Start printing  those Super Bowl tickets baby.   The Jets have signed Bubba Franks!

Sarcasm aside (the hell you say!), Franks is a decent backup.  He scored nine touchdowns in 2001 and has his best year in 2002 — 54 catches , 442 yards and seven touchdowns.  You’re not getting Antonio Gates in his prime  — hell, your not getting  Bubba Franks in his prime — but you’re getting a serviceable backup, who can perform when called upon.

 The Jets have also hosted another ex-Pat, this time Troy Brown.

I don’t think Brown is anywhere close to the guy that helped the Pats to three Super Bowls, but you can always use a guy that can play as a slot fourth receiver who’s smart, a determined special teamer AND play dime corner in a pinch.  You’re not gonna find many players in the league that can contribute to a team in all phases of the game.

It’s been pretty slow after the intinal first round of free agency around the Jets, so I figured why not take a trip down memory lane and re-visit Dewayne Robertson…or more accurately, the Dewayne Robertson draft.
The year was 2003.  The Jets had two first round picks : the 13th pick, which the Jets got during that year Dan Synder lost his freaking mind…again…and gave up the pick to the Jets for Coles.

Now, at the time, the Jets were coming off a 9-7 year, a magical run when Chad came in relief of Vinny and led the Jets to the postseason and that destruction of the Colts in the first round.

So you have two first round picks.    The smart, prudent thing  would be to keep both picks and take two first round talent players.

So Herm and Terry Bradway decide to trade up and get Dewayne Robertson.  Uh oh.

Coming out of Kentucky, Robertson was considered another Warren Sapp type defensive tackle.  Naturally with Herm playing that Tampa “2″ defense, he wanted Robertson in the middle and cause havoc.   Only problem is he never turned out that way.

For Jets fans, these are the following players you could have had had you kept the picks:

Ty Warren

Troy Polamalu

Bryant Johnson (eh)

Calvin Pace…(hey, I know that guy!)

Willis McGahee

Larry Johnson

Nnamdi Asomugha

Nick Barnett

Depressing, no?  Especially consider how disapointing Robertson has been as a Jet.

From the 5th pick overall to a fourth and fifth rounder.  How the mighty have fallen.

I can’t take credit for this, since this came from ESPN’s John Clayton.

“5. The Jets’ future is now: Staying with the Jets: They are gambling against the biological clock in free agency and trades. Most teams try to add younger players when they sign high-priced free agents or make trades. The Jets are one of the few teams willing to add some age. Faneca is 31 and Woody is 30. Fullback Tony Richardson is 36 but is coming off a Pro Bowl season, while 34-year-old cornerback Ty Law is coming in for a visit this week. The Jets aren’t worried about building for the future. They want to win now.”

It’s great that the Jets are trying to go for it.  Here’s a major problem with that:

Let’s be honest.    This guy, for better or worst is the once and future quarterback for the New York Jets, whether you like it or not.  He’s played 12 games so far, not even a full season.   He’s thrown just five touchdowns and 10 picks.

Now I ask you: is this the right move for the Jets?   Putting all your eggs in this basket?   As much of an improvement made to their offensive line with Alan Faneca and Damian Woody, to their defensive line with Kris Jenkins and to their linebackers with Calvin Pace, the season comes down to how the quarterback performs.

Tom Brady not withstanding, it takes time for a quarterback to “get it”.    They need time and patience.  And we all know how patient New York and especially Jets fans are.     Its not fair to Clemens to expect him to be become this great quarterback over night…fact of the matter is, even with the additions the Jets made this season, they’re still way behind the Patriots, the Colts and the rest of the AFC echelon.  So in turn, you’ve added age and injury prone players in this desperate charge to compete.

This may irritate Jets fans to bring up the Giants up, but look how they got it done last year.  Young players drafted that got blooded into and contributed.   Obviously that doesn’t happen all the time.    But the Giants showed that if you take your time, be patient, and most of all have Eli Manning all of sudden not turn the ball over, you can win and still have a young group of players that have championship experience — the best of both worlds.

The Law to Return?

As stated in Clayton’s piece and in this Newsday article, Ty Law could be rejoining the Jets.  Having not seen much of Law since his Jets days, I’m just going off the stats…47 tackles, two INTs and 13 passed defensed (tip balls, knock aways, that sort of thing).    Positives: The pass defensed were his best since 2003, when he had 17 for the Pats.   Negatives: Undoubtedly not the same player even in his one year with the Jets and the tackles total were the lowest of his career.   Now granted, the Chiefs stink, so you’re hopeful that Mangini can find the fountain of youth for Law and that Herm was…well, Herm.     But make no mistake, another risk by the front office.

Robertson is also rumored to be headed out in that article.   What the hell went wrong with him?   We’ll examine that next time.

Looks like he’s not coming…

Makes no sense to sign Chatman and draft McFadden, when you have Leon Washington and Thomas Jones.

The plot thickens for the Jets pick…

Yep, back here again after a long hiatus.   Not the best thing to do but back at it with a clear mind and open conscious.

So the Jets have continued their splurge into the free agent market like drunken sailors and have signed Calvin Pace.

Big linebacker (6’4′, 272 pounds), 27-years-old…has played in then 3-4 before.   This? Makes all the correct marks on the Mangini/Tannenbaum checklist.

Ninety eight tackles for the Cardinals — who lets be honest, isn’t scaring anyone with their defense.  It’s a good signing…

…but there always seems to be a however with the Jets.  

Some vets want theirs.  Fair enough.  Too bad that the Jets may not be able everyone.  Reading that article and finding out that Kerry Rhodes makes $980,000 is a joke, when you consider Gibril Wilson, a good, but not as good player as Rhodes, just got a boatload of money from the Raiders.

Then again, this is the Raiders and Al Davis lost his damn mind in Los Angeles.

Anyway, that didn’t deter the Jets to sign a Pro Bowl fullback in Tony Richardson.   Richardson last season blocked for the Vikings and has previously played for the Chiefs.  Following running backs he blocked for:  Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor, Larry Johnson and Priest Holmes.  Pretty good company if you asked me.    The role of the fullback is so undervalued, but these guys are blasting into linebackers and making holes for the star runners.  This is a solid move, and although Richardson is 36-years-old, he’s still pretty darn good.  Notice the moves — Faneca, cutting Anthony Clement, signing Damion Woody at right tackle and Richardson.  All concentraiting on the line play, blocking.  Which leads to:

Mr. Darren McFadden.   He’s an amazing talent but comes with some amazing baggage…already has been in trouble with the law.  Right before the draft.

And about seven other times before this.  But man, this guy is talented.

So that’s what you weigh, the talent versus the baggage and attitude.    He could become Adrian Peterson Mark II or Reggie Bush circa 2007-08 season.

What to do?

Find out next time.

Well, we’ve had a pretty eventful few days here, haven’t we?

The Jets, striking while the iron is hot, have signed guard Alan Faneca.  This is basically the Jets admitting they made a mistake by cutting Pete Kendall last year, paying for it dearly.   Faneca is 31-years-old…but he very well could possibly be the best guard in the NFL.  You have to do it, especially when you consider how much is Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson regressed without Kendall last year.  The Jets were awful in run blocking and pass protection…you would think that this helps that somewhat.   It’s cliche, but it’s true: if you don’t have a solid offensive line, you cannot win in the NFL, especially if you have a young, untested quarterback.

The Jets also signed Kris Jenkins, after trading a third and fifth round round pick in this year’s draft to Carolina. 

This might be putting a square peg into a round hole.  Jenkins has never, ever played in a 3-4 defense and never has played that nose tackle spot.  He’s 29, by no means a spring chicken and is injury prone.   It’s a big risk, but look at it this way Jets fans: he can’t be any worst that Dewayne Robertson there.

Applaud the Jets for being aggressive, and they have to be, considering the season they just had, and the division going to get stronger.   The Bills made a couple of moves and Parcells is cleaning house down in Miami.     The problem is, with Faneca and Jenkins is that they a little bit up there in age and you don’t know how they’re going to A) react to New York and B) react to a new system.

But to answer the question, are the Jets better now than they were at the end of the regular season?  The answer is a resounding yes.