Forget Namath, Klecko checks in

Not a rocket scientist, but I like what he has to say, especially about Coples.

EDISON — Joe Klecko, one of the greatest Jets to ever wear the green and white, is pretty excited about the team's defense this year. But his take on quarterback Geno Smith and outside linebacker Quinton Coples? Not so much.

First, Klecko's opinion of the defense, which he likes—a lot.

"I ain't predicting nothing, but I predict the defense could be No. 1 in the league," Klecko said Monday at the Just Rivals Golf Classic at Plainfield Country Club, where he was honored with the Veterans Affairs Civilian Commendation Medal.

"They've got two of the best linebackers in the league," Klecko said. "They've got five defensive linemen that are just beasts, and you've got three cornerbacks. So they have real potential to be No. 1—I really do; I think they'll be No. 1 in the league."

Klecko, whose No. 73 has been retired by the Jets, has the distinction of having reached the Pro Bowl as a defensive end, defensive tackle, and nose tackle during a playing career that spanned from 1977-88. And while he's certainly not wrong about the potential of this year's Jets' defense, he might be overstating the credentials of their linebacking corps just a tad: Demario Davis and David Harris are terrific players, but no one who isn't a complete Jets fanboy would suggest either of them is among the best in the league at their positions.

That said, Klecko's excitement over the defensive line, with stalwarts Muhammad Wilkerson, Damon Harrison, and Sheldon Richardson, plus rookie Leonard Williams and backup Leger Douzable, seems warranted. Same with his enthusiasm over the additions of cornerbacks Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and Buster Skrine. The plan is for Skrine to be more or less a starter at nickel corner—an all-important position in an increasingly pass-happy league.

"And once you start covering the slot [against] New England, you're doing real good," Klecko said.

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But Klecko is far less thrilled with the Jets' offense, which has Geno Smith as the incumbent quarterback trying to fend off a challenge from newcomer Ryan Fitzpatrick. It seems that time Smith missed a meeting the night before a game at the Chargers last season didn't sit too well with Klecko.

Klecko described Smith as a "tremendous athlete" who can "make all the throws." But his praise for Smith stopped cold right about there.

"I don't know what's going to happen at quarterback; I envision it a little differently than it is right now," Klecko said. "The only proven person back there is Fitzpatrick. Geno's had his ups and downs. He had a great game at the end of the year last year, but that doesn't mean a whole lot.

"I know he's a confident kid, but confident people who really understand what their role is don't miss meetings in San Diego when you're the starting quarterback. You don't do that. And [head coach] Todd Bowles is not going to let that happen. Those kind of things are the kind of things that separate a team. But that's behind them. Let's see what happens."

When asked about Coples, Klecko reared his head back and laughed. In May 2014, Klecko made headlines when he blasted Coples by telling WFAN radio Coples "looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane." On Monday, more than a year later, Klecko refused to shrink from that assessment.

"Listen," Klecko said. "I'm a defensive lineman. And the one thing that people used to say about me was, I don't care what the score was—whether it was 40-0, or we were losing 40-0, you got the same thing from me every time. And I have that history. So when I see a guy with a ton of potential that doesn't play up to his potential, that's what I see.

"Now, has my opinion changed? He hasn't given me any reason to change it yet, so let's see what happens."

Dom Cosentino may be reached at dcosentino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @domcosentino. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.