Are Two Heads Better Then One?: Cimini

[flgreen]

Are two heads better than one?

June, 20, 2010 Jun 20

10:55

AM ET

By Rich Cimini

Sunday notes and "Happy Fathers Day" wishes to dads everywhere, especially to mine:

TWO-HEADED BACKFIELD

When the Jets signed future Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson, it was widely assumed that he'd play a complementary role, with Shonn Greene rising to "feature-back" status. Hold everything. According to running backs coach Anthony Lynn, "I see myself as having two starters."

What Lynn meant is this: Playing time will be determined, in large part, by game situations and matchups. As he explained the other day, "It depends on the flow of the game. If we're better off in our big personnel, Shonn will get more touches. If we go little, like we did last year with Leon (Washington) in our nickel package, L.T. will get more touches. It's all situational."

Lynn compared it to the Washington-Thomas Jones tandem last season. If that's the case, the workloads will be fairly close to even. Before Washington's season-ending injury in Week 7, he had 70 carries and 15 catches for 85 touches. Jones had 96 carries and four receptions for 100 touches. That's almost a 50-50 split.

Is Tomlinson, who turns 31 on Wednesday, up to 14 touches per game -- 14 productive touches? There was nothing he did in OTAs or minicamp (at least nothing open to the media) that made you say, "Wow, he's back." But let's not send him to the glue factory just yet. Making a definitive statement about a running back in non-contact drills is like critiquing a movie based on the trailer.

CHUNKY GREENE

The organization has two concerns about Greene: Durability and weight. His ideal weight is 226 to 228 pounds, according to Lynn, but he showed up seven pounds overweight at the start of the off-season program. That's not a whole lot -- his rib injury in the AFC Championship Game may have affected his post-season conditioning -- but it's still something to keep an eye on.

As for injuries, Greene's physical running style will always make him more vulnerable to dings than most backs. But as Lynn said, "Down the road, he has to learn to play with pain and discomfort." He wasn't questioning Greene's toughness. Actually, Lynn recalled Greene's ankle injury in training camp, thinking at the time that he "snapped it ... It was ugly." It wasn't a long-term injury, as Greene made it back relatively quickly, but part of being an every-down back -- the Jets' goal for Greene -- is performing at less than 100%. Curtis Martin made a career of it, and he's going to Canton.

MORE ON REVIS' POTENTIAL HOLDOUT

Based on the risk-reward, it's possible that CB Darrelle Revis won't show up for training camp, Aug. 1. But if he doesn't, don't expect a prolonged holdout. People are forgetting that, because it's an uncapped year, there's a new rule in play:

If a holdout lasts beyond Aug. 10 -- 30 days before the first game of the league year (Minnesota Vikings-New Orleans Saints, Sept. 9), the player will not receive credit for a year of service. That means he'd be giving up a year toward free agency.

So if Revis stages a holdout until Aug. 10, will that accomplish anything? He and his agents have about six weeks to make that decision, assuming they don't get a new deal by then.

ANOTHER ANGLE TO THE REVIS DRAMA

It has been suggested in some places, including here a few weeks ago, that the Jets could create a temporary solution to the Revis mess by giving him a band-aid contract -- say, a $9 million bonus for 2010. That would bring his compensation to $10 million, more than any cornerback not named Nnamdi Asomugha. At the same time, it would buy time, allowing the two sides to revisit a long-term contract after the season, when perhaps the CBA landscape is defined.

Uh, just one problem: Teams aren't in the habit of giving away money for nothing. The Jets would be reluctant to give Revis a huge raise unless they receive something in return -- i.e. an additional year on his contract. The Jets are afraid of opening a can of worms, leading other players to demand "free money" raises. So, while a band-aid contract for Revis sounds good, it's not necessarily a cure-all.

THIS AND THAT

What's Rex Ryan doing for his vacation? He's going on a two-week Baltic cruise with his in-laws. "No matter what you're doing, I know it's better than that," he joked (we think). If his GM doesn't resolve some of these contract issues, Ryan will be riding the choppy waters right into training camp ... Sorry, I'm not buying the whole Jason Taylor/olive branch thing just yet. You can't erase years of bad blood, from both sides, in one minicamp practice. Special teams coach Mike Westhoff, a former Miami Dolphins assistant who has known Taylor since his early days in Miami, was amazed to see Taylor signing autographs for fans. "I told him to put a helmet on," Westhoff said ... One problem with the New Meadowlands Stadium: There isn't much O.B. room beyond the corners of the end zone. It could turn into Arena football, with receivers crashing into the wall ... One player really impressing the coaching staff is RG Brandon Moore. Ryan called him one of the best guards in the league. A few more bouquets and Moore's agent might start to get ideas.

[Larz]

I'm in bizarr-o world

cimini just validated me

I feel dirty

People are forgetting that, because it's an uncapped year, there's a new rule in play:

If a holdout lasts beyond Aug. 10 -- 30 days before the first game of the league year (Minnesota Vikings-New Orleans Saints, Sept. 9), the player will not receive credit for a year of service. That means he'd be giving up a year toward free agency.

So if Revis stages a holdout until Aug. 10, will that accomplish anything? He and his agents have about six weeks to make that decision, assuming they don't get a new deal by then.

like I've been saying, revis has no leverage, and tanny knows it

[JustInFudge]

An unimpressive LT who's washed up, Greene has questionable durability and is showing up over weight and McKnight IMO is most likely not cut for the NFL.

Its a good thing RB is any easy position to fill. Because I'm not feeling good about our RB's at all. You can find a guy off the streets mid-season and they could go nuts behind this Oline. I just hope we dont have to.

[faba]

Talk about negativity about our running backs. Cimini ligthen up already.

[slats]

An unimpressive LT who's washed up, Greene has questionable durability and is showing up over weight and McKnight IMO is most likely not cut for the NFL.

I share some of your concerns. I'm just keeping with the green-colored glasses for the time being.

I think LT's ego can propel him to -at least- a decent performance this year behind our OL in a part time role.

I'm not concerned about Greene being 7 pounds overweight. If he's not right on target when training camp starts, he will be when it ends. But his rushing style is probably just as punishing to him as it is to defenders. It's something to watch. I hope the Jets manage to carry a decent back on their practice squad.

McKnight's spent his college career being compared (unfavorably) to Reggie Bush, and Jet fans already have him penciled in as Leon's replacement. I think we'd do well to just let the kid be his own man. Looks like he might be lining up in the slot - maybe over the first four weeks of the year that Santonio's suspended. Maybe he'll be catching passes or pitches out of the backfield. He didn't throw up in the OTA's, that's a start. Kid's been trying to fill big shoes his whole life, it seems. I'm rooting for him to break out on his own.

I'm hoping John Connor makes an impact as a blocker, receiver, and maybe even a ball carrier, too. That would be a major bonus if he can contribute with the ball in his hands.

[JustInFudge]

I share some of your concerns. I'm just keeping with the green-colored glasses for the time being.

I think LT's ego can propel him to -at least- a decent performance this year behind our OL in a part time role.

I'm not concerned about Greene being 7 pounds overweight. If he's not right on target when training camp starts, he will be when it ends. But his rushing style is probably just as punishing to him as it is to defenders. It's something to watch. I hope the Jets manage to carry a decent back on their practice squad.

McKnight's spent his college career being compared (unfavorably) to Reggie Bush, and Jet fans already have him penciled in as Leon's replacement. I think we'd do well to just let the kid be his own man. Looks like he might be lining up in the slot - maybe over the first four weeks of the year that Santonio's suspended. Maybe he'll be catching passes or pitches out of the backfield. He didn't throw up in the OTA's, that's a start. Kid's been trying to fill big shoes his whole life, it seems. I'm rooting for him to break out on his own.

I'm hoping John Connor makes an impact as a blocker, receiver, and maybe even a ball carrier, too. That would be a major bonus if he can contribute with the ball in his hands.

Yes, I hope we have a decent back on the practice squad too, and I dont mean Danny Woodhead. Maybe that Chauncy Washington kid? IDK, but I'm conerned thats for sure.

Again, we have the oline to be successful in the running game...for that reason I'm not too worried about overall production, I just dont want to be scrapping for a RB because our guys are either hurt or flat out suck.

[bitonti]

I'm hoping John Connor makes an impact as a blocker, receiver, and maybe even a ball carrier, too. That would be a major bonus if he can contribute with the ball in his hands.

once the pads start popping in preseason, you'll never want Conner to do anything but block. He's super violent. He's young, fresh and could seriously hurt the other MLBs.

[Bruce Banner]

Can anyone tell me what a running back coach actually does? I've been suspicious of them ever since the Ray Handley fiasco.

[Larz]

Can anyone tell me what a running back coach actually does? I've been suspicious of them ever since the Ray Handley fiasco.

go that way really fast. if something gets in your way, turn......