2009 New York Jets Season Preview

2009 New York Jets Free Agency And TradesThe 2009 New York Jets Free Agency and Trades brought in LB Bart Scott, who is following Head Coach Rex Ryan, who has brought much hope to improving the Jets Defense. Scott is bringing experience and energy to the Jets squad and is their biggest free agent signing. Coming over from the vaunted Ravens defense, Scott should add great leadership to the Jets defense this year. There is great hope in New York that Scott will add a toughness to the Jets 2009 defensive squad. Along the addition of Scott, the Jets added cornerback Lito Sheppard from the Philadelphia Eagles. Sheppard had been brought in with the hopes of improving a very weak secondary from a year earlier. Alongside cornerback Darrell Revis, Sheppard should improve this position greatly going into the upcoming season. Linebacker Larry Izzo was brought in from the New England Patriots this offseason as well. Izzo is another veteran linebacker like Scott that the Jets are hoping can improve the overall toughness of the defense along with bringing some leadership qualities. With these offseason additions the Jets are hoping they have filled some of their weak spots from earlier years. There is no question Head Coach Rex Ryan is hoping to build a defense in New York that mirrors the toughness his defenses showed in Baltimore. gback, was sent to Tampa Bay, giving the Bucs a strong edge on their offensive lines.

2009 New York Jets NFL DraftThe 2009 New York Jets NFL Draft proved to be a good one this go round. Rookie QB Mark Sanchez has the Jets more excited than anyone since legendary QB Joe Namath. The Jets wanted Sanchez badly hoping he can step in and be their QB for the next ten years plus. They traded up 12 spots in the draft landing Sanchez with the fifth pick in the first round. Adding to the drama of the pick was that the Jets traded up to the spot held by the Browns who is now coached by Eric Mangini. Mangini you may remember was the Jets Head Coach just a year ago. To acquire the pick the Jets gave up their first and second-round choices of this numbers 17 and 52. Also included in the trade were Jets players DE Kenyon Coleman, QB Brett Ratliff, and S Abram Elam all heading to Cleveland. Most experts believe the Jets got the better of the deal but only time will tell if Sanchez can live up to the great expectations he has surrounding him in New York. Being chosen as the fifth pick made Mark Sanchez the highest QB the Jets have drafted since Broadway Joe himself was selected first in the 1965 AFL draft. The pressure will no doubt be on Sanchez but it seems likes he has the tools and the charisma to handle the pressure of being the QB in New York. Coming from USC in college Sanchez is already accustomed to the spotlight but this should be a bit more challenging for the QB to handle. Along with the Jets landing Sanchez as the fifth pick in the 1st round, they also moved up in the draft to get RB Shonn Greene out of Iowa with the first pick of the 3rd round. Greene earned College Football's Doak Walker award as the nations top RB in 2008. The Jets hope Greene and current starter Thomas Jones can prove to be a formidable rushing duo and take pressure off of rookie QB Mark Sanchez as the season progresses. The only other pick the Jets had after moving up to get their first two picks was Nebraska G Matt Slauson in the sixth round. The Jets liked Slauson's versatility as he played RG, LT, and RT for the Huskers. The Jets Offensive Line Coach Bill Callahan formerly coached Slauson as he was previously the Head Coach at Nebraska. There is no doubt that Callahan liked what he saw from Slauson and has high hopes for him now with the Jets.

2009 New York Jets QuarterbacksThere are high hopes for the newest addition to the 2009 New York Jets Quarterbacks,rookie Mark Sanchez . Coming into the start of the season Sanchez and QB Kellen Clemens are battling for the starting job. It is no secret that Sanchez will become the starter at some point this season, it just not known yet if he will earn the job going into Week 1. The 3rd string QB is currently Erik Ainge who was drafted by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2008 draft. Rookie QB Chris Pizzotti out of Harvard rounds out the depth chart as the fourth QB on the roster. Most believe that Kellen Clemens will start the season as the 1st string QB with Mark Sanchez taking over at some point this year. Head Coach Rex Ryan had already stated that he will not hesitate to start Sanchez for Week 1 if outplays Clemens and earns the job.

2009 New York Jets Running BacksThe 2009 New York Jets Running Backs are looking strong for the upcoming season as Thomas Jones returns as the starting RB. The workhorse for the Jets looks to return to the endzone often, as he did in the 2008 campaign. They already have speedy Leon Washington on the roster who is capable of breaking a long run every time he touches the ball. Washington is also a very dangerous threat catching the ball in the backfield, and turning it into big gains. The drafting of rookie Shonn Greene adds another solid runner who should give the Jets a powerful attack in the rushing game. Jones is coming off a season where he led the AFC in rushing with 1312 yards and had 13 touchdowns. Washington made a name for himself as one of the most explosive playmakers in the NFL with his speed and allusiveness out of the backfield and in the return game. Greene was the nations leading rusher last year in college and should fit in nicely in this potent backfield.

2009 New York Jets Wide Receivers The loss of WR Laveranues will be a big one for whichever QB is under center for the Jets and forcing the 2009 New York Jets Wide Receivers to have to really step up the game. Jerricho Cotchery had already become the Jets No.1 WR even before Coles departure. He will need to have a big season as he is the clear No.1 WR for the Jets with Chansi Stuckey as the No.2 WR on the depth chart.Stuckey will have to step up and have a big season as the No.2 wideout on the team if the Jets are going to have a big year. Second year TE Dustin Keller had a strong rookie season last year and should be a big part of the passing attack in 2009.

2009 New York Jets Offensive Line

Only two seasons ago the Jets had one of the worst offensive lines in the entire NFL. That is far from the case now as this should be a strong point for the 2009 Jets. The Jets acquired Alan Faneca and Damien Woody two offseasons ago to bolster the line. Along with those two they have two first round picks from their 2006 draft in D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold as a part of this formidable offensive line. Five year starter Brandon Moore rounds out the starting offensive line for the 2009 New York Jets as all five are returning starters.The 2009 New York Jets Offensive Line will play a valuable role for rookie QB Mark Sanchez going into his first season as an NFL starter.

2009 New York Jets Defensive LineThe monster nose tackle Kris Jenkins is the anchor for a talented 2009 New York Jets Defensive Line going into this season. Shaun Ellis is a proven productive defensive end and Marques Douglas will move into a starting role with departed Kenyon Coleman going to Cleveland in the Mark Sanchez deal. This line will lean on Kris Jenkins as he is a beast up front and should play with great effort with new Head Coach Rex Ryan taking over this year.

2009 New York Jets LinebackersThe linebacking unit was a weak point for the Jets in the 2008 season. This was addressed with the big signing of LB Bart Scott coming over from the Ravens this offseason. He should help the entire linebacking unit as he is coming from the Ravens defense who absolutely abused opposing quarterbacks. Calvin Pace is coming off a 2008 season where he recorded seven sacks but struggled some in coverage. Bryan Thomas and David Harris both need to improve as the Jets allowed over 234 yards per game last season. There should be an improvement seen in the entire defense with help from the 2009 New York Jets Linebackers and both Bart Scott and Head Coach Rex Ryan both bringing the nasty Ravens mentality to New York.

2009 New York Jets SecondaryA big weakness for the Jets last year was their secondary which allowed 23 touchdowns but the 2009 New York Jets Secondary are pumped and ready for a great season. Darrelle Revis was their one bright spot who made it to the pro bowl last year with five interceptions and 16 pass breakups. The addition of Lito Sheppard, coming over from the Philadelphia Eagles, should help bolser the secondary. The Jets are hopeful that safeties Kerry Rhodes and Jim Leonhard can help this secondary improve on their dismal performance a year earlier. The Jets hope that Revis and Sheppard will be a great dup at conerback and provide the team with a bunch of takeways in 2009.

New York Jets Weekly Betting Previews
New York Jets vs. Houston Texans	Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New York Jets
New England Patriots vs. New York Jets	New York Jets vs. New England Patriots
Tennessee Titans vs. New York Jets	Carolina Panthers vs. New York Jets
New York Jets vs. New Orleans Saints	New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills
New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins	New York Jets vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets	Atlanta Falcons vs. New York Jets
New York Jets vs. Oakland Raiders	New York Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts
Miami Dolphins vs. New York Jets	Cincinnati Bengals vs. New York Jets

Round 1: Pick 5 - Mark Sanchez QB (University of Southern California)
Round 3: Pick 65 - Shonn Greene RB (Iowa)
Round 6: Pick 193 - Matt Slauson G (Nebraska)

2009 New York Jets Free Agency Acquisitions and Trades

Lito Sheppard from Philadelphia Eagles - Cornerback (Trade)

Jim Leonhard from Baltimore Ravens - Safety

Bart Scott from Baltimore Ravens - Linebacker

Larry Izzo from New England Patriots - Linebacker

2009 New York Jets Free Agency Losses and Trades

Laveranues Coles to Cincinnati Bengals -  Wide Receiver

Chris Baker to New England Patriots - Tight End

Eric Barton to Cleveland Browns - Linebacker

Kenyon Coleman to Cleveland Browns - Defensive End (Trade)

Adram Elam to Cleveland Browns - Defensive Back (Trade)

Brett Ratliff to Cleveland Browns - Quarterback (Trade)