The New York Jets don’t have many of their own free agents to be worried about this off-season. It would be nice to bring Robert Turner back for offensive line depth, along with Jim Leonhard and Bryan Thomas on veteran minimum deals to provide insurance on defense. However, there is one move that Mike Tannenbaum absolutely needs to take care of and that is bringing Sione Pouha back.
I am aware the Jets don’t have excessive cap space but Tannenbaum needs to do some of that cap maneuvering he is so well known for to keep the Jets nose tackle. Rex Ryan’s defense needs a run stopper in the middle and Pouha has been the perfect fit the past few years. Kenrick Ellis showed last year that he is far from ready to be an every down player and Pouha, despite being 33, should still have 3-4 very good seasons left in him considering he has only been a full time player the past three years of his seven year career.
More importantly, Pouha is one of the few leaders left in the Jets locker room. He is a player who actually deserved the “C” on his chest last year. In the lockout extended off-season, he took the entire defensive line under his wing for workouts and helped guide them to a surprisingly productive year despite largely being a young and unproven group.
The Jets cannot keep letting leaders…and productive leaders at that, walk from their team. Pouha must be brought back in 2012 if this team is going to take steps towards improving their fractured locker room and 8-8 record.
Free agency opens March 13th but that doesn’t mean it is too early to start breaking down potential options for the New York Jets, who have some work to do. Regardless of what one of the Mike’s (Lombardi, Florio, Francesa) in the mainstream media would like you to believe the Jets aren’t that far away from being a playoff contender. And in this day and age, when you are a playoff contender, you are a Super Bowl contender because once you get into that tournament anything can happen.
For today, I am going to work off Pete Prisco’s top 50 free agent rankings, despite strongly disagreeing with his ordering it still provides a good overview of who is available. I will also include a few other players that could interest the Jets who aren’t listed there. Let’s go through their positional needs -
Wide Receiver – Without question the Jets need a new starter opposite Santonio Holmes but don’t expect them to make a splash here by pursuing one of the big name players like Vincent Jackson, Marques Colston, Stevie Johnson, or Dwayne Bowe. If the Jets were smart they’d focus their attention on a less pricey speedster like Pierre Garcon or Robert Meachem. Laurent Robinson could be another intriguing option, coming off a very strong year in Dallas. Wanting Braylon Edwards back is a good sentiment but I highly doubt it happens.
Tight End – Look for the Jets to add a blocking tight end to pair with Dustin Keller. Anthony Fasano isn’t a free agent yet but there is chatter he could be released if he doesn’t take a pay cut. If he does hit the open market, don’t be surprised to see Tony Sparano encourage the Jets to pounce on him.
Running Back – The Jets could use another back to provide depth and push Shonn Greene. Ryan Grant is an option with high potential but he could be out of their price range. Tashard Choice and Derrick Ward are cheaper options who have been productive in the past.
Backup Quarterback – Chad Henne makes the most sense here. He knows Sparano’s system, is talented enough to push Sanchez, while still not having enough success in his career yet to have a problem being a backup.
Right Tackle – Demetrius Bell is the best option out there but I have tough time seeing Buffalo letting him walk. Vernon Carey could receive a look because of his history with Sparano. Beyond that, you are looking at a collection of mostly scrap heap veterans or taking a risk on a player like Jared Gaither, who has looked great at times but has injury and attitude questions surrounding him.
Linebacker – Most people feel the Jets will address their need for a pass rusher at outside linebacker through the draft. If they go the free agency route, I don’t see them throwing a big money offer at Mario Williams as some people have suggested. Anthony Spencer is a cheaper option with some upside. Jarrett Johnson and Jameel McClain are Ravens who could receive a look from Rex Ryan and Mike Pettine. Manny Lawson is also a free agent who the Jets were rumored to have some interest in last off-season.
Safety – Considering the Jets could very well need not just one but two safeties, they should take a long look at a very intriguing safety market. LaRon Landry is a big name but is inconsistent in coverage and injury prone. Tyvon Branch would be a better option if he hits the open market, which is a big if. Reggie Nelson and Michael Griffin are good mid-level options who would be an upgrade over Eric Smith, Jim Leonhard, or Brodney Pool.
At times, in Jets nation, it seems as though there are only two teams in the NFL, the Jets and the Patriots. Everything has revolved around this New York/Boston border war rivalry that heated up to cosmic levels once Bill Parcells left Foxboro for Leon Hess Jets in the mid nineties.
The Jets and Patriots are the Yankees and Red Sox of football right no w, hated rivals who feel as though they have to be equipped in order to beat the other, otherwise reaching the Super Bowl becomes a pipe dream. When THESE two teams get at it, the fur flies the pre game hype flies, and the post game emotional damage for the losing team becomes a study to be conducted under a microscope. Consider 2010.
Last year, after the Monday night debacle in Foxboro, Rex Ryan had to bury a ball to exorcise the demons of an unexpected 45-3 massacre. A hangover then ensued in the putrid loss to Miami the following week.
It was then the Jets turn to give the Pats a dose of pain during the AFC divisional playoff round. Gang Green ruined the Pats home field advantage by eliminating them days after a week of trash talk culminating in Wes Welker’s foot fetish references. The devastating loss forced the Pats to question their personnel heading into this season.
Now enter the madness of THIS post lockout free agency. The Jets used their initial days to re-acquire home run threat Santonio Holmes and right tackle Wayne Hunter, thus keeping last year’s offensive line intact and their big play receiver in Green and White.
After a mad chase for CB Nnamdi Asomugha failed, the Jets rebounded with the pickups of WR Plaxico Burress and CB Antonio Cromartie to keep the status quo. All purpose WR Brad Smith was a casualty of the week long Nnamdi drama but the Jets kept their goal of remaining a vertical passing team capable of moving defenses out of the box against the their running attack.
The Pats sured up their run defense, exposed during their season ending loss to the Jets last year, during the first few days when they traded away a fifth round pick to the Redskins for disgruntled defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. Next came WR Chad Ochocinco, who many feel has been hurt by the deteriorating play of Carson Palmer over the past few years. Ocho seemed needed after the Jets dropped eight defenders back into coverage all day during that same January game, thus exposing the Pats lack of firepower on the outside.
Sunday brought a spotlight to this border war when longtime Jets DE Shaun Ellis signed with the Pats, giving New England a line ready to take on the Ground and Pound consisting of Ellis, Vince Wilfork and Haynesworth, maybe adding some info on the Jets from the Ellis perspective as well.
The constant news regarding players gained on both sides, and even ones the Jets in particular HAVEN’T kept, have made it seem as though the two clubs have been the only active ones on the market.
We all know that the games are played on the field, not on paper, or in offices where contracts are signed. It is interesting however to consider the notion of which team got a leg up on the other these past two weeks.
For the Jets, a microcosm for this change can be seen through the WR position. Plaxico Burress and Derick Mason will replace Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery. Both new Jets WRs bring with them longer careers of success and bigger numbers. They also bring with them rust and age, and a lack of familiarity with the offense. The upside, should the new duo be healthy and motivated. will make the moves an upgrade for the Jets. The downside could be a disaster.
The Patriots haven’t altered as much as they have added veterans with something to prove but again, veterans. With age on them as well. The upside for them on the defensive line could be deadly provided that Haynesworth behaves and Ellis has something left in the tank. The downside? A sluggish disruptive unit that costs coach Bill Belichick time and energy. The risk? Slight. Belichick and the Patriots have offered little to nothing financially and draft pick wise in order to obtain these players.
It will take an entire 2011 season to determine who won this free agency war. Still, it hasn’t stopped many from wondering who has gained an edge. Here are some of Jets Nation’s take on who has done better during this crazy free agency period, told to us on Twitter:
@Ton3Atlas: Pats have built a shuttle from N.Y. to N.E. because they love our players.
@JoeyScalesi: Pats unfortuantely
@jWeinstein23 Pats have gotten the bigger names but the Jets have made their team better. If Haynesworth or Ochocinco suck, it looks terrible.
@UKJets: it’s a tough question. Both teams will see the biggest benefit from development in young players like Sanchez & mccourty.
@RobKosova: Hate em but I think the Pats.
@Sanchize6: the Jets, Pats have added good pieces but who knows what they have left, the jets kept all their key pieces and are younger.
The New York Jets appear to be done making major moves to their 2011-2012 roster. Unless there is a major injury or surprising turn of events, the week one staters/key reserves are already in place.
On offense, improvement will be found by young players taking the necessary next step in their development, most notably quarterback Mark Sanchez who now enters his third year. He has clearly established himself as the unquestioned leader of the offense but now must find a higher level of consistency and accuracy on the field. A great season from Sanchez is going to mean the Jets offense will improve, regardless of the turnover at wide receiver.
Shonn Greene and Dustin Keller are two other players who need to fully realize their potential. Similar to Sanchez, Greene is also entering his third year. He failed to become the lead back the Jets drafted him to be last year but now with LaDainian Tomlinson a year older must become the workhorse to lead the “Ground and Pound.” We have seen what Greene is capable of when he gets going and if he can consistently receive 18-22 carries each week, there is no reason he can’t be a 1200 yard back.
We have heard about Dustin Keller’s potential since the day he was drafted, yet have never seen him put together a full season of being consistently productive. With Tom Moore now helping out on offense and the flux at the wide receiver position, Keller needs to become the Dallas Clark type weapon he is capable of being. He should develop into Sanchez’s security blanket and needs to become a bigger factor near the red-zone.
A higher level of productivity from Sanchez, Greene, and Keller will allow Plaxico Burress more time to get acclimated to the NFL again and put less pressure on Derrick Mason as he picks up the intricacies of playing slot receiver in the Jets offense. There is also the hope that Joe McKnight can become another weapon out of the backfield and promising rookie Jeremy Kerley can offer a few big plays at wide receiver.
On defense, the turnover hasn’t been significant. The biggest question mark is on the defensive line where first round pick Muhammad Wilkerson will immediately step into the starting line-up to replace Shaun Ellis.
Yes, I think the Jets did an awful job by letting Ellis walk to the New England Patriots and would like to see them bring back Trevor Pryce as a veteran mentor to Wilkerson. However, it doesn’t appear that is going to happen so Wilkerson must quickly become a key part of a largely no name and somewhat inexperienced defensive line rotation along with third round pick Kenrick Ellis, Ropati Pitoitua, and Marcus Dixon. Sione Pouha and Mike DeVito are quality blue-collar players who can lead up front and should help keep the Jets stingy against the run.
At linebacker, it is about time for Calvin Pace to give the Jets a 16 game season and become a 10 sack player. There is no excuse for him not to be in this scheme with his talent level. A contribution from Jamaal Westerman to the pass rush would be nice but Pace is still the team’s pass rusher and needs to produce like it.
In the secondary, Kyle Wilson will have the chance to grab the nickel back role and hopefully develop into the playmaker Drew Coleman was last year. If he can’t, Donald Strickland and maybe Marquice Cole provide good insurance.
On most teams you would be concerned about the turnover on special teams the Jets have seen this off-season, yet with Mike Westhoff leading the way, it is hard to see them not being one the league’s better units again.
Here we are, one week out from the opening pre-season game. Do the Jets still look like a Super Bowl contender to you? They do to me, but only time will tell if the way Mike Tannenbaum and the Jets front office handled this off-season properly.
Albert Haynesworth is on the Patriots. The Redskins have had enough of the man made of ice cream and hot dogs. OK. People in New England are happy, people in Washington are not happy. Why? Haynesworth has proved to the world that he can just give up, walk away and still be rich for the rest of his life.
Fans don’t like to see someone so talented waste it, not because they like to see athletes succeed, but because there is no necessity (financially speaking) in a comeback. If he were to be broke and bagging groceries upon failure in New England, people would pull for the guy (Kurt Warner).
That is not the reality of Albert Haynesworth. He won’t be poor, even if he lights up a big fat cigar between the numbers on a third and 1 against the Jets in the playoffs. Only 5 years ago, Haynesworth ripped off the helmet of Andre Gurode and stomped on his head, opening a wound only inches from his eye. Amongst the football media, this has been viewed as one of the cheapest and most vicious incidents of “after the whistle” violence in NFL history. Some called for Haynesworth to be suspended for the entire season, which would have undoubtedly kept him out of the 2007 Pro Bowl. So what would Albert Haynesworth be if the maximum penalty was handed out? Cheaper to the Redskins? A harder worker? Less of a steal for the Patriots?
Bill Belichick is not in the resurrection business. He runs a system that never requires star talent, save for the quarterback. It is simply a machine of efficiency that can be made better with star players. Albert Haynesworth will not get 20 sacks next year. He will not even play 50% of defensive snaps. He will be used in nickel and dime packages and goal line situations. How do you beat Albert Haynesworth? Get away from him. Toss the ball to the right. We all know Haynesworth is not Ndamukong Suh. Belichick is only going to use Haynesworth when he needs him. He has no point to prove about 30 year old defensive tackles.
So there we go, a big man with about 50% of his capabilities left. Enough of the sadist (see Redskins training camp hazing), let’s go to Miami, where expectations are so low they boo the starting quarterback in training camp. By the way, they want Orton. Now.
Reggie Bush will add flash to a team that can’t even string together 10 wins. What can flash do? Ask Andre Johnson. Getting snubbed by the FavreMan and Kyle Orton (Tebow Thing) the Dolphins are out of options. With a rookie running back named Daniel Thomas, Bush will be mentor, coach, and teammate with a serious workload for the first time in his NFL career.
They will try and get everything they can out of him, seeing if any of those college awards are good for anything in the land of jet skis and crystal dreams. Bush will benefit from the newly installed West Coast offense. He is not a bruiser, and he does not have the speed of a Chris Johnson. He’s a spaceback (I think I just made that up) who thrives on open field receptions. Give him a 1 on 1 in the flat, and it’s off to the races. He is more versatile than a tight end, and stronger than a receiver. He struggles explanation from even the most experienced of analysts. Running to the left will be his best chance, seeing as how the Dolphins have an excellent tackle, center combination in Pouncey and Long.
I see Reggie Bush making a serious impact in the Miami offense, especially with Brandon Marshall requiring cornerback/safety coverage on most plays. Will it take Miami to the playoffs? No. But at least it will be fun to watch.
Changing the tune, let’s see what the Jets have in terms of rookies and sophomores:
Kyle Wilson did not face elite competition in college. I’m sorry to all the Wilson fans, but Boise State does not face elite competition at any point during the year. Rough translation, he was not ready for NFL receivers when the time came. He got beat off the line, and often reverted to bad technique when he was beat down the field. It is not so much that I think Kyle Wilson will have a good year, it is that he NEEDS to have a good year in order to stick around as a nickel back and not get permanently relegated to a backup and kick returner. Seeing as how Rex already called him the starting nickel corner, expectations are high.
After a series of workouts in Arizona with Darrelle Revis, Wilson should be able to get back on the field with the confidence knowing he has been mentored by the best in the business. Being the same size also helps, as Cromartie teaching Wilson could only do so much, Cromartie having a 6’7 wingspan and all.
In terms of rookies, I think the Jets are going to get great run out of Muhammad Wilkerson. I base this on the fact that Wilkerson will probably get the most playing time between 3-4 defensive end and a nickel/dime package nose tackle. I know he hasn’t faced elite competition in college, but his size and speed when added to Kenrick Ellis and Sione Pouha will help the Jets at least turn down the requirement of a six man rush to a five man rush for the majority of blitz packages. I can see him and Kenrick Ellis requiring three blockers at all times, which could leave Pace, Harris, Thomas and Scott to rush the passer.
Rookies will be forced to turn into NFL players faster than ever before. Teams with new head coaches and rookie quarterbacks will look foolish. Defense will reign. It is the year of the Ryan brothers.
We know the New York Jets still have plenty of money available to spend, so a pair of recent decisions made by the front office shouldn’t come as a surprise.
First, they smartly decided to re-sign safety Brodney Pool to a one year contract. Pool came on strong at the end of last year as a starting safety and has a greater upside than Eric Smith opposite Jim Leonhard. Rex Ryan has already declared Smith the starter but Pool will be involved in plenty of defensive packages, especially on passing downs and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him taking the bulk of reps by the end of the year. He improves the depth and continuity of the Jets defense.
Second, the Jets are bringing in veteran wide receiver Derrick Mason for a visit today and it is believed there is a good chance he will leave with a contract. Mason would be a very good addition to the Jets offense, as he had 802 yards receiving and 7 touchdowns last year, which compares very well to the 904 yards and 7 touchdowns the Jets lost from Braylon Edwards. Also prior to last year, he had three straight 1,000 yard seasons. Mason could hold down the number two receiver spot as Plaxico Burress gets acclimated and then could move into the number three role later in the season.
Unfortunately, a Mason signing would likely mean the end of Jerricho Cotchery’s career with the Jets. If Mason signs for a veteran minimum’s contract, he would cost half as much as Cotchery, meaning Cotchery will either be traded or cut. This would be a tough move to swallow as I already documented Cotchery’s value to the team yesterday.
Does it make sense from both a football and financial standpoint to switch from Cotchery to Mason? The answer is yes, considering the questions about Cotchery’s health that have currently landed him on the PUP list. It is a sad reality because the guy deserves better. The NFL can be a cold business and I still don’t want to see him leave, but if they lock Mason down it is hard to see him staying on the team and getting after Mike Tannenbaum for making the move.
The agents of New York Jets free agent defensive end Shaun Ellis have released today that the team has offered him a one year contract at the veteran’s minimum of about 900 thousand dollars. He is currently contemplating the offer and does want to finish his career with the Jets but will explore other options.
Is there a reason, the Jets can’t up this offer slightly? We know they have the space available to do it, so why not bump his contract over the 1 million mark so he doesn’t have to come back on the absolute minimum? Ellis has played his entire career with the Jets, after being their first round pick in 2000. Eleven seasons of being a productive, consistent defensive end in both the 3-4 and 4-3. Al Groh, Herman Edwards, Eric Mangini, and now Rex Ryan…Ellis has been here through them all.
He is the type of player who is going to end up in the team’s Ring of Honor one day and it is not like he still isn’t productive. Ellis was a solid starter every week for the Jets last year and dominated New England in the playoffs. It is a smart football move to have him mentor rookie Muhammad Wilkerson at his position this year.
Pay the man. Nobody has an interest in seeing him leave for the Patriots or Dolphins.
The New York Jets have signed inside linebacker David Harris to a 4 year, 36 million dollar contract, with 29.5 million in guaranteed money. It is the most ever guaranteed money on a 4 year contract to a linebacker in NFL history. The move will free up about 6 million dollars on the cap this year, as Harris moves off the franchise tag.
Harris was a second round draft pick of the team in 2007 and has led the Jets in tackles the past two seasons. He is the final piece of the “Core Four” locked down to a long term deal, as Nick Mangold, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, and Darrelle Revis all received one last season.
The extra cap space with likely be an impetus for Mike Tannenbaum to make another move. It will be interesting to see who the Jets pursue in free agency or via trade. They could use improved depth at safety, outside linebacker, and wide receiver. I wouldn’t put it past him to look for one more big acquisition in the coming week.
Prior to the past week’s free agency frenzy starting, we knew the following, whether you wanted to believe it or not -
The Jets prioritized Santonio Holmes well ahead of Braylon Edwards
The Jets needed a number two cornerback
Brad Smith wasn’t coming back
Their remaining group of veteran free agents would be a toss up on who stayed and left
Nnamdi Asomugha was a long shot who stormed out of nowhere to become a reality that quickly captivated Jets fans and their free agency coverage, and why wouldn’t he as the top player on the market? The contenders for his services began to drop off making it look like Asomugha ending up on the Jets was a sure thing.
We obviously know what happened. He shocked everybody by choosing the Philadelphia Eagles. Was it a stinging loss? Yes. Was it a death blow to the Jets free agency plans this off-season? Absolutely not. Asomugha was a luxury. Your off-season isn’t a failure if you can’t land both the best offensive free agent, which the Jets did in Santonio Holmes, and the best defensive free agent. Your team isn’t not a Super Bowl contender because they don’t have the two best corners in football on their team, especially when you still have arguably the best tandem in the league.
In the end, the Jets got Antonio Cromartie back on a reasonable contract and did keep that best tandem of corners in the league together. They did the right thing by bringing back Santonio Holmes over Braylon Edwards and suffered the obvious but necessary consequences of seeing Edwards and Brad Smith leave. Fortunately, there isn’t a gaping hole opposite Holmes as the Jets found a cheaper, short term alternative in Plaxico Burress, who does come with plenty of questions but also with plenty height, experience and talent.
Drew Coleman left but Donald Strickland was signed and if he is healthy can be a more than adequate replacement, never mind the hopeful improvement of 2010 first round pick Kyle Wilson. Eric Smith and Wayne Hunter were brought back to start at safety and right tackle, respectively. Were Brodney Pool and Damien Woody better options? Maybe, but the gap isn’t substantial enough to expect a major drop off at either position. When you throw in the expected return of Shaun Ellis and James Ihedigbo, along with the potential addition of another outside linebacker it is looking like another strong off-season for the Jets led by Mike Tannenbaum.
Is the team better on paper than it was last year? Probably not, but the potential is there for it to be substantially better especially if players like Kyle Wilson, Jamaal Westerman and Joe McKnight bring something to the table this year and the Jets get contributions out of rookies like Muhammad Wilkerson, Kenrick Ellis, and Jeremy Kerley. Never mind the continued growth of quarterback Mark Sanchez.
With a few minor moves left to finish up, the Jets are still a Super Bowl contender and will be a handful for any team to deal with on both sides of the ball. If you don’t think they have something good going on in Florham Park, you’ll have to explain why Bart Scott and Calvin Pace restructured their contracts, LaDainian Tomlinson took a pay cut, Mark Sanchez volunteered to restructure his contract, Santonio Holmes took less money to stay here, and Plaxico Burress came here despite likely being able to get a better deal somewhere else.
Yes, I know Jason Taylor did leave for the Dolphins…but hey, we never liked him anyway.
TOJ Roundtable: where a collection of our writers offer a quick opinion on a pressing Jets question of the day.
What type of production should we expect from Plaxico Burress this year?
Joe Caporoso: The Jets don’t need Burress to start the season off giving them 60-70 snaps a game. He can roll through with Jerricho Cotchery at the number two spot as he gets more comfortable back on the field. The biggest place he can make an impact is in the red-zone where the Jets have struggled the past couple of years. You can bet new offensive consultant Tom Moore will be drawing up pages of plays to get the ball in his hands inside the 20 yard line. I wouldn’t be shocked if Burress only had 40-50 receptions for 600-700 yards, yet as long as he adds 7-10 touchdowns, this move will be well worth it. The size and reputation he brings to the offense will also create more favorable match-ups for Santonio Holmes, Cotchery, and Dustin Keller.
Rob Celletti: It’s too difficult to try and project raw numbers, but in the end, this can only help the Jets as a team and Mark Sanchez in particular. A young quarterback with spotty accuracy can only be helped by a big target with great hands, and that’s what Plaxico Burress provides. The Jets’ red zone woes have been well-documented, so hopefully this signing puts them on track to get that corrected. Hard to not dream about Plax catching a big touchdown on Christmas Eve against the Giants.
TJ Rosenthal: I’m not worried about Burress in terms of numbers. I want to see Burress simply grow into re establishing himself as a threat. In the red zone he can be a killer. The great hands and ability to leap make him a very likeable target for any QB. Plax was a game breaking killer for Big Blue. We don’t expect him to pick up where he left off in mid 2009, now two years later we simply hope that as he gets his game speed back, he becomes a player that needs to be accounted for at all times. That way, the Jets won’t lose a beat on offense with the loss of Braylon Edwards who did a very good job in New York.
When both are at the top of their games though, Edwards is second to Burress in most phases of the position. We expect very good things from the new #17. He has alot to prove. That inner motivation may also bode well for the Jets who cant afford a drop off in production at the position.
Chris Celletti: I think you can expect Burress to take a little time to get back into football shape. He may even be the third option behind Santonio Holmes and Jerricho Cotchery until about the halfway point of the season. But I think as the year goes on, he’ll become a go-to for Mark Sanchez, especially in the red zone. While I think he may rank behind Holmes and maybe Dustin Keller in receptions, he may lead the team in receiving TDs when all is said and done.
