NFL

Rule could hamstring Jets’ offseason moves

The chances of the Jets standing pat after their meteoric rise to last week’s AFC Championship game are about as realistic as coach Rex Ryan canceling all of his 2010 press conferences.

“We are going to be invigorated by what happened,” general manager Mike Tannenbaum said. “But we also realize that come six, seven weeks from now, we’ve got to be humming and we need to have the best offseason of anybody in our division.”

That’s going to be more of a challenge than usual for Tannenbaum, who after hiring Ryan last year aggressively signed several key free agents, including three former Ravens who played for Ryan — linebacker Bart Scott, safety Jim Leonhard and defensive end Marques Douglas. The previous year, Tannenbaum signed linebacker Calvin Pace to a large contract and rebuilt the offensive line with the signings of Alan Faneca and Damien Woody.

But with the NFL’s new “final eight” rule in place this offseason because a new collective bargaining agreement is not in place, Tannenbaum will be hamstrung in terms of making a lot of big free-agent signings.

The teams that reached the final eight in the playoffs this season only can sign an unrestricted free agent if another team signs one of theirs — and it has to be an even swap in terms of contract size.

Because the Jets don’t have a big-ticket unrestricted free agent on their roster to be signed away, it will be virtually impossible to add one from the outside.

“It’s a challenge for us,” Tannenbaum said. “But we embrace challenges and there are still ways to improve the team.”

The Jets need to improve, particularly based on the way they were beaten by Peyton Manning and the Colts last week, in the secondary and pass rush.

Cornerback Lito Sheppard, whom the Jets traded for last offseason to play opposite Darrelle Revis, never became what the Jets hoped he would be. Due a $10 million roster bonus in March and benched against the Colts, Sheppard likely has played his last game as a Jet.

That means the Jets will look at corners in free agency and the draft.

The status of starting safety Kerry Rhodes is tenuous at best. Ryan, Rhodes and now Tannenbaum are saying the right things. They want him back, expect him to be back, yada, yada, yada.

But the reality is there’s a very good chance Rhodes will not be back, because he’s not Ryan’s kind of player and is not highly respected by his teammates in the locker room.

It’s believed Rhodes, who wants to stay in New York to enhance his off-the-field profile, desperately wants to go to the Giants and is pushing for a trade.

One scenario dancing in Rhodes’ head has the Jets trading him to the Giants for defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who had a down 2009 season. That, however, seems like a pipe dream considering Umenyiora is a much more accomplished player than Rhodes.

Another issue to watch is whether the Jets try to make running back Thomas Jones, who’s due a $3 million bonus in March and is scheduled to make a $2.8 million base, take a pay cut.

Tannenbaum already has said he plans to tender offers to running back Leon Washington and receiver Braylon Edwards. The Jets are interested in more depth at receiver, though it’s more likely they will look to draft one.

Whatever the Jets do, they will not stand pat — even with the new rules stacked against them being too aggressive. Remember that Tannenbaum is not shy about trading.

“We have a lot of hard work in front of us,” Tannenbaum said. “There are reasons to be encouraged, but that’s all they are and now we have to move forward with a good offseason in 2010.”

Top three issues for the Jets this offseason

1. Find Revis’ complement

The Jets hoped Lito Sheppard would be a top CB playing opposite their shutdown corner in Revis. That didn’t materialize. Sheppard likely will be gone, and the Jets will either develop Dwight Lowery or find another starting corner in free agency or the draft. They also need more depth in the secondary. The Jets also could find themselves replacing safety Kerry Rhodes. If they do, Rex Ryan loves the Ravens’ Dawan Landry, who’s a restricted free agent and would likely take first- and third-round draft picks as compensation to sign him.

2. Improve the pass rush

The Jets need to find a pass rush without having to blitz every down. Ryan’s blitzing scheme is sometimes genius, but he would like to be able to drum up more pressure with four-man rushes. Defensive end Shaun Ellis is getting older. DE Marques Douglas is a terrific role player, but not a big pass rusher. Linebacker Calvin Pace is the Jets’ best pass rusher.

3. Improve at receiver

The Jets have a solid, clutch WR in Jerricho Cotchery. Then they have the enigmatic Braylon Edwards, who’s a big play or a big drop away from happening on every play. Maybe a second year with Mark Sanchez will make Edwards more consistent, because he has been very happy as a Jet. They Jets surely will look to the draft to find another big-play receiver.

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com