News: Justin Miller Returns to Jets
Former Jet corner and special teamer Justin Miller has been re-signed by the Jets and was just announced by the team today. The Jets brought Justin Miller in last month for a workout while the team was struggling to find personnel to fill out their secondary but he was was re-signed by the Oakland Raiders and subsequently let go.
Miller was a second-round pick by the Jets in 2005, and went to the Pro Bowl as a returner in 2006. While playing with the Raiders last year after the Jets let him go, he had two kickoff returns for touchdowns, but it’s uncertain how he will perform under the new non-wedge rule era.
Physically, Miller has the tools, but the Jets had trouble with the mental aspect of the game for him, and in getting him to perform as a corner under both Eric Mangini and Herm Edwards. Miller could be a help to the Jets as a slot corner, but this signing was really about trying to fit him in as a contributor to the team as a special teamer.
105 Responses to News: Justin Miller Returns to Jets
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john sec.125 says:
turf toe, out of shape, and only a return man? ugh.
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I asked for him once Leon went down….now I am eh…about him signing.
Still amazes me how he couldnt not cover at all at CB
On my top 5 most hated and disgusted Jet players….
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Crazy Eddie says:
he won’t finish the season with the team. Just a bandaid until they need the roster spot for another position and so they can get another returner some practice.
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nyckage says:
Oh wow, as soon as I saw the LW injury, I started having nightmares of this guy, but he is a great KR, and we can always make him O-D on Special teams since he’s not that reliable on defense.
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JetObsessed28 says:
at least Westy is familiar with him.
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Brendan says:
Great pickup, as long as he can play. Showwwwwwwww me somethin’ son.
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Jeff says:
could he be a worse CB than drew coleman?
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jeff, the answer is yes.
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I like the move, even if temporary, as long as he never, ever sees even one down of playing time on D.
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JesusRevis says:
No surprise here, hopefully he can re-gain his 2006 form
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Bent says: Jeff – I second that yes and agree with the expert’s comment word for word.
“Just a bandaid until they need the roster spot for another position and so they can get another returner some practice.”
Now they need a bandaid while they wait for him to get back in shape. Seriously, he looked terrible in the one game he played this year.
Well, he’s on board again now…go get ‘em Millertime.
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you guys are all talking about he’s just temporary and he being a bandaid, what if he returns 2 to the house, then what, Ill reserve a spot for a guy who has the potential to return 2 a game.
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nyckage,
2 a game? No one has that ability. He has the ability (when healthy, in shape, etc.) to return 2 a season. But to make him into some superhuman return man is a bit much.
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Jeff,
OMG yes…. Miller might be the worst CB I have ever seen. He seriously makes D Coleman look decent
Again… I have never….never seen justin Miller make a play on the ball or break up a pass since he was drafted…..
In saying that let him play specials and try to resume his pathetic NFL career under a coach that could be perfect for him in Rex.
Millertime…lol
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BigKatFan says:
i kinda thought we would promote Kenwin Cummings from the practice squad
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SackDance99 says:
To me this signing is curious because the Jets are thin at RB. But, the bye week is coming up and this could be just a band-aid. But, is it the high-quality J&J type that Woody’s family sells, or the cheap kind the school nurse gives out?
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Bent says:
Give Angel credit. He called this months ago.
TJB: You heard it here first…
http://www.thejetsblog.com/2009/03/20/am-i-alone-in-missing-justin-miller/
(The answer was still yes though!)
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Funny (strange) that what sealed Miller’s fate in being cut was that Leon showed what a great returner he was. Miller was already expendable as a db (to be generous to him), then LW made him expendable as a returner and now LW getting injured opened the door for Miller’s return.
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Bent says:
SD99 – I think it’s a novelty one with Dino from the flintstones on it. I’ll check my sources.
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JustAGreenGuy says:
Wow Drew you really hate Miller. Can’t say I disagree tho. First thing I thought of when I saw he signed was having to hear how he might improve at corner or how this could be his year. I’m so glad people remember how bad he really was.
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Bent, I was thinking more like Sponge Bob.
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jvsvn says:
This simply must be a Westhoff call. He must really like him as a return man and Ryan gave him what he wanted. There is no other explanation that makes sense. The fact that the secondary is banged up and he could provide emergency help if needed is a bonus but I doubt it’s the primary reason for this signing.
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I am in no way a Justin Miller supporter because he was absolutely clueless in coverage. But, he was a good tackler. I don’t know if that means Rex can use him or not. But, he should never be in man coverage.
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miketaliaferro says:
Justin Miller: The Man Who Brought TJB Together.
Wow. This may be the most unified I’ve ever seen the citizenry of TJB be.
Let me just say that I was interested in Miller as KR when Leon went down, until I saw the reports here of his being injured, out of shape and perhaps having an Oliver Perez brain — aside from his total inability to play D.
Hopefully, Westoff can do something with him. Or that perhaps Scott & Co. can bring some swaggerlicious over to Miller’s locker, informing the lad of what’s at stake here and what his part will be expected to be.
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Justin Miller is a great return man, he did go to the Pro Bowl in only his second year. I like the decision to get him.
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PickSix says:
SackDance,
absolutely, he was a hammer at the corner spot, the problem was that he kept hammering people after they caught 15 yard outs.
maybe he’ll step up as a DB in a more aggressive system… maybe?
otherwise, i’m down for him returning kicks again. he returns kicks the way shonn greene was running the ball. one cut and full speed forward.
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subwayfare says:
I think they signed him just to make Braylon feel better. “At least I didn’t punch a girl.”
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i hope he is in shape, over the toe, and ready to go. when he was good, he was REALLY good. the fact that he has been sitting, waiting for the phone to ring, worries me though.
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NJets says:
Not really a difference maker… but not a bad idea to get an ex-Jet again. Kinda cool i guess….
Miller Time is back
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The fact that he may be out of shape and/or injured is a legitimate issue but don’t you think the team would have the same concerns. Wouldn’t they check that out BEFORE they signed him. You certainly would think so.
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Jets-Fan-4-Life says:
I don’t like this guy. I think his coverage was spotty at best in the past, not to mention he always finds a way to be injured!
I applaud the team for trying but I think this was a waste of time! I give him up to 4 games and then he is out on his rump again!!!
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Elliot says:
The pick-up was unfortunately necessary, with the team being so Lite on kick returners. Sure, he was a Genuine Draft bust a few years ago, but hopefully he can contribute some High-Life-reel returns. If all goes well, he could be pouring the Champagne of Beers on teammates in celebration in a few months.
…someone had to do it.
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you all are harping on his defensive skills…
yeah, we know he sucks at corner, but they didn’t sign him to be a corner…
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Johnny Hector says:
jvsvn,
I agree this had to be a Westhoff call. They opted not to sign him when they needed DB a few weeks ago. I wonder what Rob Ryan told Rex that made him not sign him before and why wasn’t he on the Brown roster.
Westoff must feel he is a major upgrade over any other possible returner on the roster. Lets hope he comes up big on kickoffs.
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tyrone says:
good move you need a kick returner and maybe rex helps him to be better d.b. you never know the past is the past mangini had no patience with this kid remember when he took it to the house agansit the colts he could be a plus
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section 102 says:
who cares if he can’t play CB? He was signed to return kicks, thats it
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um says:
Justin Miller sucks a a CB, can’t cover a WR, doesn’t makes plays on the ball, and isn’t a good tackler. The only thing he has going for him was his speed.
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greg sec 130 says:
I disagree — other than the desire to get the shutout, I would like to see him play instead of Revis late in a lopsided win.
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Also, let’s hope he only gets one chance a week.
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I wanted the shutout against Oakland.
This signing is interesting for one reason, I expect Justin Miller will get some time at corner.
Rex Ryan brought him in a few weeks ago when we were dealing with injuries to Sheppard and Strickland. Although the Jets didnt sign him, they showed enough interest in him as a corner to atleast bring him in. Now that Leon went down, they saw that they could pick him up as a KR, but also have the option of playing him at corner. Now I know Miller has never shown much as a d-back, but dont be surprised if he gets some snaps.
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TJB unified?
I rememeber when we cut Miller there were fans screaming that he was better than D Lowery?? It got even wprse when we signed T Law
I got into huge arguments with the J Miller love affair forgetting just how horrible he was at CB.
We will know early if he is healthy and in shape…. if he is he will succeed in our return game again.
If not he will be a 2 weeks project and then gone….For his skills at KO he is with the shot….
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Jesus…
I know Rex thinks he is a D genius but if he can get J Miller on the field as a CB and not humilate himself…. it might be his greatest accomplishment ever!!
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Hopefully, Miller will be able to get his act together during this second stint with Gang Green but I can’t forsee Miller making much impact on Special Teams after floundering for the past couple of years.
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They'll Break Our Hearts In The End says:
Fine as a kick returner, perhaps even more than fine. They ought to try to convert him to WR as well if he still has his old speed.
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EastSide says:
“great return man” must be used in the past tense until proven otherwise.
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Wanna see speed?
Still one of the most impressive highlight tapes i’ve seen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4N7nPq8N3o
The hit on the first playaint bad either.
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Jibes says:
JoJo Townsell?
Nuu Faaola?
Rocky Klever?
Justin Miller?
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Brandon from Illinois says:
Am I the only one that thinks he might have some potential as a receiver? He could be a productive returner/WR. I’d like to see if he’s speedy enough to beat DBs deep. If he ended up being a deep threat, the Jets could use Clowney and Miller to open up the underneath routes to Cotchery and Keller and open up the running game for Jones and Greene.
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Highlight reel??
Its all 4 plays he made in college just replayed over and over again…..lol
Where was that aggressive man to man skills when he lined up for us at CB??
Justin Miller = the most unimpressive waste of talent in football pads.
Great KO guy but a waste of a roster spot besides that. He was worth the shot I would love to see this kid wakes up and realize he is one more cut from bagging fruit
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Rich Kotite says:
Miller can only be a KR, as a CB he’s an automatic pass interference penalty on every throw by the opposing QB.
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Drew,
I’m not disagreeing with any of that, but the highlight tape is impressive nontheless. He’s got speed you cant teach.
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Brandon, how could he be a reciever? He couldn’t even break up a pass as a CB.
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dmsarad says:
I think it was a no brainer move. The problem, for the time being, is that you now have 3 CBs who don’t actually play the position and only contribute on special teams, Carrol, Cole and now Miller. I would not expect this to last past the bye week. I was really impressed with Cole’s play on ST against the Raiders, so i hope it isn’t him.
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Harlan Lachman says:
Kewpie to jvsvn (and a tip ‘da hat to Johnny Hector, a very good Jet RB BTW for those too young to remember that we already have a rivalry with the Fish — see angry comment to SNY interview) for positing the only possible reason for this signing.
I don’t like this signing, with all the guys we already have who should be able to fulfill this role (Carroll, Woodhead, Cole, et. al.) and Drew Coleman’s recent success at impersonating a CB (damn, I never though I would be saying that).
But, that is why we have coaches. They are supposed to know who should and who actually can.
Good one to the both of you. Thanks for coming up with a valid reason so I can put my disappointment behind me.
harlan
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Anyone else notice Woodhead on ST? You could tell this guy doesnt take being in the NFL for granted. He’s flying down the field everytime trying to hit anyone he can, despite being the smallest guy on the field. Gotta love it
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john l says:
my guess is miller is woodheads competition on the kr job.
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There is more than a chance that M Cole or Woodhead can beat Miller out at this point.
Miller will be given a shot for a few weeks if he dosent succeed this could just be a week by week tryout
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supercooljetfan says:
i remember that draft and got mad when we drafted nugent over him thinking miller wouldnt be there for us with our other 2nd rd pick
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Miller’s in an enviable position.
Most everyone hates him, including me. So, not messing up coming out of the tunnel is a major plus.
If he does ‘anything at all,’ he’s a hero.
Has a Jet ever joined the roster with lower expectations?
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jameson says:
championship.
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FernandoQ says:
What’s the bigggg Deal!! He’s a special Teamer and a Pro Bowler at that!!! He’s on eof the Best KR’s in the League!! Hands Down!! Also a lousy CB…I accept that but Just what the Jets needed Special Teams wise!! Good Pickup!! An if it’s doesn’t work, he’ll get cut…so I’m happy..
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dave b says:
whoa
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Harvlis says:
Miller may get cut tomorrow but, it can’t hurt to give him a look . He is 25 years old. He ran back two kicks for TD’s, last season. This year, he played only one game, before getting cut. His stats were not horrible.
I have to say, you guys are killing Miller, for his ability at Corner. He progressed, while playing for the Jets.
I remember him shutting down Steve Smith of the Panthers, one game. Regardless, it takes time to learn the position. He was never given a chance at Corner for the Raiders. You can’t tell me that, after only starting twelve games in his career, and only being twenty five years old, that he has no shot to become a good corner. Most of you are doing the same thing to Gholston, Pouha, and Ainge. Have some patience. Some players take longer to develope than others. Sometimes you have to be in the right place, at the right time, to get an opportunity to grow. Remember James Farrior, you impatient fools ran him out of town. It doesn’t hurt to give Miller a shot. No lose situation. -
Jeff says:
Thats right Harvlis. I mean I remember we all thought that Pouha was such a waste, and right now he is our starting NT!!! Plus it sometimes takes players a handful of years to become productive. Heck just look at Alex Smith!!
I think he will be great at being a pass rusher when we blitz the house on 3rd and long situations. he might actually get to the QB!!
He is a great KR top-5 in the league IMHO.
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James in TN says:
I hope Woodhead beats him out.
What does everyone think about LJ in KC calling out his coach?
I think he has a point, they are miserable this year. Herm hasn’t said a word about it, has he?
Go Jets beat the phins this time!!!!!
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Harvlis
You cannor be more wrong in your evaluation of Justin Miller as a CB.
He had 3 full years to learn how to cover anyone….he was a disaster ar CB
I am not a VG hater but he has done more playing poorly at OLB than Miller did at CB during his Jet career.
The facts are what they are ….if a miracle happens and he actually plays decent at CB its more to do with Rex and his sheme than Miller.
He was worth the KR roster spot right now but please calm down on fans not giving Miller a chance at CB…seriously!!
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NamVetJet says:
Am I wrong but this Miller fellow also drop quite a few balls?
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Drew,
Miller played eight games in his first year and four in his second. Twelve games does not prepare a Corner for life in the NFL. In no way, am I saying that he is a great corner. I have no idea of his ability — same as you. Therefore, there is no reason for all the hate.
On the other hand, I think he was picked up to return kicks. anyway.
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Give Leon The Damn Ball says:
why so much about his awful coverage ability? he is like the 6th corner when lito returns
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96debacle says:
Awesome!!!
put him next to Revis immediately!
hahahahahey probably the best guy for the job right now. guess the Coaching staff will see if he’s worth keeping on the roster. other wise we’ll have to cut him and move on.
lets not thrust him into the starting CB position guys, thats not why he was signed
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Harvlis
All I am saying is the guy regressed from day 1 at CB until we cut him. The truth is I wouldnt hate him so much if he didnt have the talent to play well.
When Herm Edwards and Mangini (both DB coaches) cant get you to understand how to play CB for a team dying for CB help than I am not sure how anyone can defend him.
He gets cuts mid season by us and then cannot get on the field as a 5th CB for Oakland when they needed CB help also.
I called for this signing to help a struggling KR but I knew the Miller can play CB theory would come up…..He just cant and if Rex can get anything out of him its a huge plus
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Eddie DiGio says:
I doubt he’ll ever play a down on defense unless everybody gets hurt in the same games, he is going to be used solely to return kicks or possibly cover them.
One of the reasons I wouldnt even be worried if he actually did see a few plays in the defensive backfield is that Rex is pretty good at not asking guys to do things they are not good at. i.e Strickland is not our fastest corner, so he is always pretty much beating up the slot reciever or in the flat or curl zone(by the way, he has really contributed this year and was a good pickup) where he cant get beat deep.
I also hated Miller ever since Plax embarrassed him a few years ago when the Giants played the Jets
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Lets all stop with how horendous he is as a corner like Eddie D said,he isn’t gonna see the field on defense..He is a kick returner!!!
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HHH says:
Thank u another jets fan.. i could wish lowery had a body like justin has cuz i think he would be much better
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greg sec 130 says:
Drew, be fair — it’s not like he was suddenly cut for poor play. He was a Pro Bowl return man in 2006 with a monster year, and won the Fastest Man Comp in Feb 2007 before blowing out his knee in the second game of the following year. He was waived the following season after starting slow in his return from injury, but ran back TDs on KRs the first and second week after being cut by the Jets and won ST Player of the Month.
Sure he can’t cover a table with a tablecloth, but he can return kicks with the best of them.
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junior says:
why wouldnt they try danny woodhead to return kicks?
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L7WIENIE says:
Simple…Westoff is trying Miller out and he will pick the best person for the job…
HE KNOWS BETTER THAN ANY OF US SO CHILL OUT
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ganggreen4ever says:
TJB GET READY CAUSE IT’S MILLERTIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
haha but in all seriousness the one thing i remeber about him is that ’07 Patriots game where Randy Moss went by him for a TD in triple coverage. But as a Kick returner idk I guess he could be good he was a top KR in the leauge not to long ago
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kennydajet says:
Kick returner only. good move I think. Leon did so many things its impossible to replace him with just one player. Shonn Greene will replace his rushing and Justin Miller will replace his kick off abilities. Now we just need to get a team leader and explosive offensive player to score anywhere on the field when he touches the ball! :(
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Dylan says:
Woodhead can’t break tackles and would get killed returning kicks. I like him running outside the tackles a few times a game or catching a couple passes in the slot but thats it.
Justin Miller was maybe THE BEST kick returner in the league when he was with the Jets. He made the Pro Bowl and was probably as good as Leon Washington (which is really saying something). The reason they cut him is because Leon gave them similar production returning kicks, and he couldn’t do much of anything as a corner.
Miller will help the return game our tremendously. He is extremely fast and breaks tackles. He should be able to help in coverage as well, because he is a pretty hard hitter. IF he had ever learned to cover he would of been a great player in this league. He had all the tools, but never put it together. I really like the move though. Field position is extremely important to a defensive minded team like the Jets.
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Oh and btw just to show how good Miller is.
Leon Washington return stats:
117 returns 2986 yds. 25.5 avg. 4 TDsJustin Miller return stats:
147 returns 3851 yds. 26.2 avg. 5 TDsI’m not comparing them both as players, because that would be ridiculous. But Miller is an extremely talented kick returner, so the drop off in the Jets return game should be minimal. The one place the Jets will really miss Leon is the short passing game, and the ability he has of taking any play to the house. The Jets WILL miss him, but the addition of Miller should help a little bit.
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LW is a better football player than JM but JM is the better Kickoff returner and thaaaatttt says alot… Cause LW is great.. But when they were both there….Westoff chose Miller……
Prediction….40+ yard return first kickoff handled…JM is a reaaaallllyyy good returner…
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Jetski says:
Great signing!!!!
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If healthy, Miller is the best KR in the league…Also, he still has potential at CB…
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hank/naples says:
Jetski:
Actually, head to head, last year Leon Beat out Miller. Also Josh Cribbs has had a better year than Miller and much more total yds retuned than Miller’s best year , plus both Leon and Cribbs return punts. Miller does not.
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Bent says:
When Leon beat out Miller, he was coming off an injury and not 100%. Having said that, the same is true now. Leon doesn’t return punts any more, Hank. I prefer Leonhard because he looks more comfortable under the ball.
“Woodhead can’t break tackles and would get killed returning kicks.”
Too small, huh? Well, he’s actually a quarter of an inch shorter than Leon and reportedly weighs about the same amount. He’s also the same size as Chad Morton. He wouldn’t be breaking tackles with power, but rather using his shiftiness. Woodhead can break tackles, he proved that on Sunday. So it was against backups…who do you think plays special teams?
“I also hated Miller ever since Plax embarrassed him a few years ago when the Giants played the Jets”
Aren’t you thinking of Dyson? (The missed tackle on the sideline). Justin’s made enough mistakes of his own without having to take the blame for someone else’s!
Harvlis – statistically, there’s every reason to rule out him being good. He was literally the worst cornerback in the NFL during that spell according to FO metrics. If you aren’t a stat guy, I remember writing that he had the worst technique of any Jets corner in recent memory. Having said that, good defense can make poor corners into competent ones and vice versa (Poteat in NE, Washington in Baltimore, Sheppard in Philly). You never know, but I agree, he’s there for one reason and one reason only. I agree 100% about Pouha and Gholston, but they’ve both shown progress (albeit slow) since their rookie year, where I don’t see the same signs in Miller.
Nam – He muffed several punts, so the Jets took him off punt return duties. Defensively he never got near the ball to drop it (only 8 career passes defensed, despite being picked on a lot and no ints – frame of reference: Revis, in less time and hardly ever being thrown at, has 44 passes defensed and 10 interceptions).
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Thank you Bent
I always appreciate when you can throw down the numbers and stats to let others realize what I already know and see with my eyes.
I called for this signing when Leon went down but knew as soon as he was signed fans would start the Miller can play CB nonsense.
Let put that to bed already. He is a horrible CB and should not be on the field unless there is a FG kicker waiting to KO.
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Bent,
I have no clue, as to whether Miller can be a decent CB or not. My point is that, you can’t become one, while playing parts of two seasons. It takes more than god given talent to play the position. Look at Lowery. He gets burnt regularly but, on occasion, he makes the type of play that lets us know that — if we give him time, he will develope into a solid Corner. At twenty five years old, with the talent that he has, why should anybody rule out Miller. James Farrior was with us for five years. In his last season, he figured it out and became a solid LB. We let him go to the Steelers and the rest is history. Lots of Jet fans wrote him off, during his first four years. When a player has talent, like a Gholston, a Lowery, or Miller — we all have to remember, it takes time for players to develope,. You can only hope that the coaches don’t put them in positions to hurt us, while they learn the NFL.
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Bent says:
Harvlis – Yes, I acknowledged that you never know, but it takes a lot for me to lose all hope that a player will never get it and Miller got there, even if it was only based on parts of two seasons.
Rex has made water into wine with a few CBs in his system though, so it’s not beyond the realms of possibility, but Lowery has shown me way, way more than Miller ever did. In the same timescale (parts of two seasons), Lowery has 21 passes defensed, 5 forced fumbles and 2 interceptions as opposed to Miller’s 8 passes defensed and little else.
I totally agree that 25 is usually too soon to write off a player, especially when that guy has showed some promise (which Pouha, Lowery, Gholston have), but I have never been impressed with Miller’s technique defensively and his instincts are even worse.
As I say, you never know, but I do feel pretty confident about this one.
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Wow, I don’t think i’ve ever seen such a large outcry against such a minor signing. We signed Miller to return kicks, something he is very good at. Why is everyone talking about how bad of a corner he is? Who cares, hes returning kick offs, not playing corner.
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Bent says:
I don’t have a problem with the signing, was just joining in the discussion about him as a corner. I agree it’s probably irrelevant.
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Deven says:
He has tools to be a corner but we signed him to help with returns and not coverage especially since we have the ye coming up. We can lito and strick fully healthy. But as a kicker he is dangerous, he did make the pro bowl. And I think his problems are behind him and rex will keep him in line.
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Bent,
I have to disagree with you about Woodhead being able to break tackles on kick returns. There is a difference between breaking an arm tackle at the line of scrimmage and breaking a tackle when the opposing player is running 40 yards at full speed and trying to lay you out. Woodhead is NOT Leon is isn’t shifty enough to avoid big hits. I understand every Jets fan has an obsession with him, however, having him return kicks make no sense when Justin Miller is much better.I don’t see Woodhead being successful as a a running back either, unless he only runs outside the tackles. Against starters on defense in the pre-season, he did nothing. I would still like to see him in on 3rd and longs, because he can catch the ball out of the backfield, and maybe break a few big runs to the outside.
I like the idea of Woodhead in the slot the most. He is fast with good hands and should be able to outrun any safety or linebacker. We still need to see if he is strong enough to get off the line and create space, though.
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I think this was a signing based on expedience. Miller knows Westhoff’s system, Westhoff knows Miller and KO returning is a skill. The Jets have many things to do to prepare for the Fins on Sunday and I’m sure the last thing Rex wanted was multiple auditions for KO returner this week. With the bye coming up, I could see the Jets signing an RB off of a practice squad who can also return kicks. My only problem with signing Miller is that the Jets don’t need another CB; but, IMO, do need another RB. As a CB, Miller was absolutely clueless in coverage; he displayed no skills whatsoever, besides being a good tackler. The only thing that I could potentially see him doing is to come in during the Wildcat and corner blitz.
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Is there a decent RB out there who can also return kicks (which is quite a skill in itself) though? If so, sign him up!
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NYC Parking Expert,
How about Ian Johnson of Boise State fame. He’s on the Vikings practice squad? He led his team in KO return yardage and, IMO, has the type of speed and cutting ability that would make him a decent option. I believe Dominic Rhodes is on the street right now, he was a decent KO returner for the Colts and Raiders. Leon’s successor at FSU, Antone Smith, is on the Falcons practice squad…he was very Leon-like at FSU…5-9, ran a 4.32 forty. I’m not a GM, but these guys are a decent start.
Antone sounds like pocket-Leon:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2009/03/16/0316fsufoot.html
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When fans stop telling me Justin Miller can play CB I will stop telling everyone he cant.
I was for the signing but knew this dumb subject would come up about him playing CB.He cant play corner and god forbid he does get in on defense he will probably be just as awful as before.
As bent mentioned if he provides anything other than KO its more to do with Rex than anythign else.
BTW…. If he dosent reurn kicks well in Miami he might be off the team by the end of the bye week. so it wont really matter
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As we saw with Pace’s return, a lot of this will have to do with Miller’s ‘game shape.’ He’s been in and out of camps, and hasn’t been one place too long over the last year or two, so there goes any consistency. My concern is whether he’s up to the KR job — shape-wise, more than talent-wise. How’s his conditioning, etc. How sharp are his hands? While I’d love to see him break one 40-50 yards, or take one to the house, I still fear one slipping through his hands, giving Miami a gift at the Five.
It’s a crapshoot with him, since he’s in a position to have a huge momentum impact on this game — pro or con. That’s a lot of pressure to put on someone walking in the door.
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Bent says:
Right, Mike. He was poor when he got to do this for the Raiders a few weeks ago, but was still working his way back. If he’s healthier now, then perhaps he could do well.
As for Pace, finally having someone on the team that can win one on one matchups as a pass rusher with some regularity could do wonders for the defense. The difference between Pace last week and Pace in Miami in huge, I guess the hope is that this plus the return of one or both corners that missed that game will make a difference to the defense to make up for the loss of Jenkins. Similarly, on offense, the hope is that Cotchery will be ready and that will make up for any downgrade from Leon to Shonn.
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Pete57 says:
Let me state that I would absolutely prefer to have a healthy Leon Washington, but I looked up his stats and they seem to confirm what I had posted the other day. He was not being used properly this season. After six games and a play, Leon has no TD’s. Zero. Isn’t he supposed to be our most explosive player? To me that alone screams that he was used poorly. He was on pace to double his carries from last year, but he was also on pace to have many fewer receptions than last year. Leon needs to be given the ball in space. Screen plays, dumpoffs, split out wide, etc. Schott has not done that nearly enough. For these reasons his injury will help the Jets. Shonn Green will now get the carries that he had gotten. And Shonn Green is much better suited to a traditional RB role than Leon. Leon’s injury will hurt because of his versatility. And the question for Shonn Green is will he be able to pickup the blitz, and can he catch a ball? We’ll see, but I am hoping the coaches can get him to where he needs to be.
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Bent-
you are right it was Dyson that got abused, I always confuse the two because both they equally sucked in coverage for us.
And with the whole Pace issue, they finally let him put his hand on the ground and go after the QB!!! I use to go nuts last year when I would see him back in coverage, hopefully like you said the Miami game was just working off some rust against guys that had already been playing for a month.
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Dyson was actually very good for a short while. It seemed like that game against the Giants was the downfall of his career
Bent,
I wanted to pass along this article to you, tell me what you think about some of the comments regarding future roster bonuses and contracts, etc. Thanks, as usual.
It’s still early and the Jets will have to pay the bill down the road, but general manager Mike Tannenbaum is looking pretty savvy these days, especially for someone who was criticized for being just a salary cap guy and not having an eye for talent.
First, Tannenbaum signed LB Bart Scott and S Jim Leonhard in free agency, a pair of home runs.
Secondly, he traded up to get quarterback Mark Sanchez, getting him for a song and dance from his best pal, Browns coach Eric Mangini. Despite his up-and-down start, Sanchez has the look of the franchise quarterback the Jets thought he was.
Thirdly, the Jets traded up to draft running back Shonn Greene in the third round. On Sunday, coach Rex Ryan revealed the Jets had given him a first-round grade. In addition to being the heir apparent to Thomas Jones, Greene has enough bounce to replace Leon Washington.
Next, the general manager traded for Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who looks like the big wide receiver the Jets have needed since the departure of Keyshawn Johnson. His legal troubles aren’t expected to cause him to miss any time this season.
Earlier, Tannenbaum traded for CB Lito Sheppard, a starter, though he’s had trouble staying on the field. He has missed four of the first seven games with a quad injury.
On the down side, Tannenbaum has traded away valuable draft picks in the Edwards and Sheppard deals, and he must pay Edwards, who is seeking $9 million per season. Edwards, though, will be a restricted free agent minus a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Also, Tannenbaum is staring at a $10 million roster bonus due Sheppard in March.
What’s more, the GM has yet to pay Washington and has several core players nearing the end of their contracts, including Pro Bowl C Nick Mangold and LB David Harris.
Finally, his decision to keep Kellen Clemens as the backup instead of signing a proven veteran is up for debate.
Contrary to a report, the offer that Washington turned down from the Jets this offseason wasn’t exactly for $5 million per season. It depends on your perspective.
If the new money started in 2010, which the Jets wanted, the deal would’ve been worth $5 million per season with Washington paying for $535,000 this season.
But the Washington camp wanted the new money to start this season, which would’ve drastically altered the average of the deal.
It’s easy to second-guess Washington’s decision now that he’s injured but this is his big chance, and perhaps only chance, at a blockbuster deal and for him to sign a deal he wasn’t happy with — and had to live with for the next four or five years — would’ve been crazy. -
Bent says:
That was weird how fast Dyson faded.
JR – Thanks for the article. Could you please confirm the source?
It seems to be more or less factually accurate. The comments about Leon, Braylon, Harris and Mangold all probably being due to get extensions by the end of next year are accurate. The CBA may throw a spanner in the works (or may actually facilitate the process). We’ll have to wait and see.
If I were to nitpick, I would comment that:
- I’m not sure Braylon could command $9m a year
- The Lito $10m bonus is never (and was never) going to happen
- “Contrary to a report, the offer that Washington turned down from the Jets this offseason wasn’t exactly for $5 million per season. It depends on your perspective.” As you are probably aware, I am not a fan of quoting contract numbers in terms of money per year because there’s a huge difference between 15m over three years with 12m guaranteed and a backloaded 30m over six years with 8m guaranteed. Yes, it depends on your perspective.
- “the Washington camp wanted the new money to start this season, which would’ve drastically altered the average of the deal.
It’s easy to second-guess Washington’s decision now that he’s injured but this is his big chance, and perhaps only chance, at a blockbuster deal and for him to sign a deal he wasn’t happy with — and had to live with for the next four or five years — would’ve been crazy.” I have a slightly different view in terms of cause and effect. The Jets were never going to be able to afford to give him a deal that size that started in 2009 (as I said all along). Therefore, if the deal was to start early, the amount, length of contract, guaranteed money, how backloaded it was and level of incentives would all have to have been adjusted in their attempts to meet Team Keels in the middle. As a result of their refusal to make any sacrifices, Leon earned just 535k this season, instead of getting an eight figure signing bonus.Also, since when does a guy sign a contract and live with it for 4 or 5 years? I’m sure if he felt he was underpaid, he’d moan and gripe about wanting it increased, especially if he was attached to Keels. The difference this time would be that he could afford to hold out.
I think just about all of us called as soon as we saw Leon’s injury.
Great pickup as long as he only plays on special teams.