By Rob Raitano
After the lockout ended before the 2011 season, the Jets had a number of decisions to make and a short amount of time to make them. The Jets had 16 players that were to be unrestricted free agents and the WR position would incur the biggest turnover.
The “Flight Boys” spread their wings.
Dubbed the “Flight Boys,” Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes, and Jerrico Cotchery were considered amongst the most improved unit on the team after the 2010 season. Three of their top WR’s, Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes, and Brad Smith, the team’s 4th WR, a mult-versatile threat, Wildcat QB, KR, and ST’s demon were unrestricted free agents. Jerricho Cotchery, had a year left on his contract, was also an unrestricted FA.
The lockout had just ended, and the team had very little time to either move quickly to bring back most if not all of the team’s most improved and versatile unit, or assume a hit at the position, as the team had other position areas to consider.
GM Mike Tannenbaum elected Santonio Holmes as the team’s top priority, and quickly signed him to a new 5 year, $50 million dollar contract. Holmes was considered the most talented of the bunch, acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers during the previous off-season for a 5th round pick. Braylon Edwards achieved prosperity on the field, becoming a fan favorite, his performance was critical in the team’s eventual run to an AFC Championship games against the Indianapolis Colts & Pittsburgh Steelers.
Off the field, Edwards brought embarrassment to the team and to himself with a DUI back in September of the 2010 season. He rebounded from the incident on the field, but was never able to reclaim his stature with the team and the Jets front office. As a result, the team let Edwards test the market, and he eventually wound up signing with the San Francisco 49ers.
The team also decided to let Brad Smith test FA, and he eventually signed with the Buffalo Bills. The team would sign Plaxico Burress to replace Edwards in the starting line-up, and would draft Jeremy Kerley to help replace the versatile Smith.
Fast forward to 2012 and the WR unit again faces change. The team has decided to overhaul the position once more with an emphasis to get bigger, younger, and faster. Plaxico Burress, the club’s elder statesman from a year ago is gone, and it will be the third year in a row that QB Mark Sanchez will have to endure major change at the most critical position in the passing game. The 2012 season brings a lot of potential with the infusion of youth and talent at the position, but also a lot of inexperience.
Santonio Holmes
Santonio Holmes enters 2012 with something to prove.
When Santonio Holmes is right, mentally and emotionally, he can be one of the top WR’s in the league. Holmes has extraordinary talent; he has elite speed, route running skills, agility, and hands. Santonio can be as good as he wants to be, but as has been the case throughout his career, he can also be his own worst enemy. For whatever reason, many of the top NFL receivers are “divas,” they are often times the most egotistical and can at times be the most selfish players on the team. Santonio falls into a category where the player sometimes puts himself before the team. This was observed last year during the final stretch of the 2011 season; we saw a Jets team implode, locker room turmoil, a team that stopped believing in the offensive philosophy and the game plans. Holmes was in the center of it all.
The final image of Santonio sitting on the bench, having been removed from the game after arguing on the field with one of his teammates in the huddle is a bitter pill for Jets fans to swallow. Traded to the Jets for a 5th round pick before the 2010 season, some thought it was a steal, after serving a 4 game suspension, Holmes went on to have a very solid 12 game season. He would then earn his first big FA contract; many thought Holmes’ career would take off with the Jets. However, things didn’t turn out that way during the 2011 season, and now fans have to wonder what Santonio Holmes can be for the New York Jets.
Were the issues with Holmes due to a failing offensive philosophy, an offensive game plan that he and other players often questioned throughout the season? Is Holmes just so competitive, that despite wearing the captain “C” logo on his chest, he still could not perform the necessary duties of a leader because he was so upset with how the offense was managed?
Holmes does have the ability to be a good teammate; he has been often seen working before and after practices with his young WR’s. Players that know Santonio Holmes has expressed this belief publicly, that the Holmes that finished the 2011 season on the bench is not that guy, not that player.
Maybe there were things that went on with the team that we as fans still don’t know about, maybe Santonio was made a scapegoat for some of the problems that happened last year. This much is apparent, Santonio seems to be rejuvenated for the start of the 2012 season. He has been publicly euphoric about the changes to the offense, the addition of Tony Sparano, and the changes philosophically that have been brought to the team by Sparano and his staff.
If Holmes buys in, maybe we see the player that he has the potential to be, the player that the team and fans expect him to be. 2012 is a big year for Holmes, despite missing a couple of practices due to early training camp soreness, Holmes seems to be off to a good start. It is crucial to the potential and success of this year’s Jets team that Santonio becomes the player and leader he is supposed to be.
Stephen Hill
Stephen Hill enters the season with high expectations and plenty of opportunity.
Stephen Hill is a player that has many Jets fans excited. If not for his inexperience at the collegiate level and the fact that he played in an option offense, Hill was deemed by many as one of the more extraordinary talents coming out of the 2012 NFL draft. At 6’4 215 lbs, and possessing sub 4.3 speed, outstanding athleticism and good hands, Hill has the raw attributes to develop into an elite NFL WR. His draft value was hard for teams to evaluate because of that inexperience and raw ability.
Some draft experts had Hill as a mid-first round pick. Others had Hill going into the 2nd round.There were some reports that the Jets had Hill high on their draft board, and after taking DE Quinton Coples in the first round, the Jets reportedly considered moving up in the draft to get him. Inevitably they were able to stay put and wait until their #44 overall pick to select him. Along with his raw attributes, it is well documented that Hill has an outstanding work ethic and strong intangibles and character. Unlike many of the young WR’s in the NFL today that have great potential, Hill is a humble but confident player.
Hill was a standout during OTA’s, but sustained a hamstring injury that kept him out of the June mini-camp. However, Hill had a strong start in training camp and one of the Hill’s strengths is his blocking ability. On the first day of training camp, news quickly broke that Hill had put such a strong block on the game’s best CB, Darrell Revis, he knocked him to the ground.
Realistically, Hill will probably not be an elite level player in his first year. He’ll need to develop and adjust to the speed and nuances of the NFL game. It’s not unreasonable to think that Hill can be in the rotation and produce. Hill has the work ethic and intangibles to shorten the curve of his development and provide some impact in his first season.
Chaz Schilens
Chaz Schilens brings an element of speed and sound blocking to the Jets WR core.
Another big WR with great size and speed, at 6’4 225 lbs, Chaz Schilens comes over from the Oakland Raiders as a UFA signing. Schilens is a player that many in Oakland believe had #1 WR potential, but injuries derailed both of his two and a half seasons. Like Hill, Schilens has very good speed, and is also a very good blocker.
The Jets considered bringing back Braylon Edwards during the off-season, but with the recommendation of the Jets new WR position coach Sanjay Lal (Schilens position coach in Oakland) the Jets decided to bring the young veteran aboard to compete for a starting spot and a spot in the WR rotation. The Jets believe that between Hill and Schilens, they have two players that can rotate and provide the production they missed last year without Edwards. The Jets sorely missed having WR talent that can stretch the field.
Although Burress was a very good redzone threat, but he was not a player that presented enough of a threat between the 20’s, and this was a major factor that caused the Jets offense in 2011 to regress from the season before. The passing game became predicable, defenses did not respect the Jets vertical passing game, and ultimately, this was one of the major reasons for the team’s demise last season.
Schilens is a player that can work over the middle of the field, he can stretch the field, and does have some veteran experience, if he can stay healthy, Chaz Schilens does have the potential to dramatically upgrade the WR position for the Jets in 2012.
Jeremy Kerley
Jeremy Kerley hopes to regain the trust of the coaching staff entering the 2012 season.
A 5th round pick of the Jets in 2010, Jeremy had a solid rookie season as the team’s #3 WR. Kerley often played the slot WR role, and as the season progressed, he became more confident and was a bigger part of the team’s game plan. Kerley brings an added dimension and versatility in that he is a former QB, having played the QB position in wildcat formations in college.
The Jets used Kerley in the same formation at times last season, and Kerley impressed with his ability to throw the ball. Despite impressing in his rookie season, Kerley has had a slow start to training camp. He sustained a hamstring injury early in training camp and was publicly reprimanded by coach Rex Ryan for not having a strong off-season. Kerley has the ability to be an outstanding slot player, and with his versatility Sparano has an option in Kerley when deploying wildcat formations in his game plan.
It will be important for Kerley to bounce back and get out of Ryan’s doghouse in order to quickly learn Sparano’s offense, and become a key member of the rotation at WR.
Patrick Turner
The Jets are hoping Patrick Turner can put it all together and take on a bigger role in 2012.
A former 3rd round pick of the Miami Dolphins, and Mark Sanchez’ primary target at USC, Turner is another player with great size at the WR position. At 6’5 220 lbs, Turner, since being picked up by the Jets off of Miami’s practice squad, he has steadily developed as an NFL player. Turner flashed last season in a #4/5 WR role, and displayed outstanding ST’s abilities. His ST’s prowess will probably earn him a spot on this year’s team.
Because of his size, he can be an outstanding red zone threat. From all indications, Turner has had a very solid start in training camp after a solid off-season, and he will need to make the jump as a consistent depth player, possibly even progressing into a bigger role on offense.
Jordan White
Jordan White is a possession receiver who could come up big on 3rd down.
Jordan White was a 7th round pick of the Jets that some feel was a late round sleeper. White put up outstanding numbers at Western Michigan, totaling over 120 receptions last season. White has very good ability as a possession receiver. A solid route runner, White is also a very good special team’s player. White could provide competition to Jeremy Kerley for the slot WR role.
Possessing quality intangibles, and characteristics, White displays some comparisons to former Jet Jericho Cotchery. White has the potential to make the team as a depth player, with the potential for a bigger role.
Under the Radar:
Other players that fans can keep an eye on during training camp are Demarcus Ganaway, a 6’2 WR with speed and who flashed during OTA’s and mini-camp, Dexter Jackson, a smaller WR at 5’9, but has great speed, and has returner ability. 6’1 Royce Pollard out of Hawaii has turned some heads in camp with several strong practice performances, and was a standout during OTA’s; he could also be a practice squad candidate.
The Jets need to commit to a long term plan at the WR position, and Mark Sanchez needs stability and continuity. The NFL salary cap rules presents challenges for all teams every year when assimilating the roster, but Sanchez has had to endure drastic personnel changes at the most critical position for a QB for 3 straight seasons. Consequently, this has undoubtedly impacted his development as a QB. With a new offensive coordinator and youth to build around at the WR position in players like Holmes, Hill, and Kerley, these changes can go a long way in helping Mark Sanchez make that big jump to the next phase of his career.
Contact Rob on Twitter @RaySr19
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