Segment 1: 3 Major Needs Going into the 2025 NFL Draft (Starts at 0:26)

• Protect New QB Justin Fields/Offensive Line Protection
• Acquire additional offensive weapons, including WR and TE, to help score more points
• Improve the defense, especially against the run

Segment 2: Analysis: Were Major Needs Addressed? (0:55)

• Is the team better now, given free agent and undrafted signings, and the new draft picks?
• For the second year in a row, major decision: OT or TE?
• 2006 Draft: first two picks (Ferguson and Mangold) landed the team two offensive lineman for a decade
• 2025 Draft Picks Rundown:
  • First Round: Armand Membou, OL, Missouri
  • Second Round: Mason Taylor, TE, LSU
  • Third Round: Azareye'h Thomas, CB, Florida State
  • Fourth Round #1: Arian Smith, WR, Georgia
  • Fourth Round #2: Malachi Moore, S, Alabama
  • Fifth Round: Francisco Mauigoa, LB, Miami
  • Sixth Round: Tyler Baron, DE, Miami
• Observations and Insights:
  • Needs addressed: OL and TE (still need more depth)
  • Needs not addressed: WR -- still gaping hold past Garrett Wilson, and DL (signed 4 DL in free agency for depth)
  • QB Update
    • Opted to add weapons for Justin Fields, did not draft a QB (signed UDFA QB Brade Cook, Missouri)
    • 2024 Fifth Round Pick QB Jordan Travis, Florida State, retired after the draft
    • Wise to draft a QB every year for competition and to fight a QB diamond in the rough
  • Biggest name in UDFA signings: Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan
  • Concern: ability to score enough points?
  • Jets Cap Space: $27 million+ providing options to sign more players

Segment 3: AFC East Draft Review (33:00)

• Bills: traded up three times directly ahead of Jets during the draft; first five picks were on defense
• Dolphins: drafted three defensive linemen; former Jets QB Zach Wilson now the main backup for oft-injured (concussions) Tua Tagovailoa; major mistake? Team a QB injury away from rebuild?
• Patriots: apparently good draft; first four picks on offense to help rebuild one of the NFL's worst offensive units in 2024
• Road to Super Bowl runs through KC, with pitstops in Buffalo (and Baltimore?)
• Eagles (and Tampa Bay before that vs. KC) has shown best way to beat the Chiefs and QB Patrick Mahomes: strong pash rush

Segment 4: Final Thoughts (39:45)

• Do the Jets have a puncher's chance to fight for a wild-card playoff slot with first year head coach and GM?
• Fan expectations: develop young players, fewer 3 and outs on offense, better discipline (fewer penalties, especially on third down), be competitive every week
• Strong running game and improved defense critical to success

The Post Aaron Rodgers/NY Jets Era Has Begun: 42:28

Segment 1: Quick Review of the 2024-25 Jets Season (Starts at 0:30)

• Disappointing 5-12 finish; hard to believe former QB Zach Wilson led the team to more wins than future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers
• Opportunities Squandered:
  • Rodgers had the most dropped passes in the NFL (36)
  • Jets led the league with 6 blown 4th quarter leads
  • Team was 3-7 in one-score games
  • Missed FGs and PATs led to losses
• Fired Head Coach Robert Saleh after 5 games, did not provide the intended spark
• Longest playoff drought in professional sports (14 seasons) in North America continues; one key constant over that span
• Defense (porous run defense, few turnovers generated) and special teams both regressed
• Only one way but up???

Segment 2: A Recap of the Busy Off-Season including the Hiring of a New Head Coach and GM, in that order (7:57)

• Cautious optimism around new Head Coach Aaron Glenn, former Jets first round pick and quality cornerback, experienced major turnaround under tutelage of Bill Parcells from 1-15 team; spent last 4 seasons as Lions defensive coordinator, part of coaching staff building a winner in Detroit
• Pattern of hiring head coaches and GMs with no previous NFL experience in those roles continues; ditto with the offensive coordinator selection
• First big decision made: Aaron Rodgers' future; threw for close to 3,900 yards and 28 TDs, both third-best single season performances in franchise history; massive salary cap hit over next 2 seasons
• Addition of Packers OL Josh Myers (who played with new QB Justin Fields at Ohio State) to provide flexibility and movement along the offensive line?

Segment 3: Initial Thoughts on the First Wave of Free Agent Signings (18:45)

• The Justin Fields era begins: 2 years and $40M, $30M guaranteed; gives indication of offensive philosophy; can the new coaching staff maximize his talent given Jets' history on not being able to develop young quarterbacks?
• Commentary on the 10+ free agents signed (to 1-year deals), strategy: focus on young talent with upside and for roster depth

Segment 4: Needs Going into the NFL Draft Next Month (28:00)

• Top needs going into the draft: OL, DL, WR, TE, CB
• Strong nucleus of young talent: can it be developed and converted into wins?
• Intriguing options with the No. 7 overall selection in round one: edge rusher? Offensive lineman to replace RT Morgan Moses? Playmaker/weapons for the new QB...Penn State TE Tyler Warren, who set a number of Nittany Lion and Big 10 records last season? A QB???
• Signs the new leadership team is demonstrating progress: more wins, Justin Fields showing he can be a franchise QB/2025 version of Sam Darnold; increased discipline (fewer mental mistakes and penalties); strong in-game clock management; building a winning culture

This episode features a look into the Jets 2023 season following QB Aaron Rodgers' Achilles tendon injury -- after just four offensive plays -- in the Week 1 game against the Buffalo Bills. Guest co-host: Nigel Anderson, fellow long-time Jets fan. 

34:08

Segment 1: 0:40 Aaron Rodgers is lost for the season after being sacked. Reminiscent of QB Vinny Testaverde's Achille's tendon tear on a non-contact injury during the first game of the 1999 season. The team had Super Bowl aspirations after reaching the AFC Championship Game in Denver. At least the Jets won the game against Buffalo last week. The much-discussed fears of the offensive line's issues came true very quickly. Bills QB Josh Allen's four turnovers were critical in the loss.

Segment 2: 3:30, 6 Observations from Week 1 OT Win Vs. the Bills. 

• Jets appear to be a pretty good team. Sample size of one game. Defense played very well. Lots of positives, including strong running game (170+ yards) and come-from-behind win against a tough divisional opponent with Super Bowl aspirations. Negative: 117 net passing yards...will be hard to win games with that level of production.
• RB Breece Hall had a triumphant comeback following off-season knee surgery and looked phenomenal. Career high 127 yards. First touch: a 20+ yard run on the Jets' first offensive play. Also had an 83 yard scamper. Having Dalvin Cook as part of a strong 1-2 RB punch will be critical as the team will rely on the ground game with Wilson under center.
• Looks like the Jets found a gem in undrafted free agent Xavier Gipson, who scored on the game's winning play: a long punt return for a TD in OT after the Jets D forced the Bills' 3 and out.
• Offensive line still a huge concern, especially against the Cowboys strong pash rush (Week 2 matchup). Question: why not bring in another veteran OT or 2 in addition to the draft?
• Zach Wilson was named the starting QB by Coach Robert Saleh. "This is Zach's team." There will be no QB competition. Jets fans likely disagree with that approach. The team needs to bring in a competent NFL QB ASAP. We discuss potential QB options. 
• Key to Jets' success: the development of Coach Saleh and his in-game management. Did he make the right call to kick a FG late in the game vs. Buffalo instead of going for a TD after Allen's fumble inside the Bills 30? 

Segment 3: 24:30, Giants at Arizona, Week 2 matchup. "Get right" game for the Jints after getting blown out by Dallas 40-0 in their home opener. Must game given the Giants are at San Francisco in Week 3. The Niners looked great in dominating Pittsburgh in Week 1. Nigel: SF will go to the Super Bowl. 

Segment 4: 26:08, "The Phil Rotondi Rule" (hypothesis while at Brooklyn College years ago): NFL teams can't win the Super Bowl if they get shut out or give up 40 points or more on defense. Nigel: quarterbacks that don't play at least 25 games in college tend to not excel in the NFL. 

Segment 5: 30:05, Already in the Post-Rodgers Portion of the 2023 Season. Questions of what could have been. Will he rehab and come back, or retire? The expectation: Rodgers will not "limp into retirement" and will play again for the Jets. Only thing we know for sure: the Jets will send a second round pick, not a first, to Green Bay to complete the Rodgers trade because Rodgers will not play at least 65% of the offensive snaps. Another brutal night for Jets fans. Zach Wilson needs to up his game. Jet management's plan to start Wilson after Rodgers' retirement moves up a season or two or three. Here's to hoping all of the coaching and mentoring of Wilson by Rodgers over the summer will make a major difference in the QB's play and approach. It's a long season.

Audio production: Nicky Wetherell