On February 8th I experienced an MMA event like no other – FNT Worldwide on Wall Street in New York City. I would have never thought an MMA event could have been held in the heart of Wall Street next to the Trump building, where the NYPD would end up showing me where this event was being held because I was lost.
When I walked into the venue it was absolutely astonishing as to how they created this live event in this huge room. It was something out of the movie Lionheart. The light shows and the entertainment was worth every bit of the money you spent to go and watch these FNT fights.
They had artists like rapper Flipp Dinero performing during intermission and circus acts for the fans to enjoy between fights. The event had a live DJ spinning music like a club event which had the place rocking throughout the night and really set the vibe.
The fights lived up to everything this promotion was pushing for as well. There were knockouts, blood shed and of course entertaining fights throughout this card. My partner from my show CageDenMma, Mike Washington; helped to make this event a great success. The event was completely sold out and the two floors especially the VIP section, were filled with screaming MMA fans. It was something you needed to be there for to truly experience.
There were all types of people there as well, white collar and blue collar; all experiencing this extravaganza of an event. If you ever have the chance to experience an event like this, make sure to get the tickets when they go on sale because these events sell out quick! Be sure you check out when FNT Worldwide is going to be in your city because it’s definitely an event you don’t want to miss!
Jacob deGrom is one of my favorite pitchers in baseball. Despite playing for the horribly generally and personnel managed New York Mets, deGrom has been a winner pretty much since he emerged onto the baseball scene in 2014, with only one sub 500 year (7-8). He pretty much relies on a fastball and guts.
deGrom initially wasn’t considered part of the vaulted Mets
Generation K, 2.0. That was the Dark Knight Fat Harvey, the acquired for Carlos
Beltran Zack Wheeler, the acquired for Cy Young award winner knuckleballer R.A
Dickey Noah Syndergaard, and the lefty in the pipeline Steven Matz.
Since then Matz has been hurt every 15 minutes, Syndergaard took the Thor name too seriously and messed up his body, Harvey was banished for being a mess, Wheeler Tommy Johned it up, and deGrom has hands down been the best of the bunch. The dude struck out an all star inning on 10 pitches. He won a Cy Young award with just above a 500 record. He had a season that, if on a good team, he may have won 35 games.
So clearly, as he approaches his big payday, it’s time to
make Jacob deGrom super rich. Rich enough to not do those shitty TV commercials
selling cars with his bad acting. And that conversation is the Jacob DeGrom
dilemma.
Jacob deGrom is almost 31 years old. He has 5 professional
season on his resume, so it’s not exactly like he’s overthrown and will have
his arm fall off. But he also has two years of arbitration left. Also, He’ll
make $17 million for the 2019 season. Assuming arbitration will give him the
same or more, deGrom will have made at least $63 million dollars before he hits
free agency. Considering the MLBPA pension plan, it’s safe to say that Jacob deGrom
will never be poor.
And that’s something Mets fans have to consider. I like deGrom.
He has heart. But he’ll be a 33 year old unrestricted free agent. What type of
deal are you willing to give a 33 year old pitcher?
My opinion for a deal? 5 years, $110 million, and front
loaded so that by year 3 he’s taken home $85 million, and after year 4 $102
million. Here’s the breakdown:
Year 1: $30 million
Year 2: $28 milion
Year 3: $27 million
Year 4: $17 million
Year 5: $8 million
Why the scale? Easy. Tradeabilty. I expect deGrom to be good
until about age 35/36. You’re paying him to be good. There’s a strong chance
that the Mets will not be good in 3-5 years, but I’ll discuss that later.
The final two years of that deal has terms that are more
team friendly, meaning you can trade him. If he wants more security you can add
on team options, but this is the extent I’d be willing to go.
Why?
Because I wholeheartedly believe that the Mets will suck for
the foreseeable future. They’re majority owned by the Wilpons, who are absolute
assholes. Here’s an example of said assholery.
Assholes
When asked if the Mets will be in play for Bryce Harper, one
of the Wilpons – I don’t care which one because they’re both fucktards- said “How
many teams carry two $30 million players?”
A divisional rival, the Washington Nationals
Your own team carries ZERO $30 million players
At a $20 million standard, your same city rivals
have 50% more guys at that price point
Your same league rivals the Chicago Cubs have
100% more $20 million players than the Mets
How many excuses do you have for being not good
at baseball?
So we have deGrom looking at a team hoping their minor
leagues becaue the owners have already declared that despite reaping insurance
policy returns on David Wright and Yoennis Cespedes, they will not reinvest in
the team. Also, this is an organization who hasn’t produced any worthwhile infielders
players since David Wright and Jose Reyes and hasn’t produced a worthwhile
outfielder since Darryl Strawberry. They will not fortify their lineup. The Mets
owners came out and said “we can sign two major young free agents and still
have a payroll lower than the Red Sox and Cubs but we chose not to, so FUCK
YOU, FANS!”
We also have deGrom looking at a rotation that will be
vastly different shortly. Expect a Syndergaard trade. It almost happened this
winter. It will happen as he approaches a payday. Or maybe deGrom gets traded
and the Mets keep Thor. Either way, these guys will not be long term teammates.
Wheeler? Traded by the Mets already for a former Met, to
have the deal rescinded because the talent they acquired wasn’t healthy. Matz?
Will never be healthy as a Met, despite having a sandwich named after him at
the Seaport Deli in Port Jefferson. Harvey? Bust. The Mets could have acquired
Gio Gonzalez this winter but instead felt that Jason Vargas was the better
option. He isn’t.
So deGrom is largely an island out at sea, a winner
surrounded by losers. Which brings us the the dilemma: what to do with Jason
deGrom?
Do the Mets pay him? For what? They’re not going to win with
him, because they don’t presently win with him.
Do the Mets trade him? For what? When you trade a star, you
almost never get equal value. You usually get a handful of prospects.
Do the Mets ride his stardom out for three more seasons? I
don’t think deGrom will do that.
What makes this interesting that deGrom’s former agent is
the Mets GM. I can assure you in advance that such an idea will go down about as
well as making a backup goalie your GM. But as deGrom’s agent, Brodie Van
Douchery probably had ideas about what his client should earn. Think at least
$30 million. As an employee of the Wilpons, he knows all he can offer is $34
and some subway tokens, maybe a few hot dogs from the walkabout vendors.
Dutch twat
If Brodie is a friend to deGrom- and agents should be, because
agents do intake interviews to get to know their clients, the clients families,
the clients needs, et cetera- he will trade deGrom to a winner.
If the Yankees sign Manny Machado, deGrom the the Yankees
for Gleyber Torres plus seems a logical move. Do a Met thing and add Todd
Frazier to the deal to unload salary in the process.
Personally, if I’m the Mets GM I make that deal where
Frasier and Syndergaard go to the Yankees for Torres and their top OF and P prospect,
then you add Gio Gonzalez to fill out the rotation. But I’d have to work for
the Wilpons, and that would mean I’d be forced to take a turn on the mound
every 5th day to reinforce the fact that our payroll is above average,
but not intergalactic. Not even league leading.
So in short, do you sign a 31 year old to a 7 year extension
paying him $200 million, maybe more? No, no you don’t. What you do is trade a
Cy Young award winner for players and prospects. The last time the Mets did
that they got Noah Syndergaard and Travis deArnold. Shockingly, deArnold was
the key to the deal. deGrom is a little younger, so expect a slightly better
haul. A position player, an OF prospect, and a pitching prospect.
If the Mets had a winning mentality, deGrom would be locked
up already. They’d have signed Machado. They would have traded Amed Rosario for
Realmuto. They would have traded Frasier and put Jeff O’Neil at 3rd.
They would have traded Vargas for spare parts and signed Gonzalez. But these
are the Mets. Big league enough to be in New York, small enough in New York to
be Buffalo.
It’s an embarrassing organization and as I mentioned previously will most likely never produce another hall of famer. Mike Piazza was inducted as being tied to the Mets, but he wasn’t drafted or developed as a Met, which is why he was good. Not since Tom fucking Seaver was a Met a hall of famer. 50 years. One hall of famer. Fuck you, Wilpons.
If I was Jacob deGrom, I’d hope for a trade to a winner. If
not, I’d take my free agent ass to Boston, Chicago, or across the Cross Bronx.
Because the Mets suck, and will continue to suck. 80% of the last decade sub
500 can’t be wrong.
Bobby Campbell Jackhammer Promotions did it again at Mulcahy’s Pub for Super Brawl 4.
The fight’s all came down to the wire with prestige finishes from the amateur divisions to the Pros. The fight between Aaron Thompson vs Sergio Rivera was a fight that I wont forget at the event, these two fighters took it to each other all the way too the end but Sergio in the end landed more dominant shots that eventually won him his fight.
How about the battle the ladies gave us later in the night with Destiny aka “The Cage Cuty” Quinones vs Chrissy Yandolli that fight had everything thrown but the kitchen sink Chrissy had Destiny on the run in a lot of the fight but you can never count Destiny out of the fight but when it came down to the cards Chrissy just was the better fighter that night.
Congrats to Brian “The Rebel” Rochford for his comeback trail and taking the fight to his opponent at Super Brawl 4 and getting the draw as well. If you haven’t been to a Jackhammer Promotions event at Mulcahy’s, than you need to go to the “10 year Brawl” April 28th.
Bobby Campbell and Jackhammer Promotions sold out Mulcahy’s at Super Brawl 4 so if you plan to get tickets get them now!
I’ve been going to Islander games live an in person for 3
decades. Before that I was relegated to watching them on my TV at home, on
SportsChannel or on channel 9. Yeah, the Islanders used to play on the same station
that ran Benny Hill, Bowling for Dollars, and Morton Downey Jr. I remember
watching hockey with my Grandmother one day when a fight broke out on the ice.
“Beat the shit out of him!” she cheered. I’m not sure exactly which guy she was
rooting for as her comment isn’t exactly specific, but it dawned onto me at
that young age that hockey is exciting to kids in single digits and seniors
equally. Yes, everything that was old was new again.
That young boy got to watch one of the most dominant teams
in hockey history. Witnessing 19 consecutive playoff series to younger fans is
like Grandpa talking about the moon landing. Yeah, you read about it in books
so you know it happened. But the folks that saw it? They EXPERIENCED it. I’m
sure young people would tell me how awesome a Kanye West show is, and I’d smile
and nod as to not diminish their enthusiasm, but in all honesty, no it wasn’t.
But back to 19 consecutive playoff series wins. I want to
talk about #IslesKoolAid. For the large part, Islander fans under 30 have
playoff memories consisting of a Shawn Bates penalty shot, and two players
carrying the Islanders to a first round victory over the Florida Panthers. They
may recall 1993, but they were 5, so I’m sure it’s not as sharp a memory as a
good episode of Blue’s Clues.
But #IslesKoolAid loves to dismiss the glory days. Can you imagine a fan base so embarrassed about who it roots for that they discard their past? Could you imagine the ever arrogant Yankee fans saying “Well, you know, if you consider the dissolution of the Negro Leagues and the westward expansion and the absorption of the Continental League, then the Yankees only have 7 World Series in 45 years.” Oh, only 14% of all of the World Series won between 30 teams? Sorry Boston. You’ve got a ways to go.
My point- can you imagine a Yankee fan ever shitting on Babe Ruth? Yet here are Islander fans shitting on Mike Bossy and Brian Trottier and Clark Gilles and Billy Smith and Denis Potvin and Pat LaFontaine? Because clearly John Tavares is a better player. And who else could they root for since 1994? Bryan Berard? Claude LaPointe?
Here’s a true story. The year was 1990. I was an 18 year old asshole working at the newly opened K Mart in West Babylon, NY. For the opening of the first K Mart on Long Island (which is now out of business over no fault whatsoever of mine) the company went all out, bringing in K Mart celebrity endorsees such as the beautiful even at her age Kate Smith of Charlie’s Angels and the race car driver Mario Andretti (I think. I give a shit about a sport I can do as well as professionals. I once did 130 mph on the Robert Moses. In daytime traffic. Top that, circle driving jerkoffs!)
I liked it better when it was TSS
Anyway, my job that day was to be security to the line that was there to see Pat LaFontaine. Pat was about 25 years old at the time, and would soon screw the Islanders over by demanding a trade based on a broken promise made by then owner John Pickett. The promise was about money, which Islander owners never like spending. I can’t blame them. Neither do the fans.
As I’m standing on line as “security,” I’m noticing that the
crowd was mostly female, and mostly between the ages of 15-25. Let me say this-
women have an instinct to throw their vagina at anything that can afford them
the opportunity to not have to perform a moment of labor north of being in labor,
but often south of such. I didn’t feel so useful warding off girls from a
professional athlete, so I just took in my environment. And that’s when I
noticed something. At 18 years old, I was 100% sure that I could kick Pat
LaFontaines ass.
Don’t get me wrong. LaFontaine has taken tons of hits from
pro skaters. He’s also taken tons of concussions. But as I stood there in a
pair of Bugle Boy slacks and a tie borrowed from my Dad, I kept glancing back
at Mr. LaFontaine. And I kept thinking “I could punch the shit out of that
guy.” And at some point he must have noticed my frequent glancing, looking
away, and thinking about beating his ass.
Understand at 18 I checked in at an unimposing 5’ 10” and
155 pounds. With a horrible moustache. Sure there were things that looked like
abs and biceps, but at best there was a wiry yet angry quality that made the
fight in the dog bigger than the dog itself. And I was absolutely certain that
I could punch the shit out of this professional athlete.
You can see why I thought like I did…
As an aside, that same year I happened into meeting the Iron
Sheik of pro wrestling fame. He was “old” and wrestling at a local high school
(Copiague represent!) because he was suspended from the then WWF for a drug
arrest. As I saw the Sheik in person I never once thought “I’d wreck that guy.”
Probably because his lats were 60 feet wide.
The roughest, toughest…
As LaFontaine kept making eye contact with his goofy security guard, he looked increasingly uneasy and maybe even concerned. I remember the look on LaFontaine’s face like it happened at lunch today. He looked uncomfortable and awkward. It’s probably because he was thinking a lot about leaving Long Island. Just like when that 7 year old kid asked John Tavares about if he was leaving Long Island.
Maybe he thought I was a Rangers fan. Maybe he thought he
could skate without falling down. Whatever he thought, as his time for being
paid to be around his fans expired, he never once offered the staff a private
moment for autographs. I must have scared him off. Or he was an asshole.
Imagine a die hard Islander fan so disappointed by a player that he didn’t even want to ask said player for an autograph? Also, its not like LaFontaine is an inferior player. Sure, he couldn’t carry the jocks of the top 6 that came before him. And even though inferior to the Trio Grande, he’s still a Hall of Famer. Josh Bailey projects just about the same, because he’s elite. At inseminating.
Now that Kate Smith? Beautiful and charming. She took photos
with the staff. And when I say photos, I mean cameras with actual film that
need an effort to use. Not a cell phone camera…because no one invented them
yet. Not even Joey Motorola.
At this point it’s fair if you ask what the fuck I’m talking about. And there’s a few themes here. Name the top 3 offensively gifted players drafted by the New York Islanders that never won a cup with the franchise. I don’t give a fuck who you thought of. Here’s my list.
Pat LaFontaine
Zigmund Palffy
John Tavares
I put them in order of talent, in my opinion. Also, I feel
that Pierre Turgeon- the guy Lafontaine was traded for- is better than all
three. But we didn’t draft him, and we traded him for shit, so go live life,
Pete.
Now, what do all three of those guys have in common? After leaving, none of them returned as players to the New York Islanders. Dudes drafted in the 1980’s, 1990’s and the 2000’s. Everything old is new again. And here’s the next thing- that’s not the only thing these guys have in common.
These guys were all at their time representatives of promise. Promise that they never delivered on. LaFontaine was the wheelman for the drive for five. Palffy was to usher in the Fisherman jersey era. Tavares was meant to revive the franchise, but just ended up slithering along the lawns of Long Island. They never made an impact. Old, new.
And they all share something else that Islander fans have all experiences at what I feel is an unusual rate. Two things, in fact. Feel free to disagree in the comment section. Here’s the list:
If you have never scored an NHL goal ever, we
got you.
If we have a one goal lead and there’s 2 minutes
on the clock, we’re going to ruin us.
The first one is an anomaly. I’ve never researched it, but I
go to a lot of games, watch a lot of games, and had season tickets for years.
Islander fans, how many times have you heard “(Opposing team) goal, his first
of the season/career/posthumous scored by number…” It’s fucking stunning how
often it happens. Every year. I can’t remember a year without multiple someones
popping a cherry with us. Awful.
But the other one is more stunning. As previously mentioned, I watch a lot of Islanders hockey. I remember the days that whenever the opponent pulled his goalie, we just tacked another goal on. I was raised to believe that’s how it went.
Then it changed. I’ll say 1995 was a drop dead line.
Suddenly, when the opposing team pulled a goalie, not only did we not grab an
empty netter, but the other team scored. Especially if it was in the last
minute. To be fair, that also happened a lot in tie games 5 on 5, so there’s
assuredly a cultural issue.
TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 10: Brett Lindros #75 of the New York Islanders skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during NHL game action in which he was completely fucking useless again on October 10, 1995 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Graig Abel/Getty Images)
But the stunning thing is this- the coach doesn’t matter. Good ones like Peter Laviolette, Ted Nolan, Barry Trotz. Bad ones like Steve Stirling, Butch Goring, Mke Milbury. Absolutely horrible ones, like everyone Garth Snow hired because he’s an insecure piece of shit. No matter the coach, we either fail to extend a lead or squander one once the extra attacker rolls onto the ice.
Now, for this season I expected Barry Trotz to fix this. Yes, he inherited just about the same defense that was both worst in the NHL last year as well as having the honor to be among the worst defenses ever assembled. But he has a system. He has goaltender coaches. He’s won a Stanley Cup, making him only the second ever active Islanders coach with a Stanley Cup, and as far as I can tell only the third ever guy to coach the Islanders that won a Stanley Cup in a head coaching capacity. Which sucks considering that they’re 46 years in the making.
As a fan, I am excited at the steps that Trotz has made in fixing this squad, but he hasn’t entirely fixed this issue. As an #IslesRealist, I think Trotz is doing a fine job in fighting a decades long uphill battle. Culturally, the Islanders were used to losing and needed a complete culture change. Actually, that’s an overused phrase. They needed a cultural overhaul just to do things like hit an empty net goal.
I mean, look at all of the losing the team has done in the last decade. They lost a voter referendum for a new arena. They lost their present home arena. They lost a draft pick to a mountainside. They lote Turgeon to a dirty hit and a bad GM. They lost a Hall of Fame goalie to a bad GM. They lost an all time wing to a budget. They lost adorable ice girls for a chunky analyst. They lost a GM to a backup goalie. They lost an all star to pajamas. And worst of all, they recently gifted us with a rolling 12 years to failure.
Despite their present success, this year is about growing pains. The Islanders are above NHL 500. But at the same time they’re evaluating a roster to see what stays and what goes going forward, although what stays is a remnant of the aforementioned 12 years of failure based on bad contracts. But that said, even with a new coach, a new GM, new player signings, this team hasn’t consistently been able to lock down a formidable opponent since before Bill Clinton was president. That’s something that good teams do. We haven’t been a good team since we were coached by Al Arbour, who is not only retired but also is permanently deceased.
Sure, you may be saying “But they’re in first in the Metro!” With 30 games to go. And they were first in 2015 with 13 games to go, yet somehow lost home ice and had a 3 more games longer than the shortest playoffs that you can have. And has this team has grown by leaps and bounds?
This team saw an opponent pull a goalie with 10 minutes to go, and managed an empty net goal in the last seconds of the game. Nine minutes. No goalie. No goals. I watched them do nothing against Minnesota when the Wild left a yawning net to dump into.
So how does this team of coach and GM fix that loser mentality? I have no answers here. I’m already hearing that the few of the games at the smaller and remodeled Nassau Coliseum for the 2018-19 season aren’t sold out. That fans are complaining about ticket prices. And I feel that there’s a correlation.
Let’s go back to 1995. The Islanders owner want to unload the team. Anyone interested in the team wants it solely for the land. Pigs at the trough. Spano. Wang. Maldecky. Most of those owners weren’t filthy rich. One of those owners was so non- filthy that White Castle felt like Peter Luger. So what did these skinflints do? Not spend on the team.
In fact, the preceding era into the early Wang ownership
spent so little on the team that the NHL instituted a cap minimum. And Charles
Wang’s genius was to find ways around spending for a product.
But every Isles owner- Wang included- expected fans to do
what they would not. Spend money on the team. And when I say the team, I mean
any roster out there. An owner makes $37 million from TV deals, $5 million from
league revenue sharing, $3 million in advertising, and has a ticket gate of $30
million with a payroll of $40 million- below the cap floor but using roster
bonuses to circumvent the cap- but when fans don’t spend, THEY’RE the bad guys?
So the origins of blowing late game leads comes from owners
not investing in players as they implore the fans to invest in the team. This
is a nice way of saying “we’re pocketing your cash and giving you a shit
roster. Drink up!” And what came from that Immaculate Ingestion? #IslesKoolAid.
People, this is Trotz’s time. He needs a year- maybe two- to repair over a decade of stepping in elephant shit, which is what happens when Garth misses the bowl. Yes he inherited a team that sees 3 goals are a luxury. But they also have expiring deals coming up, some cap space and can really reshape this team at G, D and F.
#Loupon
And this is Lou Lamoriello’s time. Lou has decisions that are more pressing- the trade deadline- and less pressing- the offseason. He has a lot of current key players walking into unrestricted free agency. He clearly needs more offense, but his offensive prospects aren’t setting the world on fire. And he’s also facing losing 3 of his top 6 forwards, and has one restricted forward on the verge of a big payday, if NHL trends continue. He also has to think about this season being one to reset this team, or to make a splash at the trade deadline. So he has a ton of work on his table.
But Jesus Christ, look what it’s taking to shake off the loser
mentality from this organization. Two hall of famers at their respective jobs,
a billion dollar arena motivating owners, intervention from the Governor of New
York, and 9 minute power plays.
I love the surprise that the Islanders have been this season. I’m not sure where this ends now. But they have to do more. This is good, but it’s not good enough. Because theres a remnant from the loser Islanders era- we’ve seen a glimpse of promise here and there, only to watch it go nowhere. So here’s hoping that unlike all of the other times, everything new isn’t old again.
Now that the 2018 NFL season is officially over, it’s time for the Jets to focus on potential offseason moves. The Jets spent little time firing Todd Bowles after another losing season. In about 2 months, GM Mike Maccagnan named former Dolphins head coach Adam Gase as the new head coach. Personally at first, I didn’t like the hiring, but as the next couple days went on, I warmed up to Gase and started liking him.
I started looking at the positives with the hire. One, before Ryan Tannehill got hurt, he was on the verge of being an above average quarterback in the league. Second, in his 3 years in Miami, he beat the Jets 5 times out of the 6. Third, with an average offense with no quarterback, the Dolphins didn’t do awful. Fourth, Peyton Manning gave this guy a sweeping endorsement. I know Manning doesn’t feel the need to be coached, but when Gase was Manning’s offensive coordinator in 2013, Manning did throw a record-breaking 55 touchdowns. And fifth, Sam Darnold loves this guy. So Jets fans……..IF OUR FRANCHISE QUARTERBACK LOVES THIS GUY, THEN SO SHOULD WE!!!
Gase rounded out his staff very well by bringing on Greg Williams as the new defensive coordinator to run the defense. Williams will have full control and be able to focus on the defense, while Gase focuses on the offense, which is great. Let Williams run the defense the way he wants and we can see great things.
Dowell Loggains was named the offensive coordinator. Loggains was Gase’s offensive coordinator while in Miami. While the Dolphins offensive wasn’t the best, but they always managed to win games or at least be in them. Brent Boyer was a huge bring back for the Jets and 100% deserved to keep his job. The Jets special teams in 2018 was A++. He was able to send 2 special teams players to the pro bowl with how they played this year (Jason Meyers and Andre Roberts).
Some other notable names who rounded out the rest of the coaching staff is running backs coach, Jim Bob Cooter, who served as the Lions offensive coordinator for the past 4 years. Frank Pollack, who is credited for the development of the Cowboys offensive line. Joe Vitt is the new outside linebackers coach, who you may remember was suspended in 2012 for the Saints bounty scandal. Dennard Wilson, defensive backs coach, was another coach who was brought back, and rightfully so.
For the roster, let’s take a look at the offense. The big news around the Jets this offseason so far is, will Le’veon Bell play for the Jets in 2019? Bell will make this offense drastically better. That’s the talent Bell brings to the table. Jamal Adams has been recruiting him to come play in the green and white. The Jets have over $100 million in cap space, so the ball is in the Jets court.
I think the Jets will cut or trade Crowell this offseason because after a promising first 6 weeks in 2018, Crowell’s game took a turn for the worst as he sucked the rest of the season and eventually got injured. If the Jets don’t sign Bell, there’s guys like Mark Ingram from the Saints who the Jets could sign.
Ingram is a really good running back and would be great for the Jets. And if neither of those guys are there, I wouldn’t be opposed to the Jets signing Adrian Peterson. Peterson had a good bounce back year for the Redskins as he rushed for 1042 yards and had 7 touchdowns. So, if he can do something close to that in 2019, plus he can help develop Elijah McGuire and Trenton Cannon, I’ll take that on my team.
Realistically, the Jets need 5 new offensive linemen, but can live with Brandon Shell at right tackle and Brian Winters at right guard. With the release of Spencer Long, James Carpenter most likely not getting re-signed, Kelvin Beachum on the back end of his career, the Jets need a left tackle, left guard, and center.
For the center, in the free agency, the Jets could sign Matt Paradis from the Broncos or Mitch Morse from the Chiefs. Both men had good seasons for their teams and the Jets are in a desperate need for a center. They could also look out for Garrett Bradbury from North Carolina State. He turned a lot of heads in the Senior Bowl and the Jets could draft him in the later rounds.
For left guard, the Jets could look to sign Rodger Saffold from the Rams, who was part one of the best offensive lines in 2018 or A.J. Cann from the Jaguars. For left tackle, the free agency is dry, but the Jets hold the 3rd overall pick in the draft, so you could see the Jets possibly draft Jonah Williams (Alabama), Greg Little (Ole Miss), Cody Ford (Oklahoma), or Jawaan Taylor (Florida). All have tons of potential and Jets could draft any of them.
Finally, the Jets need a true number one wide receiver. Quincey Enunwa was Darnold’s “safety blanket” in 2018, until he got injured. Anderson and Darnold developed a strong connection with each other towards the end of the season. That’s what we want to see from Anderson’s development. Kearse is a free agent and after his poor performance in 2018, I doubt he comes back. So, the Jets need one or two more wide receivers. I think the Jets should go after Adam Humphries from the Buccaneers. Humphries had good 2018 season as he had 816 yards and 5 touchdowns, plus he’s 25 years old. He would go great alongside Enunwa and Anderson. Some other guys the Jets could sign are Cole Beasley from the Cowboys or Tyrell Williams from the Chargers.
For the defense, the Jets are only a couple pieces away from having an elite defense. But the way they address this offseason depends on what Gregg Williams does with the defense. For years the Jets run a 3-4 defense, but Williams is known for his 4-3 defense. Either way, one thing the Jets need to address is pass rusher.
Henry Anderson had a good year in 2018, tying for first on the team with 7 sacks. The Jets need to sign him back, but also need another pass rusher. Priority number one, if he’s not franchised, should be Demarcus Lawrence. Lawrence in William’s defensive will thrive. The Jets haven’t had an elite pass rusher since John Abraham and Lawrence would provide the pass rusher the Jets need.
Another name being thrown out there is Dante Fowler. Fowler had a good 2017, but a not so good 2018. Fowler has tons of potential and with a coach like Gregg Williams, the sky’s the limit. Also, Trey Flowers is a possible name. He had a good season and a good post season. I can’t imagine the Patriots not signing him back, but if they don’t, the Jets should go after him.
The Jets could find some good pass rushers in the draft. This is a defense heavy draft. Personally, I think the only defensive player the Jets should have an eye out for is Nick Bosa (Ohio State). Bosa has elite talent like his brother and has the potential to be better than his brother. But if the Jets do go in the direction of drafting a pass rusher, the Jets could draft guys like Clein Ferrell (Clemson), Rashan Gary (Michigan), or Montez Sweat (Mississippi State). All have great potential and Jets could draft them.
Defensive tackle is a bit of a question mark. Steve McClendon is set to be a free agent, but I can imagine the Jets signing him back for his great play and leadership. Depending on how Williams runs this defense will determine if they need another defensive tackle.
Among guys in the free agents are Ndamukong Suh. First off, just imagine Williams coaching Suh. Like a match made in heaven. Second, Suh is a great run stopper and can improve the Jets defense so much. Another guy the Jets could possibly sign is Jonathan Hankins. Hankins was a solid defensive tackle for the Giants a couple years and still has potential to be a great defensive tackle.
For the draft, a lot of mock drafts have the Jets drafting Quinen Williams (Alabama). Williams was a star for the Crimson Tide and if the Jets draft him, Williams has the potential to be the next big thing in the NFL.
Jordan Jenkins improved greatly last season. The trio of Brandon Copeland, Frankie Luvu, and Neville Hewitt was okay, but the Jets still need a true starting outside linebacker opposite of Jenkins. But, again its depending on how Williams shapes this defense. If he goes to a 4-3 defense, it’s possible Darron Lee makes the move to outside linebacker, but if not some guys the Jets could look at in free agency is Dee Ford from the Chiefs, if he hits the free agency.
Ford had a breakout season in 2018, recording 13 sacks. Ford is just the piece the Jets need. Another name is Anthony Barr. I always felt Barr was underrated as an outside linebacker. Barr isn’t the pass rusher the Jets need, but he’s a great field general, great run stopper, and a great cover guy, too. Also, the Jets could draft Josh Allen from Kentucky. This kid is something special. He has the potential to be the next great pass rusher in the NFL.
The Jets secondary was awful in 2018. Trumaine Johnson had a bad year and looks to bounce back in 2019. As for Morris Claiborne and Buster Skrine……they had awful seasons and with them set to become free agents, I can’t imagine the Jets bringing them both back.
Darryl Roberts took a huge step forward in 2018. He developed into a decent corner and filled in fine when Marcus Maye got injured. Kareem Jackson has always been a solid corner for the Texans and if the Jets sign him he would not only bring his skill, but his leadership experience, especially for this young team. Darqueze Dennard has been a decently solid corner for the Bengals. Jason Verrett is also on the market. He missed the 2018 season due to injury, but before he got injured, Verrett was a very solid cornerback. The Jets could take the risk and sign him because Verrett still has a bunch of upside. That goes for Ronald Darby as well. Darby is a very good corner, before he got injured. So, if the Jets sign him, there’s huge upside.
If for some odd reason the Jets don’t sign back Andre Roberts and Jason Meyers, I’ll be so mad. It wouldn’t make any sense. So, I can’t imagine the Jets not signing them both back.
Overall, this offseason can make or break the Jets for the next 3-5 years. The Jets hold the 3rd overall draft pick and over $100 million in cap space. The Jets can make significant moves this offseason that could help the Jets dethrone the Patriots.
