Sorry this is kind of late in the day, but I was busy writing my new screenplay called "Life of Brian 2: Lost in New York". This thing just writes itself.

Kristian Dyer: Meet the Jets' new don, Tony Sparano.

Brian Costello: Karl Dunbar likes how the new unit is developing.

Toni Monkovic: For Mark Sanchez, it is the opposite of coddling.

ESPN New York: The notion that the Jets are setting up Sanchez to fail is total bunk.

New York Post: The jealous wife of Antonio Cromartie faked a suicide attempt.

Jets Insider: Yeremiah Bell's addition can solidify the 46 defense.

NYJets 101: Have the Jets filled the leadership void with Bell and Tim Tebow?

SBN New York: Tebowing will be possible in Madden 13.

Rich Cimini: Kenrick Ellis may have to answer to the NFL as well.

Jets Twit: Fans spew venom at Cimini online.

CBS Sports: You'll need a nickel defense to combat hybrid offenses this fall.

NFL.com: The NFL is prepared for legal action against the "My Jesus" shirt company.

The Fifth Down is brought to you by the number 46 (defense, that is).

The Jet Press is brought to you by the number 56 (Jeff Lageman, that is).

Infinite Jets is brought to you by the number 61.

Joe Klecko will be appearing at a charity event in June.

DL Kenrick Ellis will serve 45 days in jail, beginning June 15. He has entered an 'Alford' plea, which basically admits the prosecutors can prove their case but doesn't admit to being guilty. Ellis will not miss any OTAs or mini-camps, but will miss the first few days of training camp. According to Brian Costello, "The specifics of the plea are 179 days in jail, with 89 days suspended, which leaves 90 days. In VA that is cut in half so it is 45 days."

For a second year player who needs all the training with Karl Dunbar that he can get, the news is not ideal, but considering the options, is pretty close. Let's just hope we don't have any more issues with Ellis, or any other players, for that matter.

It seems as though we now have our two starting safeties for the 2012 season, Yeremiah Bell and Laron Landry. A few have questioned the lack of coverage with this unit, but going back to who was available. Outside of trading for a safety and having to either give up a hot commodity or a valuable high draft pick, there wasn't really anyone available on the open market.

I was a big fan of Thomas DeCoud for his coverage ability, however when Atlanta snapped him back up before we even had a chance, the coverage safeties in the league were few and far between. With how the league is developing into a passing league, teams who have those coverage safeties will not be wanting to let them hit the open market.

According to Pro Football Focus Tyvon Branch and Thomas DeCoud were the two best safeties entering free agency. Both re-signed with their current teams. Then came Reggie Nelson and Michael Griffin, both players remaining with their current teams from 2011. Then the 5th on the list was none other than Brodney Pool who never quite managed to impress enough to stay on the field as a starter with the Jets.

Then we have a look at the draft where elite safety talent was hard to come by. We have Mark Barron who is better playing the run than the pass and who was over-hyped due to a week class. You then have the fringe starters like Harrison Smith. Further and further back we get Guy Winston and Markelle Martin.

We chose to take Josh Bush, a decision I'm still not sure about. We also managed to grab Antonio Allen a player who is not ready to start but you could develop if given some time to really work on his coverage. he hasn't dropped back into coverage enough in college to feel comfortable in the NFL, however he does have the raw ability in terms of speed, instincts and ball skills to make you believe that he may turn into that starter.

So we have LaRon Landry and Yeremiah Bell, a better combination than Eric Smith/Jim Leonhard/Brodney Pool trio. The bottom line for me is that there really were not many options to upgrade long term at the safety position and the good to elite coverage safeties weren't available. I do think that we have improved the position for the 2011 season, and I do think we will look to address the position long term next off-season. I know there is disappointment that we haven't found that elite coverage safety yet, but the draft in 2013 will be a chance to improve if the college season goes as planned, the players who should perform do, and then they declare.

It feels like more than a decade since there was a draft where we didn't take a RB. Everyone says Rex loves his CBs, but RB is the position he has always drafts without fail. This draft strategy compliments Rex's ground and pound mentality. First he drafted Shonn Greene to compliment and replace Thomas Jones. Then came Joe McKnight to replace Leon Washington. In 2011, we picked Powell to give Greene a rest from all the punishment he takes throughout the year. We can't forget John Connor either. He was brought in to replace the future Hall of Famer, Tony Richardson. Last April, the Rex/Tanny connection brought in Terrance Ganaway.

Ganaway is a big, thunderous back, who can hit the whole harder than most players at the same position. His running style reminds me of LeGarrette Blount, only Ganaway has much better hands, ability to change directions, and character. Powell hasn't proved at all, that he can be called upon to do anything. If either Greene or McKnight went down with an injury last year, we would have been in a lot of trouble. I am glad the Jets made this pick, so I won't have the same worry going into this year.

What this tells me is that Rex and Tanny are covering all their bases at the running back position. They saw the same Powell we did last year. If Greene goes down, the last person he would want to count on to pound the rock between the tackles, is Powell. Ganaway gives Rex some options. If Bilal doesn't miraculously get better, Rex has Ganaway to call on. There is another reason to like this move. Shonn Greene is a free agent next year, and we are going to be short on cash. If Ganaway shows Rex a lot of good snaps, for the few snaps he will get, they might be ok with letting Greene walk.

What I think will happen is Rex will give Ganaway and McKnight a lot of opportunities to show what they can do. If we can't find a way to bring back "War Machine," we will need a replacement. This replacement will either come from someone we already have, or we will draft someone. Either way, my money is on us drafting another RB next year no matter what happens with Greene.

**FYI** The Jets have their 1st day of OTAs on Tuesday the 22nd.

Sorry I've been away for a while. I've been busy writing and trying to sell my screenplay called "Lawrence of Canada". So far, no takers.

New York Times: The Jets' offense hears Tony Sparano clear, and loud.

ESPN New York: Karl Dunbar hasn't let his skin condition be a hindrance.

Wall Street Journal: TIm Tebow renames his dog to fit with New York.

The Record: Tebowmania's effect is the big unknown.

Daily News: Matt Cavanaugh says that Mark Sanchez's turnovers come from poor decision-making.

Star Ledger: Bill Cowher says that Santonio Holmes is ready to move on.

New York Post: Holmes has impressed Sanjay Lal.

NYJets.com: Wayne Hunter is in a Connecticut state of mind.

The Metro: Hunter and Aaron Maybin are beginning the season anew.

Jets Insider: How simplifying the offense could improve the running game.

JetNation: The Jets partner with United Way NYC.

CBS New York: Marty Lyons' impact is stronger than ever.

Associated Press: Art Monk is named to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Lastly, is this the former Jet Justin Miller?

Joel Thorman of SBNation.com got the chance to speak with Stephen Hill at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere this week. We should have video soon.

Reaction to getting drafted: "Getting drafted in the city that you're going to play for, it was cool."

On waiting to get picked in the draft: "It really wasn't stressful. My family, they're just a supportive group. Anywhere I was gonna go I was gonna be ready to go to that state and get going."

On interacting w/ Jets fans: "Just saying the Jets chant, I know they love that. Showing them I'm ready to play. I'm in the city so it's time to play like a Jet and fly."

On the Jets QBs: "You have two great QBs. Tebow, he's a winner. As a left handed QB, he's differnet from Sanchez. Sanchez is a different QB too. Their balls each have a different spin to it."

More on Tebow/Sanchez: "I haven't been out to dinner with them but we make sure we have team meetings together."

On his biggest strength: "I feel like my best attribute, outside of speed, is my physicality. I'm very physical. I'm from an offense that blocks a lot."

On his blocking: "I'm definitely proud of it. Once you get the corner uncomfortable, that's when it's time to throw the ball because he doesn't know if you're gonna block him or run by him."

Is he ready for the Jets fans: "Definitely. There are going to be ups and downs, I hear certain things, but that's life and you have to deal with that."

I am usually not a big fan of taking raw but exceptionally talented players early in the Draft. Early picks are very valuable so I prefer safer commodities, even if their ceilings are lower. With that said, I just have a good feeling about the players the Jets took early, even though they definitely fall into the first category. Maybe I trust the coaching. Maybe it is that the skills they do have make them perfect fits. Maybe I am completely wrong. I don't know, but my money is on us remembering this as a successful Draft.

We kicked off our on the trail series last weekend with a look at the top 20 prospects in college football, you as Jets fans should be watching in 2012. In this weeks edition we're going to focus in on one player, safety Eric Reid for the LSU Tigers.

Here we are going to just take a quick look at Eric Reid and if you take the jump, I've selected three games in LSU's season that we need to focus on to see how Eric Reid tests against some of the better passing attacks in college football.

This off-season we have signed Landry and we have signed Bell. We've drafted Bush and Allen and we still have Smith and Wilson. I see potential, but I also still see a need for a player with excellent ball skills and more range. A true top end talent. Landry and Bell will likely be short term answers, I'm not sold on Wilson or Bush yet and Antonio is unproven and the less said about Eric Smith as a starter the better.

In an ideal world, a couple of those players make the jump this year and come draft time we are not even discussing the safety position. However I doubt that happens, so I'll be really focusing in on the safety talent in college football this year and if you want somewhere to start, I suggest you start with Reid.

(Eric Reid, a Lifelong LSU fan)

Reid has the potential, skill set and size to play either safety position. A highly recruited prospect (4 star), Reid committed early to the local Tigers. An intelligent man (4.3 GPA) and athletically gifted (Track and Basketball player in High School). Most are predicting a break out season for Reid who has already made a good impression in LSU on both special teams and in the base defence.

This off-season Eric has found himself on the Lott Impact Trophy watch list which is awarded to college footballs Defensive Player of the Year who best exemplifies integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community and tenacity. Academics and athletics have always been equally important to Reid and his family, Notre Dame heavily recruited him a couple of years ago and I remember following that recruitment process with interest.

In his Sophomore campaign in 2011, Reid started all 12 games, ranking third on the team with 65 tackles. A free safety at LSU, he has ideal size at 6'2 and 210lb's. He's a natural leader who plays intelligent football, taking good angles to the football and having the capability to come up and play the run or be a free roamer in centre field.

If you just looked at his stats, I don't think you would be that impressed. However if you look at the progress he made last year as a Sophmore, and his skill set. It looks like Eric is set for a massive 2012. Will be enter the 2012 NFL draft? who knows, academics are important to him and he is scheduled to graduate in 3.5 years. However it's going to be a lot of fun watching him develop this year into a guy I believe will be the best safety in college football at the end of it.

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