An Open Letter to Mssrs. Johnson, Tannenbaum, and Mangini:
One of our readers, tommiesmithjohncarlos has taken it upon himself to write an open letter to the club. If you are so inclined, feel free to ‘sign’ below.
We, the humble, loyal fans of the New York Jets professional football club wish to take the opportunity on cusp of this April’s NFL Draft to thank the three of you, and all of your colleagues in the front office, coaching staff, support staff, administration, and ownership for your collective dedication to our beloved football team and your hard work to return the Jets to the pinnacle of the NFL.
We have seen your courage and commitment exhibited already this offseason, as you have made several key personnel additions that you feel will strengthen our roster and better equip our Jets to compete on the field this fall; while some of these acquisitions have been questioned in the media, we share your faith in Mssrs. Chatman, Faneca, Franks, Hawkins, Jenkins, Pace, Richardson, Woody, and Woolfork; we are happy that team leaders and star players Laveranues Coles and Kerry Rhodes will continue their careers as Jets; and we feel confident that you are moving our team in the right direction.
It is in that vein that we wish to speak with you today.
On April 26, our Jets possess the sixth pick in the NFL draft. This pick presents monumental opportunity to continue the important work of improving the talent base of our team, and we know that you understand its value; indeed, in the modern salary cap era, the draft is perhaps the single most important factor in maintaining a competitive roster. From previous Jets administrations, we have witnessed firsthand the disastrous results of both ill-conceived draft strategies and of unwise individual selections, but on the whole we are quite happy with the recent drafts of your administration, and pleased that you have been both aggressive and creative in using the draft to add such valuable players as D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Nick Mangold, Darrelle Revis, David Harris, Leon Washington and others. Similar to the free agent acquisitions of this offseason, not all of these selections were received warmly by the punditry and press, but they have all proven to be superb NFL players.
We would like to encourage you to continue the task of creating a world-championship caliber team, and to ignore the conventional wisdom and current media pressure. As fans we believe as you do—that great teams are built through the play of the lines, through running the football and stopping the run, through pressuring the quarterback and playing great defense. Many mock drafters and prognosticators encourage the Jets to select running back Darren McFadden or quarterback Matt Ryan with the sixth pick, or to trade up in the draft if it becomes apparent that one or both of those players would not be available at six. We feel both of these choices would be mistakes. While Mr. McFadden and Mr. Ryan are both surely talented players, they are simply not areas of great need for our team, nor would they have the transformative power that adding an elite passrusher or cover cornerback would have for continuing the establishment of our defense as one of the premier units in the league. We are confident that, thanks to the improvements you have made to the offensive line, we will see improved play from the incumbents at those positions, Thomas Jones and Kellen Clemens. We wish to assure you that we are savvy enough to know that while, say, selecting Vernon Gholston instead of Mr. McFadden or Mr. Ryan, or trading down and accumulating more lower-round selections and/or picks in future years (if that move represents the best opportunity available), are moves that may draw criticism from some quarters, it can often prove to be the smartest move in the long run. We would remind you that both the Jets and the Houston Texans were widely panned for not taking Matt Leinart or Reggie Bush in 2006, but that ultimately the selections of D’Brickashaw and Mario Williams were the correct ones.
Most importantly, we would like you to remain assured that we will support the team no matter who the selection is, but that the selection should be made in the effort to make the team a winning one, and not merely a flashy one. Quarterbacks and runningbacks are the glamour stars of the NFL, but they are not the single greatest determinant of success. While Matt Ryan or Darren McFadden may sign the most endorsement deals in their rookie years, many of the other options available to us will lead directly to more wins for their respective teams over the next decade and a half. Please show the courage to make the smart selection, and not simply the conventional one. You have our support and confidence.
Sincerely,
The Fans of the New York Jets
SIGNED:
tommiesmithjohncarlos
80 Responses to An Open Letter to Mssrs. Johnson, Tannenbaum, and Mangini:
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rj says:
Some of us want McFadden homey… so speak for yourself
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DSmizzle says:
Dear Tangini:
Please take McFadden if available. Some of our poor tortured fans have even called Wayne Chrebet and Chad Pennington “Playmakers”. What kind of a cruel upbringing as a fan would make one believe this?
Get us someone exciting who can make some plays along with ‘Lil Leon.
-DSmizzle
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Some of us don’t want McFadden. Some of us really really don’t.
andaplayertobenamedlater.blogspot.com/
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Scott says:
Ummmm… well written, sure… but we need a guy like McFadden. Big time.
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MS says:
Although most of the letter was well written I agree with RJ and DSmizzle, I want McFadden. If anybody in this top 6 is a bust, I feel it will be Gholston. He falls into that mold of a workout warrior that can’t make plays on the field. McFadden may go down easy and have skinny legs, but nobody can deny he can also break a 90 yard run at any point. When was the last time Jets fans have been able to say that about anybody on the offensive side of the ball.
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CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP!!!!! Well said and I agree with every bit of it.
A great offensive line will make playmakers of your skilled players and a great d-line will make playmakers of your linebackers and secondary.
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droseatwork says:
Dear Everyone,
Please send me 2 dollars US to help me pay my bills. this will help us all.Signed,
D. Rose -
zzzzz says:
And with the sixth selection in the 2008 NFL draft, the Jets select Kody Bliss.
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I honestly had a nightmare last night. All four players the Jets should consider taking were taken, and they drafted Williams out of Vanderbilt.
I swear to God I dreamt this last night, you all as my witnesses.
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I don’t want Gholston. He scares the crap out of me as a prospect. I think there’s a great chance that he’ll never amount to anything in the NFL. McFadden I am willing to take a chance on. The guy has proven himself on the football field, as opposed Gholston who has really only proven himself in the weight room.
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jcam_44 says:
I will not sit quitely through another UAB first round selection!
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SEND ME MONEY
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sec108 says:
Anthony, you want a nightmare? read this:
This lunatic who apparently was employed in the raiders front office (explains alot) has the Jets taking Jonathan Stewart 6th. I can see the mushroom cloud erupting from Radio City on Saturday at approxiamtely 3:45.
Najy, as far as McFadden goes, playmakers aren’t “made” by other players, they are born. You can resurrect the best lineman of the last half century in their primes and they won’t be able to spring Thomas Jones for a 90 yard TD. Not to say he won’t be more effective this year behind a revamped line, I’m sure he will be, but he still won’t be a playmaker, someone that causes D coordiators to throw up in their mouths a little every time he touches the ball, and most likely crap their pants some when he breaks into the open. You can’t coach that ability into someone and you can’t teach it, players either have it or they don’t, and McFadden’s got it in spades.
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Give me Gholston or give me picks!
But is this letter really necessary? Tangini has never really bowed to media or pundit pressure before, why would they start on Saturday?
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Dave75 says:
I like the letter. Just say no to offense and Yes to Defense.
Send me money too!!!
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Mehl56 says:
Hey Drose,
What, do you have to cover one of your tabs?
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The SI piece is the worst ever. The guy is just a rambling idiot, who lost track of what the heck he was writing about 4 paragraphs in.
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JustAGreenGuy says:
DROSE- Pain my chicken coup
or pay my bills
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Harvlis says:
McFadden at #6 and move up for Hardy with our number two. Then OT, OLB, CB, & SB.
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dakar says:
i agree with all those who want defense…though i’ll accept whatever moves tangini make…just my thoughts…
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it’s only 2 dollars. Come on people!!!
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Ryan says:
I fully disagree with this letter. The Jets need either a consistent QB or a RB who can bust out for 90 or 80 yard runs out of nowhere. A defender would be the safe decision, but not one that would really make that much of a difference. The only necessity that the jets really have on defense is at CB which your not going to draft at #6. The Jets lack the star player that every team has to have to be successful. I think McFadden or Ryan are the only 2 people the Jets should be thinking about.
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Johnny Styne says:
Woody Johnson can read?
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rich says:
flashy running backs dont win championships, defense and a QB do.
We have a good RB combo, we have a good line and we have good special teams.
We need a QB but there is no “franchise QB is this draft”
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Jay says:
I feel confident whoever we get at #6 will be a very high quality player. Ideally, I’d like either Gholston or McFadden, I do think one of them will be there.
If not, trade down or draft Ryan and hold him ransom.
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Neil Herschkowitz says:
A whole lotta sucking up in that letter my man. D’Brick a great draft choice? Could of had Cutler or Lienart instead. Then we wouldn’t have needed Ryan right now. Some sizeable questions on FA acquisitions, both age wise, and salary wise, and now Manenbaum and Woodman are giving Chris Baker a hard way to go after a very productive season.
Chad is shot, KC is plain bad, we have 2 smallish DE moved to LB getting 40 million between them….please no Glohston, or Long.
We absolutely must draft Ryan and give him a shot to compete in training camp. You see we have a pretty good team right now, but we have no QB ….most important position in football. Oh yea, and get him a big fast WR to throw to as well.
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TOON2388 says:
agree 1000%
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CanadianJet says:
I oppose the tone of this letter, albeit well written.
If you trust them to make all of these great offseason moves, then what makes you think they’re going to flub up the draft? If they take McFadden or Ryan then they’re doing what’s best for the team, because they know what’s best for the team more than anyone.
This isn’t Green Bay, the fans don’t get a say nor should they.
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ian says:
that letter was great except for saying we are better off with d’brick than leinart. d’brick isn’t a good football player–he may be a good athlete, but he’s not so good at the actual playing of football–and leinart is good (not great, but good). moreover, cutler is great, and we would be much better off with him instead of d’brick.
anyway, the leadership don’t read letters like this at big corporations. they have a communications person who reads the letters and then sends a generic response in the name of the ceo/president.
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the hanger says:
Some of us just want to win the Superbowl before it is too late!!!!!!!!!
Tangini our wish is in your hands. Get the best player available. I’m not getting any younger. -
Tom in Raiegh says:
I am very torn on this debate. It comes down to this. If the Jets believe in Clemens, then you draft the highest rated player. You go defense or D-Mac. You can even trade down and try to pick up multiple picks.
If they do not believe in Clemens, then THEY MUST draft the highest rated QB on their board. If that is Ryan, then they need to get him, period.
We know that Chad is a great backup at this point in his career. If Kellen is not the future…then we must begin right now.
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EddieC says:
nice work, writing a letter speaking for 1/8 of the people that visit this site…i am NOT signing my name because I’d like to see a DRAMATIC difference on the team in the near future ahem McFadden
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SackDance99 says:
This long-suffering Jets fan disagrees with this letter wholeheartedly. Passing on Dan Marino will seem like a tiny error compared to passing on both Ryan and McFadden. This team lacks offensive competence and, while the line has been shored up, the Jets have mediocre skill position players on offense. I like Jones, Coles and Pennington, but we’re in a division with Brady, Moss and Maroney. Sorry, but this Jets fan sees the biggest talent gap between the Jets and the elite teams in the AFC at the QB position, and slighlty declining gaps at RB and no. 1 WR. So, Messrs. Johnson, Tannenbaum and Mangini, please bring the Jets back to the days when we could look at Namath, Maynard and Snell and say we were second to none.
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seanmac says:
Actually, running the football and stopping the run are basically irrelevant to winning in the modern NFL. You need a floor level of competence, but the most important single stat in football at this point is net yards per passing play over net yards allowed per passing play.
I’d also point out that if our internal projections are to be believed, the Jets offense is due for a big jump this year even if they don’t add anyone, while the defense projects to still be one of the worst units in the league. I wouldn’t use that to single-handedly determine how I picked, but it’s worth considering.
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James in TN says:
Well written yet poorly conceived. Pick DMac, we get on track. Gholston just plain revolting. Buckeyes suck!
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seanmac, FO’s analysis is surprising. If the offense is that much better, the defense will be on the field less and playing against the pass more, and the Jets D was pretty good against the pass last year and got better as the season progressed. I know FO does a fuller stat analysis, but the Jets were 9th in the NFL against the pass last season and should be better with a maturing Revis and a full season of Harris and Pace to rush the passer. FWIW, I thought the defense was better than the offense last year, especially once Harris began starting, I hope the offense can just keep up with the defense this season.
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GREENBLOOD says:
How can you say “WE JETS FANS” don’t want McFadden when poll right next to this article said that 44 % of US do want him. ?????? Get it right and speak for yourself. I will remaind you of this post and what you said throughout the year, as well as my brother Najy the division 3 legend.
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That might result in better traditional stats, but it wouldn’t mean they were actually a better defense on a per-play basis. The dynamic for the Jets in all their successful years since 2001 has been an offense that protects a soft defense by holding onto the ball and generating yardage, if not points. You could easily see a return to form.
The offense started off the year being much better than the defense, and then after Pennington and Vilma came out, the defense turned around and was generally better than the offense. The result was two units that performed at roughly the same level. The Jets are a good example of a team that fails to meet the threshold for competence at defending the run, which undoubtedly contributes to their pass defense stats looking better than they are. They were one of the few teams where it genuinely made sense to run it over and over against them.
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ryan…dont you think leon can take it 80-90 yards to the house…i do…and we all saw him do it…true running a kickoff is different but just as hard…just my thoughts…
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Besides, in the evening we chase John Abraham out of town, just to go out in the morning to get an unproven guy (Gholston) to play the same position. Real genious.
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dakar, he will still return kicks….. hold your thoughts….
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True enough, the run defense was terrible. Only 3 forced fumbles, that’s really hard to believe. But, when the Jets D did stiffen against the run (like against the Titans), you knew that the defense would tire in the 4th quarter because of all the offensive 3 and outs.
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greenbllod…
true the poll says dmc is leading but it is also misleading seeing there are 2 DE’s/OLBs the fans have to choose from…if the poll were to go by position then you would see the fans want a de/olb than a rb…46% to 43% …because the votes are split between long and gholston…is why the poll shows dmc winning it…anyway,was just a thought that needed to be stated…
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green…
the point about leon was he can take it to the house therefore skinny legs dmc isnt needed…but since you didn’t get the point i guess i had to say it this was in order for you to grasp it…hopefully you did…just my thoughts…
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dakar, I’m not buying your analysis because C. Long and Gholston are far different players. FWIW, if Ryan, Gholston, C. Long and DMc are all available at 6, the only one I’d be unhappy with is Gholston, and I’m the Matt Ryan booster.
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dakar, DMc ran for over 4,500 yards and 41 TDs and over 700 carries in 3 years in the SEC. Eric D**kerson used his skinny legs to run all the way to the HOF (and I think DMc has the same running style). I don’t see Leon as an every down back, but I think DMc will be an every down back in the NFL. He’d be a great addition for the Jets (as would C. Long or Ryan).
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Here is my theory. In the playoffs we will most likely see N.E., IND, S.D. & very possibly PIT or CLE (in the wildcard round). First 3 can out up 30+ points in any game. Other 2 can put up 25+. Now you tell me how many can we put up against any of them?
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sack…
theres nothing to analyze about what i said…its obvious…theryre playing the same position…now if the poll was put up with just long or gholston on the list you would see what im talking about…its not physics man…
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sack…
i never said dmc sucked did i…and i never said he will be a bust did i…all i said is leon can take it to the house…and we dont need a rb…so you can put all your stats up and type all you want about the kid…i dont care man…i want gholston or long or trade down…
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We must get a point scorer, and it is here in a form of RB. Remember how good Chad was with Martin back there. Remember the ballfakes? How good was the Santana Moss, Coles in two stints, Chrebet with 10 TD’s? All on the back of the back – my always favorite Martin. Heck, our D was rarely on the field.
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green
we’ll find out when the season starts…this same kind of hype was written about bush and now every1 thinks he’s above average at best…and now that we have a much better line our offense will put #s up on the board…which is also greatly depended upon our O.C. to rebound from last years play calling…
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How many points per game? I’ll write it down and I give you mine. Future is not certain.
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We chased John Abraham out of town, just to keep in mind.
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green
if this line ends up being just as good as the lines martin ran behind you wont think tj is bad…i for 1 think tj runs alot like martin did…he just never had it as good as martin did throughout his career…when he was drafted to arizona he had no line…he went to chicago and guess what…he put martin type #s up…then he came here and guess what…no line and he still put up 1100 yards with no whole to run through…now with this line he will put 4-5 yards a carry and score points and leon will break a few…
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dakar, I just don’t think Gholston is worth the no. 6 pick, while I think C. Long, McFadden and DMc are. I’m cool with trading down, but it better be a great deal to pass up those three.
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wasn’t edwards the 1 who chased abraham out of town…refresh my memory cause i honestly dont remember…
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sack you had a typo
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also, why does everyone say the Jets need an OLB/DE? Pace is slated to play the weakside OLB position, so Gholston’s 3-4 NFL position (the only one he could play) is already taken. But, C.Long, on the other hand, could play different positions and, IMO, could play the strong side OLB position (or ILB). So, C. Long is the more versatile and useful player. Gholston would be a situational pass rusher…the no. 6 pick is a little high for what he brings to the table. I think the focus should be on talent, and C. Long (as well as DMC and Ryan) are just the more talented players.
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You forgot his #20 Tampa Bay years, I don’t think you have followed him enough. Jones is done or at his best at the very end. Besides 1100 yards is not even 70 a game. That milestone went out the window with 16 game schedule.
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I meant Long, Ryan and DMc at 1:22 am Thanks for catching the typo, dakar.
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No my friend, Abraham should have been awarded a new contract in due time, so he would be lining up against PIT in the playoffs instead not playing and protecting his ans his familys future. Than he is no good. Woody should have payed him, Sackdance99 knows how I feel about this issue,
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And Greenblood knows that I thought Abraham was a money-grubbing punk who wasn’t worth any of the sainted Mr. Johnson’s hard earned, I mean, inherited money.
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His worth is 60 mins on Sunday afternoon, nothing more nothing less.
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green…
is najy your brother…if so its strange…cuz im always agreeing with him and dave75…you guys must have been very competative growing up…or should i say in disagreement alot…anyway…whoever we pick…lets just hope he ‘s a HOF…so can we agree on that…in the end were jets fans and we all want that freaking ring…
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Funny, me and mr Najy had a small run in recently. He is very young and his football pain hasn’t grown large enough where he can reason properly.
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green…
you make it sound like your close to kicking the bucket…
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Except that he got paid by the Falcons, still got injured and hasn’t sniffed the pro bowl. The Mangini/Tannenbaum purge to get the Jets under the cap and rebuild the team has led to many good players leaving. I still regret losing Mawae, even though I like Mangold, but I don’t regret Abraham. I just couldn’t deal with his injuries or his attitude. When he did play and was motivated, he could be as dominant a pass rusher as anyone else in the NFL. But, he was just unreliable. I still remember the Eagles game in 2003. Three sacks of McNabb in the 1st half, gets injured and the Eagles come back and win. Great players find a way to play 60 minutes every game. But, I know lots of fans liked him and, like I said, when he was motivated, he was a dominant pass rusher.
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more to follow gents, time to get some sleep. Good night
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but who got rid of abraham…was it mangini or was it edwards…i cant remember for some dam reason…
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Woody.
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i guess it was mangini
thanx
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or frugality as a driving force
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It wasn’t Woody who traded Abraham. It was part of the rebuilding plan by Tannenbaum/Mangini to get under the cap and remake the defense to a 3-4. Honestly, green, do you think Abe is a Mangini-type player or could play in the 3-4?
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sack…
when we drafted abraham we were playing a 3-4…under groh…remember…he had 6 sacks then missed the rest of the year with a hernia…i remember this because in 2001 after he played his 1st 16 games as a pro they were comparing him to j.kearse from the titans…they both had 16.5 sacks in their 1st 16 games…but i dont think he would have been a mangini guy…
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dakar, in 2000, Abe only played in 6 games as a situational pass rusher (no starts), in 2001, he started 15 games in the 4-3. So, while he was drafted for the 3-4, we’ll never know how Parcells/Groh intended to use him. By the time 2005 rolled around, he was very much a 4-3 DE, with all the extra $$$ that the 4-3 DE position entails.
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I guess we have as posters examined every scenario available for our first round pick. I can’t wait for tomorrow to be here and to see the reality of what happens.
I am interested in who we will select in the later rounds, and I am not well acquainted with this years draft class. I know that we have 4 starters now that we got in the 4th round of the past few drafts.
Can someone please bring me up to speed on some later round choices we might have, and why they would be a good fit?.
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DHarvey says:
First, the tone of the letter smacks of kssing up..nice use of the King’s English but very much fawning.
Second, I began as a strong fan of both Mangini and Tannenbaum but got very turned off last year by both of their overly too cute messaging to fans and the media where they never ever answer any question with anything but bland platitudes. Secrecy is ok but it smacks of condescension..So what’s my point here? My point is that the letter, frasnkly any letter is useless with these guys.. they just don’t care what any of us thinks.. they are going to do whatever they are going to do without regard to fans, the media or anyone.
maybe that’s leadership..if so, then we get to judge their so-called leadership by results..and 4-12 doesn’t do it.
At this point, I’ll just sit back and see whether their philosophy, draft selections, free agency signing etc translate to results this year.. if not, there’s the door boys.
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tommiesmithjohncarlos says:
Interestingly, after I wrote this letter a week ago, the more I think about it, the more amenable I would be to McFadden. He’s still a great talent, and while I think we can be great with Thomas Jones, McFadden would still be a valuable player and I’d be okay with that pick.
I just don’t want any part of Matt Ryan.
-tj
Nice. Well written.
I’ll boo mercilessly if we make some dumb-ass, off-the-wall selection.