Both Ganaway and Griffin were teammates at Baylor University, where they started on offense alongside quarterback Robert Griffin III and wide receiver Kendall Wright, who both went in round 1.

The Jets’ Griffin, no relation to his Heisman Trophy-winning ex-teammate with whom he shares a name, is an offensive guard who will likely back up starters Brandon Moore and Matt Slauson.

Ganaway, a big bruising back, has a chance to earn playing time in a backup role behind starting running back Shonn Greene and young backs Joe McKnight and Bilal Powell.

The Jets had previously signed their other 6th-round pick, defensive back Josh Bush. They now have all three of their 6th-rounders signed.

Having also previously signed 2nd-rounder Stephen Hill, the Jets now have four of their eight rookie draft picks under contract.

1st-rounder Quinton Coples, 3rd-rounder Demario Davis, and 7th-rounders Antonio Allen and Jordan White are the remaining unsigned draft picks.

It’ll be interesting to see how much production the Jets are able to get right away out of their rookie class. In the Rex Ryan era, it’s been a little hit-and-miss in that regard.

As far as the 2009 draft class goes, Mark Sanchez started right away, Greene made an impact at the very end of the year, and although Slauson has become a solid starting option, he played sparingly as a rookie.

In 2010, Kyle Wilson got some playing time but hasn’t lived up to his 1st-round billing, and 2nd-rounder Vladimir Ducasse hasn’t been able to translate his raw physical talents into productive play.

Last year, Muhammad Wilkerson emerged as a star in the making as a day 1 starter, but the Jets can’t afford to get production from just one rookie per season.

This year’s draft class, along with the undrafted rookies, will need to produce if the Jets expect to make any serious noise in 2012. With a new offensive coaching staff in place, hopefully that makes a big difference.

Follow me on Twitter @metsjetsnets88  / Contact me at metsjetsnets88@gmail.com

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Wayne Hunter Among Many New York Jets Excited About Tony Sparano and His Offensive Scheme

Led by second-year head coach Rex Ryan and second-year quarterback Mark Sanchez, the 2010 season was a memorable one, especially for the folks at NFL Films and HBO, after the program would go on to win an Emmy.

Meanwhile, the Jets didn’t have the hangover that plagued some previous Hard Knocks participants, as they would go on to have an 11-5 season, culminating in a trip to the AFC Championship game for the second straight year.

As much as fun it was for fans to get a glimpse into the grueling grind of training camp, the rest of the NFL seems to be shying away from being the next team featured in the hit HBO documentary series.

The Atlanta Falcons have already declined an official invite from the show, which has not aired since the Jets’ edition in 2010 due to the NFL lockout in 2011.

As far as a potential return to the bright lights of the HBO cameras for Rex Ryan and company? Don’t hold your breath, football fans. The Jets are trying to minimize distractions as much as possible this year.

Ryan himself indicated this week that he hasn’t even thinking about a possible Hard Knocks sequel, and that reports of the Jets declining an offer are news to him, but not even on his radar.

“It doesn’t matter,” said Ryan, of the impact of being on the show or not. “We’re getting ready to get our team ready to play the 2012 season.”

General manager Mike Tannenbaum backed up that sentiment, though he appreciated the interest and the previous experience the Jets had on the program.

“The experience we had with them was great,” Tannenbaum said. “They were real pros, the people from HBO and NFL Films. It was a great experience for us.”

Alas, all good things must come to an end, and the Jets’ 2010 Hard Knocks appearance will live on in football lore. It was a one-of-a-king experience, and we were all winners for getting a chance to see it.

Follow me on Twitter @metsjetsnets88  / Contact me at metsjetsnets88@gmail.com

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According to Profootballfocus.com (PFF) Sione Pouha was the NFL‘s best run stopping nose tackle in 2011, a sentiment I agree with. Muhammad Wilkerson improved as a five technique defensive end in the second half of the previous season and will likely be a better player in 2012. Mike DeVito is a stellar backup at defensive tackle/defensive end and will provide the Jets with a valuable option on definite run defense situations.

Wilkerson himself said that Coples is more talented than him, but the only question is whether or not the rookie gives his best effort on every play of every game. Coples has an exceptional frame and very good athleticism at the five technique position but the disparity in performance when comparing 2010 to 2011 is significant.

After the Jets selected Coples I was saying that was a good move, not knowing they passed on a trade offer, but because I knew Coples had plenty of talent and that playing for Rex Ryan was an ideal situation for the rookie. If Ryan takes an active role in developing Coples and the new Jet responds well, then the team could end up with the best three man defensive line in the NFL.

That is exactly why this defense’s strength in 2012 will likely be the defensive line.

The New York Jets offensive lineman is well aware that his up-and-down play at right tackle made him the weak link on a normally stout offensive line that took a step back overall as a unit in 2011.

“I had good games, I had great games, but I also had some bad games,” Hunter said. “Being the new piece in the puzzle with the O-line, I didn’t pick up where [Damien Woody] left off.”

Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum was noncommittal about handing Hunter the starting right tackle job, even after the Jets did not select a single offensive tackle in the 2012 NFL Draft.

“There are a number of young players on our offensive line that we’re excited to see,” Tannenbaum said. “Having Wayne Hunter back for another year, he’ll still be competing for a position here.”

“We’ve got three young guys we like in Caleb [Schlauderaff], Austin [Howard] and Vlad [Ducasse],” said Tannenbaum, “so we’ll see how that goes.”

Hunter, on the other hand, is very confident about his ability and his starting job, regardless of the competition he’ll face in camp.

“I’m the starting right tackle, that’s as simple as it is,” Hunter said. “Whatever happens come opening day, during the season, so be it, but I am the starting right tackle now and that’s all that matters to me.”

“My focus this year is to get better and I’m going to get better. I’m the starting right tackle and that hasn’t changed whether people like it or not.”

It’s hard not to love his confidence, but after his performance last season, how can anybody who watched him be as confident? I sure know where fellow Rant Sports writer Chris Gamble stands, that’s for sure.

“I was the weakest link last year,” Hunter admitted. “This year it’s a whole different mentality. I played like a rookie last year and this year I’m playing like a nine-year veteran.”

Believe it or not, I don’t think it’s too farfetched to expect Hunter, or whoever ends up starting at right tackle in 2012, to improve upon the right tackle play from last season.

One of the Jets’ biggest upgrades this offseason was the jettisoning of former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, and the hiring of former Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano in his place.

I had been a longtime Schottenheimer critic over his six seasons in New York, and although Sparano was not my first choice to replace him, I could not be more thrilled to have Sparano at the helm.

Listening to some of the comments from the Jets’ offensive players, I don’t think I’m alone in that thinking.

“[Sparano]‘s to the point. He’s a no-nonsense guy,” said quarterback Mark Sanchez. “He’s exactly what we need and we’re excited about his arrival. He’s really pushing us.”

Receiver Santonio Holmes indicated that it was “a little difficult to understand the language in Schottenheimer’s offense” and that Sparano’s scheme is similar to one he used to play under with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

For Hunter, who former Jets offensive line coach Bill Callahan raved about in the past for his pure athleticism and physicality, Schottenheimer’s scheme was often too complex and had him thinking too much last season.

“It was a shock mentally for me,” Hunter said. “Everyone knows physically I can get the job done, they’ve seen me get the job done. It was a shock as far as being that number 1 guy consistently, and consistency was my problem.”

Although it’s only May, Hunter already likes what he’s seen from Sparano and new offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo.

“I like [Sparano]. I like him, it’s night and day from Schotty but I think it’s a good change,” Hunter said. “In an attitude way, just the presence he brings is night and day but change is always good I think.”

For what it’s worth, Hunter also indicated that his public spat with Holmes in the wake of the Jets’ disappointing Week 17 loss to the Dolphins is water under the bridge, and both men are focusing on moving forward.

“We came up to each other and I told him ‘clean slate,’ and he’s been great,” Hunter said. “Tone has been great. … He’s been a team player, and it’s been a good change.”

As bad as Hunter played at times last season, it’s not as if the Jets really gave him a ton of support, either.

He was more often than not left out on an island against the league’s top pass rushers, without much help from extra blockers or anything along those lines.

Sparano is not stubborn enough to recognize a problem and try to let it work itself out. If he sees the right tackle struggling, he’s going to do something about it, something Schottenheimer puzzlingly never did.

The New Orleans Saints and New York Giants, as an example, suffered through bad tackle play last season as well. Worse, believe it or not, than Hunter.

Yet, those teams schemed around it with extra blockers and protection adjustments. Of course, when you have elite quarterback play, you can get away with it more, but the point remains the same.

Additionally, the Jets also had instability with the rest of their line, as Nick Mangold, Brandon Moore and Matt Slauson all played through injuries and D’Brickashaw Ferguson had an off-year as well.

Wayne Hunter’s not going to miraculously transform into a great right tackle. But there’s no reason to think he can’t be competent after what amounted to a worst-case-scenario type season last year.

It stands to reason that this year, with a better offensive scheme, and hopefully healthy players alongside him, Hunter can hold his own at right tackle.

He’s clearly got the right attitude about it, which is an important first step. Now, it’s time to back up that bravado with results.

Follow me on Twitter @metsjetsnets88  / Contact me at metsjetsnets88@gmail.com

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So I went back and looked at the numbers to prove my point. Apparently out of all NFL cornerbacks featured prominently on defense this past season, Wilson allowed the seventh highest completion percentage. He allowed quarterbacks to complete 66.7% of their passes against him, that’s 40 out of 60 passes thrown.

To add insult to injury he was one of the players who covered Victor Cruz when he scored that 99 yard touchdown against the Jets and he was dominated by the New England Patriots in both of the games in 2011. I should add that I sent an email to Neil Hornsby, the founder of PFF, a couple months ago inquiring about the website and what their team does.

It’s important to note that PFF is often used by NFL teams (including the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants), and cited frequently by a number of media sources including the Wall Street Journal, ESPN, and the New York Times. Hornsby explained that the PFF team watches every play of every game and that their grades were based on objective analysis of each player.

He explained that if PFF had a significant negative grade on a player, then that player was definitely not good at their job. So when I found that the site had Wilson earning a grade of -8.5 as a cornerback, I knew my eyes had not deceived me in 2011.

I actually think Wilson would be a good cornerback if given the opportunity to start as the primary cornerback opposite Darrelle Revis, but sadly he will most likely not get that chance with the Jets since Antonio Cromartie has six years left on his contract. During his time in college Wilson never played at nickel cornerback, so these results should have been predictable.

“I have respect for him,” Revis said. “Winning is winning, but sometimes things are disrespectful. When you say certain comments about the Jets, some stuff is disrespectful. It’s OK to have a rivalry. It’s OK to compete. But when it gets personal, you’re getting disrespectful. I didn’t start this battle. The smart remarks sometimes he says are ignorant. It’s ignorant to this organization.”

When asked about which comments Belichick made Revis clarified, “The one talking about the best defense they can suck my d— … all that stuff.  That’s just ignorant. Why go there? You won fair and square. We shook your hand after the game. We’ll see you in New England or wherever in the playoffs. That’s OK, but when you start saying stuff like that it gets too personal. You don’t have to say that. Did anybody else say anything like that? No, not from our side.”

Revis was referring to comments Belichick made on the field after the Patriots beat the Jets 37-16 at MetLife Stadium last November.  Belichick went on a New York area radio station, WFAN and was asked about those comments.  He didn’t deny saying anything on the field but insisted he would keep any private conversations he had private.

Belichick’s interview infuriated Revis even more.  “It’s ignorant,” Revis said.  “Why go there? You won, fair and square. Hey, we shook your hand after the game. But when you start saying stuff like that, it gets too personal.”

To be clear, Revis said he meant what he said on ESPN.  “They told me to sum it up in one word. I gave my honest opinion,” Revis said. “That’s just how I felt and that’s how I feel. I feel people let him slide when he says his smart remarks and certain things. He says comments about us like he never coached here because he did. That’s how I felt.”

Training camp hasn’t even begun and already the Jets and Patriots are jawing.  Well, to be accurate, it is Revis who is jawing but I am positive someone on the Patriots will answer.  In this battle, when one side fires a broadside the other usually returns it.  I am sure we will wake up one morning and find some quotes from someone on the Patriots who attempts to put Revis in his place one way or another.  On October 21^st, the talk will cease when they square off for the first time in the 2012 season.  Until then, I expect a lot more chatter coming from both camps.

Fans harped on Brian Schottenheimer, the former offensive coordinator of the team, for the failures of the offense but no one talked about how Mike Pettine, the team’s defensive coordinator, was disappointing in his first season with full control of the defensive play calling. Still Pettine wasn’t the main problem for why the Jets defense was an average defense.

The main reason for the mediocre performance of the defense in 2011 was a lack of talent at outside linebacker, defensive end, nickel cornerback, and free safety. Only one of those problem areas was addressed by the  Jets thus far during this off-season, with the selection of Quinton Coples with the 16th overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Bryan Thomas’ performance has steadily declined in the past few years and he no longer has the speed of a starter, while Aaron Maybin is a developing player who has not proven himself to be worthy of the starting job at outside linebacker. Eric Smith is still the best starting free safety on the roster, which in no way should be reassuring to fans hoping for the team to improve, even though he is best suited as a backup strong safety/special teams specialist.

Kyle Wilson will continue to be used as a nickel corner despite his obvious struggles at the position. It doesn’t help that Bart Scott and Calvin Pace are also losing speed, and Demario Davis the team’s 2012 third round pick actually struggles in pass coverage, which is evident based on his play at Arkansas State.

So is all hope, of the team having a good defense in 2012, lost? The answer to that question is no. Jim Leonhard will likely be re-signed by the team to play free safety opposite LaRon Landry. Leonhard would be an adequate starting free safety, and a mentor for young safeties like Josh Bush.

Maybin has actually gained a significant amount of bulk during this off-season and currently weighs 240 pounds; if he can gain 15 more pounds, he would have the size of a starting outside linebacker. He’s going to have the opportunity to learn all of the plays in the defensive playbook for the first time and with Ryan taking over play calling duties in 2012 Maybin could be far more dangerous this season.

Drew Coleman is now a free agent and he is willing to consider returning to the Jets. If signed, Coleman would most likely surpass Wilson as the team’s nickel cornerback. So yes there is hope that the defense can improve in 2012, but if the Jets deviate too much from the suggested options listed in this article, then the unit will not be much better than the one from 2011.

The 47-year-old Clinkscales (center, above) had previously been a candidate for the St. Louis Rams general manager job, before St. Louis hired Les Snead instead.

Clinkscales had been the Jets’ VP of college scouting for the past four seasons, and had been in the Jets’ scouting department for the last 17 years.

During the 2012 NFL Draft, Clinkscales’s name was floated out as a possibility for the Raiders because of his friendship with new Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie.

At the time, Clinkscales was defiant about his commitment to the Jets.

“I expect to be here,” Clinkscales said. “I understand where the connection comes in, to be honest with you. Reggie and I have played high school and college ball together. We were in each other’s weddings. I’ve known Reggie forever. But this is where I started, and this is where I plan on being.”

Evidently, Clinkscales has had a change of heart and will join McKenzie in Oakland after all.

I wish him well on his future endeavors, and hopefully his final draft class with the Jets will be a great one.

Follow me on Twitter @metsjetsnets88  / Contact me at metsjetsnets88@gmail.com

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Of course, by putting his cards on the table so bluntly, Ryan unintentionally revealed that former starter Mike DeVito will have a decreased, or at least modified role.

DeVito, who originally signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2007 out of Maine, has developed into one of the premier run defending 3-4 ends in football over the last few seasons.

However, the 27-year-old battled injures in 2011, and the addition of Coples will allow the Jets to keep DeVito fresh by playing him primarily on running downs, which plausibly could maximize his effectiveness.

“I know [DeVito] is a tremendous player,” Ryan said in regards to the addition of Coples. “To explain his exact role right now, I don’t feel like I can do that right now.”

Last week, the Jets decided to let go of fellow defensive lineman Ropati Pitoitua, which I interpreted as a bonafide endorsement of DeVito and the rest of the defensive line depth.

The unsung DeVito apparently has made a commitment of his own, agreeing to a pay cut that restructured his contract to a more cap-friendly deal for the team.

DeVito was due to earn a 2012 base salary of $2.26 million, with another $1 million in bonuses. With his restructure, he will earn a base salary of $700,000 instead.

Various bonuses are expected to push DeVito’s total 2012 compensation to a guaranteed $2.5 million, which essentially is an assurance that he will be on the roster this season, which I’m happy to see.

He can become a free agent after the season, so it’s possible that this will be his final year in New York. Hopefully, we can see him stay healthy this year and have a strong contract year.

Mike DeVito has been a key cog and an underrated part of this Jets defense over the last few years, and it’s nice to have him back for what could be one last hurrah.

Follow me on Twitter @metsjetsnets88  / Contact me at metsjetsnets88@gmail.com

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Ryan stating that Hunter, an eight-year veteran, is his starting right tackle “for now” isn’t exactly a glowing endorsement.  New offensive coordinator Tony Sparano has stated there will be an open competition for the right tackle job in training camp between Hunter and Vladimir Ducasse, the Jets second-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.  However, Ducasse has hardly been impressive in two training camps so far.  Behind Ducasse are two unproven tackles in Austin Howard and Dennis Landolt.  Howard was signed off the Baltimore Ravens practice squad and has a total of four NFL games under his belt including one start with the Philadelphia Eagles.  Landolt has been on four different teams practice squads but has yet to make an active roster.

These are not exactly enticing options for Jets fans who might start to hide Hunter’s car on gameday just to avoid seeing quarterback Mark Sanchez getting flattened.  Perhaps a veteran becomes available on the waiver wire towards the end of camp.  However, good, serviceable offensive tackles are hard to come by so counting on one to fall into your lap is like putting your life savings into buying lottery tickets for a jackpot that is only a few dollars more than your savings.

Moving forward, the Jets need Ducasse to step up and become the player the Jets thought they were getting when they used a second-round pick on him.  If he fails to beat out Wayne Hunter then the bust tag should be applied to him until he proves otherwise.  Ducasse’s failure to develop has actually hindered the entire Jets offense at this point, forcing them to utilize an obviously overmatched Hunter and placing their quarterback’s health at risk.  One way or another the Jets need to add depth at this position.  Perhaps putting their savings into a lottery is worth it if it means not having Hunter starting on the offensive line.