clinton's weblog of the present and near future

Jay Cutler was traded to the Chicago Bears on Thursday, which is good news for the Jets, whether they realize it or not. Chicago gave up much more that the Jets could afford for a guy that just blew up his team. He can play but where is his head? Again, look what he just did to Denver. Do you want this guy in New York throwing interceptions in playoff games, self-destructing and not being able to handle the situation.

I understand his situation, he got upset that they thought about trading him. But look at the reaction of two guys who almost got traded for Cutler and how they dealt with the situation.

Washington’s quarterback Jason Campbell said,  “We talked for a long time about everything that had happened and the thing I felt the best about was that I got a chance to talk about what I’m trying to do, which is just get ready for the season and try to help this team get to that higher level, Coach Zorn and (Snyder) all let me know how they feel about things and that’s why I’d say it was real successful because now it’s just about moving forward and trying to win. I’m going to be in this offense for my second year, coach Zorn has learned a lot, different stuff that can help us be more successful, and I just think it was real positive today.”

And Kellen Clemens said this the day before Cutler went to Chicago, “It’s going to have a direct effect on me, possibly, however it all shakes out. I try not to let it affect me right now and the preparation that I am doing because the whole thing might blow over and he (might) go somewhere else. All three of us are still here and we go forward. You don’t want to lose these days of preparation worrying about hypotheticals.”

The point is that not everyone cries and quits when they get mentioned in trades. It also shows that Clemens, who has been in New York now for three years, understands what the deal is and how to handle it. He and Brett Ratliff deserve a chance to win the job in training camp. I am confident that one of them, probably Clemens, can and will handle the job. If that happens I will also point it now forever.

Now, all the Jets have to do is not panic on draft day and avoid picking a quarterback if one is still available at 17. I’ve amended my draft preferences in the last day or two. Jeremy Maclin(WR-Missouri) is still the preferred choice. However, he’s far from guaranteed to be left when the Jets come up. Next, (here’s whats new from a post earlier this week) I know think Knowshon Moreno(RB-Georgia) should be the primary fall back choice if Maclin is gone. The draft is three weeks from today, and with the Cutler saga now over, I can was most of time reading about that.

Two weeks ago, Jay Cutler formally asked the Broncos to trade him. Immediately, every team in the league that needed a quarterback scrambled to get in line to make an offer. Now, after Cutler appears to have cut off all contact with the team, they are now ready to start working on a deal. The whole back story to this saga is ludicrous and so is the fact that it’s come to this. Their new head coach, Josh McDaniels, isn’t ready to be a head coach and Jay Cutler is a spoiled brat. This should be a red flag to any team considering buying into the Cutler sweepstakes.

Speculators are already out there saying the Jets want to be players in this ordeal, despite my advise otherwise. I’d have some hesitation about taking Cutler if he were free. (Not enough to turn him down, but it would be in the back of my mind for a long time) However, he’s going to cost the Jets more they can afford, perhaps 2 firsts and David Harris to start (see above link). Now add in what it will cost once the escalated bidding costs and then tell me he’s worth it. It’s not going to matter though because, in the end, the Jets will be outbid by teams that have better picks and a more proven quarterback to offer. For example Cleveland wants Cutler, they have Brady Quinn and the 5th pick overall. They also have the 36th over pick (4th in the 2nd round) while the Jets only have the 17th and 52nd overall picks. Detroit can also beat out the Jets if it just comes down to draft picks.

Again, I want to see what Kellen Clemens and Brett Ratliff can do before the team gives up on them. The way the team is coming together, both of them will be in an ideal spot to prove they guide an offense that doesn’t have to outscore the other offense every week. The defense is going to win games and the offenses goal will just be to control the game on the ground. This is the scenario that is going to end up playing out because no one of interest is going to be available and they will end up getting outbid for Cutler. And that is a good thing.

Instead of updating my own blog over the past month, I’ve been spending almost all of my time reading up on the Jets options for the NLF Draft, which is now less than a month away.

Ideally, I am hoping (which means you should be too) that Jeremy Maclin (WR- Missouri) falls to the Jets at 17.  If Maclin goes before the Jets get the chance to take him, more then likely this is the scenario that will play out, I feel the next best options are Knowshon Moreno (RB-Georgia), Tyson Jackson (DE-LSU) and Percy Harvin (WR-Florida). I don’t really have a preference of any of those three. So after Maclin, I’d put them all as 2 a,b, and c. Coming in third on the list then is Brandon Pettigrew (TE-Oklahoma St.).

So there you have five guys that you can jump up and down with excitement if the Jets pick them. Not all of them will be available when they come up, but two or three definitely should be there. Notice, I didn’t suggest they take a quarterback. That’s because the Jets already have Kellen Clemens and Brett Ratliff. So before they go out and draft someone else they should give these two, expecially Clemens, a chance to win the job and prove that they can play in the NFL.  Fortunately for you and me, I think the team gets that and won’t waste their opportunity to make a significant leap forward next season under new Head Coach Rex Ryan and their revamped and upgraded defense.

Denver Broncos Quarterback Jay Cutler has requested a trade after a month of mismanagement by the Broncos led to Cutler’s emotional collapse. Everyone will now start speculating and suggesting that the Jets need to trade for Cutler if he’s available. Not so fast. Denver may have shown poor judgement trying to deal him and then denying it, but the way Cutler’s handled the ordeal proves to me that he’s not going to be able to lead an offense in New York. He’s too temperamental and sensitive and every percieved slight to going to require extra special attention. Plus, he has a losing record and throws more interceptions than touchdowns.

I also think it’s too soon to dismiss Kellen Clemens as a viable starter. This will be his fourth year in the Jet’s system. The offensive line is solid (unlike in 2007, when he was thrown in on a bad team before he was ready) and the defense is going to carry the team. This is the perfect spot for him to step into and prove, one way or the other, whether he can be the quarterback of this team. The Jet’s need to give a legitimate chance to win the job before they cast him aside. I hope they will.

Brett Favre has informed the Jets he plans to retire. Cross your fingers and hope he means it. It’s time for Favre to finally go after collapsing down the stretch, costing the Jets the playoffs and Eric Mangini his job.

The Jets can now look forward and are $10 million or so under the salary cap for next year. All speculation is that they’ll attempt to bring someone new in to fight with Kellen Clemens for the QB job. After last season, with Joe Flacco in Baltimore and Matt Ryan in Atlanta, I’m not really worried about who the starter is.  I want the Jets to sign Bart Scott away from the Ravens and turn Vernon Gholston into, at least, a contributor on defense. If that happens, the quarterback becomes less important. They’ll just need whoever it is to limit mistakes, manage the running game, and not collapse in December.

Favre will hold a press conference at 6. I’m going to guess that he won’t cry this time.

UPDATE: Here’s a link to an ESPN story with audio from his retirement conference call and another link to Kerry Rhodes on the Doug Gottlieb show. In other news, Doug Gottlieb has a radio show.