Drinking the Green Kool Aid

Hot Tub Time Machine July 31, 2010

A couple of veteran acquisitions yesterday that would have looked great 10 years ago: Mark Brunell as the new backup QB, and Laveranues Coles as the temporary slot receiver.  With any new signing the question is always, “Do these guys make the team better?” and my answer to each is a huge YES.

Let’s talk about Brunell first.  The first thought is that if Sanchez were to go down, we would be in trouble anyway, so it doesn’t matter if David Klingler is the backup QB.  Looking at the available QB’s on the market, who else were the Jets going to bring in?  JaMarcus Russell?  So they bring in a high-character vet who can tutor #6.  I also like this move from the standpoint of QBing style.  Brunell in his prime was mobile, creative, and an accurate passer (not to mention a great leader).  I say Sanchez’ ceiling is higher than Brunell’s, but I really think Brunell can help Sanchez harness his frenetic style into becoming an elite QB.  I love this signing from that standpoint.

Also, let’s say Sanchez does miss some time.  Does Brunell perform any WORSE than Sanchez’ 12 TD/20 INT season from a year ago?  Probably not.  In this worst-case scenario the passing game takes a small step back as a whole and the Jets revert back a little more to last season’s Ground and Pound, rather than this season’s version which was only going to be slightly more pass-friendly.  Still it wasn’t like we were going to be The Greatest Show on Turf 2.

Finally- it gives the team a little more direction and actually puts the Franchise firmly in Sanchez’ hands.  Remember, only a year ago this was an open competition.  Not that anyone was calling for Clemens to get the call again this year, but after Sanchez the pecking order has been a mess.  Now the roles are clear- Brunell is the backup and Clemens/Ainge/O’Connell are all competing to be #3.  Next season, I would expect Brunell to continue as the #3 while the Jets bring in a fresher backup (and maybe Brunell will parlay that into a QB Coach position with the Jets after that).  Bringing order to the depth chart was a smart move- for this season and for Sanchez’ future.

Laveranues Coles is one of my favorite Jets of all time.  The way his career happened just felt like what would happen to an underdog Jet.  Remember- he was kicked off Florida State’s team for his role in the team’s shoplifting scandal, while Peter Warrick remained a star.  Warrick went on to accomplish nothing as a pro, and Coles was one of the best in the league for a period of time.  While those days are over, I have a lot of respect for Coles with his return to the Green and White.  He even said he knows he might be off the roster after Santonio Holmes’ 4-game suspension.  I personally hope he is able to stick around after that, although I am not sure if he’s ever been a Special Teams player or has a desire to be one.  I just want him on the roster when we hoist the Lombardi this year.  A side note: a lot of people are feeling bad for David Clowney, as this might put his roster spot in jeopardy.  Not me.  How many chances has that guy gotten to be an effective player for the Jets?  He could have been the #2 WR last year, but wasn’t able to make it happen.  When Holmes was acquired, he famously tweeted that he didn’t know what more he could do.  Well- the answer is you can make a couple plays during the regular season, not just the preseason.

In summary, these were good moves for depth and leadership.  Brunell and Coles don’t have to play like they did 10 years ago, they just need to make an impact any way they can- on and off the field.