You know what really grinds my gears……less than one week after this years draft I’ve already seen 2009 NFL Mock Drafts on the net. You have got to be kidding me. This is absolutely absurd.

These rookies haven’t even put on a set of pads with their new teams and already the so called experts are starting to analyze how things will shakeout next April. There are simply things in this world you can’t predict and one for sure is what will happen on the field from September to February in late April/early May.

There are two prime examples of this lunacy from the 2008 NFL Draft. I can’t imagine the odds Vegas would have given someone if they walked into a sportsbook last April after the 2007 Draft and wanted to put $100 that the Patriots would lose their first round pick because of forfeit. Why such unimaginable odds? Well, prior to this year the NFL has never made a team forfeit a first round pick.

The “Spygate” incident simply won’t go away and as I’ve said time and time again during Jetscast shows, I’m ready to move forward. Matt Walsh, the former video operator of the Pats, will finally meet with commissioner Roger Goddell on May 13^th and give his testimony of this mess and handover any additional tapes/other items he still has in his possession during this meeting. Let’s hope this is the light at the end of the tunnel.

The other example is the Atlanta Falcons and Michael Vick. Same reach if someone had said in April of ’07 that the Falcons would pick a quarterback in the first round, let alone be drafting in the top five. The Falcons were forced to go through the motions of an underachieving season with Joey Harrington and Byron Leftwich after losing Vick to suspension in August and followed up by a 23-month sentence on dogfighting charges in December.

The Falcons were expected to contend in the water-downed NFC in 2007, but the Vick suspension came at the worst time just weeks before the start of the regular season. That left the Falcons scratching their heads after losing 2006 backup Matt Schaub to free agency, a player many fans of the feathered wanted as the starter due to Vick’s inconsistency completing passes.

Now, Matt Ryan removes any chance of Vick returning behind center for the Falcons, which many had still speculated Ryan has big shoes to fill because of Vick’s popularity in Atlanta and to chore of putting a messy situation in the rearview mirror.

So a mock draft for the following season is not a wise move considering the team that just won the Super Bowl, The New York Giants, were considered by many to be the weakest team in their own division at the beginning of the 2007 season and the mock drafts I’ve seen have our beloved Jets picking in the top 10 next spring so the free agent signings apparently will only vault the Jets to a 5 or 6 win season and no reason to watch the games.

And that’s what grinds my gears.

What grinds your gears Jets fans? Send your thoughts via email at hosts@jetscast.com or call the listener line at 347-410-9093.

In the week of closing remarks following the Jets listless win over Kansas City to end misery of a 4-12 campaign, Mike Tannenbaum and Eric Mangini made it clear – in their unique language – that change was in the air. When free agency opened at midnight last Friday, Gang Green ripped a page out of the Daniel Snyder manual for running franchises. In one week, the Jets remade the run game and upgraded the defensive front 7, while jettisoning the faces of the disappointing 2007 team. So much for building through the draft.

Start with priority #1, offensive line. The Jets could not run the ball all season, or keep the quarterback upright in many games. A year after creating a firestorm with Pete Kendall over $1 million, New York forked over $32 million for four years to Alan Faneca, to fill the hole vacated by Kendall. Faneca, the premiere offensive lineman on the market, leaves Pittsburgh after 7 Pro Bowls in 10 seasons. Hard to criticize this move, the Jets had a need, and grabbed the best available player. Maybe they slightly overpaid, but 4-12 teams have to. Offensive lineman age better than most NFL players, at 31 Faneca shows no signs of deteriorating. A fringe benefit, adding arguably the best guard in football between youngsters D’BrickShaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold will help both players, particularly Ferguson, who struggled at times last season. Great players make those around them better, expect Ferguson to benefit.

Staying on offense, Tannenbaum snatched utility lineman Damien Woody from Detroit and Pro Bowl fullback Tony Richardson from Minnesota. At under $2 million for one-year, Richardson adds a much-needed lead blocker for Thomas Jones and Leon Washington with a low risk contract. Coming off his third Pro Bowl season, the 36 year old gives Pennington or Clemens a reliable outlet out of the backfield. Meanwhile, at 5 years, $25.5 million with $11 million guaranteed, Woody comes at a higher risk. He adds versatility, playing C, G, and T, but he only played tackle last season after losing his starting guard job. The Jets addressed the need on the right side of the line, replacing disappointing RT Anthony Clement. Though Mangini coached Woody in New England, guaranteeing that money to a mediocre player with a history of weight problems is a gamble. Right place, maybe the wrong player.

As bad as the Jets running game was last year, the run defense was worse at times. Blame a personnel mismatch with Mangini’s 3-4 scheme, blame the players, blame the coaches, either way it needs fixing. Mangini is sticking with the 3-4, hell or high water. Exit under-sized LB Jon Vilma and NT Dewayne Robertson, two former first round picks. Insert 335-lb Kris Jenkins to clog the middle. Jenkins, the 29-year-old former pro bowler, cost the Jets third and fifth round draft picks and $20 million guaranteed. The signing comes with questions: things didn’t end well with Carolina bringing up attitude questions, combined with no experience in the 3-4 and Jenkins injury history. Jenkins proved he can dominate in the right situation, this appears to be a good fit.

While the other signings add proven, veteran players, Calvin Pace comes aboard because of his potential upside. At 27, off a 6 ½ sack season at OLB in Arizona, the Jets inked Pace for a team free-agent record 6 year, $42 million contract with $22 million guaranteed, banking that he is on the cusp of stardom. Pace fills the void left by Bryan Thomas and Victor Hobson, who both struggled to find opposing quarterbacks last year and will not return in 2008. Look for Pace’s sack numbers to improve, especially if the Jets get a complementary bookend at the other OLB position.

As Washington and countless other recent examples prove, free agent spending does not directly equate to wins. The Jets biggest offseason question remains, who plays quarterback. After the roster makeover, Mangini clearly plans to rely on the running game heavily. Without signing a big play receiver – they should have been involved with Berian, Muhammed, or Porter – the passing game will remain limited. Lots of running, short passing, game control, sounds a lot like Chad Pennington.

Next on the docket is the NFL Draft. Sitting at six, while Darren McFadden rumors continue to permeate, the right pick is Vernon Gholston from Ohio State. Stick Gholsten opposite Pace at OLB, with Harris in the middle, three young players to anchor the 3-4 defense with a run stuffer up front and young, exciting defensive backfield – exciting prospect. Next, will the Jets surprise everyone and try to move up to grab that big play receiver – perhaps a Mario Manningham late in the first round? They need a speedster outside to complement Cotchery and Coles.

The Jets have in-house business to address – mainly contract situations with Coles, Kerry Rhodes, and Chris Baker. After delving out big money to veteran free agents, the locker room may rumble a bit if management fails to take care of its own. Indications are Rhodes and the Jets remain far off, but Gang Green had better move quick with the market for safeties increasing and Rhodes play warrants the extension. Coles is an interesting case, an aging veteran who showed some signs of slowing down last season and a few injuries, will the Jets commit the dollars. Viewed as a team and locker room leader, this could become Pete Kendall 2008 if they refuse to offer an extension, Coles already said he will not attend Mangini’s first workout program. Stay tuned!