Contrary to popular belief among many New York Jets fans, it’ll be development, not Ryan Fitzpatrick, that’ll be the top key in 2016.
Somewhere in this great country of ours, Ryan Fitzpatrick is tied very closely to his phone.The free agent National Football League quarterback is kicking it very anxiously while messaging Jimmy Sexton for updates on whether his 2015 boss has upped his current offer on the table.
Obviously, his boss was Mike Maccagnan. Also, very obviously, the current offer is reported to be a 3-year, $24 million deal that includes a $12 million tab for the season of 2016.
At this point anything is on the table.
Even if you’re one of the staunch believers that the New York Jets and Fitz will eventually get things settled, you now have to think twice. Perhaps New York doesn’t mind fourth-year Geno Smith as their starter heading into training camp.
If that’s not the case, you gotta give the Jets an A+ on the subject of the poker face.
Through it all, though, Fitz’s possible return isn’t the most important factor for this franchise.
Of course he makes the Jets a better team. There’s no doubt the entire locker room wants him back. Yes, the second-year regime of Mikey Mac and Todd Bowles would welcome him back with open arms under their terms.
However, it’s development that’s the key over the next full calendar year, not Fitzpatrick.
These Jets aren’t Super Bowl contenders. It’s really that simple. A classically soft 2015 schedule turned absolutely brutal in 2016. Even with Fitz, the Jets wouldn’t have a franchise QB in a league that features such a label to an absurd level.
Have crazier things happened than the 2016 New York Jets hosting the Lombardi Trophy? Yeah, of course.
The problem is, it’s not realistic. This is why developing youngsters will be the cornerstone of 2016.
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Building a group of youngsters is the idea. Upping value on a player in a hardened salary cap world equals a core of success.
Just look at the Seattle Seahawks. Once the likes of lesser paid draftees like Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman and Bobby Wagner provided a greater return on investment, talent in the locker room turned immense.
This is the key goal Mike Maccagnan has in mind. The value of each player his what he keeps a keen eye on.
Of course he wants Fitzpatrick back. He’s just not willing to stray from the ultimate goal of 2016 for the New York Jets: Development of youngsters while maintaining cap flexibility.
From here on out we’ll take you through these key Jets youngsters, 17 of them to be exact. 17, marking a little more than a third of the gameday roster.
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Darron Lee, LB
First up on the New York Jets list of the young 17 is the obvious choice of 20th overall pick Darron Lee.
The kid is a first round pick. He played at Ohio State under Urban Meyer. He’s blessed with freakish 4.47 40-yard speed at linebacker.
What’s not to love?
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Although he probably won’t start in the Jets base 3-4 – as his smallish frame will be an issue on the inside – his automatic presence on passing downs will be an absolute gift from the football gods. He and Calvin Pryor will blend together in underneath coverage on many downs, all while Marcus Gilchrist plays that dominating center-field the defense is used to.
The one aspect this defense was missing a season ago was sideline-to-sideline speed. Lee brings it in spades.
The development of Darron Lee will be crucial as it’ll thankfully kick the slower David Harris off the field on passing downs.
Christian Hackenberg, QB
Speaking of crucial, Mikey Mac’s second choice of the 2016 NFL Draft is just that.
Penn State product Christian Hackenberg has accuracy issues. There isn’t a football fan in America who doesn’t understand that.
Maccagnan doubled down in the second round despite these issues. In fact, he was infatuated with the kid.
What’ll be interesting is how Hackenberg is deployed this season. Will he never see the field despite the status of the starting position? Can he actually surprise folks once the full gear comes on in late July?
There’s already many reports of his inaccuracy issues at minicamp. So much so that the word “bust” is already getting kicked around the campfire.
Only time will tell what happens.
Bryce Petty, QB
Where it really gets interesting is when you put Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty in the same pot and jumble it up.
Do we have two very raw, project QBs? If we do, Maccagnan is in deep trouble.
If that’s the case, how in the world do the Jets feel and act confident if Ryan Fitzpatrick doesn’t come back? It would be virtually impossible to feel good if it’s simply Geno Smith, Hackenberg and Petty.
Only a complete shock come August will allow Jets fans to believe Petty has developed.
Brandon Shell, OT
Next up is South Carolina’s Brandon Shell, a guy who the Jets felt so good about they traded up in the fifth round to snag.
Ryan Clady and Breno Giacomini are the current bookend starters on the offensive line for Chan Gialey. After that it’s Ben Ijalana, and this rookie. Odds are one of the two will be needed at one point this season. This will especially become the case of Giacomini is one of the unfortunate souls who becomes the top cap casualty in favor of a Fitz return.
If Shell can show incredible promise as a fifth round pick making a measly $450 thousand, he’d provide extreme value in a necessary spot on the roster (offensive line).
Leonard Williams, DL
Yeah, sure…Leonard Williams isn’t a rookie. What he is, though, is a 22-year old beast of a defensive talent in the trenches.
Surprisingly – after being tabbed by many as the most talented player of the 2015 NFL Draft – the Big Cat didn’t showcase the most promising rookie campaign.
He proved to be valuable starting the season alongside Muhammad Wilkerson when Sheldon Richardson was suspended for his off-the-field issues. He slid right into Todd Bowles‘s 3-4 defensive personnel.
He just didn’t dominate – something many fans expected.
Keep tabs on Williams’s progress this August. Should he take his “solid” status and turn it into “domination,” watch out.
Calvin Pryor, SS
What Leonard Williams looking to do in 2016, Calvin Pryor did a season ago.
Pryor is the third first-round selection on this list. He’s the second first-round pick who disappointed as a rookie.
It wasn’t his fault.
The combination of Rex Ryan and John Idzik doomed Pryor in 2014. Thanks to the personnel’s extreme soft spot at the safety spot, Pryor was played out of position at the free safety for much of the season. One addition named Marcus Gilchrist changed all of that.
Pryor shifted back to his natural strong safety spot and started to flash signs that earned him the nickname of Louisville Slugger. When he’s roaming the box and in underneath coverage, he’s simply a stud.
Only injuries can now hold back Pryor. Save the injuries, he has Pro Bowl written all over him in 2016.
Jace Amaro, TE
The reason development is such a key for the Jets in 2016 is because there just aren’t a couple of names up for grabs in the development pot. Instead, there are many.
One of these guys will feel like an extra rookie early round pick, despite the fact he’s not a rookie.
Jace Amaro is talented. Make no mistake about it.
He’s fast (4.74 40-yard), strong (28 reps on the bench), and athletic (33-inch vertical). Even in Mary Mornhinweg’s terrible offense with Geno Smith at the helm, Amaro showed just enough potential in 2014 to make 2016 feel promising.
Charone Peake, WR
Is he worth all of the publicity? Or is he simply another seventh rounder who all of the Big Apple writers are hyping up because there’s nothing better to discuss?
Quite honestly, it doesn’t matter.
Whatever Charone Peake provides to the Jets this season will be a bonus. Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker and Quincy Enunwa are one hell of a start at the position.
Peake is a just one of those youngsters who can pile onto the development bundle.
Brian Winters, OG
Believe it or not, Brian Winters is still only 24-years old.
As a third-round pick in 2013, he’s played three seasons in the league, yet he’s still so phenomenally raw and young.
Winters is a very solid run blocker. Filling in for veteran Willie Colon early last year, he plugged the group and led the way for Chris Ivory to pick up over 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns.
The problem for Winters is when he has to stand up and take on an athletic interior pass rusher.
The problem for the Jets is that they don’t really have another option other than Winters.
His progress up until the beginning of 2016 will be one of the more underrated yet important aspects of this offense.
Marcus Williams, CB
Even if you loved seeing Antonio Cromartie make his way back to the New York Jets in 2015, you knew the 32-year old freak of an athlete was way past his prime. Cro is a guy who relies on his athleticism, not cornerback fundamentals nor football IQ.
Therefore, his current absence only makes the Jets a better squad.
While on paper it feels questionable, Marcus Williams has the opportunity of a lifetime.
Whatever this guy does or wherever he roams on the field, M-Will seems to always be involved in the play. He just has one of those knacks for finding the ball. He has a distinct nose for the ball.
Consider this: Williams picked off six passes in a season (2015) in which he only played 13 games and started three. And at just 25-years old, he’ll be really looked at hard in filling the starting cornerback spot opposite Darrelle Revis.
Should he succeed, it’ll allow Bowles to leave Buster Skrine at the position he excels (nickelback).
Geno Smith, QB
Geno Smith: A guy who should be thrown into the development pile?
You bet.
At this point we have no idea what Mike Maccagnan is thinking.
He could be thinking the QB position is absolutely secondary right now in comparison to making sure the core of this team is solidified and full of potential. If that’s the case, Geno could be starting day one.
Quincy Enunwa, WR/TE
Is Quincy Enunwa a wide receiver or tight end? We really don’t know.
What we do know, is that he’s one talented youngster.
Coming into the season as the New York Jets No. 3 weapon following Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, Enunwa creates creates devastating matchup problems in both the pass and run game when he’s out there on that field.
Defenses simply don’t know whether to treat him as a TE or WR. Enunwa furthering his NFL status in 2016 will be something to watch out for.
Dee Milliner, CB
It’s true. Most New York Jets fans have already thrown the towel in on Dee Milliner.
John Idzik’s first round pick in 2013 (his first of his first rounders), has played only 21 games in three seasons. This is an absurd number.
When it comes to Milliner, it is health that is factor number one, development right behind. Still, the kid is just 24 years of age. He’s gotta be thrown in the mix.
Lorenzo Mauldin, OLB
He’s not overly fast. He’s not overly strong.
Despite that, Lorenzo Mauldin is the New York Jets current top edge rusher.
There’s nobody even close from a potential standpoint. Rookie Jordan Jenkins comes close, but there’s a tremendous difference between year one and two. Trevor Reilly is more of an all-around type 3-4 outside linebacker.
Mauldin is the guy who’ll be relied upon to be that pin your ears back edge rusher for the Jets this season. If he doesn’t improve upon his four sacks from a season ago, Bowles’s edge rushing game will be in trouble.
Jordan Jenkins, OLB
Jordan Jenkins was a third-round pick. This means he should produce, despite how average is raw physical skills are.
Mikey Mac selected him for his overall sense of the game. He’s a football player first, athlete second.
Save for the QB position, outside linebacker will be critical in 2016. For this defense to take the next dominant step, it’ll need an edge rusher or two to show face.
Devin Smith, WR
Make no mistake, Devin Smith does have talent.
Also, make no mistake, he might not play at all in 2016.
The only thing worse than tearing up your knee in the NFL, is doing so near the latter stages of a season. It means the entire following season becomes jeopardized.
Count him out for now, but do understand his straight line speed is something always valuable as an extra weapon out wide.
Jalin Marshall, WR
The guy who can fill the potential shoes of Devin Smith is this guy, Ohio State product Jalin Marshall.
He’s different, though. He’s not the speed burner, deep threat Smith is. Rather, he’s the running-back style slot guy who relies on vision, toughness, and shiftiness.
Should he not fit into the offense at all, he’ll have to beat out veteran Jeremy Ross to make the team as a kick and punt returner – another spot the Jets were extremely poor in a last season.
Final Thoughts
2016 is not a Super Bowl year for the New York Jets. This isn’t to say it can’t happen. It can. Hell, we’ve seen crazier things.
Mike Maccagnan, though, acting as the fearless leader he is, understands this notion.
This is why he’s putting up a great bluff game with Ryan Fitzpatrick right now. It’s why he’s telling himself it won’t be the worst thing in the world if Geno Smith is the starter heading into August.
He understands 2016 is a “build” year.
He needs to first establish his core moving forward. These 17 individuals will directly impact whether that core is built firmly enough heading into 2017.
At that point is when Maccagnan will need to assure himself a true franchise QB moving forward.
It’s development that is the New York Jets number one priority in 2016, not Ryan Fitzpatrick.