Draft Week
Edition #620
Good morning!
As I mentioned on Friday I’m off to Bali today so things are going to be a little strange around here for the next couple of weeks, but I’m determined to get as many newsletters out as long as there is news to report. They’ll be much shorter, but like today I also just want to give you guys a place to talk about all the rumours that will be swirling this week.
You’re going to hear about issues with players, their effort, their attitude and everything in between. Most of these will be planted by teams that want said player to drop. You’ll hear things about teams determined to move up and down, some may be true but most won’t. The simple fact is that the draft is completely unpredictable and teams often change their minds, react on the fly as it never plays out how you think.
A lot’s been made about Zach not attending voluntary workouts and I don’t know why. The Jets have basically said they’re doing everything they can to trade him, this portion of the off-season is voluntary and Zach would be running with the 3’s. If the Jets don’t trade him over draft weekend then I think he’ll attend all mandatory sessions, but why would he attend voluntary work? He’s working out with his own people, and that’s absolutely what I expected he’d do.
Now we’ve got to draft week I thought I’d check the odds on the Jets first-round selection, they’re still heavy favourites to take Brock Bowers and you can take from that what you will. If the Jets don’t take him I expect the Colts to do everything they can to get into a position where nobody can jump them for him.
Sauce Gardner was on the LeBron James' show "The Shop" and seemed to indicate that it’s already been decided that he’ll travel with star receivers this year "Everybody gets tired, but I want to travel. I'm going to be travelling this year, so stay tuned for that. I already talked to my defensive coordinator about it,"
I had an absolute stinker with my free agency predictions but that’s not going to slow me down this week. Here are five draft predictions from yours truly. Please don’t bet on any of these 😉
Jets won’t draft Brock Bowers
There is so much smoke for this pick, but come Friday morning I don’t think Bowers will be a Jet. There is absolutely a chance that Tennessee takes him before #10, there’s also a chance that someone is convinced the Jets are going to take him so jump up ahead of us to select him. I’m not sure if this is 100% a smokescreen, considering how badly the Jets need offensive weapons, but rarely have the Jets taken someone they’ve been linked to so publically. Bowers is a Titan or Colt come Friday.
Jets will draft an offensive lineman
As alluring as a new shiny toy for Aaron Rodgers is, I think the Jets will go with an offensive tackle at #10 or in a trade-back, and I wouldn’t have an issue with that. The skill player v offensive tackle has been played out a lot and I understand both sides of the coin, but the Jets know that they’ve patchworked their way to a starting line. They also know that the season rests on keeping Aaron Rodgers healthy. I have a sneaky feeling that they may be higher on Fashanu than is being reported.
The Jets will split their first two picks between offence/defence
I know there are a lot of people who want an offensive-only draft, but when you have a defensive-minded head coach and your identity has become attached to a dominating and suffering defence, I think the Jets will continue to add. I can see them jumping on a defensive tackle and if that tackle is someone like T’Vondre Sweat who may fall due to his recent run-in with the law, they could get excellent value. They believe in Kinlaw, but they also know that their DT room is the equivalent of their OT room, a lot of rentals and not much proven long-term depth.
The Jets will take Jordan Travis from Florida State
I wondered whether to just put a QB here instead of Travis, but I think that’s such a given that it’s not very interesting. I went back and forward here between Travis and Pratt, but I based on their drafting of Wilson I think they value high physical tools over the mental side of the game. I think Travis has both but from what I’ve seen he doesn’t see the game as well as Pratt, and that’s just because Pratt’s level is quite high…he actually reminds me a little of Chad, but Chad had better tools. Travis is a guy who could really excel if given time to sit and learn, and that’s exactly what the Jets can do with Aaron Rodgers in the building.
Zach Wilson will get traded over draft weekend
The Jets are going to have to eat significant salary if they want to move Zach but that’s exactly what I think they’ll do. I can see them having to cover 50%+ of his salary to get any kind of value back, and even then I think a 6th/7th round pick is all they’re getting. This is more about moving some salary and removing a distraction for the summer workouts. You can’t draft a QB for the future and have Zach around the building, it’s just asking for trouble. Move Zach, give him a shot to stick somewhere and re-build his career and give your rookie important 3rd string reps without him having to answer questions about Zach.
Oh and also...as a Knicks and Rangers fan, LETS GO!
That weekend could not have gone any better.
Hopefully the Bowers talk is a smokescreen and that the Jets and the Colts have a handshake on a deal.
Bower’s talents would be wasted here because Hackett doesn’t have the necessary skill it takes draw up plays and schemes. The fact that the Jets can’t draft certain players due to the mediocrity of the coaching staff is a Johnson legacy of total organizational
Incompetency.
This coming Saturday at 12 noon , fans of all 32 NFL teams will collectively weigh a sigh of relief.
Two other important times this coming week for Jet fans only should be approximately 9pm Thursday and 7:30 pm on Friday.
Since about mid December, mock drafts started turning up on the internet. As fans of 31 teams ( intelligentJet fans knew their season was over when Rodgers went down on 9/11) were hoping their team would be making the playoffs, bloggers were starting their mock madness.
As playoff teams competed, the mocks increased.
As soon as the Chiefs were crowned champs, mock drafts madness started at a vicious pace.
There was once a time that fans would be happy to see the mocks, but as the mock industry has grown, the fan bases have become weary of them, way too many. Wayne too many wrong.
Ridiculous conclusions, trades that make absolutely no sense, basically square pegs were being put into round holes. New Mocks turning up on the internet faster than robo calls selling solar panels on your phone.
It is totally amazing that anyone would have the time and knowledge to mock all 257 draft slots plus have about 4-5 first round trades included.
You would think an individual with such futuristic insight would rather be making millions on the stock market.
It has become traditional with some of these bloggers to come out with mocks after the first round is completed,
Then they continue their madness Friday night with mocks of the players not selected between Thursday’s first round and Fridays 2nd and 3rd rounds.
Thusly when the 4th round starts noon on Saturday, the mock season is finally over, finished. Fans everywhere will say thank god it’s over.
I’m sure there could be an industrious blogger who might publish UNDFA signings predictions on Monday. It won’t be a Kiper or Jeremiah maybe an individual like Sebastian the Jet fan from Bensonhurst might attempt that madness.
Times this week, important to Jet fans.
This Thursday at approximately 9pm, the football world should know who the Jets selected. Only a trade down will extend the agony to hopefully around 9:15-9:30.
Will it be a wide receiver, Bowers or an offensive tackle, at this point all we Jets fans can hope for is they get it right. Any selection that doesn’t meet the above positions, will be greeted by the sound of thousands of tv remotes bouncing off of Jet fans walls.
Friday at approximately 7:30 pm, the Green Bay Packers will be making a second round pick using the pick they obtained from the Jets in the Rodgers trade fiasco. Thusly completing the Rodgers trade.
Presently the Rodgers trade is the worst trade in Jets history. It is the Anti Jamal Adams trade. While JD fleeced the Seahawks in the Adams trade, Green Bay picked the Jets pocket in the Rodgers deal. The Jets in a deal where neither team had leverage panicked the week before the draft and surrendered way too many assets for a 39 year old quarterback.
There was no way Rodgers would be playing in Green Bay in 2023.
The situation then resembles the present situation between Zach Wilson and the Jets. But the Jets capitulated, they raised the white flag.
Rodgers injury turned a terrible trade into a catastrophic year for the team and its fan base.
The Packers received a switch of first rounders, a 2023 second rounder ( which the Jets obtained by trading Elijah Moore and a third rounder to Cleveland for ) and the Jets 2024 second rounder which is basically a first rounder due to the depth of this draft.
So the trade cost the Jets a switch of first rounders, 2-2s, a 3 and Elijah Moore.
The return was 4 plays from Rodgers and Nate Hackett with his prevent offense. You could also add the outstanding performances from the Jets Lambeau Leapers Club of Lazard, Cobb, Amos, Boyle and Turnstile Turner.
Aside from the Denis Byrd injury, the Rodgers injury was the worst in Jets history. Jet fans were both stunned and numbed for days.
The only thing that could turn the negative dynamic of the Rodgers trade is an AFC East championship and an appearance in the AFC championship game. Anything less than then that would once again say “ Same Old Jets” and probably say bye bye or sayonara or Hasta la vesta to JD and Saleh.
The trials and tribulations of being a Jet fan, it never ends.
Attention!! Attention, the New York Jets have just announced that available for a limited time, limited supplies available Official NY Jets Draft Week TV remotes.
These quality remotes made in Myanmar, Asia are Green with white trim embossed with the new Jet insignia are a must have for all Jet fan remote throwers.
They are also adorned with a collage of previous Jet first round disasters such as Blair Thomas, Roger Vick, Ron Faurot, Vern “ the Ghoul” Gholston and Dee Millner.
Two hours before the Jets make their pick, study the collage, it will help get your arm ready.
They are also guaranteed to withstand up to 4 rounds or 4 terrible picks of throws.
For the low price of $19.69 plus shipping and handling, be prepared for Draft week.
Woody’s operators are waiting.