Under previous administrations, the Jets wouldn't have made a trade like this. By that, I mean acquiring a talented, but enigmatic player with questions about his attitude and serious questions about his off-the-field lifestyle. But the Jets felt comfortable making this trade for CB Antonio Cromartie because of the big man.
Rex Ryan.
The Jets believe Ryan can turn an underachiever into an overachiever, a punk into a Pro Bowl player. The front office thinks Ryan's cocky and infectious personality is contagious and can transform wayward players -- especially the talented ones -- into productive members of the team.
In 2007, Cromartie looked like the next Deion Sanders, but his play dropped off and he started complaining, driving his teammates and coaches crazy with his attitude. He also started tackling like a prom queen. Have you seen the You Tube clip of him trying to tackle (and I'm using the word loosely) Shonn Greene on his long TD in the playoffs? He had him at the line, but ran away as if Greene were radioactive. (Can't see Cromartie and Kerry Rhodes in the same secondary.)