The Jets called an aggressive audible by trading up to the No. 3 pick last month to assure themselves of getting one of the top
quarterbacks available in the NFL draft.
Now comes the toughest play call of all.
Sam Darnold? Baker Mayfield? Josh Rosen? Josh Allen?
"You just want to get it right
Lions Game Jerseys ," general manager Mike Maccagnan said.
And, the pressure is certainly on.
After all, this is a team that has been starving for a franchise quarterback since the days of Broadway Joe. The likes of Richard Todd, Ken O'Brien, Chad
Pennington and Mark Sanchez had some good moments as homegrown QBs, but none had
the type of impact or sustained success of Joe Namath.
Since Namath's last game with the Jets in 1976, the team has had 30 players make at least one start under center. On Thursday night, New York has the
opportunity to add a quarterback who might stop the revolving door.
That's why the Jets were willing to deal the No. 6 overall pick to Indianapolis along with two second-round selections this year and a
second-rounder next year to move up three spots.
"It's all about opportunity," Maccagnan said. "We felt good about where we were originally picking and then we made the trade and moved ourselves to
position ourselves, in our mind, to be in a position to have a good option and a
good choice with that spot."
New York's ultimate decision, however, will be contingent upon what Cleveland ??which also needs a quarterback ??does at No. 1 overall, and if the Giants stay
put at No. 2 and pick a successor to Eli Manning or target another position.
That dynamic at the top of the draft, along with the lack of a consensus order among the top QBs, has created lots of intrigue and made mock drafts an
always-changing mix-and-match mess.
"When they made that move (the trade), that was before the owners' meeting, which is very unusual," said former Dallas VP of player personnel Gil
Brandt
Authentic Mike McGlinchey Jersey , currently a draft analyst for NFL and SiriusXM NFL Radio.
"That led me to believe that he and his staff were ready to roll in terms of these quarterbacks in the middle of March, regardless of which one winds up at
No. 3."
Maccagnan wouldn't tip his hand on how the Jets are leaning ??and wouldn't even acknowledge that quarterback will be the way they'll go with their first
pick.
But it seems clear that either USC's Darnold, Oklahoma's Mayfield, UCLA's Rosen or Wyoming's Allen will be wearing green and white sometime Thursday
night.
"I know everybody seems to be locked in on that, I don't know why," a smiling Maccagnan said of the QB-to-Jets speculation. "We actually may take a safety
this year. ... I think like everything else, the quarterback is such an
important position that it's always going to be a focal point of that this may
be a position of interest, especially for us.
"But, yeah, we'll see how it plays itself out."
CROWDED QB ROOM
Once the Jets make their selection, they'll have five quarterbacks on their roster. They re-signed Josh McCown, the starter last year, in the offseason;
signed Teddy Bridgewater, who's still coming back from a severe knee injury
nearly two years ago; and have holdovers Bryce Petty and Christian
Hackenberg.
Petty was a fourth-rounder in 2015, while Hackenberg went in the second round in 2016. Both players' spots on the roster are tenuous, at best.
BUSY OFFSEASON
Maccagnan went into free agency armed with about $90 million in salary cap space and he certainly made use of it while revamping the Jets' roster.
New York signed 16 players in free agency, including cornerback Trumaine Johnson (five years, $72.5 million), running back Isaiah Crowell (three
years
Cheap Breeland Speaks Jersey , $12 million), linebacker Avery Williamson (three years, $22.5 million) and wide receiver Terrelle Pryor (one year, $4.5
million).
The Jets also re-signed seven of their unrestricted free agents, including McCown (one year, $10 million), cornerback Morris Claiborne (one year, $7
million) and defensive lineman Mike Pennel (three years, $12 million).
MOVES TO MAKE
New York doesn't have a second-round selection this year, but has one pick in each of the five remaining rounds.
A pass-rushing outside linebacker or defensive end could be near the top of the draft board, particularly after cutting Muhammad Wilkerson.
Depth on both the defensive and offensive lines figure to be targets for New York in the later rounds, as well as possibly tight end, running back and
cornerback.
HITS, MISSES AND BARGAINS
The Jets considered themselves fortunate when defensive end Leonard Williams fell to them at No. 6 in 2015, and again two years later when they landed safety
Jamal Adams at the same spot. Both are considered cornerstone players for New
York's defense, as is safety Marcus Maye, who went in the second round last
year.
The top of the draft hasn't been as kind in recent years, though. Oft-injured cornerback Dee Milliner, No. 9 overall in 2013
Freddie Freeman Jersey , is considered one of the franchise's biggest busts. Safety Calvin Pryor, the Jets' top pick in 2014, also never panned out.
New York had 12 picks that year and only two remain on the roster: offensive
lineman Dakota Dozier and wide receiver Quincy Enunwa, a sixth-rounder who has
become a solid contributor.
When NFL officials visited Bears camp to show a film on rule changes aimed at player safety, inside linebacker Danny Trevathan
realized he'd have to alter his style.
"Shoot," Trevathan said. "I was on the film."
One of last season's most physical and controversial plays landed Trevathan a one-game suspension, and joined several other incidents of brutality in causing
the NFL to curtail the use of helmets in tackling.
Trevathan's helmet-leading hit knocked Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams out of a Sept. 28 game and resulted in a two-game suspension
??later reduced to one on appeal.
Possibly more than any other Bears player, Trevathan must now keep his physical, aggressive style in check.
"I've got to be able to move on from it and learn the new techniques," Trevathan said. "The game is constantly changing. That's what we get paid to do,
I guess. I've got to take that in my play."
Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio believes it's a matter of accepting change for all defensive players, and eventually they'll adjust as with other
rules.
"One of the most non-football rules ever put into football was the 5-yard illegal contact rule," Fangio said. "If coaches from the 60s rose from the dead
today they would want to go back in their grave with that rule.
"And we've adjusted."
Bears coach Matt Nagy is seeing signs of Trevathan controlling his play.
"There's a leadership element, which goes without saying," Nagy said. "There's a physicality that he brings."
The Bears had what Nagy called their most physical practice of camp Sunday, complete with a full-contact red-zone period. And Nagy noticed Trevathan pulling
back at one point when he could have easily smashed rookie wide receiver Anthony
Miller.
"There was a play today where he could have knocked (Miller) into the stands and he decided not to, and that was in a live period," Nagy said. "So to me,
when you see that
Chargers Authentic Jerseys , I'm going to point that out to the team tonight because that wasn't stupidity. That was a veteran being smart, not taking out one of our
guys.
"He knows it's live, he knows he doesn't have to prove anything, so just play smart."
Trevathan also views playing under control as a benefit to his own health. This is important because Trevathan has missed 10 games the last two seasons due
to injuries, and the defense suffered then without its field general.
The effect on the Bears' defense without him is obvious.
In 2016, the Bears allowed 152 yards rushing a game without Trevathan starting seven games, and 98.4 yards in nine games when he started. Last year
they allowed an average of 97.5 yards rushing in 11 games with Trevathan and 140
yards a game in five without him.
"It's imperative that I be on that field," Trevathan said. "I'm not going to let my team down anymore. That comes with a responsibility: just taking care of
yourself.
"You know plays happen; you get injured. It's only going to make the defense better when I'm out there because I'm going to push and I'm going to work my
tail off and I'm not going to let anybody beat me."
Like the rest of the Bears, Trevathan watched former Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher get inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame over the weekend.
Trevathan gained insight from Urlacher's speech, particularly in regards to
overcoming adversity and being a good teammate.
"That's one of the main reasons why I came here ??the tradition at linebacker," said Trevathan, who left Denver as a free agent after 2015. "It's
not an easy job, but like he (Urlacher) said, it's like the tough stuff makes
you grow.
"I'm here for a reason, and I like playing linebacker for the Chicago Bears."
NOTES: Wide receiver Taylor Gabriel missed Sunday's practice after suffering a foot injury in Saturday's session. Nagy called it "day to day" and not
serious.
.
