Buzz: TE Bubba Franks to Join New York Jets?
The Star-Ledger is reporting that the Jets are very “close to signing” former Packer TE Bubba Franks, and that an announcement could be made as soon as Monday.
Sean Ryan to an injury nagged Bubba Franks? I’ll take that move.
The article also notes that the Jets have already hosted Franks for a visit. Franks has struggled with injuries in the past few years, and the fact that he left the facility without a contract the first time means to me that he will likely be getting a pretty modest deal … something you’d hope to get for a backup Tight End.
Well the Jets clearly do have a type they are looking for … first Utecht (6’6″) and now Franks (6’6″). With Baker at 6’3″, and a potential QB of the future that is just around 6’2″, a tall red zone threat is important.
41 Responses to Buzz: TE Bubba Franks to Join New York Jets?
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Tom says:
Speaking of the draft, I still think we need to get a big, young TE in the draft, sometime on Day 2. Obviously we have a lot of needs to address in the early rounds, but there are a number of decent TEs that’ll be available late in the draft.
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bozzie says:
Looks like #88 to me!
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Bozzie — I already changed the image, it was a very cool picture of someone else doing a Lambeau Leap … not Franks though! :)
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jetsfootball177 says:
Adam, we wouldnt release either Chad or Kellen, it would most likely be a trade. But to answer the question, I rather not go down the Donovan McNabb path.
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RK says:
No McNabb. All the Jets need is another QB lacking mobility and who is injury prone.
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seanmac says:
Bubba Franks simply isn’t a very good tight end, and hasn’t been for a long time (if he ever was one). This signing would be along the lines of the Pats signing Kyle Brady- the team is looking for more power blocking, not for a receiving threat. I hope people aren’t expecting any more than that.
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Ed L says:
any comment from chad or kellen, or rhodes or coles or any of the veterans for that matter about all the moves we have made?
given they are under the code of silence ordered by mangini just wondering if there is any comment from them…
i think franks would be a good signing as long as the contract is realistic which i am sure it will….
i think franks and baker will cause some match up problems… any one agree?
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Q-Mac says:
Franks would be a nice pick up, But anyone thinks we should sign Leftwitch or Culpepper to be a back up QB and possibly start? What are we doing in the D-Rob situation? What about that CB we need? What about another WR?
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Bent says: Yeah, Franks has been poor the last three years, but signing him to a low cost FA contract wouldn’t be a terrible move given the fact that some people wanted to give up a third rounder to pick him up as a RFA 2-3 years ago. His experience might be useful, especially since we are not exactly strong at that position. Not something I’d lose sleep over either way.
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GREENBLOOD says:
ADAM – to answer your Q, 1001% YES. Whatever it takes to get Donovan McNabb. And as Q-Mac said D. Culpeper would be great. Either of the 2 would be the best QB in week 1.
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billvv says:
No new QB, please. Too much to pick up the offense to be of any use this year. Look to see Ratliff alot this preseason, seeing if he is the QB of the future. Otherwise, I expect to see QB in next year’s FA or draft, and more likely the draft.
Ed L –
JC made the most significant comment, said he was thrilled with the pickups and was working out with Woody in Arizona. Comments can be read on the Jets website. -
screwup79 says:
whats wrong with kellen clemens, like the kid, needs a little time to develop…look at eli 4 yrs later, him and chad as a backup good combo with all these pick up we got
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neil herschkowitz says:
Lets see now…we took Anthony Bect in the first round of the 2000 draft instead of a young healthy future pro bowler named Bubba Franks.
Another jet blunder on draft day. Now we are adding him ….or so it seems as a 30 year old injury plagued backup.
Certainly part of our overall problem is a lack of consistency in both free agent anf draft priorities. Bad decisions in those areas dominate across the board…and now we have the quick fix band aide revolution going on.
If Mangini did not force feed the 3-4, and we tweaked the 4-3 we could be out there signing young playmakers to our team. Now we are capped out, have no QB, no pure pass russer and no deep threat.
Snyder in DC tried this same stupid equation for turning his team around….it failed. Now we are stuck with old, sometimes fat, sometimes guys who never played at their new intended position for the next several years, and cap issues as well.
Desperate coaches and quick fix solutions produce bad results.
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Doctor K says:
Greenblood, this isn’t a fantasy league. We’re talking about guys past their prime in McNabb and Culpepper. Believe me I went to Syracuse and am a big Donovan McNabb supporter, but it’s just not realistic to expect him to play for us. Sadly, Culpepper’s career will soon fade to black (and i don’t mean silver & black).
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I know guys. Just a bit of fantasy.
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On a serious note I would look at Takeo Spikes. And Daunte too.
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Doctor K….we specialized in guys past their prime throughout free agency…whats difference does one more quick fix old guy make?…especially if he can put points on the board???
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matthewm says:
Agree with Neil. Mangini’s inflexible scheme and personality is the biggest risk in the future. Why remake the D over four years, and numerous personnel changes, on the hope that maybe, somehow, you know the 3-4 revives the Sack Exchange? Plus I find it hard to believe that 30+ types can pave the way the Super Bowl.
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GUYS WE SIGNED BUBBA FRANKS !(cimini blog)
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/jets/2008/03/source-jets-add-te-bubba-frank.html
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swizzle says:
Neil, last time I checked, Faneca always played left guard, Pace was forced to play DE in 4-3 first couple of years, then last year played OLB/DE in 3-4 and played well, Woody played RT at the end of the year last year for the woeful Lions, and Jenkins will do just fine as a 3-4 NT cause of his size and athletiscm. So adding 2 veteran Pro Bowlers, an up an coming OLB in Pace, and a helluva lot better option than Clement is a bad idea? People should stop bitchin about the switch from the 4-3 to 3-4, its a coaches decision and liking, its not like the Jets had a top 5 defense under Herm with the 4-3 and virtually the same personnel. Like Parcells said, it takes 3 years for a team to fully adapt to a 3-4 def. Seriously you cant compare the moves made by Tangini to Snyder, c’mon. Because of tannenbaum the Jets are still in a good position as far as the Cap, and if they get rid of DRob, they will only be better off in that dept.
Signing Franks wouod not be a bad move at all, just another piece. Tangini set themselves up pretty good for the draft.
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I have to admit, a few years ago he pulled off a minor miracle for me in my fantasy league. It was though, a long time ago. Anyway, I’m very glad we got him. I am even more of the opinnion that Chad will be under center.
“Good luck B.Franks, make us proud.” -
John says:
The Jets will draft a Quarterback at some point in the draft, mark my words. The new QB will compete with Chad and Kellen. They will also draft a running back, whether it is Mcfadden, or someone else. I just have a gut feeling.
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jetscrazy says:
do not throw clemens under the bus he is our future and with him i think its pretty bright. let him build up confidence, catch some fire late this season going into next, and then sit back and enjoy the clemens-brad smith show for years to come
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I’m just curious what all you whiners would be saying if the team did nothing at all this off season.
The way I read these moves, and it is not this “win now” crap that is being flung around, is that players actually WANT to come here to play.
Yes last season was bad, and there were many holes, but if you don’t plug the holes it will continue to be bad. I don’t know how anyone can complain after so many years of poor draft choices and lackluster FA signings and now all these moves happen and the fans turn again.
Since some of you are so negative perhaps the challenge would be to find some positive things. Is there anything you like about the new management and coaching staff? Have they done anything right in drafting and FA? Are there any players you like perhaps?
Maybe you just don’t like the Jets anymore and didn’t realize it. Maybe you need someone to point out that you’ve been buying Giants paraphernalia because you are color blind. Maybe you got confused because the Giants and Jets play in the same stadium. Maybe you started blocking out the Jets altogether ever since the Kotite days and are just having waking nightmares. Maybe you are just angry and bitter and need to be on heavier medication. Maybe you didn’t realize that alcohol is a depressant and actually doesn’t help you forget it actually makes things worse because you remember and are even more depressed.
What Dan Snyder is totally different than the Jets. Year over year he put his team in a bad cap situation without any long term plan and without any consistency in development of players or staff. His philosophy actually was you can buy a team and succeed. This FO is nowhere near that.
Whether or not the coach and GM are right they have a plan and are sticking to it for good or bad. So far I don’t see all that bad since their first year was a pleasant surprise and now they have built a little more, cleared out the cupboards, patched some holes, and maintained a core philosophy. To me this year will be a better test of where they’re headed.
I for one am positive about the team’s direction including the veterans coming here to help any new draft picks and young players. I will stay positive as long as they have a decent coaching staff that can manage a game clock and make the players give their all every week, playing close games even when the opponent is much better than you on paper.
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Sometimes doing nothing is better then doing the wrong thing. The history of the jets with few exceptions is bad drafting, bad coaching and bad free agent moves. That is why we are where we are.
Lets look at glaring mistakes…like letting kendal go over a million bucks, and drafting D’Brick when we could of had Cuttler. Like having the heart and soul of a 4-3 in Vilma and not using him properly. Herm took us to the playoffs , and one firld goal short of the AFC championship game with a 4-3. Mangini’s ego inflicted the 3-4, and used so much of the draft and free agency to install a new system rather then bringing in a mix of young playmakers into the equation.
Only leon is a playmaker…so what do we do….use him less and buy up more running backs. Now this makes great sense?
Without a real QB, a pure pass rusher, another shutdown corner and a deep threat at WR all of what Tangini has done means nothing.
Are you guys in love with our recent moves going to tell me who we are drafting to fill in the void at the above mentioned playmaker positions? Or are you just going to scream with joy when we take Mcfadden another running back which we do not need?
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rsmithline says:
Why so negative Neil? Every post I have seen from you is bashing the Jets.
If we suck at drafting try using free agency…
“Without a real QB, a pure pass rusher, another shutdown corner and a deep threat at WR all of what Tangini has done means nothing.”
Huh? Tangini addressed our major needs…OG, NT, OT, OLB, and depth at TE and RB plus a one year contract to a FB who was in the ProBowl THIS year. Granted Richardson is older…but it is a one year contract.
You focus on the two remaining positions we need to fill, and slam them on their FA moves when without them you would have listed three other positions at the major needs. We still have the draft to address those needs, and even if we pick a RB at #6, I am sure we will address one of the other positions with a potential starter at #36. We also have two fourth rounders (a gold mine round for us in the past) in a very deep draft for CBs and WRs.
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well said rsmithline
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Harvlis says:
Neil is right on the button. The only given, that came from this spending spree is Faneca. Do Neil and I want all of the other moves to work out — Of course. Let’s look at the moves. Bubba has been injured and unproductive for years. DeWayne Robertson had better stats, the past two years, then Kris Jenkins, and Jenkins is moving to a new position. If Woody doesn’t work out, and we don’t have a solid RT, our O-line will be hurting. Calvin Pace had one good year. Spending money does not mean anything, it’s how you spend it.
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efootball22 says:
harvlis, we seem to disagree on everything my goodness, these may all be risky but what choice do we have? without picking up these guys, among the elite at their respective positions in free agency, we’d still have gaping holes that would spread and rip apart the entire team once agiain, and we’d be left with another 4-12 season and non-stop harrassment from giant and pat fans. to be perfectly honest i cant stand it, so i like these decisions. ripping tannenbaum for taking the opposite route of the one thats produced 0 Supes since the third installment of the game is just flat out dumb
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k.c. says:
BOTTOM LINE: ever since TANGINI has taken over…EVERYONE of their draft picks has played a SIGNIFICANT role in our PROGRESS.unfortunately we are still cleaning up HERMS mess.but HONESTLY……thats OVER! with the core of YOUNG players we have to build on(HARRIS,REVIS,RHODES,CLEMENS,WASHINGTON,etc.)and the players that we ADDED this OFFSEASON,and the FUTURE we have YET to DRAFT,anyone who says the J-E-T-S are trying to “BUY”a CHAMPIONSHIP makes me laugh!let them ALL hate!im not talking SUPERBOWL this year but am definitely SCREAMING PLAYOFFS!worst record for us THIS year will be 10-6.THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT BOYS….THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT!
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thank god some one believes me k.c. perfectly stated. we got a perfect balance of veteran leadership and young talent that will get us wins this year and propel us into the elite for years to come
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I have always said that the Jets have always been a puzzle piece or 2 short in one or two positions virtually every season. Im not being negative but c’mon………..IM A JET FAN ALL MY LIFE JUST LIKE THE REST OF YOU AND YOU CANT TELL ME ITS BEEN AN EASY RIDE.
With all the great signings they have made this offseason, and I do love what they have done, you cant tell me that all fingers point back to one position at this point leaving the biggest question mark, QB. If the brain surgeon Eli got it done for the Gints, then maybe Kellen is our man. -
Harvlis, I don’t understand you any better than I understand Neil. You hate every thing that was done but don’t propose any alternative actions. This regime is clearing out all of Herm’s old players that don’t fit the scheme/mentality of the team they are building.
There may be question marks around every one of the players we signed, but they were all the best available at the postiions of need. What do you think we should have done with all of the unspent cap money we had. Who else do you think we should have signed? Should we have simply gone into the year with extra money unspent.
I would definitely prefer to maximize our cap room every year and get the best that is available for our needs even if we overpay and have to bring in question marks. Yes some won’t hit…but soem will. If half our moves work out this year who can argue that we are not a better football team.
For those that say we spent too much/mortgaged our future/are trying to buy a championship…phooey. There are very few GMs in the biz who are more cap-aware than Mr.T. ook more closely at those contracts and while large have significant safty valves built in. Also, note how front loaded they are. There will be no major dead money issues in the future. We are buying e\what we can afford now without committed large amounts of future cap.
To give you an idea of how well these contracts are structured, think about D-Rob’s deal. Not one of those contracts pays as much as that deal does this year over the life of the contracts!!! And D-Rob signed five years ago!!!
Bottom line…I like these signings. I concede that some will be busts, but that is the gamble you take with ANY signing. The upside is if they DON’T work out will will have the cap space in future years to react and adjust.
/soapbox off
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Rsmithline, here is a list of quality free agents that we could have picked up that are playing well, not injured, not overweight, and could serve as back-ups or starters. Faneca was an excellent pick up, best Guard on the market, even if we gave him a king’s ransom. There were no sure winners at DT. Antwan Odom might have been a good DE to pick up, I don’t know him well enough. One thing I can tell you about this list — these players can step right in and play well. Once again, many of the players that we have taken are questionmarks – You just don’t know if they will make a difference. Many have had a string of mediocre years in a row. Look at D-Robs stats versus Jenkins. I hope they are great, I hope we draft a few killers, and I hope we punish the Patriots.
Michael Turner or Julius Jones – RB
Randy Moss, Dante’ Stallworth, Bernard Berrian, Jerry Porter – WR
Jordan Gross, Flozell Adams, Shane Olivea – RT
Casey Weigmann – C
Lance Briggs, Kawika Mitchell – LB
Andre’ Davis – Returns / Wr -
e football22….WOW…an elite football team for years to come? I have often dreamed of this and thought it possible when Tuna ran the show.
Elite football teams have great QB’s….yes they do…we do not. Elite football teams have ofensive weapons that scare people…we do not. Elite football teams can stop the run…we never ever did that.
I know for certain that 3 essential bottom line foundational ingredients are necessary to become elite….A good QB, a great home field advantage, an a great head coach.
I love Chad, but he throws like a girl, our home field is called Giants stadium, and Mangini is a shrill, petty and not well liked by his players.
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neil, i dint mean like dynasty good. By elite i meant top 3-4 in the AFC in a few years, and possibly with good drafts in the following years a force to be reckoned with league wide for a championship as the pats seem to age and the colts lack their spark. i misworded by saying elite, i no, but my point remains. I think we will peice it together by the time we get to our new stadium, which means we will have that homefield advantage you spoke of, and i really truly believe as long as we build his confidence and get a few new talented guys at wr, clemens could be a good quarterback. he may or may not have a much improved oline, and if he does, i think he can spark and become great
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efootball22….I hope for all of us that you are right. I have been a fan since they were called the Titans and even went to one Titans game at the old Polo Grounds. I live and die by our team and although sometimes frustrated I always remain loyal.
I followed Clemens college career at Oregon, and thought he showed some promise….but I liked Cutler way better…and as we all know we took D’Brick instead.
Mangini scares me…he is so rigid and pompus….he is no Parcells.
It also looks to me like LC is becoming a problem…I love the guy, and no contract for Rhodes looks bad as well.
Lets hope we draft some playmakers that spark out offense. And yes the new stadium looks great, but we ae the only NFL team that continues to share a stadium…we should have built our own out on Long Island where our fan base is, and old the Giants to kiss off..
Bubba Franks was the TE the Jets should have selected in the 2000 draft, but instead ended up with Anthony Becht. BTW- that isn’t Franks in the picture. Bubba was #88.