The beat goes on for the New England Patriots; despite an early first round exit in last year’s playoffs Bill Belichick and company keep rolling along and will be a contender again in 2010. As long as this team has Belichick at the helm and Tom Brady under center they will always be in the conversation when projecting the best in the AFC.

Although the Jets made it to the AFC Championship Game, it was the Patriots who had the better record and captured another division crown. The Jets made a bigger splash with their offseason signings but make no mistakes, New England will be in the hunt ‘til the end.
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After not showing Thursday for the team’s OTA, Darrelle Revis has already caused some commotion in Florham Park. Due to make only $1 million this season, Revis is clearly underpaid and due a new deal.

Complicating matters is the league’s uncertain labor status. Teams have been reluctant to sign players to costly extensions without any clear indication of the league’s future salary cap restrictions.

After a disappointing 2009, the Dolphins needed to be aggressive in the off-season in order to upgrade the talent level of the team and compete in the always-tough AFC East. Miami did just that with the signings of Brandon Marshall and Karlos Dansby – two players who are in their prime and should provide instant sparks for their respective units.

The Dolphins also added one of the best defensive coaches in the game in Mike Nolan who will immediately elevate the productivity and intensity level of the defense.

After a disappointing 6-10 season the Buffalo Bills needed a lot of help in the off-season but their questionable moves in free agency and the draft will keep this team at the bottom of the AFC East.

Owner Ralph Wilson made an unusual selection when he named Buddy Nix as the team’s new general manager then followed it up with another head-scratcher with his hiring of Chan Gailey as head coach. Gailey was a strong offensive coordinator with Pittsburgh in the 90’s but never lasted long enough as a head coach to really distinguish himself.

As the 2009 season unfolded, few Jets fans would have believed Gang Green would actually make it to the AFC Championship Game but that is exactly what happened. After a quick 3-0 start, the Jets dropped 5 of their next 6 but the rollercoaster ride continued as they rattled off 5 wins in their last six games.

It was an emotional season for the Green and White as they would need consecutive wins in the final two games to earn a playoff berth. One of those games, the finale against Cincinnati, was the final game played at the Meadowlands as the Jets throttled the Bengals 37-0 in sub-zero temperatures.

Every year there are players invited to NFL camps with little chance of making the roster yet through sheer will and determination they overcome the odds and earn a roster spot. For the Jets, Wayne Chrebet comes to mind.

He was slow, undersized and came from a small program yet he simply played his tail off and would not give the coaching staff a reason to cut him. The Jets might have a similar player in Cory Reamer, a linebacker from Alabama.

Before Jets fans become too angry over Alan Faneca’s release, they should examine his output closely before judging this move. He was an above average run blocker but his pass protection was terrible and in the end, it could not be ignored.

Faneca was a tremendous leader in the locker room and played a substantial role in the development of the Jets’ young linemen but if the Jets had not released him this weekend, he would most certainly have been let go next year.

While rumors circulated about Alan Faneca’s release, Jets fans were stunned when they learned that the team had traded Leon Washington. Apparently, Washington became expendable once the team selected RB Joe McKnight in the fourth round but was this move really necessary?

I am a Leon Washington fan and I hate this move! Sure, McKnight has talent and I like him as a prospect but Washington has proven over four years that he belongs in green and white.

It seems every year at this time that I implore Mike Tannenbaum to consider trading down in the first round so he can accumulate more picks yet each year he does the opposite. Tannenbaum has been very aggressive since taking over as GM and has a propensity for targeting players then jumping up to get them.

Might he try a different approach this year? Perhaps.

I am no different than most Jets fans – I do not like Jason Taylor. No player in recent memory has been more despised by Jets Nation than him but is it merely because he is so good or is Taylor just one of those guys we love to hate because he is such a jerk?

I happen to think it is the latter.

We are one day away from the NFL Draft and with the Jets picking 29th overall, it is still hard to predict who they might take. But there are a number of players who should be available and would fill an immediate need.

In my latest mock draft I projected South Florida safety Nate Allen as the Jets’ selection. He presents excellent value and would address an area of need. The only negative for the Jets is that safety can be addressed in later rounds, as it is a fairly deep position this year.

The second round of the draft holds nearly as much intrigue as round one. Teams will often go with a “best player available” approach in the first and quickly move to fill positions of need in the second.

For the Jets, Mike Tannenbaum usually drafts for need in the first round so there is an excellent chance he will be looking for a pass rushing linebacker, the Jets’ biggest need, at that point. That means the second round could be wide open for them since most other positions were addressed during free agency.

The talent parade continues in New York. In what can only be described as a stunning move, the New York Jets acquired wide receiver Santonio Holmes from the Pittsburgh Steelers in a trade that has analysts and fans alike scratching their heads.

The Steelers gave away their most talented wide receiver for a mere 5th round pick. This one is hard to figure out even when you factor in Holmes’ off-the-field issues.

The draft is about two weeks away and it is time to get down to business. Who are the Jets likely to target with their first round pick? At 29th overall it is difficult to target players. You almost have to take a wait and see approach and see who falls to you and that is not a comfortable position for Mike Tannenbaum.

He has been very aggressive on draft day, trading up multiple times over the last three years and building the core of their team in the process. His deals have yielded Mark Sanchez, Shonn Greene, Dustin Keller, Darrelle Revis and David Harris. That’s pretty impressive drafting!

With this site’s focus clearly on scouting, JetsFan.com rarely ventures into pure news stories related to the New York Jets but yesterday’s rumor was too tempting to ignore. The Jets are expected to announce today that they will be the subject of HBO’s Hard Knocks documentary series this summer.

The behind the scenes look at pro football will be heading to SUNY Cortland this July to cover the green and white and I am absolutely giddy over the prospect. This is a hardcore football fan’s dream.