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Damon Harrison &.. free agency ~ ~ ~


kelly

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During the Jets' final four regular season games, they will be fighting for a playoff spot. But in the process, some of their players also will be auditioning for their upcoming free agency. 

One of those pending free agents is nose tackle Damon Harrison, a former undrafted, unknown player from William Penn, an NAIA school in rural Iowa. This is Harrison's fourth NFL season, and third as the Jets' starting nose tackle. This season is an extended audition for Harrison, since he is playing on a one-year restricted free agent tender that pays him $2.356 million. How much more than that will he earn in free agency? Part of that depends on how he finishes his year. 

Nose tackles don't accumulate a lot of statistics, so it's difficult to assess their value based solely on that. But put on film of Harrison, and any organization that wants a 3-4 nose tackle — the Jets included — will like what it sees. At least that is Harrison's mindset as he ponders his own free agency value. "Any coach who has been watching film, you can pretty much tell what I do, as far as holding down the middle of a defense, plugging up the A gaps [on either side of the center] and making tackles," he told NJ Advance Media. "I'm not just out there just holding up blocks. I'm making tackles. Ever since I've played football, I've always been around the ball. And that hasn't changed since I've been in the NFL." 

Harrison hoped this season would bring more pass rushing productivity for him, in new coach Todd Bowles' defense. But Harrison has just half a sack, boosting his career total to 1½. He had a full sack in 2013.Harrison doesn't put a lot of stock into his lack of sacks this season. It's hard for any nose tackle to accumulate sacks, because of double-team blocks. Plus, Harrison usually isn't on the field on third downs, because the Jets play quicker pass rushers. Harrison nonetheless thinks his pass rushing film is impressive. "The numbers haven't been there," he said. "But I've been more active than I've ever been, as far as pass rushing or pushing the pocket. I'm more disruptive than I've ever been."

Harrison is rated eighth among all defensive tackles/nose tackles in the NFL by Pro Football Focus, including fourth as a run stopper — a nose tackle's primary job. He clearly is one of the NFL's best nose tackles, as he was in 2013 and 2014. He has three quarterback hits and eight hurries, compared to three hits and seven hurries all of last season. In 2014, Harrison ranked second in the NFL among defensive tackles/nose tackles with 39 tackles, according to PFF. This season, he is third, with 38. He wasn't lying when he said he is always around the ball. "When people watch, they tend to think that I'm just staying at the line of scrimmage," he said. "But sometimes, I'm doing it for a purpose. When people watch the film, they just think, 'Oh, he's not pass rushing.' But no, it's not like that." 

Sometimes, Harrison said, he stays at the line of scrimmage because he has shallow pass coverage duties."That's something that won't jump out to you if you don't know the scheme or if you don't know the play call," he said. Still, he refuses to believe he has "proved it" this season, in his audition for a more lucrative contract. 

"Not yet," he said. "The season is not over. I think I've done a pretty good job up to this point. I can't let myself feel like I've proven anything. Anything can happen in these last four weeks. I can either [see] my play pick up, or I can decline. Either way, it'll affect it." 

>     http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/damon_harrison_jets.html#incart_river_index

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The $2.3M was the 2nd round tender.  I would be ecstatic to have him back for anywhere near that. Maybe $3-4M per  I wonder how much teams value their 2nd round picks.  I am guessing that last year the team would have been happy enough to have a 2nd and keep Kenrick Ellis.   I don't want to go back to the years of using undersized guys there and praying, but it isn't a position to spend too much on either. 

The Jets have some important pieces that are up as FAs, but aren't big money players.  Fitzpatrick, Ivory, Snacks.  It will be interesting to see what they do with them and Wilkerson.

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The $2.3M was the 2nd round tender.  I would be ecstatic to have him back for anywhere near that. Maybe $3-4M per  I wonder how much teams value their 2nd round picks.  I am guessing that last year the team would have been happy enough to have a 2nd and keep Kenrick Ellis.   I don't want to go back to the years of using undersized guys there and praying, but it isn't a position to spend too much on either. 

The Jets have some important pieces that are up as FAs, but aren't big money players.  Fitzpatrick, Ivory, Snacks.  It will be interesting to see what they do with them and Wilkerson.

Unless they trade Wilk, Snacks isn't coming back... too much money to tie up in the DL.  Hopefully they lock up Fitz and Ivory (and Powell?)

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The $2.3M was the 2nd round tender.  I would be ecstatic to have him back for anywhere near that. Maybe $3-4M per  I wonder how much teams value their 2nd round picks.  I am guessing that last year the team would have been happy enough to have a 2nd and keep Kenrick Ellis.   I don't want to go back to the years of using undersized guys there and praying, but it isn't a position to spend too much on either. 

The Jets have some important pieces that are up as FAs, but aren't big money players.  Fitzpatrick, Ivory, Snacks.  It will be interesting to see what they do with them and Wilkerson.

Yeah, 2nd round tender is probably the way to go.  I also agree that for 4 million, Snacks is well worth it.  Any thing over that have to think about it quite a bit.

Not sure if I am going to get in a bidding war for Ivory.  Love the guy, but he's 29, that's ancient for a RB with his running style. 

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Unless they trade Wilk, Snacks isn't coming back... too much money to tie up in the DL.  Hopefully they lock up Fitz and Ivory (and Powell?)

Yeah, probably.  I would put a value on him and make a quick move to sign him.  If you lock him up fine.  If not, oh well. Just don't insult him, he's done his job.

Yeah, 2nd round tender is probably the way to go.  I also agree that for 4 million, Snacks is well worth it.  Any thing over that have to think about it quite a bit.

Not sure if I am going to get in a bidding war for Ivory.  Love the guy, but he's 29, that's ancient for a RB with his running style. 

He was 2nd round tendered for 2015.  He will be unrestricted.  Ivory is 27 and I don't think he even has 3 seasons worth of carries for a guy like Adrian Peterson.  I wouldn't get in a bidding war for anything that wasn't a QB.  Wilkerson is the one that is going to cost. 

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Let Harrison walk.   Trade Sheldon for whatever.  Re-sign Wilk.

exact opposite of what I would do. Will is no where near worth the money he will demand. Nor even close. Say Mo gets $15M.  Say we give Snacks $4 to $5M. Snacks and $10M for depth is worth more than Wilk, no snacks and $10M less for depth. I do not even think it is close, especially with Leonard playing better.

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Snacks is huge in this Defense. We can sign him back to a reasonable contract. In my opinion you franchise Wilk, make him play one more year and then trade him for draft picks. Leonard in another year will be better and lessen the blow and then sign Sheldon who should not command such a big contract unless he has a great year.

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Rex will dump a pile of money on Snacks doorstep, especially if the Jets win the last game and go to the playoffs

This team can't pay Mo 15M so if that the number then Snacks becomes more valuable

so franchise Mo and trade him for picks

 

I'm not going back to watching the Dewayne Robertsons try to play Nose

 

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Jets nose tackle Damon Harrison made waves this summer when he called himself the best player at the position in the NFL. But he has backed it up this year.

Harrison is having a tremendous season, and is giving the Jets front office a lot to think about this winter when he hits free agency.

“I think I’ve done pretty good thus far,” Harrison said. “Obviously, I’m not having statistical pass rush success [just a half-sack], but if you watch the film, I’m pushing the pocket. I’m active. I’ve actually come close to a lot of sacks this year. I’m just a step too slow. As a whole, stopping the run is something I do. I pride myself on being a good run defender. I could be better, but it’s been OK.”

The Jets do not count on Harrison to provide a pass rush. They rely on him to clog up the middle against the run, and he has been great at that. He had 12 tackles against the Texans a few weeks ago in his best game of the season.Harrison will be a free agent in March. The Jets have to figure out what they are going to do along with the defensive line, with Muhammad Wilkerson also scheduled to hit free agency and Sheldon Richardson heading there in 2018.

It won’t be an easy decision if all three keep playing at a high level.

“Snacks is playing unbelievable, holding the nose position down,” Wilkerson said. “He made a comment before the season that he was the best nose tackle and he’s definitely playing like he’s one of the best.”


RB Chris Ivory’s production in the run game has dropped a bit since his hot start to the season, but he is having an impact as a receiver, too. Ivory has a career-high 24 catches this season. He had five catches against the Giants last week, another career high.“You go in every week, I go in every week thinking we’re going to run the ball, we’re going to do this and what’s happened is we find people playing the run and so it’s opened up some of the pass game and now we’ve started to use him in the pass game some,” offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said. “He’s making some big catches for us in the pass game and getting yards. We’re still trying to get him the ball, sometimes it might be via pass more than it is via run. I go into it every week trying to get the running game going, we just haven’t been as consistent as we need to be.”

>      http://nypost.com/2015/12/12/unbelievable-damon-harrison-is-giving-jets-d-line-quandary/

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jets need to do the exact opposite 

How did Jameis play against one of the worst defenses in NFL history on Sunday, btw?  I didn't see any Jameis cheerleading on the sideline.  He looked frustrated and confused.  That stellar Saints defense can really stifle a QB, I guess...oh wait...

 

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The $2.3M was the 2nd round tender.  I would be ecstatic to have him back for anywhere near that. Maybe $3-4M per  I wonder how much teams value their 2nd round picks.  I am guessing that last year the team would have been happy enough to have a 2nd and keep Kenrick Ellis.   I don't want to go back to the years of using undersized guys there and praying, but it isn't a position to spend too much on either. 

The Jets have some important pieces that are up as FAs, but aren't big money players.  Fitzpatrick, Ivory, Snacks.  It will be interesting to see what they do with them and Wilkerson.

I will be very disappointed if Snacks & Mo Wilkerson don't get locked up this off-season.

That's the heart of the D-line, have to lock them up.

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I will be very disappointed if Snacks & Mo Wilkerson don't get locked up this off-season.

That's the heart of the D-line, have to lock them up.

And to be honest, the smart play would be to extend Wilkerson now - before the off-season.

The Jets front office should get the franchise tag idea out of their head because I can already see that becoming a HUGE off-season/2016 training camp distraction.

Extend Mo now - he has played extremely well and deserves o be re-signed, then concentrate on whatever other players you want to retain in the off-season.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Notes/Quotes  : Harrison Still on a Roll

'Snacks,' Run Defense Ready for Patriots; Thompkins Set to Play His Old Team for the 1st Time

Damon Harrison continues to reign in the middle of the Jets run defense, and he and his front seven mates hope to rain on New  England's rushing attack, whatever approach they choose."I would expect them to try to come out and establish the run," Harrison told me this week, "especially after the game we had last week at Dallas, when they were having some success on the edges running against us.

"But that's yet to be seen. We thought the same thing the first time we played them and it was the total opposite."

That game on Oct. 25 was the first time this season that the Jets set the franchise mark for rushing yards allowed in a game when the Patriots ran for a mere 16 yards. (The record was reset to 12 yards against the Dolphins.) Of course, the Pats had something to do with deciding to run nine times and drop back 57 times in their 30-23 win.But if they try to run between the tackles on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, they'll run into "Snacks." Even Patriots coach Bill Belichick was asked what stands out about the Jets D, and among other things, he said:

"I think Harrison has had a great year. Really hard to block, very disruptive."

Here are two measures of Harrison's disruptiveness.

1. Tackles for Loss/No Gain

He's been throwing his weight around all year in totaling an unofficial Jets-leading 12.0 tackles for loss/no gain. Factor out the zero-yarders and his 6.5 TFLs are tied with rookie Leonard Williams for the team lead.

2. Holding Hot Streak

Harrison's riding a hot streak, having forced opponents into six 10-yard penalties this season and one hold in each of the last four games (against the Dolphins' Jamil Douglas, the Giants' Weston Richburg, the Titans' Andy Gallik and the Cowboys' Zack Martin). For the last such four-game penalty streak by a Jets D-lineman, we have to go back to John Abraham at the start of the 2005 season. As for interior linemen, Harrison's streak is the longest in the last 20 years.

Is the fourth-year nose playing the best football of his career. Harrison said he thinks so, giving an assist to the un-December-like temperatures we're having."This is the time of year when I tend to slow down. It's usually cold. But we've been blessed with good weather the past couple of months, so I'm able still get a good sweat in," he said. "That'll be big for this game, too."

No matter how the Patriots plan to run.

Thompkins Draws a Crowd

Make a game-changing pass in primetime, then prepare to play your former team the next week. That's a recipe for media attention, and so it was today with WR Kenbrell Thompkins surrounded by Jets reporters after practice.Thompkins has been a Patriot for two short stints. As an undrafted rookie in 2013, he caught 32 passes for 466 yards and four TDs. He was waived after Game 3 last season, went to the Raiders, returned to the Pats' practice squad early this year, then was released again before coming to the Jets.

"They're all great guys over there," Thompkins said of his ex-teammates. "It's a great organization, a great team, very well coached, and they do a lot of things well over there, which explains why they're in the position they're in."But now, after his 43-yard catch-and-run to set up the go-ahead field goal against the Cowboys, Thompkins is in position to help do some damage to his original NFL team. He's thankful for the opportunity (he was inactive for Game 6 at Gillette Stadium) but isn't overplaying the importance of his big reception.

"It was just a catch," he said. "If you ask me, I feel like I have a lot more in store. Fortunately it was a great catch for our team, it set us up for a game-winning field goal. But other than that, I feel I have a lot more to show."

>      http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-randylangefb/NotesQuotes-Harrison-Still-on-a-Roll/bf19a181-9e1d-4874-ab6d-ecf35998b162

Posted 18 hours ago

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