Defensively, there are some concerns, but the Jets have the talent to overcome them with the more aggressive style of attack they intend to play. And with head coach Herman Edwards, who is one of the best motivators in the league, you can count on him having his guys ready to play every Sunday, so if they stay relatively healthy, these guys might just be in for a promising season.
Quarterback
For the Jets to be successful this year, it is imperative that Pennington remain relatively injury free. He is one of the game’s up-and-coming stars at the position, but if he were to miss significant time again this year, it would be disastrous for the Jets chances to be competitive. Over the past two seasons, the Jets are just 3-8 without Pennington in the lineup, and with virtually no experience on the bench, they might be hard pressed to match those feeble numbers if their No. 1 guy isn’t available.
Behind him, the Jets have two developmental prospects with no solid backup to fill the No. 2 role, so it would not be a surprise if they were to make a move to bring in a veteran signal-caller to fill the role vacated by Testeverde, who joined the Dallas Cowboys during the off-season. Brooks Bollinger was a sixth-round draft pick last year, and he showed some toughness in the Jets preseason game with the Saints, but he has never attempted a pass in a regular season game, and now he is hobbled by a knee strain and could miss valuable playing time during the preseason. Penciled in at No. 3 right now is former CFL player Ricky Ray.
Running Backs
Curtis Martin is heading into his tenth year in the league, and despite being on the downside of his career, he just keeps chugging along. He is still good at attacking the line of scrimmage, but has lost a step and is not as explosive as he once was. Backup Lamont Jordan, who is entering his fourth year in the NFL, is getting impatient playing behind Martin, but he figures to be a bigger part of the rushing offense this year. Jordan has the speed Martin is lacking, but he is not extremely elusive. He has the power to run between the tackle and the speed to attack the outside, but he needs to work on picking up the blitz.
There is little depth on the bench behind Martin and Jordan, so those two will carry most of the load this season. Gerald Sowell is a decent blocking fullback, but the Jets rarely use him in a classic fullback role. He is, however, a valuable option as a receiver out of the backfield.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
During the off-season, the Jets brought in former Titan Justin McCareins to start opposite Santana Moss. McCareins will have to adjust to moving from the slot to the outside, but he gives Pennington a big-play threat with his ability to stretch a defense. Having another legitimate weapon in the lineup will take a lot of pressure off Moss, who should thrive in the No. 2 role. He lacks size, but he is very elusive and is good at racking up yards after the catch.
Veteran Wayne Chrebet will play the slot in three-receiver sets, and while he is nearing the end of his career, he still plays with intensity and isn’t afraid to take a hit. Rookie Jericho Cotchery, who was drafted in the fourth round of this year’s NFL Draft, and youngster Jonathon Carter will fill the fourth and fifth receiver roles.
Anthony Becht is a decent receiving and blocking tight end, but he lacks the speed to stretch the middle of the defense. Backup Chris Baker is a hard worker, but he lacks size and discipline in his route running. Overall, the receiving corps is solid, but depth is a major concern. One injury could have a devastating effect.
