There has been a lot of speculation about Jason Taylor going to the New England Patriots, and it makes sense. In fact, it makes so much sense that it's incumbent on someone else getting involved, and that someone is the New York Jets.
First of all, getting Taylor means you keep him from New England, the division bully. Second, coach Rex Ryan adds another playmaker to an aggressive, attacking defense that will pressure the pocket. Plus, he brings in a mentor for last year's No. 1 pick Vernon Gholston, who needs someone or something to turn him into the player the Jets envisioned when they made him the sixth pick of the draft.
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| Jason Taylor was a playmaking beast during his Miami prime. (Getty Images) |
But I also know Taylor isn't going to sign anywhere until after the April 25-26 draft. He doesn't want to join a team that goes on to draft a high-profile pass rusher, then pushes him -- not Taylor -- onto the field. So he'll wait to see what the end of this month delivers to those clubs he is interested in joining.
New England is one of them. Miami is another. And you have to figure Green Bay would be a third, now that Dom Capers -- Taylor's former coordinator -- is running the Packers' defense. But I'd like to think the Jets are in there somewhere. I know they should be.
Taylor played in 4-3 defenses in Miami, where he served as one of the league's most decorated defensive ends, and Washington. But he can play as a 3-4 outside pass rusher, in much the same role that Terrell Suggs serves in Baltimore. So he's 34 and not the player he was five years ago. He's not finished and still can be effective if he's not hurt or playing out of position, neither of which was the case a year ago.
So sign him to a one-year deal and see what happens.
If nothing else, you gain an effective mentor for Gholston, who was supposed to be the best pass rusher in last year's draft. At least the Jets thought so, which is why they chose him. But Gholston not only didn't produce a sack as a rookie, he barely had a pulse -- finishing with five tackles, or 126 behind team leader Eric Barton. That ranked 23rd on the team and was downright embarrassing for a guy who was supposed to be an impact player.
At the February NFL scouting combine Ryan said he was committed to making Gholston a better player; to devoting more time working with him to gain something, anything, from an expensive investment. Well, here's your chance. Get a two-for-one deal with Taylor: Find a teacher for Gholston and another pass rusher for a club that will need to squeeze Brady to climb over the Patriots.
I don't know what Jason Taylor has left. But I do know I'd like to find out. I'm with New England owner Robert Kraft when he says that Taylor is "a special guy," which means I want him in my locker room and not Kraft's -- especially if I have a young pass rusher I'm trying to develop.
Look, I'm not in favor of signing declining stars any more than you are, unless they have something to offer. And I think Jason Taylor does. I don't know what to make of last season, other than Taylor played through a painful calf injury and out of position. But I do know Rex Ryan would take care of Taylor, play him where he's most comfortable and use him where he's most effective. So would Bill Belichick. The Patriots have the advantage there because they have a championship history, and you might have a tough time convincing Taylor they're not the right fit. But it's worth trying.
So the New York Jets should get in line now and make a pitch. You can never have enough pass rushers, especially if you're trying to catch Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Jason Taylor can help you on the field, and he can help you in the locker room. What's not to like?
owlgator 
