Photo Credit: ESPN
NEW YORK JETS
2019 Record: 7-9
Division Finish: 3rd
Conference Finish: 11th
2020 Vegas Over/Under: 7
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK: Sam Darnold is still just 23 years old...but I do have concerns about him. (1) For two seasons, thus far, he has been wildly inconsistent. (2) He doesn't play particularly well against the better teams - do you remember, I'm seeing ghosts out there? - and his performance varies from quarter to quarter, game to game. On the bright side, I think he is a top-10 overall talent at his position. But will he deliver on that talent? Or will he just be a kid who always shows "flashes" of greatness? Grade: B-
It sounds weird saying this...but...Joe Flacco was a great pickup. Darnold has played two seasons in the NFL, and both years he only played in 13 games. Do we know if he can even play a full 16 games? Flacco is a much better backup than Trevor Siemian, Luke Falk and David Fales. Acquisition Grade: B
James Morgan was a very interesting draft pick by GM Joe Douglas. He is very intriguing on tape. 6'4", 229 with a good lookin' arm. Word is the Jets may have taken him to steal him away from Belichick and the Patriots. If so, good move. He's likely the Jets' backup quarterback of the future. Draft Grade: B+
RUNNING BACK: Le'Veon Bell is pretty much finished. He was probably the slowest running back in the entire league last season. I'm pretty sure he didn't have a single rushing play longer than 20 yards. That's a real stat. Gase is still pissed Maccagnan gave him all that money. Gase brought in a guy he likes, and Douglas brought in a kid he likes. Bell's Grade: C-
When you sign Frank Gore, it's like a sign that you think your team is going to be competitive. Maybe that is the case for the Jets, since Brady and Gronk are gone and the AFC East might be wide open. That said, how can ya not love Frank Gore? One of the toughest and most durable players in the history of the NFL. Gase loves him, so he will get his opportunities carrying the rock. I'm sure he will mentor the rookie coming up, too. Acquisition Grade: B+
Rookie La'Michal Perine is pretty nifty on tape. Fantasy owners in dynasty leagues may be sleeping on him. Remember...Gase doesn't give a crap about Le'Veon. Also, this was Douglas' first draft as GM...this is his running back. His guy. Perine may not get enough opportunities to shake out fantasy value this particular season, but he certainly will in the future. Bell is a goner after this year. Draft Grade: B
WIDE RECEIVER: Don't kid yourself...Jamison Crowder is the WR1, here. He has preexisting chemistry with Darnold, and he works extremely hard to get free in the slot. He's a good play in PPR leagues, and he's still just 26 years old. Grade: B
Breshad Perriman certainly makes for an interesting pickup. He was a fantasy darling down the stretch of last season, easily putting up the best numbers of his enigmatic NFL career. Can he do it again, in different circumstances? I'm really not sure. Depends on whom Darnold prefers between Perriman and the rookie coming up next. I will say this...I think Perriman is a better all-around wide receiver than Robby Anderson. Anderson was simply too weak and limited. Perriman brings more power, physicality and strength. He is a wild card, for sure. Acquisition Grade: B
Denzel Mims is gettin' a pretty solid amount of hype as a rookie. He certainly has a high ceiling. There are concerns about drops, but he has already been improving on that. 6'3" 207 with long arms and a nice reach, Mims should really shine in the redzone. Is he Darnold's WR1 of the future? Well of course we can't know that, just yet. He probably did slip too far in the draft, though. Draft Grade: B+
Josh Doctson is the reclamation project, here. He's shown flashes of brilliance in the past, but they were very brief flashes. You certainly cannot hang your hat on this guy. The Jets are simply hoping he "finds" it this season. Acquisition Grade: C
TIGHT END: Chris Herndon is the more popular guy here, but...I dunno. Ryan Griffin really created some good will for himself last season. He is an extremely hard-worker and Darnold absolutely took a liking to him. Obviously, Herndon is the physically gifted one of the two. He's flashier, he could be a real weapon. But Griffin is an all-around football player. Gase and Douglas both love those types of guys. This just feels like a real split. Herndon is a clown off the field, too. Herndon Grade: B, Griffin Grade: B
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Douglas is clearly going with the most conservative model in the book: build your team starting with a strong offensive line. "Fortify the line," as the old saying goes. Rookie Mekhi Becton does look like a monster on film. I saw multiple people labeling him the possible "LeBron James of offensive linemen." That seems like a stretch, but I suppose we shall see. Either way, he'll definitely be one of the best OL of his draft class. Draft Grade: A-
Other acquisitions and picks: Connor McGovern, George Fant, Greg Van Roten and Cameron Clark. This Jets' offensive line is going from a D- to a B-. Fant looks like the best out of this group of four. Overall, well done by Douglas.
DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE: Steve McLendon still has it. He's a team leader and he remains a highly-effective run stuffer. He's probably still the best on this defensive line. Sophomore Quinnen Williams has to apply more quarterback pressure this season. He was quite good against the run last year, but for such a high pick, he needs to find a way to make an all-around impact. Rookie DE Jabari Zuniga needs to get after the quarterback. The Jets haven't had a formidable pass rush since Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson. They need a change. Group Grade: C+
LINEBACKERS: The vets are hoping to be back at 100% this season: C.J. Mosley and Avery Williamson. These guys were dearly missed last season. Awesome Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams will utilize them properly, as he does with most guys. Jordan Jenkins and James Burgess were sort of the surprise guys last season. They showed some good things. Jenkins certainly looks to be the better of the two, thus far. We'll see if he can build off last year. Blake Cashman should also be back from injury, and he's a decent young linebacker. Group Grade: B-
DEFENSIVE BACKS: And of course, this is where you find the Jets' lone superstar, Mr. Jamal Adams. He was always quite good, but he really broke out under Gregg Williams. G-Will moved him all around the field, and Adams was an absolute savage. This is a pairing that has worked out beautifully for both parties. I have Adams as the 31st overall player in the NFL. (Don't forget to check out my NFL Top 100 Players series.) CB Brian Poole is probably the second-best player in the Jets' defensive backfield, since Marcus Maye can never really seem to stay healthy. Williams gets a lot out of these guys. Keep an eye on aggressive rookie Ashtyn Davis; if he stays healthy, he can make a real impact. Group Grade: B
FRASCELLA'S PREDICTION
The first thing I think is...Darnold still worries me. I still don't think he's really ready. He may never be. But...this team found ways to win close games last season. I credit Gregg Williams, more than anyone else. Now the Jets have Mosley and Williamson back, with the Becton and Fant additions to the offensive line and Perriman/Mims additions to their receiving corps. This team is improving, on paper. I still don't see it all coming together, though. Maybe just a little step up from last season.
FRASCELLA'S PREDICTION: 8-8
