Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
What makes the Jets a compelling franchise is that they seem cursed. You look at everything that happens to them, self-inflicted or otherwise, and it seems beyond coincidence or statistical probability. You know something bad is going to happen. It’s just a matter of when, and in the Jets case, how unmercifully often.
Before we get to the pick, Tyler Warren, it’s worth reading the medical examiner’s notes from last season. NFL teams don’t exist in vacuums so some background will help justify the decision.
We could spend all day discussing what went wrong last year. In all honesty it is the most entertaining part. It is one of the reasons I picked the Jets (I also live near Florham Park where they practice, and I do watch them). I could point out the hole at RT, TE, or WR2, the lack of a long-term QB, player regression, but that is boring. Every team has those holes, it is the drama that is exciting. Watching Irsay slowly lose his mind and drive the Colts into the ground is an interesting thing. Same with Jerry. But I imagine you need to get back to work so I’ll be brief. Or as brief as I can be given the voluminous material the Jets provide.
Without a doubt, the Jets had the worst coaching staff in professional football. I don’t think it’s close, but I’m sure someone can make an argument for Jerod Mayo or good ol’ Dougy boy, but this Jets staff was horrendous.
Robert Saleh, HC, by all accounts is a great guy and seems to be a good, if not great, DC. It could be that the Jets position is a doomed role, but some of it has to go to him. He seemed more focused on celebrating with the defense when they did something positive than working with the OC (don’t worry we’ll get to him) or taking into account the situation the team was in and mentally preparing for the rest of the game. He, along with most of the coaching staff, was on thin ice before the seasons even got underway which is a terrible situation.
Nate Hackett, OC, was hand selected by Rodgers when he got to the Jets to help alleviate the nearly constant offensive struggles of the team since Aaron arrived in April 2023. But the 2023 season had that happen 4 plays in dooming everyone involved to watch Zach Wilson and the unmerry band of fringe back ups to try and make a playoff berth in the hopes Aaron would return early and guide them to the promised land. But even that built in excuse didn’t convince many that Hackett was still right for the job. Sean Payton memorably stated that Hackett’s job as HC for the Broncos in 2022 was “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL” when he succeeded him in Denver. Before the ‘24 season even got underway, NFL insider and fellow Jets sufferer Connor Hughes reported that the Jets tried to create a role above OC that would essentially replace him without having to actually fire him and replace him. I’m no football guru, but that’s not great. Other reports surfaced that Hackett would call a play and Rodgers would change it at the line. Like all the time.
Still there was hope. Rodgers would be fully healed from the Achilles injury, the team, undeniably, had talent that many picked to push Buffalo for the AFC East title, and Zach Wilson was no longer on the team so he could not under the rules of the universe end up QB again. 2024 should be better.
It was not.
They beat barely beat Tennessee in week 2 and crushed the hapless Patriots week 3 before rolling over. Saleh got fired in early October, Ulbrich took away play calling duties from Hackett (or it happened right before Saleh got fired, it doesn’t really matter) and apparently gave them to presumably someone, but we really can’t be sure. The Rodgers experiment failed culminating in an ultimatum by their star WR1, Garrett Wilson, that it’s either him or Rodgers.
The Jets led the league in penalties with an eye-watering 137. Highlighted by a week 17 sixteen penalty orgy in a meaningless game against Buffalo. But I guess that’s not all Saleh’s fault because he was fired by then, replaced by the DC Jeff Ulbrich that did not improve things. In fact, it just made the underperforming defense worse. Much worse. The whole team now looked unprepared and mismanaged in all respects. Timeout management was a now a laughable concept. Missed tackles, poor effort, and general malaise set in. On the field it was terrible.
Then there is the front office. Before 2024 season even got started, the Haason Reddick contract dispute cast a pall over any remaining hope unmolested by the grating Rodgers shenanigans. This dispute saw him miss all of the preseason and seven games before finally showing up to work. He eventually played 10 games for the Jets getting one sack, one forced fumble, and 9 solo tackles before leaving for Tampa Bay.
Then there was the bizarre kicker issue in the middle of the season where they forgot to elevate to their 53 man roster an undrafted kicker (Spencer Shrader) after he scored all the points in a game where the Jets got bludgeoned 31-6 by an inconsistent and irrelevant Cardinals team. The Chiefs swooped in and signed him before the Jets could offer him a deal. GM Joe Douglas, by this point, had since either stopped showing up for work or was actively sabotaging the team. Then then had to fund another undrafted kicker.
Any looming hope of a playoff run were essentially dashed about five games into a seventeen-game season. The rudderless ghost ship of another Jets season ended with green leaves still on the trees.
The Jets cleaned house. They hired the Lions DC, and ex-Jet, Aaron Glenn to HC. Another defensive hire, but whatever. He brought new OC Tanner Engstrand (passing game coordinator for Lions) and DC Steve Wilks with him. Engstrand, it should be noted, does not have play calling experience. This is called foreshadowing for next year.
Darren Mougey is the GM brought over from Denver where he was an assistant GM. By the way, the worst game of the 2024 season was probably the Jets 10-9 loss to Denver. A gloomy, defensive affair that had a missed field goals by each team in the final 1:50 that really looked like the Jets would pull out a tough win. Instead Zuerlein missed a 50 yarder snapping a two win streak and starting a five game losing streak before they inexplicably beat Houston on Halloween night. They would rack up two more wins against Jacksonville (week 15) and Miami (week 18) which was a Jets special where losing this game had the potential to have them pick in the top 3. Instead, they won because of course.
Why Tyler Warren?
Well, the Jets pick seventh. Shedeur Sanders is available here, but they’d do well to avoid that. The NY media and Deion should be kept apart for all of our sakes. Justin Fields is likely getting a final shot at being looked at as a starter. If he fails, it’s likely back up contracts and opportunities from here on out. Besides, some within the Jets organization are high on Jordan Travis. They believe he has starting QB potential and if (or when) this season goes belly up, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him get some reps.
No RT’s stick out as a day one plug and plays. Armand Membou though is in strong consideration. They have a hole at RT, but he has some size issues and likely needs to develop some. They can grab a RT with the #42 pick and roll out Carter Warren until the rookie takes over or get him some help. Fields’s mobility may take some pressure off and, again, some coaching could alleviate his struggles a bit.
Tet is also a possibility but with Fields here, this team should be run first. Maybe Malachi Corley can be developed, maybe Engstrand can make Lazard put some effort in, we will see.
The offense has looked labored and slow and terrible for years now. The current TE1 is Jeremy Ruckert and a bunch of guys no one’s heard of. One of which will probably end up on the Eagles at some point in the future (I’m looking at you Stone Smartt). Sure, he needs some work on run blocking and routes, but those are coachable things. He’s 6’6” 260 with a big catch radius. He will give the offense some new looks and wrinkles. He can help blocking and give you a big target. As I said above, the main issue with the Jets last season was coaching. If Glenn, Wilks, and Engstrand can get their players motivated, clean up the bonehead shit, and into a system that maximizes their skills, the Jets could be a decent team. There is enough talent on the roster. Go with a safe bet and pick someone that helps your OC and your QB.
Poll
Do you approve of this pick?
-
0%
Yes
(0 votes)
-
0%
No
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Vote Now
2025 BGN Mock Draft Order
1) Titans (JoeDirtsBarber): Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
2) Browns (kjb304): Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
3) Giants (The Player Formerly Known as Mousecop): Cam Ward, QB, Miami
4) Patriots (ReginaldHtower): Will Campbell, OT, LSU
5) Jaguars (eaglenomics): Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
6) Raiders (dkays): Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
7) Jets (Stick19154): Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
8) Panthers (89Tremaine)
9) Saints (FierceDisc65)
10) Bears (DrprofBubbles)
11) 49ers (granthill7)
12) Cowboys (Be subpar for Ja’Marr)
13) Dolphins (thehead92)
14) Colts (green1us)
15) Falcons (All_Hail_Howie)
16) Cardinals (Good Bad Ideas)
17) Bengals (ablesser88)
18) Seahawks (herbalonius)
19) Buccaneers (Hoosinole)
20) Broncos (Silverlark60)
21) Steelers (Dr.MidnightGreen)
22) Chargers (LancGuy)
23) Packers (Leo Bedio)
24) Vikings (krikkebelgium)
25) Texans (Aint1stULast)
26) Rams (Booth12)
27) Ravens (pheebthegoose)
28) Lions (Neil Dutton)
29) Commanders (Mailata_in_a_Miata)
30) Bills (PhilaWolverine)
31) Chiefs (niels.rosenquist)
32) Eagles (Philly21)
Now it’s time for you to vote for who YOU think should be selected in the 2025 BGN Community Consensus Mock Draft.
Poll
Who should the Jets draft at No. 7 overall?
-
0%
TE Tyler Warren
(0 votes)
-
0%
CB Will Johnson
(0 votes)
-
0%
OT Armand Membou
(0 votes)
-
0%
QB Shedeur Sanders
(0 votes)
-
0%
WR Tetairoa McMillan
(0 votes)
-
0%
EDGE Jalon Walker
(0 votes)
-
0%
EDGE Mykel Williams
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Vote Now
1) Titans: QB Cam Ward
2) Browns: EDGE Abdul Carter
3) Giants: WR/CB Travis Hunter
4) Patriots: OT Will Campbell
5) Jaguars: DT Mason Graham
6) Raiders: RB Ashton Jeanty
7)
