Leon will be 28 befor the season starts. So 30 is streching it, but 27 is also not exactly true. If someone comes in with a big offer for him you let him walk.
He is a key to our offense, he hasn't been used much int he O his first 4 years, he has young legs. he's not a feature back but a guy who is very valuable to us and does alot of things really well. We know how good he is, people want tp give up on him already for an unknown player who may or may not be as good. It's silly. If we know he will never be 100% getting a 2 is good but if we get a 2 and he reverts to normal leon it will be a disastrous move espeically since it would have cost only(only in NFL terms) $800K more to keep him in an uncapped year by tendering him w/ a 1st rounder tender. We went from 1986-1995 w/o a 1,000 yd runner. We have been spoiled w/ Curtis and Thomas Jones but it's not always as easy as people thinking plugging in RBs PLUS leon isn't a feature back, a duo of him and Greene would be dynamic. We could get a younger player who will likely cost a little less who may or may not be good- i'd rather keep our guy who we KNOW is a really good player.
If Leon is going to be Leon, particiapte in all offseason work and not hold out of camp I am 100% in favour of keeping him around.
I think whatever happens, Leon will still be somewhat limited in OTAs because of his rehab, no matter what he says. Which is probably why the Jets are gambling a 2nd round tender.
I'm meaning more in terms of showing up. If he's hurt, he's hurt. I want to see a positive team-first attitutde and not the bitching from last year.
Key to the offense that wasn't utilized. What kind of key is he? Rusted key? On top of that... hold your horses on that 'young' legs part. Even TJ wasn't called that when he came to the Jets (he was either 28 or 29 when he donned his green for the first time.) Leon is NOT young legs. His role has diminished drastically over last year - his returning skill wasn't something that would awe the opponents anyway. His kickoff return was pretty mediocre last year before his injury, and his punt return was downright atrocious (which is why he didn't return punts.) And RB out of the backfield... Brian just doesn't utilize that option often, unless he's calling some kind of screen plays - and TJ showed equal, if not better, efficacy in dealing with the receiving department. (Oh well... he's gone now, but you get the point...) On top of that... there are a few things he just CANNOT do, which is... the blitz pickup. For instance, Adalius Thomas once ate Leon AND Favre alive in one game. So... is he the 'key' figure that you make him out to be? I really do not think so. Getting younger is always a good option. With the OL that Jets have, getting younger at RB makes even more sense. We all know how all those ultra-productive RBs at Denver thrived so much when they moved - so much so that their performance was borderline mediocre, if not worse. Good OLs can make the RB that much better, so that 'unknown' horseshit doesn't have a leg to stand on in this case. Trust me. His return has become mediocre for a while, under the tutelage of Westhoff. If Westhoff can't, then it's highly likely that nobody else will shape Leon into the lethal return man that he was a few years ago. On top of that, wherever he goes, he won't be the central figure of the offense, so don't worry about those hypothetical situations where everything that can go wrong actually does go wrong in Jet's situation.
I didn't see a whole lot of bitching from Leon. He did an interview asking for fair market value, made his point by staying out from workouts for a couple of days, from what I remember, and then reported. But when he reported, he was all about the team. This was a guy that had been a very dangerous weapon for us and was getting paid in peanuts on a 4th round rookie contract. We're not talking about Brandon Marshall, here.
I understand your point Junc and its a valid worry. That said I have a lot of faith in the current staff. Tanny and company have done a complete over haul since 2005 and for the most part it has been a job very well done. This draft seems to have several very good running backs all the way to the end of the second round. If we can exchange a smallish Leon for a bigger yet still fast back who is more likely to be able to split carries I'm all for it. Edit: Also, if we get a second for Leon, That would mean Herm turned into a 2006 4th and then a 2010 second... Kepp paying it forward Herm, keep paying it forward =D
What his agent says is part of the equation also. Keels is an idiot. If Leon keeps him under control all will be well.
I have faith in this regime as well, they haven't made too many mistakes but it wouldn't be a good thing if we lost both Jones and leon. that would mean we'd have to use draft picks on a RB again. Leon is too versatile to throw away for a 2nd rd pick UNLESS we know he will never be the same.
THat s a good point. I'm not as worried about that because bones tend to heal stronger than before these types of surgery (I have a friend who had a similar break in a hockey game and he plays jsut fine still). Yes, we would have to use a pick on a running back. Chances are that pick would be the one from leon and he will be a more complete back, but less of a ruetrn man as well as younger. I'd be willing to take that gamble as I see it as a low risk one.
I am sure teams will be lining up to sign a RB coming off a rare leg injury and probably won't pass a team physical by OTAs. I could see being concerned once Sproles is off the market but still
He has been underutilized, he is a weapon not many teams have and he is great out the backfield and on STs. TJ had young legs when he came here too b/c he didn't have a million carries which is a major reason he has been so productive at his "old age". He is alot like Tiki Barber- a guy people said could never be a feature back. After 3 years Tiki had 250 carries, leon had 298. leon might be approaching 28 but for a RB his legs are probably like a 25 year old player. he only played 6+ games last year and he had only 4 less carries than he did all of '08- how was he being used less? He wasn't doing great as a returner but it was only 6 games and teams were getting adjusted to the new wedge rules. In 2008 Leon had 47 recs and brian was the OC, right? Adalius Thomas ONCE ate up leon on a blitz and that means he can't do it? He's not Thomas Jones but he has vastly improved over the years. We do need to get younger in certain areas, RB is not one of them. We have a 2nd year back who will get the bulk of the carries, Leon is not old. he is entering his prime. he'd be a perfect compliment to Greene. we alreayd need another RB w/ TJ leaving- now we'll need to get 2? it doesn't make alot of sense. In 2008 he averaged 26 yards a return w/ a TD and another KR down inside the opp 5. he had a mediocre 6 games, that doesn't mean he can't return anymore.
Leon is a complete back though, I really believe he can be a lead back but he hasn't been given the chance- he won't be for us but he'll forma dynamic 1-2 punch w/ Greene. All it takes is one dumb team or one Daniel Snyder. Logic would tell us another team won't sign him to an offer sheet but that doesn't mean it won't happen.
The times since the merger when the Jets have been good have coincided almost perfectly with the times when they have had a good rushing attack spearheaded by a great player with good ones behind him. The good 80's Jets teams had Freeman McNeil leading the way and they had Bruce Harper and Johnny Hector overlapping behind him to give the team a plan B and in Hector's case a guy to step in when McNeil went down during the season as he did several times. The good Parcells and Edwards era teams had the most durable back of his time in Curtis Marton, but they also had people behind Martin to do other roles well, like Leon Johnson and Lamont Jordan. Last year's team had Thomas Jones backed up by Shonn Greene. That's why we got to where we did in the end on the offensive side, we had quality depth. You're absolutely right. The Jets need to keep either Jones or Washington around if they plan to try to duplicate the offensive success they had down the stretch last year. Plugging in a few new guys, particularly draftees with no NFL experience, behind Shonn Greene is an enormous gamble and it's the kind of gamble that leaves you 7-9 or worse if you lose it.
I just saw that Atlanta gave Norwood the same 2nd round tender. He's a very similar player and not coming off an injury.
I love leon honestly i do but he is 27 ( 28 by august) and if a team gives us a 2nd rounder for him i think we should let him go. this offense was still midly sucessful with him gone and a guy like Jahvid Best would be a suitable replacment for him.
Norwood is not in the league as leon is a player though, and Noroowd was hurt last actually he only played 10 games in 09
I know, stats don't tell the whole story, but they are similar players in terms of production. Code: Att Yds Avg Lng TD Rec Yds Avg Lng TD FUM Lost TOTAL 373 1,987 5.3 78 7 95 903 9.5 67 3 3 2 TOTAL 370 1,782 4.8 61 13 123 969 7.9 64 2 11 6 Norwood missed games but didn't have as serious of an injury as Washington.
