Sunday Notes: Plenty of Ammo For D-Jax

[flgreen]

Sunday notes: Plenty of ammo for D-Jax

 

March, 23, 2014

MAR 23

5:00

AM ET

By Rich Cimini | ESPNNewYork.com

 

 

Many happenings around the New York Jets:

 

1. Waiting on DeSean: If the Jets want wide receiver DeSean Jackson, they have the resources to be a major player. They have the need, the cap space (more than $30 million) and the right recruiter (Michael Vick). The question is, do they have the desire?

 

The sense I get from talking to league sources is the Jets have a measured interest in Jackson, which will intensify if he's released by the Philadelphia Eagles -- a distinct possibility if no one is willing to trade for his contract. He has three years, $30 million remaining on the deal. He reportedly is unwilling to renegotiate his deal, which makes a trade less likely. Jackson may not be motivated to re-work the deal because he knows it will force his release, allowing him to reunite with Vick. It's possible that Vick picked the Jets, knowing his former teammate wouldn't be far behind. Could this all be part of John Idzik's master plan?

 

Frankly, I think it would be out of character for Idzik. Jackson is a problem child, the ultimate risk-reward gambit. The mere fact that Chip Kelly is holding a fire sale for his best receiver should tell you something about how badly he wants to rid himself of Jackson. This is Santonio Holmes revisited. The talent makes the player oh-so-tempting, but is he worth the aggravation? Even if Jackson's market dries up and he accepts a team-friendly deal, he'd be complaining next offseason about wanting a new contract. He's a headache waiting to happen, but the Jets appear willing to stock up on aspirin.

 

2. The Marty factor: Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg knows Jackson better than anyone in the Jets' building, having coached him in Philly, but I wonder about that relationship. In May, 2010, Jackson told the Sporting News, "Our offensive coordinator, Marty Mornhinweg, said some things, trying to question my toughness" -- a reference to a 2009 game in which he sat out with a head injury. "I was like, 'Coach, I just got a concussion. This (is) my brain. If it's something else -- my shoulder, whatever -- I'm going to play.'" Based on the quote, it doesn't sound like they're the best of buds.

 

By the way, Jackson suffered two concussions in 2009 and 2010, including a severe concussion that resulted in memory loss -- another factor the Jets should consider.

 

3. 3-21: So on the two-year anniversary of the Tim Tebow trade, Mark Sanchez gets cut, Greg McElroy announces his retirement and Vick joins the team. That has to be cosmos, right?

 

4. Polarizing player: Opinions on the Vick signing are sharply divided among fans and media, which isn't a surprise. I happen to think it's a good deal, but I spoke to one longtime front-office executive who believes Vick, 33, is washed up.

 

"The Jets already have a guy like him ," said the executive, referring to Geno Smith. "If you bring Vick in, you're not thinking. It makes no sense. He's a good kid. He's more mature, he's not a distraction and the players respect him, but he doesn't bring anything to the table anymore -- nothing. He can't win with his legs anymore, he has to win with his head. His arm is good enough, but unfortunately, the arm isn't connected to the head."

 

An AFC personnel scout said of the Vick-for-Sanchez move: "I don't know what to think, to be honest. You swap one out for the other. There's still no long-term solution."

 

5. Penalty pals, revisited: Based on their track records, the Willie Colon-Breno Giacomini tandem on the right side of the offensive line will produce a lot of penalty flags. Colon was penalized a team-high 12 times for 82 yards last season. Giacomini, playing for the Seattle Seahawks, was flagged six times for 39 yards -- in only nine games, mind you. (In addition, he had two holding calls in the postseason.) In 2011 and 2012, he combined for 21 penalties for 172 yards. Unless they change their ways, Colon and Giacomini will invite comparisons to the original Penalty Pals, Jeff Criswell and Dave Cadigan, circa 1993.

 

6. Keeping their own: Penalties notwithstanding, the Jets made a good move to re-sign Colon, who received a one-year, $2 million contract. Only $500,000 is guaranteed; he can also earn $1 million in base salary, plus another $500,000 in roster bonuses if he plays every game. They gave a similar deal to linebacker Calvin Pace, who can make $2.625 million in the first year of a two-year, $5 million contract.

 

All told, the Jets retained seven free agents for a combined total of only $5.255 million in guarantees -- Pace, Colon, Nick Folk, Jeff Cumberland, Ellis Lankster, Darrin Walls and Leger Douzable. That's what you call bargain shopping.

 

7. John the Rigid: The biggest criticism of Idzik, according to some agents and league insiders, is that he shows little or no flexibility in negotiations. He assigns a monetary value to a player and refuses to adjust, they say. That style may help in certain situations, but there are times when you have to examine the big picture and ask yourself, "Do we really want to lose this player over X amount of money?" Idzik's conservative approach probably cost him cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who signed with the New York Giants. So now they have a gaping hole at the position. Barring a trade, or a veteran unexpectedly shaking free, the Jets will have to rely on the draft.

 

8. Bad things come in threes: In a span of 12 days, Idzik jettisoned three of the cornerstone players from the last playoff team, cutting Sanchez, Holmes and Antonio Cromartie. That's a stunning player dump, considering they're all 30 or under. The downside is the amount of "dead" money on the cap. The three players are counting $12.78 million, nearly 10 percent of the entire salary cap.

 

9. Small-school sleeper: Remember this name -- Terrence Fede. The former Marist defensive end is trying to become the first player in his school's history to be drafted. The 6-foot-3, 276 pounder was a stud pass rusher as the Poughkeepsie, N.Y., school, recording 30.5 career sacks. He has an impressive burst on the edge. He performed for scouts recently at the University of Buffalo pro day, clocking a 4.79 in the 40. All 32 teams were in attendance, including Jets scout Cole Hufnagel. Even if he's not drafted, Fede will be a priority free agent.

 

10. The Jets' new dogma: Everybody knows about Vick's sordid history with dog fighting, a crime that resulted in him spending nearly two years in a federal prison. Well, here's something interesting and ironic: One of his new receivers is a dog lover. Eric Decker has a foundation called "Decker's Dogs," which provides service dogs to returning military vets with disabilities. Decker and his wife, Jessica, raise money to help train rescued dogs. They believe rescued dogs have the same success rate as dogs bred for service. You can make donations at DeckersDogs.org.

[wildthing2022000]

4. Vick's a better player for Geno to learn from since they have a similar style of play.

 

8. Who cares how old they are, players who aren't worth their contract are going to get cut.

 

10. Of course everyone knows the Daily News and NY Post won't let us forget about it with their constant dog puns.

[SoFlaJets]

It makes too much sense, that's the big red flag as far as I can see. This GM is so secretive that he won't make ANY moves so as not to tip off anybody we might be playing this season.

[jack48]

Sunday notes: Plenty of ammo for D-Jax

 

March, 23, 2014

MAR 23

5:00

AM ET

By Rich Cimini | ESPNNewYork.com

 

 

Many happenings around the New York Jets:

 

1. Waiting on DeSean: If the Jets want wide receiver DeSean Jackson, they have the resources to be a major player. They have the need, the cap space (more than $30 million) and the right recruiter (Michael Vick). The question is, do they have the desire?

 

The sense I get from talking to league sources is the Jets have a measured interest in Jackson, which will intensify if he's released by the Philadelphia Eagles -- a distinct possibility if no one is willing to trade for his contract. He has three years, $30 million remaining on the deal. He reportedly is unwilling to renegotiate his deal, which makes a trade less likely. Jackson may not be motivated to re-work the deal because he knows it will force his release, allowing him to reunite with Vick. It's possible that Vick picked the Jets, knowing his former teammate wouldn't be far behind. Could this all be part of John Idzik's master plan?

 

Frankly, I think it would be out of character for Idzik. Jackson is a problem child, the ultimate risk-reward gambit. The mere fact that Chip Kelly is holding a fire sale for his best receiver should tell you something about how badly he wants to rid himself of Jackson. This is Santonio Holmes revisited. The talent makes the player oh-so-tempting, but is he worth the aggravation? Even if Jackson's market dries up and he accepts a team-friendly deal, he'd be complaining next offseason about wanting a new contract. He's a headache waiting to happen, but the Jets appear willing to stock up on aspirin.

 

2. The Marty factor: Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg knows Jackson better than anyone in the Jets' building, having coached him in Philly, but I wonder about that relationship. In May, 2010, Jackson told the Sporting News, "Our offensive coordinator, Marty Mornhinweg, said some things, trying to question my toughness" -- a reference to a 2009 game in which he sat out with a head injury. "I was like, 'Coach, I just got a concussion. This (is) my brain. If it's something else -- my shoulder, whatever -- I'm going to play.'" Based on the quote, it doesn't sound like they're the best of buds.

 

By the way, Jackson suffered two concussions in 2009 and 2010, including a severe concussion that resulted in memory loss -- another factor the Jets should consider.

 

3. 3-21: So on the two-year anniversary of the Tim Tebow trade, Mark Sanchez gets cut, Greg McElroy announces his retirement and Vick joins the team. That has to be cosmos, right?

 

4. Polarizing player: Opinions on the Vick signing are sharply divided among fans and media, which isn't a surprise. I happen to think it's a good deal, but I spoke to one longtime front-office executive who believes Vick, 33, is washed up.

 

"The Jets already have a guy like him ," said the executive, referring to Geno Smith. "If you bring Vick in, you're not thinking. It makes no sense. He's a good kid. He's more mature, he's not a distraction and the players respect him, but he doesn't bring anything to the table anymore -- nothing. He can't win with his legs anymore, he has to win with his head. His arm is good enough, but unfortunately, the arm isn't connected to the head."

 

An AFC personnel scout said of the Vick-for-Sanchez move: "I don't know what to think, to be honest. You swap one out for the other. There's still no long-term solution."

 

5. Penalty pals, revisited: Based on their track records, the Willie Colon-Breno Giacomini tandem on the right side of the offensive line will produce a lot of penalty flags. Colon was penalized a team-high 12 times for 82 yards last season. Giacomini, playing for the Seattle Seahawks, was flagged six times for 39 yards -- in only nine games, mind you. (In addition, he had two holding calls in the postseason.) In 2011 and 2012, he combined for 21 penalties for 172 yards. Unless they change their ways, Colon and Giacomini will invite comparisons to the original Penalty Pals, Jeff Criswell and Dave Cadigan, circa 1993.

 

6. Keeping their own: Penalties notwithstanding, the Jets made a good move to re-sign Colon, who received a one-year, $2 million contract. Only $500,000 is guaranteed; he can also earn $1 million in base salary, plus another $500,000 in roster bonuses if he plays every game. They gave a similar deal to linebacker Calvin Pace, who can make $2.625 million in the first year of a two-year, $5 million contract.

 

All told, the Jets retained seven free agents for a combined total of only $5.255 million in guarantees -- Pace, Colon, Nick Folk, Jeff Cumberland, Ellis Lankster, Darrin Walls and Leger Douzable. That's what you call bargain shopping.

 

7. John the Rigid: The biggest criticism of Idzik, according to some agents and league insiders, is that he shows little or no flexibility in negotiations. He assigns a monetary value to a player and refuses to adjust, they say. That style may help in certain situations, but there are times when you have to examine the big picture and ask yourself, "Do we really want to lose this player over X amount of money?" Idzik's conservative approach probably cost him cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who signed with the New York Giants. So now they have a gaping hole at the position. Barring a trade, or a veteran unexpectedly shaking free, the Jets will have to rely on the draft.

 

8. Bad things come in threes: In a span of 12 days, Idzik jettisoned three of the cornerstone players from the last playoff team, cutting Sanchez, Holmes and Antonio Cromartie. That's a stunning player dump, considering they're all 30 or under. The downside is the amount of "dead" money on the cap. The three players are counting $12.78 million, nearly 10 percent of the entire salary cap.

 

9. Small-school sleeper: Remember this name -- Terrence Fede. The former Marist defensive end is trying to become the first player in his school's history to be drafted. The 6-foot-3, 276 pounder was a stud pass rusher as the Poughkeepsie, N.Y., school, recording 30.5 career sacks. He has an impressive burst on the edge. He performed for scouts recently at the University of Buffalo pro day, clocking a 4.79 in the 40. All 32 teams were in attendance, including Jets scout Cole Hufnagel. Even if he's not drafted, Fede will be a priority free agent.

 

10. The Jets' new dogma: Everybody knows about Vick's sordid history with dog fighting, a crime that resulted in him spending nearly two years in a federal prison. Well, here's something interesting and ironic: One of his new receivers is a dog lover. Eric Decker has a foundation called "Decker's Dogs," which provides service dogs to returning military vets with disabilities. Decker and his wife, Jessica, raise money to help train rescued dogs. They believe rescued dogs have the same success rate as dogs bred for service. You can make donations at DeckersDogs.org.

 

 

7.  This is the thing that irks me about Idzik complaints.  There is no evidence that Idzik will not pay a little extra for somebody he really wants. (like Vick). We do not know who he really wants.  And he is not about to tell us---or the writers.  I do not assume that DRC was a must get.  There are all kinds of warning signals about him and the Giants gave him a guarantee that will keep him on the roster for at least 2 years.  It could very well be that the cornerback he would have paid more for was overwhelmed by his home team and signed without putting himself on the market.  You cannot assume that you know who he really wants because some other GM told you (Cimini) that Idzik should get DRC.  The fact that he offered a prove it contract to DRC tells me he was not lusting after the guy.  These writers bas too many of their columns on assumptions.  And too many readers treat assumptions like gospel.

[TuscanyTile2]

Sunday notes: Plenty of ammo for D-Jax

2. The Marty factor: Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg knows Jackson better than anyone in the Jets' building, having coached him in Philly, but I wonder about that relationship. In May, 2010, Jackson told the Sporting News, "Our offensive coordinator, Marty Mornhinweg, said some things, trying to question my toughness" -- a reference to a 2009 game in which he sat out with a head injury. "I was like, 'Coach, I just got a concussion. This (is) my brain. If it's something else -- my shoulder, whatever -- I'm going to play.'" Based on the quote, it doesn't sound like they're the best of buds.

 

By the way, Jackson suffered two concussions in 2009 and 2010, including a severe concussion that resulted in memory loss -- another factor the Jets should consider.

 

I have to admit I don't know "D-Jax" history that well.  But if it's stuff like this that makes him a "bad guy" then I think it's overblown.  I have zero issue w/ his decision the way its described above.  In other words, I think he made the right decision not to play considering he had just incurred a brain injury. 

[Cyberjet]

The Jets already have a guy like him ," said the executive, referring to Geno Smith. "If you bring Vick in, you're not thinking. It makes no sense. He's a good kid. He's more mature, he's not a distraction and the players respect him, but he doesn't bring anything to the table anymore -- nothing. He can't win with his legs anymore, he has to win with his head. His arm is good enough, but unfortunately, the arm isn't connected to the head."

This is getting ridiculous - this executive of what. One thing at the very least is that this move makes sense - Vick knows the system, worked with MM, can help Smith develop - there is some real stupidity out there.

[RSJ]

 

Frankly, I think it would be out of character for Idzik. Jackson is a problem child, the ultimate risk-reward gambit. 

 

 

Some of his signings from last season say otherwise. (Goodson, Winslow, etc), and even Vick this year. I think Idzik is more of a risk/reward guy than anything else and I do not know where you come up with it being out of character to sign a guy like Jackson. If the weight of the risk/reward makes sense than I think Idzik will gamble on a player's character. Similar to the way they do things in Seattle as well. If Santonio Holmes was a pain in the ass - but still playing at a level high enough to warrant 10m a year, he would still be here.

[Arsis]

The Jets already have a guy like him ," said the executive, referring to Geno Smith. "If you bring Vick in, you're not thinking. It makes no sense. He's a good kid. He's more mature, he's not a distraction and the players respect him, but he doesn't bring anything to the table anymore -- nothing. He can't win with his legs anymore, he has to win with his head. His arm is good enough, but unfortunately, the arm isn't connected to the head."

This is getting ridiculous - this executive of what. One thing at the very least is that this move makes sense - Vick knows the system, worked with MM, can help Smith develop - there is some real stupidity out there.

Shipping and receiving.

[Il Mostro]

The concussions and memory loss are overblown.  It's actually a good thing for athletes to have a short memory -- at least that's what the commentators are always saying. 

[unbanmadmike1]

This is hilarious and all the more a sign of Idzik's incompetence because once he hits the FA market the Jets have no advantage over teams like SF or SEA who are interested in him and are super bowl contenders. There are hardly any teams that can trade for him and absorb his cap hit like the Jets can (remember it's only for ONE YEAR) which is their main advantage to get him. Of course Idzik is clueless to that. 

[joewilly12]

This is hilarious and all the more a sign of Idzik's incompetence because once he hits the FA market the Jets have no advantage over teams like SF or SEA who are interested in him and are super bowl contenders. There are hardly any teams that can trade for him and absorb his cap hit like the Jets can (remember it's only for ONE YEAR) which is their main advantage to get him. Of course Idzik is clueless to that. 

Agree he hits the open market he wont sign with the Jets. Trade for him and then renegotiate his contract its the only way DeSean Jackson becomes a Jet.

[77DRAFT]

10 Mil is his price. Take it or leave it.

[flgreen]

Agree he hits the open market he wont sign with the Jets. Trade for him and then renegotiate his contract its the only way DeSean Jackson becomes a Jet.

 

He won't renegotiate his contract, that's what this is all about. He has 3 years 30 million left.  It's OK though.  If they trade a late draft pick he only has $250,000 of the guaranteed money  remaining I believe. 

 

If he plays like he's paid, great, pay him again.  If he plays like a dog, cut him

[flgreen]

Eckel: A great mystery surrounds DeSean Jackson-Eagles saga

 

 

Exactly why the Eagles are trying to trade DeSean Jackson is a mystery everyone would like solved. (Martin Griff/The Times)

Mark Eckel/The Times of Trenton By Mark Eckel/The Times of Trenton

on March 24, 2014 at 6:00 AM, updated March 24, 2014 at 6:35 AM

 

 

 

Maybe when it’s all said and done — and that could be any day now, it will be explained to us.

 

Then again, that’s what people thought about the Kennedy assassination 50 years ago, and we’re still not sure what was in that grassy knoll.

 

The Eagles are going to trade wide receiver DeSean Jackson. They are not going to get anything close to equal value for him. And at least on paper, they are not going to be as good of a team without him.

 

So why are they doing it?

 

Sometimes you have to subtract what you don’t want in order to get what you want.

 

Obviously head coach Chip Kelly doesn’t want Jackson on his team, and after turning a 4-12 mess into a 10-6 playoff team, Kelly has earned the right to decide what he wants and what he doesn’t want.

 

And he doesn’t want Jackson.

 

Maybe it’s his size — a listed 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, which is probably a tad shorter and a little lighter?

Kelly made it clear from the time he arrived from Oregon that he liked big players. “Big people beat up little people,” he has said more than once.

 

Because it’s certainly wasn’t the team-high 82 receptions he had in one year of Kelly’s offense.

 

Maybe it’s his off-the-field, “hip-hop” lifestyle and the people in it? Although Riley Cooper’s off-the-field “country-western” lifestyle got him a new five-year contract, despite just a little more than half of Jackson’s 82 catches last year.

 

Because it certainly wasn’t Jackson’s 1,332 receiving yards, which again was a team-high and ranked ninth best in the league.

DeSean Jackson, Asante Samuel

 

Maybe the Eagles want to trade DeSean Jackson because of the kind of season he had in 2013 — 82 catches for 1,332 yards and nine touchdowns.

 

 

Maybe it’s some of his behavior on some social media outlets, although could it be any worse than running back LeSean McCoy’s tete-a-tete with the mother of his child that surfaced just around this time a year ago?

 

Because it couldn’t have been his team-high nine touchdown catches.

 

Maybe it’s the $10.2 million salary he’s due this year, which takes up over $12 million of salary cap space. Kelly has never seemed to care about contracts before, and even with Jackson’s large numbers, the Eagles are still around $16 million or so under the cap.

 

Hey listen, Jackson isn’t a choir boy; he’s a rapper. And the Eagles knew this when they drafted him, although that was under an entirely different regime.

 

That brings up an interesting point in all of this. As names for teams — New England, San Francisco, Oakland, the Jets — pop up as to where Jackson could be headed, receiver-starved Kansas City and the man who did draft him, Andy Reid, are never mentioned.

 

Maybe Reid, who suspended Jackson once, knows what Kelly knows and what the rest of us don’t.

 

 

The Eagles want to get rid of DeSean Jackson? Fine. No big deal. The upcoming NFL Draft is supposedly deep at the wide-receiver position. So the Birds can easily get a wide receiver there like Freddie Mitchell or ...

 

 

What Reid did know was how to beat the Eagles last year — and that was to stop Jackson. In the Chiefs’ Week 3 win over Kelly and the Eagles last year, Kansas City’s defense kept a safety deep and over the top all night, shadowing Jackson.

 

He didn’t care that McCoy ran for 158 yards, because all of that added up to just 16 points. Holding Jackson to three catches and 62 yards is what helped the Chiefs win that night.

 

For that matter, in the five games Jackson went over 100 yards receiving last year, the Eagles scored 33, 30, 36, 49 and 30 points; that’s an average of over 39 per game.

 

The first four times last year Jackson was held to 63 yards or less, the Eagles scored 16, 20, 3 and 7 points, an average of less than 12 points per game, and lost all four games.

 

Then something strange happened.

 

Four times in the final five games of the regular season, Jackson was held to 59 yards or less, and the Eagles won all four games, scoring 24, 34, 54 and 24 points along the way.

 

So maybe Kelly watches those four games and thinks his offense would be just fine without the small, rapping, salary-cap eating wide receiver.

 

 

He just better hope Jeremy Maclin, who averaged just over 60 catches and just over 850 yards in his four seasons before he tore his ACL, comes back healthy and better than he was in the old system. And he better hope that Cooper’s good half of a season wasn’t just a mirage.

 

Of course, without Jackson, the Eagles will add a receiver in a receiver-rich draft just as they did when they added Freddie Mitchell and Greg Brown and Na Brown and Todd Pinkston.

 

Yes, I know that was the other regime, but the point is you don’t know what you’re getting in the draft. Last year, 28 receivers were drafted, 11 of them in the first three rounds, and one (Keenan Allen) finished in the top 50 in the league in receptions.

 

So who knows?

 

Once Jackson is gone, maybe we all will.

 

 

Contact Mark Eckel at meckel@njtimes.com

[Stonehands]

I think back to last season for example, there was a play early in the season where Geno is running towards the line in the red zone and throws a laser about a foot off the ground to Clyde Gates in the end zone who can't handle the pass. When that play is over, who is more apt to be able to give Geno advice on how to make that play better?  Michael Vick who has made similar plays himself or Josh McCown?  Vick is really the best mentor you could hope for right now because he plays a similar games and sees the field with the same opportunities as Geno does.

[JustInFudge]

The Jets already have a guy like him ," said the executive, referring to Geno Smith. "If you bring Vick in, you're not thinking. It makes no sense. He's a good kid. He's more mature, he's not a distraction and the players respect him, but he doesn't bring anything to the table anymore -- nothing. He can't win with his legs anymore, he has to win with his head. His arm is good enough, but unfortunately, the arm isn't connected to the head."

This is getting ridiculous - this executive of what. One thing at the very least is that this move makes sense - Vick knows the system, worked with MM, can help Smith develop - there is some real stupidity out there.

 

No doubt.  And the it doesnt make sense in the long term is a laugh too...he's on a 1 year contract, Vick wont be a Jet in 2015.

[jgb]

This is hilarious and all the more a sign of Idzik's incompetence because once he hits the FA market the Jets have no advantage over teams like SF or SEA who are interested in him and are super bowl contenders. There are hardly any teams that can trade for him and absorb his cap hit like the Jets can (remember it's only for ONE YEAR) which is their main advantage to get him. Of course Idzik is clueless to that. 

 

well the one thing we have going for us is desean is revis a couple years back-- $$ talks, everything else walks. if jets want him, they can get this player.