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There was a huge fascination from New York Jets fans when they hired Mike LaFleur as the team’s offensive coordinator.
What would this offense look like under the direction of a first-time play-caller? Could they replicate the successful system mastered with the San Francisco 49ers?
One thing was for certain since the moment he was hired, the Jets didn’t have enough weapons to maximize the offensive potential.
That is all set to change this offseason as the Jets prepare to add some juice and versatility to the offensive gameplan.
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A Freakish Talent That Would Be an Ideal Fit
NFL analyst Kenneth Teape called versatile Atlanta Falcons offensive weapon Cordarrelle Patterson a perfect free-agent fit for the Jets this offseason.
It took a long time for the former first-round pick to find his footing in the NFL, but as they say better late than never.
The 30-year-old had everything fall the right way in his ninth professional season on his fifth different NFL team:
- 618 rushing yards
- 52 receptions
- 11 combined touchdowns
- 1,166 yards from scrimmage
All of those metrics were career highs for the former Tennessee product.
The timing of this career season was impeccable for Patterson as he is set to reach unrestricted free agency this spring. He earned a modest salary in 2021 ($3 million) playing for the Falcons, but he is due for a massive pay raise next season.
Spotrac’s market value projects the do it all weapon will receive a multi-year deal that pays him $9.1 million annually. Although it is hard to quantify his value because he is such a unique playmaker that can run the ball, catch the ball out of the backfield, and can contribute in the return game.
That Piece Doesn’t Currently Exist
When trying to guess what the LaFleur offense would look like on 1 Jets Drive, fans studied the players and schemes from the 49ers.
One player every Jets fan circled was Deebo Samuel. A talented chess piece that could be deployed anywhere in the formation and all you had to do was get the football in his hands.
Fans were hoping that Ole Miss wideout Elijah Moore could fill that void on the Jets offense, but it was an unfair comparison. The 5-foot-10, 178-pound prospect is nowhere near the same size as Samuel who stands in at 6-foot and 215 pounds.
If the Jets really want a Samuel clone in their offense in 2022, then they should look to add Patterson. He is actually bigger than Deebo at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds.
That is a solid enough frame to handle a workload between the tackles, while also maintaining the necessary agility and finesse to win in a foot race on the outside.
While the price tag may be a bit rich, consider all of the different ways he can contribute offensively. That kind of swiss army knife paired with the innovative offensive play calls of LaFleur could be a match made in heaven.
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