Cromartie update: traded to Jets

[El Duderino]

I'm shocked they got that much for him, especially from the Jets. He's not a Rex Ryan type of player.

I'm not

The NFL today is by far a pass first league, being able to pass at a upper tier level and defend the passing game are vital to having a lot of success. Cromartie is soft as butter, but he can cover at a high level and good corners are hugely important to the success of a defense. Not only does Cromartie get to pair with Revis, it strengthens their nickle/dime packages by sliding down each corner on the roster.

[ReasonablySober]

Cromartie hasn't been a good cover guy in years. Gives up too many big plays.

[El Duderino]

He better than a lot of the garbage corners teams are forced to put on the field around the league because there is more demand that supply of competent corners. With all the passing in the league, your nickle corner is practically a starter. A number of teams don't even have two good starting corners, much less three of them. Hell, look at the Packers/AZ playoff game. Both offenses targeted the terribly weak nickle corners each defense had as if both guys had flashing neon signs on their uniforms and picked on those guys endlessly.

Rex Ryan knows you need to get pressure on top tier quarterbacks to have any chance to slow down their offenses. That means having to blitz a good amount. Well, if you wanna blitz, you better not have bad corners. Cromartie and Rivas rank right up there and both are guys with the skill to handle man coverage if Ryan sends 6-7 guys after the QB. Plus, it improves the CB depth for nickle/dime situations.

[ReasonablySober]

He better than a lot of the garbage corners teams are forced to put on the field around the league because there is more demand that supply of competent corners. With all the passing in the league, your nickle corner is practically a starter. A number of teams don't even have two good starting corners, much less three of them. Hell, look at the Packers/AZ playoff game. Both offenses targeted the terribly weak nickle corners each defense had as if both guys had flashing neon signs on their uniforms and picked on those guys endlessly.

Rex Ryan knows you need to get pressure on top tier quarterbacks to have any chance to slow down their offenses. That means having to blitz a good amount. Well, if you wanna blitz, you better not have bad corners. Cromartie and Rivas rank right up there and both are guys with the skill to handle man coverage if Ryan sends 6-7 guys after the QB. Plus, it improves the CB depth for nickle/dime situations.

Wow.

That's fine. I know you need competent corners. But competent doesn't have to come at the expense of a 2nd or 3rd round pick.

[El Duderino]

He better than a lot of the garbage corners teams are forced to put on the field around the league because there is more demand that supply of competent corners. With all the passing in the league, your nickle corner is practically a starter. A number of teams don't even have two good starting corners, much less three of them. Hell, look at the Packers/AZ playoff game. Both offenses targeted the terribly weak nickle corners each defense had as if both guys had flashing neon signs on their uniforms and picked on those guys endlessly.

Rex Ryan knows you need to get pressure on top tier quarterbacks to have any chance to slow down their offenses. That means having to blitz a good amount. Well, if you wanna blitz, you better not have bad corners. Cromartie and Rivas rank right up there and both are guys with the skill to handle man coverage if Ryan sends 6-7 guys after the QB. Plus, it improves the CB depth for nickle/dime situations.

Wow.

That's fine. I know you need competent corners. But competent doesn't have to come at the expense of a 2nd or 3rd round pick.

You act like they gave up a 1st round pick, that Cromartie is 34 years old, or that the Jets are like the Rams by being years away from being good.

A third round pick has the odds against that player ever being as good as Cromartie is, much less better. It's only a second round pick if he does well for them. That Packers gave up a 2nd rounder for Harris who was older and that turned out fabulous. Cromartie is 25 years old and only two years ago led the league in picks. We aren't talking about a Ty Law type in his 30's with no chance to be a long term fixture.

I don't care for soft defensive players like Cromartie, but he has fabulous size and talent. He'll be going to a man coverage scheme that better suits his skills, this could end up being an Al Harris type of steal for the Jets by getting a quality proven corner for years to come at the price of only a third rounder who could end up being a Rouse, Hodge, Spitz instead of a Finley home run.

[xTitan]

you simply over rate Cromartie....he can't tackle and gambles all the time, San Diego is a good organization, they know what they are doing....

[El Duderino]

you simply over rate Cromartie....he can't tackle and gambles all the time, San Diego is a good organization, they know what they are doing....

I know he's soft and i'm sure Ryan knows this about Cromartie quite well given he's watched him from the sidelines. He's also a 6'2 205 pound corner that can fly and has elite talent. Ryan obviously believes he can coach up Cromartie to get the very good man coverage ability his risky scheme needs.

We'll find out if Ryan can do it, but i think you and DB are way overreacting to what Ryan and the Jets gave up, especially given the potential upside of a 25 year old CB with great size/talent. Third round picks are far from a given of becoming a quality starter in the NFL. Less likely of becoming that good than the chance Ryan can get Cromartie to become what he wants. If Ryan is right though, this trade will end up being huge for the Jets since they already have Rivas.

[LarryHarris]

I'd have considered giving a third for him, but probably would have decided against it...

[Wade-A-Holic]

The other aspect of this trade that is surprising is that corner is one of the few positions that has some quality unrestricted free agents this year in Dunta Robinson, Leigh Bodden, Richard Marshall only getting a 2nd round tender, Phillip Buchanon is decent... Cutting Lito Sheppard and then making this trade speaks volumes about what the Jets thought of Sheppard.

[MikeIsGood]

It's a solid gamble for the Jets. Hope Cromartie gets it together, etc...

But something to consider: the other guy playing corner with him is a legit, top shutdown corner in the league. Revis doesn't get thrown to a whole lot, and with good reason. Who's going to see the balls? Cromartie. The gambler Cromartie. Big play Cromartie.

When a big play happens, Cromartie was (and wasn't) there.

[skones]

It's a solid gamble for the Jets. Hope Cromartie gets it together, etc...

But something to consider: the other guy playing corner with him is a legit, top shutdown corner in the league. Revis doesn't get thrown to a whole lot, and with good reason. Who's going to see the balls? Cromartie. The gambler Cromartie. Big play Cromartie.

When a big play happens, Cromartie was (and wasn't) there.

ATTA boy rocking that Broken Bells avatar.

[MikeIsGood]

I had Nadal for over a year, I figured it was time for a change. I just didn't know to what. But then my phone rang - my ring tone is Vaporize - and I decided to rock the album art

[rilamann]

Damn it,I was hoping we could have gotten Cromartie.He would have really helped our CB depth obviously.

Like I said last month Cromartie is still a pretty solid player,and one of the brightest defensive minds in all of football (Rex Ryan) agrees with that.