Erik Boland: Inside the Jets

By Tom Rock

Here's the details on the Bowens signing -- three years with the potential to reach $8 million. The Jets were very aggressive in bringing him in. Dan Quinn must have really liked him (and thusly the Jets must really like Dan Quinn). Quinn was Bowens' position coach with the Dolphins.

Nice point about Kimo jumping back to NT, Jetorange, but there's also a long list of guys there with Sione Pouha coming back healthy, 325-pounder Keyonta Marshall, and I know the Jets liked what they saw from C.J. Mosley after he got the hang of things and found his way onto the field toward the end of the season.

Now that there are 50 or so bodies to compete for the front seven on defense (OK, a slight exaggeration), it seems unlikely that the Jets will draft anyone for those positions next month. The one position they have not addressed in FA is the secondary -- probably one of the easiest positions to fill in via the draft and one of the costliest to fill in via free agency. What would like to see happen on April 28?

By Tom Rock

Are the Jets trying to send a message to Kimo von Oelhoffen?

The Jets were reportedly interested in renegotiating his contract last month, just before the free agency period began. Then came reports from Kimo’s side that no such negotiations would take place. The Jets did not want to release him, certainly not after handing him a ton of cash up front to sign only a year ago, and they loved his veteran presence in the locker room. But, since that time, the Jets have signed four defensive ends – two of them former first-round picks – to compete with von Oelhoffen in training camp.

The latest acquisition is Andre Wadsworth, the third overall selection in the 1998 draft (behind Payton Manning and Ryan Leaf) who had a series of knee surgeries and has not played in the league since the 2000 season. The 32-year-old is the second former first-round defensive end to sign with the Jets in a week, following Michael Haynes, formerly of the Bears, who was signed on Thursday. Like Wadsworth, Haynes has been out of football and has not played since 2005. The Jets have also signed DE Kenyon Coleman and re-signed DE Bobby Hamilton during the free agency period.

There are a few ways to look at the glut of defensive ends that the Jets have brought in in the last month. They could be looking for another DE-turned-OLB in the mold of Bryan Thomas or Willie McGinnest for their 3-4 scheme. They could be flirting with the idea of playing more 4-3 formations on defense. And they could just be picking up bodies for training camp in a series of low risk-high reward contracts. If either Wadsworth or Haynes can return to form as Jet – and sometimes a change of scenery is enough for such a rebound – the moves will only add to the growing legend that is Mike Tannenbaum.

But the bottom line is that the Jets need better production from the position. Von Oelhoffen started all 16 games at defensive end in 2006 but had only 28 tackles and one sack. I think the Jets message to the 36-year-old Kimo is clear: You can stay under the terms of the three-year, $9.2 million deal reached during the 2006 free agency period, but you have to start putting up numbers that reflect that kind of a payout.

By Tom Rock

The thinking is that it took a little extra time to sign Marques Tuiasosopo because his name is so darn long. All those pages in an NFL contract, he probably went through two or three pens just to ink the deal. But it is a done deal, and Marques Typo-waiting-to-happen is a Jet. The team formalized the announcement this afternoon. And just when I was finally comfortable typing Laveranues. Sigh!

So, what does this mean? Well, if the Jets have any luck, nothing at all. No one goes into a season hoping to rely on a third-string quarterback (and considering the jump Kellen Clemens has on Tuiasosopo in learning this offense, a full year, it's hard to imagine the former Raider leapfrogging Clemens). Tuiasosopo becomes a veteran backup the Jets hope they never have to use. His athleticism has never been questioned, but his career stats are a bit humble. I guess come training camp we'll find out if the fact that he could never crack the lineup with the Raiders is a reflection on him on that wayward franchise. My guess is it's a little of both.

By Tom Rock

OK, it's not a blockbuster. It's not even an improvement. But the Jets re-signed UFA tackle Anthony Clement today. Just a few weeks after letting the veteran starter test the waters of free angency, the Jets drained the pool and brought him back. Terms were not immediately available.

There was a lot of speculation that the right side of the offensive line would be one of the areas the Jets would try to upgrade at during free agency. They signed a few players, but no new players. They have Clement and Wade Smith, who can play the position, along with Adrian Jones who was considered a starter in training camp but lost the job to Clement.

I can't imagine the Jets keeping three players for right tackle, so chances are one will be cut during camp. Smith's versatility makes him a gem -- he can play any of the five O-line spots -- so that leaves Clement and Jones to duke it out. A lot of people, myself included, figured Jones would be gone due to his drunk driving episode during the season (and the fact that he hardly ever played). He'll probably have July and August to prove himself, something the Jets have been waiting a few years to see happen.

By Tom Rock

Figured I'd take part in the writin' o' the green!

Sorry that there's nothing much to report. The Jets held true to their word in regard to free agency, with the Thomas Jones deal skirting outside the technical boundaries of an FA pick-up. So, who did the Jets sign? A FB and a DL. Whoop-dee-doo!

Of course, some of the biggest Jets signings were for their own players. Hank Poteat was brought back for next year, and if the Jets can't get a starting CB in the draft that will be a schrewd re-signing. And Jerricho Cotchery will be a Jet for the next few years. That must make Kerry Rhodes excited with two years left on his contract. The Jets appear to be willing to reward their young talent with long-term deals before they reach free agency.

The Cotchery signing pretty much pushed Justin McCareins out the door, and a few teams have been sniffing around about the former starter. McCareins, you'll remember, said he wanted to play for a team that would appreciate him. The Cotchery signing shows that that team isn't the Jets, who can probably get some draft picks for him before the end of April.

As for the draft, the Jets have those four first-day picks, and I wouldn't be surprised if they packaged some of them together to move up a bit. Then again, it's a pretty thin draft once you get past the top 5 picks or so. The Jets didn't trade up last year to get Reggie Bush, so they probably won't go too crazy this year.

That's all for now. I'll keep you posted on doings and goings-on regarding the guys in green (and not the leprauchans!). Have a safe St. Patty's Day!

By Tom Rock

Thomas Jones won’t be going through those holes alone. The Jets signed FB Darian Barnes (Dolphins) in a move announced this morning on the team’s website, nyjets.com. Terms of the deal were not immediately available.

Barnes is a straight-ahead power fullback, the anti-Askew. The Jets were very intrigued with James Hodgins, whom they brought in during the regular season. Mangini was especially excited when he repeated a scouting report about how Hodgins made linebackers quit. While we never quite saw that kind of dominance from Hodgins – he split active time during the second half of the season with B.J. Askew, a halfback turned fullback – the Jets are hoping for Barnes to become their battering ram.

The Jets also have a more athletic option at fullback with former college quarterback Stacey Tutt, who was activated from the practice squad late in the year and made a nice block on a TD run against the Vikings.

By Tom Rock

Conference call is over and the Jets have a new running back. The contract was hammered out, the physical was passed, and the draft picks have been swapped. Thomas Jones has arrived.

The Jets also have a few different defensive linemen (I hesitate to use the word "new" in regard to Bobby Hamilton). More on them later.

Jones was diplomatic in his conference call, already toeing the Jets line in regard to speaking his mind. He was asked a few times whether he was worried about playing time with the Jets, especially since they have Leon Washington to share the backfield duties, but he sidestepped them all, saying that “I’m here to help this team win,” and "The best players play, and that’s a great situation to be in.”

If it was so great, why did he want to get out of Chicago and the shared duties with Cedric Benson?

Of course, it's not all about playing time. That would be naive. I haven't confirmed the numbers so far, but espn is reporting the deal is $20 million for four years, $12 million guaranteed and $13.1 million in the first two years of the deal. To paraphrase Jones out of context, "that's a great situation to be in."

Oh yeah, the Jets also signed Kenyon Coleman and Bobby Hamilton to bolster their defensive line. They haven't ruled out DE David Bowens (Tannenbaum said they had some strong meetings). The Jets are expected to meet with FB Darian Barnes, though Tannenbaum would not confirm that because, as we've seen, schedules change very quickly. Just when were the Jets going to meet with Joey Porter?

By Tom Rock

Just a brief posting: The Jets have announced a press conference for 4 p.m. today with Thomas Jones and Mike Tannenbaum, about as close to confirmation on the deal as we'll get until that time. Apparently Jones has not pulled a Lee Suggs and flunked his physical. Haven't heard about the numbers on the contract yet. I'll post an update when we get off the phone with the principles.

Also, just got this email from Jordan Woy, the agent for Kenyon Coleman: "Very close. We are still going through a few items." So there could be that announcement made today as well.

By Tom Rock

Just received confirmation from a Jets official that the Thomas Jones deal is moving ahead, pending a physical and a new contract for the running back, but there should be an announcement made sometime Tuesday that finalizes the deal. Previously reported terms of the trade -- the Jets get Jones and the teams swap their second-round picks -- have also been confirmed by the official.

In essence, the Jets get Jones for free (other than what I presume will be a hefty contract) since the draft pick they sent to the Bears is the one that they acquired from the Redskins on Draft Day last year when the Skins wanted to move up.

So, thank the Redskins when Thomas Jones breaks a big run outside of Adalius Thomas against the Patriots this fall.

By Tom Rock

I'll let Glauber weigh in on this one. Just one word of warning: The Jets have not confirmed the deal in any way, so it might not happen if they cannot reach a new agreement with Jones. Anyway, check out Glauber -- he could use the hits!

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/football/bob_blog/

By Tom Rock

DE David Bowens met with the Jets today – as of 5 p.m. they were still meeting, in fact -- and his agent Harold Lewis said Bowens was very impressed with the Jets and their direction. He also said the Jets have told him that they are equally impressed by Bowens. Sounds like a match made in heaven! Do we have a deal?

No. The next step is to work out an offer and an acceptance – something both sides seem to want – and finalize a contract. That won’t happen until Tuesday at the earliest, Lewis said. But it sounds as if Bowens will soon be wearing the Green and White of the Jets.

Bowens is a 6-3, 265-pound defensive end who has played the last six of his eight NFL seasons with the Dolphins. Last season he had only 20 tackles but five of them were sacks. He’s averaged six sacks per season in the last three years. Bowens may seem like an odd pickup for the Jets, especially since they appear committed to keeping Kimo von Oelhoffen. Then again, he’s just about the same size as Bryan Thomas (6-4, 266), a defensive end who the Jets converted into an outside linebacker in their 3-4 system. If the Jets are looking to unload Eric Barton, as I’ve been hearing rumblings about since the end of the season, they could – emphasize COULD -- move Hobson inside and have Thomas and Bowens as bookends. Hmmm. Maybe Adalius Thomas would have been a better fit.

The Jets also held meetings with Kenyon Coleman today, according to a source. That’s two defensive ends coming in on the same day. Maybe they had the two guys arm-wrestle for a contract or something! I’m waiting to hear back on how Coleman’s meetings went. Coleman played the last four years with the Cowboys and is a little more stout (to use an Eric Mangini word) that Thomas or Bowens at 6-5, 295. He was not a starter for the Boys, and if he came here, he probably wouldn’t be projected as one either. But he would be a nice backup for Kimo or could move to NT.

I spoke with Chris Brown’s camp this afternoon, and while no meeting has been scheduled yet, there have been talks between the Jets and Brown’s reps. His agent said he thinks NY would be a good fit for Brown and there could be a meeting scheduled for later in the week. But again, nothing has been formalized as of yet.

Also, not that this is news, but in my previous blog I joked that the Vinny is a free agent, insinuating that the Jets could be interested in picking him up as a third-stringer. Apparently that one-liner was picked up and flashed on the popular kffl.com message board as a real news item. Sure Vinny is a possibility – he’ll be a possibility until he’s playing bingo in the old folk’s home – but there’s no substance to that tidbit other than an attempt at humor.

Unless, of course, Testaverde signs with the Jets. In that case, I told you so!

By Tom Rock

Scratch Smoot off the list.

Free agent Fred Smoot, one of the players the Jets might have been eyeing for their cornerback issues, has signed with the Redskins according to some reports. Five years, $25 mil. That’s some serious Smoot Loot. I still think the Jets are looking for draft day help at that position, though. The focus of their free agency period is still on acquiring a running back, and one has became available.

The Titans officially released Travis Henry today, and he shoots up to the top of the running back field of free agents. ESPN reports that Henry has spoken with or has plans to meet with the Broncos, Packers, Raiders and Texans. The Raiders and Texans? Why anyone would want to play for them I’ll never know. But I think that the Jets can compete with the Broncos and Packers in terms of stature and franchise trajectory. If Henry is looking for a team on the rise, a team that is maybe a year or two away from a deep playoff push, he could do a lot worse than the Jets. The Broncos are on the downslope and the Packers have too far to climb. Henry could be the perfect fit for the Jets. Now all the team has to do is reach out to him and set something up.

I sense that Jets fans are getting restless. Relax. As I’ve noted here in recent days, the front office has said repeatedly that they would not be chucking millions of dollars into free agency but would instead be patient, fill a few gaps with some role players, and continue to build through the draft. Just like the Patriots. Oh, wait, the Patriots who are spending like George Steinbrenner this weekend? Gasp! I have visions of Adalius Thomas and Roosevelt Colvin coming from the outside to make a Chad Pennington sandwich this fall.

Seriously, the Jets have a plan, and it has nothing to do with public relations or fan perception. Tannenbaum and Mangini may be the most disciplined front office in the league when it comes to sticking to their script. Still, it’d be nice if they could sign a guy or two just to let us know that they are open for business!

By the way, B.J. Askew signed with the Buccaneers today. He’ll be happy there because he can do his shirtless pregame routine in Florida without freezing his tattoos off!

By Tom Rock

Eight years, $80 million? What have we learned today, class? Yes, supply and demand. If there is a limited field of cornerbacks available in free agency, then even a guy such as Nate Clements can be paid as if he is the ultimate stopper. Clements is good, but that’s like crazy QB money! $22 million guaranteed according to the reports I’m reading! Maybe the 49ers found more gold in them hills!

While the big-time deals are taking place, the Jets are staying quiet. Adalius Thomas? Pass. London Fletcher-Baker? Pass. Hey, the Jets said they wouldn’t be sucked into a spending spree! Didn’t you believe them?

But there is still hope. First of all, there are plenty of RBs around all of a sudden, even if you eliminate the ones who have been arrested for drunk driving after winning the Super Bowl and are therefore not “Mangini Type” players. Chris Brown is scheduled to meet with the Jets early next week; see the post below for thoughts on him. Corey Dillon would make a wonderful tweak to our friends up north, but he’s said he wants to be an every-down back and the Jets are pretty committed to their committee concept. I’m thinking that if Brown says the right things -- and hears the right numbers -- he’ll wind up here (which is nothing more than an educated hunch so don’t go spreading rumors about Newsday reporting that the Jets will sign Chris Brown!).

And the Jets are expected to reach out to Colts CB Nick Harper (the poor man’s Nate Clements) in the coming days. He'd look pretty nice opposite Andre Dyson (who could become known as the poor man's Nick Harper).

So stay tuned, Jets fans. The first full day of free agency may not bring all of the trinkets you desired, but I can guarantee two things: 1) By the time the draft rolls around in April, the Jets will have signed somebody; and 2) It won’t be an 8-year, $80 million deal.

By Tom Rock

Patrick Ramsey is officially a FORMER Jet. The team released him this afternoon. Ramsey was brought in from the Redskins as an insurance policy in case Chad Pennington was physically unable to complete the season. He was due to collect a roster bonus of $1.4 million on Saturday, but with the Comeback Player of the Year proving he’s healthy and Kellen Clemens making strides as a backup, that would have been wasted money for the Jets to pay. The Jets didn’t even waste much time with the announcement, issuing a two-sentence obit to his Jets career:

“The New York Jets announced they have released quarterback Patrick Ramsey. The announcement was made by General Manager Mike Tannenbaum.”

To be fair, that's two sentences for every pass attempted as a Jet. At that rate, if they cut Pennington, the release would be about 3,200 sentences long.

Instead of Ramsey, they’ll probably bring in a veteran guy who can act as a mentor and also push Clemens from the No. 3 spot. Kerry Collins, Brad Johnson, someone of that ilk. Hey, Vinny is a free agent too!

With Michael Turner pretty much locked away from the rest of the world by the Chargers, the Jets will have to focus their attention elsewhere on a running back. They were very interested in Titans RB Chris Brown in training camp, if you recall. Brown, at the time requesting a trade, was pretty excited about coming to NY. He might be at the top of the Jets’ list now. Brown had an unimpressive season (156 yards) but he did run for 64 yards on 16 carries against the Jets in the season opener. He played only one game the second-half of the 2006 season. At least he’s well-rested!

The Jets have apparently decided to keep Kimo von Oelhoffen without renegotiating his contract. When I spoke with Mike Tannenbaum earlier this week he said the two sides were working on that new deal, but I guess Kimo’s Kamp managed to play some hardball with the Jets. The Jets paid up rather than cut the veteran.

By Tom Rock

Hmmm. Joey Porter in a Jets uniform?

It would solve some Jets problems. It would give them a big outside pass rush and take the pressure off their defensive ends. It would give them another experienced 3-4 player. It would likely lead to moving Victor Hobson to inside LB next to Vilma – and could even make Vilma expendable, as if those pesky trade rumors on the Internet need any further fanning. It would more likely mean Eric Barton's days as a Jet would be numbered.

But Porter has a reputation for a big mouth – sometimes deserved and sometimes overblown – and that might be enough to scare away Tannenbaum and Mangini. (One of Porter’s more repeated comments was his line about wanting to give President Bush a piece of his mind during a White House visit, which could endear him to blue-stater Mangini but ruffle some conservative feathers elsewhere in the locker room.) The Jets’ front office has made it clear they are looking for certain personalities, not just abilities, when bringing in players. It’ll be interesting to see where those two prerequisites meet on this one.

Besides, the Jets apparently have concerns about spending money on Adalius Thomas based on his age (29) and the skyrocketing pricetag he’ll likely command. Porter is a year older than Thomas. When the Jets say they are going to lay low during free agency, be patient, pick up a few strategic pieces, and build through the draft, I think it’s the truth and not just posturing.

Then again, it's Joey Porter we're talking about.

By Tom Rock

The Jets put a bit of a dent in the room they have under the salary cap today by signing WR Jerricho Cotchery to a long-term contract extension. Terms were not announced (yet), but the receiver, who thrived under Mangini in his third NFL season would have become a free agent after the 2007 season had he not been wrapped up.

“Jerricho Cotchery is the type of player we are looking for here,” GM Mike Tannenbaum said. “He earned a starting role this year and showed the productivity and consistency we want at that position. I am pleased Jerricho will remain a New York Jet.”

“Jerricho Cotchery exemplifies everything we are looking for in our players,” Mangini echoed. “He is smart, tough, hardworking, selfless, competitive and football is important to him. During training camp, he took advantage of the opportunity to compete and became not only a starter but a key contributor to what the team was able to accomplish in 2006. I am pleased that Jerricho will remain with the Jets for years to come.”

The move spells near-certain doom for fellow WR Justin McCareins, who was pushed out of his starting role by Cotchery this season and is due to earn almost $3 million in 2007 and has four more years left on his contract. McCareins has said he wants to play where he is wanted. It’ll be interesting to see how much the Jets want him now.

Also, the Jets formally announced that they have released RB Derrick Blaylock and DL Bobby Hamilton. They liked Hamilton a lot, more off the field than on, so if he’s still kicking around in August don’t be surprised if Big Bobby comes back.