy, and he's known as one of the best offensive minds in the game today, and he has beaten New England on more than one occasion.

Nearly every quarterback he has worked with improved their efficiency, most notably Jay Cutler, who had his career-best QB rating (92.3) under Gase. His completion percentage (64.4) was his second best, and his third down efficiency was the fourth in the league that year (2015). It's hard for me to credit him with Peyton Manning; Peyton was a household name prior to signing with the Denver Broncos, where Gase was the QBs coach in 2012-13, and the offensive coordinator in 2013-14, steering one of the most high-octane offenses in NFL history, nonetheless, and making a Super Bowl appearance that year.

Speaking of Peyton, it was him who recommended Gase during the Jets coaching search, which is what I think put him over and ultimately landed him the job. Although I wasn't the only one who at least initially who wasn't thrilled with the hire, I thought afterwards that the deal is done, it is what it is, give him a chance, let's see what he can do. He could be the next Sean Payton or perhaps better. I know, that's laughable now, but you never know. Sometimes it takes being in the right situation at the right time.

I'll say this: his reputation as a bright offensive mind combined with an up-and-coming quarterback in Sam Darnold, if the duo is anywhere near as lethal as Gase was with Manning, we could be talking about them being one of, if not the greatest quarterback/coach duo in history.

Sam Darnold: Big Gun in Gotham

Sam Darnold (14)

Honestly, I didn't get the chance to watch much of Sam Darnold's rookie season. One being I don't watch football as much as I used to; political reasons being one of them, the other is being in Louisiana and the fact that they haven't had a winning season in three years-- although I think that's about to change-- the Jets don't appear on TV very often out here. Lately, I usually catch something on the play-by-play or a good amount of highlights, so my take on Sam Darnold is based on what I've been able to see of him. Quick side note: If I change my mind about the first reason, it would only be to have coverage for my blogs.

Sam had an up-and-down rookie reason, as most rookie quarterbacks do while adjusting to the speed, aggression and subtleties of the big league, overall, I think he showed plenty of promise and I think he has a great and bright future ahead of him. Last year when the Jets moved up in the draft to pick him, I'll admit that I thought he was a little overrated. Prior to the draft, there were plenty of comparisons of him to the Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck. I heard some say Carson Wentz or Ben Roethlisberger, but it was mostly Andrew Luck.

From what I've seen of his college tape, I saw some good things such as the rocket arm, the unflappability and mobility in the pocket, but it wasn't enough to convince me that he should be a top five pick, let alone the first overall as some were suggesting. I viewed him as a first round talent, just not a top five first round talent. I'll admit, the guy I wanted them to draft was Bradley Chubb-- who finished his rookie season with 12 sacks-- but when the move was made to get Darnold, I decided to change my thinking and embrace optimism.

Another reason why I had reservations of them picking Sam at first was because they had signed Teddy Bridgewater, a guy who is still young and is at least above average, in my opinion, who can still start in the league a month earlier. Initially, I was hoping they would've stayed pat with the 6th overall pick and addressed the trenches by drafting either OL Quenton Nelson or DE/LB Bradley Chubb, which is exactly where Nelson was picked.

From watching how Sam dealt with the media soon after the draft I was immediately impressed with his intangibles. The first preseason game, he showed a tid bit of why the Jets rolled the dice in the draft to pick him. It was some up-and-downs after that-- which apparently was a precursor for what was to come for the regular season-- but all-in-all, I could see what the Jets saw in him. Before preseason ended, they traded Bridgewater to the New Orleans Saints and went all in with Darnold.

In his very first regular reason game, after getting off to a rocky start, he along with the defense finished strong, defeating the Detroit Lions 48-17 on Monday Night Football. From there, things were hot and cold, as Sam went through the growing pains of an NFL rookie-- rookie quarterback, in particular. Some say that general manager Mike Maccagnan sacrificed or "tanked," as the saying goes, the season to speed up Sam's development. I want to say that's speculation, but he once admitted last season that the offense would probably be in a better position than they were if a veteran QB was under center, but I digress.

 I saw some of the same things from him that I had seen from his college tape: the arm strength, quick release, mobility, leadership and unflappable demeanor. I like his ability to maneuver in the pocket and keep a cool head under duress. Yes, there were the"rookie mistakes," (translation: erratic, ill-advised throws) but there were also plays where his improvisational skills turned a disaster into a positive play, if not points.

I would like to see him improve on his accuracy, but I think will come with time, particularly being in new head coach Adam Gase's offense, but my biggest issue with Darnold last year was the same question mark most had on him entering the draft: turnovers. While he finished with slightly more touchdowns than interceptions (17-15) he tied for 2nd in the league with the most interceptions thrown.

Obviously, I wasn't expecting for him to be "Tom Brady," Drew Brees, or Aaron Rodgers like some people seem to be foolishly doing, right away. I mean, that's asking a lot from any quarterback, but especially a rookie. However, I think he has the ceiling to someday elevate to that level, perhaps higher. I know that's laughable to most right now, but you never know.

Again, from what I've seen of him, he has everything one looks for in a quarterback in terms of measurables and intangibles. His fundamentals might not always be pretty or refined, but he gets it done at the end of the day. The main thing I think he needs to work on is limiting the turnovers, which he is committed to doing. I realize he's a gunslinger at heart, and gunslingers tend to take chances, hence, they tend to make that throw you'd hoped they wouldn't have made, but overall, the turnovers can still be limited. From there, I like what I've seen from him and mostly what he's capable of becoming.

With the addition of Le'Veon Bell, Jamison Crowder, and the additions to fortify the offensive line to protect him-- which lack of protection from the line was another thing that hindered him last season, but that's not his fault-- along with some other key additions and still the draft to go, the Jets are on the path to rise from the depths of misery and oblivion to league prominence, and at the helm of that rise will be Sam Darnold, the next superstar quarterback.

NYJ Flying High in Free Agency/ Mr. Good Barr

Le'Veon Bell (26), Anthony Barr (55)

About two years ago, I launched my blog entitled 747, a blog page dedicated to New York Jets sports. Being tied up with other blogs being one of the reasons, I decided to get rid of the blog. I considered bringing it back last off-season, but wound up not going through with it-- until today. My first post was going to be my evaluation of then-rookie quarterback Sam Darnold's performance last season, but after what took place shortly before NFL free agency/ NFL New Year, I decided instead that my first post will be an analysis on the New York Jets free agency, so far.

On a side note, before I start, I want to say I've been rocking with the NYJ since the early 90s. I don't remember which year exactly, but it was somewhere between 92-93, since the days of Ken O' Brien, Al Toon, Mo Lewis, and so on. I, along with other die-hards of the Jets have seen some wonderful moments such as the "Monday Night Miracle" against the Miami Dolphins, upsetting the New England Patriots in the 2010 playoffs, a part of one of their two straight AFC Championship game appearances, to enduring some embarrassing hardships, such as the "Butt Fumble," and the three straight double-digit losing seasons, two straight 5-11 seasons, and them going 4-12 last season. However, despite everything, I'm confident that great days are ahead, and I'll elaborate more on that in my Sam Darnold blog.

Anyway, last week, there was talk that the Jets were in serious pursuit of linebacker Anthony Barr, one of the top free agents and a well-rounded player who can cover, support against the run, and rush the passer when asked, so I was in favor of them signing him. Two days before free agency officially begun, Barr initially committed to a deal where he become a Jet once free agency started. I was excited and looking forward to landing quietly one of the best at his position, in my opinion.

Imagine my thoughts when I woke up Tuesday morning to see that he decided to burn the Jets and stay with the Vikings. Thursday, he gave some emotional, violin playing, soap opera, BS reason why he did it. It was like "marrying the wrong woman" according to him. Initially, I was irked, but then three things came to mind, the first two was not long after Barr's flip-flop, the other after reading his attempt to justify his actions: the first one was that everything happens for a reason; the second was realizing that his bait-and-switch could've possibly opened the door for them to sign running back and top free agent on most team boards, Le'Veon Bell, more that later. The third was if that's the way he felt, it was better that he stayed in Minnesota. I wouldn't want him in New York, knowing that's not where his heart was (violin playing) and not play his best ball.

All of this ties into the bulk and titles of this blog. The night after Anthony Barr's potentially unwittingly act of kindness, the Jets signed Le'Veon Bell, who is clearly a top two back in the league. Prior to that, they traded a 5th round pick for bruising offensive guard Kelechi Osemele, a Pro Bowler two out of his last three seasons along with a 6th round pick; they signed another highly coveted linebacker in C.J. Mosley, as well as a  pretty good receiver in Jamison Crowder. Yesterday, they brought in nickel back Brian Poole to replace Buster Skrine, who left for the Chicago Bears.

In addition, they retained versatile offensive lineman Jonathan Harrison and (thankfully) defensive lineman Henry Anderson and Steve McClendon, the former finishing last season with a career high 7 sacks. The two moves they made that left me scratching my head was letting kicker Jason Myers and return man Andre Roberts, both Pro Bowlers, walk away in free agency. The former signed with the Seattle Seahawks on $15 million deal, $7 million guaranteed. Way too much for a kicker in my opinion, so letting him walk left me scratching my head-- initially. They let the latter sign with the Buffalo Bills.

They struggled to find quality returners over the past few years, and Roberts was the best they had since Leon Washington and Brad Smith in the early 2000s, so I'm curious as to who they have in mind to replace him. They have replaced Myers with Chandler Catanzaro, who was a Jet a couple of years ago before leaving for the Buccaneers. I'm fine with this signing if Chandler can regain his form in his first season as a Jet.

Free Agency is still young, plus the draft is coming up next month, so there are plenty of moves the Jets could make between time. Back to Le'Veon Bell and Anthony Barr. As I mentioned earlier, Anthony "Barring" the Jets opened the door for them to sign Le'Veon Bell, whom safety Jamal Adams pushed heavily for, he might have a GM title in his future. Although they were in pursuit of him anyway, Barr walking away created more of an opportunity for them to do so.

This is a weapon of mass destruction for Darnold, along with other talents such as Quincy Enunwa, Robby Anderson, Jamison Crowder and Chris Herndon, who had a strong finish in the second half of his rookie season. If this turns out the way I'm envisioning, while there's a lot of people in New York verbally ripping Anthony Barr apart, they might be thanking him for his "good deed" later.