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Jets coach Robert Saleh was asked this question on Monday and gave the right answer, even if some people didn’t want to hear it . . .
He was asked if adding a wide receiver was a priority and responded:
“I don’t know if it’s a priority,” Saleh said. “We want to add as many really good players as we can. We’ve got a lot of draft capital to do some of that. We have a lot of needs on our football team in terms of just trying to fill some roster voids. I thought we did a great job in free agency with the things that we did. To call it a priority, one over the other, I don’t know if I see it that way. I think every position, we’re in a good position to take the best players available at every single spot and that’s something we’ll do.”
Bingo.
Some people tend to obsess about the receiver position, but they have needs across the board, some of which they have addressed so far in free agency.
But let’s keep in mind this team has the NFL’s 32nd ranked defense last year. They need to fix that side of the ball in a major way, and began that process in free agency and will continue it in the draft.
This obsession with receivers by some is unhealthy and the Jets can’t cave to the outside pressure on this.
Should they add some receivers, no question
But anybody who thinks adding receivers will magically fix a QB’s ability to go through progressions, read defenses, accuracy manipulating safeties with his eyes, probably doesn’t understand football that well.
Zach Wilson has a lot of work to do this off-season, and he knows that.
And weapons aren’t a magical pill that will fix mechanics and footwork.
So they need to ignore the people constantly prodding them to add weapons, because some of these people don’t understand that the things the QB needs to fix, have nothing to do with weapons.
So the theory that adding weapons galore will magically fix some of Wilson’s mechanical issues is foolish and the Jets need to ignore the outside noise on this one. They need to stick to the draft value board that they take months to set up, after spending millions of dollars on scouting players all across the country. Yes, scouting college players costs millions of dollars, between the travel costs and obviously paying the scouts.
They need stock good players at myriad positions, including plenty to fix that 32nd-defense. Obviously to have the NFL’s worst-ranked defense is unacceptable, and while they added a few defensive players in free agency that will help to a degree, there is still a lot of work to do over there, like landing a game-wrecking pass rusher and #1 corner who can match-up with star receivers around the NFL.
That answer from Saleh nails it and shows the Jets know they need to focus on improving the whole team, and not obsess about adding weapons to “help Zach.” Because weapons don’t fix mechanics and footwork, something Wilson will work on hard to improve this off-season.
March 30, 2022
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