The New York Jets have made some splashy offseason moves to say the least. First, the team traded for wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Then, New York signed cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie in free agency. Those moves helped address some of the biggest areas of need on the Jets' roster outside of quarterback. That will free them up to take the best available player in next month's NFL draft, where the Jets hold the sixth overall pick.
ESPN Jets reporter Rich Cimini believes that pick could be Nebraska outside linebacker Randy Gregory.
"After addressing cornerback and wide receiver in March, [general manager] Mike Maccagnan gets [head coach] Todd Bowles the best available edge rusher," Cimini wrote. "The Jets have a handful of good interior rushers and aging outside rushers, so the pick makes sense."
ESPN NFL Draft Insider Mel Kiper Jr. projects Gregory to fall to the Chicago Bears at No. 7. While Gregory is undoubtedly a talented pass-rusher, he does not come without a set of questions.
"Gregory offers length and explosiveness that plays up both on tape and when he's sprinting in Under Armour," Kiper wrote. "There are some concerns about his lean frame but I think he plays the point pretty well and isn't going to be a liability against the run as he develops."
Gregory is listed at just 235 pounds. While lighter linebackers such as Von Miller have succeeded in the NFL, it's generally good to add some muscle to be able to take the everyday pounding and avoid nagging injuries. But if the Jets are confident that Gregory can hold up long-term, he'd be a nice eventual replacement for 34-year-old OLB Calvin Pace.
Gregory recorded 17.5 sacks in two years with the Cornhuskers. Although the Jets finished tied for the sixth-most sacks in the NFL last year with 45.0, the team's edge rushers are getting a bit long in the tooth.
