Kentucky Jet Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 JETS, GHOLSTON CLOSING IN ON SIX-YEAR, $45M DEAL By MARK CANNIZZARO Posted: 3:44 am July 25, 2008 When coach Eric Mangini, who almost never delivers news nuggets at his press conferences, told reporters after yesterday's morning practice kicked off Jets' training camp, "We may have a Vernon Gholston sighting here in the near future," that was a clear sign that Gholston has likely agreed to terms on his rookie contract. Though terms were not yet available, Gholston, the sixth overall pick in the draft, likely will sign a six-year deal worth somewhere around $45 million. * Tight end Chris Baker, several weeks removed from his minicamp torching of Jets management over what he claimed were broken promises about working out a new contract for him, took a kinder, gentler stance at the start of training camp. Baker, who in the spring was livid at the Jets for refusing to even speak to his agent about a renegotiation of his contract, said his agent and Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum have been talking for the last week. "The two sides are talking; that's encouraging," Baker said. "That's a good thing, as opposed to month ago when there wasn't much of anything going on. "I wanted to come into camp and be ready to come back onto the field and concentrate just on football," Baker added. "I want to really focus on that aspect of it and not be bitter." Baker's agent, Jonathan Feinsod, declined to comment when reached, which means it's rather obvious that Tannenbaum told Feinsod and Baker to tone down their public rants if he was going to make any move toward a solution. Baker, who's on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list with what is believed to be a back ailment, said he "didn't feel like a part of the team in the offseason" and he boycotted the offseason program. Baker also said he believes he will be off the PUP list very soon. "I felt very good (yesterday) working out," he said. "The last couple of days I didn't feel so hot. But I've been feeling a little better each day." * The morning practice went for a little less than two hours, something the players were raving about. "It was a good. Short and sweet today," safety Kerry Rhodes said. Added WR Laveranues Coles: "He [Mangini] threw us a bone today. We don't want to make him upset. Right now I'm excited about it." Mangini said, "The important thing for us and for the team to understand is tempo and finish. We've got to be able to get done the things we need to get done in a more concentrated amount of time. If we can't, then the only thing you can do is add time." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted July 25, 2008 Author Share Posted July 25, 2008 SMART MONEY STILL ON CHAD FOR STARTERS: Kellen Clemens (11) has the ball during the Jets' first practice of camp yesterday, but Jay Greenberg says the third-year man will be watching Chad Pennington behind center on opening day. Posted: 3:44 am July 25, 2008 WHAT were the odds? Longer than Chad Pennington can get a football downfield, for sure. At the end of 2007, Pete Kendall had a better chance of coming back to the Jets than Pennington. Eric Mangini had a greater shot at running Bill Belichick's booth at a video camera trade show. "Things didn't look too bright for No. 10 standing in green, that's for sure," Dangling Chad said yesterday. And now that he is, much of Jets Nation mistakenly believes things don't look too bright for the green in 2008. Kellen Clemens, the quarterback of the future who replaced Pennington in Game 8, largely flopped, so Mangini and GM Mike Tannenbaum flip-flopped. The best backup they could get was the one they had already under contract, albeit one with a $7 million cap hit for 2008. That's a lot to spend on insurance. But having forked over $141 million to free agents to rebuild their offensive line and give themselves a pass rush, the Jets had to pay up or risk another 4-12 while finding out Clemens can't do the job. The fact that they were not prepared to make that sacrifice suggests Clemens has to beat out Pennington during this camp, not the other way around. If the kid can't, and the Jets are using a high pick next April on a quarterback, there are worse things - including at least half of the NFL's current starting quarterbacks compared to Pennington on two good legs. Turns out, he only had one a year ago. "Two torn ligaments in my right ankle, it was extremely difficult," he said yesterday. "The first two months of my offseason was re-centering my whole body that had shifted to the left. "That was one of those injuries that showed me your base is so important. Everything is connected from the ground up." Because winning in the NFL starts from the ground up, the Jets hope to pound the run, manage the ball, something a quarterback who has been around nine years and won two playoff games can handle. Alan Faneca and Damien Woody were signed to better watch the quarterback's back, and Pennington is determined to strengthen the wet noodle extending from his right shoulder through improved mechanics. "You look at the good throwers in this league, they really use their bodies really well," he said. "They don't leave their arms hanging out to dry. "I want to become a consistent thrower downfield. If you don't get your body in position, it doesn't matter how strong your arm is. It causes inconsistency." The accuracy of the most accurate passer in NFL history suffered last year more because of his legs than because of his twice-surgically-repaired shoulder, which, remember, was plenty strong enough to get a Jets team with no running game to 10-6 and the playoffs in 2006. This is a proven leader who at age 32 has more years remaining to win games than Brett Favre, plus a lot less ambivalence about playing and a greater desire to be in New York. If the Jets really believe they can win more by next year with Clemens, they should go with him. But if they were confident of that, Pennington would be gone and somebody cheaper and easier on a second-year starters' sense of security would be holding the clipboard. "I am here, so let's take advantage and roll with it," Pennington said. Signs point to the Jets thinking the same way. As they should until Clemens provides reason to believe otherwise. jay.greenberg@nypost.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish Jet Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 JETS, GHOLSTON CLOSING IN ON SIX-YEAR, $45M DEAL By MARK CANNIZZARO Posted: 3:44 am July 25, 2008 When coach Eric Mangini, who almost never delivers news nuggets at his press conferences, told reporters after yesterday's morning practice kicked off Jets' training camp, "We may have a Vernon Gholston sighting here in the near future," that was a clear sign that Gholston has likely agreed to terms on his rookie contract. Though terms were not yet available, Gholston, the sixth overall pick in the draft, likely will sign a six-year deal worth somewhere around $45 million. * Tight end Chris Baker, several weeks removed from his minicamp torching of Jets management over what he claimed were broken promises about working out a new contract for him, took a kinder, gentler stance at the start of training camp. Baker, who in the spring was livid at the Jets for refusing to even speak to his agent about a renegotiation of his contract, said his agent and Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum have been talking for the last week. "The two sides are talking; that's encouraging," Baker said. "That's a good thing, as opposed to month ago when there wasn't much of anything going on. "I wanted to come into camp and be ready to come back onto the field and concentrate just on football," Baker added. "I want to really focus on that aspect of it and not be bitter." Baker's agent, Jonathan Feinsod, declined to comment when reached, which means it's rather obvious that Tannenbaum told Feinsod and Baker to tone down their public rants if he was going to make any move toward a solution. Baker, who's on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list with what is believed to be a back ailment, said he "didn't feel like a part of the team in the offseason" and he boycotted the offseason program. Baker also said he believes he will be off the PUP list very soon. "I felt very good (yesterday) working out," he said. "The last couple of days I didn't feel so hot. But I've been feeling a little better each day." * The morning practice went for a little less than two hours, something the players were raving about. "It was a good. Short and sweet today," safety Kerry Rhodes said. Added WR Laveranues Coles: "He [Mangini] threw us a bone today. We don't want to make him upset. Right now I'm excited about it." Mangini said, "The important thing for us and for the team to understand is tempo and finish. We've got to be able to get done the things we need to get done in a more concentrated amount of time. If we can't, then the only thing you can do is add time." I thought I heard everyone say it was 5 years. Great news if it's true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted July 25, 2008 Author Share Posted July 25, 2008 July 24, 2008 Pennington Played With Torn Ligaments Chad Pennington acknowledged publicly for the first time that he played with two torn ligaments in his right ankle, suffered when he was injured in the opening game of last season against the Patriots, and said it hampered him the rest of the season. "It was an injury that I could easily have taken three weeks off, but you guys know how I am, I didn't believe it that,'' he said. In a mild surprise, even Mangini spoke yesterday about Pennington's injury, saying, "He had a pretty serious ankle injury and he fought through it, worked through it. It's tough when you get banged up early and the train doesn't stop. You've got to keep going. It's something he handled really well.'' Buzz up!Posted by web editor at 04:03 PM | Comments (10) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted July 25, 2008 Author Share Posted July 25, 2008 Jets Begin Hofstra Swan Song by: Joe Pietaro | NY Sportscene Magazine | Friday, July 25, 2008 At least for one more summer, the Jets will appear to be a New York Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted July 25, 2008 Author Share Posted July 25, 2008 QB BATTLE BEGINS PENNINGTON, CLEMENS COMPETITION UNDERWAY By MARK CANNIZZARO QB OR NOT QB: Jets veteran quarterback Chad Pennington throws a pass during the opening day of training camp at Hofstra. Pennington is battling Kellen Clemens for the starting quarterback job. Last updated: 4:08 am July 25, 2008 Posted: 3:44 am July 25, 2008 On the first day of Jets training camp - the first of many two-a-day practices and the first 11-on-11 team drill while in the midst of a competition for the Jets starting quarterback job - Kellen Clemens threw an interception right into the hands of linebacker Eric Barton. "Not the way you want to get started," Clemens said after yesterday's opening practice at Weeb Ewbank Hall. Asked if, while in the throes of his battle with incumbent Chad Pennington, the interception weighed on his mind, Clemens said jokingly, "Why, because Chad didn't throw a pick today?" "This is more of a marathon than a sprint," Clemens said, turning serious. "I don't think (coach Eric Mangini) is going to make the decision this afternoon. If he does, (the interception) is going to haunt me a little more." Mangini did not name a starter yesterday, so the Clemens pick didn't hurt his cause irreparably. Clemens, though, did seek out Barton and talk to him about the pick and why he was positioned where he was in an effort to learn from the mistake. "They were in a drop-eight coverage, which is difficult to throw into, and Barton did a good job of reading my eyes," Clemens said. "I tried to look him off to the right and come back to Laveranues (Coles) on the left. (Barton) wasn't where he was supposed to be, and I threw it where he wasn't supposed to be, but that's a veteran play by Barton. "I wanted to ask him, 'Why were you there?' We had a little conversation, so the next time that play is called against that coverage I don't make the same mistake again." This began the ballyhooed quarterback competition, which will be the theme of this training camp until Mangini delivers his final answer on who will lead the Jets into Miami to play the Dolphins in the season opener Sept. 7. Mangini said he has no "special timetable" regarding when he will name the starter. "I dated Julie a long time before we got engaged," Mangini said jokingly. As for the rampant Brett Favre rumors that have been swirling about possible Jets interest, Mangini said, "I'm really happy with the quarterbacks we have on roster right now and the quarterbacks we have in camp." Pennington sounded disinterested in any Favre talk. When asked if he felt because the Jets don't appear to be interested in Favre is a "vote of confidence" in him and Clemens, Pennington said, "In this business you can't rely on votes of confidence. "If you rely on votes of confidence, you are going to be disappointed a lot of the time and that takes your focus off what it should be, which is to better yourself. All of us want the organization to believe in us. Pennington said publicly for the first time that he played with two torn ligaments in his right ankle, suffered when he was injured in the opening game last season against the Patriots, and he said it hampered him the rest of the season. "It was an injury that I could easily have taken three weeks off, but you guys know how I am," he said. mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted July 25, 2008 Author Share Posted July 25, 2008 Report: Jets, top pick Gholston agree to deal BY ERIK BOLAND | erik.boland@newsday.com July 25, 2008 Linebacker Vernon Gholston, the Jets' top draft pick, missed the first day of training camp, a total of two practices, but his absence isn't expected to last much beyond that. The Jets and Gholston, the No. 6 overall pick of April's draft, reportedly reached an agreement on a five-year contract yesterday with the holdup of an official announcement likely because the NFL Management Council had yet to approve the contract. Every contract must be submitted to and approved by the Council and the finer the print and more intricate a deal is, the longer that process can take. At press time last night, that had not yet occurred with the Gholston deal, though if it occurred late last night or this morning, Gholston should be at this afternoon's 1:30 p.m. practice. It is not a stretch to assume this contract is of the intricate category as that was precisely the kind of deal the Jets put together last season in finally ending top-pick Darrelle Revis' contract dispute after 20 days. General manager Mike Tannenbaum called Revis' contract "extraordinarily complicated," after it was signed and it had to be, running 47 pages in length. An official announcement of Gholston's deal seemed imminent when, during the opening statement of his news conference late yesterday morning, Jets coach Eric Mangini, for whom the word "coy" generally doesn't exist when it comes to giving information, brought up Gholston. "We may have a Vernon Gholston sighting here in the near future," Mangini said with a smile. "I'll keep you posted on that, but I think we have a shot to see that." It appears that will happen for the public soon enough. Just not yesterday. E-mailShare Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Fark Google Newsvine Reddit Yahoo PrintReprint Related topic galleries: Contracts, National Football League, New York Jets, Football All topicsGet breaking news | Most popular stories | Dining and Travel deals all via e-mail! Copyright Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted July 25, 2008 Author Share Posted July 25, 2008 Baker happy now that his agent, Jets are talking BY ERIK BOLAND | erik.boland@newsday.com July 25, 2008 The last time tight end Chris Baker spoke to the media, he said his gut feeling was that he wouldn't be with the Jets when they play their 2008 season opener in Miami. It now seems possible that he will be. Although Baker didn't sound as if everything was ideal yesterday, it certainly seemed as if it's getting there. Gone was the inflammatory rhetoric he used during June's minicamp, when he said the Jets reneged on a promise made before last season to redo his contract. The Jets consistently have maintained that such a promise was never made, but Baker, who is entering the third year of a four-year, $6.6-million contract, said that within the last week, his agent, Jonathan Feinsod, and Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum began talking. And that's good enough for him. "At least the two sides are talking," Baker said. "At least they're talking and that's a good thing, as opposed to a month and a half ago when there wasn't much of anything." What they're discussing is unclear, whether it be a slightly modified deal or a trade, something else Baker talked about in June. Tannenbaum wasn't available yesterday and Feinsod did not wish to comment. Baker would not disclose any specifics but said he has been placated for now, adding that he expects to return "pretty soon" from the physically unable to perform list. It had been theorized that the Jets placed him there as a punitive move, but Baker said his back injury is legitimate. Now he's ready to concentrate on football. "The season is hard enough," he said. "I just really wanted to focus on that aspect of it and not be bitter." E-mailShare Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Fark Google Newsvine Reddit Yahoo PrintReprint Get breaking news | Most popular stories | Dining and Travel deals all via e-mail! Copyright Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish Jet Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 July 24, 2008 Pennington Played With Torn Ligaments Chad Pennington acknowledged publicly for the first time that he played with two torn ligaments in his right ankle, suffered when he was injured in the opening game of last season against the Patriots, and said it hampered him the rest of the season. "It was an injury that I could easily have taken three weeks off, but you guys know how I am, I didn't believe it that,'' he said. In a mild surprise, even Mangini spoke yesterday about Pennington's injury, saying, "He had a pretty serious ankle injury and he fought through it, worked through it. It's tough when you get banged up early and the train doesn't stop. You've got to keep going. It's something he handled really well.'' Buzz up!Posted by web editor at 04:03 PM | Comments (10) I'd love Mangini to define 'handled really well'. It seems to involve getting dropped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted July 25, 2008 Author Share Posted July 25, 2008 Some highlights from the late afternoon/evening practice at Hofstra, where the weather was positively delightful after a gray and soggy morning: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish Jet Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 The Jets and Gholston, the No. 6 overall pick of April's draft, reportedly reached an agreement on a five-year contract yesterday Which is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted July 25, 2008 Author Share Posted July 25, 2008 Jets ink draft pick V. Gholston to five-year, $40 million contract BY RICH CIMINI DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Thursday, July 24th 2008, 10:15 PM Betz/AP Vernon Gholston inked one of the richest contracts in Jets history. Disgruntled tight end Chris Baker isn't disgruntled anymore, and rookie pass rusher Vernon Gholston has a new contract. Could it be? Yes, the Jets could make it through the summer without any contract-related headaches. Gholston, the sixth pick of this year's draft, finalized a five-year contract Thursday, according to an NFL source. It's worth about $40 million, including at least $20 million in guarantees, making it one of the richest contracts in team history. The former Ohio State star didn't sign in time to participate in the first two practices of training camp, but he was expected to join the team last night and be on the field for today's 1:30 practice. Baker, who issued a pay-me-or-trade-me demand last month at minicamp, toned down his blistering rhetoric, taking the good-soldier approach. Huh? He was placated by the Jets' apparent willingness to at least discuss his contract situation. Baker said he's confident of a peaceful resolution, although he wouldn't say what that might be. "At least the two sides are talking," Baker said. "That's a good thing, as opposed to a month and a half ago, when there wasn't much of anything. ... With everybody working toward a solution, it makes me feel better." Baker, who claimed last month that the Jets reneged on a promise to renegotiate, has two years remaining on a four-year, $6.6 million contract. He's due to earn $683,500 this season in base pay. The Jets, perhaps trying to avoid another Pete Kendall-like fiasco, may have told Baker they would consider a restructured deal if he keeps quiet and toes the company line. Baker said his agent, Jonathan Feinsod, reached out to the Jets about a week ago. Feinsod declined to comment. Baker, 29, said he had no issue with the team's decision to place him on the physically-unable-to-perform list. He has a sore back and expects to be practicing "pretty soon." He doesn't want to be traded. "I want to be here," said Baker, who boycotted the offseason program. Maybe the Jets learned a lesson from last summer, when their camp was filled with turmoil - Kendall's ugly divorce and a lengthy holdout by rookie Darrelle Revis. A year after fighting for a six-year deal with Revis, they settled for five with Gholston. SHORT & SWEET: As promised, Eric Mangini kept both practices under two hours. A year ago, they averaged 2:23. "He won a few more people over today," said safety Kerry Rhodes....Former Jets WR Al Toon was elected to the Packers' board of directors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted July 25, 2008 Author Share Posted July 25, 2008 On Day 1 of training camp, Jets fans beg for Brett Favre BY RICH CIMINI DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Thursday, July 24th 2008, 10:38 PM Warga/News Kellen Clemens and Chad Pennington listened to fans chant about Brett Favre on Thursday. Daniel/Getty Jets fans would love to see Brett Favre in another green jersey. It was the first day of training camp, the first live team drill, the first pass by Kellen Clemens. He dropped back, set his feet and fired a tight spiral over the middle. Right to linebacker Eric Barton. Interception. There was a groan from the morning crowd Thursday at Hofstra, where shaky opening performances by Clemens and Chad Pennington gave the pro-Brett Favre contingent plenty to chirp about. "Get Favre!" one fan yelled after another Clemens interception in the afternoon. Advice to those fans: Quit dreaming. Although he refused to answer a direct question about Favre, lest he be accused of tampering, Eric Mangini made it clear he has no intention of junking the Clemens-Pennington competition in favor of the soon-to-be former Packers legend. There will be no Favre sightings at Weeb Ewbank Hall unless someone brings a copy of Madden '09 into the building. "I'm really happy with the quarterbacks we have on the roster right now, the quarterbacks we have in camp, competing," said Mangini, the first team official to confirm the organization's reported lack of interest in Favre. Like it or not, it'll be Pennington vs. Clemens, an apparent dead heat that probably won't be decided until mid-August at the earliest. Mangini said he has no timetable to name a starter. If the competition is decided by bravado, Pennington would be a lock. Perhaps sensing his mortality as a starter, he came to camp exuding confidence, talking enthusiastically about his new throwing mechanics. Hoping to generate consistent velocity from his suspect arm, he tweaked his motion, trying to become a "body thrower." Surprisingly, Pennington also revealed that he played with two torn ligaments in his right ankle last season, which undoubtedly contributed to some ugly games en route to his 1-7 record as the starter. Previously, it had been reported as a high ankle sprain, which caused him to miss one game. Pennington said he "could've taken three weeks off," but he didn't want to bail on his team. Now he's healthy, looking to reclaim his old position. "I'm here to do one thing: I'm here to play football, I'm here to win this job," he said. Deep down, Pennington knows the organization is smitten with Clemens' arm strength and potential. He thought he was a goner after last season, admitting, "It didn't look too bright for No. 10 staying in green, that's for sure. But here I am, so let's take advantage of it and roll with it." Asked about the hollow Favre rumors, Pennington said, "All of us want the organization to believe in us, and us, period. Nobody else - Kellen, Brett, nobody. I want you to believe in me." If Clemens (3-5 last season) improves as a game manager, Pennington's forte, the job could be his. Yesterday was a rough start, with an ill-advised interception on his first throw, but give him credit: Afterward, Clemens talked to Barton, trying to determine what he did wrong. Asked if it bothered him more because he's competing for the job, he laughed. "Because Chad didn't throw a pick? No," Clemens said. "This is more of a marathon than a sprint." A two-man race, sans any future Hall of Famers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted July 25, 2008 Author Share Posted July 25, 2008 UNION LEADERSHIP CONTINUES TO PLAY WITH FIRE Posted by Mike Florio on July 24, 2008, 7:35 p.m. As more and more veteran NFL players realize that the system for awarding huge windfalls to a handful of unproven rookies must change, leadership of the NFL Players Association continues to be out of touch with its constituents. In an item posted today on the union Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuff_Up Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 Report: Jets, top pick Gholston agree to deal BY ERIK BOLAND | erik.boland@newsday.com July 25, 2008 Linebacker Vernon Gholston, the Jets' top draft pick, missed the first day of training camp, a total of two practices, but his absence isn't expected to last much beyond that. The Jets and Gholston, the No. 6 overall pick of April's draft, reportedly reached an agreement on a five-year contract yesterday with the holdup of an official announcement likely because the NFL Management Council had yet to approve the contract. Every contract must be submitted to and approved by the Council and the finer the print and more intricate a deal is, the longer that process can take. At press time last night, that had not yet occurred with the Gholston deal, though if it occurred late last night or this morning, Gholston should be at this afternoon's 1:30 p.m. practice. It is not a stretch to assume this contract is of the intricate category as that was precisely the kind of deal the Jets put together last season in finally ending top-pick Darrelle Revis' contract dispute after 20 days. General manager Mike Tannenbaum called Revis' contract "extraordinarily complicated," after it was signed and it had to be, running 47 pages in length. An official announcement of Gholston's deal seemed imminent when, during the opening statement of his news conference late yesterday morning, Jets coach Eric Mangini, for whom the word "coy" generally doesn't exist when it comes to giving information, brought up Gholston. "We may have a Vernon Gholston sighting here in the near future," Mangini said with a smile. "I'll keep you posted on that, but I think we have a shot to see that." It appears that will happen for the public soon enough. Just not yesterday. E-mailShare Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Fark Google Newsvine Reddit Yahoo PrintReprint Related topic galleries: Contracts, National Football League, New York Jets, Football All topicsGet breaking news | Most popular stories | Dining and Travel deals all via e-mail! Copyright Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drago Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 The beast is signed!!!!!!!! Beast was signed last year in David Harris. The Jugernaught has been signed today. Those two will be wrecking balls for this defense in the coming years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 Beast was signed last year in David Harris. The Jugernaught has been signed today. Those two will be wrecking balls for this defense in the coming years. I got some balls you can work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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