Putting aside one’s belief on the importance of games that may get cut in half by 2012 if the NFL goes to an 18 game regualr season schedule, one element is certain. Stay healthy. For the Jets, with one game left before attention turns to Baltimore and the opener, the loss of Calvin Pace, the teams best pass rusher, puts an already compromised defense in another quandry.

Pace, whose outside blitzes from the hybrid position of OLB and DE has been one of the only sources of pressure without Rex Ryan calling on the secondary in blitz packages, injured his foot on Friday night vs Washington. What does this mean? Perhaps there will be a reuniting of Ryan and foprmer player LB Adelius Thomas, cut by the Pats this Summer. Thomas has expressed interest in joining the Jets and with Pace out for at least the first four games which include Tom Brady and the Dolphins with Brandon Marshall and a healthy Ronnie Brown returning form a season ending injury in 2009, the Jets can’t slip from the solid production that Pace brought: Reports today have painted the Jets as NOT interested until Thomas until after week one. If this is true, the Jets clearly want to see what Jason Taylor and Vernon Gholston can do prior to going outside of the organization.

The newly acquired Taylor appears out of shape and perhaps not ready for a majority of the snaps just yet. Even if Taylor gets his wind back, questions still remain as to whether he can he still wreak top flight havoc in enemy backfields at the age of 35. This brings us to third year Jet, the former 6th pick overall in 2008,Vernon Gholston. Gholston struggled his first two years but was shrewdly moved from LB to DE by defensive genius Ryan and the move has shown signs of serious life. Gholston has had a great camp. One that included solid play against Carolina and pressures on Skins QB Rex Grossman in the first half. Due to both the injury of Pace, and the durability and remaining ability left regarding Taylor, the emergence of Gholston has now gone from a project under development, to under the microscope, requiring immediate results.

A dangerous scenario awaits the Jets should quarterbacks have time to throw while receivers make moves without all world cover CB Revis on their tail. Pace, while not a prototype pass rusher, gave the Jets just enough last year to get by in that department. NG Kris Jenkins is back and his addition back on the line will undoubtedly help Jets ends receive less attention.

Nonetheless, the spotlight shines both on Taylor, given his terrific resume, and Gholston. Should Gholston continue to make plays as he has so far this Summer, the Jets may be able to survive the first quarter of a season that looks to be no easy task. With a tough schedule, a Jets offense under development, led by a second year quarterback in Mark Sanchez, and now the loss of Pace, the Jets all of a sudden need Gholston to emerge. Now. Many who make up Jets nation, for the first time, feel he may finally be ready to do so.

Follow TJ Rosenthal on twitter @thejetreport

Back at posting on this blog, which is becoming therapeutic every single week I do it.  For those who read this, I’ll be running a live blog during the NFL Draft, with special attention to the Jets pick.

Big news for the Jets was the re-signing of Kerry Rhodes for $33.5 million big ones.

Five year deal with $20 million guaranteed.   Considering all the money that was being spent on free agents, it was good to see the Jets lock up one of their own.   Rhodes, who was unfairly robbed of a Pro Bowl season in 2006, had a bit of a down year –68 tackles, two sacks, but did have a career high in picks with five interceptions.

He’s 25-years-old, an upcoming safety and an extremely important part of Mangini’s defense.     Good investment here.

The battle between New York and Boston continues, as Victor Hobson signed with the Pats for a one year deal.

I dont think anyone is going to be crying any tears that Hobson is gone, but you’ve got to wonder what Coach Voyeur will be able to do with him.  I’m half-jokingly saying this, but you’ve got to wonder is Belichick signing him because he can’t videotape the Jets signals anymore?

Just a couple of weeks until the draft and it’s all quiet on the Western Front in terms of who the Jets are going to pick.  The Dolphins are in talks with Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long’s agent.

Whether it’s Parcells setting up a smoke screen is hard to say.  Not that the Jets were going to take Long, but the board gets a little less murky with Long going to the Fish.

Back soon with more thoughts.

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.