Alex Anzalone: Much Needed Experience

Edition #1016: Would the Detroit Lions linebacker bring the experience needed to kickstart this defense?

Good morning ☕

We’ve already spent a lot of time talking about the QB position, but the problems on this team go far beyond the signal caller.

As we’ve seen through the playoffs, you can have a good QB but unless he has the supporting cast you’re going to end up watching the SB at home.

Today we’re talking about a linebacker who has been linked to the Jets over the last few days, a player I’m a big fan of…Alex Anzalone.

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NEWS & NOTES

• PFF released their top 250 free agent list yesterday. The Jets have a few players highly ranked:

  • #9 - Breece Hall: “Hall has earned PFF grades above 80.0 in two of the past three seasons and ranked eighth among running backs in PFF grade (83.5) in 2025. He will be just 25 years old when the 2026 NFL season begins and has established himself as a top-10 player at the position”

  • #37 - AVT: “A torn triceps closed the curtains on Vera-Tucker’s 2025 campaign before it began — the third season-ending injury of his young career. He has still established himself as a promising guard, earning three straight season-long 70.0-plus PFF overall grades and allowing the fourth-lowest pressure rate (2.8%) among guards in 2024.”

  • #90 - Andre Cisco

  • #132 - John Simpson

  • #137 - Quincy Williams

  • #143 - Khalil Herbert

  • #150 - Tyrod Taylor

  • #224 - Tyler Johnson

  • #234 - Tony Adams

• Dane Brugler over at The Athletic has his mock draft out and he has the Jets addressing needs on both sides of the ball:

  • #2 - Arvell Reese, Edge, OSU - “Though it’s disappointing for the Jets that Moore isn’t on the board, it gives them an opportunity to select whomever they see as the best non-quarterback in the class — and Reese is a prime candidate. He played a hybrid role for the Buckeyes last season, mostly spying and setting the edge, but he was disruptive when allowed to use his speed and violence as a pass rusher.”

  • #16 - Makai Lemon, WR, USC - “Lemon won’t wow with his size or athletic profile, but he is a manipulative route runner and catches everything thrown his way. If the Jets think his impact can be anything close to what the Lions have gotten from Amon-Ra St. Brown, they should run the card to the podium”

• Of the eight known candidates the Jets have interviewed for the head coaching position, only 5 remain available. Ephraim Banda, Demarcus Covington, Chris Harris, Jim Leonhard and Wink Martindale. I think think it’ll end up being Wink and I still hope that it ends up being Leonhard.

• Although The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt poured some cold water on the idea that a hire of Martindale was imminent saying: “On the Jets DC search: Wink Martindale was viewed as a top contender headed into Saturday’s meeting, but I wouldn’t say he’s necessarily a lock to get the job. Aaron Glenn is still sorting through how he wants the staff/structure to look as he revamps things, according to sources. The search is still underway, and multiple candidates are being looked at,”

• Aaron Whitecotton has rejoined Robert Saleh’s staff in Tennessee.

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Alex Anzalone

At the start of this season, only the Eagles and Packers had fewer players on their final 53 aged 29 or over than the Jets.

New York went into the season with just 7 players aged 29 or over. The lack of experience showed, not only on the field but from the coaching staff as well.

The Jets gave more snaps to rookies than any other team in the NFL, and while that experience should help them going forwards, the lack of real experience is part of why this team went 4-13.

When we look at re-builds we often look at youth. It makes sense in many ways, but it reminded me of a quote from Skyfall when Bond first meets Q:

Q: “Age is no guarantee of efficiency”
Bond: “Youth is no guarantee of innovation”