Jets Wont Fight that Hard to keep Edwards

[Jetsfan1015]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/06/12/jets-reportedly-wont-fight-that-hard-to-keep-braylon-edwards/related

Jets reportedly “won’t fight that hard” to keep Braylon Edwards

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on June 12, 2011, 5:42 PM EDT

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The Jets have said repeatedly they want to keep Braylon Edwards. Edwards has said he wants to stay, even hinting that he would take less money to stay there.

And it may just be all talk.

Jason La Canfora of NFL Network writes that the Jets “won’t fight that hard” to keep Edwards.

“Edwards can be petulant, is inconsistent and has made poor decisions off the field,” La Canfora writes. “He will wow you with one moment of splendor then fall back into a bone-headed funk. I’d expect his worst traits to be exacerbated once he has that big contract.”

While we don’t disagree with anything La Canfora writes there, the idea that the Jets won’t go all out for Edwards is a new one. Perhaps they will go all out to keep Santonio Holmes instead. (Which we think is the right move.)

[Bleedin Green]

I hope this dipsh*t has no idea what he's talking about. There is seriously no single FA that I want the Jets to keep more than Edwards. No player (excluding perhaps Sanchez) has shown the kind of improvement over the course of Rex's tenure here as Edwards, and I just can't imagine the Jets not seeing that. He went from having some of the worst hands in the league to being BY FAR the most reliable receiver on the roster. Keeping him will go a long way towards helping Sanchez continue to grow as a QB, and having the kind of commitment that he clearly does for this team counts for a lot. Perhaps I'm paranoid, but I can only see the Jets blatantly choosing Holmes over Edwards as being a very, very risky endeavor. And frankly, with Holmes clear "highest bidder" mentality, that decision could be one that would leave them without the services of either receiver.

[Bleedin Green]

Oh, and I still find it laughable every time I see articles try to count Edwards off-field issues as a strike against him regarding the Jets when it's cost him one quarter of football in his entire career when Holmes, who has admitted he has no interest in stopping, is one puff away from a year off from the game.

[bitonti]

there is often a difference with pre-contract players and post-big contract players.

Even guys like Revis have let downs after the big contract is signed. the question isn't if it happens but how long will the let down be?

also people forget this dude got caught with a DUI during the year. He's been in trouble and recently.

I'd trust David Harris, Santonio to keep playing hard. People dog Santonio but he has hardware (a ring) and better skillset than Edwards.

Cromartie and Edwards risky. smart money??? probably not

[Bleedin Green]

there is often a difference with pre-contract players and post-big contract players.

Even guys like Revis have let downs after the big contract is signed. the question isn't if it happens but how long will the let down be?

also people forget this dude got caught with a DUI during the year. He's been in trouble and recently.

I'd trust David Harris, Santonio to keep playing hard. People dog Santonio but he has hardware (a ring) and better skillset than Edwards.

Cromartie and Edwards risky. smart money??? probably not

Harris is far and away the most trustworthy of the big FAs, there's no question there. Why else do you think he was the one who got the franchise tag?

That said, the idea that Santonio has a ring counts for anything is a load of sh*t. Consider the fact that the same team he helped win a ring for ejected him for next to nothing just a year later. Clearly they didn't trust him all that much. This is the same guy who's already been twice busted for drug violations, is one more from a year suspension and has publicly stated he has zero intentions of changing his behavior. Santonio is also the same guy who's Jets debut showed some serious sloppy performances. I see nothing about him that gives any reason to think he can be trusted to play hard, when that wasn't even evident in his 3/4 of a season Jets career. Then again, I'm also not sure by what definition Holmes has a clearly better skillset. He has better body control and quickness no doubt, but Edwards is a much bigger, stronger target than Holmes and for their one season together, was a significantly more reliable pass-catcher. Honestly, my problem is that it seems like everyone has spent more time comparing 2008 Holmes and Edwards than 2010 Holmes and Edwards. But frankly, I don't give a sh*t how good Holmes was with another team or the struggles Edwards had, as NY Jets I see absolutely no reason to trust Holmes even slightly more than Edwards.

[T0mShane]

Holmes got thrown out on the street by a team in the midst of a championship run. How bad a guy must he be behind the scenes? Granted, he doesn't let his off-the-field stuff affect his on-the-field performance, but I'm glad it won't be me signing his next giant check. As far as Edwards, he's never come close to replicating his monster 2007 season and has a tendency to float mentally. I don't think it's any coincidence that he was at his most consistent in his walk year. Bottom line, this is the situation that Tannenbaum put himself in by making deals with iffy character guys whose contracts were all going to be up at the same time. He's gambling whichever way he turns.

[jgb]

You just know Santonio - and dozens/hundreds of other guys are up to all kind of shenanigans during the lockout. Wonder how long a warning there will be on the drug tests...

[BroadwayJ667]

is there a worse analyst that La Confora... well Cimini.

But they follow the same school of logic. None. They don't do their homework and then pronounce these blanket statements. They are like some of the people that were in journalism school with me. Lazy and inept.

[madmikeisback]

there is often a difference with pre-contract players and post-big contract players.

Even guys like Revis have let downs after the big contract is signed. the question isn't if it happens but how long will the let down be?

also people forget this dude got caught with a DUI during the year. He's been in trouble and recently.

I'd trust David Harris, Santonio to keep playing hard. People dog Santonio but he has hardware (a ring) and better skillset than Edwards.

Cromartie and Edwards risky. smart money??? probably not

IDK why you're so gung ho on Santonio over Edwards. Maybe before last season but while Holmes had some great games and catches for the Jets he also had a few really big drops as well especially in the Dolphin and Packer games. Edwards had hardly any drops, went over the middle and displayed a great deal of toughness this season and his size isn't something that can be taught and it's something that Santonio doesn't have. All that and his legal trouble will make him cheaper than Santonio would be. I want to keep both but if we can't, neither of them is a clear choice in my opinion.

[Irish Jet]

Good. Holmes is better.

[joebabyny]

Holmes got thrown out on the street by a team in the midst of a championship run. How bad a guy must he be behind the scenes? Granted, he doesn't let his off-the-field stuff affect his on-the-field performance, but I'm glad it won't be me signing his next giant check. As far as Edwards, he's never come close to replicating his monster 2007 season and has a tendency to float mentally. I don't think it's any coincidence that he was at his most consistent in his walk year. Bottom line, this is the situation that Tannenbaum put himself in by making deals with iffy character guys whose contracts were all going to be up at the same time. He's gambling whichever way he turns.

Other than his off the field drug habits landing him in suspension for 25% of the past season? I'd say that was a hindrance to his on the field performance since he wasn't allowed onto the field.

[flgreen]

I think these scribes are full of crap, and have no more inside info then we do. More then likely the only people who know what the Jets true intentions are with these players are Woody, Mike T, and Rex. I doubt any of them are sharing that info with a writer over a beer.

Any info being leaked is leaked for a purpose.

I would much rather keep Edwards over Holmes. Yes, Edwards is a risk, but compared to Holmes he is gold

[ECURB]

there is often a difference with pre-contract players and post-big contract players.

Even guys like Revis have let downs after the big contract is signed. the question isn't if it happens but how long will the let down be?

also people forget this dude got caught with a DUI during the year. He's been in trouble and recently.

I'd trust David Harris, Santonio to keep playing hard. People dog Santonio but he has hardware (a ring) and better skillset than Edwards.

Cromartie and Edwards risky. smart money??? probably not

Now I know for certain you do not watch the games in person.

Santonio quit on plays/routes more than I could count last year, drove me nuts.

Braylon kept plays alive and fought for big completions.

You really are way off here.

[Barcs]

The lockout just needs to end already. I'm tired of all the speculation back and forth. It gets old. The writer's an idiot saying that he rarely makes good plays.

[slats]

This is what I've expected to happen all along.

I don't know if the writer has any new first hand knowledge, or if he's just going by what he saw on Hard Knocks last year, but this would not surprise me. I'm sure Rex would rather sign Cromartie before he signed both WR's, and it seemed pretty clear to me that he preferred Holmes.

[#27TheDominator]

Good. They shouldn't go "all out" to sign any of these squids. They have huge red flags. They did it for Revis. If Sanchez steps up they can do it for him. Everybody else can sign a reasonable contract or walk. There are plenty of FAs. I am way more worried about RT and #2 CB than if they sign Edwards or Holmes. FWIW I think Holmes is better.

[bitonti]

Santonio Holmes has a rarer set of skills than Braylon Edwards, and he's been in trouble less recently than Edwards. You can find guys to climb the ladder for jump balls (possession receivers) you can't find gamebreakers. Holmes is a gamebreaker.

don't believe me go to the NYJ website and look at their wallpapers page. Every other week Santonio made a game-winning play. Edwards was good but he wasn't as good as Santonio. If you were a defensive coordinator facing the Jets you'd put your best cornerback on Santonio, or shift the safety that way... Santonio is the deep threat who can change the game in 1 play. Edwards is a very good player who can move the chains, but he cannot do what Santonio does. Santonio puts points on the board and even as a decoy you have to account for him.

Let's be real we might be fighting over nothing, the Jets could let both go. These guys didn't draft 2 WR for fun.

[slats]

Santonio is the deep threat who can change the game in 1 play. Edwards is a very good player who can move the chains, but he cannot do what Santonio does. Santonio puts points on the board and even as a decoy you have to account for him.

If this is true, why did Braylon have a 17.1 ypc and 7 TD's on 53 catches last year, while Santonio had a 14.4 ypc and 6 TD's on 52 catches?

Braylon's size suggests that he should be the physical possession receiver, but the numbers say he's the better deep ball threat.

[ECURB]

Santonio Holmes has a rarer set of skills than Braylon Edwards, and he's been in trouble less recently than Edwards. You can find guys to climb the ladder for jump balls (possession receivers) you can't find gamebreakers. Holmes is a gamebreaker.

don't believe me go to the NYJ website and look at their wallpapers page. Every other week Santonio made a game-winning play. Edwards was good but he wasn't as good as Santonio. If you were a defensive coordinator facing the Jets you'd put your best cornerback on Santonio, or shift the safety that way... Santonio is the deep threat who can change the game in 1 play. Edwards is a very good player who can move the chains, but he cannot do what Santonio does. Santonio puts points on the board and even as a decoy you have to account for him.

Let's be real we might be fighting over nothing, the Jets could let both go. These guys didn't draft 2 WR for fun.

What games were you watching?

Edwards was the game breaker... not Holmes... Homles quit in the 4th quarter in many games.

[JustInFudge]

Santonio Holmes has a rarer set of skills than Braylon Edwards, and he's been in trouble less recently than Edwards. You can find guys to climb the ladder for jump balls (possession receivers) you can't find gamebreakers. Holmes is a gamebreaker.

don't believe me go to the NYJ website and look at their wallpapers page. Every other week Santonio made a game-winning play. Edwards was good but he wasn't as good as Santonio. If you were a defensive coordinator facing the Jets you'd put your best cornerback on Santonio, or shift the safety that way... Santonio is the deep threat who can change the game in 1 play. Edwards is a very good player who can move the chains, but he cannot do what Santonio does. Santonio puts points on the board and even as a decoy you have to account for him.

Let's be real we might be fighting over nothing, the Jets could let both go. These guys didn't draft 2 WR for fun.

Meh, you are kind of going about this the wrong way with the right intent. Braylon has been a big threat guy just as much as Holmes. Holmes just happened to have a couple that won us games, (though Houston and Indy were as big as any catches Holmes had though they didnt end in TD's).

But the best example of where the preference lies is exactly what you said, who scares a DC more? Well, Rex used to prepare for both twice a year when he was with the Ravens and its quite clear Rex covets Holmes over Edwards.

[Kleckineau]

If this is true, why did Braylon have a 17.1 ypc and 7 TD's on 53 catches last year, while Santonio had a 14.4 ypc and 6 TD's on 52 catches? Braylon's size suggests that he should be the physical possession receiver, but the numbers say he's the better deep ball threat.

Santonio playing 12 games vs Edwards 16 games would be a factor.

[slats]

Santonio playing 12 games vs Edwards 16 games would be a factor.

It would be a factor in total production, but not in average yards per catch, or yards after the catch - categories where Braylon dominated.

[Kleckineau]

It would be a factor in total production, but not in average yards per catch, or yards after the catch - categories where Braylon dominated.

Dominated? Last year? Hardly.....

Almost identicle total yds and # of catches and TDs with 4 less games is being dominated?

Also, you may want to check career stats not just NYJ stats.

They have very similar production.

[#27TheDominator]

I think people are reading too much into last season. Edwards quit on plenty of routes in '09 and dropped a ton of balls. He had a very nice season, but not really any better than Holmes who was adjusting to a new team, QB and missed 1/4 the games and couldn't even practice with the team during his suspension.

What games were you watching?

Edwards was the game breaker... not Holmes... Homles quit in the 4th quarter in many games.

Many? Give me a break. Like the Browns and the Lions games? Type "game winning catch" into google and look what names pop up. Or maybe he still produces after he quits? I'm not sure.

It would be a factor in total production, but not in average yards per catch, or yards after the catch - categories where Braylon dominated.

As Kleckineau said, dominated is beyond pushing it. Holmes had similar catches and TDs in 25% less games. It's offense. TDs win and you don't break the game open getting an extra 3 yards, you do it putting 7 on the board. Holmes beat Edwards on that scale. We want guys that scare defenses. That is probably more important than averages. I will defer to Rex on that one.

[Irish Jet]

What games were you watching?

Edwards was the game breaker... not Holmes... Homles quit in the 4th quarter in many games.

LMAO, the same games where he was catching game winning TD's?

[bitonti]

It's offense. TDs win and you don't break the game open getting an extra 3 yards, you do it putting 7 on the board. Holmes beat Edwards on that scale. We want guys that scare defenses. That is probably more important than averages. I will defer to Rex on that one.

very well said

the ironic thing about any Holmes v Edwards discussion is that it's feasible neither are Jets next year. When's the last time this franchise gave $6-8 mil per year to a WR? Keyshawn? Never?

[#27TheDominator]

very well said

the ironic thing about any Holmes v Edwards discussion is that it's feasible neither are Jets next year. When's the last time this franchise gave $6-8 mil per year to a WR? Keyshawn? Never?

Too bad the Jets won't be getting 2 first round picks for either of these two.

[AVM]

Meh, you are kind of going about this the wrong way with the right intent. Braylon has been a big threat guy just as much as Holmes. Holmes just happened to have a couple that won us games, (though Houston and Indy were as big as any catches Holmes had though they didnt end in TD's).

But the best example of where the preference lies is exactly what you said, who scares a DC more? Well, Rex used to prepare for both twice a year when he was with the Ravens and its quite clear Rex covets Holmes over Edwards.

I hear you, but my one argueing point would be that you don't necessarily have to gameplan around the blocking of a WR, which Braylon does quite well (and Santonio barely does at all). It's still a run first team and, to me, that seems to be a very underrated skill. I couldn't stand Braylon going into last season. I always thought I'd remember him for the dropped wide open pass in Buffalo on that Thursday night. Then this season happened...more importantly the playoffs. The catch against Indy that you mentioned, and I'd like to add carrying two Patriots into the endzone in the next round now remind me of Braylon Edwards. The Patriots play in particular. If Braylon goes elsewhere I'm going to feel like Fred Jetstone when Bollinger was gone.

I'll pull hard for the team no matter who wears the jersey, but I HOPE Braylon is one of them.

[ECURB]

LMAO, the same games where he was catching game winning TD's?

Yes even in the Houston game he was quitting on plays... that game would have never been close had he not given up on routes...

He was just standing there waiting for the play to be over sometimes... and other times he ran the back half of routes at half speed...

[Bleedin Green]

Santonio Holmes has a rarer set of skills than Braylon Edwards, and he's been in trouble less recently than Edwards. You can find guys to climb the ladder for jump balls (possession receivers) you can't find gamebreakers. Holmes is a gamebreaker.

don't believe me go to the NYJ website and look at their wallpapers page. Every other week Santonio made a game-winning play. Edwards was good but he wasn't as good as Santonio. If you were a defensive coordinator facing the Jets you'd put your best cornerback on Santonio, or shift the safety that way... Santonio is the deep threat who can change the game in 1 play. Edwards is a very good player who can move the chains, but he cannot do what Santonio does. Santonio puts points on the board and even as a decoy you have to account for him.

Let's be real we might be fighting over nothing, the Jets could let both go. These guys didn't draft 2 WR for fun.

Holmes performance last year was VASTLY overblown by the Jets late game-winning drive against three consecutive inferior opponents, that he was for some unknown reason given all of the credit and none of the blame for them needing to win when they did. Not to say that those weren't great plays, but 3 games does not a season make. That became most blatantly obvious when he was given the credit for the win in the Texans game when catching a wide open TD pass while Braylon made the most important play of the game just seconds earlier to get them down there. That's not to say that Holmes isn't a good player, because I certainly feel that he is, but for every Holmes Browns/Lions play there's certainly an Edwards Texans/Colts play. Frankly, I think the two are VERY good compliments to one another and would be ideal to both be kept. However, when it comes to one or the other, I could not possibly disagree more about the rarity of their skillset. Small, quick receivers are a dime a dozen compared to big targets who can not only make the possession plays over the middle, but stretch the field vertically and run over DBs once they've got the ball.

[Bleedin Green]

I hear you, but my one argueing point would be that you don't necessarily have to gameplan around the blocking of a WR, which Braylon does quite well (and Santonio barely does at all). It's still a run first team and, to me, that seems to be a very underrated skill. I couldn't stand Braylon going into last season. I always thought I'd remember him for the dropped wide open pass in Buffalo on that Thursday night. Then this season happened...more importantly the playoffs. The catch against Indy that you mentioned, and I'd like to add carrying two Patriots into the endzone in the next round now remind me of Braylon Edwards. The Patriots play in particular. If Braylon goes elsewhere I'm going to feel like Fred Jetstone when Bollinger was gone.

I'll pull hard for the team no matter who wears the jersey, but I HOPE Braylon is one of them.

Very well said, and I agree with all of it. Blocking is certainly a great point too, as you think that would be more important for this team than just about any other in the league. Frankly, I really want both guys back, I just have no question in my mind whatsoever that if a choice had to be made, I'm hoping for Edwards all the way.

[JustInFudge]

I hear you, but my one argueing point would be that you don't necessarily have to gameplan around the blocking of a WR, which Braylon does quite well (and Santonio barely does at all). It's still a run first team and, to me, that seems to be a very underrated skill. I couldn't stand Braylon going into last season. I always thought I'd remember him for the dropped wide open pass in Buffalo on that Thursday night. Then this season happened...more importantly the playoffs. The catch against Indy that you mentioned, and I'd like to add carrying two Patriots into the endzone in the next round now remind me of Braylon Edwards. The Patriots play in particular. If Braylon goes elsewhere I'm going to feel like Fred Jetstone when Bollinger was gone.

I'll pull hard for the team no matter who wears the jersey, but I HOPE Braylon is one of them.

Me too. And I wasnt giving my opinion. I was giving Rex's. How many times have you heard him say that he's the best player on the field? I've said it before, but check out his interview on Holmes for the top 100 players. You never hear him talk about BE that way.

[AVM]

Me too. And I wasnt giving my opinion. I was giving Rex's. How many times have you heard him say that he's the best player on the field? I've said it before, but check out his interview on Holmes for the top 100 players. You never hear him talk about BE that way.

I gotcha, and that's a good point. Of course, Rex is the one with a job and big salary and I'm not so...what do I know?

[JustInFudge]

I gotcha, and that's a good point. Of course, Rex is the one with a job and big salary and I'm not so...what do I know?

You know you've seen a big improvement from BE and thats he's become a very good to great WR. You know you've seen him make beastly plays. I know that I'm a big fan now and really want them both to comeback. BE won me over vs. Pitt, the first game. On the bootleg, Braylon came running over to sidelines, fired up, screaming at Rex to go for it. They showed it from the sideline perspective on the NFL Replay. ******* awesome.

As you fusion partner would say, it gave me the weirdest boner.

[#27TheDominator]

It is very possible that we are blowing WR blocking out of proportion. In probably 99% of the plays the WR is just blocking the CB straight up and the runs are going for 2-10 yards and if lined up over the WR and completely ignored the CB could not make the play. It is very possible that the Jets don't give a sh*t that Holmes is a worse blocker.