Has Jets GM Joe Douglas Built a Last Place Team?

This former Jets scout explains why New York is still a last place team, despite a plethora of moves over the last few years.

The hype machine is turning out positive content about the Jets faster than receiver Garrett Wilson can run the 40, but is the content a truthful representation of the big picture?

No, I don’t believe it is.

Why?

This is about more than showing clips from OTA’s of quarterback Zach Wilson throwing glorified passes in slow motion designed to sell season tickets.

This is about taking a hard look at how General Manager Joe Douglas has built this team.

Hired in 2019, Douglas has had almost three calendar years to build this roster.

While he has an uncanny ability to find talent off of other teams throw away piles (John Franklin-Myers, Quincy Williams, Braxton Berrios and Mike White), he has left this team unbelievably vulnerable in key areas.

Starting offensive tackles George Fant and Mekhi Becton are coming off knee surgeries and there is little experience or premium depth behind them.

The Jets’ upcoming schedule is stacked with elite pass rushers and literally this whole thing could fall apart, based on the situation at offensive tackle alone.

Becton has additionally been showing strong signs of being a bust, but Douglas did nothing in free agency to address this concern. Instead, he went out and broke the bank for guard Laken Tomlinson, who is a better run blocker than pass protector.

If you don’t believe me, go back and watch Tomlinson in the NFC Championship when he played for the 49ers and spent most of the game getting driven back into the QB’s face.

None of this bolds well for Wilson, who was the third most sacked QB in the league last season.

I am failing to understand Douglas’ plan to protect his chosen franchise QB.

Instead of further shoring up depth at offensive tackle in the first three rounds of the draft, Douglas turned around and selected tight-end Jeremy Ruckert in the third-round.

There is nothing wrong with Ruckert (other than I thought he graded out as a fifth-sixth round pick), but the selection made no sense after Douglas dropped $44 million dollars on tight-ends C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin before the draft.

READ: Ex-Jets Scout Criticizes New York For Picking Jeremy Ruckert in Third Round

Unless the Jets’ plan on playing three tight-end sets, Ruckert will probably not see the field much this season.

There were more pressing needs.

On the defensive side of the ball, Douglas used free agent dollars and premium draft capital on two players who don’t have what it takes to win the edge in the NFL.

There is nothing on Jacob Martin or Jermaine Johnson’s game film that suggests they have the ability to wreck the pocket for the Jets.

It is also questionable what Douglas was thinking last year when he dropped $45 million dollars (three year contract) on defensive end Carl Lawson in free agency.

Lawson put up 11 sacks total in the three seasons previous playing for Cincinnati before signing in New York (avg. 3.67 sacks per year during that time span). Lawson also had two past blown out knees. If Lawson was stock in the New York Stock Exchange, those are not exactly buying signals.

The Jets had the worst ranked defense statistically in the league last season (No. 32) and their ability to get to the QB was not far behind (No. 25).

New York averaged only 1.9 sacks per game.

Have you seen the Jets’ schedule?

Eight of the first nine games coming up are against QB’s Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson, Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Mac Jones, and Josh Allen.

We will find out everything we need to know about Martin and Johnson in the first half of the season.

This brings us to the secondary.

I love the acquisitions of Ahmad Gardner and safety Jordan Whitehead. However, the reality is 3/4 of the starters are new to the secondary.

How quickly can they gel together?

If New York can’t get to the QB, how will they hold up?

While I do believe Garner will be the best corner in the game since Champ Bailey, the Jets would have been better served by selecting pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.

Why?

If opposing QB’s have til, “Five Mississippi,” to throw the ball, nothing else will matter.

Douglas strikes me as a scout at heart who does not know how to structure or build a winning roster.

His team has even yet to take on the defensive identity of the head coach he hired, Robert Saleh.

When looking at the big picture, Douglas has built a last place team. 

MORE:

• Jets' Zach Wilson More 'Thick' After Bulking Up This Offseason
• Should the Jets Draft QB C.J. Stroud Next Year?
• 'Big Bust': What to Make of Mekhi Becton's Social Media Name

Follow Daniel Kelly on Twitter (@danielkellybook). Be sure to bookmark Jets Country and check back daily for news, analysis and more.