Monthly Archives: February 2009
Checks, plaid, even the mighty houndstooth … it means nothing in NY Daily News columnist Gary Myers’ eyes.
In his latest, Myers writes a hitpiece on the Jets and Mike Tannenbaum’s method of constructing a team. And if you care, yes it’s three years later he’s still kissing Matt Leinart’s ring.
By the power of Ken Tremendous!!!!!
I have the POWWW – ERRRRRR!!!!
OK … here’s a few of the choicest cuts …
Jets defensive line backup CJ Mosely is now a free agent, and according to the Sporting News, is looking to see where he can find work
… Mosley is set to visit Jacksonville on Monday and has a tentative meeting with Cleveland slated for later in the week … Mosley made his bones as an NFL player under Mangini with the Jets, where he backed and started in spots, and filled a valuable role in the club’s sub packages. In Jacksonville, he’d add depth inside for a club that suffered from the loss of Marcus Stroud, who was traded to Buffalo last year.
I liked Mosely a lot as a ‘depth guy’ for the Jets. He had a high motor and gave the Jets solid pass rushing depth on sub packages. I’d like to see him stay with the Jets, but I’m sure he’s looking for a place where he can have a better chance to start, likely in a 4-3 system. At his size (6’2″ 305lbs.) it’s going to be hard for him to be a two or three down defensive lineman for the Jets.
Mike Florio reports on PFT that the Jets have extended Lito Sheppard’s deal by two years and added a large bonus next season.
Per a league source, it’s a two-year extension to a contract that has three remaining years.
He’ll get $3 million in 2009, his prior base salary. Thereafter, it’s a four-year, $21 million deal.
On the fifth day of the 2010 league year, Sheppard receives a $10 option bonus.
If Sheppard participate in at least 39 percent of the plays in 2009, Sheppard’s salary escalates by $1.55 million per year for 2010 through 2013, making the four-year package after this season worth $27.2 million.
Of course, the Jets could cut Sheppard before the fifth day of the league year, but he’d be an unrestricted free agent.
If, in the end, he stays for all five years (and participates in at least 39 percent of the snaps this season), he’ll make $30.2 million.
The bonus is wise in that it gives the team a year to determine whether he’s worth the additional investment before committing to him and the option bonus which can easily be pro-rated across the remaining four years of the deal at $2.5 million per year.
Lisa Zimmerman of Sirius Radio broke on her blog yesterday that the Jets are inviting Bills Tight End Robert Royal in for a visit with the team
… with a hole at tight end, the team is bringing in Robert Royal who played the last three seasons with the Buffalo Bills and was with the Redskins for four years prior to that.
I knew it was a thin TE class, but damn. I didn’t have really high impressions of Robert Royal, but a quick look to my 2008 Pro Football Prospectus has this to say about Royal:
One of the worst starters in the NFL at any position. Royal has hands like patio blocks, fumbles too many of the passes he does catch, and gets flagged too often to justify his rep as a blocking tight end.
It goes on to say more, but it doesn’t get better. A look back to 2007 praises his prowess at his “wide variety of drive-killing abilities.”
After a medical check, Erik Boland reports on his blog that the Lito Sheppard deal is done and that Jim Leonhard arrives in town tonight to have dinner with some team officials.
The Jets did not disclose the terms of the deal but it is for a fifth round draft pick this April and a conditional pick next April.
It’s not known if the deal was accompanied by a new contract or what exactly the conditions on next year’s pick are other than that it can escalate to a second-rounder.
Here’s the transcript from last night’s Q&A with Mike Tannenbaum and Rex Ryan on their busy Friday.
Mike Tannenbaum: Hello everybody. Thanks for being patient today. I know it’s a busy time of the year for everybody and we appreciate your patience. We did sign Bart Scott today. In addition, we are close to signing Tony Richardson and Brandon Moore. (There is) nothing official yet and Corey Ivy was in for a visit today. We do expect Jim Leonhard here tomorrow. I also want to take the opportunity to thank our whole staff. (more…)
Here’s a Q&A with Brandon Moore about his exile and return to the Jets.
On the the chance he of returning to the Jets …
Reports are that Matt Cassel & Mike Vrabel have been traded to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Patriots dealt Cassel to the Chiefs (under new management of Pats GM Scott Pioli) on Friday but now Vrabel & Cassel will be traded for the 34th overall pick in the 2009 Draft.
For trading two quality starters for the 34th pick … it’s amazing to see how Draft picks are valued compared to just four years ago. Still the 34th pick is just the kind of pick New England loves, whoever they pick there will be a starter for a long time. It also allows them the flexibility to package it with their first rounder to move higher into the draft should they want to target a specific player.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZoDDYkoKi4
Bart Scott in one of his baddest sacks as a Baltimore Raven.
Hat tip to our boy Jeff at Right Off Russell for sharing this one with us …
Rich Cimini relates the basic structure of Bart Scott’s day on Friday, and the lengths to which the team went to make him a Jet.
According to SNY’s crack Jets reporter, Steve Overmyer, Ryan and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine … took Woody Johnson’s private jet to Baltimore and showed up at Scott’s doorstep early in the morning. When Scott answered the door, Ryan said, “It’s time to be a Jet” – or something to that effect.
Once they got to the Jets’ facility in New Jersey, Ryan decided after awhile to get out of the building … [so] they went to the nearby Short Hills Mall and, well, browsed … [when] they got back to the office … the deal got done …. maybe, Ryan’s buddy-buddy approach did the trick. It may have been the most expensive trip to the mall in history ($48 million) – privately, some in the organization might admit they overpaid – but they got their man.
No one needs to admit that they overpaid, they overpaid, but he’s going to be the lynchpin of the Jets defense for the next few years and be the one able to translate the orders to the players on the field. Imagine if in 2006 Eric Mangini came to New York and brought Mike Vrabel or Tedy Bruschi instead of Matt Chatham. It would have set up the defense that season in a whole different light.
You have to guess that Ray Lewis expected that this was the treatment that he would receive on Friday. It’s impressive that Rex Ryan would go to those lengths for Scott, and only proves that he trusts and values Bart Scott in his defense to that level. I’m pretty sure that Eric Mangini would have never ever done the same. Ryan’s enthusiasm and personal level of dedication is very admirable, I hope it translates to the field.
Just a reminder that “Little Jimmy Leonhard” (as he was called by his teammates) will be in Jersey today being wooed by his former coach. The Jets are not the only team interested in him, as it’s been reported that the Eagles (who have lost Brian Dawkins) and Broncos are asking Leonhard to come in for a visit.
Hopefully, just like Bart Scott’s trip to Saint Louis, it will never even happen …
Bob Glauber NFL columnist for Newday has a great piece of trivia on Aaron Rodgers, Brett Ratliff and Brett Favre on his blog. It’s definitely worth checking it out if you haven’t seen it before …
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