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The New York Jets’ offseason was pretty impressive, so much so that they were recently named the “biggest winner” of any NFL team in 2021.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report was responsible for that designation and documented all of the reasons why Gang Green fans should be optimistic heading into the new year:
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- Changing of the guard at head coach
- Switching quarterbacks
- Finally going through every free agent and 2021 NFL draft addition from the past few months
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Optimism Is Overflowing at the Seams
Despite a 2-14 record last year, Jets fans should be feeling optimistic heading into 2021.
After experiencing Adam Gase for the last two years, whoever was hired as the next head coach was going to have the longest honeymoon period in history.
The fact that they actually hired a super respectable name that was often considered one of the top candidates on the market is gravy in Robert Saleh.
Although one of the biggest sources of optimism comes at the game’s most important position quarterback. Fans were split, half wanted Sam Darnold to get another try, and the other half wanted to hit the reset button.
The argument for Darnold was about poor coaching and a crappy supporting cast bogging him down. With Gase out and an improving cast (more on that later), fans thought 2021 could be the year the former USC product finally pops.
While the other side of the fence, fans argued holding the No. 2 overall pick is a rare opportunity that the Jets should take full advantage of. It was a tough back-and-forth conversation but ultimately the green and white reset the quarterback’s financial clock with a rookie passer in late April in the form of Zach Wilson.
Then finally the biggest reason for optimism is the investment of $75M in guarantees during free agency and throw in 10 draft selections from the 2021 NFL draft.
There are too many players to list, but the green and white upgraded so many units led by the offensive line and wide receiver improvements. That should be a solid foundation for the offense to build on especially considering they’ve been last in the NFL over the last few years.
Then of course on defense the big additions of Carl Lawson, Sheldon Rankins, Jarrad Davis, and CJ Mosley. Wait, Mosley? Didn’t they sign him back in 2019?
Yes, they did, but he’s played portions of two games over the past couple of years. He’s like an extra free-agent addition for the team in 2021.
Another Trophy for the Case
The Jets being named the biggest winner of the NFL offseason is a really cool thing, but it’s certainly not the first time this has happened.
When you look at the Gang Green trophy case it’s overflowing with paper awards from over the years. In one offseason or another, the Jets have made a splashy addition that has stolen the headlines and put the green and white squarely in the spotlight.
With all of this blinding optimism, Jets fans are hoping for a breakthrough to relevancy in 2021. While that’s possible there are still plenty of questions that are left unanswered here a few weeks out from training camp.
For the first time in over a decade, it’s time to turn one of those paper trophies into a real one. From hype to production. It’s amazing to receive this recognition, but it’s truly time for this team to put their money where their mouth is.
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