Jump to content

Hutchison on Coles situation in Star-Ledger today


faba

Recommended Posts

<H1 class=red>Jets, Coles negotiating a deal

</H1>

Tuesday, March 18, 2008 BY DAVE HUTCHINSON

Star-Ledger Staff

The Jets and the representatives for unhappy wide receiver Laveranues Coles are close to hammering out a compromise in a contract stalemate that would result in the veteran reporting to the team's voluntary offseason workouts later this week or early next week, according to someone familiar with the ongoing negotiations.

That person spoke on the condition of anonymity because he's not authorized to speak publicly for the team.

[xIt's unclear what type of agreement the Jets and Coles are nearing, but the person characterized it as a "win-win for both sides."

Coles' agent, Roosevelt Barnes, was unavailable for comment. The Jets don't comment on contract talks per team policy.

Coles, who is seeking a long-term deal, was a no-show yesterday for the first day of the Jets' offseason program.

In the aftermath of the bitter and public contract impasse with veteran left guard Pete Kendall last summer, the Jets want this situation to come to a quick and quiet resolution.

Nose tackle Dewayne Robertson, whom the team has twice tried to trade in the past three weeks to the Bengals and Broncos, respectively, was the only other no-show.

It was thought Robertson would report because general manager Mike Tannenbaum said he wouldn't rule out bringing Robertson back next season if he can't be traded. The Broncos remain interested, as are the Lions.

Neither Coles nor Robertson can be fined because the workouts are voluntary.

Coles, 30, has said that the organization lied to him for the past two seasons about giving him a long-term contract. He has threatened to stay away until the start of training camp in July.

Coles has been steadfast in his demand for a new contract although the Jets have taken the unprecedented step in team history of offering to guarantee the final two years ($11 million) of his contract.

Coles says that's money he's going to earn anyway and feels he has earned the security of a long-term contract. The Jets have denied his request to seek a trade on his own.

Meanwhile, 15-year veteran wide receiver Troy Brown (Patriots) visited the Jets yesterday. It's unlikely they would sign the 36-year old and are likely just trying to tweak the Patriots. Last season, Brown didn't catch a pass and missed the first 11 games of the season following offseason knee surgery.

The Jets yesterday officially signed tight end Bubba Franks to a one-year, $1.6 million deal.

Though tight end Chris Baker and safety Kerry Rhodes are looking for new deals, both are participating in the offseason program.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The first article on Profootballtalk.com is JETS Caving to Coles ? and speaks of the Hutch. article ,we are setting a bad president here .Tann. better get ready for a long line at his door for everyone else on the team who thinks they deserve more ,don`t be suprised to see the Coachs get in that line also as long as Woody throwing extra cash around!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I cannot wait to see what this deal is going to be with Coles....keeping spending that money Jets, I am sure Rhodes keeps tapping on his calculator.

Rhodes is going for top dollar regardless of what the Jets do with Coles or anyone else. I'd say the Jets having improved the team is the best chance of keeping Rhodes long term.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

most times players do not care about the teams success especially when they have not landed their first big deal. The Jets could have saved money by getting him done earlier this offseason..now who knows

I believe the Jets understand that the earlier you resign a guy the cheaper the deal, which is why they did this with Thomas and Cotchery. Anyway, I keep reading that they have been negotiating with Rhodes. I wouldn't assume that its the Jets fault that he hasnt yet been extended. He has always struck me as a tough guy to sign.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe the Jets understand that the earlier you resign a guy the cheaper the deal, which is why they did this with Thomas and Cotchery. Anyway, I keep reading that they have been negotiating with Rhodes. I wouldn't assume that its the Jets fault that he hasnt yet been extended. He has always struck me as a tough guy to sign.

of course its not the Jets fault. hollywood rhodes is all about the money now. this is his chance to cash in. he's coming off of a couple of good years, he's healthy and there's no security in hollywood.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tannenbaum should hire someone to give Coles another concussion prior to signing any new deals. Let it be a non-football injury & we can drop this scumbag.

All we need to hear is Coles sounding off about training camp & how his buddy Chad isn't starting & that Chad & Hermtard were the only reasons he came here & basically that a petulant child like Coles should always get what he wants in life while getting paid incredible millions to live it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chris Baker is seeking a new deal?????? Wasn't he free agent last year and came crawling back when no one showed any interest? He needs to get a grip on reality and be thankful he has a job.

Baker was a free agent when Mangini first got here. He scoffed at the contract Tannenbaum offered him & shopped himself around the league. No one offered him a deal & he might have been 3rd string on someone's team for the league minimum. Came back to us with his tail between his legs and accepted the $2M in year one he was assured to get from the Jets.

Baker did redo his deal a little in November. But that was only to move 2008 cap space into 2007. He'll claim it was a for-the-team move, but what he got was effectively half a million dollars of 2008's salary in the last 2 months of 2007.

He was paid at an $850K rate through the first 9 weeks & after redoing his deal a little, was paid at a $2.4M rate for the balance of the season. But in exchange for that, the Jets dropped his 2008 base salary from $1M to $683K and removed a $400K roster bonus he would have otherwise gotten in either March or June.

He won't sit out because of a $100,000 workout bonus anyway. But this year, the #2 TE is getting paid $1M more than the backup TE. Or that's what he'll claim. Nevermind that it isn't true; he got more money for 2008 but we were goodly enough to pay it to him in 2007.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chris Baker is seeking a new deal?????? Wasn't he free agent last year and came crawling back when no one showed any interest? He needs to get a grip on reality and be thankful he has a job.

the problem is finding the replacement. baker isn't elite at his position but he's pretty solid and he knows the offense. i think a lot of the pressure on the jets is that they want to win now and need to keep all the pieces in tact for a run.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When they upped Baker's pay last year, it only affected his 2007 compensation for half a season, as he was paid at the $850K rate for the first 9 weeks. So that's about $700K more he got paid in '07.

But then in 2008 they dropped his base pay by $300K and took away a $400K RB he was due this year. From '07 to '08 he makes the same money.

I don't see where the $800K "new money" comes from. In the end he gets the same amount.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jets have been neglecting the TE and WR positions past couple years and now its coming back to haunt us. Coles and Baker know we don't have any viable replacements so they're trying to hijack the off-season.

Baker may only be looking for a couple of bucks, as he doesn't make that much relative to other (veteran) starting TE's.

Coles is just an a-hole. For him to say, in so many words, "Well, that $11M I've already got, so guaranteeing it ain't s**t. I know you gave me $8M in bonus money, after you traded a Santana Moss for me (only to make the pro bowl elsewhere), and after I took $13M to get away from your team in the first place. But what have you done for me lately?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm guessing that if its a "win-win" for both sides that his contract will be expanded another two or three years, making it a four or five year deal, with clauses where the Jets can opt out after the thrid or fourth season, I would suppose. Lets see what happens.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm guessing that if its a "win-win" for both sides that his contract will be expanded another two or three years, making it a four or five year deal, with clauses where the Jets can opt out after the thrid or fourth season, I would suppose. Lets see what happens.

As long as no more than the same $11M is guaranteed, then something like that is fine I guess.

I still think he's bad for the team. For my taste, particularly for a team captain, he's too critical of the FO and coaches both behind the scenes and to the press.

What's going to happen if we draft a WR and the new guy & Cotch are both better than Coles? You think he's going to be a "team first" guy & take a demotion without cackling to anyone who will listen?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As long as no more than the same $11M is guaranteed, then something like that is fine I guess.

I still think he's bad for the team. For my taste, particularly for a team captain, he's too critical of the FO and coaches both behind the scenes and to the press.

What's going to happen if we draft a WR and the new guy & Cotch are both better than Coles? You think he's going to be a "team first" guy & take a demotion without cackling to anyone who will listen?

If Coles is healthy then a rookie will be hardpressed to be better option at WR. He is a fantastic WR, not to be underestimated.

Still, I would play hardball and be willing to lose him, if necessary. The odds of Coles being an effective WR for more than two more years IMO is very low. And for all the money the Jets have recently spent I still view them as building for the long term. In this case, better for the Jets organization to continue building the character and unity of the team than to accede to the wishes of Laverneous Coles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If Coles is healthy then a rookie will be hardpressed to be better option at WR. He is a fantastic WR, not to be underestimated.

Still, I would play hardball and be willing to lose him, if necessary. The odds of Coles being an effective WR for more than two more years IMO is very low. And for all the money the Jets have recently spent I still view them as building for the long term. In this case, better for the Jets organization to continue building the character and unity of the team than to accede to the wishes of Laverneous Coles.

I agree, but I just don't like the guy.

The FO put is in a bind by not bringing in another real WR. We've added Tim Dwight, drafted Brad Smith in the 4th round (who never played the position before), and Chansi Stuckey in the 7th round.

If they even brought in a guy like DJ Hackett that would allow us to draft a WR who doesn't need to step in right away and be "better than Coles" in year one.

We'll see what the compromise is. If we gave him another $10M bonus then I'd be pissed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree, but I just don't like the guy.

The FO put is in a bind by not bringing in another real WR. We've added Tim Dwight, drafted Brad Smith in the 4th round (who never played the position before), and Chansi Stuckey in the 7th round.

If they even brought in a guy like DJ Hackett that would allow us to draft a WR who doesn't need to step in right away and be "better than Coles" in year one.

We'll see what the compromise is. If we gave him another $10M bonus then I'd be pissed.

I can see them accelerating payments and extending the deal but I doubt they will offer much more guaranteed money. I guess we'll see when we see.

I wonder if he will give Kendall a small payoff for having softened up the FO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The first article on Profootballtalk.com is JETS Caving to Coles ? and speaks of the Hutch. article ,we are setting a bad president here .Tann. better get ready for a long line at his door for everyone else on the team who thinks they deserve more ,don`t be suprised to see the Coachs get in that line also as long as Woody throwing extra cash around!

Fine his ass everyday till he has not money left for not showing up

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...