QB - Jets are fine at QB1, but need a QB2. Based on Sanchez' age and potential, this is a pretty low need; they're drafting strictly for depth. Clemens (along with Leon Washington and Drew Coleman) has yet to sign his RFA contract, and has until April 15th to do so. Whether Clemens comes back or not, the Jets might want to target a QB late. (Ryan Perrilloux, Joe Webb or Max Hall could be the sort of project you groom for a year or two and then trade for a high pick, assuming none of the bigger names fall.)
RB - Might be more of a need than people think. Despite having three guys with a lot of potential, all three have questions marks. Greene (minimal track record, fumbling, injuries), Washington (injuries, size, durability) and Tomlinson (age, ability/gas in the tank) could end up being part of a very effective offense, but you can't ignore the question marks. Pretty much the opposite of QB -- Jets don't need to draft for depth, but might be drafting for a future RB1. Far from a need, though, as far as 2010 goes.
FB - Richardson resigned, but he's 39 in 2010. This is a need, but FB isn't a position you spend an early pick on. Jason Davis (Illinois) has bounced around the league a bunch but hasn't played much; could be a guy that Hard Knocks focuses on the way they did with the Cincy FBs. There don't appear to be many good prospects in this year's draft, so I doubt the Jets do much here.
WR - Cotchery and Edwards are hitting their prime -- they'll be 28 and 27 next year. They complement each other well. But the Jets do need WR3 and WR4 help; Clowney and Brad Smith are the guys there, and while Clowney might still be able to coast on potential, Smith is useless as a WR. Further, with the departure of Wallace Wright, the Jets need a WR who can play special teams. Neither Edwards nor Cotchery are top end WR1s, so the Jets are definitely drafting for depth and star quality here. I'd expect multiple picks here or at least a few UDFA at the position.
TE - Keller is young and talented; a pick here would be strictly depth. Hartsock re-signed, which means the Jets are set when it comes to the blocking tight end position. Basically just a TE3 is needed here, preferably one who can block and catch.
LT - set
LG - Faneca turns 34
C - set
RG - Moore turns 30
RT - Woody turns 32
The first round picks in '06 have paid big dividends, but the rest of the line is now full of 30-year-olds. When it comes to depth, Wayne Hunter (28) and Robert Turner (26) are solid, but I think the only guy with starter potential is last year's sixth round pick, Matt Slauson, who played under Bill Callahan at Nebraska. The Jets have hit OL late in the draft recently (Jacob Bender, Nate Garner, Matt Slauson) and might do so again, but what the Jets think of Slausen's ability to replace Faneca will decide whether the Jets go guard early or late in the '10 draft. With Woody and Ferguson, I don't think tackle is an issue, and Hunter has proven to be an acceptable third tackle in jumbo sets.
DE - The Jets have some lunchpail guys here -- Mike DeVito and Rodrique Wright -- behind 33 year old starters Shaun Ellis and Marques Douglas. This might be the biggest position of need, as the Jets defensive line could get very thin, very fast. Ellis and Douglas both had excellent seasons in 2010, but not only is it legitimate to question whether they can repeat those performances, but just whether or not they'll stay healthy. 3-4 DE is a very important and very tough position to fill. Douglas is technically an UFA but I'd be very surprised if he doesn't come back; if he signs elsewhere, this shoots up to a huge need.
NT - Kris Jenkins and Sione Pouha will both be 31 this year; Jenkins was arguably the best defensive player in the league the first three months of the '08 season, and was playing well again in '09 before the injury; Pouha played at a Pro Bowl level replacing Jenkins. As long as one of these guys are healthy, the middle of the Jets D should be fine. Hopefully rotating both will leave them both fresh and healthy; NT is such an important position that you can never write off drafting one, but this isn't a position of need just yet (especially when you look at the rest of the defense)
OLB - Bryan Thomas and Calvin Pace will be 31 and 30 this season, and neither played at an elite level in 2009. Thomas morphed from a pass rushing specialist in college to a solid 3-4 OLB against the run with minimal ability to get to the QB; that led to the drafting of Gholston in '08. Pace played like an animal in training camp in 2009 but underwhelmed a little when he came back from suspension. Can he regain that top form? Either way, unless the Jets are super high on Gholston's ability to turn things around, this is a serious position of need. Larry Izzo and Ryan Fowler are UFAs; Marques Murrell (NWE) was a decent depth guy that the Jets will need to replace. So the Jets not only lack an elite pass rushing OLB, but (assuming Gholston brings nothing to the table) don't even have a single backup for arguably the most position in a 3-4 defense; Jamaal Westerman is the third best OLB on the roster if Gholston busts. (Ryan has paid some lip service to Gholston, so who knows, maybe the final nail isn't in that coffin.)
ILB - With Scott (30) and Harris (26), the Jets need only depth here. There's literally nothing behind them, but at least the first string is top notch. If nothing else, I'd expect some UDFAs to come in and give the Jets some bodies.
CB - With Revis and Cromartie, the Jets are somewhat set at CB. But Cromartie is only on a one-year deal, though, and a nickel corner is practically a starter in the modern NFL (and is a starter when you're facing Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning and Matt Schaub to get to the Super Bowl). Dwight Lowery turns 24 this year, and was supposed to be a project; does he ever develop? This is a big year for him. Drew Coleman is the dime back -- safe to say, the Jets would like another good cover corner, which makes them like all other 31 teams in the NFL.
S - Jim Leonhard is solid at one of the safety spots, but Eric Smith/Brodney Pool are a clear step down from Kerry Rhodes. Safety hasn't historically been a key position in the 3-4 defense, but players like Polamalu and Reed have shown what an impact player can do. Definitely a position where the Jets need both a starter and depth. The Jets might have been eager to get rid of Rhodes, but the move is a net negative until they find someone better to replace him.
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For a team with the #1 defense in the league and an underwhelming offense, the Jets might surprise people when draft day comes. The Jets are set when it comes to starters everywhere on offense -- QB, RB, FB, WR, TE and OL. But on defense, the Jets could use new starters at DE, OLB and S, and need depth everywhere on defense except for NT. On offense, they could use a WR and another lineman for depth, but anything else would be a luxury pick (RB/QB/TE/additional WR/OL).
I expect the Jets to go BPA in the draft, but in a perfect world (where need meets value), I think it would go something like:
Round 1 - 3-4 DE or 3-4 OLB
Round 2 - 3-4 OLB or 3-4 DE
Round 4 - WR
Round 5 - DB
Round 6 - QB
Round 7 - OL
Jared Odrick (DE), Sergio Kindle or Jerry Hughes (OLB) would be solid picks in round 1; Kyle Wilson (CB) would be a nice move, too.
