By Tyson Rauch –
As the temperature continues to increase through the dog days of summer, so does the anticipation for the 2008 NFL season. The New York Jets were one of the most active teams in the offseason; from the free agent signings, to the re-signing of their core players, to the preparations on how to roll out a personal seat licensing program without their fans feeling fleeced. But coming off a 4-12 campaign what do all of these changes really mean?
The signings of Alan Faneca, Damien Woody and Tony Richardson clearly show that the Jets are going to try to establish a strong running game and control the time of possession battle.
The moves for Vernon Gholston, Calvin Pace and Kris Jenkins show that the Gang Green wants to be more aggressive on defense and not only stop the running game, but put pressure on the quarterback.
So the sky could be the limit with the Jets right?
Not so fast my green-blooded friends as the Jets still have one piece of the puzzle that needs to be put in place. This piece is vital to the success of the team and that is the quarterback position. The veteran Chad Pennington can manage the game and has the respect of the team and coaching staff but is limited in terms of throwing the ball down field and stretching out the defense. Mr. Pennington’s main competition is Kellen Clemens a young, strong-armed quarterback, who has been known to hold on to the ball too long, take unnecessary sacks and struggle reading defenses.
And the winner is?
How about a proven strong- armed veteran quarterback that has not only won two league MVP awards but also a Super Bowl? A man that ranks amongst the top five in almost every passing category in NFL history, and is coming off one of his best seasons. Yes my friends I am talking about Brett Favre. Call me crazy, call me stupid, but call me a Jets fan tired of talking about championships and wants a chance at one.
The Jets as they are currently composed, with a couple of lucky breaks will be 9-7 at best. And in the tough AFC that will not even guarantee a playoff spot, which after all of the money spent and players brought in, is just not good enough. So why not shoot for the stars? Sure Brett Favre is a country boy, not a big fan of the bright lights and big city. Sure Mr. Favre is somewhat of a gunslinger and may not fit in perfectly to Coach Mangini’s controlled offensive system. But even at his advanced age he would be one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the New York Jets. When was the last time the Jets actually had a quarterback that would actually be feared by opposing teams and would keep defensive coordinators up at night?
The Jets spent hundreds of millions of dollars in the offseason, some even on questionable players, why not offer some decent coin for a two year deal on Mr. Brett Favre? The Green Bay Packers cannot afford to have Favre come back to haunt them within their own conference so if they have their preference shipping him to the AFC would be ideal. Clearly Brett wants to go to a team that can win now, and the Jets as they are currently composed are one QB away from doing so. So then it comes down to money, which after endorsements and a reasonable contract offer should not be an issue, so what gives? Why can this not be a reality? The Jets want to act like they are a team going places and willing to do whatever it takes to win, well now is the best time to prove yourself. Put your money where your mouth is, hell you want your fans to.