The Case for Keeping Brandon Moore

The Jets were busy earlier in the week restructuring a few contracts to clear up cap room for free agent signings. Free agent guard Brandon Moore has stated he is surprised by how little contact he has had with the Jets. This is a sign he is probably gone. It makes me wonder, though, what is the point of creating cap space if you aren't going to use it on somebody like Moore?

There's no question the Jets have to get younger. They need to find higher quality players. That means they should look to build through the Draft. That is the best place to find quality play at bargain prices. They are not going to be able to fill their entire starting lineup through the Draft, though. That just isn't realistic. You only get seven picks a year. There are going to have to be signings.

If the Jets let Brandon Moore walk, there is no replacement in house. It will create a huge hole. It's easy to say, "Draft a guard," but the Jets have plenty of other holes. The best pick available for them might not be a guard. The offensive line last year was the one unit on the offense that was not a glaring weakness. Losing Moore would change that. An offensive line that replaces Moore with Vladimir Ducasse suddenly becomes very vulnerable on the right side.

Beyond that, rebuilding does not mean shedding all veterans. If you are rebuilding around young players, you need a veteran presence in the locker room. I think the word "leadership" has been overused around the Jets the last two years, but you do want good veteran guys around teaching the young players how to work, what life in the NFL is like, and how to handle adversity. By all accounts, Moore is a top notch locker room guy.

When you are in a rebuild, you stay away from crazy signings. You still need some targeted, smart signings. I would like to see Moore back. He would fit this description.