48-year old head coach Rex Ryan likes to talk trash, but his team is pretty good at backing it up.  The Jets were 11-5 last year and then they whacked the Colts and Patriots in the playoffs before falling 24-19 in the AFC Championship game in Pittsburgh.  It was the second year in a row that the Jets lost in the AFC Championship, so Rex Ryan is doing quite a bit right in New Jersey.  The Jets are 20-12 (62.5%) during the regular season and they also are 4-2 (66.7%) in the post-season in Ryan’s first two years in charge.  Count me in as a big admirer of Coach Ryan.

According to head coach Rex Ryan, this is the year that 25-year old RB Shonn Greene gets his big chance to carry more of the workload in the running game.  Greene played in 15 games (2 starts) for the Jets last year and he carried the ball 185 times for 766 yards (4.1 ypc) with 2 TD runs.  He also caught 16 passes for 120 yards (7.5 avg) last year.  Greene is a big, bowling ball with legs who specializes in running over defenders.   Greene has now played in 29 games (2 starts) in his first two years with the Jets and he has carried the ball 293 times for 1,306 yards (4.5 ypc) with 4 TD grabs.  He didn’t catch any passes last year as a rookie so his career totals are the same as his 2010 totals (16 rec, 120 yards, 7.5 avg).

32-year old LaDainian Tomlinson will likely carry the ball less in 2011.  Tomlinson proved last season that he still has a lot left in the gas tank.  L.T. played in 15 games (13 starts) for the Jets last year and he carried the ball 219 times for 914 yards (4.2 ypc) with 6 TD runs.  He also caught 52 passes for 368 yards (7.1 avg) last year without any TD grabs.  Tomlinson has now played in 156 games (154 starts) in his first 10 years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 3,099 times for 13,404 yards (4.3 ypc) with 144 TD runs.  He also has caught 582 passes for 4,323 yards (7.4 avg) with 15 TD grabs.  Tomlinson is one of the best running backs in the history of the NFL and the Jets are likely to have him even though he’s getting old.

23-year old Joe McKnight will likely be #3 in line at RB for the Jets in 2011.  McKnight played in 9 games (1 start) as a rookie for the Jets last year and he carried the ball 39 times for 189 yards (4.8 ypc).  He also caught 3 passes for 20 yards (6.7 avg) last year.  McKnight has a nice upside but he’s going to have to make the most of the few carries and passes that come his way in 2011.

22-year old Bilal Powell was taken in the 4th round out of Louisville by the Jets last April in the NFL Draft.  Powell will battle McKnight for the #3 RB job in 2011.  If he loses out to McKnight, he isn’t likely to get much P.T. in 2011.

25-year old Chris Jennings didn’t play at all last year.  He did play in 9 games (1 start) in 2009 for the Browns in which he carried the ball 63 times for 220 yards (3.5 ypc) with 1 TD run.  Jennings also caught 9 passes for 56 yards (6.2 avg) for the Browns that year.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE JETS RBS IN 2011:  B+

The New York Jets have been winning the last two years despite getting subpar play from the QB position during the regular season.  The Jets need 24-year old QB Mark Sanchez to play like he does in the playoffs for the 16 games of the regular season in 2011.  Sanchez played in 16 games (all starts) for the Jets last year and he completed 278 of 507 passes (54.8%) for 3,291 yards with 17 TD passes and 13 INTs (73.5 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 30 times for 105 yards (3.5 ypc) with 3 TD runs last year.  Sanchez has good mobility and he’s really good at throwing the ball off of playaction.  The Jets need him to graduate to being able to deliver the football from the pocket which has been a weakness to this point in his career.  The Jets need him to pick up the pace in 2011 as better seeding in the playoffs would give them a much better chance of getting to the Super Bowl.  Sanchez has now played in 31 games (all starts) in his first two years with the Jets and he has completed 474 of 871 passes (54.4%) for 5,735 yards with 29 TD passes and 33 INTs (70.2 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 66 times for 211 yards (3.2 ypc) with 6 TD runs with the Jets.  Sanchez is 19-12 (61.3%) as the Jets’ starting QB during the regular season and he is 4-2 (66.7%) in the playoffs.

The Jets better pray that Mark Sanchez stays healthy because 40-year old Mark Brunell is running on fumes.  Brunell played in 2 games (0 starts) for the Jets last year and he completed 7 of 13 passes (53.8%) for 117 yards with 2 TD passes and 1 INT (92.0 QB Rating).  Brunell also carried the ball 4 times for -12 yards (-3.0 ypc) last year with the Jets.  Brunell used to be one of the best starting QBs in the NFL, but age has caught up to him.  His arm is weak now and his mobility is also shot from the hits he has taken so far in his NFL career.  Brunell has played in 177 games (151 starts) in his first 17 years in the NFL and he has completed 2,760 of 4,637 passes (59.5%) for 32,045 yards with 184 TD passed and 108 INTs (84.0 QB Rating).  Brunell has also carried the ball 513 times for 2,421 yards (4.7 ypc) with 15 TD runs in his career.  Brunell has a 78-73 (51.7%) record as a starting QB in the NFL.

23-year old rookie QB Greg McElroy will be the Jets’ #3 QB in 2011.  He was picked in the 7th round out of Alabama.  McElroy doesn’t have a big time arm but he was a big time winner at Alabama, so I wouldn’t count him out as he could develop into a decent backup QB down the road for the Jets.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE JETS QBS IN 2011:  C+

26-year old WR Brad Smith will likely be the full-time kickoff returner for the Jets in 2010.  Smith played in 13 games for the Jets last season and he returned 10 kickoffs for 310 yards (31.0 avg) with 1 TD return (a 106-yarder!).  He has now played in 60 games in his career with the Jets and he has returned 24 kickoffs for 536 yards (22.3 avg) with 1 TD return.  I expect that Smith will do a solid job of getting the offense good starting position in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE JETS KICKOFF RETURNERS in 2010:  B

The Jets boast one of the most physical offensive lines in the NFL as they can almost run the ball at will.  LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson improved his run blocking last season to go with his already solid pass blocking as he made the Pro Bowl last season.  Rookie 2nd round pick Vladimir Ducasse out of  U.Mass is likely going to start at LG for the Jets this year.  He will likely be a solid run blocker from day #1 but he has always had problems with speed rushers so he will have that to work on.  Center Nick Mangold is quite possibly the best run blocking center in the league.  He gets off the ball really fast and he picks off moving targets on the second level of the D very well.  RG Brandon Moore is a beast as a run blocker but he still needs to improve his pass blocking.  RT Damien Woody is getting up there in years but he still doesn’t get beat very often.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE JETS O-LINE in 2010:  A

47-year old head coach Rex Ryan is just like his daddy (Buddy) was.  He is a straight shooter who doesn’t take any crap from anyone.  I remember last season right before the playoffs started, Ryan proclaimed that his team should be the favorite in every game the rest of the season.  Then they beat the Bengals and Chargers on the road before falling just a little short in the AFC Championship to the Colts.  The Jets were 9-7 (56.3%) during the regular season last year and they were 2-1 in the playoffs in their first season under Rex Ryan.  They have made a lot of nice improvements to the roster so look out for the Jets in 2010.

The Jets are banking on 25-year old kicker Nick Folk putting last year behind him.  He played in 14 games for the Cowboys last season and he only made 18 of 28 field goals (64.3%).  Folk also nailed 36 of 36 extra point attempts last season as he finished up with 90 points for the Cowboys.  Folk has now played in 46 games in his NFL career as he has connected on 64 of 81 field goals (79%).  He also also made all 131 of his extra points.  Folk now has 323 points in his NFL career.  The Jets better hope he returns to the player he was in his first two years or they might be leaving a lot of points on the field.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE JETS KICKERS IN 2010:  C

The New York Jets look loaded at WR, especially after week #5 when Santonio Holmes will be elgible to play.  27-year old Braylon Edwards gives the Jets a pretty good deep threat who needs to drop less passes in 2010.  Edwards played in 16 games (15 starts) for the Jets & Browns last year and he caught 45 passes for 680 yards (15.1 avg) with 4 TD grabs.  He has now played in 74 games (69 starts) in his 5 years in the NFL and he has caught 273 passes for 4,238 yards (15.5 avg) with 32 TD grabs.  Edwards gives Mark Sanchez a nice, big target running down the field.

28-year old Jerricho Cotchery will be the other starting receiver and he’s pretty solid.  Cotchery played in 14 games (12 starts) for the Jets last season and he caught 57 passes for 821 yards (14.4 avg) with 3 TD grabs.  He has now played in 89 games (60 starts) in his six years with the Jets and he has caught 317 passes for 4,081 yards (12.9 avg) with 16 TD grabs.  Cotchery has also carried the ball 15 times for 82 yards (5.5 ypc) with 1 TD run in his career.  Cotchery is a solid receiver who can make acrobatic grabs that defy nature and logic.

26-year old Santonio Holmes was stolen by the Jets for a fifth round pick in last April’s NFL Draft.  He will have to sit out the first four games due to suspension but look out when he returns.  He will instantly be the best deep threat on the Jets because he’s lightning fast.  Holmes played in 16 games (all starts) for the Steelers last season and he caught 79 passes for 1,248 yards (15.8 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  He has now played in 60 games (48 starts) in his four years in the NFL and he has caught 235 passes for 3,835 yards (16.3 avg) with 20 TD grabs.  He has also carried the ball 11 times for 45 yards (4.1 ypc) in his career to date. 

26-year old Brad Smith is a pretty effective player for the Jets.  He plays QB in the Jets’ version of the Wildcat as he is a better runners than a receiver.  Smith played in 13 games (2 starts) for the Jets last season and he caught 7 passes for 63 yards (9.0 avg) without any TD grabs.  But he also carried the ball 18 times for 207 yards (11.5 ypc) with 1 TD run last year.  Smith has now played in 60 games (15 starts) in his four years with the Jets and he has caught 60 passes for 513 yards (8.6 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  He has also carried the ball 60 times for 468 yards (7.8 ypc) with 1 TD run.  Smith has also completed 2 of 4 (50%) passes in his NFL career good for 45 yards (90.6 QB Rating).

25-year old David Clowney will likely be #5 in line at WR when Santonio Holmes returns to action.  Clowney played in 13 games (3 starts) for the Jets last season and he caught 14 passes for 191 yards (13.6 avg) with 1 TD grab.  He has now played in 15 games (3 starts) in his two years with the Jets and he has caught 15 passes for 217 yards (14.5 avg) with 1 TD grab.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE JETS WRs in 2010:  Weeks 1-4:  B      Weeks 5-16:  A

25-year old Dustin Keller is a TE on the rise.  He played in 16 games (12 starts) last season for the Jets and he caught 45 passes for 522 yards (11.6 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  Keller has now played in 32 games (18 starts) in his two years with the Jets and he has caught 93 passes for 1,057 yards (11.4 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  Keller really seems to get along well with Mark Sanchez and a good TE is a young QBs best friend.  Look for Keller to have his best year yet in 2010 for the Jets.

30-year old Ben Hartsock is the Jets’ blocking TE.  He played in 16 games (7 starts) for the Jets last season in which he caught 1 pass for 2 yards (2.0 avg) with 1 TD grab.  Hartsock has now played in 72 games (33 starts) in his six years in the NFL and he has caught 28 passes for 275 yards (9.8 avg) with 1 TD grab. 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE JETS TEs in 2010:  B

38-year old Tony Richardson and rookie 5th round pick John Conner will hold down the fullback job in 2010.  Richardson is really an outstanding blocker and when the Jets throw him a bone and give him the ball he does something with it.  Richardson played in 16 games (10 starts) for the Jets last season and he carried the ball 7 times for 48 yards (6.9 ypc).  He also caught 3 passes for 10 yards (3.3 avg) last season.  Richardson has now played in 218 games (123 starts) in his NFL career and he has carried the ball 424 times for 1,714 yards (4.0 ypc) with 15 TD runs.  He has also caught 205 passes for 1,512 yards (7.4 avg) with 9 TD grabs in his career.  Richardson is one of the better fullbacks around and I look for him to have another good season in 2010.  John Conner will get to learn from one of the best fullbacks in the game eventually replacing him down the road.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE JETS FBs in 2010:  A