Dee Milliner Is Not a Bust

Photo courtesy of ESPN

In 2014, the Jets had one of the worst secondaries in the NFL. In fact, it was one of the worst in recent memory. They ended the year with four cornerbacks, two of whom I had never heard of prior to them appearing in their Jets uniforms for the first time in Phillip Adams and Marcus Williams. Another one of those four corners was Kyle Wilson, who has been bad his entire career since the Jets spent a first round pick on him in 2010. 

The reason why the Jets were so thin and so bad at corner was partially due to John Idzik failing to upgrade the position too much during the offseason, but also due to other circumstances. The Jets cut Antonio Cromartie last year because he was terrible in 2013. It's now clear that his abysmal performance was because he was playing hobbled all year, and after a short stint in Arizona is now back with the Jets. Many cornerbacks were on the market in the spring of 2014, but most notably Aqib Talib and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the cousin of the then-former, now current Jet Antonio. Idzik stayed away from those guys, and, for a team that needed multiple corners, only signed Dimitri Patterson from the Dolphins. I wasn't in love with the acquisition, but I was fine with it because Patterson is a decent enough player. In the third round of the draft, Idzik took Dex McDougle out of Maryland. This meant that the Jets were set to pin the starting #1 corner job on the second year player out of Alabama, Dee Milliner.

Brandon Marshall Trade Reaction

Photo courtesy of ESPN

On Friday morning, news broke that the Jets traded a 5th round pick to the Chicago Bears in exchange for Brandon Marshall and a 7th round pick. Just look at that sentence again. Fifth round pick, for Brandon Marshall.

It always amazes me how people can be so negative about moves that make all the sense in the world, especially when that move involves the Jets. Without delving too far into the territory of an ridiculously sensitive fan who can't take it when their team is criticized, it's unfair how the Jets are treated as a joke no matter what they do. 

This is the case with Percy Harvin right now as well, because their midseason trade for him has been widely maligned, when he was actually pretty good as a Jet, considering that he was thrown into a bad offensive system midway through the year. 

Excuse that angry rant directed at no one in particular, but it's been on my mind.

As for how this affects the on field product in New York, Marshall greatly improves a Jets team who were greatly in need of another receiver. I think Eric Decker is a number one receiver, and people who still vehemently refute that statement clearly did not watch enough of the Jets this past season. Even so, behind him are Jeremy Kerley, who is now able to settle into a more comfortable role as a third receiving option, Chris Owusu, and T.J. Graham. I really like Jace Amaro, but the Jets were in need of better players on the outside. And, look who's here.