New York Jets: How Good Can the Offense Be?

By Ryan Ratty | Jun 14, 2015

The New York Jets made a ton of improvements on both sides of the football over the offseason. However, they still could run into some problems in 2015.

Last season, the New York Jets had their worst season since 2007. Because of that, Rex Ryan was fired by the team and the Jets decided to bring in Todd Bowles to be their next head coach. When the Jets made that signing, many thought they would be extremely active in free agency in terms of improving their defense. That came to fruition when free agency began, as Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and Marcus Gilchrist were all brought in for upgrades.

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In 2014, the Jets were a bit of an enigma on the defensive side of the football. In their front seven, they had a ton of key players. Muhammed Wilkerson,

Sheldon Richardson

, and

Quinton Coples

made up a solid defensive line, but their secondary left a lot to be desired with.

As NFL viewers know, a defensive line is as good as its secondary. When the two do not work out well, it leads to their defense being exposed, which is what happened in 2014 as they gave up the 27th most points.

Improving the defense was the goal in the draft as well, as the Jets brought in guys like Leonard Williams, Lorenzo Mauldin, Durell Eskridge, and Deon Simon. Now, with just about 90 days until the start of the 2015 season, it’s no secret that the Jets will have one of the best defenses in the NFL. However, the question remains, how good can their offense be?

Over the offseason, the biggest piece the Jets added on the offensive side of the ball was star receiver Brandon Marshall. By bringing in a guy like Marshall, the Jets finally have a receiver worthy of being a No. 1 type of guy. Eric Decker had a decent season last year, but he’s not capable of being the primary receiver for an offense.

The Jets’ offense was extremely young in 2014, However, guys like Jace Amaro and Jeremy Kerley should have bigger roles this upcoming season. On top of their offseason additions, the Jets were able to add a dynamic vertical threat in Ohio State’s Devin Smith.

Perhaps the most intriguing moves they made over the summer were the ones where they signed Stevan Ridley and Zac Stacy. While both did not go out well with their last team, both could prove to be a low-risk, high-reward type of signing for the Jets.

Despite some talent on the offense, the mantra remains that a chain is as weak as its weakest link. It seems like forever since the Jets have had a quality option at the quarterback position. That trend will continue in 2015, as the Jets will have Geno Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Bryce Petty as options for the starting gig.

Smith looks to be the starting quarterback at this point in the offseason, as offensive coordinator Chan Gailey has said. Despite that, Ryan Fitzpatrick has worked with Gailey in the past dating back to their time together with the Buffalo Bills. Petty is also a guy that has a ton of arm talent, which could turn some heads for the Jets’ coaching staff.

There’s obviously a lot of time left until the 2015 season officially begins. Until then, we’ll have to predict on what we see and what we hear. That said, the Jets have some pieces on their offense that can make them good. But, there are too many question marks, the main one being their quarterback situation, that need to be answered before people can officially be sold on the team in 2015.

Next: Jets: Expectations for Zac Stacy

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