Free Agent Focus: Tuesday Hangover
As we enter phase two of free agency, here’s a reminder on who’s on the Jets radar:
Brendan Ayanbadejo (LB) Bears — After having a contract offer rescinded from the Bears after visiting the Jets, Special Team standout Brendan Ayanbadejo will be entertaining offers, and looks like the Packers and Jaguars are interested in his services.
Ben Utecht (TE) Colts — Utecht is scheduled to meet with the Jets next week. Known for his blocking skills and ability to play H-Back in the Colts spread offense. The Bengals are also said to be interested. Who would lose out between JoeKo and Stacy Tutt?
Eugene Wilson (S) Patriots — Wilson is planning to meet the Jets at some point this week. Pittsburgh had hosted him, but due to their cap status, don’t expect to make an offer.
Will James (CB) Eagles — Not sure where things stand with James.
… more updates as we know them …
These guys seem likely to compete throughout training camp and we’ll see who gets cut. Which I like….
Since we haven’t moved D-Rob yet, what is our cap status?
We are still slightly under with the ability to cut some more guys and save more money (including Robertson himself). But then we have a potential Rhodes extension to consider too.
(Ignoring the impact of the draft pick allocation which should “come out in the wash”)
Of course we can go over the cap as long as we shed enough salary to get back under by June 1st.
this whole time i been coming in here everyone said to fix the o-line and TJ and LEON will do better…now that the o-line is fixed…every1 except me wants to draft DMC…wether he’ll be a star or not…i for 1 dont want to waist our 1st round pick on him…if he and gholston are there at 6 i say pick gholston or trade down…we need another pass rushing olb,ilb,de,wr and cb just in case miller isnt the answer…just my thoughts…
DMC is not a pick that the Jets should use on, supposedly they are pretty interested in DE Sedrick Ellis. He would be better at LE in the 3-4 scheme then Shaun Ellis has played.
D-Rob should be traded, for about 4th and 5th orund DP. Then if we plan to draft Sedrick Ellis we can trade Shaun Ellis for a late 2nd or early 3rd round DP. I have heard the Jets have something like $15M+ cap room (not exactly sure though), and give us more cap room we trade Dewayne and re-structure Chad Pennington’s contract, then we’ll have $20M+ again like before.
justin…i like your thinking…
There’s no way the Jet’s are drafting DMC, if anything I think they’ll trade the pick to the Cowboys. DMC defenitely does not fit the prototype of a Tangini player. The guy has already been arrested more times then the entire 53 man roster combined, and he’s on pace to shatter Shawn Kemp’s record number of times he should have worn a rubber. All of this and he hasn’t even lived in a place like NYC. Forget it, he would make Pacman Jones look like a panzy after getting #6 pick money in NYC.
DMC is not the guy we need. On paper the line is better and current RB and QB should be given a legitimate shot this year. I agree the Jets should trade down with that pick unless one of the “Longs” slip. Don’t count out Al Davis fcking the Jets again and trading w/ Cowboys 2 picks ahead of us
I agree that DMC is not a Mangini guy, and with Leon and TJ, we’re good at RB. I think we should trade the pick to stock up more on D, especially d-back. Also, being a Wahoo, I would love to see Chris Long in a Jets uniform. I know thats not going to happen, but man…he would be a perfect fit. Good guy, hard worker, comes fromt the 3-4 in college under Groh (who, despite how we all feel about Groh, he knows the 3-4 defense). here is to dreaming…
So let me make sure I have all this straight, McFadden would be a “waste” at 6 even though most people consider him THE top prospect in the whole draft, AND the Jets have no one with game breaking abilities on offense, which McFadden clearly brings (I love Coles and Cotchery and Thomas Jones and Leon, but none of them are a threat to take it to the house every time they touch it like McFadden).
Not only that but we should use the pick DT Sedrick Ellis and play him out of position at DE? THIS makes sence to you guys? The Jets have two solid players at DE in Coleman and Shaun Ellis, committed decent money to them already, even though you think we could somehow get a 2nd and a 3rd for Ellis when we haven’t gotten offered close to that for the much younger and more talented Vilma and Roberstson?
I won’t argue with picking Gholston at 6, but if McFadden is there and they don’t either take him or trade down with someone and take Ellis instead they (and you) are crazy. Keep in mind we have committed big dollars at OLB and DT already, taking Gholston or Ellis at 6 will only add to that.
I am not ready to pass judgement on what kind of person McFadden is based soley on few blurbs in the media, he might not be a poster child for Mangini, but if his biggest problem is that he can’t keep it in his pants I think we’ll be all right, we can’t have an entire team of choir boys and expect to win, as long as he stays out of jail I have no problem with how many kids he fathers as long has he pays for them.
The Jets passed on Sapp and Marino because of character concerns, too. I hope history doesn’t repeat itself. Run DMc is the obvious pick at 6. Just imagine him following a pulling Alan Faneca and get to the outside. He runs a 4.30 forty and was never injured on the field playing in the SEC, the best college conference. He shredded Dorsey’s LSU…he ran for 206 yards, 3 TDs and tossed a TD pass. He’s exactly the type of weapon that the Jets need and the only reason that he’d be available at 6 is because of character concerns. With more vets (like Faneca, Woody added to Jones, LC, Chad, etc.) , I think the Jets could bear the risk for such a great reward. Gil Brandt said on Sirius last night that Dallas will not trade their 2 first round picks for McFadden. Taking a chance on McFadden, whose fumbling was his only “on the field” issue, could take the Jets’ offense to a whole new level. Their running game would, arguably, become one of the best and most versatile in the NFL (pound with TJ, hit the HRs with DMc, hurry up with Leon). No player that the Jets potentially could take at 6 has the same type of impact that DMc would have now that the OL has been bolstered. I just can’t believe that the Jets would pass on him. It’s too perfect a fit.
Russ, I’ve been asking this for a couple of weeks and haven’t gotten any answers: how does Chris Long fit in an NFL 3-4??
He’s too small to play DE and he’s to slow to be an elite OLB. At the NFL level he projects as a 4-3 DE; regardless of the scheme he played in college. What am I missing?
I like the thinking of this thread and I’d like to suggest Keith Rivers as the other ILB beside Harris.
I’d also like you to consider the best CB available, which is up for consideration as to who that is. If you don’t take one at #6, six CB’s will be gone by the second pick.
WR doesn’t have any concensus pick, so who would that be? Limas Sweed has the size of Keyshawn. Like that? Who’s the next Chrebet, crossing the middle on third and short?
mcfadden is an abosulute must i dc who is on the board. i dc if chris long gholston and matt ryanare on the board. mcfadden is the best player in the draft passing on him would be stupid and we would regret it for the next 10 years.
and as for our next FA targets i think the best 1 is eugene wilson for sure he would be a sweet addition to our secondary him n kerry will play great together.
Dont like Sedrick Ellis – he seems almost like a DRob clone from college – he had to gain weight to be 300+ at the senior bowl – barely over 6 feet tall. I dont think he would be the right player to replace Shaun Ellis.
Dont like Gholston – I acually liked him before the pace signing but now theres Pace and B Thomas both under a 1 year old and brand new contracts (for pretty high $$) respectively. Where do you put Gholston? Inside? Do many college DE’s make the transition to ILB – VG might be able to but it negates his best attribute (rushing the passer)
Like and dislike McFadden – I dont really like that he had sort of a senior slump – I watched a few games and he appeared to be somewhat of a finesse back (very different type of player than Peterson from what I have seen – they are only compared because they are both athletic freaks). I like that he can be a gamebreaker and would take some pressure off of KC.
If DMC slide to jets a trade down or picking him is fine with me, Jets rolled the dice with all these FA signings – might as well roll them again.
are u guys serious. do u guys want to see mcfadden running a sweep behind dbrick n faneca? or am i the only one besides sackdance. that would be amazing. and potential unbeatable. with mcfadden u can do anything u want anywhere u put him on the field hes being watched it will free up coles cothercy leon and even baker to come up with huge plays consistantly
gholston at 6 isnt a waisted pick since we need de/olbs for this 3-4 system…dmc will be a waisted pick cuz we already have tj and leon…and to say leon isnt a threat…then your blind…the 2 years he’s been here…all he’s done is make plays when given the chance…now with this line he’ll only improve on his past with his future opportunities…like i said…wether dmc is a star or not…i dont want him or like him…if we end up taking a rb i’d rather take stewart or mendenhall…they’ll be perfect with leon…but since theres no need at rb…take gholston…and build a dominating deffense like parcels did when he was here…
since Brendan Ayanbadejo is only like 225 lbs do you think he could lose some weight and become a safety?
rj, I’m with you too, this offense desperately needs a game breaker like McFadden even if most think we are set at RB with Jones and Washington.
I agree the Jets have other needs as well, a big WR, another ILB, another corner, but there is no one that fills those needs worth taking at 6, if McFadden is there they have to take him, we have plenty of picks to address our other needs, especially after we finally trade D-Rob.
AGAIN….sack is the voice of reason. If RUN DMC is there (love the nickname, think of the marketing possibilities if he plays here) we have to take him. Why take gholston now?? We are building up both lines, so the need is still pretty clear….a threat on offense people have to respect during the film sessions!!!! jesus it cant be any more clear!!!!!
do you guys honestly think b.thomas is the answer opposite pace…he is a bust…a back up at best…gholston would make this deffense that much better than it already is with the signings of jenkins and pace…i hope he’s off the board before we pick…
Dakar, not sure what your infatuation is with Gholston, I admit he looks like a good prospect, tore up the combine competing against no one, but I am not ready to annoint him the savior of the defense yet. Bryan Thomas did have a bad year, so did the rest of the defense, had a very good one before that, seems curious to me that everyone is ready to admit that Faneca and Woody can improve the whole offensive line, but no one can see the possibility of jenkins and pace helping BT?
McFadden does not equal Peterson. Personally I don’t like the Pace signing and wanted Gholston, but will people stop pretending that McFadden is a god or even a defenite game changer. Does anyone remember Reggie Bush, Kijana Carter, Blair Thomas? Or where character concerns led to with Ricky Williams? The drafts not a sure thing. These are people not action figures. Trade down and draft Hardy. If we want to have a big play offense how about a reciever who is a huge red zone target with a smaller price tag? Sack you have to love that our short QBs would have a reciever they can see over their line.
Next year everyone will be chirping about some other running back who is a can’t miss prospect and who will demand top cash.
if mcfadden is such a miracle worker like all of u think he is…then dont u think that he will be gone by the 6th pick….not for nothin mcfadden is not for us…..if by chance he is available we have to trade him to dallas for more 1st round picks…..i really like gholston and BT and Pace can swap in and out…..it gives us mroe options up front
McFadden doesn’t make sense for anyone drafting int he top 5 now, they all have big money committed to the RB position:
Miami – Ronnie Brown
St. Louis – Steven Jackson
Atlanta – Michael Turner
Oakland – Justin Fargas
KC – Larry Johnson
The only was he doesn’t make it to 6 is if someone trades up to get him, a decent possibility, or if Al Davis corpse decides to screw up the whole draft again.
Trade down and draft Hardy? A big WR we could use sure, but one most think should be available with our 2nd round pick at 36?
mcfadden has 2 inches and like 30 pounds on bush u cannot compare them. dakar so ur saying leon is an equal gamechanger to mcfadden that is idiotic. TJ is 30 and expendable. we have a young line lets get a young dynamic back. i gurantee after this draft and in a couple years all of you will be saying wow i wish we picked darren now hes tearing us up. i jsut wouldnt want to risk belichek snagging him. do u guys want to know what belichek can do with mcfadden? i certainly do not. it will be heartbreaking to watch him dominate in another uni if we pass on him he has jsut way way to big of an upside to pass. how do the teams feel that passed on adrian? mcfadden can do it all heck he can even throw a ball or two with ease and precision in a little trick play. what he brings to the table is so unique leon washington doesnt come close to that, all respect to leon all jets fans love him to death especially after the miami game. darren mcfadden is just a must if hes there its commen sense.seriously guys come on
sean…just like i dont understand every1’s infatuation is about dmc…like i said in another post…im a deffensive guy…i want the jets to build a dominating deffense…and with gholston they will be heading in that direction…and from i’ve seen in dmc…little leon runs harder than him up the middle…and is fast and is a game changer givien the chance…and BT lost his job to bowens at the end of 07…
every1 keeps saying we need pass rushers…so we pick up a NT and pace and thats supposed to take us to the next level…please…and i agree with everybody who doesn’t want dmc for whatever reason…he’s not what we need or want…
I do like his trick play ability and think he will be a good back, but if Jerry Jones called I would pick up the phone. Unless Chad is the QB and then we might as well use a full house formation. Not a knock against the man. Just his arm)
BTW sec I don’t know what mock you see that has James Hardy still lasting out of the first round. With Moss and Plexico showing their worth I think he is a sure fire first rounder. I don’t know if you have seen him play (he instantly grabbed my attention), but he could add another dimension to this offense.
rj same can be said about gholston or any1 from the draft…and if your saying leon isnt good then its not just idiotic its being on crack…
If you’re a defensive guy, then you’re more or less admitting your mistake. Defense wins championships…but only after the offense gets them there to begin with. Offenses are far more consistent and predictable from year to year. It’s no fluke that Chicago’s run is already over after two seasons, while the Colts have won 12+ games five years running, just as it is no coincidence that New England has been a better offensive than defensive team during their run, Belichick or no Belichick.
The “defense wins championships” mantra is a relic from the 1970’s, as is the “you win by running and stopping the run” mantra. But the offensive conditions in the 1970s bear absolutely no resemblance to the league now.
haha i didnt say he wasnt good so being able to read would be a good start for you. i said you cant compare him run dmc. but however if dmc isnt there gholston is the pick for sure i agree with you on that. flip flopping pace BT and gholston all over the field will be outstanding. BT had a bad year last year but everyone did besides harris and rhodes. hell be better this year knowing if hes not theyll yank him. but gholston pace and BT is a great olb combination so i would love that also. im jsut saying you cant pass on mcfadden if hes there, you absolutely cant.
Sec108 – you said “McFadden doesn’t make sense for anyone drafting int he top 5 now, they all have big money committed to the RB position”
A idea ow much we ave committed to TJ?
If DMC is the real deal, he will be gone before 6.
The rather small chance of his lasting to 6 don’t justify so much daydreaming over the next 7 weeks.
I guess I’m one of the few fence sitters regarding dmc. I won’t mind if they take a chance on him if he’s there, you never know. I will say this though: the people saying “I guarantee that he’ll shred us in a few years” and stuff like that – you’re being dangerously unrealistic. Everyone here is an intelligent football fan and should know better – there are no guarantees. There have been plenty of ’sure things’ that have gone on to be busts and run dmc, ghoulston or anyone else could join them and we shouldn’t be shocked.
Remember Ryan Leaf & Peyton – there was a big debate about who would be better, but BOTH were considered sure things. Doesn’t work that way in the real world.
sean…since your a offensive guy…then why hasn’t indy won more than 1 SB since their so great…and plus everybody knows it was NE’S deffense that got them to the SBs THAT THEY WON…but lost this past SB with the best offense in NFL history…explain that…and it was the giants nasty pass rushing deffense that won the SB…
every year since 2000 every SB was won by deffense…indy won cuz they stopped CHICAGOS RUN GAME…and please…grossman who was a nightmare come true for chicago that game…indy’s deffense got what…4 ints that day…so,they didn’t beat them with their offense…it was their deffense who gave them opportunity after opportunity…
dakar- You miss the point, The only reason Indy’s defense was in position to shut down Chicago is because their offense dragged them to the playoffs. Teams with mediocre offenses and defenses of Indy’s caliber go 4-12, not 12-4.
JAGG, if Larry Fitzgerald were in this draft, or Moss, or any other can’t miss, stud tall WR, I’d be all for drafting him. Is there a chance that a 6-2 RB, who tore up the toughest conference in college football and runs a 4.3 forty ends up being a bust, sure. But, he could also be like other great SEC backs (3 of the top 6 career rushing leaders playing today, Fred Taylor, Jamaal Lewis and Shaun Alexander are all SEC products, as are Deuce, Addai and Ronnie Brown…and there have been tons more over the years). Like I’ve said before, split Run DMc out and he’s taller and faster than many elite WRs, including Chad Johnson, Steve Smith, etc. A 6-2 RB with a faster 40 time than Steve Smith, the NFL’s premier deep threat. Isn’t that the definition of weapon?
True, but isn’t 3 kids out of wedlock when you are about to become a twenty something yr old millionare the definition of an idiot?
i didnt miss your point…you miss mine…KC FOR AN EXAMPLE…HOW LONG DID THEY HAVE A HIGH POWERED OFFENSE AND GO NO WHERE…sorry for the caps…anyway,thats becuz they had no deffense whats so ever…and when they came accross a defense they didn’t score their 30 points…this wasn’t to long ago…im sure you remember…same can be said of indy until they realized they needed a deffense to go with their offense…then they had enough for the SB…
I love this stuff! Last year I watched Brady, when I had to, watched him stand around in the pocket untouched, unhurried, waiting for guys to come open. I screamed at the screen, “how is he able to do that? Where’s the rush?” Most teams dropped everybody into coverage and rushed three or four and he ripped them a new one. The Giants, bless their hearts, made sure he had to wash his jersey. Everytime they knocked him down I jumped up! I was a very happy guy! This year’s version of the 3-4 has to be built for Brady, we see him twice. The Giants used three guys in rotation so they could keep fresh legs in there. There’s your arguement for the defense.
Indianapolis won the Super Bowl with the 27th ranked defense in football.
“mcfadden has 2 inches and like 30 pounds on bush u cannot compare them”
Ummm, he has seven pounds on him! And the two inches is a disadvantage, not an advantage, because it means he is a bigger target with a higher centre (sic) of gravity.
This isn’t a comment on whether or not we should pick him, but u can indeed compare them…I’d take a Reggie Bush for number six money any day, but couldn’t the production we’d get from TJ/Leon with this offensive line be close to what he’d give us? If so, then going in another direction would give us a greater upgrade.
27th rank or not…they had 4 play makers on that deffense… mathis,junn,sanders and freeney…and their takeaway ratio was among the best that year if i remember correctly…anyway,we wont see eye to eye on this 1…so lets call it what it is…ok sean…peace…
Liam (ages ago). Long is simply relentless. He doesn’t need the size because of his superior technique and desire. He doesn’t need the speed because of his instincts and football IQ. If a 3-4 team drafts him, he will be able to be lined up all over the field and will make himself a headache to block on every down.
He will mainly be an OLB and 4.71 is plenty fast enough for that. Gholston ran a 4.67. Merriman and Wimbley ran 4.61. Gaines Adams ran a 4.69.
NYC Parking Expert – awhile back – the Jets signed Thomas Jones to a new contract after trading for him last year, I believe it was reported to be 5 years 20 million with 12 mill gaurunteed. Lets assume the whole 12 mill was a signing bonus (I don’t know, but I truly doubt it), that would mean his base cap number each year of the deal would be 2.5 mill plus whatever salary, which in the first few years of the deal I’m sure is pretty low. I’m not saying thats nothing, but it certainly doesn’t prohibit us from taking McFadden and having him and Jones as a 1-2 punch for a few seasons.
JAGG – almost all of the mocks I have seen so far have Hardy as a 2nd round pick, I know he had a good combine, and I like his size and speed ratio, but if we are trading down from 6 to take a WR wouldn’t it be Sweed or Kelly and not Hardy? Maybe we need to trade up from 36 to get hardy, not against that, just don’t see us taking him anywhere in the top half of the first round.
I don’t expect to remain in the top half of the round. I figure Dallas.
Yeah, I’ve had Hardy in the 20’s forever.
Once again, Hardy’s size, athleticism and playmaking skills are awesome. Tremendous hands too. The negatives: Strength (which he dispelled somewhat with a decent bench press at the Combine) and off-field stuff (which he is trying to show is a thing of the past).
Kelly or Sweed though, also have a decent size and speed combination. Monk perhaps later on. Manningham and Arrington are a bit smaller, but good deep threats (don’t let MM’s combine time – 4.6 – fool you, he burns guys on film, although he can be inconsistent at times).
The other option is maybe a stretch-the-field TE, but there are not too many of those after Travis Beckum elected to stay in. Dustin Keller’s combine will get him drafted early although he’s more of a big slot man. Barnidge is decent in the red zone, but not really a gamebreaker.
I went to college in Ohio (watched jets games on NFL.com) and date a girl from Indiana. I have seen Hardy and Manningham many times. We can do a lot worse than ending up with one of them on the team.
Thanks Bent I had him in the 20s too.
Todd I read your comment about Brendan Ayanbadejo. I wanted 2 know since he is only 225 lbs if he could lose weight and become safety also. I think he can become a safety. Does anyone else think that?
The only time I’ve seen B.A. play extensively on defense was in the Pro Bowl! He actually did quite well but it *was* just the Pro Bowl where they have funky rules and nobody tries hard.
Difficult to say whether he could change positions – sizewise he seems to fit the profile of a big safety and he is athletic and explosive as well as a good tackler, but he may be a bit old to change position. He reportedly did quite well at SLB when given chances in Chicago, including filling in for the injured Hunter Hillenmeyer at the end of 2005, but as noted would be too small to be a LB in a 3-4 defense.
I would love to add him to our special teams, especially with the connection to the new coach, but he did say he wants to play defense and I don’t think the Jets can guarantee him that.
Chicago Sun-Times reports that the Jets offered B.A. a 4 year contract.