The Pristine York Jets can’t oppose, gained’t oppose. 

With aid from Dalvin Cook dinner, who affirmative to phrases on a trade in with Pristine York on Monday, the Jets are a freight educate of Tremendous Bowl ambitions.

Don’t say Dream Group. Don’t say Dream Group. Don’t say Dream Group.

OK, superb. It’s harking back to that 2011 Eagles squad that Vince Younger (the extra quarterback) dubbed The Dream Group. In the event you don’t know the tale, they went 8-8 and didn’t manufacture the playoffs — regardless of having quarterback Mike Vick, receiver DeSean Jackson, operating again LeSean McCoy, take on Jason Peters, defensive finish Jason Babin and cornerbacks Asante Samuel and Nnamdi Asomugha. 

They had been stacked.

No longer in contrast to the 2023 Jets, who’ve newly bought quarterback Aaron Rodgers, operating backs Cook dinner and Breece Corridor, receiver Garrett Wilson, cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed, defensive take on Quinnen Williams and such a lot of alternative studs.

They’re stacked.

I’m now not pronouncing that the Jets are destined for mediocrity. I’m simply pronouncing that this crew has an strange quantity of big name energy. On account of that, expectancies are sky prime. (And as a result of that, I’m a negligible apprehensive for Pristine York.)

[McKenna: Can young Jets deal with Aaron Rodgers’ propensity for the spotlight?]

It’s impressive for the Jets to top their expectancies. Initially, extra QB Zach Wilson can’t walk round telling media that the Jets are the Dream Group. Now, Wilson has a addiction of lacking on simple throws, however I don’t suppose he’ll whiff with the media like Vince Younger did. So that they’re defend there. However when it comes to attracting useless consideration? The Jets should watch out.

They don’t seem to be shy about expressing how firmly a Tremendous Bowl is ready of their websites. That’s simply superb. This crew is constructed to win presently — and in February. The addition of Cook dinner is helping their purpose, specifically to start with of the season when Corridor, the fellow they’d was hoping can be RB1, will jerk it gradual in his cure from ACL surgical operation. Cook dinner can elevate the burden. He completed the 2022 season with 264 carries, 1,173 dashing yards, 39 receptions, 295 receiving yards and 10 overall touchdowns. 

[McKenna: Aaron Rodgers bringing unabashed confidence to long-downtrodden Jets]

It’s superb for the Jets to honour signing a celeb operating again. 

The Jets and Cook dinner have lengthy been in contact, with the crew web hosting him for a seek advice from that went extraordinarily neatly, even though the previous Viking didn’t let fall the Florham Terrain, Pristine Jersey, apply facility with a signed word. Pristine York remained the front-runner, and in any case, mentor Robert Saleh and common supervisor Joe Douglas (and almost certainly Aaron Rodgers) satisfied Cook dinner to tied the Jets. Rodgers, specifically, will have been bored with sight Cook dinner run wild. 

The 2 stars are depart opponents within the NFC North to tied forces within the AFC East. (And there was once a probability Cook dinner may finally end up with an AFC East rival within the Miami Dolphins or Pristine England Patriots, according to assets.)

“I’ve seen him first-hand a lot of times,” Rodgers stated on Aug. 1. “We had a game against him early in the season. I think we were tied, and he changed the course of that game. We were kind of beating him up pretty good. On the first play of the second half, he went 75 untouched for a touchdown. 

“That’s his talent. He was once at all times ready to affect the sport. Difficult man, but in addition elusive, a just right one-cut man, velocity, energy, just right out of the backfield. I really like the blokes that we’ve were given. Suppose there’s a batch of skill there, a batch of alternative. However any presen you’ll be able to upload a veteran participant, you’d be thinking about that, evidently.” 

For some coaches, it would be an embarrassment of riches to have the following depth chart at running back:

Cook
Hall
Michael Carter
Israel Abanikanda
Zonovan Knight
Travis Dye
Damarea Crockett

But Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett knows what to do with his running backs. In 2020 as the OC for the Packers — perhaps his best year in the position — Hackett had running back Aaron Jones totaling 1,459 yards from scrimmage with Jamaal Williams adding 741 more. They combined for 14 touchdowns.

New York should have a stop-gap solution for the first half of the season as the team brings Hall back up to speed. In the postseason, they could have the NFL’s best 1-2 punch. There is reason for some hesitation, however, about both running backs. Hall, of course, is coming off a major injury after playing just seven games his rookie season.

Cook is 28 years old and, last season, averaged 4.4 yards per carry, a respectable number but also the lowest of his career. In the past two seasons, his PFF grades have been his two lowest — but, again, he had a 67.4 in 2022 and 65.8 in 2021. He is showing slight signs of decline, but not much. He is also recovering from shoulder surgery, which will hold him out of practice for some time. 

So there are uncertainties, which is likely why it took so long for Cook to find a home.

But he has a good home — a particularly apt fit for Cook, who will get the chance to pursue a Super Bowl with Rodgers. By bringing Cook into the fold, the Jets only heighten their expectations for the season. New York is a pressure cooker. The Jets’ talent and star power are tremendous. If they struggle, they can’t let it lead to collapse. If they succeed, they can’t let it go to their heads. 

Because with these acquisitions — Rodgers and Cook — the Jets now have a target on their backs.

Prior to joining FOX Sports as the AFC East reporter, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.

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