A new year, a new regime brings renewed hope and optimism for the vast number of jet fans all around the world. Mike Maccagnan faces the biggest challenge of his career as he takes full control of an NFL franchise. This team is still stained by the ineptness of the previous general manger and they might not completely wipe the slate clean for a year or two. However Maccagnan walks into a better situation then Idzik started with 2 years ago. He has a plethora of cap space to work with and hardly any dead money. The opposite of what this team looked like 2 seasons ago. He also has pick 6 and 37 to work with. It is quite clear that Maccagnan intends to be aggressive and the Brandon Marshall trade along with the David Harris resigning back this up. This depth chart is a tight balance between what I think should happen and what I think will happen. Obviously there have had to be some adjustments on the fly due to the jets aggressive week before free agency.

Quarterback: Bring in veteran competition/insurance with a new project.

Why not Mariota? Why not Foles? Look at the facts, there are 5 picks before the jets, there are around 6 or 7 teams excluding the jets that desperately need a quarterback, It’s a passing league, quarterbacks get pushed up draft boards; Marcus Mariota won’t be there at 6. I’ve read all the mock drafts but they can’t accommodate trades, and when a franchise says they are rolling with Zach Mettenberger there is obvious reason for skepticism. I would not drop dead on the floor with surprise if Mariota is available at 6 but my gut says no (if he did fall I’m all in for a trade). One of John Idzik’s greatest failings was Michael Vick. He was not a steady backup that could come in and right the ship if there were problems with Geno Smith. He was rather a sporadic injection of energy that would either explode for an 80 yard touchdown or backfire with a mind numbing moment of ball security. Ryan Fitzpatrick is just the type of veteran that the jets need. Fitzpatrick (32) had his best year under Chan Gailey and earned himself a 6 year 59 million dollar contract with Buffalo. He has done an admirable job in both Tennessee and Houston in a veteran backup role. He could help Geno out in a multitude of ways, possibly beat him out in a competition and provide insurance if Geno is having a shocker. He is still under contract in Houston so a trade might be necessary but he could be a cap casualty. Maccagnan does have some familiarity with him in Houston so I give this move a good chance of happening.

I also believe it’s time to move on from the Matt Simms era. Always a fan favorite during dismal quarterback situations, he has not shown enough signs of development to warrant a guaranteed roster spot. Spending a 3rd round pick on Oregon State’s Sean Mannion might just be worth it. He comes from a pro style system which is an advantage over the likes of Bryce Petty, he’s listed at 6’6’’ and throws the ball with a high release. He has displayed good footwork and is comfortable with reading defenses, calling audible etc. By no means a polished product, he could do with a couple of years as a third stringer and then in 3 years we might have a more complete developmental product then we have in Matt Simms at the moment.

Running Back: CJ Spiller makes too much sense.

The Chris Johnson signing was the right idea in theory, bring in a dynamic, shifty running back that can catch the ball out of the backfield. The perfect complement to the bruising style of Chris Ivory. The only problem: Johnson was past it. This CJ isn’t. Spiller (27) is on the way out in Buffalo in accordance with the recent Lesean McCoy trade. Along with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Spiller had his most productive season under Chan Gailey amassing 1,244 rushing yards at an impressive 6 yards per carry. He has openly praised Chan Gailey and looks like a perfect complement to Ivory. Of course it all comes down to money, he has said that himself and he is reportedly drawing interest from the Patriots, Dolphins, Cardinals, 49ers, Redskins and Lions. Although the jets must be careful not to get too involved in a bidding war, he is the perfect running back option for a team lacking a true dynamic options. (Would keep an eye on Reggie Bush as well)

In the end Bilal Powell is too talented to settle for a 3rd string role, he is a true free agent sleeper and should be able to find work somewhere else where he can prove himself. The jets have a perfect reserve in Daryl Richardson waiting on the practice squad who could easily fill the third string running back role. He deserves the opportunity.

Wide Receiver: Move on from Harvin and let the kids compete.

I originally wanted to draft Kevin White or Amari Cooper here but the Brandon Marshall trade makes the wide receiver position one of our positions of strength. The jets will let go of Harvin now and save 10.5 million dollars in cap space and a 4th round pick. An absolute no brainer. Brandon Marshall is the true number 1 receiver that the jets have been looking for. A brilliant redzone threat that allows Eric Decker to play against the number 2 corner and will let Jeremy Kerley play as a tough little slot receiver that can expose defenses underneath.

As far as depth is concerned, the jets have 7 players to fill about 3 spots. Forgettable Idzik draft picks such as Shaq Evans and Quincy Enunwa will get a chance to prove themselves against the likes of TJ Graham, the reliable Greg Salas, week 17 superstar Chris Owusu, speedster Saalim Hakim and Walt Powell. May the best man win.

Tight End: Give Amaro more responsibility and improve depth.

Jace Amaro might have as much upside as anyone currently on the jets roster. The consensus number 1 rookie tight end from last year’s class (albeit a very weak tight end class) displayed potential in a limited role last year. The 49th pick in the draft compiled 38 receptions for 345 yards and 2 touchdowns. At 6-5 and 265 pounds he should be a building block for Chan Gailey. I would expect the snaps to be around 65-35 for Amaro next year as Jeff Cumberland’s role begins to diminish. Cumberland has done an admirable job holding down the fort while Amaro get up to speed. Despite being undrafted he is a nice threat in the receiving game and is worth keeping around for at least one more year. However both tight ends are liabilities in blocking and by no means is this position set going into next season. Ben Koyack from Notre Dame is an impressive blocker who was not utilized much as a receiving threat. Definitely worth a 4th round pick, Koyack could be a 3rd string goal line specialist and also be brought in on short yardage situations. Down the line he could develop as a 1 2 punch with Amaro who might not ever establish himself as a good blocker. Tight end is by no means a complete position heading into this offseason, but it does not need a complete overhaul like many other positions on this roster.

Offensive line: Complete overhaul around Mangold and Ferguson.

It is becoming more and more obvious that a good offensive line provides the infrastructure for success on offence. There is a clear need for change and stability on the offensive line. Despite the outstanding play of Nick Mangold and the consistency of D’brickashaw Ferguson (although slowly declining) the offensive line has been a major factor in the offensive struggles of 2014. There has been instability all over the board since the departure of Alan Faneca, Brandon Moore and Damien Woody. A revolving door of underachieving guards and frustrating right tackles. Oday Aboushi and Willie Colon are the starting guards at the moment. Aboushi played solid football for a 5th round pick but he is not the type of player to build around. Colon is a leader in the locker room but is past his prime and is a nightmare for penalties. At best he’s a fallback option. Breno Giacomini is an overpaid tackle who could be helped out with a move inside to guard. A decent run blocker who struggles against speed rushers and is another liability in terms of penalties. Bringing in Bryan Bulaga an efficient pass blocker would solidify the right side of the line and do Breno the world of good. Clint Boiling is a nice well rounded blocker who is an immediate plug and play at either right or left guard.

Cedric Ogbuehi from Texas A & M is an athletic tackle prospect who saw his draft stock plummet due to a torn ACL. There are legitimate questions about his strength and technique but I still think he is worth a second round pick. It’s not customary to have a second round pick sit for a year but it would be worth having him build up his strength and work hard at his technique with mentoring from the like of D’brickashaw Ferguson and Steve Marshall. Both an injection of youth and experience into the offensive line along with a little bit of position movement will shape this unit into the strength of the roster complimented by useful depth with players such as Oday Aboushi, Dakota Dozier and Sean Hooey as reserves.

Defensive line: Maintain Depth and resign undrafted talent.

Not much need for change here. Chris Canty recently came in for an interview and Ronald Talley an acquaintance of Todd Bowles was recently signed on a minimum contract. Maccagnan and Bowles are obviously wary of the impending free agency of Leger Douzable and Kenrick Ellis. In the end Kenrick Ellis is a really nice backup defensive tackle who should pursue greater opportunity elsewhere. Leger Douzable has been a handy backup defensive lineman who could be a starter on other weaker teams. I think he enjoys it here and will stay on another 1 year contract. Eventually I think Chris Canty will sign and provide good veteran leadership and a nice compliment to Damon Harrison. Harrison a restricted free agent should be a priority for the jets and he deserves the first round tender. Nothing to see here really.

Outside Linebacker: Injection of versatile young talent with veteran depth.

In my version of events the jets are out of the Mariota sweepstakes, will struggle to fit Cooper/White/Parker into the offence and drafting a corner will be too much of a reach. So what’s left? Pass rushers. Nothing is a certainty in the draft, but it’s fair to assume that there will be a fairly decent pass rusher available at 6. I would go with Vic Beasley. He translates well as a 3-4 outside linebacker and will play where ever he is asked. He is athletic, fluid and measured very well at the combine. 6’3’’, 246 pounds and he ran an impressive 4.53 40. I see him as a guy the jets can put into a position to succeed with veterans like Calvin Pace and Jason Babin backing him up. They could start him off just as a 3rd down pass rusher and then ease him into coverage duties. He won’t be asked to run stuff early in his career and will be given a wide range of winnable situations 1 on 1 due to the hard yards that the defensive line is doing on the interior. If Todd Bowles can handle Beasley better then Rex Ryan handled Quinton Coples then I could see him having a 7-12 sack type of year. I also expect Dante Fowler Jr and Randy Gregory to be in play here. Shane Ray translates more to a defensive end and I suspect Leonard Williams will be off the board.

Quinton Coples gets one last chance. He should not be handed a starting role but whatever remaining upside he has left should at least warrant a shot at starting next year. Coming off a 6.5 sack season he tends to go missing in games and appears lost. Some say he lacks a high motor and other attribute it too constant position changing. Hopefully he can settle down into a clearly defined role and develop into an impactful player. Otherwise he could end his career as a guy like Kyle Wilson or Antonio Allen who occasionally flashed talent but coaches could never find a way to effectively utilize them. Hopefully another year at outside linebacker and bit of added pressure can get him over the hump. It’s hard to gauge the ceiling for Coples. His production really should be better with the talent around him. He’s on the bubble with a new regime in place but in the end he should win his position battle in camp. Jason Babin and Calvin Pace are handy veteran role players worth keeping around and IK showed sporadic flashes of potential last year and I give him a good chance of gaining a roster spot next year.

Middle Linebacker: Stable, Reliable, Consistent.

Some would argue that David Harris was given too much money on his 3 year 21.5 million dollar contract. However if David Harris was let go it would open up yet another hole in the jets depleted roster, chances are he would go to Rex Ryan and strengthen a defensive rival and he is a leader that wanted to retire as a jet. Sometimes you have to pay overs for guys like David Harris, the free agent market for middle linebackers was lukewarm at best and the draft isn’t stacked by any means. In the end it was money well spent as Harris will continue to groom Demario Davis into a bigger role and take the jets run defense from strength to strength. He was used more as an interior pass rusher last year and got to the quarterback for 5.5 sacks. He hasn’t missed a game since 2008 and is surprisingly durable for an inside linebacker. Money well spent. Demario Davis is yet to develop into an impact player and might forever play at his current level. At the moment it’s good enough. Nick Bellore is a consistent special teamer who deserves a shot to remain the 3rd string linebacker. Not a great situation though if Harris or Davis suffers a long term injury.

Cornerback: An expected change

Todd Bowles needs corners, it’s no secret. Moving on from the Darrin Walls, Marcus Williams era won’t be an emotional ordeal. This is a hard position to predict. The free agency class as I write is becoming weaker and weaker. I think in the end Antonio Cromartie will be too hard ignore. Although his age is a legitimate concern, he still is a proven playmaker and his love for New York coupled with his familiarity with Todd Bowles, it’s hard to see this move not happening. Tramon Williams I probably too old to pair up with Cromartie and Brandon Flowers is most likely to resign with San Diego. Yes I’m saying Revis, maybe it’s not the best move. Maybe it’s not the move every jet fan wanted in the first place. But with corners flying off the board, no legitimate option at 6 the jets look like they are going all out on Revis. He is 30 but he still has all the skills. Along with his attention to detail in practice, Revis in the end will be worth the money. Complimented with a playmaker in Cromartie, a rangy free safety and a slugger at strong safety, the jets could be building a legion of boom of their own.

Cary Williams has visited with the jets and both parties seem interested, there are better options no doubt but he could be a useful nickel and a good veteran presence. Dee Milliner can’t be considered more than a 4th corner at the moment. Maccagnan and Bowles have made it clear that it’s a bonus if he can perform well, they are preparing for free agency as if he won’t be on the field. Worth keeping on the roster though because he has talent and could potentially work his way into the starting lineup with some hard work and commitment to his craft. Outside of that I expect Bowles to throw all the corners at the wall in preseason and see who sticks. Darrin Walls and Marcus Williams now have some real NFL experience and I like them to be our 5th and 6th emergency corners. No one knows what Dexter Mcdougle brings to the table, best case scenario he works his way onto the roster or the practice squad. Maybe Curtis Brown, Keith Lewis or Dashaun Phillips turn some heads during training camp but I find that unlikely.

Strong Safety: Will Pryor Develop?

Calvin Pryor was arguably one of the biggest disappointments in 2014. There was an assumption that Rex Ryan would put this guy in a position to succeed. Ever since he dropped a clear pick 6 against Oakland his season went from bad to worse. He was forced to play free safety due to a lack of talent in the secondary and it just didn’t work out. His coverage skills were exposed and he persisted in taking bad angles. He eventually missed playing time due to punctuality. But I will continue to say that first round players are drafted high for a reason. I share the blame for Pryor’s lack of success in 2014. If Idzik had brought in a true free safety Pryor would have been put in a position to succeed. If Rex realized that Pryor was struggling at free safety earlier then a more change could have been made quicker rather than wasting his rookie season, and Pryor did not play well enough in the end, 0 forced fumbles, 0 interceptions, 0.5 sacks is not good enough for a first round pick. However I don’t see the new regime moving on from him. His hard hitting preseason campaign was exciting and everyone once in a while he would display his extraordinary range. Coming from a deep safety position he showed his downhill ability disrupting screen passes before they could develop. If he has legitimate personnel around him I am convinced he can develop into an impact strong safety. Proper cover corners and a ball hawking centerfielder would allow Pryor to focus more on bursting into the backfield and sniffing out underneath throws with monster hits. Please tell me if I’m being optimistic here. Antonio Allen might be an option as a backup here but I think forgotten jet Rontez Miles might be a dark horse to make the roster he flashed some ability in training camp last season. I don’t see a lot of change here at all due to the wide ranging holes spread all over our roster.

Free Safety: Do whatever it takes.

I am here to make the case that Devin McCourty is the most important free agent signing for the jets this offseason. Here’s why: They don’t have a true free safety on the roster at the moment, he’s right in his prime at 27, as I have harped on about before bringing in McCourty allows Pryor to move back to strong safety and create a feared tandem, having a ball hawk takes pressure off corners and last of all it significantly weakens the Patriots defense. These are the guys you overpay for, these are the guys you outbid others for. If he signs the secondary is already miles ahead of where it was last year without even signing a cover corner. There have yet to be any rumors linking the jets to McCourty and even if they do want him they will face stiff competition with Philadelphia and New England both vying for his services. But I truly believe that this franchise has been dying for an impact free safety ever since Kerry Rhodes left. Almost in the same way they have been waiting for a true number 1 receiver like Brandon Marshall. (Rahim Moore and Ron Parker are good fallback options here) I expect Dawan Landry to be gone unless everything falls through, but my bet is that Jarrett a tested depth player will make the roster as a backup which is by no means a bad thing considering the talent he put on display in an AFC defensive player of the week performance against the Steelers.

Special Teams: Hopefully a bounce back year.

Nick Folk had a relatively disappointing year battling injury. He seemed to lose a bit of kicking power as the season went on. He went 32/39 at 82.1%. I expect Folk to have a bounce back 2015 as he moves into year 2 of a 4 year 12 million dollar contract.

Ryan Quigley got off to a slow start in the 2014 preseason and there was some uncertainty around his future with the jets. However he rebounded and put in a strong performance despite being put in a multitude of bad situations. He finished the year 13th in net punting average. The jets will probably bring in a training camp punter to compete but I expect Quigley to be the day 1 starter.

Tanner Purdum has been money on every long snap. He is a free agent. He needs to be signed.

With Harvin gone it is unclear who will be returning kicks next year. TJ Graham and Saalim Hakim shared duties last year and might be options if they make the team. Chris Owusu took one 87 yards against Miami so he is more than capable. At punt returner either the shifty Walt Powell will get a run or the fair catch king Jeremy Kerley will take care of business.

Salary Cap information

3.5M set aside for Draft picks

Thanks for reading!

Note: I made this Fully Unaware of the Devin McCourty deal. I am now aware that he was grossly underpaid in this fantasy world and I think now Rahim Moore is the best option. A slightly smaller contract for him around the 20 - 24 million dollar mark over 4 years.