For those still holding out hope that Thomas Jones would return to New York, you can go ahead and pack it in. According to Adam Schefter, Jones just signed a two year $5 million deal with the Chiefs.
Filed to ESPN: Thomas Jones signs in Kansas City: two years, $5 million. Chiefs have their running back. No need for Willie Parker to visit.
As of right now it truly is all in the hands of Shonn Greene to keep the “Ground and Pound” philosophy intact (considering L. Washington status is still in the air while C. Washington has yet to have made an impression with the fans). Unless the Jets turn to free agency, I find it hard not to believe the the Jets will search for a RB with a late pick (James Starks anyone?).
It’s unfortunate to see TJ leave, he was a true leader and an example for everyone in that locker room. But alas, it is time to move on — good luck in KC TJ!
Hat tip to JJets
im confident we will replace jones with some1 who will help greene and washington in the back field…
He also could just have a grudge, and just accepted lower money from KC, cause he felt slighted by the jets.
If players don’t like their contracts, don’t sign them. Don’t sign front loaded contracts then complain when you reach the backend and feel you should be getting more. Don’t sign 5-6 year contracts. They are pretty much meaningless unless you get guaranteed money anyway.
So far, of the players that really matter we’ve lost Kerry Rhodes and Thomas Jones. Two positions (players) that, IMO really needed to be upgraded. Jones because he was old, and Rhodes because he’s a pu_sy! Both players were not effective (being kind) in the AFC Champ. game, and need to be replaced.
Based on what I’ve seen from Tanny, I have complete confidence that he has a plan, and when it’s all said and done, we’ll be happy.
He’s gonna be pretty much a backup in KC anyway. They have Jamal Charles who kicked ass after getting starting job.
Um,
I agree, TJ just gave the Jets a big FU!
This is the last thing I will ever write about Thomas Jones. It’s over. He’s gone. It was probably the right thing to do given his age and salary demands. However, I have no idea what the real story of the break up is (and neither does anyone else on this board). If I had to guess, I’d say it probably had more to do with 2011 than 2010. He probably wanted a 2 year deal like the one he just got in KC and the Jets weren’t willing to do that. That would be totally consistent with the way TJ tried to renegotiate last year and with the history of how the Jets have been dealing with players coming toward the end of their careers. Whatever the reason that TJ is now a Chief, there is absolutely no reason to bash him. The guy played his heart out for us for three years, put up great numbers, and earned every penny that the team paid him. I wish him luck in KC. From now on, let’s talk about the future of the Jets.
um
if TJ took less money or equal to with KC because he felt slighted by the jets and/or had a grude because he was cut then it just makes him stupid/idiot for not signing with the jets who have a chance to win a SB in the limited time he has left as a RB…just my thoughts…
dakar,
you make a good point. KC sure ain’t coming close to any superbowls anytime soon.
I really have no clue. All any of us are doing is guessing anyway.
um
true that…but he did do a great job as (jvsvn pointed for us) while he was here…just my thoughts…
I hope the bleeding isnt being stopped by B Poole….We will need a much bigger bandaid than him with what has been happening here recently.
Alot of these moves do scream of cutting back which would annoy me big time. I still have hope that this is a minor bump in the road
TJ would have been nothing but an expensive insurance policy against Greene getting hurt. I appreciate everything he did while here, but he’ll be out of the league in a year.
Prediction: two years from now, Rhodes will be in training camp with his third team after two disappointing years in Arizona. He will end his unremarkable NFL career after being cut by Cleveland in 2012, and will embark on an equally undistinguished acting and modeling career.
jjets, i live in the d.c. burbs. i’d like to wave the flag for rock cartwright, ex long-time rb with the redskins. i hope the fo isn’t completely sold on chauncey washington, he has no career stats to speak of!
I didnt think i had to explain that i was exagerating. I apologize wright did not make every tackle.
I’m with Ramble on this topic. Both of these positions needed to be upgraded. With Leon questionable, would of liked to work something out with TJ to have him come back for one more year and hearing what he got just baffles me. But I am going to assume that last year when TJ wanted a new contract or restructure his contract- taking some of that 6mil due to him this year and bring a couple mil to him last year- the Jets said not doing a thing- so why would he want to restructure things now for us, when Tanny wouldnt do a thing for him last year. So I understand things from TJ’s standpoint.
To all of you think we are cutting players, just to save money, think about it. We lost Broadway Rhodes,32 yr old Jones, Wright, how did’nt make that many tackles as he did the year before.And the guys on the fence , let em go too. It’s deep draft and and we can still win with what we have.Tanny’s going to make us not only better but younger. P.S.S. I don’t see Wash or Dallas spending like crazy. Only a few teams have opened their purse strings.
Good by Merril, he was in the dog house any way.
Reality – sorry if that was snippy. My main point was that we have other STers just as productive.
For the record Wright is great and also a nice guy with great attitude. I am sorry to see him go, but you can’t pay a gunner $1.2m and he obviously wanted to play closer to home since he signed so quickly.
Bent-
Yeah, I saw that piece by Cimini about the pride thing, but it was lacking any evidence at all. Seemed like Cimini speculating based on some word of mouth he heard (ie, rumor).
Which, to my mind, is as good as making the thing up out of thin air.
You right good point.
Bent
No it does, its just that it was such a short slow down. He still put up those great overall season stats
Like if he was awesome the first 8 games, then was putrid the last 8, maybe you could see more of the writing on the wall
plus
He was banged up a little at the end of the season, it could happen to anybody, even a 20 something stud who took the playoffs by storm
Guess a lot of teams so that stretch that you were talking about at the end because only really the Chiefs were making a TJ a competitive offer
Time will tell on the move but usually getting rid of an older back seems to be the right move the vast majority of the time
*saw that stretch
Eddie – all true. Good post.
Ben – agreed, I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t seen as the source of this rumor.
They will let Leon walk for the pick ,as they should, and use it to sign an RFA.
The mistake was letting TJ walk over peanuts, not letting Leon test the waters, a second round pick for a part time player coming off a major injury is a no brainer.
That said, I am shocked TJ did not get more money in this market, his knee must be bad.
i love TJ but he was so clearly done at the end of the season, especially in the playoffs. he just looked like an old running back past his prime.
wish him all the best in kc
TB-
You write: “I have been feeling sick to my stomach over our offseason moves!”
Yeah, TJ signing with KC hit me like a kick in the gut. And losing Rhodes and Murrell and Wallace Wright. It sucks, frankly.
I’m hoping we see some moves to bring in a solid safety, as well as a reliable vet RB.
This isn’t related directly—except that I’ve been a Mets and Jets fan since day one, five decades ago. (I saw both teams play in the Polo Grounds, I saw the Jets play when they were the Titans.) But I’ve been sick over the moves the Mets DIDN’T make in the offseason—this offseason as well as the previous one—in terms of the starting rotation. There’s only one reliable starter we can count on. Which sucks, big time. And the FO did absolutely nothing about it. Nada. Zip.
Now the Jets are not in the same postion—thank god—as the Mets. We have a great HC, we have great, young players, we have gamers, we have a winning culture now. (The Mets, by contrast, have only one gamer on the entire team, Santana.)
There’s just some new holes that Mike T has created, and I guess I’m worried he might not fill them. Or not fill them properly.
And as I said before, if Leon is gone, then I’m officially pissed.
Bent-
No problem.
I am suprised how many people have giving up on leon.
I want to keep Leon, but every time I say that they get rid of the guy…
I am done buying jerseys!
Anyone have any good info on leons rehab.
Regardless of what the arguments are, whether we are better off with or without, with or without the pick we get in return….
Personally, if we lost Leon, it would be a very, very, very sad for me.
Like when Stienbrenner let Pettitte walk, it bothered me until he came back
Leon is a Jet in my eyes, always has been, always will be
leon must stay….
i would like for the jets to keep leon this year and if he hasnt lost a step give him a long term deal in 2011…but hopfully leon will have a new agent by then aswell…just my thoughts…
So many great posts in this thread. I’m with those of you with totally mixed feelings. I won’t reiterate what others wrote so eloquently.
yes, hearing that jones actually signed elsewhere came as a jolt. people keep saying that he deteriorated fast but as a backup he’d have been excellent to keep.
This news sucks… Thomas Jones was a leader, and a great teammate. Granted he was slowing down with age, but the most important aspect everyone on this blog has missed was the offensive chemistry!!
This group of players have been together for 3 years without change. They eat, sleep, and play as a cohesive unit. You can not just put another power back behind Sanchez and expect the linemen to know how he will run or what direction he will run if the play breaks down.
This will be a BIG issue for 2010, because Greene was used part time, Leon was out (but even when he is playing he gets more passes then touches).
Good luck Thomas from one Jones boy to another!!
old legs are old legs… we can easily find a younger back-up RB.
But getting a late 4th round pick for Rhodes… that was crazy!
I think the Jets were honest with TJ and told him that he would not be the #1 RB In 2010. You won’t here this in the media because TJ is a pro’s pro……In regards to Rhodes and a 4th rounder its called addition by subtraction. Its obvious the dude has fallen off a cliff mentally, the dude is a safety who DOESN’T TACKLE and has horrendous range. I’m glad we got a 4th and 7th.
If there was a ST HOF Wallace Wright would be first ballot
TJ took probably less $ over a 2 year span than the Jets would have given him, or at least the same amount, to go from a team that just went to the AFC Championship with a rookie HC and a rookie QB to a bottom dweller in rebuilding mode. His pride must have really taken a hit when they released him.
Horrendous range? Rhodes?
Sorry, but no. There are plenty of reasons why they cut ties with him, but lack of range was not one of them.
This was always about $$ with jones – sad to see him go though – he didnt’ get paid like he wanted and he definately wont win in KC
we will look back on this next year when he gets cut by the cheifs and say it was a smart move by Tanny and Rex.
If the chargers dunt draft jahavid bests he cud be our guy!