This made me feel a bit better - Lombardi on the Jets prospects next year

[JoeSixPat]

This appeared a few days ago, but as of today it's making me feel a bit better looking forward.

Belichick's offseason moves didn't work out quite as planned either - but I think they've also found some quality depth in the process - and that was enough to bring them within a few plays of winning the Super Bowl this year... it's nice to think what having a non-dysfunctional offseason might do to help improve the team.

Just having a draft that takes place AFTER free agency this year is going to be a big help.

Jets fans on the other hand... they can't be feeling all that great about this season or the next several for that matter

INDIANAPOLIS -- Fixing the Jets won't be so easy if you ask Michael Lombardi.
The current NFL Network analyst and former league executive said he doesn't think the Jets have enough payroll flexibility to repair what ailed an 8-8, dysfunctional team.

"I think the Jets are tied together by a lot of guaranteed contracts," Lombardi said Tuesday. "I don't know how you could ever go about fixing it. If Santonio [Holmes] is on the team in [February], he's guaranteed the next year. I think whenever you have a locker room controlled by guaranteed money it's tough to fix."

Lombardi, who has been critical of Jets coach Rex Ryan's style, said he expects the Jets to talk plenty about repairing the locker room, which blew up at the end of the season, but actually doing it is another matter.

Lombardi said Ryan's constant praise of his players has a detrimental effect.

"I think you have to be honest with the players," he said. "I think they want you to be honest. I think you have to be honest with yourself. I don't think you can go in front of everybody and say you're the greatest team in America and you just got beat. I think you have to be more critical. I don't think that's a sustainable paradigm.


Read more: Contracts could keep Jets from improving: expert

 

[serifyn]

Honestly, i couldn't care less about the Jets right now.

 

[g650]

The Jet's don't look like they're going to have a good year, but you never know what will happen. And if they get a healthy Manning, I think they could finally win the division.

 

[Bella*chick]

Honestly, i couldn't care less about the Jets right now.

Same here, nothing Jets related is going to have any effect on my feelings right now. They are irrelevant.

 

[letekro]

Belichick's offseason moves didn't work out quite as planned either - but I think they've also found some quality depth in the process - and that was enough to bring them within a few plays of winning the Super Bowl this year... it's nice to think what having a non-dysfunctional offseason might do to help improve the team.

I think you're selling the Pats offseason a little bit short. Solder was a major contributor. Dowling was a starter from day 1 until he got hurt. Anderson and Carter had more than 20 sacks combined. Waters was a pro bowler. Ridley was a major contributor until he got fumblitis. Not a bad haul even if Ocho and Fat Albert didn't pan out.

 

[Kjmass1]

I think you're selling the Pats offseason a little bit short. Solder was a major contributor. Dowling was a starter from day 1 until he got hurt. Anderson and Carter had more than 20 sacks combined. Waters was a pro bowler. Ridley was a major contributor until he got fumblitis. Not a bad haul even if Ocho and Fat Albert didn't pan out.

Lots of positives this year.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Same here, nothing Jets related is going to have any effect on my feelings right now. They are irrelevant.

Whenever I get down about the Pats, I remind myself that I could be a JEST fan.

It never fails to improve my mood at least a little bit.

 

[WhiZa]

Mangini really screwed them by making those big deals (with jenkins, faneca, pace, woody, favre) in an attempt to save his job. Ryan seemed to extend the big name signings by bringing in Scott, Leonard, Edwards, Holmes, LT, and Cro while giving Revis big money. By doing this they absolutely ignored their depth which is a death wish to any team looking for longevity in this league.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Whenever I get down about the Pats, I remind myself that I could be a JEST fan.

It never fails to improve my mood at least a little bit.

Right - and this is a very different feeling for me from last year.

I'm not saying that the entire off season was an Epic Fail by Belichick - far from it. He made some great moves and had some good luck too (Waters in particular).

But clearly we were HOPING that Haynesworth might be a contributor, even though that was a low risk move - and that at $6 million, Ochocinco would address our need for a deep threat - he did not and while he wasn't a team cancer, he clearly didn't do what Belichick hoped when he gave him that salary.

I chalk these things up more to a very odd off season where there was no conditioning or team building, where the draft happened BEFORE free agency and numerous other factors limited things from what we would consider an ideal off season.

This year's Super Bowl run was all gravy and you really have to take a step back and appreciate what they accomplished - and what an Epic Fail the Jets were given how much they committed to long-term salaries - something that they'll have to live with for next season and beyond.

 

[BadMoFo]

I think the Dolphins will be a bigger problem next year than the Jets.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Anything short of getting Peyton Manning won't save their season next year. Not like PM would ever go to that kind of environment anyway.

Let's face it. It's sucks to be runner up to the Super Bowl but it sucks worse to be a Jets fan because, well, THEY SUCK.