The New York Jets have agreed to terms with linebacker and special-teams ace Lance Laury, according to his agent, David Canter.

The former Seattle Seahawks special-teams captain visited the Jets over the past two days.

Laury, 28, was signed by the Seahawks in 2006 as an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina.

The 6-foot-2, 237-pound special-teams standout recorded 21 tackles last season and forced one fumble while playing in every game.

For his career, Laury has registered 64 tackles and two forced fumbles.

With the loss of Murrell and Izzo, the team hass been looking high and low here. He’s best used in the kicking game, but lacks “ideal” NFL speed. Laury is known as a physical tackler when he has the target lined up.

Thanks to roderider for the heads up!

• See how Jets fans use Twitter on Fridays.
• Jets Players tweet from Haiti on their relieve efforts.
• With the news of LaDainian Tomlinson signing with the Jets, see the players reaction from their twitter accounts.
• Do you have a Twitter account and want to show your Jets Loyalty via your iPhone?  Visit http://JetsChant.com/ to chant the Jets Hashtag:  #J_E_T_S_JETS_JETS_JETS and use other features.

Follow Bassett up on Twitter @thejetsblog.

For more on the Jets, Twitter, Facebook, and Erik, check out his blog jetstwit.com.

Follow Erik up on Twitter @e_man and @jetstwit.

]]> http://www.thejetsblog.com/2010/03/19/this-week-in-tweet-j_e_t_s_jets_jets_jets/feed/ 0 http://www.thejetsblog.com/2010/03/18/daily-links-reading-between-the-lines/ http://www.thejetsblog.com/2010/03/18/daily-links-reading-between-the-lines/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:09:03 +0000 E. Weeks http://www.thejetsblog.com/?p=22825

Despite his 12 rushing touchdowns a year ago — nine of which came from inside the opposition’s 5-yard line — Tomlinson was actually a below-average back inside the 5 in 2009.

…

In 2007, Thomas Jones was a full 5.0 touchdowns worse than his expected performance; since then, while he’s produced 15 touchdowns inside the 5, he’s been 2.36 touchdowns below average, and that’s been behind a remarkably effective — and healthy — offensive line.

I think I kind of knew that Thomas Jones was terrible inside the five, but I’m glad to see someone do some real analysis on this to validate my gut feeling … remember that home game in 2008 versus the Patriots? BREW-TAL.

While Tomlinson wasn’t great in 2009 inside the five, he’s better than what the Jets would have had with TJ, so LT might see something of a bump from the line he’ll now be paired with. It will be interesting to see exactly how the Jets use LT, but goal-line situations might not be a bad niche.

The guy who made history in 2006 has shown consistent, inexorable decline with each passing season. He hasn’t had a 100-yard game since 2008. Last year saw him rush for 730 yards on 230 carries. His average of 3.3 yards per carry ranked him 28th in the NFL. The man he aims to replace, Thomas Jones, averaged 4.2. And you wonder why the Jets are into their fifth decade without a Super Bowl?

Kriegel is your archetypal cage rattling general sports columnist.

Thanks to Ryan who sent this on and put in his email “why do people keep insisting that LDT is not a good replacement for Thomas Jones when he is not even replacing Thomas Jones. Mind you i was for keeping TJ but this is the next best option.’

Exactly, thanks Ryan.

News broke on the Jets website over the weekend that the Jets and Giants were going to flip for the honor.

Both organizations have been vigorously stating their cases to the league office. The NFL has said the game will be decided by a coin toss and the Jets have presented a plan for the flip at the new stadium in the week ahead to make this decision easy. The details of the 50-50 proposition have yet to be fully worked out with the league, but the Jets are willing to let the verdict be determined the same way that the league’s teams have settled some scores for decades.

The coin toss, so important to certain procedures that the NFL has a set of rules to govern it, has been around football since 1892.

Generally in something like this, both sides would issue a press release, but the Giants were noticeably silent on their site.

For teams jointly entering a new stadium, and for the Jets, a team that has played in a stadium with the other team’s name (and colors) emblazoned all over, it’s understandable why they’d want first dibs. Still, in the end, the Maras and Tisches have put up just as much money to open this new stadium so, you’d understand why they’d want the honor too. Whatever will happen, it’s clear the league wasn’t all that thrilled with the gamesmanship from the Jets.

… there was one problem: The NFL refused to confirm that plan.

In fact, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told the Daily News yesterday that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is the one who “determines the schedule,” and the spokesman added, “other than that, we have no announcements on the schedule now.” Asked if that meant the announcement of a coin flip that was posted on the Jets’ Web site was false, Aiello reiterated his statement.

Jets spokesman Bruce Speight said yesterday that the team stands by the story. He insisted that the NFL has officially informed the Jets that there will be a coin toss to determine who plays host for the opener and he added, “We look forward to the coin toss.”

…

However, according to one [Giants] source, the Giants weren’t pleased with the Jets’ surprise announcement. The source said that the Jets have been aggressively pushing the coin-flip idea because they’re worried that the NFL had already decided to give the opening game to the Giants.

And now, according to the Daily News, word is out that the Jets have lost the toss to the Giants, and Woody is “outraged” about the situation since team representatives weren’t there.

There was a coin toss, after all — just like the Jets said there would be. But the Giants won the toss and won the right to host the first regular-season game at the new Meadowlands stadium … [it] was held this morning at the league office with no team representatives present … Jets owner Woody Johnson is “outraged,” not because the Jets lost the toss, but because there was no team representation at the coin flip.

Big brother always gets his way … harrumph!

You had to wonder if Goodell and the League Office would punish the Jets for their little PR stunt to force the league’s hand.  It would seem that the NFL has done just that.  The team’s worst fear, with or without their meddling has come true, they’re not opening the stadium.

Personally, I care more about who’s playing in the stadium in January than in September. We all know the Jets are going to be hosting the championship game while the Giants sit at home anyway so …

IT COMES DOWN TO COST - Doug Farrar, Yahoo! Sports

Could that Jets line give him the kind of season that Thomas Jones had in 2009? It’s doubtful we’ll ever see that much productivity from Tomlinson again, but he should see an upswing if he can stay healthy.

In the end, this series of deals for the Jets seemed to be about what they were willing to pay for their running backs. Jones was going to get $5.8 million from the Jets in 2010, which is why they cut him; ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Tomlinson came aboard for $5.2 million over two seasons and another $500,000 in incentives.

FANTASY VALUE PRESERVED - Michael Fabiano, NFL.com

The move is by no means a negative for Greene, who remains the favorite to start for coach Rex Ryan after showing flashes of absolute brilliance as a rookie.

Greene carried the ball a combined 29 times and averaged an impressive 5.4 yards per attempt in the final two regular-season games.

He went on to take over the featured spot in the first two weeks of the postseason, rushing for a combined 263 yards and two touchdowns.

CAN BATMAN BECOME ROBIN? - Tim Graham on ESPN’s AFCE Blog

The Tomlinson signing is a sexy acquisition, even though he’ll likely be Shonn Greene’s sidekick. But how does Tomlinson look better in the Jets’ backfield than Thomas Jones would have? We don’t know the monetary terms of Tomlinson’s contract, but it’s hard to imagine a substantial discount over what Jones was asking.

…

Imagine if Greene were to suffer an injury that sidelines him for a significant period. Could the Jets feel confident moving forward with Tomlinson and Leon Washington, who’s returning from a broken leg? Or would Jones’ presence be more comforting?

About the only way I see Tomlinson as a more attractive option than Jones is that he makes the Jets’ backfield more multidimensional. Jones and Greene are the same type of bulldozing back, although Jones is a far better receiver than Greene is.

HE FITS THE NEED – Rich Cimini, TheJetsStream Blog on NYDN

I didn’t like the decision to release Thomas Jones, but I think Tomlinson will be a solid replacement. Is he going to be the LT of old? Of course not, but the Jets aren’t asking him to carry the rock 20 times a game. Is he going to be the Jones of 2009? Probably not, but he’ll be a good complementary back.

UNBRIDLED ENTHUSIASM - Dan Graziano, SNY.tv
(note, he wrote this before it was official)

Personally, I love it. And yes, I watched Tomlinson play this year. And yes, I’ve spoken to scouts who say he’s got nothing left. But this isn’t about bringing in the Tomlinson of three and four years ago. That guy is gone and he’s not on the market. And if he were, he wouldn’t be what the Jets need anyway. The Jets are ready to make Shonn Greene their workhorse No. 1 back, with (they hope a recovered) Leon Washington as their change of pace.

What they need from Tomlinson, or whoever comes in to replace Thomas Jones, is a few carries per game — say eight or 10 — mostly at or near the goal line. They need somebody who can catch the ball out of the backfield. And they need somebody who can be a mentor to Greene. Based on what we saw from Tomlinson this year, he could contribute in that reduced role as long as he agrees to do it. And based on who he is and what he brings with him in terms of pedigree and reputation, the mentor thing would happen on its own.

MEH - Scott Williamson, Scouts, Inc.

I am not an L.T. believer. I have been saying now for over a year that I think he is done. Is he a better pass-catching option than Leon Washington? No, and I no longer think it is even close. Is L.T. a better goal-line, short-yardage runner than Shonn Greene? Perhaps, and I do think L.T. still does this very well. But it’s not like Greene isn’t capable of being quite good in this capacity.

“So where does that leave Tomlinson? As a spot player who might get five or so touches per game and doesn’t do a thing to help you on special teams? That isn’t enough for me. Sure, one of the top two running backs could go down, and L.T.’s role would increase, but in that capacity, I still would have much rather had Thomas Jones over Tomlinson.”

WHAT ABOUT LEON THEN? - Dave Hutchinson, Star-Ledger

The Jets view Tomlinson as the perfect complement to Greene. They want him to spell Greene in passing situations (Greene had no regular-season receptions last season) and on third down as a change-of-pace threat. Tomlinson is still an excellent route runner with good hands (he has 530 career receptions) and remains a threat in the open field.

IT WASN’T ME, IT WAS THE ONE-ARMED MAN!! - Jim Trotter, SI.com

The Jets are not getting the Tomlinson who broke or matched 28 Chargers records during his career. He turns 31 in June and is coming off a season in which he set career lows for carries (223), yards (730) and yards per carry (3.3). But Tomlinson believes his decline in production each of the past three seasons is largely a function of the change in emphasis, with Turner running the offense through QB Philip Rivers.

SOMETIMES INTANGIBLES ARE NUMERABLE – Bob Glauber, Newsday.com

Greene is the one who will determine whether the Jets repeat as the league’s No. 1 rushing attack and make another legitimate playoff run, or whether they suffer a letdown that is not atypical in a league in which parity still rules the day.

That’s not to say the L.T.-for-Jones switch isn’t important. It is. The tradeoff will figure not only into what happens on the field but what occurs in the locker room. Jones arguably was the best locker-room guy on the Jets, and that will not be offset easily.

But Tomlinson also was highly respected in the Chargers’ locker room, and it’s expected that the future Hall of Famer’s presence with the Jets will go a long way toward making up for Jones’ absence.

THRUST INTO THE SPOTLIGHT - Jay Glazer Fox Sports

“He’s basically going to take the role of Thomas Jones at the end of the [2009] season, not the Thomas Jones at the start of the [2009] season … that role will go to Shonn Greene, but Shonn Greene and LT will have some sort of platoon. And if Leon Washington can come back, that will help the situation as well.”

SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST – Pete Prisco, CBSSports.com

Big deal.

What, wasn’t Curtis Martin able to help?

That’s about what the Jets are getting in Tomlinson: A back who can’t get through the holes anymore. Martin retired when he knew it was over. Tomlinson plays on. But if the Jets are willing to give him a two-year deal, why shouldn’t he?

I would have used a late-round pick on a runner, rather than sign LT. You can find runners all over the draft board, and younger is better at that position.

Tomlinson averaged 3.6 yards per rush last season. If you watched him play, you know it’s over for him.

When the skills of backs go, they go fast. There’s no in-between.

The Jets will start Shonn Greene. He proved in the playoffs he’s capable of handling the load. They will also likely have Leon Washington, who is coming off a broken foot, unless he leaves as a restricted free agent. It will be interesting to see how Tomlinson handles being a spot back, which is what he should be at the most.

Give him five or seven carries. Hope he can handle that. That’s all he’ll deserve.

But, hey, give the Jets this much: They have added a name people know.

For whatever that’s worth.

Ryan was in on meetings with Tomlinson on Friday in New Jersey to try to persuade him to sign as a free-agent with the Jets. Then the Jets coach, who has always struggled with his weight, went to Manhattan on Saturday to have lap-band surgery on his stomach, and the first thing he did when he woke up from the surgery was ask: “Did we get LT signed yet?” the answer was no, so when Ryan had rested and returned home late in the day Saturday, he called Tomlinson to put on one last sales pitch. And Sunday morning, Tomlinson settled on the Jets.

SI’s Jim Trotter had good detail on what made up Tomlinson’s mind for New York over Minnesota (the Jet scheme was the same, he knew offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer well from his days on the San Diego coaching staff, and Brett Favre’s playing uncertainty made the Vikings a bit of an unknown). I believe there were one or two other factors as well.

Though nothing was promised to Tomlinson regarding playing time, he has to know he’s more likely to push Shonn Greene aside for playing time than Adrian Peterson in Minnesota. And the Jets have the best run-schemer in football right now, assistant head coach Bill Callahan, with perhaps the best offensive line in the game. The Vikings line showed some big holes at times last year, and is aging.

I think this is the right choice for Tomlinson, and though his career’s in free-fall, this is the best situation for him to have a chance for one or two good sunset seasons.

I love Ryan’s first question … just awesome.

I think that the Schottenheimer/Callahan tandem along with the line upgrade that LT gets in New York will be good for him. He’s clearly on the decline, but King is right in that Shonn Greene is less of a threat for reps than Peterson would be. Still, I hope that Ryan doesn’t use LT like he did with Thomas at the end, just starting him because he was Thomas Jones. The Jets need to establish their running game, and whoever better helps them do that, is who they should go with.