Ok, I know this is probably violating like a million SBN rules. But I come in peace, with my biggest project ever as an NFL Writer.

The following article contains everything you ever wanted to know about the Jets' 2012 roster moving forward. I will let you read for yourself.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1075633-new-york-jets-free-agency-tracking-2012-signings-targets-and-rumors

THIS IS NOT AN AD FOR HOW AWESOME BLEACHER REPORT IS. I just thought some of you who care about my opinions would appreciate this. It took me forever to make, so its only right that you hear about it. In turn, I also want to know how the best Jets community on the net feels about it, so lemme know what you think.

Welp, its been a pretty miserable month or so, but don't let that get you down. Do we have holes? Absolutely. Are they fixable and correctable? Absolutely.

On Sanchez: I think we can all now agree that QB wins are the stupidest stat in the history of the universe. Shoould we give up on the kid? No. For several reasons, but mostly because there are simply too many factors that could have affect Sanchez's performance this year.

Go back to the Dallas game, when the offensive philosophy was to "air it out". For all the pressure he was under, he played a pretty solid game, save a few plays. The Jets offense continued to appear at least competent, until the fateful Baltimore game. I don't think Mark ever recovered from that. That kid of loss sets you back a lot, and it may take a whole season to get over.

From the general perspective of an athlete, it can be really amazing what just a new season can do for you. I doubt he has the same kind of turnaround Eli Manning had, simply ecause he is not that talented thrower Eli is, but Sanchez can get it done. We have seen him get it done. He just needs to play a certain game to be sucessful.

Which is where Sparano comes in. The Sparano hire is perfect. I don't care about Hue Jackson or the big numbers other offenses put up. Think about this: Mike McCarthy got the Packers job after heading one of the worst offenses in football. On-field performances are not the main point in hiring coaches: Relationhips and philisophies come first.

Sparano will emphasisze and attack the biggest weaknesses on the Jets offensively. He will keep things simple, which is crucial to playing confidently. He will get the playmakers the football and dictate the way the Jets want to play.

Remember how the Dolphins were not afraid to throw at Revis? Probably not the smartest move, but it just goes to show that Sparano is not going to change his philosophy and let the opponent dictate the game.

On Schottenheimer: I don't get on offensive coordinators for play calling as much as most. Play calling is kind of a crapshoot - if you run left instead of right when the defense is bltzing from the right, you look like a genius. If the defense is blitzing from the left, you are "predictable".

My issue with Shotty was 1. His complication of the offense and 2. His stubbornness.

Remember when Sanchez called that stupid timeout at the end of the first half of the second Pats game? To me, that showed a lot. The Jets offense was not playing a football game: They were just trying to execute Shottenheimer's system. Brian's system was so demanding and complicated that there was no time to worry about things like timeouts and game situations. It was like Mark was taking an exam in Shotty's offense every time he took the field.

Sanchez was not trying to win games, he was trying to please his coordinator.

What Rex must do: If you haven't heard Rex's conversation with Mike Francesa, listen to it, because he said a lot fo good things.

For one, I love how he plans on being more hands-on on all aspects of the game. Everyone knows he is a defensive coach, and I don't want him calling plays anytime soon. But, as I mentioned before, Shotty's system was just too complicated for him to learn. He would get his defense off the field and watch helplessly at his inept offense.

When you look at other coaches that are heavy on one side of the ball, the good ones know at least enough about the other side to let the players know that he is interested in what they are doing (its a big reason why special teams coaches like John Harbaugh are effective). Guys like Sean Payton, Norv Turner, Tom Coughlin show that they recognize what they are doing on the other side of the ball is important. You saw Andy Reid call defensive plays at the end of the 2010 season.

Rex is a football guy, and needs to be a football guy and take the time and learn what his own team is trying to do on offense.

I just put up a post on thehometownfan.com (it will be up shortly if its not up by now) about the whole Jets offense.

I just read Greg Cosell's film notes on the Jets O vs. Giants D. Bottom line, everything is bad. Really bad. Read it.

http://nflfilms.nfl.com/2011/12/27/cosells-watching-jets-not-clicking-giants-playing-chess-with-jpp/

We all know about Sanchez's struggles. He's not accurate. He can't make more than one read. He's not a confident passer.

The route concepts are bad. Shonn Greene is not real feature back. Brick is playing terrible right now. Holmes - yes, Holmes - can't beat man coverage.

Blame everyone. Sanchez, Brick, Holmes, Hunter, Conner, Greene, Rex, Tanny - It's on everyone.

Just about the only people who are exempt are Mangold, Plax, Keller, and LT. Even Moore has had a lot of penalties lately.

Just look at the Jets offense, than watch the Saints last night. It's like they're not even in the same league. Like, if you didn't know they were the Jets and Saints, you would guess the Jets are a college or UFL team.

I'm not usually one to get on the offense. I believe in dominant defense. But after reading Cosell's notes, who I respect more than anyone else in the business, I am legitimately angry.

So I am trying to get to a Devils game before I go back to school, and to be honest, I am a bigger Marty Brodeur fan than I am a Devil fan. I don't even care that he is not the same guy anymore, I just want to see him play.

Anyway, I can get discount tickets to either the upcoming games against the Sabres 12/28. Bruins 1/4, or Panthers 1/6. Does anyone know how the rotation works between Hedberg and Marty? Or is it day-by-day?

You're going to hear a lot in the coming days about storylines and such, but here is what you need to know.

- About Eagles calling out defensive plays: It happens all the time in the NFL. It's just the quarterback reading the defense. It just usually happens less for the Jets because they are so multiple. The Jets defensive game plan was just so slimmed down because of the Jim Leonhard injury that it was too easy to read.

- So, why didn't they make it more complicated? Well, think about last time they tried to use a complicated defense after losing Leonhard: The 45-3 debacle. That was a different situation, though. They lost Jim on a Wednesday, and E. Smith had no experience as a play-aligner, or whatever you want to call him.

- SPEAKING OF MIKE PETTINE - We all get on Schotty, so what makes Pettine exempt? He called an awful game. They had no answers for Brent Celek, they played too much zone, refused to press the recievers...just awful. You need to come off the bus blitzing Vick, and they played vanilla man-under.

When you look at this defense under Pettine, it has gotten more and more conservative, and worse. I hate it. Get back to blitzing. Take your chances. We played pretty conservative, and They still had big plays. At least go down swinging.

- Speaking of Schotty - Can we give the man some credit? He destroyed the KC defense, you know the SAME DEFENSE THAT HELD THE PACKERS TO 14 POINTS. There are fewer situations that are more difficult that playnig the Eagles with a deficiet, and he managed to at least get 19 points out of it. He started off the game well, but Santonio Holmes took a dump on the entire Jets gameplan on his own.

- Side note on getting made at offensive coordinators: Just because the Jets run a pass or run play, that does not mean that is what Schotty called. Sanchez makes checks and audibles. Same with when Sanchez throws to a particular receiver. That is not necessarily the play design. Its just the read that Mark happens to make. Play calling has much less effect on a game than the average fan thinks. At the end of the day, it comes down to execution.

- Mr. Holmes - Let's not make a mountain out of a molehil with his celebration. It was stupid, he apologized. But you can't fumble and drop a pass like that. You just can't.

- Sanchito - Played well, considering the circumstances. The fumble was his worst play. Beautiful pass to Holmes for the TD. Rare pass. Its just an impossible situation going against that defense with a deficient like that.

- Eric Smith is awful. I have been saying it for over a year now. It is now common knowledge.

- Marcus Dixon is playing real well. So is the rest of the d-line.

- Harris had a bad game.

- For all of you guys who don't like it when Rex talks - just look at the results when he stays quiet. I rest my case.

- Shonn Greene is a man's man. You have to respect the way he runs.

- The Giants are a great match up for the Jets for one reason - They don't have a tight end. Jake Ballard is not a guy who scares anyone. They also can't cover anyone or stop the run. Everything goes through Eli.

Anyway, that's all I got.

Yes. I know, it hurts to swallow. But it is a reality we have to face. 

Forget the playoff wins. All he needed to do in those games was play at an average NFL level and the Jets were going to win. I never buy into a quarterback who is a "winner" - it means nothing. Now, there is a difference between playing well in key moments in a game, I think there is something to that - but judging a QB by simple wins and losses is stupid. 

Anyway, I have said for a while that I Sanchez is simply not that talented of a player. He is slow with reads, and when under pressure, he tends to crumble more often than not. When he does make quick reads, they can be costly. He lacks elite arm strength and accuracy. Most importantly, he cannot consistently make stick throws into tight windows. 

Basically, the only thing Sanchez does better than most QBs is that he can throw on the run. 

If this offense continues to struggle to the point where the Jets miss the playoffs, the Jets need to make a decision on Sanchez. They will probably keep him, but at what cost? The Jets have a team loaded with talent, and need to win titles while they have the league's best defensive player. 

Obviously, it is way too early to tell now, but just keep in mind, Sanchez is still on the clock. 

Please, don't respond to "But he has 4 playoff wins!" - meaningless. When you throw a pick-6 that costs your team the game, do those 4 playoff wins get you those points back? 

A day of nostalgia continues, as I will try to explain the state of every position on the Jets, at least in my opinion. John asked the three of us to flll in for taday, and I am happy to oblige. Things are going well at BR, but I just don't get a chance to write a fan very often. 

By the way, if you like reading my stuff, check the NFL page on Sunday morning and afternoons. A lot of my stuff just doesn't make it off the cutting room floor, but if you search my name you can see everything I have written. 

Anyway, let's get to it. As most of you know, these observations are based off strictly what I see, not what some talking head tells me. 

Quarterback: El Sanchito is playing much better than people realize. Personally, I throw out the Baltimore game - he had no chance. When things are going right around him, Sanchez is pretty good. When the protection breaks down or the running game falls off, Mark starts to suck. 

Running Back: Shonn Greene is a man's man. He really calmed down and played well against San Diego. I remember one play when he hit Eric Weddle so hard that Weddle almost came out of the game. He's never going to be a good lateral runner, but when he is calmed down a bit, he can be a load. Tomlinson is perfect in his role, don't change a thing. 

As for everyone who wants to get Joe McKnight more involved: There simply aren't enough snaps to get all these guys the ball. Greene is the kind of back that feeds off more and more carries as he wears down a defense. Look at last year when he split time with LT - he never got into a rhythm. If you also want to get the ball to Holmes, Keller, Plax - there are only so many snaps in a game. Not everyone is going to have huge stats in a ball-control offense. 

Receivers: We know who Holmes is. Plax is a completely different receiver than Sanchez has ever thrown to. He's not going to get wide open too often, but he will come down with the ball more often than not if you give him a chance. That kind of chemistry takes a lot of time.

I said in preseason that Kerley was better than Mason. Now, Kerley is better than Cotchery and Mason.  

O-Line: We know who Mangold, Moore, and Brick are, but Brick had some bad plays here and there so far. Not worried about it. 

Slauson, quietly, has become a very solid player. He is MUCH better in pass pro. I am very impressed with Wayne Hunter's improvements. I am astounded that Rex foresaw such a drastic improvement. 

Continued after the jump:

Continue reading this post »

While things are going just dandy for me at BR, the downside is that I don't get to write as a fan anymore. So, here it goes. 

Before the Mason trade, I was going to rant in a whole nother direction. 

I was going to talk about how the Jets are spending too much time reading and listening to talk radio about what they should do, rather than do what it takes to win. They were killed for losing "Ground and Pound", so they don' throw it against a horrific pass defense. The Jets did run the ball better on Sunday, but it may have cost them the game. 

One thing I don't like about Rex is how he refuses to trust young players. In the NFL, more often than we realize, younger and more talented guys are on the bench. Why? Because coaches are more comfortable with veterans on the field. They may not run as fast or jump as high, but they aren't as likely to blow an assingment. 

However, at some point, you have to take a chance on the yonug guys. Obviously, the Mason trade is killing my argument, but why wasn't Jamal Westerman rarely in the game last season? Or why does McKnight get just one run on offense in a game? 

Don't id youself with this Mason-is-a-bad-guy-drama. Kerley was just better, bottom line. Mason can't get seperation like he used to. Throw in the fact that he is cheaper and won't demand footballs, plus a draft pick, it makes perfect sense. 

Okay, I'm jumping all over the place now. Here are my other thoughts on the season so far:

- I was really encouraged by the way the oline played Sunday. The Pats might be a bad defense, but their line has a lot of talent. 

- The Ravens game was an anomaly. We have Nick Mangold, we win the game. 

- Eric Smith needs to be benched. Pool is such a better player. 

- If the Dolphins score more than six points, I will be extreamply disappointed. 

- Cameron Wake is going to give e nightmares. He will abuse Hunter. 

- Why on Earth did Tannenbuam not go after a guy like Max Starks or Flozell Adams?

- If anyone expected Plax and Sanchez to gel right away is nuts. Throwing to Plax is totally different than throwing to Holmes - you have to go against your instinct and throw it to him when he is covered. That takes time. FOr example, if Holmes was the new guy, it wouldnt be as big of a deal, because he gets open on his own. 

- I am sick of people basing Cromartie. Dude is playing well. 

- Can we get some love for Mr. Devito? EVER?

- One of the few things Shotty is gauging perfectly is Tomlinson's role. Any more, his production goes down. 

- The Jets have the best special teams in football. I genuinely get excited for kickoffs - we block as well as anyone ive ever seen. 

- Kyle Wilson is playing better, but he still gets beat from time to time, or comes really close to it. 

- Revis is just stupidly good. 

- Sanchez is actually playing really well, given his circumstances. 

- We need to blitz more. I was watching some 2009 games, and man, teams had no idea what was coming. I understand the need to scale it back before teams prepare for it, but its been a while since we really sent the heat again and again. We did sent a lot of 5 and 6 man pressures last week, though. 

- we are also giving revis some safety help lately. dont see the reason why. 

- no matter what else happens this season, remember one thing - At least we're not the Eagles. 

Yes, you have read the title correctly: I will not longer be a Staff Writer for Gang Green Nation. 

Why? Well, I am taking my talents to the Bleacher Report, where they have offered me spot as a contributing NFL writer for the site, and offered a quality sum of dollars for me to do it. Being the broke college student I am, there is no way I am going to turn down an offer like that. 

I wish I could stay at GGN at the same time, but as you probably know, SB Nation and Bleacher Report are like the Coke and Pepsi of sports blogging websites. You can't exactly work for both. There are other reasons, but that's all you need to know.

I thank John for giving me the opportunity to represent this site and giving me the tools I needed to be successful here. GGN has a great reputation, and John is the biggest reason for that. I appreciate the fact that he trusted me enough to put my name on his blog.

I also thank Matt for giving me more knowledge about writing and the way this industry works than I would ever know on my own. A lot of you probably have no idea how much Matt does behind the scenes and how good he is at it. This site would be a fraction of what it is without him.

 Thanks to dvdvill for his connections and helping me promote my stuff, as well as all of the other writers and moderators on the site we've had when I was here - David Wyatt, Bro Namath, GangGreenMag, Judgegavel. 

Of course, if it weren't for the readers of this site, well, I would get really really bored with this whole writing thing. I really love debating stuff with you guys, because there are not that many communities out there with as many knowledgeable people that want to have real discussions about stuff. Especially you, Crackback - you're probably the most football-savvy guy in the internet that is not a coach or front office man (at least as far as I know).

Oh, and thanks for everyone who sent me angry emails - they always gave me a chuckle. 

If you like reading my stuff, you can read my new stuff at Bleacher Report, and I am still writing at thehometownfan.com. We are renovating THF pretty soon, so be sure to check it out. 

If you want to get in touch with me or want to talk Jets, you can always email me at njdevil7@gmail.com or tweet me @ryanalf17. I'll poke my head in from time to time as well.

And with that, I leave you with a pre-season version of one of my epic videos to get you jacked up or the season. Watch it before the NFL kicks it off youtube.

And with that, I leave you with my favorite Ryan quote: "The message to the rest of the league is, hey, the Jets are coming, and we're going to give you everything we got. And I think that's going to be more than you can handle"

-njdevil7

Jets 2011 Season Preview (via njdevil3049)

Okay, if you could not tell by now, I am higher on Darrelle Revis than Santonio Holmes during breakfast time. 

During Darelle's holdout last summer, I got the sense that Jets fans had no idea exactly how good this guy is. Revis is a once-in-a-lifetime talent. That's right, for the rest of your life, you will never witness anyone play the cornerback position at the same level as Darelle Revis. 

We all know the impact of Darrelle Revis on the game, how he allows the Jets to get away with coverages no one else in the league can. But he's more than just a shutdown corner with a personal island. 

Time to make some outlandish statements that are true, but few are willing to accept:

He will go down as the best cornerback of all time. 

He is a better cover corner than Deion Sanders, or anyone else for that matter, ever was.

He is the best defensive player in football. 

He is the best player in football.

He will go down as the best Jet of all time.

His 2009 season was not just the best season a corner has ever had - it was the most dominant performance of any player in NFL history, regardless of position. A lot of you may take issue with such statements, but they are true. I guarantee it.

Yes, I stand by all of those statements. I promise you, unless something unforeseen happens to Darrelle , they WILL come true. We are witnessing a legend in his prime right in front of our eyes - enjoy it while it lasts. These kind of players don't come around too often.

Spoiler alert: The final two players on this list are the best in the universe at their respective positions. Nick Mangold is simply the best center in the league, without dispute. 

Physically, Nick is a specimen for the position. He has the strength to hold off the biggest men in football - the 3-4 nose tackle - with consistency. Not only does he hold them off - he pushes them around in the run game. He is also athletic enough to make blocks downfield.

Of course, playing center has a lot of mental aspects to it. Sanchez leans on Nick to help make the right checks and line calls. When you combine this combination of physical ability and mental preparation, and sprinkle in the fact that he is easily the funniest guy on the team, there simply is no better center on the planet than Nick Mangold. 

The decision whether to put Brick or Holmes in this spot was easily the most difficult part of this list. In fact, I origionally had Tone at #3, but I went with the man who has held down the most crucial position on the line. 

First and foremost, Brick is a terriffic pass protection - which is always job numero uno for left tackles in the NFL. Rarely does he get beat in a one-on-one situation, no matter who he may get matched up against. Whether its Freeney, Harrison, Suggs, or Peppers - Ferguson has shut them down. 

That does not mean he is any kind of slouch in the run game. Brick pushes guys around, and is athletic enough to make block downfield and spring long runs. 

The top two guys should be obvious to you by now. 

Alright, here is when things really start to get interesting. A lot of you think Holmes should be a lot lower on this list because he simply has not played as many games as a lot of other players, which is a fair point. I will say, however, that he has actually played in 15 games for Rex if you count the playoff games (and why wouldn't you?)

While he may have only one season under Rex Ryan, and missed 4 games due to suspension, the impact Santonio Holmes has had on this team in unmeasurable. If Santonio never liked weed enough to decide to post it on twitter, the Jets may very well have missed the playoffs. 

If Holmes does not make the game-winning plays in the games against Houston, Cleveland, Detroit, and Denver, the Jets could be looking at a record of 8-8 at best, and the 9-7 Chargers make the playoffs. Oh, by the way, he also caught the game winning touchdown in the Divisional Playoffs against the Patriots.

The reason I don't have Holmes a spot higher is in part because he did miss some time, and he had a lot more drops than people realize. But I'm splitting hairs here.

Holmes is not just a game-changing receiver - he is an excellent teammate and captain of the team. With everything Holmes brings to the table, I had to put him at the fourth spot on this list. 

These last few guys, especially the next three, can really go in just about any order. The seperation between these guys is minimal, but hey, thats what makes these meaningless rankings fun. 

Since taking over in the middle as a strong-side ILB for Jonathan Vilma, Harris has emerged as one of the premier inside linebackers in the sport. He has excellent recognition skills and sniffs out screens and misdirections. He takes on guards and fullbacks with a ton of physicality, and rarely misses a tackle. He's not the greatest in coverage, but Harris is an absolute "thumper" in every sense of the word. 

Harris is the yin to Bart Scott's yang; he is much more reserved, but once he puts on the pads, you wouldn't be able to tell which one is quiet and reserved. Voted team MVP by his teammates last year, Harris is one of the most valuable components of this team and should be around for a long time.

Hint for #4: If I gave you a hint, it would be way to easy. Instead, tell me what your top 4 players would be, and see if they match up with mine. 

Put your eyebrows down, because yes, of all the players over the past two years, the Jets' right guard is the sixth best player on the team. I told you guys earlier when I made this list that position was not going to be much of a factor in making this list. 

Moore is one of the most consistent players on the team. He only has one or two penalties per season, and rarely, if ever, gets beat on an inside rush. As I was said earlier in my post about Damien Woody, the Jets love to run right. That's not a coincidence. Moore moves around some of the most powerful three techniques in the league in the run game. 

What is funny about Moore is that he was actually released in February of 2009. No on really understood why, and the Jets brought him back not much later, realizing their mistake. The converted defensive lineman has since emerged as one of the premier guards in the league - Rex has gone as far as to call him the single best guard in football. 

Hint for #5 - The first of the "Core 4" to rank on this list. 

For an inside linebacker, few players are more controversial in Jetsland than Scott. After signing a huge contract to come to New York in 2009, fans know Scott more for his mouth and attitude rather than his stellar play on the field. 

A lot of that is due to his role in the defense. Scott takes on fullbacks and offensive linemen with an incredible amount of physicality - when a lineman feels Scott's head-on collisions, they know they aren't playing some average defense. His physicality and demeanor sets the tone for the entire defense, which ripples throughout the team. 

Still, there is a raging debate as to whether Scott's contributions are overvalued in this way. But even form a pure scouting perspective, Scott is a top-notch ILB. He sets edges, makes tackles, blows up plays, gets off blocks, and can cover pretty decently as well. I'm not sure how much more you wan out of an inside linebacker. If you don't believe Scott makes any splash plays, watch the fourth quarter of the 2010 Wildcard game.

Did the Jets overpay for Scott in 2009? Nope. I can guarantee you there would have been a line of teams willing to sign Scott for just as much (possibly more) than what the Jets gave him. 

Hint for #6: He is the last undrafted player on this list. 

Yes, the player I had forgotten about was indeed Shaun Ellis. Although he now plays for some team up north, he was a great player not only under Rex, but for an entire decade of Jets mediocrity beforehand. 

Ellis was always a consistent player in both the run and pass game. He played in just about every scheme concieved, but Rex was able to really use him to his strengths. Ellis was a bit undersized as a 3-4 end, so Rex tried to get him in a 4-man front on passing situations as much as possible, often rushing from the inside.

As many great games and moment Ellis had, he was a man posessed against the Patriots in the divisional round. If you watch the game again, its not just the sacks when he had an impact - he wanted to be involved in every single play, as if he was taking out a decade of frustration out on the New England offensive line. 

Its a shame Ellis isn't around any more, but I hope Jet fans don't overlook the great things he did for this team just because he went to the Patriots. 

Hint for #7: Some say he's overpaid - I say he's vastly underrated.

Yes, I forgot somebody (who I will reveal next time), so I snuck him in where I thought he would belong.

But enough of this mysterious player, lets get to big Wood, who formally retired a few weeks ago. Woody came in during the 2008 free agency run, along with fellow lineman Alan Faneca. Woody made the move to right tackle, where he helped set the tone as an absolute masher at the position, especially in the run game. The Jets love to run right, and for good reason - Brandon Moore and Damien Woody are as good as they come as a pair in the run game. Nick Mangold is okay too.

That doesn't mean you could run around Damien in the passing game, either. Because of D'Brickashaw Ferguson's dominance on the left side, opponents like to try their luck going against Woody instead,  with no avail. Two years in a row, the Jets offensive line has completely shut down the Colts fierce pass rush from Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, both on the Colt's speedy home turf. 

Woody was a great locker room guy and will be missed throughout the organization. Fortunately, we can still see Damien, as he joined ESPN a few days ago. 

Hint for the other #8: This guy is linked to Bill Belichick in more ways than one. 

Coming in at number nine is our favorite strong-safety-who-looks-like-he-should-be-in-high-school, Jimmy Leonhard. Leonhard, as you probably know, was brought in with Bart Scott form Baltimore to help establish Rex's new defense. In fact, Leonhard turned down a bigger offer from the Broncos to follow in Rex's footsteps. 

If you saw Jimmy walking around the Jets facility, you would have an easier time believing he was a new intern than the on-field brains behind one of the league's most complex and versatile schemes. We all saw what happened when we lost Leonhard before the second Patriots game in 2010. Leonhard is the glue in a secondary that has more pressure on it than any other in football. 

Of course, Leonhard isn't going to blow you away with measurables, but he is as consistent as they come. I have lost count how many times I have seen Jim make a saving tackle as the last line of defense. Jim can hold his own in coverage, too, and isn't afraid to lay his 185 lb. frame on the line to make a big hit. Of course, who could forget the play in the 2009 Divisional playoffs when Jim lost his helmet and continue to wrestle for a loose football. 

Hint for number 8: This guy played for three teams throughout his career. 

Sorry for the delay in finishing this list, but  figured that during the most hectic free agency period in NFL history no one would care about this list. Now that things have died down a little, lets wrap this thing up. 

Our man Thomas Jones comes in at #10, who was signed in 2007 and spent three seasons with the Jets, one of them under Rex Ryan. With no proven commodity at quarterback, Ryan turned to his defense and running game to get the job done. In 2009, Ryan's call was answered with the NFL's number 1 defense and rushing, and it could not have happened without Thomas Jones. 

After the 2006 season, the Jets did everything they could to re-invent their lackluster running game and signed Jones from Chicago. Jones was viewed as a workhorse back - the man takes excellent care of himself, which is how he has sustained a high level of  production for so long. 

Jones was never the flashiest runner, but the man put up numbers. I remember reading about how much Thomas Jones was due for a production drop off in every fantasy football magazine, only to come back with some ridiculous number of yards the next season. Sure, he had help from the best line in football, but he faced a lot of 8 and 9 man boxes. He was a leader and a symbol of what the Jets were all about in 2009, and cutting him after the season left a scar in the locker room. 

Hint for #9: This player started his career with the Bills. 

Mike Tannenbuam is a God living among mere mortals. He is a magician with the salary cap, plain and simple. He has structured Holmes's big, $50 million contract so that only about $2.5 million of it will go against the 2011 cap. 

They are also asking LaDainian Tomlinson to re-do his contract to open even more room. 

It is now clear that the Jets want Nnamdi, and are serious about it. Signs point to New York being a desirable destination for Asomugha, between playing with Revis and playing for Rex in the bright lights of New York City, where he can kick-start his acting career. 

Oh, and the Jets have come within a game of the Superbowl the past two seasons, while Nnamdi has never tasted postseason play. In fact, before the 2010 season, none of his teams have won more than five games. 

This is all adding up, people. Unless a team like San Franscisco ponys up huge cash, this is looking more and more like a reality.

Oh, and someone clean up Crackback's drool off the ground, please.

All right, I don't mean to brag, but I did write this a few weeks ago:

We all know the Jets have a ton of guys to keep under contract this off-season. Tannenbuam said he would like to keep as many guys as possible, but there's a good chance the Jets will have a couple of casualties in free agency. 

Something (or someone) has to give. Why not Sanchez?

 

Yesterday, speaking to reporters, Sanchez said "Whatever we need to do to win, its on...Revis, me, whoever, it doesn't matter."

I said this before, but I'll say it again: Sanchez is not talented enough to win on his own. Its in his best long-term interests to surround himself with a top-notch supporting cast. The only way for him to do that right now is to take a paycut. 

As for Revis, I would be stunned if he took a paycut after his well-documented holdout last August, even if it would mean landing Nnamdi Asomugha.

Tom Moore, the longtime offensive coordinator with the Colts over the past decade, has been hired by the Jets as an offensive consultant. Moore has been working with the Jets for a little while now, so this isn't exactly shocking news.

Moore split with the Colts after an issue with his pension; he was brought back as an offensive consultant for the 2010 season. 

Still, Brian Schottenheimer has to start feeling his seat getting a little warmer. yes, his quarterback is young, but the rest of the offense is so immensely talented that the inability to score early and in the red zone are hard to excuse. I don't expect Moore to take the job over, but I'm sure Brian can learn a lot from Moore. 

Either way, I'm will be really refreshing to just hear another man's opinions in those offensive meetings, especially from such a proven mind. Of course, Moore has had the privilege of working with Peyton Manning, but perhaps Manning wouldn't be quite the player he is today without Moore. 

My hint last time was way too easy, because most of you guessed it right. Cromartie is not only the fastest player on the team, he may be the most athletically gifted player on the team. 

Usually, guys like Cromartie end up being wide receivers. Cromartie, however, has excelled as a corner under Rex, mostly because of his man-heavy schemes. 

In the season opener, Cromartie had moments that drove the coaches absolutely insane, reverting to his old techniques that got him run out of San Diego. Since that game, Antonio steadily improved every game, which helped make up for the loss of Darrelle Revis to injury. He blanketed Randy Moss in week 2 and week 5 in performances that allowed the Jets to win crucial games to maintain their presence in the AFC east. He had a huge return in the Colts playoff game to help win the game.

I hope Cromartie stays, but these days, uncertainty rules. He certainly made his stock rise wit his impressive 2010 season. 

Hint for #10: This player's career started in Arizona.

First off, shout out to Exystence for guessing right. 

Now, let me defend myself for putting Mr. Devito as high as he is. 

This list is based purely on how good a player is at their job. Just because everyone knows Sanchez and Tomlinson does not mean they will rank higher than the DeVito's and Brandon Moore's out there. This is from a scouting perspective.

Let me tell you, Mike DeVito was excellent at doing his job, especially in 2010. 

Wonder why the Jets are so good at stopping the run under Rex, even though we haven't had a truly dominant NT? (although Pouha has played well). First, the Jets have Revis, which allows linebackers and safties to play the run first. Yes, the linebackers, particularly the inside guys, are good against the run. 

But the Jets defensive line, without Jenkins, has been able to eat up four gaps with three guys on a consistient basis. Most of that credit goes to DeVito. He can penetrate, hold his edge, and tackle. In a five technique DE, there's not much more you can ask out of the guy. 

I'll put this out there: Sione Pouha did not make this list. When Jenkins went down, the Jets run D actually improved. So fans and analysts look at who is fulling in at NT, and assume that person is doing a great job. Nothing personal against Sione, I like him as a player but this list is for the elite players. DeVito is an elite run defender, and is probably the most underrated player on the team. It is really shocking how little he is talked about.

Hint for #11: This guy is probably the fastest player on the team.