How Mount Cody Would Help the Pass Rush

There seems to be some friendly debate in Jets fan circles over whether adding defensive line depth or an edge pass rusher would benefit the team more. There is one option capable of helping in both areas. That option is Alabama nose tackle Terrence Cody.

There's a chance you think I have lost my mind after reading that last statement. Cody has good attributes, but rushing the passer is not one of them. Even those who like him believe his strength is primarily as a run defender and is a two down player. You're probably asking how he helps the pass defense.

The short answer is he is an extra big body up front. Right now the Jets have a pair of excellent nose tackles, Kris Jenkins and Sione Pouha. Don't sleep on Pouha's contributions to the team last year. Playing without Jenkins for over half the season, the team finished with the league's top ranked defense in no small part because of Sione's ability to hold the point of attack and draw double teams. Now let's think about the effect of adding Cody.

Rex Ryan is an unconventional thinker. Most teams wouldn't think of playing a pair of nose tackles at the same time. Rex would have the chance to play three at once. The Jets could run a 3-4 with Pouha, Jenkins, and Cody on the line. That would be over 1,000 pounds of meat on the line. There would be three guys commanding double teams. There are only five offensive linemen. Now add an outside linebacker rushing in a base defense. That's a very difficult blocking assignment. The run defense wouldn't suffer either because again 1,000 pounds would be playing on the line.

Rex would also have the option to offer some 2-5 looks playing two of the three nose tackles at once. One of the reasons the 3-4 is such an effective pass rushing defense is that even when sending four, the offensive line doesn't know which of the four linebackers is rushing the passer. In a 2-5, the offensive line would have to identify a pair of unknown rushers. It probably wouldn't succeed as a base defense, but with enough size up front, the Jets could survive showing looks like this.

So even though the Jets already have an excellent situation at nose tackle, Mount Cody would add to its ability. If he's on the board at 29, Gang Green should seriously consider making him the pick.