The New York Jets Cabinet, tasked with helping to return the team to the playoffs, has some major work to do.
The New York Jets have a ton of talent on the team, although the roster has major concerns at offensive line, cornerback, and the EDGE rusher position. However, with the team led by quarterback Sam Darnold and safety Jamal Adams, fans have legitimate reasons for optimism regarding the future of the organization.
Adams is the young leader of the defense. He earned the nickname “The President” in college for his passion, intelligence, and vocal leadership. Since every President has a Cabinet to help them govern, we’re going to take a look at who on the Jets would make up the Cabinet to help Adams lead this team to the promised land.
President: Jamal Adams
Come on, could this have been anybody else? The man’s nickname is literally The President. Jamal Adams was the whole inspiration for this piece. Of course he was going to be the President of the team.
By the way, it makes sense. He’s already stepped up as a force on the defense, and a vocal leader on the team. He recruited Le’Veon Bell, who eventually signed with the team, and he famously challenged then-general manager Mike Maccagnan to add more “dawgs” to a roster devoid of talent.
Last year’s team MVP is a leader both on the field and in the locker room. Adams is a vital presence for a team that has struggled with culture in recent years.
Vice President: Sam Darnold
If the leader of the defense is the President, it’s only fitting that the leader of the offense is the Vice President. Despite only entering his second season in the pros, Sam Darnold is the clear leader when it comes to that side of the football.
Darnold has spoken about his Super Bowl expectations for this team and showed immense talent last season, especially during an impressive final four games. His energy has impressed the new regime, and the well-spoken 22-year old is emerging as an offensive leader
In a pass-driven league, a team will only go as far as their quarterback can take them. The Jets appear to have a guy who can take them far in those regards.
Secretary of State: Kelechi Osemele
The Secretary of State is tasked with protecting America’s interests, and the Jets’ biggest interest to protect is Darnold. The team’s offensive line struggled to keep Darnold upright last season. Kelechi Osemele was acquired in a trade from the Oakland Raiders to fix that.
The 30-year-old guard is a two-time Pro Bowler and was an All-Pro in 2016. He’s a high-end pass-blocking guard who should help Darnold get more time to make plays in 2019, assuming he can stay healthy. The rest of the offensive line stayed roughly the same, although third-round tackle Chuma Edoga could make a push for playing time with a strong preseason.
But Osemele is locked in as the starting left guard if he stays healthy, getting him named to the Cabinet over Edoga.
Secretary of the Treasury: Le'Veon Bell
This was another obvious one. Le’Veon Bell sat out last season after not signing his Franchise Tag from the Pittsburgh Steelers, banking on himself getting big-time guaranteed money in free agency. The Jets then won his services by giving him $52.5 million with $27 million of that guaranteed, per Spotrac.
Bell is a top-tier running back who’s also a very dangerous pass-catcher out of the backfield. The former Steeler can split out wide and run routes downfield as well. He’ll take a lot of pressure off Darnold and his experience should be helpful in the huddle.
The Jets got a good player but paid a lot of money for him in the process. For that reason, Bell is the Secretary of the Treasury for the team.
Secretary of Defense: C.J. Mosley
The other big offseason addition for the Jets fits in nicely as the Secretary of Defense. CJ Mosley, who landed a massive 5-year $85 million deal from the team, steps in as the teams’ top inside linebacker.
The former Baltimore Ravens stud is a tackling machine, recording 100 tackles in four of his first five NFL seasons (in 2016 he had 92 while missing two games). He has also shown himself to be a culture changer on a team that desperately needs one. He’ll help President Adams lead a new-look defense.
Attorney General: Joe Douglas
The Attorney General is in charge of handling all legal matters for the President, and Joe Douglas is in charge of all of the team’s contracts. Not to mention, he also has to manage the team’s salary cap. He has experience in player evaluation under Ozzie Newsome and salary cap manipulation under Howie Roseman.
Although Douglas has work to do with the offensive line and the edge rush, he doesn’t view the team as one that’s in a rebuild. His vision towards building the team will determine whether this core can deliver a long-awaited championship.
Secretary of the Interior: Leonard Williams
The team’s top interior rusher (for now), Leonard Williams, makes perfect sense as the Secretary of the Interior. His 17 sacks through four seasons is a little disappointing, but the former No. 6 overall pick has had no help from the edge rushers on the team. If the team can get some other pass rushers to draw attention on the line, it should free Williams up to get more sacks.
The team drafted Quinnen Williams No. 3 overall, who should help Leo create havoc on the interior of the line. He’s entering his contract year, so it’ll be on him to show that he can work well with Quinnen, otherwise, he’ll presumably be playing somewhere else.
Quinnen Williams is the secretary-in-waiting, but right now Leo still holds the role.
Secretary of Agriculture: Kelvin Beachum
Left tackle Kelvin Beachum makes sense as the Secretary of Agriculture due to his offseason work. He lives on a beef farm in Texas in the offseason, producing meat for his family. He wrote about how he enjoys knowing exactly where his food comes from for NFL Play 60.
Beachum is an ambassador for the Fuel Up to Play 60 initiative, and as such he teaches children about the benefits and importance of proper nutrition. He cares greatly about food and attempting to feed as many people as he can considering that he grew up on food stamps.
Beachum’s knowledge of agriculture and his passion for teaching about healthy foods makes him an ideal Secretary of Agriculture.
Secretary of Commerce: Lac Edwards
The Secretary of Commerce is tasked with handling trade for the country and making sure that the United States isn’t getting hurt in trades. Lac Edwards‘ job as the punter is to make sure that the Jets get good field position when they trade the ball to the other team.
Through three seasons with the Jets, Edwards has averaged 44.6 yards per punt. He’s also been credited with only one punt being blocked, which came all the way back in his rookie season. He’ll hope to continue that streak in 2019.
Secretary of Labor: Steve McLendon
Steve McLendon might not see the same number of snaps that he has in the past, but he’ll still be an important part of the defense in run sets. The nose tackle is the hardest-working player on the field and often the least appreciated, as they rarely produce big numbers.
In three years with the Jets, McLendon has produced 108 tackles, 5.0 sacks, and one forced fumble. The reliable veteran will be an important voice and should remain one of the hardest workers on the team.
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Avery Williamson
Who better to serve as the Secretary of Health and Human Services than the team’s resident iron man. Avery Williamson has appeared in 79 of 80 possible games during the regular season plus both of the two possible playoff games he could’ve appeared in.
Williamson’s only missed game came back in 2015, his second year in the league. In his first year as a Jet, he recorded 120 tackles, two forced fumbles, one recovered fumble, and one interception while leading the team from the middle of the defense.
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Jamison Crowder
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is tasked with doing the important but often understated work of working with people to be able to move out of public housing and into private housing. And nobody on the football field does more unheralded work than slot receivers.
Jamison Crowder established himself as one of the better slot receivers in the game during his four-year stint with the Washington Redskins. He recorded 221 receptions, 2,628 yards, and 14 TDs in 56 games.
He’ll provide a solid security blanket for Sam Darnold over the middle of the field, and might see some time split out wide as well.
Secretary of Transportation: Robby Anderson
If the slot receiver is the understated member, the biggest deep threat on the team should be the Secretary of Transportation because of how much ground they can cover on one play. Fourth-year wide receiver Robby Anderson has proven himself to be one of the better deep route runners in the game, with speed that allows him to absolutely blow past cornerbacks and safeties.
Anderson has an amazing 14.7 yards per reception over his three-year career, with 2,280 yards and 15 touchdowns. Anderson would no doubt like to prove he can be used more than just as a deep option.
But his amazing speed allows him to transport the offense down the field at a staggering rate.
Secretary of Energy: Quinnen Williams
A rookie in the Cabinet? It’s risky, but Williams is a great fit as Secretary of Energy, despite not yet being confirmed (signed). However, there’s no chance that the team will go into the season with their top pick unsigned, and Williams will bring a lot of energy to the team.
The interior defensive lineman was an unstoppable force at Alabama, recording eight sacks and 19.5 tackles-for-loss this past season despite getting double-teamed on almost every play. He’s an incredibly gifted athlete, but you don’t routinely beat double teams without an incredible motor.
Williams never gives up on a play, which is what allowed him to be so dominant from the interior of the Alabama line. The good news for the Jets is that motor and work ethic are the easiest traits to carry from college into the pros. The team got a good one here.
Secretary of Education: Adam Gase
A coach will always have to be a teacher, but Adam Gase has more on his plate than normal coaches. He has to teach a roster full of new players his offensive scheme. He has to teach a quarterback barely old enough to buy a beer how to do the little things to move from a young player with upside to a franchise quarterback.
Gase also has to work with first-time general manager Joe Douglas to put their stamps on a team in the midst of an eight-year playoff drought. And he has to do all of it with an ownership group that could change with the results of the next election, as owner Woody Johnson is currently the ambassador to the United Kingdom.
And did we mention that he has to do it while navigating the New York market for the first time in his career? Gase is going to have his work cut out for him to teach this Jets team the difference between being a team with some upside and being a good team.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Bilal Powell
Who better to serve as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs than the longest-tenured veteran on the team? Running back Bilal Powell has been a Jet since 2011, and he re-signed with the team in June.
Despite never being the true lead back (and he won’t be this year with Bell on the roster), Powell has collected 3,446 yards rushing and an additional 1,567 yards receiving. If he can stay healthy, he’ll be asked to play an important role in keeping Bell fresh for what the team is hoping will be a run at a playoff spot.
Secretary of Homeland Security: Quincy Enunwa
Our Cabinet is completed by slotting Darnold’s security blanket in as the Secretary of Homeland Security. The former sixth-round pick Quincy Enunwa has turned himself from a special teams player and blocking receiver into a guy who does a little bit of everything.
He can play out wide, in the slot, at tight end, and even at the H-back. He’s a swiss army knife that Gase should be salivating at moving all over the field. He’s also an extremely reliable pass-catcher underneath for Darnold, grabbing 38 receptions in 11 games while working his way back from a gruesome neck injury suffered prior to the 2017 season.
His reliability underneath will allow Gase’s aggressive offense to flourish, as Anderson and Chris Herndon should be able to stretch the field while Enunwa can slot in as Darnold’s underneath option.
So there’s the Jets’ Cabinet. Agree? Disagree? Let us know who you (surely) think we omitted.