The Jets worked like Super Bowl champions in the offseason, aggressively improving on their 2007 weaknesses with a free-agent-signing and trading spree that, in the end, landed them Brett Favre.
Now they hope that translates into – at the very least – a playoff berth in 2008.
Change doesn’t always mean success. But in the Jets’ case, they hope their aggressive offseason work turns their 4-12 record of a year ago into postseason success in 2008.
QUARTERBACKS
Favre is coming off a Pro Bowl season, having thrown for 4,155 yards, 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions and a career-high 66.5-percent completion rate. No quarterback in Jets history has thrown for as many yards in a season as Favre did last year in Green Bay. You have to go back to 1967 when Joe Namath threw for 4,007 yards to find the only Jets quarterback to eclipse 4,000. Kellen Clemens backs up.
RUNNING BACKS
Thomas Jones rushed for a quiet 1,119 yards in 2007 with just one touchdown, an unacceptable number for a feature back. The revamped line should give Jones more lanes to run through, and it should allow them to get Leon Washington in space more with pitches, shovel passes and screen passes. Former Dolphin Jesse Chatman is a good utility backup.
RECEIVERS
Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery are a solid one-two punch, but experienced depth is a problem here, particularly if Brad Smith doesn’t make big strides.
TIGHT ENDS
This should be a strength with incumbent Chris Baker having the best hands on the team and rookie Dustin Keller looking really good in camp. Then there’s Bubba Franks, who has caught 32 TD passes in his career from Favre, who loves to use his tight ends in the red zone.
OFFENSIVE LINE
This is where the Jets made their biggest move toward improving, aggressively signing LG Alan Faneca (five years, $40 million) and RT Damien Woody (five years, $25 million) to reboot the line. Their veteran leadership should help improve the disappointing LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson. C Nick Mangold has been solid since he was drafted, and RG Brandon Moore is quietly solid. These guys better stay healthy, though, because depth on the line is a potential problem, because the backups don’t have a lot of NFL experience.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Biggest (literally) offseason acquisition here was NT Kris Jenkins, the former Panther. DE Shaun Ellis needs to be better than he was in 2007.
LINEBACKERS
Calvin Pace, who had a career-high six sacks last year in Arizona, should help a weak pass rush. So, too, should first-round pick Vernon Gholston. David Harris, who led the team with 117 tackles and had five sacks in his rookie year, is one of the best up-and-coming inside backers in the game. Eric Barton (98 tackles, two sacks) is a heady player who plays with emotion.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
S Kerry Rhodes is one of the best in the game, though underrated. CB Darrelle Revis has Pro Bowl potential. Watch out for rookie CB Dwight Lowery, a terrific ballhawk. There’s a lot of depth at corner (David Barrett, Drew Coleman), but not a lot at safety.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Washington (27.5-yard average, three touchdowns) is one of the best kick returners in the game. He also returns punts (9.2-yard average), but Lowery has shown potential doing it in preseason.
KICKING GAME
K Mike Nugent was 29 of 36 on field goals last year, a terrific success rate. He’s a consistent kicker who has improved his range. Punter Ben Graham has a strong leg, though he had a so-so season in 2007 (43.3-yard gross average and 36.6-yard net). His forte is dropping knuckleball punts inside the 20.
COACHING
After presiding over a surprising 10-6 playoff season as a rookie head coach, Eric Mangini struggled along with his players last season. He needs a strong rebound, too.
PREDICTION
11-5
The Jets will finish second to the Patriots in the AFC East, earn a wild-card berth and win one or two playoff games.