Pool makes splash on Jets defense to replace Rhodes

CORTLAND, N.Y. - The big names got most of the publicity for good reason, given they were the sexy, splashy headline-grabbing acquisitions.

But there's one player the Jets brought in this offseason that could be more key to their success than even Antonio Cromartie, Jason Taylor, LaDainian Tomlinson or, yes, quite possibly Santonio Holmes.

Enter Brodney Pool, the guy who'll be replacing Kerry Rhodes and starting at safety opposite Jim Leonhard in the Jets' revamped secondary.

"Brodney, you know what he brings to our team?" defensive backs coach Dennis Thurman said Saturday. "He brings a physicality, he brings an athleticism. He's talented. He just has to learn the system. Once he learns the system, then we expect big things from him."

Pool showed in Saturday morning's practice that he's beginning to come along, starting to be a bit more noticeable on the field as he gets more acclimated to the verbiage and defensive scheme the Jets employ. During a 7-on-7 goal line drill, Pool picked off quarterback Mark Sanchez in the end zone, showing off some of the instincts his fellow starting safety believes are just one of the many attributes he brings to the table.

"You can tell he's getting to that point where he's got a great understanding of what's going on around him and you see him making more plays," Leonhard said. "He made a great interception today. It's something that we've seen a couple of times and we hadn't quite played it right. I think he would've taken it about 40 yards and pitched it to Cro [Cromartie], but he said he was going to go all the way."

Pool spent most of his previous five seasons in relative obscurity while playing for the Browns. He started 49 of the 71 games he's appeared in, collecting 11 interceptions. The 6-2, 210-pound sixth-year safety had four picks last season in only 11 games, tying for the team lead.

However, after Pool suffered what was reported to be his fourth concussion in five seasons with Cleveland - though he said he's only actually had one - in November and was placed on injured reserve, the Browns decided not to tender the 26-year-old.

"Yeah, last year unfortunately, the concussion, I had missed the last five games," Pool said. "But before that I still played every game and only missed two games. So, I think I'll be able to put that behind me and I'm not going to worry about it."

Some may be astonished Pool was one of the first guys the Jets targeted in free agency in March, amazed that he's being thought of as such an integral piece of Ryan's defensive jigsaw puzzle. But Ryan is happy the signing of the Oklahoma product and native of Corpus Christi, Texas somewhat floated under the radar.

Pool, who was also being pursued by the Buccaneers and Rams, simply wants to make Ryan look good.

"They brought me in for a reason and that's to make plays and help the defense out," he said. "And I'm going to do the best to my ability. They see me as a steal, so I just want to prove it."

Pool isn't afraid to line things up for the big hit and he also is "willing to throw his nose into the heat, he's willing to get down there next to that line of scrimmage," as Leonhard put it. That's why the Jets are sure their safety tandem will be vastly improved now that they've added Pool and subtracted Rhodes.

"Playmaking ability, we won't lose anything in that regard," Thurman said. "I felt like the other guy that was here before could make plays and I don't feel like we are going to lose anything with Brodney back there. We just upgraded, I think, as far as the physical part is concerned."