By Ken Berger
I have been chasing so many draft rumors today that I did a double-take when my wife came home. I thought she and the dog had been traded to the Raiders for conditional picks in '07.
Just want to get caught up on responding to a few of your comments before I get traded to the Lions for Joey Harrington:
To Jim, who says of the new regime “no hype, just patience and intelligence,” I say, “Thanks for dropping by, Mrs. Mangini.” Seriously, Jim, I think you’re right.
I agree with yeselson that the Cutler-Ravens rumor is more smoke than fire. But if the Jets are higher on Cutler than we think, and if they came out of the first round with Ferguson and Cutler, you’d have to call it one of the blockbuster draft-day scenarios in this team’s history. Definitely bold, but not necessarily bright. I don't think Cutler is the answer.
To LSJF, I disagree that Mario Williams would be a waste. But if the Jets could get Manny Lawson at the bottom of the first round – or maybe move up a few spots to get him – I’d have to say that would be better value.
Finally, to John Doe, who noted that perhaps I’d read the Star-Ledger this morning when I updated you about the Cutler rumor … I ask, "How are things in North Brunswick?"
Comments (19)
Is there any chance of a draft-day trade to get rid of Dwayne Robertson? He is very unsuited to play in the 4-3 that Mangini wants to implement. I say, get another 3rd rounder for Robertson, and then trade down a few spots (for more 2nd or 3rd round picks) in the first round and take Haloti Ngata. I think all said and done, that would be a bold move and they can use their stockpile of extra picks to bulk up the O-line and still get Lawrence Maroney and/or Brodie Croyle later on
i was just joking ken, keep up the good work.
ken, it's me again, john doe. is glauber nuts? no way leinert gets past the jets at 4, let alone oakland, detroit, arizona, st.louis or baltimore.
and is glauber also known as todd mcshay? todd is some scout on espn. check todd's latest draft buzz update and you'll see what i mean.
Ngata will not last past the Browns at number 12.
I wonder if Cutler would last past the Cardinals, they have an explosive offense with Edge and the Wr but the team is not built to groom a rookie QB when they could steal the division or more likely a wildcard. if they get a couple of good defenders in the draft or Vernon Davis. Remember when the Jets selected Vilma and he helped their D immediately.
I couldn't agree more with Jet Fan Jay: except that it is a 3-4 hybrid defense that Mangini wants to institute, which will more often use three DL instead of four. And saying that, Dewayne Robertson is too small to fill the role of nose tackle. Last year, when injuries exposed the Jet's lack of depth at DT (see James Reed, Lance Legree), Robertson was rarely ever able to get off double teams. He's a better fit in a 4-3 defense where a larger NT can take on more blocks, freeing him up to use his multiple techniques to get to the QB. But in a 3-4, he is the NT. I think the Jets could at least get a 3rd pick for him, but a 4th seems more likely.
Saying that, the Jets should only move up to 13th if they coud get Orego's NT Ngata. But the Ravens or the Browns will surely take him before that. Beyond that, they shouldn't move up to take Cutler (who is rated way to high) so should stay put with 29th and 35th picks and get a RB and a Center.
WHAT????? Leinart falling all the way to the Vickings!!!! What is Glauber smoking (or whose smoke screen is he inhaling). Does he really think that the Cards, Browns, Rams, and the Ravens (all who would love to have him at QB) would pass if he fell out of teh top seven? Yikes.
I'll try this one last time:
Glauber has the Jets "loving" Vernon Davis, but thinking the TE position isn't sufficiently important to merit a #4. He's also got--like everyone else--Davis going to SF at #6. I disagree about Davis--he would be the the only gamebreaker on the Jets roster, and you could split him wide or even put him in the slot and create mismatches between him and 190 pound DB's whom he can outrun.
But assume Glauber is right--the only completely obvious move for the Jets is to hold Davis hostage for the Niners and, if they don't bite, keep him (a fine outcome), or, more likely, as they're desperate in every area, trade him and 29 or 35 to SF for 6 and 22 (the value chart gives the Niners a slight edge if it's 29, and the Jets an even smaller edge if it's 35). At 6, D'Brick is still there because the Packers will take Hawk--if the Pack takes D'Brick, the Jets take Hawk at 6, not the ideal LB for a 3-4, but a tremendous talent who Magnini will figure out how to exploit. It's win/win for the Jets.
Then with 22--a crucial seven spot drop on the back end of the first round--we've got a good chance to get Lawson, or whoever is the best remaining hybrid LB/pass rusher on the board--or else a terrific young DB, which we could use, too (no, not a RB--don't get me started on why).
Perhaps because no one is mentioning this, it's likely to happen--it's so obvious and uncomplicated, and the Jets have all the leverage.
If Mangini believes Bush is the player everyone is hyping him to be, we cannot pass this guy up. Texans have a good RB in D Davis and Bush could share time & be groomed by one of the best backs in history this year... No. 28. Question is, what would it cost us... Talk to me !
I would love to see Hawk picked but, we need an Offensive lineman,Defensive end, Quarterback and running back. We need D'Brick. I think all this trade stuff is just hype. At #4 it will either be dbrick or williams (depending on whose available). Then they will address defensive end and quarterback. I hope they dont draft Leinert. I really believe that cutler is the QB there considering. If they can land him in trade I believe it will happen. He was the only QB to meet with Woody and Woody signs the checks.
I must admit I am confused.
I have been following the NFL draft for many years. But this by far is the strangest ever. The fact that there is no clear top 2 or 5 or 10 guys that everybody has a consensus opinion on, really is rather odd. Does it mean that the talent level is so poor or does this mean that the level is so great that anybody can be interchanged.
I understand that teams either draft for needs or the best available athlete, but this is rediculous.
What is all this talk of trading Dewayne Robertson for a 3rd or 4th round pick? This is a guy who we traded 2 1st round picks to get just 3 years ago, now he is worth only a 3rd or a 4th? Any one consider the salary cap implications of trading a guy in the 3rd year of a multi year deal that included a huge signing bonus? And what is all the talk about him being to "small" to play in the 3-4, he's 320 pounds, since when is that too small to play DT in the NFL? You can say his skills are not suited for a 3-4, or that the 3-4 would be a waste of his abilities since getting in the backfield would no longer be his job, it would be tying up blockers, but don't say he is too small. If Mangini is the coach we think he is I think he finds a way to get the most out of the talent he has, and that means making the most of Robertson's abilities, not blindly implementing a 3-4 and forcing a square peg into a round hole.
Bottom line is this: Without anyone to block, Leinart and Bush wouldn't amount to much. Drafting Ferguson is a no-brainer - drafting for value and need. Still not sure about Leinart, so only exception I might make is for Mario Williams, since it looks like he would be a true difference maker for any defense.
If Williams/Ferguson aren't there for some reason, I'd trade down, and pick up multiple OL prospects, in the hope that one or two of them turn out to be half as good as Ferguson (which is five times as good as anyone they have now).
To Section108: in the NFL, it's not where you were drafted a few years ago, it's what have you done for me lately. Honestly, he had one good year when Ferguson was still on the team. Since then you only see flashes of it. There is no doubt that Robertson has some talent, but as a NT, even if he is 320, the fact that he's barely over six feet one means larger centers and tackles will make him ineffective. I agree that in a 4-3 with a hulking NT, Robertson is at his most effective. But as a NT, he is too small. As for the salary cap implications of trading him, I admit that I don't know what the implications would be, but teams have trading guys in the midst of multi-year contracts before and will contine to.
Why doesn't Glauber just say that Leinart will be a rookie free agent?? 17?? I don't know what he's be taking, but it can't be legal. Leinart won't make it past the Jets at 4. Even though they're content with Williams or Ferguson. The sticky part is if they take a QB, is what position do they sacrifice to the 3rd round? I would guess tackle goes to the 3rd round, with them picking up a defensive playmaker (Bobby Carpenter, if he's still on the board), and a RB with the 35th (Laurence Moroney or Joseph Addai). Leaving the tackle to be taken in the 3rd round, if that happens, hopefully Darryn Colledge out of Boise State.
Great stuff, Ken. Please keep up the good work.
When are you going to appear on our totally commercial-free, no one makes a dime from it, Long Island Sports Talk radio show (Tues & Thurs from 9PM to 11PM on 90.3FM, for those of you keeping score at home), like a lot of your Newsday colleagues have already done?
I think deangelo williams will be a steal and is overshadowed by reggie bush
this guy has done it all
If we can get him late in the first round it would be unbelievable
I understand that we traded 2 no.1s for Robertson and gave him huge money, but thats the same argument the Mets use for hanging on to Kaz Matsui just because they dropped 8 million beans-a-year on him. Granted Robertson isn't THAT much of a failure, but both guys dont fit with their teams and are only there becuase of the commitment made by a previous regime. Winning teams know when to cut ties with guys who aren't working out. Robertson is miscast here, I'm sorry, better to get something for him now before his balky knee gives out and the Jets get NOTHING for those two picks they gave up in '03
Nice projection for the Jets.
Ferguson and Lawson would be a Homerun first round for the Jets.
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