Do the Jets need more depth at OLB?

by rick34125 on May 24, 2010 1:45 PM EDT

There's been a recent report that the Jets are looking into Australian Rugby star Greg Inglis.

According to The Sun-Herald in Melbourne, a "senior official" from the Jets inquired about rugby star Greg Inglis, who plays for the Melbourne Storm. The newspaper reported that an Australian-based NFL scouting agency received an e-mail from a Jets official, checking on Inglis' availability for a workout in New York.

Inglis is 23 years old and is listed at 6'5'', 238 lbs. That's close to the measureables of an OLB. He'd probably even have to bulk up a little bit.

Currently at OLB, Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas are the ROLB and LOLB, respectively. The Jets have also added Jason Taylor to be a situational pass rusher.

Should the Jets feel comfortable with their depth at OLB?

OLB Bryan Thomas is already 30 years old and has played 9 seasons with the Jets. Although he's generally been productive, some would consider him average at best and long in the tooth. He is signed through 2011, but there is no cap hit if he is released in his last year. Unless he has a great 2010 season there is every reason to believe that this will be his last one with the Jets.

Behind Thomas is Jamaal Westerman who was signed to a UDFA contract last year. He played in 14 games and recorded 3 tackles and 1 sack. Unless Westerman can take his game to another level, it's hard to envision him as Thomas' eventual replacement.

On the other side is OLB Calvin Pace who is 29 years old and is in his 3rd year of a 6-year contract. In 2009, he played in 12 games and recorded 8 sacks and 3 forced fumbles, both career highs. Calvin has fit well into Rex Ryan's defense and there is every reason to expect him to be around for another couple of years.

Behind Pace, I don't know. Perhaps the rookie Kevin Basped. He's the only other player on the roster with the measureables to play the position.

Of course there is Jason Taylor who will add depth. But remember he will be used mostly as a pass rushing specialist. And although he was signed to a 2-year contract, it's not expected for him to remain passed this year.

In short, it's hard to feel comfortable with the depth of the OLB position this year, and certainly not looking ahead. No doubt this would explain the Jets interest in trying to find a diamond in the rough in Australia.

It might also indicate that the Jets should look more seriously at Adalius Thomas who is still waiting in the wings for a suitor.

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Comments

you can always use more depth at every position

by Rickfansince76 on May 24, 2010 3:54 PM EDT reply actions

heck yeah

"To be honest with you, it could've used a little more Cowbell!"

by nybbyby04 on May 24, 2010 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions

so you're also concerned about the Jets depth at OLB?

"212 degrees" - NY Jets 2010 offseason approach
At 211 degrees, water is hot.
At 212 degrees, water boils and makes steam.
With steam one can power a locomotive.
"One marginal degree, just like a small additional effort, can make all the difference."

by rick34125 on May 24, 2010 7:23 PM EDT up reply actions

I would say it is a weakness

if a guy goes dwon they are inexperienced, but that doesn’t always mean bad. A good coach like Ryan can get guys to perform due to the system regardless.

it is a lot like Cowher, he always seemed to have the next guy ready to fill in at LB, everytime someone left due to FA an new guy was ready. Sometimes it is the coach and the system that works regardless of the lack of depth

by Rickfansince76 on May 25, 2010 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Inglis

Hey guys, Fins fan here — don’t kill me, haha.

I saw the report about Greg Inglis and I wanted to know what you guys thought of the idea.

Considering your OLB situation, would it be worth bringing Inglis in as a potential project? From what I see, the only real proven commodities that you have are Pace, Thomas, and Taylor. Based on your analysis, the only OLB that may be around in 2011 is Pace, and even he will be on the wrong side of 30.

It looks like your linebacking corps will be in serious need of youth soon, is the lack of draft picks over the last few seasons(a total of 7 in 2009 and 2010 if I recall correctly) disconcerting to you at all? Is this team simply being built to win now and dealing with the consequences later?

Given a couple years to learn the game and position, Inglis could potentially be fully ready to play at 25, and I really don’t see him as a high-risk prospect. Pending the deal occurs, would be worth a roster spot?

The way I look at it, you need to be a little crazy to play linebacker in the NFL (see: Romanowski, Bill), and rugby players seem to fit that bill.

by rroan28 on May 24, 2010 4:59 PM EDT reply actions

the daily news has already killed this report so its a moot point - the jets aren't interested in inglis.

your point about the lack of draft picks is like a broken record. every shmoe who wants to criticize the Jets picks on this.

in fairness, i’d like to ask you a question. out of the 7 draft picks most teams have, how many of them actually make the team? and of those how many of them are starters?

by rick34125 on May 24, 2010 7:20 PM EDT up reply actions

On the hit/miss prospect of the draft: Touche

I wasn’t bringing up the draft pick issue as a critique, but as a question. I was more asking if it was a point of concern looking into the future. No ill will was intended. I mentioned my allegiance only for the sake of full disclosure.

Matty did a (very unofficial, mind you) case study regarding the success/failures of draft picks a few months ago. His analysis of rounds one and two showed the roughly half of the draft picks from 2000 to 2005 are, in his words “disappointments” or “busts.”

http://www.thephinsider.com/2010/4/7/1408570/building-through-the-draft-an

In most cases, it would seem that nearly all draft picks make their final roster for year one. Whether they become contributors is another issue entirely.

Of the nine players Miami drafted in 2009, eight were on the active roster, while one was still employed by the team. I don’t forsee Folsom or Gardner returning in 2010, and the jury is out on Turner. It’s too early to label White a bust, but I don’t see him being much of a contributor. I’d say they’ve found two starters, and two, possibly three more.

Of New York’s three picks, two are starters. Sanchez and Greene. All three were on the roster.

In this (admittedly small) sample size, NY has at worst a 66% success rate in terms of starters, to Miami’s roughly 22% right now. This number could increase to as high as 55% depending on Hartline, Clemons, and Nalbone.

Now, my view on this is that with fewer draft picks, there is less margin for error. For example let’s say Sanchez turned out to be a bust. The investment required in obtaining him, as well as the salary demands a #5 pick commands can be extremely damaging.

Overall, as long as the Jets keep hitting on the picks they are making, I can’t say I see it as an issue. My concern, however, would be that if this success rate starts to regress, it could be potentially devastating in the long term. New England, for example, for years was nearly perfect with their draft selections. However as they have started missing more and more in the last few years, combined with an aging core, the team has started to erode.

So I would say that the Jets are about on par with everyone else in the NFL in terms of draft success from a numbers perspective. But I believe that the lack of draft picks does not allow them the luxury of a draft bust.

by rroan28 on May 24, 2010 10:05 PM EDT up reply actions

I think the main idea of any draft is to find contributors to your team. 2 cheers for stating the obvious. But the Jets philosphy, although unorthodox, is actually a smarter way of ensuring success in my opinion. There are two ways to improve your chances of hitting your target: you can either shoot more bullets or take better aim. Most organizations are in line with the New England (i.e. more bullets appraoch). The Jets take better aim. They increase the quality of the pick rather than the quantity of picks.

The common approach is to select players in rounds 4, 5, 6, and 7 with the hopes that one will maybe make your team and contribute. What the Jets do is target players in the mid rounds that their organization grades as a higher round player, then they trade those later picks to move up and get their man. They actually increase their chances of success by finding a high quality prospect that will fit their scheme.

I think there’s a better chance of a high quality candidate actually panning out and contributing than there is for multiple but lesser quality candidates. The rifle is better than the shot-gun in the draft.

by Crackback on May 24, 2010 10:37 PM EDT up reply actions

That's a good analogy

The rifle philosophy is showing to be successful, if a team really wants a certain player, it is because they’ve researched the hell out of them and believe that they will see a high return from doing so.

My concern is with the fact that there is an inherent risk in the draft, no matter how a team may try to mitigate that risk it still exists. What happens when your rifle shot misses?

by rroan28 on May 25, 2010 12:16 AM EDT up reply actions

Its the same as missing on picks in rounds 4-7. Those guys rarely, if ever, amount to anything. So the cost is basically the same. I’d much rather trade picks 4-7 to move up in round 3 to get a guy whose a fit and who the organization had a late first/early second round grade on. I think i’m much less likely to miss on that guy, than i am with those guys taken in rounds 4-7.

by Crackback on May 25, 2010 2:36 AM EDT up reply actions

any time a team moves up to draft a player they better be sure of what they're doing

missing on a higher round or multiple pick player is obviously a bad situation. look at vernon gholston, who the jets didn’t even move up to get. that pick has hurt the team. besides the money and cap space he commands, the jets have basically had to replace him with jason taylor.

with that said, though, i would also say that the way a team drafts is a dynamic that is determined by a teams roster. sometimes a team needs to move up to get a key player, like the jets did with sanchez, and sometimes they just need to add role players for depth. trader mike was once told that if you move up in the draft make sure you know what you’re doing.

by rick34125 on May 25, 2010 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions

This is a win-win camp invitee. He’ll generate some interest as we follow his progress. If he’s terrible no big deal- cut. Best case scenario is he has decent ability and becomes a special teams standout. I could imagine him tackling well on special teams even if he can’t return. But most likely he will be on practice squad as a work in progress (if he would agree to PS).

by LateHitonKosar on May 24, 2010 6:13 PM EDT reply actions