When you look at the wide receiving core of the New York Jets it doesn't take a savant in football analytics to define them as lacking, mediocre, average, or anything in between. Though the Jets did sign former Denver Broncos wide receiver and now reality television star Eric Decker to upgrade the position, seemingly everyone is aware of the notion that Decker is not what you would define as a 'number-one-receiver', but is more of a high-end number two.
Since then the New York Jets have also officially signed former Oakland Raiders speedster--and Lord knows the Raiders love those--Jacoby Ford. Ford will likely play in the slot with Jeremy Kerley and be the primary return man on this team.
Currently the premier wide receivers listed on the Jets roster are as follows:
- Eric Decker (6'3 215 lbs).
- Jeremy Kerley (5'9 185 lbs).
- David Nelson (6'5 215 lbs).
- Jacoby Ford (5'9 190 lbs).
- Stephen Hill (6'4 215 lbs).
So yes, the Jets do need another wide receiver badly, like a DeSean Jackson, but here's why actually not signing him was the right move.
The Jets currently still have over $20 million in cap room in which they would be wise to preserve a chunk of it if and possibly when they discover that Geno Smith is 'the guy' at quarterback, or perhaps Michael Vick proves he has something viable remaining in his tank. The bottom line about this team is that they are very youthful is a whole, they have lots of barely tapped potential, and I would not define them as a win now team at the moment. Everyone saying that this is a win now team as presently constructed is delusional; and yes that includes Jets owner Woody Johnson. In this league you cannot have a win now team without a quarterback, similar to how in the NBA you cannot have a win now team without a true star and good guard play, and in Major League Baseball you can't win without pitching. That's not a knock on Geno Smith who I happen to be a big supporter of, but that's just stating the obvious fact that the New York Jets are still finding out if Geno is the guy.
In 2014 you don't hand the keys to a quarterback who threw 12 touchdowns to 21 interceptions in his rookie year, even though he was saturated with the worst wide receivers imaginable. This year is all about getting the kid some weapons to improve the offense, and help his growth, and if he balls out the job is surely his.
Unless of course Michael Vick wins the starting job, then all of that fly's out of the metaphorical window but you get the point.
Geno Smith was the AFC offensive player of the week in Week 5.More importantly; you can't commit big money to two wide receivers if you're still searching for your quarterback.
Let's say that the Jets would've signed DeSean Jackson to the exact deal in which he received from Washington; 3 years for $24 million with $16 million in guaranteed money. So now you have over $12 million in cap room, two wide receivers making big money, and a mystery at quarterback in Geno Smith, or a beaten down quarterback in Michael Vick. If the Jets had Andrew Luck this is an absolute no-brainer. But while I really believe that Geno Smith will improve tremendously this season and ultimately win the starting quarterback job, how do I definitively know that with Decker, Jackson, Kerley and crew, that he won't produce any differently than what he did last season?
Oh and by the way now you'll be cap strapped in the future and likely 9-7 at best while needing to trade up to grab Jameis Winston.
Yeah, good luck with that!