NEW ORLEANS — Jets Pro Bowl cornerback Antonio Cromartie hopes the team does not make many changes on defense but finds some solutions on offense.
“I think a lot of people look at our offense and they’re not intimidated by our offense,” Cromartie said at a Super Bowl autograph signing yesterday. “We need some guys on the outside that can be game-changers on the outside. It’s going to help having Santonio back, but I think we also need a true No. 2 guy ready to go, too.”
Cromartie was the team MVP last season after fellow cornerback Darrelle Revis tore his ACL in his left knee. He spent last week in Hawaii at the Pro Bowl.
Cromartie heard the reports about the Jets entertaining the possibility of trading away Revis. Cromartie hopes the team keeps Revis and the rest of the secondary intact. Both safeties LaRon Landry and Yeremiah Bell are scheduled to be free agents in March.
“I think as a team we would love to have [Revis] in the locker room this season,” Cromartie said. “I know I would love to have him back because I don’t want to mess up the tandem that we have between us. Not just having him back, I would like to get LaRon Landry back as well. We need somebody on the back end that can cause fear for the receivers and tight ends when they’re coming across the middle. Having those two guys as a unit and a whole, I think having us play together for the next couple of years would be great, if that could happen.”
The Jets defense will have a new leader this year with new coordinator Dennis Thurman, who has been Cromartie’s position coach for the past three years.
“I think DT will do good,” Cromartie said. “He’s been part of this defense for 10 years now. I think he joined the Ravens back in 2002. I think he knows what to do. He knows the position. He plays in this game. I think from a play-calling standpoint he’ll know how to use his players and put them in the right position.”
With Thurman being elevated to coordinator, the Jets hired Tim McDonald as the new defensive backs coach. Cromartie met with him this week in Florham Park.
“He’s a lot like [Thurman],” Cromartei said. “[He’s] down to Earth. I think he’s going to be a great teacher for us. I think he’s going to try to help us out the best he can.”
Cromartie has had a month to think about the team’s 6-10 finish. He’s ready to see some changes for 2013.
“To be honest with you, we had our ups and downs,” he said. “We weren’t consistent. I think the biggest thing for us is we have to focus in on what’s important, what we need to try to add to this team and go from there.”