The regular season is finally here. This is a pivotal one for the Jets. No more waiting – it’s an unofficial win-now mandate.
They have the quarterback. They have the roster around him. They believe they have the staff.
So: Win.
Will they?
Let’s open the mailbag to address that and more…
Do you think this Haason Reddick situation drags into the regular season? – @FiggyNYK
I’ll tell you what I’ve been told each time I’ve checked in: There is a chance he reports within the next 24 hours, and there’s an equal chance he doesn’t report at all. It really is an old-fashioned standoff. I did touch base with a couple of sources who know Reddick. They believe if he really wants to sit out — he’ll sit out the entire year. He’s not a player who will be swayed by public opinion. Logic says he’ll eventually end this, but, in this case, you just don’t know.
I see this thing from both sides: The Jets do not want to commit money to a player who hasn’t committed anything to them. It sends a bad message to the locker room to trade for a player, that player demands a new contract, and then you pay him while you have guys like DJ Reed wanting a new deal, too. But, if you’re Reddick, what do you need to prove? You’re not some schlub. This guy has double-digit sacks each of the last four years. If the Jets want proof … they can turn on the film. I get why he doesn’t want to lift a single weight until, at the minimum, his unguaranteed because guaranteed. Don’t risk it.
I do believe this drags into the regular season because that’s the only time leverage can change. The Jets insist they’re fine without him. Reddick says he’s willing to sit out the year. The latter is very fluid, but the former only changes when there’s concrete evidence Will McDonald, Jermaine Johnson, and Micheal Clemmons aren’t enough. That could happen if they don’t sniff Brock Purdy in Week 1.
Once it’s clear that Reddick isn’t a luxury but a necessity he and his representatives can demand the contract he desires. Until then, though, it’s a waiting game.
What will Olu Fashanu’s role be this year? Will he only service as an injury replacement, or could they work him in for a drive here and there? – @jasonarcewang
Continuity is everything with an offensive line. The Jets hope they throw Tyron Smith, John Simpson, Joe Tippmann, Alijah Vera-Tucker and Morgan Moses out there for the first snap … and not one of them comes out unless they’re resting starters before the playoffs. I suppose, if there are games where the Jets are ahead by quite a bit, there’s a chance they get Fashanu some experience, but that’s really it. They won’t rotate their tackles. He’ll be the swing player in jumbo formations and a tremendous insurance policy.
The Jets tried to trade up in the draft – you saw that on Hard Knocks. They wanted a receiver. That player would have started from Week 1 and contributed more Year 1. When that wasn’t possible, though, Douglas pivoted and did the smart thing. Smith hasn’t played a full season since 2015. Moses, while durable throughout his career, started to break down last year. That’s usually the beginning of the end for linemen over 32 (see Duane Brown). Ideally, both of those guys stay healthy. If one doesn’t, though, now you have someone you can put in and not lose anything.
Fashanu did have a very good camp. Honestly, having talked to multiple sources, they insist he’d be a starter had just about any other team selected him.
Do you believe the Jets would have been better off if they drafted Broderick Jones (offensive tackle, Steelers) last year, then targeted a pass rusher this year? – @jasonoki
The play for the Jets last year was receiver.
I’ve argued this with members of their coaching staff and front office. This isn’t revisionist theory, either. There’s a clip of me on SNY’s draft show saying the exact same thing the moment they selected McDonald. They explained to me why they picked him. They knew they were likely going to lose Bryce Huff and Carl Lawson was in the final year of his contract. They figured they’d be playing with a lot of leads, so he’d be a situational rusher in Year 1 and a starter in Year 2. That’s fine. But receiver was a far more pressing need.
The Jets would be a better team right now had they selected Jordan Addison, Zay Flowers or Jaxon Smith-Njigba, re-signed Huff, kept John Franklin-Myers, and drafted Fashanu. That was the play. Now they’re still looking for a long-term pairing for Garrett Wilson.
In what capacity do you believe we see Braelon Allen? – @horusnhigh
This is a fascinating question. I’ve battled with this one all summer. I don’t know the answer. This offense will run through Breece Hall – I’ve been told that on very good authority. But Allen is legitimately good. He got better and better throughout the summer. You want to see him on the field … but you also don’t want to take Hall off it. It’s a very good problem to have.
I think you’ll actually see a 70-30, 60-40 split early in the season. The goal is to have Hall healthy throughout the year and fresh for a playoff run. He’ll still be the focal point, but there isn’t this horrific drop-off when Allen comes in.
I want to make this clear: Hall is a far more explosive player, but this isn’t like when Michael Carter ran in to take snaps.
