Antonio Cromartie on Jets return: ‘I didn‘t want to leave’

[Jetfan13]

PHOENIX — Antonio Cromartie and his family are flying back to New Jersey next week to the home they lived in during his four years with the Jets.

It sounds like he’s hoping they can stay.

Cromartie, who played last season for the Cardinals, is scheduled to become a free agent in March. A year after the Jets released him, Cromartie said he is open to a reunion.

“My door is always open to returning,” he said Wednesday. “Everybody knows I didn’t want to leave. I’m going to keep my door open and see what happens.”

Cromartie, 30, is an intriguing option for the cornerback-needy Jets. He played for new coach Todd Bowles last season in Arizona, so he could help Bowles teach his system to the Jets. Cromartie knows many of the players on the team and should be affordable. Cromartie said his family is excited about going back to New Jersey next week, where his kids will return to school.

Jets linebacker Demario Davis spoke to Cromartie recently about Bowles’ defense, and Cromartie said he may get together with Davis soon to help him with it.

“It’s fun, to be honest with you,” Cromartie said of Bowles’ defense. “He’s a big-time guy that has a true open-door policy. If you don’t like something that’s going into the defense, you can always go talk to him and he will throw it out. He’s all about his guys … playing fast and understanding that the simple is easy. That’s really what it’s all about for him.”

 

Modal Trigger

Antonio Cromartie, stretching before the Pro Bowl, is open to reuniting with the Jets and Todd Bowles, who was his defensive coordinator last season in Arizona.Photo: AP

 

Cromartie’s teammate with the Cardinals last season Tyrann Mathieu said the Jets need some talent to play Bowles’ system.

“You’ve got to have some good players on defense. I’ll tell you that,” Mathieu said. “It’s complicated and it’s complex. If you have one or two guys that can kind of control the group, your chances of succeeding are going to be great.”

Mathieu said he was disappointed to see Bowles go.

“I wanted him to stick around for my prime when I get my contract,” he said. “I guess New York is New York.”

Cromartie said it will be a smooth transition for the Jets players to go from Rex Ryan’s defense to Bowles’.

“[They are] very similar,” he said. “I think he blitzes more than Rex. I think this year we blitzed maybe 54, 55 percent of the time. He’s a guy that’s going to make sure he’s always adding pressure to make sure to get the quarterback out of the pocket or make sure the quarterback is making errant throws. The defenses are very similar. For me, it was very simple. It was basically the same calls. To me, it’s the same defense — fire zones, man-to-man coverage, a lot of zero coverage and mixing in other coverages. The guys there should be very excited about it.”

[operaguy]

bump

[Arsis]

bump

You're bumping something from 7 minutes ago? Lol

[Jetlife33]

Bring back Cro.

[AFJF]

You're bumping something from 7 minutes ago? Lol

 

Bump

[BigRy56]

This is a no brainer. Idzik should've never let him go to Arizona in the first place

[rillo]

Idzik!!

[jmat321]

He'll be back and at a good price.  Question is who lines up across from him.

 

I'm not so sure I like what I'm hearing about Bowles and the blitz.  Hopefully he's smarter about it.  Can't take another 6 years of overload blitzes on 3rd and long that result in 30 yard gains for the offense.

[Ghost]

Bump

[faba]

Bowles is going to blitz- be aggressive is his mantra

[BurnleyJet]

I like Cro, seals one of our corner positions, and wants to be here, he's still a very solid corner albeit being injured most of his last season with the Jets.

[TJ]

Baoiemp

[Beerfish]

He stunk the previous year, he was part of the problem and part of a secondary and defense that gave up an ungodly number of long scoring plays.  you cna blame the injury or whatever if you want to but was lousy his last year here and deserved to be moved on from.

[JustInFudge]

Thanks Idzik

[FidelioJet]

This is likely the first move that gets done.  Makes complete sense.

[faba]

Yes second guessing is  always cool- but Cro was awful his previous year maybe because of injury but that is a fact

[flgreen]

IMO Cro is a no brainer.   he won't be to expensive, off a good year, knows the system, and owns a house in NJ.  At this point of his career he probably wants to stay there

[Warfish]

He stunk the previous year, he was part of the problem and part of a secondary and defense that gave up an ungodly number of long scoring plays.  you cna blame the injury or whatever if you want to but was lousy his last year here and deserved to be moved on from.

 

The part Jets Fans seem to forget, he was horrible his last year here.  A massive weakness.

 

If he's cheap, and the deal is very short, fine.  No harm.

 

Otherwise, pass.

[vincenzo69]

This is a no brainer. Idzik should've never let him go to Arizona in the first place

Nah yo it's Wrecks' fault for not exploiting the greatness of Dmitri Patterson

[vincenzo69]

He stunk the previous year, he was part of the problem and part of a secondary and defense that gave up an ungodly number of long scoring plays. you cna blame the injury or whatever if you want to but was lousy his last year here and deserved to be moved on from.

No it was a dumb move just like all the other dumb moves made by a dumb gm working for a dumb owner in 2014.

[The Crusher]

This is a no brainer.  If McDougle come back and stays healthy it's a nice cheap way to start a nice secondary.

[Integrity28]

This is a no brainer. Idzik should've never let him go to Arizona in the first place

 

It was pretty well circulated that the coaching staff didn't want Cro back. Blame Idzik for listening to his coaches. Idzik made an enormous amount of mistakes, this one isn't on him.

[flgreen]

Throw Kareem Jackson in there, and I think the Jets are good to go on D

[LouisvilleSlugger25]

IMO Cro is a no brainer.   he won't be to expensive, off a good year, knows the system, and owns a house in NJ.  At this point of his career he probably wants to stay there

 

Plus  he's loyal and wants to be here as opposed to a clown like Revis. 

[flgreen]

It was pretty well circulated that the coaching staff didn't want Cro back. Blame Idzik for listening to his coaches. Idzik made an enormous amount of mistakes, this one isn't on him.

 

 

Not doubting you, but I don't remember the CS squawking about him.  Any links?

[Shadetree]

Cro is an upgrade over jets current situation but...

He still ain't great..far from it. He's average. We would still need lots of help if we sign him and if Cro is our BEST corner we still have problems.

[Gastineau Lives]

This is a no brainer.  If McDougle come back and stays healthy it's a nice cheap way to start a nice secondary.

You and McDougle

[The Crusher]

You and McDougle

 

 

Watch the kid play at Maryland. IF he is healthy he will prove me right.  He will be the BEST thing and possibly the only thing to come out of Isdicks horrendous draft.  Book it.  

[Beerfish]

No it was a dumb move just like all the other dumb moves made by a dumb gm working for a dumb owner in 2014.

No incorrect, this is the epitome of a hindsight post.  He was sheer and utter garbage the year before,  Here is a list of scoring plays the jets gave up two years ago.

 

72, 48, 31, 28, 61, 34, 43, 51, 53,77,33,39.  Those are td scoring plays.  Our secondary two years ago with Cro being the lynch pin was dreadful.  There was nothing at all wrong with letting him go.  He went to Zona and to his credit got healthy or better or motivate or whatever but he stunk his last year here.

[jetsjets]

McDougle & Milliner will send their entire careers is in the tub. Bring Cro back!!! The man plays with heart and has a love for the team. It's a no brained!

[AFJF]

No incorrect, this is the epitome of a hindsight post.  He was sheer and utter garbage the year before,  Here is a list of scoring plays the jets gave up two years ago.

 

72, 48, 31, 28, 61, 34, 43, 51, 53,77,33,39.  Those are td scoring plays.  Our secondary two years ago with Cro being the lynch pin was dreadful.  There was nothing at all wrong with letting him go.  He went to Zona and to his credit got healthy or better or motivate or whatever but he stunk his last year here.

 

Cro was terrible two years ago, no denying it.  However, given the Jets need for a CB, the amount of cap space they had, knowing Cro had been playing hurt, and the $$ Cro was looking for, it was a bad move to let him go.  With $40 mil in cap room they could have dumped him if he bombed like he had the previous season.  As it turns out of course, he was healthy and played much better while the Jets went to battle with Phillip Adams.

[OuttaSightPF]

PHOENIX — Antonio Cromartie and his family are flying back to New Jersey next week to the home they lived in during his four years with the Jets.

It sounds like he’s hoping they can stay.

Cromartie, who played last season for the Cardinals, is scheduled to become a free agent in March. A year after the Jets released him, Cromartie said he is open to a reunion.

“My door is always open to returning,” he said Wednesday. “Everybody knows I didn’t want to leave. I’m going to keep my door open and see what happens.”

Cromartie, 30, is an intriguing option for the cornerback-needy Jets. He played for new coach Todd Bowles last season in Arizona, so he could help Bowles teach his system to the Jets. Cromartie knows many of the players on the team and should be affordable. Cromartie said his family is excited about going back to New Jersey next week, where his kids will return to school.

Jets linebacker Demario Davis spoke to Cromartie recently about Bowles’ defense, and Cromartie said he may get together with Davis soon to help him with it.

“It’s fun, to be honest with you,” Cromartie said of Bowles’ defense. “He’s a big-time guy that has a true open-door policy. If you don’t like something that’s going into the defense, you can always go talk to him and he will throw it out. He’s all about his guys … playing fast and understanding that the simple is easy. That’s really what it’s all about for him.”

 

Modal TriggerAntonio Cromartie, stretching before the Pro Bowl, is open to reuniting with the Jets and Todd Bowles, who was his defensive coordinator last season in Arizona.Photo: AP

 

Cromartie’s teammate with the Cardinals last season Tyrann Mathieu said the Jets need some talent to play Bowles’ system.

“You’ve got to have some good players on defense. I’ll tell you that,” Mathieu said. “It’s complicated and it’s complex. If you have one or two guys that can kind of control the group, your chances of succeeding are going to be great.”

Mathieu said he was disappointed to see Bowles go.

“I wanted him to stick around for my prime when I get my contract,” he said. “I guess New York is New York.”

Cromartie said it will be a smooth transition for the Jets players to go from Rex Ryan’s defense to Bowles’.

“[They are] very similar,” he said. “I think he blitzes more than Rex. I think this year we blitzed maybe 54, 55 percent of the time. He’s a guy that’s going to make sure he’s always adding pressure to make sure to get the quarterback out of the pocket or make sure the quarterback is making errant throws. The defenses are very similar. For me, it was very simple. It was basically the same calls. To me, it’s the same defense — fire zones, man-to-man coverage, a lot of zero coverage and mixing in other coverages. The guys there should be very excited about it.”

Unless some weird bidding war arises with another team, it's a no brainer to sign him to a 1 year deal and throw him in the nickle. He is perfectly suited for that at this stage of his career. He could be a very impactful nickle back. I just hope we don't bring him in as a #1 CB. Those days are done for him.

[JustInFudge]

Cro was terrible two years ago, no denying it. However, given the Jets need for a CB, the amount of cap space they had, knowing Cro had been playing hurt, and the $$ Cro was looking for, it was a bad move to let him go. With $40 mil in cap room they could have dumped him if he bombed like he had the previous season. As it turns out of course, he was healthy and played much better while the Jets went to battle with Phillip Adams.

Leon McFadden is offended.

[Drums]

Cro had a horrible year his last year here but he seemed like a good leader, and most of the time he was solid.  Seemed that way in AZ too.   I have no problem bringing him back but he definitely can't be the best CB/DB on our roster.  

[AFJF]

Leon McFadden is offended.

 

I'd fell a little bit bad if I knew who that was...oh wait...I think I remember him....yeah, I'd prefer Cro to McFadden AND Adams.