Jets might release Thomas Jones

[Jetfan13]

Rich Cimini of the New York Daily News reports Jets running back Thomas Jones is due a $3 million roster bonus plus a $2.8 million salary. There's a decent chance they may cut Jones even though he ran for 1,402 yards last season. That sounds crazy, but he turns 32 in August. That, coupled with his late-season swoon and the emergence of Shonn Greene, puts Jones squarely on the bubble.

[Ghost]

This is stupid.

1. We don't know how Washington is going to do after the serious leg injury he had.

2. We all know Green is going to be the future RB of this team, but he has a problem staying on the field and holding onto the ball.

We need Jones' leadership IMO. One more year, and then we can say he's gone. Not just yet.

[Jetfan13]

This is stupid.

1. We don't know how Washington is going to do after the serious leg injury he had.

2. We all know Green is going to be the future RB of this team, but he has a problem staying on the field and holding onto the ball.

We need Jones' leadership IMO. One more year, and then we can say he's gone. Not just yet.

I agree except for the fact he will get over 5 mill this year..Of course with no cap I guess that doesn't really matter to much

[Ghost]

I agree except for the fact he will get over 5 mill this year..Of course with no cap I guess that doesn't really matter to much

I'm confused with this cap crap. LOL

[faba]

I would not be shocked if the Jets do it

[slats]

This is stupid.

1. We don't know how Washington is going to do after the serious leg injury he had.

2. We all know Green is going to be the future RB of this team, but he has a problem staying on the field and holding onto the ball.

We need Jones' leadership IMO. One more year, and then we can say he's gone. Not just yet.

Definitely agree.

Last year, Jones held his mini-protest over his $900K salary. The consensus was that he was under contract, and that he should shut up and play. Same contract now calls for some serious coin. I think the Jets should shut up and pay.

[Matt39]

The Jets are probably going to draft a running back again. Im actually for that...cant go wrong with a stable of young backs.

[abyzmul]

This is classic Cimini. No source or any real news, just pure speculation to get people riled up and keep reading his crap. I know there is a 'chance' that Jones gets released, but it's probably more of a slim chance than anything else. And I've never been a big fan of Thomas Jones.

[Vudu]

Where is Sperm when you need him to explain our current cap situation?

*PAGING SPERM EDWARDS*

[slats]

Where is Sperm when you need him to explain our current cap situation?

*PAGING SPERM EDWARDS*

The current salary cap situation is that there is no cap. So keeping Jones for one year at $5.8M can't hurt them at all cap wise. The Jets can then let his contract expire, and he'll cost them nothing against the 2011 cap if/when it's reinstated.

[RutgersJetFan]

At this point it's a necessity. The clock's ticking on him and it's a miracle he played as well at 31 as it was. Couple that with his age clearly showing during the last several weeks and it's a no-brainer. Said it a few times but I really would not be shocked if the Jets went RB in one of the earlier rounds again this year.

[slats]

At this point it's a necessity. The clock's ticking on him and it's a miracle he played as well at 31 as it was. Couple that with his age clearly showing during the last several weeks and it's a no-brainer. Said it a few times but I really would not be shocked if the Jets went RB in one of the earlier rounds again this year.

Jets have picks in the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, and 7th rounds. I'd be shocked and disappointed if they spent one of their top picks on a RB.

Cut Jones' workload in half, and I think he's still chugging at the end of the season.

[SMC]

Definitely agree.

Last year, Jones held his mini-protest over his $900K salary. The consensus was that he was under contract, and that he should shut up and play. Same contract now calls for some serious coin. I think the Jets should shut up and pay.

In a perfect world it would work that way, but we know there is a double standard in the NFL. That's why I don't join in with fans criticizing players for wanting to renegotiate their contracts.

There is no such thing as "play for what you agreed" for players considering that a team will do it's damndest to not pay a player what the team agreed to pay him if the team decides otherwise.

I want to keep Jones, but it doesn't make sense to keep him at $5+ million as the backup RB.

[Guido Monzino]

Cimini is the king of reporting what "might" happen.

[abyzmul]

Jets have picks in the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, and 7th rounds. I'd be shocked and disappointed if they spent one of their top picks on a RB.

Cut Jones' workload in half, and I think he's still chugging at the end of the season.

I wouldn't be shocked, but I would be disappointed. I'm very interested in seeing what kind of defense Rex and Pettine can field once they don't have to send half of their secondary on overload blitzes to get pressure on the passer.

But as dependable a workhorse Jones has been the past few years, this is a deep draft and it's going to be thin in 2011 if there is a rookie pay scale. Rex has made no bones that while he wants a more balanced offensive attack, this is a run-first team. That's where the lack of shock would lie for me.

[Joe Jets fan]

I think it makes all the sense in the world to keep him. With his load cut in half he will be fresher longer, he does not fumble, he will also keep Greene fresher and his pay means nothing because there is no hit after 2010 and who cares what they spend for 2010. Makes way too much sense to keep him. What is one valid reason to cut him? Paying 5M for a backup for 2010 is fine, he is a good backup.

[Jets Babe]

Pay him or trade him. But please, don't cut him.

[bitonti]

the jets paying millions of dollars in roster bonus to a running back older than 30 seems unlikely

in fact, in this economy, jones, rhodes and sheppard are all due bonuses, it wouldn't surprise me if they cut em all. maybe rhodes stays.

they dont want to throw away money even in an uncapped year

for those who think TJ still has gas in the tank, did you not watch the AFC Champ game?

[JETfrmWOMBtoTOMB]

My question is this... Does cutting Jones make it possible for us to get an unrestricted free agent?? If not, it doesn't make as much sense to let him go I guess... I don't understand how this plays into the final 8 and final 4 rules in an uncapped year.

[Ghost]

People piss me off when they mention Jones' age and how he's going to go downhill because he's 31.

People tend to forget the amount of carries TJ had with Arizona and Tampa Bay.

2000: 112 Carries

2001: 112 Carries

2002: 138 Carries

2003: 137 Carries

Jones started doubling those carries when he landed with the Bears. It's not like TJ has been carrying the rock 300 times since he's been in the league.

I'm sorry, but that 31 year old **** doesn't work for me and it probably doesn't work for Jones either. Jones is highly unappreciated to 80% of Jets fans.

[Jetsfan80]

People piss me off when they mention Jones' age and how he's going to go downhill because he's 31.

People tend to forget the amount of carries TJ had with Arizona and Tampa Bay.

2000: 112 Carries

2001: 112 Carries

2002: 138 Carries

2003: 137 Carries

Jones started doubling those carries when he landed with the Bears. It's not like TJ has been carrying the rock 300 times since he's been in the league.

I'm sorry, but that 31 year old **** doesn't work for me and it probably doesn't work for Jones either. Jones is highly unappreciated to 80% of Jets fans.

Clearly, Jones didn't take the beating most RB's do when they're young, which explains in part why he's been effective even when hitting the dreaded 30.

Still, no matter how few carries a RB has had, he simply loses a lot of his physical gifts at a certain point. Jones is still effective as a straight-ahead runner and holds onto the ball, but he's always been a guy who takes what the OL gives him, and now you're talking about a guy who does that AND is starting to lack the burst through the hole that can put him past the second level.

I like Jones as a locker-room leader and a veteran presence. But for any RB at his age, history has shown that RB's hit a wall. He's not immune to that.

[bitonti]

the way the Jets OL plays the run they could put Thomas Jones' grandma back there and she'd get 5 yards a carry.

[Jetfan13]

the way the Jets OL plays the run they could put Thomas Jones' grandma back there and she'd get 5 yards a carry.

Then how come TJ was held to like 2 ypc in the Championship game?

[SMC]

Then how come TJ was held to like 2 ypc in the Championship game?

He was too slow to hit the holes the OL opened up.

[abyzmul]

People piss me off when they mention Jones' age and how he's going to go downhill because he's 31.

People tend to forget the amount of carries TJ had with Arizona and Tampa Bay.

2000: 112 Carries

2001: 112 Carries

2002: 138 Carries

2003: 137 Carries

Jones started doubling those carries when he landed with the Bears. It's not like TJ has been carrying the rock 300 times since he's been in the league.

I'm sorry, but that 31 year old **** doesn't work for me and it probably doesn't work for Jones either. Jones is highly unappreciated to 80% of Jets fans.

People like to use Larry Johnson as an example of what happens to a back they they are overused, as Herm did to him in KC.

Larry Johnson:

[I]Year     Team                   Carries Yards[/I]

2009     Cincinnati Bengals     46      204      

2009     Kansas City Chiefs     132     377     

2008     Kansas City Chiefs     193     874     

2007     Kansas City Chiefs     158     559     

[B]2006     Kansas City Chiefs     416     1,789   [/B]  

[B]2005     Kansas City Chiefs     336     1,750   [/B]  

2004     Kansas City Chiefs     120     581 

2003     Kansas City Chiefs     20      85[/CODE]
as compared to Thomas Jones:



[CODE][I]Year     Team                  Carries Yards[/I]

[B]2009     New York Jets         331     1,402      

2008     New York Jets         290     1,312    

2007     New York Jets         310     1,119    

2006     Chicago Bears         296     1,210    

2005     Chicago Bears         314     1,335    

2004     Chicago Bears         240     948    [/B]

2003     Tampa Bay Buccaneers  137     627    

2002     Arizona Cardinals     138     511    

2001     Arizona Cardinals     112     380    

2000     Arizona Cardinals     112     373

Johnson's heaviest years in terms of carries occurred in his 3rd and 4th years, during the prime of his career. Jones has accrued 3 300+ and 3 200+ carry seasons in the past 6 years of his career.

TJ's running style is definitely less punishing to his body than Pampers, but at some point he's going to fall off the cliff of aging runningbacks. If you really expect him to continue gaining 1000+ yards every year, you aren't being realistic. He's coming to the point in his career that he will be a backup at best.

[JustInFudge]

Did you guys know that TJ is 800yrds from 10,000? That's crazy to me.

This is Cimini speculation, but saving the money makes sense. RB's are a dime a dozen. You can get them any where in the draft an even UDFA's turn out adequate. Heck, Greene and Leon were 2nd day picks. Me thinks just about anyone can run behind this line. Especially if Sanchez improves and we add some more threats around him so we're not seeing as many men in the box.

[Biggs]

In a perfect world it would work that way, but we know there is a double standard in the NFL. That's why I don't join in with fans criticizing players for wanting to renegotiate their contracts.

There is no such thing as "play for what you agreed" for players considering that a team will do it's damndest to not pay a player what the team agreed to pay him if the team decides otherwise.

I want to keep Jones, but it doesn't make sense to keep him at $5+ million as the backup RB.

Yup and the reality is if we keep Jones we are going to have to bring in another RB, I prefer we bring in two guys for cheap money and invest his salary on the Defensive line which is a potential dissaster.

We can't depend on Greene and Jones carrying the load we might as well dump Jones and bring in two sets of fresh legs. If Leon looks great in TC we can keep 4.

[Jetfan13]

He was too slow to hit the holes the OL opened up.

AHHH my bad, lol

[stoicsentry]

He was too slow to hit the holes the OL opened up.

He was injured and a bit worn down by that time. Why do people keep denying this? It's FACT!

Anyone who carries the ball for 1400+ yards for my team deserves more than this crap.

Anyone who does so without fumbling once deserves a hell of a lot more.

Don't get sucked into thinking that the line is all there is too it. Maybe it's 75/25 line, but there's still a component in there that requires taking the yards given to you and protecting the football.

[Biggs]

He was injured and a bit worn down by that time. Why do people keep denying this? It's FACT!

Anyone who carries the ball for 1400+ yards for my team deserves more than this crap.

Anyone who does so without fumbling once deserves a hell of a lot more.

Don't get sucked into thinking that the line is all there is too it. Maybe it's 75/25 line, but there's still a component in there that requires taking the yards given to you and protecting the football.

The guy is a part time player who running behind a great OL gets a good share of big runs and gets stopped a ton of times for no gain to 2 yards, can't take a screen pass or a pass in the flat, can't be in on third and three and broke down late in the year.

It would be great to have him back but not at 5 Million plus.

[SMC]

He was injured and a bit worn down by that time. Why do people keep denying this? It's FACT!

Anyone who carries the ball for 1400+ yards for my team deserves more than this crap.

Anyone who does so without fumbling once deserves a hell of a lot more.

Don't get sucked into thinking that the line is all there is too it. Maybe it's 75/25 line, but there's still a component in there that requires taking the yards given to you and protecting the football.

Relax, it was a joke.

TJ's grandma is faster than TJ. Get it???

[slats]

Did you guys know that TJ is 800yrds from 10,000? That's crazy to me.

This is Cimini speculation, but saving the money makes sense. RB's are a dime a dozen. You can get them any where in the draft an even UDFA's turn out adequate. Heck, Greene and Leon were 2nd day picks. Me thinks just about anyone can run behind this line. Especially if Sanchez improves and we add some more threats around him so we're not seeing as many men in the box.

I'm hearing this is a poor year for RB's, and the Jets don't have the 3rd and 4th round picks that they spent on Shonn and Leon this year, either.

I'd prefer they let Jones play out his contract this last season, and decide afterwards what they need to do at RB. Specifically - can Greene carry the load full time, or do they need to go back to the well looking for a #1 RB?

They should absolutely make RB a priority position with the undrafted class, though. That can't hurt.

[Klecko73isGod]

I'm hearing this is a poor year for RB's, and the Jets don't have the 3rd and 4th round picks that they spent on Shonn and Leon this year, either.

I'd prefer they let Jones play out his contract this last season, and decide afterwards what they need to do at RB. Specifically - can Greene carry the load full time, or do they need to go back to the well looking for a #1 RB?

They should absolutely make RB a priority position with the undrafted class, though. That can't hurt.

I'm with you on this one. I think the uncapped year makes this a no-brainer. Let TJ play out his deal and if you get 60% of his 2010 production you're happy since Greene will undoubtedly carry more of the load and hopefully you get a full and productive season out of Leon on top of that.

[visajets]

Keep TJ we dont need LT or anyother washed up RB.

[PatriotReign37]

I agree except for the fact he will get over 5 mill this year..Of course with no cap I guess that doesn't really matter to much

A lot of teams will operate under a self imposed cap.

Some teams are using the 2009 cap number while other are calculating what the increase would be in 2010 based on past increases.