Sunday Notes: Greene's Day is Coming

[flgreen]

Sunday notes: Greene's day is coming

February, 24, 2013
Feb 24

5:00

AM ET

By Rich Cimini | ESPNNewYork.com

INDIANAPOLIS -- A look at the Jets and the NFL from the scouting combine:

1. Greene's Gang: There has been some buzz here on the future of RB Shonn Greene, an unrestricted free agent. Spies say Greene, coming off an underwhelming 1,000-yard season, is expected to draw interest from the Falcons and Broncos. The Falcons reportedly will release Michael Turner ($6.9 million salary), and they will need a thumper like Greene to pair with the speedy Jacquizz Rodgers. The Broncos don't have a clear-cut No. 1 back. The Jets, looking for a speed back to pair with Bilal Powell, are prepared to part ways with Greene.

2. Free-agent crystal ball: People that have spoken to the Jets' contingent believe new GM John Idzik will limit his free-agent shopping to players in the $1 million-to-$2 million-a-year range. Makes sense, considering the Jets' tight cap situation. The feeling among league insiders is the market will bottom out as soon as the upper-tier free agents land their big contracts. Remember, the salary cap is expected to remain relatively flat. Cap space is an issue for most teams. The Jets might be able to find some good bargains. Their top needs are outside linebacker, safety, guard and running back.

3. Our daily Darrelle: What are the Jets' chances of trading CB Darrelle Revis before the draft? "Not a chance," said one agent, alluding to the lack of cap space around the league. Revis is thought to be seeking about $16 million a year, the annual salary for Bills DE Mario Williams, the highest-paid defensive player. The agent described that deal as an aberration, saying he doesn't expect a cornerback to land a contract that big. One man's opinion -- for what it's worth.

4. The Odd Couple: It's a weird sight, seeing former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum and former Chiefs GM Scott Pioli -- both fired recently -- working together as analysts for the NFL Network. For those not familiar with their backgrounds, Tannenbaum and Pioli used to be close friends, back in the late 1990s, when they worked in the Jets' front office. Pioli followed Bill Belichick to the Patriots, and the Jets-Patriots Border War (see: SpyGate) ruined their friendship. You could almost feel the chill in the air as they sat alongside each other on the TV set.

5. What might have been: It didn't make headlines at the time, but I came across this nugget in a conversation this week with former Redskins GM Vinny Cerrato. He said the Jets were one of three teams at the 2004 combine that expressed an interest in trading for CB Champ Bailey. In fact, Cerrato and Tannenbaum went out to dinner together here in Indianapolis for the sole purpose of discussing a potential trade. As everybody knows, the Redskins wound up shipping Bailey to the Broncos.

6. Hall-of-Fame role model: Wisconsin RB Montee Ball had an interesting response when asked about his running style. He said his idol is former Bronco great Terrell Davis, but added, "I feel I run a lot like Curtis Martin." That a college senior knows about the Jets' Hall of Famer, who last played in 2005, tells me something about the kid. A lot of 20-somethings have no idea about anything that occurred before 2010. Ball could be an interesting option for the Jets in the second round (39th overall).

7. Manti's moment: The size of the news conference reminded me of Tim Tebow's first official day as a Jet. On Saturday afternoon, Notre Dame LB Manti Te'o faced a massive crowd of reporters at the combine, where he was grilled about the infamous girlfriend hoax. He faced 35 questions in 15 minutes, with 31 of them focusing on the embarrassing incident. One wise-guy reporter asked, "Are you dating anybody in real life?" I thought Te'o handled himself well, showing a proper balance of accountability and remorse. As for his NFL potential, one scout told me his team has a second-round grade on Te'o.

8. Unlucky 21: You can't help but be inspired by the attitude of South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore, who is attempting to rebound from a horrific knee injury. Lattimore has received encouraging letters from across the nation, plus South America. The most touching letter came from an elementary school in Kentucky. It sent a picture of the entire student body, on the football field, forming his number -- 21. "They say that in the end, it's not
about football, it's about the person you are," he said. "So that touched me."

9. Think warm thoughts: Bills CEO Russ Brandon, who knows a thing or two about cold-weather football, has a message for those opposed the Super Bowl in New Jersey -- chill out before you criticize.

"It's an idea that will be scrutinized and looked at in every different direction, but we'll have to see how it plays out," he told me. "You have to keep an open mind and embrace it. Living in Buffalo, there are times when you can play golf in January and February as much as people around the country would never think that. It's all about perception." And temperature.

10. A bunch of tweets. The growth of social media has changed the way teams scout players. Many teams will have their security people investigate prospects' Facebook and Twitter pages to see if they uncover any red flags.

"There are some guys on Twitter, and it's like they're trying to be Eddie Haskell now," Seahawks GM John Schneider said. "They're putting out, 'Oh, I'm going to work out and it's 3:30 in the morning.' That's kind of weird, you know? But it does go both ways. You see some things that are very alarming. The Facebook stuff -- a couple years ago, you had that one guy who had a pile of coke and a couple guns sitting there (in a photo). I don't think that bodes very well. I know my boss wouldn't really like that."

[T0mShane]

Re: #2. Turn out the lights, Rex. If that's true and Idzik is going cheap in free agency, he's hanging Rex out to dry.

[AFJF]

Re: #2. Turn out the lights, Rex. If that's true and Idzik is going cheap in free agency, he's hanging Rex out to dry.

Please explain how this is the case. If the Jets had a ton of cap space and took this approach, I would agree. However, given their cap situation, what approach would you expect?

[slats]

Re: #2. Turn out the lights, Rex. If that's true and Idzik is going cheap in free agency, he's hanging Rex out to dry.

Meh, that's just the financial position they're in. If you see Idzik dump big contracts this year like Sanchez' or Holmes', then you're looking at a guy getting hung out to dry.

[ECURB]

Re: #2. Turn out the lights, Rex. If that's true and Idzik is going cheap in free agency, he's hanging Rex out to dry.

If the Jets went 4-12 this year Idzik's job wouldn't be safe, so I doubt he is hanging anyone out to dry.

[T0mShane]

^ Good points. My thinking is that, if Rex is to have any chance of being the Jets coach in 2014, there will have to be some investments made this year to prop up the roster, particularly at QB, OL, and OLB, which are all expensive positions. If Idzik is going to slash and burn and not re-invest, it's hard to see how Rex survives. He won't be allowed go 6-10 in 2013, even if the roster blows like it does now.

[T0mShane]

If the Jets went 4-12 this year Idzik's job wouldn't be safe, so I doubt he is hanging anyone out to dry.

Please. This organization just went through eleven-plus years with dumbsh*ts Bradway and Tannenbaum running the team. The Jets could go 0-16 next year and Idzik would be bulletproof.

[SenorGato]

Re: #2. Turn out the lights, Rex. If that's true and Idzik is going cheap in free agency, he's hanging Rex out to dry.

You decided this before #2, I don't see that same view at all. The Seahawks brought in a ton of their for cheap including their two DE/DTs former busts with no hopes of being anything else amongst others. That #2 wasn't even surprising considering where he came from or written in stone (if there's someone they like and like the price of he will be chased).

[SenorGato]

Please. This organization just went through eleven-plus years with dumbsh*ts Bradway and Tannenbaum running the team. The Jets could go 0-16 next year and Idzik would be bulletproof.

Timeline for a Jets coaching or FO job:

Year One: Bulletproof, possibly Idzgenius

Year Two: Aw WTF it didn't happen yet? We gave you a year of understanding you treacherous, lying dummy (find buzzword to harp on)

Year Three: Holy sh*t is this guy stupid? (firing range years start)

Year Four: ZOMG SO STOOPID

Year Five: :SimpsonsMovieMobPic: (Time limit reached)

He's got three years before the levies start cracking.

[T0mShane]

Timeline for a Jets coaching or FO job:

Year One: Bulletproof, possibly Idzgenius

Year Two: Aw WTF it didn't happen yet? We gave you a year of understanding you treacherous, lying dummy (find buzzword to harp on)

Year Three: Holy sh*t is this guy stupid? (firing range years start)

Year Four: ZOMG SO STOOPID

Year Five: :SimpsonsMovieMobPic: (Time limit reached)

He's got three years before the levies start cracking.

Ya jets fans r so gay

[slats]

^ Good points. My thinking is that, if Rex is to have any chance of being the Jets coach in 2014, there will have to be some investments made this year to prop up the roster, particularly at QB, OL, and OLB, which are all expensive positions. If Idzik is going to slash and burn and not re-invest, it's hard to see how Rex survives. He won't be allowed go 6-10 in 2013, even if the roster blows like it does now.

QB is clearly the black hole, and even if the Jets seriously wanted to invest there, there just aren't (m)any options. Alex Smith for big dollars? No, thank you. Have to imagine they're studying the QBs very closely, hoping to find a potential option somewhere.

But conventional wisdom has the Jets hitting OLB at #9, and probably again later in the draft. The OL is better than most fans think, imho, looking bad because the QBs and RBs are (well) below average. The Jets landing a top RB at the top of the second would go a long way towards improving how the OL is perceived.

I agree with you that slashing and burning is a sure sign he's already decided against Rex in 2014, but just being frugal this year isn't a sign of that. Not yet, anyway.

[T0mShane]

You decided this before #2, I don't see that same view at all. The Seahawks brought in a ton of their for cheap including their two DE/DTs former busts with no hopes of being anything else amongst others. That #2 wasn't even surprising considering where he came from or written in stone (if there's someone they like and like the price of he will be chased).

Sweet. Now all we need is to give a backup QB $8 mil, Marshawn Lynch $31 mil, Sidney Rice $30 mil, and then hit a home run by drafting a Pro Bowl rookie QB in the third round and we'll be just like the Seahawks.

[Maxman]

Sweet. Now all we need is to give a backup QB $8 mil, Marshawn Lynch $31 mil, Sidney Rice $30 mil, and then hit a home run by drafting a Pro Bowl rookie QB in the third round and we'll be just like the Seahawks.

 

And if you were a Seahawks fan you would be even more negative.  You would be screaming about the Super Bowl loss to the Steelers and say they will screw this up as well.

[Gastineau Lives]

Sweet. Now all we need is to give a backup QB $8 mil, Marshawn Lynch $31 mil, Sidney Rice $30 mil, and then hit a home run by drafting a Pro Bowl rookie QB in the third round and we'll be just like the Seahawks.

Marshawn Lynch and Sidney Rice are currently under contract. IMHO no way do I see this happening. It seems an impossibility, actually. I don't see us giving Tebow a raise, either. And college QB's are not eligible for the Pro Bowl and if one happened to make it, I doubt he'd last til the 3rd round . Do you even think about these things before you post them?

[T0mShane]

QB is clearly the black hole, and even if the Jets seriously wanted to invest there, there just aren't (m)any options. Alex Smith for big dollars? No, thank you. Have to imagine they're studying the QBs very closely, hoping to find a potential option somewhere.

But conventional wisdom has the Jets hitting OLB at #9, and probably again later in the draft. The OL is better than most fans think, imho, looking bad because the QBs and RBs are (well) below average. The Jets landing a top RB at the top of the second would go a long way towards improving how the OL is perceived.

I agree with you that slashing and burning is a sure sign he's already decided against Rex in 2014, but just being frugal this year isn't a sign of that. Not yet, anyway.

It will be an interesting draft and off-season for sure. If Idzik has any interest in keeping Rex, you'd think that would greatly influence how he proceeds in the short term. A pro-Rex offseason includes pickups like Matt Moore, Michael Turner, Michael Boley, etc.--stopgaps in the $2-$3 mil per range. On the other hand, if Garrett McIntyre, Bilal Powell, and Mark Sanchez are even considered for starting jobs going into training camp, I think it'll be curtains on 2013. FWIW, I'm of the scorch and burn mind for this year.

[T0mShane]

Marshawn Lynch and Sidney Rice are currently under contract. IMHO no way do I see this happening. It seems an impossibility, actually. I don't see us giving Tebow a raise, either. And college QB's are not eligible for the Pro Bowl and if one happened to make it, I doubt he'd last til the 3rd round . Do you even think about these things before you post them?

lolololol

[T0mShane]

And if you were a Seahawks fan you would be even more negative. You would be screaming about the Super Bowl loss to the Steelers and say they will screw this up as well.

Yeah, I'd be so horrified if I was a Seahawks fan right now.

[Gastineau Lives]

Suck for Manziel. Crap, what rhymes with Manziel? Shlemiel? We can't even luck into a good slogan.

[slats]

It will be an interesting draft and off-season for sure. If Idzik has any interest in keeping Rex, you'd think that would greatly influence how he proceeds in the short term. A pro-Rex offseason includes pickups like Matt Moore, Michael Turner, Michael Boley, etc.--stopgaps in the $2-$3 mil per range. On the other hand, if Garrett McIntyre, Bilal Powell, and Mark Sanchez are even considered for starting jobs going into training camp, I think it'll be curtains on 2013. FWIW, I'm of the scorch and burn mind for this year.

I don't think it's as simple as that. I'm pretty sure they'll all be in the running for starting jobs no matter what Idzik does. They just don't have the cap room to do much else. Of those, Sanchez is the only major sucking problem, and I hope and expect the Jets to try to upgrade all three.

Scorched earth would be eating the Sanchez contract this year so he's off the books in 2014. Or the Holmes contract. I don't see that.

[SenorGato]

Lolololololololo Turner, Boley, and Moore...yeah, they'll save you!

I wouldn't be surprised if any of those guys are Jets anyway.

 

 

Sweet. Now all we need is to give a backup QB $8 mil, Marshawn Lynch $31 mil, Sidney Rice $30 mil, and then hit a home run by drafting a Pro Bowl rookie QB in the third round and we'll be just like the Seahawks.

 

Lynch was a huge coup/steal. Rice just put up 7 TDs (suggestions: go after yards). 

 

 

 

Ya jets fans r so dumb/stoopid.

 

 

 

 

 

.fixt. 

[T0mShane]

I don't think it's as simple as that. I'm pretty sure they'll all be in the running for starting jobs no matter what Idzik does. They just don't have the cap room to do much else. Of those, Sanchez is the only major sucking problem, and I hope and expect the Jets to try to upgrade all three.

Scorched earth would be eating the Sanchez contract this year so he's off the books in 2014. Or the Holmes contract. I don't see that.

I guess it all comes down to what the expectations are for Rex to keep his job, and if Idzik is even interested in discussing that scenario.

If you, slats, were a young GM, would you want Rex as your coach?

[bitonti]

 

But conventional wisdom has the Jets hitting OLB at #9,  

 

 

 Conventional wisdom is true but tanny and paoli both mocked WR to Jets at 9 in a Pre combine top 10 only thing for NFLN. Cord. Patterson. 

[SenorGato]

 Conventional wisdom is true but tanny and paoli both mocked WR to Jets at 9 in a Pre combine top 10 only thing for NFLN. Cord. Patterson. 

Cross WR off then. 

 

Patterson might be the single most overrated player in this draft. Give me Tavon Austin or Robert Woods/Denard Robinson/Others later on.

[Matt39]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/draft-outlook-ik8s730-192799541.html

 

good read from the combine

[T0mShane]

Conventional wisdom is true but tanny and paoli both mocked WR to Jets at 9 in a Pre combine top 10 only thing for NFLN. Cord. Patterson.

I could see this if they cut bait on Holmes.

[Matt39]

Will rex be allowed in the war room when Milner is there at 9?

[T0mShane]

Will rex be allowed in the war room when Milner is there at 9?

Filling Idzik's coffee cup, in rotation with Bradway.

[SenorGato]

Filling Idzik's coffee cup, in rotation with Bradway.

 

Wouldn't he just spill it on Idzgenius' fine tailored suit? Maybe mumble a "boy I tell ya" apology.

[T0mShane]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/draft-outlook-ik8s730-192799541.html

good read from the combine

Every year we get these anonymous scout quotes and every year so many of these guys are proven to be clowns. That's a stat I'd love to see--which scouts get proven wrong the most. I can still remember reading quotes about how Von Miller "raises Gholston flags," or how Russell Wilson would have to be a slot receiver. It's such a dopey-seeming group of hacks.

[T0mShane]

Wouldn't he just spill it on Idzgenius' fine tailored suit? Maybe mumble a "boy I tell ya" apology.

He sucks.

[slats]

I guess it all comes down to what the expectations are for Rex to keep his job, and if Idzik is even interested in discussing that scenario.

If you, slats, were a young GM, would you want Rex as your coach?

  

I'd try to be open minded. Spend the year honestly assessing him. I know he's a good defensive coach. The question is whether he's growing into the head coaching job or not.

 Conventional wisdom is true but tanny and paoli both mocked WR to Jets at 9 in a Pre combine top 10 only thing for NFLN. Cord. Patterson. 

Tanny and Pioli suck.

[SenorGato]

He sucks.

 

Today. You're a Jets fan, all you need is a small gust of wind. 

[Gastineau Lives]

Cross WR off then. 

 

Patterson might be the single most overrated player in this draft. Give me Tavon Austin or Robert Woods/Denard Robinson/Others later on.

Totally.

 

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/8327/cordarrelle-patterson

 

Tennessee WR Cordarrelle Patterson ran forty times of 4.37 and 4.40 at the NFL Scouting Combine.

"With the ball in his hands, he is a special human being," NFL Network's Mike

Mayock quipped. Patterson is considered raw after spending just one

season at D-I, following a JUCO transfer, but his skill set reminds of

Julio Jones and Dez Bryant's with even better elusiveness post-catch.

Patterson is the one wideout in the 2013 class with a legit chance to be

a top-ten pick.

[Matt39]

Every year we get these anonymous scout quotes and every year so many of these guys are proven to be clowns. That's a stat I'd love to see--which scouts get proven wrong the most. I can still remember reading quotes about how Von Miller "raises Gholston flags," or how Russell Wilson would have to be a slot receiver. It's such a dopey-seeming group of hacks.

 

 

everyone is a scout now it seems.

[T0mShane]

The question is whether he's growing into the head coaching job or not.

What can he change this year that he's done in the last four? He's a player's coach who has an inability to come down on his own players, which precedes him from ever being the leader over a long term that he needs to be. His kids-gloves treatment of Sanchez and Holmes, in particular, revealed him to be a buffoon with a fancy defensive scheme, and most definitely not the person to lead a franchise. If he tries to come out next year cracking the whip, I can't see how he maintains any credibility in the locker room. I think Rex is what he is, despite his efforts to tone it down. He's the definition of the Peter Principle/