The luster of former 1st round pick Calvin Pryor seems to be wearing off. Another pick of John Idzik seems destined to leave the Jets roster. Now in the final year of his rookie contract, GM Mike Maccagnan has been non-committal about Pryor’s fifth year option. Furthermore Pryor has been the speculation of trade talks for about a year and a half.
What could the Jets get if they were to trade Pryor? Likely a 4th and 6th round pick, the same the Buccaneers received for former first round Safety Mark Barron – who Pryor compares well to. Pryor’s 2017 cap number is $2.7 million, a little high, but still tradeable.
With the 6th pick…
If the Jets do trade Pryor, where to they turn? There is a distinct possibility that should the Jets stay at the 6th pick, they could draft Malik Hooker, who would then replace Marcus Gilchrist at free safety. While that would help Pryor play in his more natural position closer to the line, it appears that he has worn out his welcome with the Jets brass.
It has always seemed logical that Darrelle Revis would return to the Jets in 2017. Should the Jets move on from Pryor, Revis could be a natural replacement. You say, but he doesn’t tackle and can’t cover, look at his dreadful play last year. At this point in his career, Revis is more suited for a strong safety role -why? His skill set translates well: matching up on tight ends and running backs flaring out. His long speed is gone, but if he returns in shape, he should still succeed in shorter space because his game was always built around being physical.
Outside of the 2016 season, Revis has never been one to shy away from a tackle. Some of his best plays have been close to the line of scrimmage in run support.
(All videos can be watched on youtube – :53 in first video, 3:10 & 3:22 in second video)
Both Todd Bowles and new defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson would appear to be in favor of Revis at safety. Wilson talked about Revis’ football intelligence as a key reason he could succeed at the position. (They make the case for Revis at FS but he would be a better SS)
A player that could fill his roster spot via the draft is Justin Evans of Texas A&M. Evans is a much more fluid athlete than Pryor and would add value to the Jets return game. His lack of physicality is concerning, but if the Jets get him in the 4th round, Evans could be a solid reserve and rotational player.
Another draft option would be Xavier Woods from Louisiana Tech, who could be acquired in the 4th or 5th round. Woods has good ball skills (5 picks in 2016) strong physical play near the line of scrimmage. Woods looks like a potential steal – after a year of acclimating to NFL life he could be a very good addition.
Could the Jets end up keeping Pryor and trying one last time to see if he can cut it, sure. He did play better in 2015 when the secondary was on the same page and he was able to play in his natural position. Pryor is still a limited player and it might be best to move him to a team that thinks he can succeed as a big nickel type SS/OLB. Look for the Jets to trade him on draft day.
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