Speaker 1: We were presented by wind Bet Betting is a team
Speaker 1: sport bet together at win Bett. Eric Galen here down
Speaker 1: at the NFL League meetings in pomp Beach, Florida with
Speaker 1: the Jets GM, Joe Douglas. This is your first lead meetings,
Speaker 1: isn't it? As GM first league meetings with the Jets. Um,
Speaker 1: you know, I was. I was lucky enough to come
Speaker 1: down a couple of years uh with Howie Uh prior,
Speaker 1: so this is my first league meeting. Jets. Is good.
Speaker 1: It's good to be down here with you. As the
Speaker 1: weather is great. Black was was a bad choice for
Speaker 1: this siding how hot it is. But uh, I feel
Speaker 1: totally under addressed as you got to soon out today
Speaker 1: as uh, you know, clean up once in a while
Speaker 1: every decade or so. We were saying beforehand we we
Speaker 1: would both be more comfortable with some tank tops on
Speaker 1: and some shorts maybe, yeah, absolutely, hanging up pool do
Speaker 1: this by the ocean breeze coming off the water. But
Speaker 1: this is good. It's good to be here with you.
Speaker 1: All right, Before we get into some that's business, what
Speaker 1: do you think about the new overtime rule that which
Speaker 1: just passed? Yeah, so it's exciting We're gonna have new
Speaker 1: overtime rules this year in the postseason only, and each
Speaker 1: team is gonna have an opportunity to possess the ball
Speaker 1: regardless of how long the first drive goes. So, uh,
Speaker 1: it's a good thing, I think. Um. Obviously, there was
Speaker 1: probably a outcry from fans after a great a great
Speaker 1: postseason general, but specifically that that Kansas City Buffalo game,
Speaker 1: and you had two great offenses on the field, and
Speaker 1: it just adds adds more excitement to postseason play when
Speaker 1: when the stakes are highest. So your fans want to
Speaker 1: see you in the postseason very soon. You made it
Speaker 1: clear today when you talk to the reporters that the
Speaker 1: plan is to be playing meaningful football in December. Yeah. Absolutely,
Speaker 1: I mean I think now we're we're in year two
Speaker 1: with with coach sol and his staff. You know, we uh,
Speaker 1: we had a lot of young players on the field
Speaker 1: for us last year and there were some growing pains
Speaker 1: associated with that. But the you know, with the thinking
Speaker 1: that that now the payoff comes this year, we're gonna
Speaker 1: keep adding young young players and young talent, but we're
Speaker 1: going to continue to grow together. He said, it's year
Speaker 1: two with coach Salo, but in many ways to consider
Speaker 1: this like your first true off season together because he
Speaker 1: got hired in the middle of January last year. Oh yeah,
Speaker 1: you know this with everything that's been going on around
Speaker 1: the world the last couple of years. Like Um, like
Speaker 1: you mentioned, this is my first time coming down to
Speaker 1: the owners meetings as Jets GM. This will be the
Speaker 1: first draft as Jets GM where we can actually bring
Speaker 1: players into the building prior to the draft on on
Speaker 1: on pre draft visits. So um, even though this is
Speaker 1: technically year three from me, Um, this is year one
Speaker 1: in in some ways and part of the process and
Speaker 1: just being able to do things that now that we've
Speaker 1: gotten back to normal, how advantageous was last year for
Speaker 1: you and Sale and your respective staffs. As you go
Speaker 1: through a season and you learn skip familiarity, no doubt
Speaker 1: what they're looking for or what you guys are looking for.
Speaker 1: Well absolutely, I mean I think that was one of
Speaker 1: the and I've talked about before, like the best meetings
Speaker 1: we had was when we went over the team and
Speaker 1: then they presented exactly what they're looking for and the
Speaker 1: players and how they fit within the scheme. And we've
Speaker 1: we've built off that and now, like I said, this
Speaker 1: group is back together again year two, and I think
Speaker 1: year two is is always a little bit easier, a
Speaker 1: little bit better than year one when that when things
Speaker 1: are being implemented for the first time. So now that
Speaker 1: there's a there's a comfort with our coaches, they are
Speaker 1: coaches are players. There there's an expectation level that everyone's
Speaker 1: gonna walk in knowing, you know what, what what the
Speaker 1: players expect from the coaches with the coaches expecting the players,
Speaker 1: and we just we just build off that through O,
Speaker 1: T A s and drinking camp following free agency meetings.
Speaker 1: What did you come away with saying that, hey, this
Speaker 1: is what we have to get done. Yeah, the the thing,
Speaker 1: the thing that we really wanted to get done, you
Speaker 1: know it was we know, like I said before, we
Speaker 1: knew we had a young team UM on the field,
Speaker 1: and we know we're going to continue get young with
Speaker 1: all these draft picks UM. So the free agent plan
Speaker 1: and it was great getting in the trenches with with Christopher,
Speaker 1: with Woody himI, Um, Robert his staff are personnel staff,
Speaker 1: really putting a plan in place to to go in
Speaker 1: and get our types of guys in free agency, and
Speaker 1: like what does that mean? You know? So we we
Speaker 1: went out and got guys like c J. Zone Lake
Speaker 1: and Tomlinson, d J Reid. UM, guys that have plea
Speaker 1: played in meaningful games. Tyler Conklin, He's top top ten
Speaker 1: and tight end explosives last year. Guys, guys that are
Speaker 1: in there, still in their prime. There's a youth, there's
Speaker 1: a veteran. Uh, they're like youthful veterans in a way.
Speaker 1: And they played in meaningful games. They played on the
Speaker 1: biggest stage, UM one, on the highest stage. And so
Speaker 1: they're bringing that experience. UM that that that culture, the
Speaker 1: bringing into the culture of our locker room and and uh,
Speaker 1: just adding to the youth that we already have. And
Speaker 1: so excited to get those guys in here. Um let
Speaker 1: them be themselves and uh and really and really assimilate
Speaker 1: with the team in the locker room. Win bet is
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Speaker 1: Winn Bett an official sports book and gave me partner
Speaker 1: up the New York Jets office upthing to change in
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Speaker 1: twenty one or older in President of New Jersey if
Speaker 1: you are someone you know has a gambling problem called
Speaker 1: one seven zero seven one one seven key talking about
Speaker 1: the combination of character. That's something that Robert Salad kept
Speaker 1: on coming back to when he talked about this Freecy class.
Speaker 1: Also postseason experience. You mentioned that a little bit. You
Speaker 1: got Lankin Thomlinson, who was part of that build in
Speaker 1: San Francisco. He played in a Super Bowl. He was
Speaker 1: just in the NFC Championship game. USAMA was part of
Speaker 1: a build in Cincinnati where they go to to four.
Speaker 1: They're playing in the Super Bowl. I don't think people
Speaker 1: realize that d J. Reid is a guy who has
Speaker 1: four postseason games on his resume. You mentioned white Head,
Speaker 1: He's got a Super Bowl ring and he was part
Speaker 1: of the playoffs last season in Tampa. He's only twenty
Speaker 1: five years old. Absolutely, so the like I said, these
Speaker 1: guys are good players that have played in a lot
Speaker 1: of big games and where the stakes are highest, and
Speaker 1: you know that on top of that, these guys are
Speaker 1: what we're what we're looking for in terms of guys
Speaker 1: that love football. Um, they're they're all in about uh,
Speaker 1: coming in and competing love of the game, and so
Speaker 1: that that's gonna permeate, you know, getting guys like that
Speaker 1: and been adding them to the group of guys that
Speaker 1: we have, the young guys that that you can feel
Speaker 1: that in them too. Um, So it's it's uh, it's exciting.
Speaker 1: Can you talk about an approach of being aggressive in
Speaker 1: free agency but not reckless? Yeah. Um, look, I mean
Speaker 1: we've we've positioned ourselves. Um, you know, we've had we've
Speaker 1: had financial we've had financial flexibility, and we've we've been
Speaker 1: able to acquire assets in the draft. Um, when there's
Speaker 1: opportunities via trade, via a free agent signing, you know,
Speaker 1: if it's if it's a player that fits what we're
Speaker 1: looking to add to the team and the culture, and
Speaker 1: we're we're gonna go out and be aggressive. Um. At
Speaker 1: the same time, Um, you know, so at certain points
Speaker 1: and certain players, it becomes a frenzied atmosphere and so
Speaker 1: it's it's it's on us to just make sure that
Speaker 1: we're aggressive. We're gonna go out and like coach said,
Speaker 1: we're gonna go out and swing a bat. You know,
Speaker 1: we're just swing the bat when the opportunity presents itself.
Speaker 1: But also not not lose what we work so hard
Speaker 1: to gain in terms of the flexible financial flexibility that
Speaker 1: that we have. We're down in Florida right now. You
Speaker 1: just had a recent pursuit of a Chietah and Tyreek Hill.
Speaker 1: Can you talk about that process a little bit and
Speaker 1: just the overall philosophy of being ready to strike it. Yeah,
Speaker 1: you know, Um, he was a guy that obviously one
Speaker 1: of the of the premier playmakers in this league in
Speaker 1: a weapon and so um, you know, there there was
Speaker 1: when the opportunity came up. And you know, again it's
Speaker 1: what we talked about. We uh, you know, we had it.
Speaker 1: We had a good process in place. We had a
Speaker 1: lot of great conversations, uh, leading up to that pursuit. Um.
Speaker 1: Ultimately it didn't work out, but um, at the same time,
Speaker 1: our process, our process was was was pure. You know.
Speaker 1: We we we can go back and and and go
Speaker 1: into that and and and talk about things that we
Speaker 1: could maybe do differently, but UM, just being in position
Speaker 1: to to be in those talks and to be as
Speaker 1: aggressive as we were. UM. And look, we know, we
Speaker 1: know that there's gonna be other opportunities in the future,
Speaker 1: but just just having the process that we had in
Speaker 1: place to to to get in the running. UM, it's
Speaker 1: something that we'll use moving forward. Can you talk about
Speaker 1: the receiver position. I thought you made a couple very
Speaker 1: important points today. You guys love Elijah more right, you
Speaker 1: get Braxton Imperials back in the mix, and I think
Speaker 1: people overlooked Corey Davis as far as what his stats
Speaker 1: were going to be on pace if he was healthy.
Speaker 1: Obviously he's got to stay healthy throughout there. Well, I mean, Eric,
Speaker 1: you've seen, you've seen recently how how the wide receiver
Speaker 1: market has really just exploded. And you know, obviously it's
Speaker 1: an important position because it's these guys are dynamic playmakers.
Speaker 1: But you know, we feel great about the receivers we
Speaker 1: have on the team, you know, And like you mentioned,
Speaker 1: I mean, Elijah was was just coming on like crazy
Speaker 1: his rookie year, UM sustaining the injury, so that was
Speaker 1: tough losing him in the back back the back half
Speaker 1: of the season, back a few games this season, and
Speaker 1: then Braxton just stepped right up, you know, and he
Speaker 1: became a playmaker for us. And you know, having the
Speaker 1: opportunity to bring him back on the squad Corey Davis,
Speaker 1: I believe he was on pace for a thousand yards
Speaker 1: prior to his injury. And then you know, just i'd
Speaker 1: be or Mr not bringing up a guy. It's just
Speaker 1: working his tail off right now. You know, his agent
Speaker 1: senting me videos and I'm seeing I'm seeing all these workouts.
Speaker 1: Denzel Mims, Like, Denzel Mims is gonna come back. Um,
Speaker 1: you know, ready to attack. You know this this O
Speaker 1: t A and offseason. So you know we we we
Speaker 1: like the guys, We have a whole lot and so um,
Speaker 1: you know, if the opportunity comes to add to that group,
Speaker 1: which is already a good group in our mind, you know,
Speaker 1: we're we're ready to do that and we'll get to
Speaker 1: that capital. And second, going back to Tomlinson, I'm not
Speaker 1: gonna ask you how you rank their free agency board,
Speaker 1: but I gotta imagine he had to be right up
Speaker 1: there and he definitely had multiple suitors. How big was
Speaker 1: that for you? Guys securing him. Yeah, it was huge
Speaker 1: because you know, we we always want to be strong
Speaker 1: up front, you know, Coach and I both say that,
Speaker 1: and so, um, this was a special situation because of
Speaker 1: Laken's relationship with coach Solo with coach Leathlora with with
Speaker 1: Coach Benton, and uh, the familiarity with the scheme and
Speaker 1: what he brings as a person and the leader, and
Speaker 1: you know, feel like feel feel you're just talking about
Speaker 1: wide receiver, but the offensive line um has a chance
Speaker 1: to be a special group moving forward. Um, it's because
Speaker 1: of the acquisitions that we've made in the last couple
Speaker 1: of years through free h C and draft, and also
Speaker 1: because of of a guy like Lake and Thomason just uh,
Speaker 1: you know, I'm thankful for his his uh, him wanting
Speaker 1: to be a part of this, you know, having having
Speaker 1: gone through a similar WHI type rebuild in San France.
Speaker 1: For him to come back and and and hop aboard
Speaker 1: this train and be a part of what we're doing,
Speaker 1: you know, I think that's a special thing. Yeah, you
Speaker 1: talked about it today about guy Beckton, your hopes for
Speaker 1: him still and George fans a dynamic attackle you like
Speaker 1: you're not only those two guys, and you're expecting McKay
Speaker 1: back here in O t S, But can you talk
Speaker 1: about the depted the tackle positions. You know, it's uh,
Speaker 1: it's gonna be great to have George and McKay both
Speaker 1: back and you have them, have them competing all three
Speaker 1: O t as in camp and you know, and then
Speaker 1: it's uh the rest of the competition at the tackle group,
Speaker 1: you know. And we've been able to bring Connor McDermott
Speaker 1: back who started started games for US and played a
Speaker 1: lot of snaps for US, and Hecke's even started a
Speaker 1: couple of games and guard for US and back in
Speaker 1: two thousand nineteen. And then you know Chumah Adoga um
Speaker 1: that started and played a lot of games for US. Two.
Speaker 1: So we feel like we have four we have four
Speaker 1: offensive tackles and obviously that's a premium position around around
Speaker 1: this league. So we feel like we have four offensive
Speaker 1: tackles that have started and played a lot of games,
Speaker 1: and so having that depth at that position, uh, it's
Speaker 1: it's a bit of a luxury for US. Win bet
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Speaker 1: You made a bit of news here this week. Signing
Speaker 1: Solomon Thomas, can you talk about adding him to the
Speaker 1: mix on the defensive interior after resigning Nathan Shepard? Yeah, so, uh,
Speaker 1: Nate Nate coming back was a great thing also because
Speaker 1: because Nate Nate. Just to talk about Nate and no one,
Speaker 1: no one works harder, practices harder, plays harder than Nate.
Speaker 1: I mean his strain levels through the chart through the roof.
Speaker 1: And then to add like I think they're gonna be
Speaker 1: like brothers and strain and effort and Solomon Thomas and
Speaker 1: anyone who's ever been around Solomon Thomas and coach Solo
Speaker 1: and his staff have been around him in San Francisco.
Speaker 1: Of course, Uh, people can't say enough good things about him,
Speaker 1: you know, just you know, receiving a text from someone
Speaker 1: with the Raiders when we made that move and how
Speaker 1: much they love Sally and what he what he brings
Speaker 1: from an effort, toughness culture standpoint. So so adding adding another,
Speaker 1: this is this is almost like, um, like Lake and
Speaker 1: the guy that's been with Robert and his staff. Um,
Speaker 1: they know what those expectations are from from those coaches
Speaker 1: and brings the the exact type of temperament, personality, character
Speaker 1: that we're looking for when we add anyone to this roster.
Speaker 1: What's the next month is gonna be like for you?
Speaker 1: Because everybody, now you're still this offseason is not complete,
Speaker 1: and I know you're still gonna explore every avenue prior
Speaker 1: to the draft, but just looking ahead of a sneak
Speaker 1: preview with four and Taed and in the four in
Speaker 1: the top thirty eight you talked about how special that could.
Speaker 1: You're you're right, and you know, obviously you know free
Speaker 1: agency is not over if there's opportunities there, there's there's
Speaker 1: gonna be who knows that what other opportunities will presents
Speaker 1: itself from trade. But now now like now you can
Speaker 1: you're you're zoning in on the draft, right and that
Speaker 1: that huge weekend in April that every that every fan loves.
Speaker 1: And you know, we're sitting here with picks four, ten,
Speaker 1: thirty five, thirty eight and then we've got five more
Speaker 1: after that. So UM, it's a pretty pretty unique, pretty
Speaker 1: cool situation to have four picks a high and uh,
Speaker 1: you know there's a lot of there's a lot of
Speaker 1: meat left on the bone to our for our process,
Speaker 1: so to speak. You know, we'll get back with the
Speaker 1: coaches in uh in April, early April, UM, and then
Speaker 1: they'll really they'll throw their they'll throw their evils in there.
Speaker 1: They've spent a lot of time on these with these
Speaker 1: prospects and zoom calls, workouts, pro days and so um,
Speaker 1: getting their opinion, getting their insight, their feedback on all
Speaker 1: these players in the draft. It's gonna be it's gonna
Speaker 1: be the biggest meetings that we have UM this offseason,
Speaker 1: primarily because it will be the next meetings with the coaches,
Speaker 1: but with with what we have going on this year
Speaker 1: in the draft, the picks we have. Uh, it's it's
Speaker 1: a unique opportunity to add a lot of difference makers
Speaker 1: to this team. Finally, let's clarify something new. And Robert
Speaker 1: sala are right because he talked yesterday said sometimes we
Speaker 1: might have to go bare knuckle fighting. Yeah, I might
Speaker 1: have to go to defensive side of the ball. Joe
Speaker 1: likes the offensive line. You're a former tackle from Richmond.
Speaker 1: We're okay, right, Yeah, I'm a lover, not a fighter.
Speaker 1: But no, it's funny because the gods are asking me, okay,
Speaker 1: oh line the line, who's gonna win and who's gonna
Speaker 1: win this fight? And my my answer is the same,
Speaker 1: like the Jets are gonna win. You know we you
Speaker 1: know we we coach and I see the game the
Speaker 1: same way. We see it through the same wins. And
Speaker 1: you know, we both we both know how important the
Speaker 1: line of scrimmages and how that's never gonna change. So um,
Speaker 1: whether it's offense defensive line, Um, whoever wins, we all win.
Speaker 1: Oh well, we appreciate your time. Maybe you can get
Speaker 1: to change of clothes now and relaxed by the pool
Speaker 1: for a couple of minutes hang out, a great see
Speaker 1: anybody all right, Thanks sir,