The New York Jets Build for the Future in the 2009 NFL Draft

The New York Jets continued to make a big off-season splash this spring as they once again traded picks to get the player they wanted. Just one day after making a huge trade with the Cleveland Browns to secure QB Mark Sanchez, the Jets made another move by securing the rights to Iowa RB Shonn Greene. The Jets are definitely in rebuilding mode after losing superstar QB Brett Favre to retirement and with stud RB Thomas Jones threatening to hold out. Thanks to a busy weekend the team has solidified its future and looks poised to make a run in the next few years with the additions of both Sanchez and Greene.

Greene himself is seen as an underrated player and many are unsure as to why he slipped all the way to the third round. He rushed for at least 100 yards in all 13 games that he played in and seemed utterly unstoppable at times. The Jets were forced to send a third and a fourth round pick to Detroit in the deal but are excited about the potential that Greene has to become a superstar. The team was left with no more picks in the early rounds thank to the trade with Cleveland the day before.

This is definitely not the first time that the Jets have made an impact move in the draft. Executive Mike Tannenbaum has made a trade to move up in the last four trades acquiring Kellen Clemens, Darelle Davis, David Harris and Dustin Keller respectively.

While it may take a season or two for both Sanchez and Greene to make an impact or even become part of the starting lineup there is a definite amount of optimism that now surrounds the team after they headed into the off-season with a lot of question marks. The quarterback and running back positions are by far two of the most important and the team had a gaping hole at each. It remains to be seen where both or even one of these rookies can live up to their billing, but there is no doubt that the Jets have at least made a push to be competitive.

With other premier players starting to play out there last few seasons in the NFL, there is only a small window for the team to grasp in order to make a push deep into the NFL playoffs. The 2009-2010 season could be something great to build off of for the Jets, or it could just be another roadblock to success. Be sure to tune in this season and find out.