His best game he put up 110 yds, next highest after that was 60 yds but mostly 20-30 ypg. He has averaged 29 ypg for his career. It's great that it seems he is betting his head straight but where do you draw the line at overpaying, is it $2M-$3M, and how many players do you do that for? Pretty soon they are in cap hell like they spent so many years.
Bumping this thread as I saw that ASJ turned down a 2 year $8M contract. I know I said $6M a year before but hoping they don't go up much from the $4M a year. Not even really worth that $4M a year for less than 28 ypg.
I agree. I wouldn't go that much higher. For all of the potential ASJ has, he wasn't all that great this year. With Leggett coming back hopefully he can be a force in 2018 and beyond. I would add a couple of escalator clauses based on performance and ASJ doesn't accept then say thank you and goodbye. PS. I thought ASJ said that her loved playing on the Jets .
They never seen to get displayed, you have to remember this is a Jets message board, it's prone for errors!
Legget has proven absolutely nothing,is coming off major injury & was a 5th round pick.We’re really gonna depend on that to hold the fort at TE? ASJ may not be dominant but before we pinch pennies to get him out the door remember how awful this team is at scouting offensive skill not to mention how bad the TE position was prior to this year. I overpay to keep ASJ within reason bc we aren’t doing any better
I haven't seen those reports about turning down 2 years, $8 mil, but that would have been lower than I expected for a pretty productive TE. I'd have no problem going 3 years and like $15 mil
I just want to point out that he wasn't all that productive by the standards of literally any other team in the league. He was ranked 45th out of TEs this season by PFF (and I know PFF has some weird skews), and similarly low by Football Outsiders. He was 26th in the league in receiving yards at his position, and had the second-lowest YPC of any TE with 15 or more receptions. (And a catch rate of only 67%). I also don't ever remember a single person calling out his blocking as being particularly good. I'd be happy to offer him a fairly low paying deal with some significant performance clause escalators, but performance-wise he feels like JAG, a below-average starter who simply looks comparatively good because the Jets track record at the position is so abysmal. I do admire his personal story, and can see him improving as he stays with the team, but any contract that pays him much past what was offered is placing a bet that his performance improves.
Well said. ASJ underwhelmed but due to recent history, jet fans see him as something special. Meanwhile, Tomlinson could easily replaced his production if utilized more in the passing game. He is a better blocker and was used primarily in that role. Also Enunwa will be returning and thrived as H back, Sterling and Leggette should add to the passing game at TE. If Mac and Bowles can't come up with a way to replace 3 TDs and 3 dropped TDs. We're really in trouble. His sobriety is a nice story but we're not paying him to do what he should have been doing all along. His offer was fair for his production, if we're going to pay more, it may as well be to a FA who offers more.
I think Mac could structure a deal so it protects the Jets in case ASJ falls off the wagon or doesn't continue to develop (including an escape clause), yet will make ASJ happy. Include some fairly easy incentives that would boost the value of the contract in successive years if his catches and TDs increase, and bonuses for making the Pro Bowl, All Pro and the Jets making the playoffs in years 2-4.
Excellent point, Red. If Leggett can stay healthy and develop next season, the Jets should have a solid TE corps with ASJ, Leggett and Tomlinson.
As decent as ASJ was this year, and that is all he was a decent guy, I'm not handing him much more than 4 per. I don't care for his potential. in a contract negotiation, because paying for a maybe is how bad teams stay bad. Sure we have oodles of cash to spend, but spending it wisely is a must.
They definitely need to keep him. They have cap space, include some easily-reached incentives in the deal that will boost the value of the contract if he stays healthy and produces. He should have no problems with that. Such a deal would be a win-win.
How about $4.5 or $5 million per season or $4 million with fairly easily reached incentives (35 catches, 7 TDs)? It seems to me an incentive-laden deal is the way to go. ASJ should be willing to bet on himself. If he produces at a higher level he gets paid more, and that higher level play makes the team better. Mac could structure the deal such that if ASJ can't stay healthy or doesn't continue to develop, the Jets would have an out after a year or two. If ASJ balks at that, the Jets could include a clause that if he reaches 50 catches and 10 TDs and extra year is added to the deal, and the pay would be boosted by a certain amount. Again, that would be a win-win deal for both sides.
He turned down $8 guaranteed for 2 years. I think he is looking for a longer deal with more guaranteed money. He has not earned it. He stated he was going to fire his agent before free agency to get a better deal, which he did. I know you were very high on ASJ before the season but he failed to come close to the expectations in a contract year. He seemed to give up as the season wore on as well. Even prior to McCowns injury. I think the 2 drop TD game got into his head. He definitely has a fragile mental make-up. He has admitted as much, saying that the alcohol and self medicating helped deal with his personal demons, but he was unsure what those demons are. $4 mill per year for 2 years was fair. Maybe a little high even. $3.5 for his production seems closer to fair. If Mac wants to sweeten it with some incentives, yardages and TDs , that would be fair . But I don't think he will go for an incentive laden deal. Also the only guarantee in every NFL contract per CBA is for injury so his not staying healthy, while not an issue, can't be a reason to void his contract.
I'm curious where you come up with your numbers. 35 receptions? Sure 75% of starting TEs should be able to hit that number. 7 TDs? Only 6 TEs hit that number. Is he supposed to hit both benchmarks? Is it supposed to be easy or hard to hit them? Or 50 receptions with 10 TDs, that was hit by exactly 1 player total in the last 2 seasons. And why would he agree to one year being added if he hit 50 receptions and 10 TDs? That would put him at the top of his position, most players want to get paid when they do that.