NFL Preview: Breaking down the 2015 New York Jets
By Andrew Garda
Linebackers
Starters: David Harris, Demario Davis, Quinton Coples, Calvin Pace
Depth: Jason Babin, Lorenzo Mauldin [R], Jamari Lattimore, Erin Henderson, Joe Mays, Trevor Reilly, IK Enemkpali, Taiwan Jones [R], Deion Barnes [R]
While the defensive line is almost without peers, the linebackers are not quite up to the same level of ability. The Jets have had issues generating pass rush from the linebacker positions; however given that they didn’t make any major changes, they seem to feel the talent is there – only the execution is lacking.
David Harris thought about following Rex Ryan to Buffalo, but ended up staying home in Florham Park. Harris is a good middle linebacker who is smart enough to read the offense and adjust sets for the defense. While he is certainly near the end of his career, he has enough left in the tank for another year or two.
Demario Davis has slowly improved over the beginning of his career, and along with Harris he holds the middle. This could be the year things click all the way for Davis and it wouldn’t be a shock if, over the next few seasons, he earned more responsibility as Harris is phased out.
Quinton Coples started off on the defensive line then moved to outside linebacker. There was some pre-draft chatter that he might move back to end, but the selection of Leonard Williams put the kibosh on that. He has the speed off the edge you want to see in your outside backer, and has been putting together a more diverse toolbox to elevate his pass rushing skills.
It could be that Calvin Pace’s age was in mind when the team selected Lorenzo Mauldin this past draft. The third rounder can step in right away and is an exceptional character guy. Having been moved in and out of 16 foster homes growing up, he is mentally tough and can take the stress of a full season. He can also beat a tackle on the inside, and possesses a nose for the football. Mauldin’s upside is pretty significant and the Jets hope he can be as productive in their scheme as he was for Louisville.
Veteran Jason Babin kicks off the “depth” portion of this unit, and he will play hard when called upon. However, he’s not the player he used to be and will probably be relegated to a situational role.
Such is the reality for a lot of the guys behind the starters. The Jets have a lot of depth at linebacker, but have yet to find a guy who can really bring consistent pressure. Rookie Taiwan Jones is a beast inside, but only against the run. He functions better with a guy next to him who can draw attention, and that’s one of the reasons a lot of pundits thought he would be a better fit in a 3-4. Can he cut it in the Jets 4-3? Deion Barnes is another undrafted free agent rookie with upside, but he’s transitioning from defensive end to linebacker. That’s rough for even the best of college players (someone check in with the Green Bay Packers and Nick Perry) and could be even tougher for a guy who struggles to shed blocks and get around tackles.
The Jets are hoping someone from the clogged mass of players behind the starters can step up and develop into a productive linebacker. The starters are a decent group, but overall this is likely the one big Achilles’ Heel in the Jets defense. It usually doesn’t matter because of the line and secondary. But in the end, not having that linebacker who can lead a pass rush hurts at times.
Next: Secondary