The Jets haven't seen much success in the previous decade dating back to their last playoff appearance in 2011. They have not had a real chance at making the playoffs since 2015. Now despite all of this, the Jets have just had their most productive offseason in a very long time. I believe this team has taken a major leap from last year and has a serious chance to be a threat in the AFC if they can follow these keys to success.
Zach Wilson:
The Jets have been looking for their franchise quarterback ever since Mark Sanchez led the Jets to two deep playoff runs in the early 2010s. Many believe they have found it in Zach Wilson after many failures such as Sam Darnold, Geno Smith, Bryce Petty, and the list goes on. Wilson was nowhere near sharp to start the season last year, but then ended the year off on a really high note after he got injured midway through the season.
Now you can't just have a good quarterback without any help and the Jets certainly picked up a lot of help for Zach Wilson this offseason. From drafting potential WR2 or 3 in Garrett Wilson and potentially new RB1 in Breece Hall. 3 new tight ends in CJ Uzomah from the Bengals, Tyler Conklin from the Vikings, and Jeremy Ruckert coming in as a rookie. They also signed two Pro Bowl offensive linemen in Laken Tomlinson from the 49ers and Duane Brown from the Seahawks to help out an offensive line that desperately needed a renovation and they certainly got one.
So you look around this offense and see nothing but weapons and great new additions, but in the end they only pay off if the quarterback is doing his part as well. If Zach Wilson struggles and does not lead his team in the right direction, then the whole offense falls apart no matter what new weapons and help they acquired in the offseason. The end result of where this team will be come the new year lies heavily on the shoulders of Zach Wilson.
The Revamped Defense:
Not only did the Jets fill their needs on the offensive side of the ball this offseason, but they also picked up much needed defensive help for a defense that has been at the bottom of the league in recent history. 2 of their 3 first round picks were defense including the headliner Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, star cornerback out of the University of Cincinnati. Also Jermaine Johnson their late first round pick is another big addition for the defensive line and getting more pressure on the opposing offense.
Cornerback was a position that the Jets really lacked last year and they picked up two starters this offseason that can make an immediate impact. Along with Sauce Gardner they also picked up pro bowler DJ Reed to be their CB2 for this upcoming season. A whole new look at the cornerback position for the Jets this year and it should payoff immediately.
Like the cornerback position, the rest of the Jets secondary lacked as well including the safety position and they went out and picked up another great safety in Jordan Whitehead. The secondary has a whole new look this year and I am very excited for what is has to bring to help out this Jets defense.
Many people forgot but the Jets biggest signing last offseason was defensive end Carl Lawson and he tore his achilles last year during practice ending his season early. Now the pro bowler is back and better than ever and ready to make an instant impact on this team. The Jets started building this defense just a couple of years ago around CJ Mosley and Quinnen Williams and they have added so many pieces in the past couple of years to make this defense that much better. On paper it looks like a very underrated, low-risk high reward defense that could surprise many offensive coordinators across the league. As long as they can all stay healthy, look out for this Jets defense.
Winning:
Now this one seems like a simple one, but for the Jets in the past 2 years it has not. They have had a combined 6 wins in the past two seasons and have had major trouble winning games. With a totally renovated offense and some new key additions to the defense, the Jets have a much better advantage than previous years.
The whole offense relies on the shoulders of Zach Wilson and as long as he performs on a high level the Jets offense will be fine. Robert Saleh will get his 2nd chance to prove to the rest of the league why he deserves to be a head coach in the National Football League.
If this team can stay healthy and perform well together, they should have no problem in winning games this season. They do have a tough schedule compared to other NFL teams, but again they need to prove their worth by winning those tough games and showing to the rest of the league that the New York Jets are here and they aren't messing around this year.
No comments:
Post a Comment