FanPost

The Jets: A Team Built Through The Draft?


Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum has gained a reputation for making big Free Agent acquisitions such as Damien Woody, Al Faneca, Calvin Pace, Bart Scott, and to a lesser extent LaDanian Tomlinson,Tony Richardson, Ben Hartsock, Jim Leonard, Jason Taylor, and Brodney Pool. He has also gained a reputation for making big trades for semi-troubled players such as Antonio Cromartie, Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes, Kris Jenkins (a trade and sign, which could be included in big Free Agent acquisitions), Thomas Jones, and Brett Favre. While Tanny is also known to draft well, the moves mentioned above seem to define the Jets team overshadowing at times what has been occurring in the draft.


After the jump, a look at the Jets potential starting roster for 2011, which interestingly enough, includes only four starters on both sides of the ball brought in as Free Agents or Trades.

QB - Sanchez, Jets 2009 Rd. 1
RB- Greene, Jets 2009 Rd. 3
FB- Connor, Jets 2010 Rd. 5
WR- Edwards, Browns 2005 Rd. 1*, or, Holmes, Pittsburgh 2006 Rd. 1*,
WR- Cotchery, Jets 2004 Rd. 4
TE- Keller, Jets 2008 Rd. 1

Slot- Kerley, Jets 2011 Rd. 5^

T- Ferguson, Jets 2006 Rd. 1
G- Slauson, Jets 2009 Rd. 6
C- Mangold, Jets 2006 Rd. 1
G- Moore, Jets 2002 UDFA
T- Ducasse, Jets 2010 Rd. 2^

DE- S. Ellis, Jets 2000 Rd. 1*
NT- Pouha, Jets 2005 Rd. 3, or, K. Ellis, Jets 2011 Rd. 3
DE- Wilkerson, Jets 2011 Rd. 1, or, Devito, Jets 2007 UDFA

OLB- Thomas, Jets 2002 Rd. 1
ILB- Scott, Ravens 2002 UDFA
ILB- Harris, Jets 2007 Rd. 2
OLB- Pace, Cardinals 2003 Rd. 1

CB- Revis, Jets 2007 Rd. 1
SS- E. Smith, Jets 2006 Rd. 3*
FS- Lowery, Jets 2008 Rd. 4^
CB- Wilson, Jets 2010 Rd. 1^

NB- Coleman, Jets 2006 Rd. 6*

KR - J. McKnight, Jets 2010 Rd. 4
PR- Kerley, Jets 2011 Rd. 5

K- Folk, Cowboys 2007 Rd. 6*
P- TJ Conley, Jets 2009 UDFA^

* - Currently Free Agents that I am speculating will be back.
^ - As does my whole list, these players require some speculation to be considered starters.

Obviously, there is a certain amount of speculation in filling out this starting roster. But in any case, its undeniable that the team, however it is finally constructed for 2011, is largely built through the draft. Its also interesting for draft-junkies to note that every round except the 7th round is represented above (sorry Scotty McKnight). We even have 2 or 3 UDFAs as starters. Of course, the most represented round is the 1st round with 11 players taken there.

We are in a dead-zone for NFL news. I was bored watching baseball when I decided to look into this. Feel free to tear up the comments section with your own speculation on "How wrong that roster is!" and "We need Nnamdi!" and "Where is the pass rush!" and "Holmes v. Edwards!" and "No way Lowery starts at FS!" and finally, "We should switch to a 4-3 front!"

This is a FanPost written by a registered member of this site. The views expressed here are those of the author alone and not those of anybody affiliated with Gang Green Nation or SB Nation.