A Conversation with Brian Baldinger About the Jets Offseason (1/26)

down and talking about the storylines. Is Patrick mahomes ankle gonna hold I mean, all the stuff. So it's great because it's it's just all football right now. Yeah, and that's kind of what I prefer. Hey, the Jets are still in the news though, Baldi. How about yesterday Pro Football Writers Association naming Sauce Gardner in the two thousand two NFL Rookie of the Year, did the Defensive Rookie of the Year and ed Garrett Wilson offensive Rookie. There

I was. It was a great draft class. You know, if Priests stayed healthy all year, maybe he would have been somewhere in the mix as well. But it's just just credit credit to uh, you know, Joe Douglas and their drafting. They felt like they got, you know, the best corner. They felt like they got the best receiver in the draft, and they showed it. But it's also the mentality that we all saw from Sauce, the first

one on the field every single day, this preparation. Uh, it showed in the games and then you know, all the way to that you know, Week eighteen game in Miami where Garrett Wilson might have been you know, I mean, I know Tyreek and Jayalen Wattle war on the field, but he might have been the best receiver on the field that day. Man, what a compliment. Yeah, he was great yards receiving despite playing with four different quarterbacks. Outstanding year for the rookie from Ohio State. Okay, so let's

fast forward to February nine. NFL honors a couple of days before the Super Bowl. Associated Press will name the offensive rookie here, then all the defensive rookie of the year. Let's start on offense. Garrett Wilson is a finalist, as is Kenneth Walker and Brock Purdy. What do you think about Wilson's chances? I know, Purty plays quarterback Baldi and I'm not trying to disparage anything he's done this year, but the dude only played, I believe, in seven regular

season games. Well he started the last seven games, including the playoff game, and he's played in eight games. But it's gonna be hard not to take Brock Purty. I mean, nothing against uh, what we just talked about with Garrett and what he did all year long and with four quarterbacks and nothing against Kenneth Walker and all the way up into a playoff loss where he was awesome, um and taken over you know, the starting role, you know,

early in the season. But Brock Purdy has been This offense has never been this effective in San Francisco ever since he took over. And I think a big reason why they're on the doorstep of you know, this Champions Sunday in the doorstep to this Bowl is because of Rock Party. And it's gonna be hard, She's gonna be hard to overlook what he has accomplished. I mean, because it was something for a while he was it was

the system. It's a town around him and all that is true, but he's making this thing work and nobody could have predicted. I mean, it looks like Robert Redford at the Natural be honest with you, like nobody could have ever seen this coming. Everybody kept waiting for the shoe to drop. And I don't think it's gonna drop. Maybe in Philadelphia does on Sunday, but you know that

would even surprise me if it does. The way he's playing the bois So as much as I would want to give it to Garrett on you know, the night of the Honors, I kind of think it's gonna be hard to overlook Rock Party. The way he's like sometimes it's how you finish e A and the way he's finishing right now. Like you, Cameron say, okay, well he didn't play in the first you know, ten games, Well, okay,

there's last The last eight games has been unbelievable. All right, So props do you for dropping the Natural reference and Robert Redford everybody loves him again. Hey, listen, Party has been really good, no doubt about that. And he's playing at the most important position in all professional sports. Uh my vote. You can call me a homer, that's fine. I'm at one Jets Drive. I give it to Wilson

because what he did the eleven yards receiving. Again, three different starting quarterbacks this year, the Jets played four in all. In like your point there at the end that game against Miami, when the Dolphins had everything on the line, you could have made the argument that the best receiver on the field that day, in fact, was Garrett Wilson. How about defensive rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner up against Aidan Hutchinson, very impressive rookie himself who played with

the Lions this year. And then the late round five fine from the Seattle Seahawks, Treke Wallan. Yeah, well, Toreck wall and tied for the league leading interceptions like he was, legit and to me as good as Anton Hutchinson was. You know, their defense was not really very good for much of the year and a l o Aiden had a good season and played hard, and they got probably the best pass rusher now, you know, in the draft, I mean just from the statistic standpoint, But I gotta

give it to Sauce. I gotta give it to Sauce because he led the league in pass his defense. Uh, he played every snap basically, Um, you know, he tackled. Well, he's up there with you know leading tacklers with the Jets. Um, he played zone, he played man, He went up against the league's best receivers. I don't care if it was Jamaar Chase, you name a guy, and you know, he kept him out of the end zone all year. Like, I just think he's as and Tarik was awesome, but

their defense wasn't like the Jets defense. So I think, you know, from a standpoint of how he helped fix the back end of the Jets defense, DJ read and the other side was really good. The pass rush obviously was fierce. UM, but I I gotta give it to Sauce. I believe that he is what a defensive rookie the

year should look like. And it's not because he plays in New York and Tuik plays in Seattle or Aidan plays in Detroit, you know, smaller markets Like I just think watching all of these guys, you know week in

week out that the most consistent player was Sauce. And there were games when he you know, we talked about it, those games where he did not get targeted, like they didn't throw at him once, you know, and so uh, everybody wants more interceptions and all that those things will come like, you're gonna have years where you have two, and you canna have years where you gonna have eight, you know, or more. That happens to every cornerback. I don't care. Xavian Howard had ten last year, he had

one or two this year. It happens. It's just the nature of the cornerback position. I just think that sauce Um to me, should be the recipient of this award. Yeah, you could make the argument that he was the top cornerback in the National Football League this year, not just a defensive Rookie of the Year, but maybe he was the top cornerback out of everybody. But if you didn't know he was a rookie, you wouldn't you wouldn't know that he was a rookie, you know what I mean.

Like he played like a veteran corner, a great veteran corner, but like not many guys you know, have sauce size, length, speed, makeup speed, poise, eyes, like tackling. Like there's very few players in this whole league that has the combination of skills and talent that he has. Let's go from elite cornerback to elite cornerback. Darrell Reevs one of five first time finalists eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Reeves career numbers twenty five interceptions, a hundred and twelve

p ds. UH. He was also a four time first team All Pro seven time Pro Bowl selection. What do you think about reeves chances of getting in? On February nine at NFL Honors, Well, there was a five year stretch where Durrell Reeves not only was the best corner in the Naster Football League, he was arguably the best defensive player. Because if you're gonna say this is the passing league, we know it is. I don't care where he went up against. I don't care if was Chad

Johnson or you know, Reggie Wayne. It didn't matter. Uh, big games, playoff games, Um, it didn't matter. Like Darrell Reeves was the best player on the field. And you know, I know it was a five or six year stretch. But if you're the best player in the league, like you'd like to say, okay, he was the best player for a decade, like Charles Woodson was the best player for a whole decade. Rod Woodson was the best player

for a decade or more. All that stuff, But I just think in that period of time, especially with Rex, and I think Rex came a year after he was in the league. Um, I just think for that stretch, nobody could beat him. I don't care if Randy Moss, you know, pick up an elite player. They couldn't beat Darrell Reeves week in week out. And so, you know, because he played press man and he shut guys down, he didn't get the interceptions that zone corners getting like

Rex wasn't playing that style of football. Rex was challenging with the line of scrimmage, challenging every throw. You're not gonna get interceptions in that way. Like if he played off the ball and he wasn't pressing every play, he'd probably be in the forties, you know, interception wise. But so you can't look at the numbers. You have to look at how he shut guys down, and we've never

seen a guy like it. You could go back, Okay, maybe Dion did that, but really you can't look at anybody else has played this game that played it the way Darrell Reevers did. You could talk to Brandon Marshall when he was in Chicago and he tell you why Durrell Reevers was the best corner in the league, and then they became teammates and it was just iron sharping iron. In two thousand and fifteen, those guys are going up

against each other every day in practice. Yeah, I think he was a masterful technician and he was so fun to watch it practice. That's one of the things I think people love about you is that you're jumping from team to team and you love going out there and watching practices. Remember we were doing an NFL Network show two thousand and fifteen and there was Darrell Reevers and Brandon Marshall going out at in training camp, and you would have thought it was the fourth quarter of a

playoff game the way they were going at it. Like you wonder why he could do what he did in the games, how he practiced. I believe that is the first bout Hall of Famer that somebody people will say, well, he doesn't have enough stats, he didn't do it for a long period. I mean, I know all the arguments against it. I just know that we haven't seen a player like that in this league since he left the league, ever since he came in the league in two thousand seven.

To me, he first I told him that when we saw him at the Jets, Uh, you know, the home game late in the year. I believe is the first bout Hall of Famer and I'll regardless of what happens, that's my belief. And that's if I was a vote, that's how I would vote. Yeah, I think sometimes we overuse the word great. Durrell Reevus was a great player.

And if you were an offensive coordinator and you were a quarterback, you were preparing for a game on Sunday and it was Monday or Tuesday, you're focusing a lot in your your your plan, staying away from twenty four to your point and even target inside of the field. Well, I smember when he was coming out of pit so I that year two thousand and seven, that preparation for the draft, I didn't look at one note on one player.

I just wanted to turn the film on and see how fast they could find a player, Like how fast can I find? I didn't know what Darrell Reeves number was. I didn't know what Corn White v was, a boundary corner or zone. I didn't know anything. I just said, I'm sure I did this with every player that was basically a first round pick in two thousand seven. I just want to see if my eyes could find that player in three plays. So I tried to pick game on two seven. I found Darrell Reeves, Like on the

second play of the game. I just I just the way he moved, the way he pressed, the way, how strong he was, how he tackled. Like it happened so fast. I was like, Okay, this is Darrell Reeves, is what they're talking about. And so I like, I don't remember like everybody in the draft class that year he a but that's how I discovered. You know, Durrell Joel kle overdue. It seems like he's finally gonna get that stamp he needs of the vote. If you look at recent history

of Senior finalists, he's already crossed his largest hurdle. It's just one more to go. What can you say about Cleco and your expectations of what that's actually gonna mean to him, for him to finally take his place in Canton after the wait has been so long. We're all gonna celebrate, you know, Durrell and Joe in Canton this summer. Okay, we're all we're all gonna be there for it. Um. So I played twelve years in the league e A. And I played five more years, probably than I should

have because, uh, I became a teammate. Joe became a teammate of mine in Indianapolis in two thousand, nineteen eight. Joke plecos last year in the league was indian Appolis, and I discovered what the weight room was truly about. Functional straight, great strength, And I joke, Cleck taught me how to lift weights. Literally after seven years in the league, he taught me how to lift weights. And I survived another five years because of that, Like I owe Joe

five years of my career. Um that he was just so strong obviously, you know, pro bowl at three different positions. Uh, it's never really been done before. Uh. He was just uh he was so smart and so strong. Um, you know, just physically. I mean I think he could still physically whip people right now. But you know, the hands, the footwork,

the functional strength that he had. I mean he was still you know, squatting six hundred pounds on Monday after game in I don't know what year that was, thirteen, fourteen, I don't remember. Um, you know, at the end of his career, he was still squatting six hundred pounds a day after you know, a football game. Um, you know, he maintained his strength throughout. He might probably got stronger all the way until the very end. But Joe, Joe's getting into the Hall of Fame this summer like that.

He's not going to be denied. And it's gonna be a good choice. It's gonna be something special. If listen, out of five honors you have, there is a chance that it could be a big Jet sue Garrett Wilson, then Klaco and reeve to the Hall fan, it could be a special weekend. Yeah, JTS. Win Bett is bringing the excitement of win Las Vegas to online sports betting and casino play. Get in on all your favorite teams, players, and sports from boosted parlays to live in game odds

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be twenty one or older to participate. Please visit windbet dot com to view welcome offers available in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, Tennessee, and Virginia. So let's transition to the current team. Let's go back and forth there, Jets offensive coordinator search right now? What have you thought about some of the names that have been reported out there through

various news outlets. Let me throw some at you. Chatout chet O'sheay, Nick Kyley, Kevin Putulo, Brian Johnson, Nathaniel Hackett, Clint Kubiak, Frank Reich. He's interviewing for a number of head coaching jobs right now, Marcus Brady um and there are a few others out there. Obviously we're all seeing the reports come in. Uh, what have you thought about the names that you've heard? And also can you talk about a general direction you think Robert Sale and Joe

Douglas have to go in here? Well, I think they needed to make a change. I think a change well, you know, I mean you could blame the offensive line and this function up front with all you do, all you want to do. I think they had to make a change all right. Of all the names mentioned, there was a lot of good quality and qualified people on that list. When I heard Clint Kobieck's name, like my eyes went like that that just registered with me. Joe

Douglas knew his father in Baltimore. Um, you know, they had a great they had a great run when he was there. His son is very similar in his approach and how it's supposed to look and what the demands are. Um. I I feel like that's a name that and he's a young guy that understands the game, been around the game his whole life. I think he's got real ability to teach and to take the skill that the Jets have to another level. UM. And so I feel like

that's the name that I keep coming back to. When I saw all the names and all the interviews that they had, Clint Kubiak to me, seemed like a fit, a really good fit for this offense. Do you anticipate Reich getting a head coaching job? People are reporting now that he's getting a second interview with the Carolina Panthers. Arizona has been named as a possible destination for him if he doesn't land a head coaching job. Do you think that he might be a possibility for the Jets.

It's a possibility. I mean, Frank could go back to that role, but I think he wants to be a head coach. I know Frank. I mean I played with Frank when he was back up to Jim Kelly and Buffalo. My brother played with my normal a long time. Um, I think he is. Yeah, he just has a real command. He has a command of the league. He has a command of game, day of preparation, like there was just like anybody that would give Frank a second chance as head coach, I think they would benefit by and I

just think that's where he's at right now. Yeah, he did a good job in Indianapolis. I think five seasons, forty three and one overall. Uh, he did a fine job there in Indianapolis. They're searching for a head coach right now themselves. Again to Kubiak, let me circle back on that real quick. What do you think about that background? How much that helps him, um in his coaching life as far as growing up with Gary Kubiak, Oh, I mean, I just think everything just kind of goes from father

to son. I just think all those all those traits that his father had going back to the Shanahan years, um, all transfer and we're seeing what Kyle is doing right now. I think Clint has much of the same attributes. Okay, uh quarterbacks veteran quarterbacks right now. Aaron Rodgers UH was on Pat McAfee saying, you know, we gotta have some conversations with Green Bay Packers. ESPN Adam Schefter reported that it's a very real possibility that Rogers could be traded

this year. Now, with all that being said, do you anticipate Rogers playing next year? And if you do, do you anticipate him playing with another team? I really don't know, e a I don't know where Aaron's at right now. I'm sure he wants to keep playing, UM, but I don't think it's gonna be in Green Bay. I think he's gonna be a free agent out there. I mean trade. I don't know how. I don't know how all this thing happens, but I think Green Bay is ready to

move on. And it wouldn't surprise me if Aaron Rodgers is ready to move on. And if you're the Jets, and if that indeed is on the table, as far as Rogers, do you make a call. I'd make a call. But I just think the Jets have a lot of young talent. I just think that that's the wrong move. I don't think I don't think they're one quarterback away from winning a Super Bowl, Like I just don't believe they're ready for that yet. I think they can be a playoff team next year, and I think you know,

and Aaron Rodgers could help them get there. I just think you got to build this thing for the long haul. EA, and I just think you gotta go young. You got all these young talent that they drafted last year that they've been drafting. I just feel like they just need a young guy to grow with everything and be there every day, be committed every day, not a guy at the end of the career where they're just looking for that steady quarterback to walk in. What about Derek Carr.

Most people think that Derek Car's guy. Would definitely talk to I mean, definitely talk to Derek Carr if he becomes available. Obviously we're talking hypotheticals and a lot of people they've cut the cord there, so however you get there. But you know you're talking about a big contract e A. That's gonna make it difficult to keep a lot of veteran players. You know, when you start paying your quarterback

as much as you gotta pay him. So anyways, you anticipate Lamar jack Sin being in Baltimore next year, No, I don't. I think, you know. I think it's gonna be a difficult contract. I think this thing is gonna get drawn out. I don't think he's going to play in a franchise tag and I think that's where it's headed. Um, I know what's been said, but I gotta I gotta go right now. But I think Lamar is. I think

there there could be a real court cutting right there. Okay, Baldi, good stuff, Get back to work, brother,