The Jets have a few glaring needs, and most of them are on offense. The Jets are being cagey with their options, as is every other NFL team, but we can read the tea leaves and see which way they might go.

Wide receiver — When Laveranues Coles and the Jets parted way at the end of the season it opened up a spot for a receiver to compliment Jerricho Cotchery, which means speed is the quality the Jets need. Since the Jets have the No. 17 pick in the first round and the 52nd pick overall in the second round. There are a number of talented wide receivers in the draft this year, including Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech), Jeremy Maclin (Missouri), Darius Heyward-Bey (Maryland) and Kenny Britt from Rutgers. If they decide to go for a wide receiver, the Jets could trade down and pick up an additional pick, and still get a high quality player. If they opt for a different player in the first round, they could trade up for one in the second or go for a player like Hakeem Nicks, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound burner out of North Carolina.

Quarterback — Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum have said they like the quarterbacks they have. So why have they been looking so closely at Mark Sanchez from USC, who mysteriously booked a trip back to New York yesterday? The Jets would have to trade up to get him, which Tannenbaum has been known to do for players he likes (think Dustin Keller in the first round last year). If not, the Jets could try to get Kansas State’s Josh Freeman with No. 17. If they go for a QB, the Jets need to get one in the first round since it doesn’t make any sense to have four unspectacular QBs on the roster.

Those are the most obvious needs. But in later rounds the Jets will need to pick up a few other positions.

Running back — The Jets are having issues with Thomas Jones, who wants more money this season after being the leading rusher in the AFC. Aside from Jones, the Jets running backs have something in common: size. They are all pretty small (Danny Woodhead, Leon Washington), and the Jets could use someone with a little more bulk to compliment the current set.

Tight end — The depth chart lists Dustin Keller, drafted late in the first round last season out of Purdue. He was impressive in his rookie year, but in the absence of Bubba Franks and with Chris Baker heading to New England, the Jets need a blocking tight end.

Offensive line — Alan Faneca and Damien Woody aren’t getting any younger, and it’s in the Jets best interest to get one now to get him in the system for a year before needing a starter.

Defense — Yes, the Jets picked up NT Howard Green, DE Marques Douglas, LBs Bart Scott and Larry Izzo, S Jim Leonhard and CB Lito Sheppard in free agency, but defensively-minded Ryan is probably going to push to fill a few more positions. Last year the team was negatively impacted whenever NT Kris Jenkins had to sit with his back injury, and the Jets need a more reliable replacement when he does. Another safety might also be on the board.