The Jets' often apoplectic fan base seems somewhat pacified by their picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.
They drafted a mountainous man, Mekhi Becton, to play left tackle, to plow holes for Le'Veon Bell and keep Sam Darnold's backside clean. They seemed sagacious again in Round 2 by taking Baylor WR Denzel Mims, to replace Robby Anderson and team-up with fellow speedster Breshad Perriman. Then they made a curious call in Round 3 by picking safety Ashton Davis from California, who's clearly talented but may be replacing the best safety in the NFL, if Jamal Adams can't scratch out a contract extension.
Overall, the Jets poured buckets of cash into their porous offensive line, spending over $70 million on free agents, picking perhaps the most gifted lineman in the draft (Becton), and OT Cameron Clark in the fourth round. The unit needs that kind of biblical help since the Jets allowed 52 sacks last year, which ranked 29th out of 32 NFL teams, and allowed 106 quarterback hits, which ranked 28th. And their 3.3 yards per rush as a club ranked dead-last in the league. (The Jets also scored 7.7 points per game while Sam Darnold was out with mononucleosis.) And if you want a cherry on top of this foul statistical sundae, consider Gang Green scored six rushing touchdowns in 2019, good for 31st in the NFL.
Most of that speaks to the offensive line. The Jets signed Le'Veon Bell to improve the putrid rushing attack, but Bell no longer enjoyed the conga line of Pro Bowlers - from Alejandro Villanueva, David DeCastro, and Maurkice Pouncey - he had in Pittsburgh. All of which led to their woeful run production. Also, Sam Darnold spent too much time on his back or running for his life. A robust line can fix much of that.
The Jets need their pass-catchers to stay healthy and play to their potential. That means Mims, Perriman, and Jamison Crowder are on the spot. (Sadly, Quincy Enunwa may never play again because of chronic neck problems.) To add depth at wideout the signed undrafted free agents Lawrence Cager (Georgia) and George Campbell (West Virgina).Also, the Jets need security blankets and clutch first-down grabs from tight end Ryan Griffin, who signed an extension last year. Even better will be the return of fellow TE Chris Herndon, who missed four games last year from a suspension and then suffered a season-ending rib injury just 18 snaps into his return. Should Herndon have his head and body right, Darnold should have a fairly potent phalanx of pass-catchers. With all their offseason retooling they can only go up from an offense that was considered the worst in football a year ago.
The defense should be fine. Gang Green ranked seventh in yards allowed per game (323.1) and second in rushing yards allowed per game (86.1). They snagged edge rusher Jabari Zuniga out of Florida in the third round, and Virginia cornerback Bryce Hall in the fifth round. Zuniga should help with a defense that notched just 35 sacks, one fewer than the Giants had. Pro Bowl LB C.J. Mosley should be healthy after an injury-addled season in 2019. Joining him will be Avery Williamson, who also missed 2019 with injuries after an impressive 2018, in which Williamson registered 120 tackles.
The Jets still have the best safety on the planet, Jamal Adams, who has a fine wingman in safety Marcus Maye. Hall joins cornerbacks already on the roster - Blessaun Austin, Kyron Brown, Pierre Desir, Nate Hairston, and the leader of the bunch, Brian Poole. The Jets also signed undrafted cornerbacks Lamar Jackson (Nebraska), Javelin Guidry (Utah), and Alabama defensive back Shyeim Carter.
In all, the Jets have inked nine undrafted free agents, six on defense. Five of their nine draft picks were spent on offense, making for a fairly balanced approach to their roster. But the key chasm on the roster - offensive line - was surgically and generously tendered.
If any NFL GM gets a major pass or mulligan for 2019, it's Joe Douglas, who was hired by the Jets right after the 2019 NFL Draft, when the club had already signed Le'Veon Bell and C.J. Mosley. It was a surreal and silly power play between head coach Adam Gase and GM Mike Macagnan, with the former getting the latter fired. It seems like Douglas, unlike his predecessor, was given the proper power and latitude to build this team the right way, using the tools he took from the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Jets were 7-9 last year, despite losing Darnold for three games, and with Tom Brady still lording over the AFC East. With Darnold free of mono and COVID-19 he should make a tangible leap in 2020, and now the division is wide open with Jared Stidham under center in New England. Maybe the Jets aren't perfect, but they handled their business like a smart NFL franchise. Something they haven't been able to say for five years - which is the last time they had a winning record.
Twitter: @JasonKeidel
