Jets Gab

The Jets wined and dine LaDainian Tomlinson yesterday in hopes of signing him to replace the void left by Thomas Jones.

The Jets are reportedly the favorites to sign L.T., but he is headed back to San Diego to mull the decision.

While the though of adding LaDainian Tomlinson sounds appealing, if I were Mike Tannenbaum I would pass.

However, it seems as if the Jets are intent of signing him and reportedly are willing to match the 2 year $5 million deal the Chiefs gave Thomas Jones.

If the Jets are willing to spend this much money on a third string running back, why didn’t they just keep Thomas Jones is the first place?

Tomlinson is only a year younger than Jones, but more importantly he has more mileage on his tires.

Looking at last year’s stats Jones was significantly better than Tomlinson.  He had over double the yards, more touchdowns, and averaged almost a yard more per carry.

Tomlinson will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame one day, but he isn’t that kind of player anymore.

Of any running back that received at least 100 carries last year, Tomlinson had the worst yard per carry average (3.3).

All Jet fans got a first hand view of the player Tomlinson is now in the playoffs, where he rushed for 24 yards on 12 carries.

He lacked any burst whatsoever.  He just ran straight into the line and got stuffed repeatedly.

Watching the game, I was cheering every time they gave him a carry because I knew he wasn’t getting more than three yards.

Now what value does he add to the Jets?

I’ll admit he still can deliver on the goal line, but Shonn Greene can handle that.

He isn’t a receiving threat anymore and I’d much rather have Leon Washington out there on third downs.

He adds no special teams value and who knows how he will react to a diminished role.

So the Jets would be getting a washed up running back, who would add nothing that they don’t already have and pay him the same amount that the guy they released, who is a much better payer, received.  Tell me how that makes sense?

Sorry L.T., but I hope you pick Brett and the Vikings.

The Jets have come to terms with a safety with a history of injury issues, as today the team inked Brodney Pool. The report from PFT says that the deal is a one-year deal worth $1.3 mil:

Free agent safety Brodney Pool is about to become a Jet.

Adam Schefter of ESPN is reporting that the New York Jets reached an agreement on a one-year, $1.3 million deal with Pool on Thursday night.

Pool has played his entire five-year career in Cleveland but wasn’t tendered by the Browns. That means the Jets won’t have to send any compensation to the Browns, even though Pool was technically a restricted free agent.

Pool has suffered multiple concussions, and after his latest concussion cut short his 2009 season, there was talk that it could end his career. But Pool was given a clean bill of health in February.

In addition to the Jets, teams that showed an interest in Pool included the Rams and Buccaneers.

If the Vikings are going to ink former Chargers back LaDainian Tomlinson, they will have to do it after he has a visit with the New York Jets. AP reports that Tomlinson spent several hours at Vikings headquarters Thursday, but did not reach agreement on a contract.

So now the back will head to the Big Apple, even after leaving the Vikings holding onto a purple jersey. Tomlinson would be a good fit for New York, as he could come in and take the spot of the departed Thomas Jones, who was released when free agency started last Friday.

“If the Jets really want Tomlinson, they’ll have to bring it,” Sports Illustrated’s Jim Trotter wrote on his Twitter account. “Vikes really wowed him. Said he could see himself playing there.”

Point well taken. But if the Vikings and Tomlinson were that perfect of a fit, why is he heading to New York to talk to the Jets? Could it be simply to try and get the last dollar? Or does Tomlinson see the Jets as a better fit as they don’t really have a franchise back since Jones is gone?

Whatever it is, L.T. will be in New York to have a discussion, and now it’s a waiting game for the Vikings to see if they did enough to woo him to come to the Twin Cities.

Kerry Rhodes was on the Michael Kay Show on 1050 ESPN Radio this morning and took some shots at his former club:

“The D-coordinator (Mike Pettine) and the rest of those guys didn’t feel like I was the focal point — or one of the focal points — on the defense,” Rhodes said Tuesday on the Michael Kaye Show. “It was like, ‘Oh, we brought in our guys — and our guys know the system so we’re going to let them run things and you guys just learn it and fill in with them.’

“To me, it doesn’t work that way. Not to sound arrogant, but I’ve always been the guy the coaches would say, ‘Okay, you run the defense, you help them get lined up and make plays.’ It was kind of a slap in the face.”In the beginning, they didn’t make me feel the way I think you should make people feel. It just didn’t work.”

I always liked Kerry Rhodes and was upset when I learned he had been traded.

However, it’s clear he and the coaching staff didn’t get along and even though he played better after his benching he was pretty much gone at that point anyway.

It’s a sad way to end his up and down career as a Jet.

The Jets may have made the AFC Championship Game this past season, but their regular season record was 9-7.

If they want to take the next step they have a number of holes to fill on the team.

They started off the off-season by trading for Antonio Cromartie, filling their need of a number two corner to play opposite Darrelle Revis.

However, there is still plenty of work to be done.

Primary Needs

Defensive End

Shaun Ellis is no spring chicken and will turn 33 before next season starts and Marques Douglas, also 33, is currently an unrestricted free agent, who is drawing some interest around the league.

Mike DeVito is a nice backup, but would be stretched as a starter.  Even if they do end up bringing Douglas back, the Jets need to get younger along the defensive front.  I expect them to give Jared Odrick a long look in the first round.

Outside Linebacker

Calvin Pace is locked into one of the starting jobs, but the Jets are in need of a pass rushed to play opposite of him.  They thought they had one in Vernon Gholston, who they drafted with the 6th pick in 2008, but he has shown nothing in his two years.

The Patriots are expected to release Adalius Thomas soon and many expect the Jets to sign him.  He and Rex Ryan go back to Baltimore, where Thomas posted his best numbers.

Safety

The trade of Kerry Rhodes left a hole at safety for the Jets.  Eric Smith is a good third safety and spot starter, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable with him starting 16 games.

The Jets could look at free agency to fill the hole with targets being O.J. Atogwe and Brodney Pool among others.  They could also address the need via the draft.  If they drafted a safety, I would prefer they use a middle round pick because spending a first or second round pick on a safety after trading away your starter for a fourth round pick seems counterproductive.

Secondary Needs

Wide Receiver

The Jets are set at their starting wide outs with Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery.   They could use a good slot receiver though.

Adding another receiver will only help the development of Mark Sanchez as the Jets start to open up the playbook more.

There are rumors of the Jets bringing back Laveranues Coles and also many mock drafts have had the Jets taking a receiver, most notably Golden Tate or Jordan Shipley, who I think would be a great fit as a slot receiver.

Cornerback

While the Jets did trade for Antonio Cromartie, you can never have too many good cornerbacks.  The Jets learned this first hand in the AFC Championship Game, when the Colts receivers repeatedly burned their backup corners.

Adding a cornerback to play in dime packages to keep Drew Coleman off the field and possibly challenge Dwight Lowery for nickel duties should be a priority for the Jets.

Running Back

While the release of Thomas Jones paves the way for Shonn Greene to take over as the feature back the Jets still could use another runningback.

Leon Washington is coming off a serious leg injury and Shonn Greene got nicked up a few times during his rookie season.

You need two backs in today’s NFL and if either Greene of Leon go down the Jets are in trouble.

Offensive Line

The Jets have one of the best offensive lines in the league, but a few of the starters are getting up there in age.

Alan Faneca and Damien Woody can’t be counted on to keep up their level of play for much longer and the Jets don’t have adequete replacements on their roster.

They drafted Matt Slauson in the sixth round last year and should look to add another lineman through the draft this year.

Quarterback

Kellen Clemens hasn’t shown much of anything in his four seasons in the league and Eric Ainge and Kevin O’Connell are both developmental projects.

Mark Sanchez could benefit from a veteran backup, who can mentor the young quarterback.

PFT.com reports that Jets have inked tight end Ben Hartsock:

Rich Cimini of the New York Daily News recently reported that the Jets are “trying” to re-sign tight end Ben Hartsock.

Per a league souce, it is believed that Hartsock and the Jets have agreed to terms.

The Jets had been kicking around the possibility of pursuing tight end John Paul Foschi, a restricted free agent whom the Bengals opted not to restrict with any of the various available tender offers.

Hartsock, a six-year veteran, joined the Jets in 2009. He appeared in every regular-season game starting seven. He also started in the wild-card win over Cincinnati, and in the AFC title game.

Antrel Rolle will not be coming back to the Cardinals after the safety inked with the Giants, but it only took the team a short period of time to find his replacement. Saturday the Cards made a deal with the New York Jets, obtaining safety Kerry Rhodes for a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft and a seventh-rounder in 2011.

Rhodes is expected to move into the starting spot opposite All-Pro Adrian Wilson that was vacated when Rolle left to join the Giants on Friday after the Cards last week released him.

HHe fits a lot of the things that we do defensively,” Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said in a statement, “and the prospect of having him alongside a perennial All-Pro like Adrian Wilson is very exciting.”

The Jets received Arizona’s original pick in the fourth round; the Cardinals acquired another Friday night from Baltimore in exchange for wide receiver Anquan Boldin.

The deal came a day after Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said he expected Rhodes to participate in the offseason program in a few weeks, and play in New York this year and beyond “unless something changes.”

Rhodes has four years left on his contract and was due a $2 million roster bonus next week. Expected to be one of the standouts on coach Rex Ryan’s defense last year, Rhodes struggled and even lost his starting job.

“We all know that the safety position was a hole we needed to fill,” Whisenhunt said. “To be able to do that so quickly and with a proven starter off the NFL’s No. 1 defense is a tremendous positive for our football team. Kerry has the experience and ability to step in right away.”

It looks like the Jets could get back a couple of players that were gone from the team last season, as both WR Laveranues Coles and TE Chris Baker might be back with the club:

Ex-Jets wide receiver Laveranues Coles and former tight end Chris Baker were cut by the Bengals and Patriots, respectively, and one or both could have a homecoming with the Jets.

The first trade of the free agency period has taken place, as reports are the Jets have reached an agreement in principle with the Chargers to acquire cornerback Antonio Cromartie. The Jets confirmed the deal Thursday night, but didn’t release specifics – although it is believed to include a draft pick in 2011 going to the Chargers.

Cromartie was an All-Pro in 2007 and will team with Darrelle Revis in the Jets’ secondary, making them possibly the best cornerback tandem in the NFL. Cromartie replaces Lito Sheppard, who was released earlier in the day after one disappointing season.

Despite 15 interceptions in four seasons, the Chargers were dissatisfied with Cromartie’s performance late last season and in the playoffs. General manager A.J. Smith made it clear he would try to trade him.