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They are a very confident group . . .
At least their posts are on Twitter and Facebook.
Talking about the Jets’ social media department.
Maybe it’s more positivity than cockiness.
After all, they are all about promoting the team, and getting the fans excited.
They had a post today with training camp approaching – “The pieces are in place. Now we’re ready to go to work.”
Are the pieces in place?
No doubt this team has one of their most talented roster in paper in recent memory, but there are myriad question marks.
If Le’Veon Bell is the same Le’Veon Bell we saw in Pittsburgh in 2017, this should be an outstanding signing for the Jets. He’s a rare talent who is equally proficient as a runner and receiver. There is no reason to think he won’t be the same player, but you always need to throw out the caveat about a guy perhaps losing something when he sits out a year. Like some people say, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”
Another huge addition to the Jets’ offense is Jamison Crowder, one of the best slot receivers in football with top-shelf short-area quickness to get separation from cornerbacks fast. But he’s not very big, and has had some durability issues. When healthy, he’s terrific.
Kelechi Osemele could be an amazing addition if he can revert back to his 2017 form. He missed fives games last due to toe and knee injuries. Jon Gruden doesn’t think he should have missed as many games, and Gruden thinks he quit on them, a source told Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
I really can verify any of Gruden’s theories about Osemele. It seems a little harsh. And history will tell us that Gruden is a very good coach, but not great personnel guy. Just ask people in Tampa Bay.
Gruden traded a third-round pick to Pittsburgh last year for wide receiver Martavis Bryant who has a history of off-the-field substance issues, and he ended up getting suspended for violating the terms of his suspension.
Gruden recently signed Richie Incognito. Last August, Incognito walked into the funeral home and said he needed access to his dead father’s body so he could cut off his head. He said if he didn’t get access, he would shoot somebody. The workers called the police and a gun was found in his car.
Incognito was suspended the first two games of the season for that incident. To help replace Incognito for those two games Gruden signed Jon Cooper, who has had so many injuries since entering league in 2013, it would take up a lot of space to list them here.
Remember, these are signings to fill Osemele’s spot? Why get rid of a two-time Pro Bowler and try to replace him with Incognito, Cooper and Denzel Good?
Gruden often makes ego-driven, emotional personnel decisions. Not a great approach.
Look, I’m not a doctor and it’s very hard to discern what Osemele was dealing with unless you are in his body.
But if he can back to the dominating form he displayed his first two years in Oakland, and in Baltimore before that, this trade could be steal. But is a big “if.” Before last season, he as an excellent NFL guard.
But certainly if Bell, Crowder and Osemele bring their “A” games this year, the Jets certainly have the pieces on offense to be successful.
*We will have Part II of this series tomorrow focusing the Jets’ defense.
July 17, 2019
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