http://www.footballreportersonline.com/?p=2149

http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/03/16/nfl-notes-jets-backfield-still-has-issues-despite-tomlinson/

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/362850-ladanian-tomlinson-or-thomas-jones-inside-the-numbers

http://www.bobgretz.com/chiefs-football/jets-say-good-bye-to-t-j.html

http://duelingcouches.blogspot.com/2010/03/lt-to-jets.html

and I found 20 more articles from different sources, all wondering what the hell the Jets were doing. In my 10 minute search I didn't find one article that think the Jets upgraded by going from Jones to Tomlinson.



A quick search of the net also lends to a ton of articles questioning the release of Faneca and how that will affect the Jets rushing and pass blocking a great deal. Not to mention leadership.



I've also seen plenty of articles questioning the moves from a chemistry standpoint. They made a lot of changes and seeming brought in a lot of one year hired guns. Messing with the chemistry that worked so well could easily back fire on the Jets.

From John Clayton:


2. The Jets: Like the decision to replace Thomas Jones with LaDainian Tomlinson at halfback, the Jets made two curious moves in the past two days that didn't necessarily improve the team. The second-round selection of Vladimir Ducasse led to the release of Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca on Saturday. Then the Jets drafted Joe McKnight in the fourth round and traded Leon Washington for only a fifth-round pick, which New York used on fullback John Conner. The Jones-Washington combo worked for so many years, but the Jets were worried about Jones' age (32 in August) and Washington's inability to be satisfied with a long-term contract. The Jets lost a lot of leadership in Jones and Faneca, and the Conner selection could spell the end of fullback Tony Richardson's career with the Jets. As the Jets have done on occasions, they had only a four-player draft class. Those small classes lead to free-agent signings such as Faneca, whom the Jets needed to get more out of than just two seasons.

Chris Mortensen on the Fanaca move:




What started as a rumored report early Saturday morning quickly became official during Round 5 of the 2010 NFL Draft: the Jets formally released Alan Faneca.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported the move was made with contract money in mind, saying that New York will have to eat $5.25 million of Faneca's guaranteed money, keeping in mind that eventually the team will have to sign Antonio Cromartie and Braylong Edwards or Santonio Holmes to contract extensions.

The Jets had signed Faneca to a five-year, $40 million contract, with $21 million in guarantees, in 2008, making him the highest paid offensive lineman in NFL history.

Our Jets blog, Gang Green Nation, didn't like the move this morning, and they don't think it makes any more sense this afternoon.

It's still somewhat puzzling. They probably won't be able to afford both Holmes and Edwards, and they aren't saving that much after factoring in the guaranteed money. I do have faith in Callahan to develop a young guy, though.

SPNNewYork.com's Rich Cimini broaches an intriguing and ominous topic on his blog.

In light of the San Francisco 49ers giving linebacker Patrick Willis a gargantuan five-year, $50 million contract, Cimini wondered how the New York Jets will address their slew of young superstars.

Willis was drafted in 2007, the same year as Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis and David Harris, and a year after center Nick Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson.

Cimini writes:

The Jets have sent a dangerous message to their locker room this offseason, dumping well-respected, productive veterans such as Alan Faneca and Thomas Jones. Rex Ryan always talks about how he wants his guys to "play like Jets." Well, Faneca and Jones played like Jets and what happened? They received pink slips even though Faneca made his ninth straight Pro Bowl and Jones rushed for 1,400 yards. There's also the case of Leon Washington, who basically gave a leg for the organization and was sent packing in a trade.

The organization needs to show a willingness to take care of its own. The Jets have done it in the past, giving rich extensions to players like Jerricho Cotchery and Kerry Rhodes (gone), but the latest perception is that they’d rather take on one-year, hired guns than develop and pay homegrown talent.


The Jets are loading up for a run at the Super Bowl in 2010, bringing in several players who might be around for only one year. While so much focus has been placed on the newcomers such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Santonio Holmes, Jason Taylor and Antonio Cromartie, core players -- the kinds of pillars to keep around for as many years as possible -- also are reaching the end of their respective deals.

Quote: Originally Posted By timeprime71 on 5/06/2010
Ok so enlighten me. Whats the answer? Why did the Jets let Thomas Jones go, who they could have signed easily, and sign LT for the same money? I know, because they wanted the worse back, right?

Why did they let Fanaca go? (Don't even say money because it aint) Because their OLine was too good and they wanted to make it worse?

Why did they trade LWashington? Becaue their running game was getiing to good and they felt it was unfair so they thought they would weaken it?

But the biggest mystery is why isn't moranis or the taint the GM of the Jets and Mike Tananbaum on WIS drafting a $80mil cap Franchise twist team in Sim Live Baseball?

I can understand trading Washington. Injury, Green is in his 2nd year and they probably had the thinking of drafting another RB. So, i think they did right by trading him. I just don't understand what they were thinking when they didn't sign TJ and then signed LT. Would have been much better to keep TJ and still draft McKnight.

Side note....is McKnight the RB that dropped the barbell on his throat???

Very good answers. I applude you. So now Im really confused. Maybe I was right and the Jet GM SHOULD be playing Sim Live Baseball.

Greene + LT is cheaper than Jones + Washington.

Ducasse is cheaper than Faneca.

In both cases, they save a truckload of money for what they expect will be a minimal drop-off in production. They had to free up cap space to bring in the new studs (Holmes, JTaylor, Cromartie), and that's a way to do it.

It's a risky strategy, but I think it's a good one. The Jets are out to prove that last season was not a fluke.

Regarding chemisty the Jets thinking is that there are good young leaders on the team ready to take over and Rex will bring the team together.

How are these changes different than New England aquiring Rodney Harrison/Randy Moss/Corey Dillon while trading Richard Seymore/Deion Branch etc. and losing Asante Samuel

They didn't save money on Faneca/Jones. They are paying Faneca's $5.5mil guarenteed money and could have matched Jones KC offer which was similar to LTs contract.

In both cases they thought they were improving the team. Faneca is overrated by folks not watching closely and a guard between 2 pro bowlers is an easy position to fill. LT is a much better complement to Greene than Jones. LT much better in passing situations, blocking and catching.

We will see how things turn out but the easy thing to do would have been not to make those moves and avoid the second guessing. No pu$$ies in the Jets front office.

Side note....is McKnight the RB that dropped the barbell on his throat???

No. That was Stefan Johnson, his college teammate.

Quote: Originally Posted By kjufbg on 5/06/2010
Regarding chemisty the Jets thinking is that there are good young leaders on the team ready to take over and Rex will bring the team together.

How are these changes different than New England aquiring Rodney Harrison/Randy Moss/Corey Dillon while trading Richard Seymore/Deion Branch etc. and losing Asante Samuel

Rodney was never considered a bad guy.

We saw last year the lack of team chemistry on the Pats. It was a very dissapointing season.

Which is why the resigning of Wilfork shows the players that it isn't "all business", and that they'll take care of "their own".

Quote: Originally Posted By gumbercules on 5/06/2010

Side note....is McKnight the RB that dropped the barbell on his throat???

No. That was Stefan Johnson, his college teammate

Ok...thanks.

Hard to have a ton of turnover on an NFL team and be successful. Usually takes two years.

I am a pretty big Jets fan. I have had season tix since 1972. But I will say that I was puzzled by the moves this offseason. Of course we want to get better. I do not, however, necessarily think that the Jets got considerably better. They are better. Just not as much as the names added would indicate. This is not 2006. If it were, then the Jets would have gotten a whole lot better. Tomlinson and Taylor in 2006 would have been steals. Now they are older players who will not be as good in a Jets uniform as they were in their preceding ones. Fanaca will be missed. The biggest loss was Leon Washington. He was a player who did not mind not playing every down, and was content with his role, and was FANTASTIC at it. He broke more long plays with screen passes, end runs and kick returns than any other Jet I remember. And he was content in his role. Now you bring in Tomlinson to be a back up running back to a 2nd year player in Shonn Greene. You think that he wont express a little displeasure at not playing full time? T.J. DEFINITELY would have. Thats part of the reason he is gone. Had they kept Jones, he would have ******* and moaned about not playing full time. He did in the playoff WIN. Can you imagine what he would have said in a regular season loss?? I would have rather seen Greene - Washington - McKnight. I know that TJ is a better all around back than Washington, but Leon is a GREAT kick returner, a GREAT 3rd down receiving back with electric moves and great speed. But most of all, a great teammate. He did everything asked of him, and never complained.

I think Holmes is decent. Nothing more. He is a decent receiver. He aint Brandon Marshall. Now, Miami signed a GREAT wide receiver. Edwards was up and down last season for the Jets, and was for the Browns. I dont see that changing in 2010. I think the Jets moves made a lot of newspaper articles, and a lot of flashy signings of players with marquee names. But in the end... we are maybe marginally better. And if the chemistry doesnt mesh, maybe worse. We were 9-7 but lost to the Bills at home, and were swept by the Dolphins in games I feel that they should have won. The Jets should have been better than 9-7 last year, but the inexperience at QB hurt them.

I dont think that the Jets will actually be worse than last year, but the talent in the division is much better. The Patriots re-signed players and the Dolphins were very active and signed the most talented player (BMarshall).