How are the New York Jets looking going into next season?

     With Sundays loss to the Carolina Panthers, the New York Jets can now pretty much kiss any hope of making the playoffs goodbye, and start to look at 2014 and beyond. What route will the Jets take in the offseason? Will they continue the rebuilding plan? Or will they push hard in free agency and open up the check books and go after some big free agents? I analyze the options for the Jets.
     First off, I believe Rex Ryan deserves to be back next year, it wasn't his fault new general manager John Idzik gave rookie quarterback Geno Smith no real threats at wide receiver or tight end. Rex Ryan made this defensive front 7 one of the most feared in the league and the #1 run defense in the NFL. Offensive Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg has showed he can come up with some great creative plays, and give Geno Smith good chances at getting a good play. The reason the Jets offense ranks 30th in the league is because of pure lack of talent on the offensive side of the ball. Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell have proven to be a very solid 1-2 punch in the Jets backfield, but you cant have a good offense from just a good running game. Geno Smith has had a bad year, the blind man can tell that, but it all should not fall on him. Receiver Santonio Holmes has lost his reputation as a top slot receiver in the game, and other options such as David Nelson, Jeff Cumberland and the bust that is Stephen Hill, would probably be practice squad players on teams like Denver and New Orleans. Since they are on the Jets, they are top options, which has spelled for a slow Jets offense.
     So the answer is clear, if the Jets want to get in the playoffs next year, they must invest heavily in free agency and the draft on getting Geno Smith better options to throw the ball too. Not just getting him weapons, but someone who can also push Geno Smith to win the job, that means some real competition at the quarterback position. The 2014 free agent class at the Receiver position is very solid. The names of Eric Decker, Kenny Brit, Hakeem Nicks and Golden Tate are among the class of free agents. With Kenny Brit and Hakeem Nicks it looks likely they will not be resigning with their respective teams, and with the Broncos loaded up with the Salary Cap it could mean the departure of Eric Decker possibly. The Jets should have all three of them on their radar. The draft is also very deep at the receiver position with up to 5 players who could possibly go in the first round. My favorite of all is Mike Evans from Texas A&M. The case can be made Johnny Football isn't Johnny Football without Mike Evans this year. He has terrific hands, speed and can go after the deep ball fantastically. Something the Jets haven't had in a very long time. If he is on the board when the Jets are up, they should not hesitate to take him. Also getting a tight end upgrade would only help the offense for next year.
     I believe the Jets should concentrate most on getting Geno Smith some receivers to get the ball to, but as I said before, they should also get him some competition. Even at the price of as high as a second round pick. Yes, I mean that. The Jets need to bring in serious competition for Geno Smith, someone who isn't Mark Sanchez, and bring in someone who is not just a mentor who offers no real competition like how the Jets brought in Mark Brunnel for Mark Sanchez a few years ago. I would look at A.J McCarron. Geno Smith has shown good potential, but will that potential ever come to realization is the question. I am skeptical of that, and what that in the second round I would take AJ McCarron. A.J is a winner, A.J is a field general, and I think has the best football IQ at the quarterback position in the draft. He has the experience of dealing with the best conference in college football with SEC teams for the past 3 years, and has started for 2 of those national championships to show off with Alabama. He also finished second in the Heisman voting behind Jamis Winston. He is a quarterback who is the leader of his team, he is a leader, he has good characteristics of a NFL quarterback with the height and a strong arm and will only improve. He would force Geno Smith to push himself more, and maybe even win the job for himself. A.J McCarron is a type of quarterback the Jets haven't had in a long time. He also is projected to be a second round pick, right in the Jets range of the second round pick they will have, and with two 3rd round selections to play with, why not get McCarron.

(A.J McCarron shown above, posted a 36-3 record with Alabama the past 3 years.)

     Outside of the offense, the Jets front 7 will only get better as they are mostly very young players just starting to hit their prime. Muhammad Wilkerson will get a huge contract this offseason as he deserves, and will continue to be the Jets vocal point on defense for years to come with David Harris and defensive rookie of the year candidate Sheldon Richardson. The Jets secondary though, has not been anywhere near perfect. Number 9 pick from last years draft Dee Millner has been nothing but a bust this year, the Jets must hope he will progress greatly and be ready to take the number 1 corner job from Antonio Cromarite, who seems to be on the decline in his career. The Jets look to be entering the offseason with around 50 million dollars in cap space, that's a good number. Plus possibly cutting Mark Sanchez and Santonio Holmes will only give more for the Jets this coming offseason.
     With all of this said, if the Jets can improve on the offensive side of the ball to put up some points next year, and keep the core of the Jets defense together with some adjustments and depth to the secondary. The jets can without a doubt head back to the playoffs next year, even with a tough division the AFC east could be next year. This all falls on John Idzik, who was brought in to lead gang green into the future, and this offseason carries much of what the future will be for the Jets.