Scouting the Jets

COACHING STAFF

Rex Ryan spearheads a staff that remained mostly intact after leading them to the AFC Championship game. The colorful head coach continues to boast about his team, making sure he lets people know he doesn’t care if they’re turned off by his Super Bowl XLV talk. The architect of the league’s top-ranked defense brainstorms with defensive coordinator Mike Pettine to dial up their exotic blitzes and they work well together. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has more weapons at his disposal and will surely hear the grumbles if the Jets don’t produce and aren’t among the league’s upper echelon. Special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff’s wealth of knowledge makes his unit one of the best year in and year out.

QUARTERBACKS

Mark Sanchez finished tied for second in the league with the most interceptions a season ago, and the second-year pro is going to have to greatly curtail that number for the Jets to have a legit shot at playing in the ultimate game in February. Mark Brunell was brought in as the primary backup and provide some veteran know-how, which the Jets hope aids in Sanchez’s development. The 39-year-old lefty finished the preseason looking much sharper than he did through the first three games, completing 11 of 17 attempts for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Kellen Clemens took a pay cut to stay on as the No. 3 and graded out with the coaches at the highest level he has in his five preseasons.

RUNNING BACKS

LaDainian Tomlinson looks like he still has a lot left in the tank and appears primed to give the Jets a solid one-two tandem. Could he team with second-year bulldog Shonn Greene to top the 1,942 yards Greene and Thomas Jones produced a season ago? Seems possible with the burst and shifty moves Tomlinson has shown since arriving in March. Greene’s combination of power and deceptive speed could vault him among the league’s elite — provided he goes the way of the “h-word.” Healthy. As for fourth-round pick Joe McKnight? Well, don’t expect to see him suited up on game days anytime soon.

RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

Wide receivers coach Henry Ellard thinks this is one of the most talented receiving cores he’s been around, possibly rivaling the collection he saw in St. Louis that included Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce and Az Zahir Hakim. Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery and Santonio Holmes — when he comes back following a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy — make for a pretty good trio. Cotchery will find himself in the slot a lot once Holmes returns and he was the team’s leading receiver with 821 yards on 57 receptions. That should tell you how deep this cast, which can also throw out Brad Smith in four-wide sets, is.

OFFENSIVE LINE

The core group that paved the way for a franchise-best and NFL-leading 2,756 yards rushing (172.3 per game) returns. But it appears replacing Alan Faneca, who was dumped because of a large price tag and declining skills, isn’t going to be as easy as the Jets thought. Matt Slauson steps in to replace Faneca at left guard, but needs to be more consistent. At least he’s sandwiched between Pro Bowlers D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold. On the right side, Brandon Moore and Damien Woody can still get it done.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Kris Jenkins returns to anchor a defensive line that held up well after the nose tackle went down with an ACL injury Oct. 18. The “Cookie Monster” is down to around 360 pounds and playing with a new sense of purpose to prove to people that he’s still got a few good years left in his massive frame. Shaun Ellis, 33, enters his 11th season and is coming off a 61/2-sack campaign. Vernon Gholston, Sione Pouha and Mike DeVito will each play important roles up front as well. But don’t discount the loss of Ropati Pitoitua, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in the second preseason game. He was an upcomer and his absence will hurt the Jets’ quality depth.

LINEBACKERS

Calvin Pace is lost for at least the season opener with a broken bone in his right foot, throwing a wrench, temporarily, into the Jets’ rotation. Long-time Dolphin Jason Taylor will play an integral role perhaps earlier than the Jets had hoped, but they feel the recently-turned 36-year-old can do the job and step into Pace’s spot. But once Pace suits up again and the Jets go back to their original plan, they expect it to aid a late-game pass rush that was non-existent last season and led to so many fourth-quarter defensive collapses. Bart Scott and David Harris may be the best inside duo in the league, serving as the team’s top tacklers last season.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

With Darrelle Revis in the fold, the Jets feel they have one of the league's top secondaries. Revis had an out-of-this world season a year ago. Antonio Cromartie looks like he may flourish in the man-to-man, and rookie Kyle Wilson should play well in the slot. Reserves like Dwight Lowery, Drew Coleman and Eric Smith must step up and provide needed depth. Safety Jim Leonhard is a constant, steady force, while Brodney Pool brings more of a physical presence than the traded Kerry Rhodes, but has to stay healthy.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker Nick Folk overcame his early-spring hiccups and quelled the Jets’ fears with a nice preseason, thanks in part to tweaking the way he approaches the ball. He nailed 7 of 9 attempts and hit 4 of 5 extra points, the lone miss clanking off the upright in the Jets’ loss to the Redskins. He’s been booming his kickoffs into the end zone, a sign there’s plenty of strength in his 25-year-old legs. Punter Steve Weatherford isn’t flashy and averages about 42 yards per attempt. Brad Smith will return kickoffs again and special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff is excited about what Smith, who returned a kickoff 106 yards against the Colts in December, can do back there.