The Jets are leading the NFL into the future

A step in the right direction

What an interesting weekend for the Jets football possibilities. The Jets started Labor Day weekend by trading away the headache formally known as Sheldon Richardson for a second-round pick and Jermaine Kearse. Since the Jets drafted him 13^th overall in the 2013 draft, he has been more of a headache player than the Super Star that Jets fans hoped he would be.

After a good rookie season with 78 total tackles and 3.5 sacks, Richardson had an incredible sophomore season with 67 total tackles and 8 total sacks. Then in 2015 Richardson had an episode in the offseason that cost him 4 games at the beginning of the year. Since he had raced 103 MPH with a gun and marijuana in the car he has fell off the face of the earth. In 11 games after the suspension he had 32 tackles and 5 sacks. Even with my concerns I thought Richardson could be a valuable piece to this defense with a move to right outside linebacker. I thought if Bowels puts him into coverage on some plays and rushes Wilkerson, Harrison, Williams, and Richardson on others how could this defense be stopped? Unfortunately, Damon “Snacks” Harrison signed with the Giants, and Richardson was forced into a position where not only he couldn’t thrive buy cost Wilkerson a season of production. Wilkerson in 2015 had 64 total tackles, 7 pass deflections, and 12 sacks to 58 tackles, 3 pass deflections, and 4.5 sacks in 2016. Some of that may be due to the 5-year $186 Million contract that Wilkerson signed following 2015, but some of it was Todd Bowles having trouble putting all three linemen in positions to wreak havoc on opposing offenses. So, without Richardson taking up space, Bowles will have a season to develop a pass rush aimed around Williams and Wilkerson and that has to make Jets fans smile.

All this move was, was a NBA style roster dump that addresses the Jets need for wide receivers, and adds another draft pick. This move lays the ground work for the rebuild and gives the Jets a clearer idea of the pieces that they are going to retain after the rebuild is done. With 2017 being the second year of the 5-year deal to Wilkerson, he will most likely be in the Jets plans for post rebuild. The Jets also have possibly two more seasons (including 2017) with Leonard Williams and Jermaine Kearse, the rebuild might be closer than it appears.

Kearse will undoubtedly be the Jets number one wide receiver target this year, but will get some of that work load taken off with the return of Quincy Enunwa. Enunwa will be a good wide out in the NFL and having a guy like Kearse be his battery mate in 2018 makes me reminisce about having Decker and Marshall in 2015. Kearse/Enunwa will not be anywhere close to Marshall/Decker but it will give whoever the quarterback is in 2018 good options down field. Also, don’t sleep on Chris Henson out of Cal as a viable option for the future.

Speaking of the Jets quarterback situation, you have to turn to college football for that one. Yesterday, in USC’s opening game against Western Michigan—the darling Sam Darnold didn’t look to hot. Darnold went 23/33 for 289 yards, no touchdowns, and 2 picks. That is not an optimistic start for Jets fans that are hopeful he is the starting quarterback for gang green next season. I have always been cautious about Darnold because he had one good game in his college career. That was last years’ Rose Bowl against Penn State. Darnold (then a red-shirt Freshman) went 33/53 453 yards, 5 touchdowns, and an interception. One game as technically a freshman does not automatically give you autonomy for the rest of your college career and possibly land you as the number one overall pick in the draft. I will keep my eye on the Heisman hopeful, but Jets fans also cannot forget about UCLA’s quarterback Josh Rosen. Rosen starts his season tonight against Texas A&M in the Coliseum. Rosen’s season last year was cut short to a shoulder injury he suffered on the last play of the game against Stanford when he was stripped by now San Francisco 49’er Solomon Thomas. Rosen saw his season and 2016 draft potential run away as Thomas stumbled his way for a garbage time touchdown. Primed for a comeback season, Rosen cannot be overlooked by any Jets fans.

Not to mention a little wrinkle thrown in by this Richardson-Kearse trade… the Jets might not go 2-14 and get the first overall pick. They might go 3-13 or 4-12 and get the 3^rd or 4^th pick and not be able to get Rosen or Darnold, but they might be able to pick an offensive lineman to sure-up protection for another possible quarterback in the draft that is currently playing for Florida State. Deondre Francois is a sophomore at Florida State and depending on how severe his knee injury is might have only played one game as a sophomore. If so, he went 19/33 for 210 yards, a touchdown, and 2 picks. That is not a good opening game, but he has the ability to run and make plays with his legs that neither Darnold or Rosen can.

It will extend the rebuild another year and you would have to resign guys like Kearse and Williams but having the chess piece of a dynamic quarterback in Francois is a good piece to have. As a Jet fan, I will be happy either way, as long as it means the Jets are winning ball games. But, this Jermaine Kearse trade is undeniably the turning point in the Jets rebuilding process, and might be the moment that us Jets fans look back when the Jets finally win the Super Bowl. But, for now the only thing we can do as a fan base is put our trust in Mike Maccagnan and Todd Bowles. Just give it time, these two guys could bring this team to the promise land…