How many players are under contract? You have to fill a lot of positions and try and fill those with players that fit your skeem.
If Cumberland is under contract but can be cut, as I think is hte case, he would be my first choice to be cut. What a waste. I'd rather see Sudfield out there. Cumberland has had is chances, more than enough, to show he should stick, and he's gotta go. Let Amaro show if he can start in his second year. I do not have great confidence there, but fuck it if this is a rebuilding year, that's a move you make. Harvin will have to be cut but imo I'd like him back at a lower number. Johnson? Hm. Maybe I want him back less than Harvin, even at a lower number. I'd hoped he would be a threat catching passes out of the backfield, but he was not so much of that. Anyway he got too much last year. Oh well. Pace I've long been a big fan of, but he's getting old for sure. The problem is only Davis is a real keeper among last year's starting linebackers (Coples I guess we're stuck with - ftr I don't think his deal makes it make sense to cut him). So does Pace stay one more year? Babin I did not like, but he doesn't have a big number. I would have voted all of hte above except I would not cut Breno. I don't think they can, and the Jets have to make a move to replace Colon, so I am leery of flat out cutting the starting RT until the situation clears up ovearll on the OL.
Cumberland at a 1.9M salary is not worth it. If he was making about 950K or 1M, maybe. But I feel like the combination of Sudfeld and Pantale are more effective and cheaper than Cumberland and his issues as a receiver and blocker (believe he was one of if not the worst TE by PFF's metrics). Wouldn't be surprised if they brought another guy in also.
I could probably give you a little below average, but he's not a major liability like Wayne Hunter was at RT or like Winters was at OG. He's not a long-term fixture, but he's a guy you can work with at RT, especially if a significant upgrade is signed at OG. To me, it doesn't make sense to cut this guy to save 750K on the cap and take 4M in dead money especially since you save almost 4M by cutting him in 2016. Not for nothing, but he was the starting RT on a Super-Bowl winning team in 2013.
Pace: A true vet keeper playing for a pretty favorable cap number. He can't cover in space but most 22 yr old LBrs can't either. He deserves to be resigned just for the vagina he put on Eli's forehead. Babin: QB pressure. Keep him. CJ2K: cut. then cut him again. Breno: Right side of o-line needs all the help it can get. Slide him inside and keep him. Harvin: True play maker, hard to find. Renegotiate for 5-6M/yr or cut and resign (for $5-6M/yr).
Breno was the 51st ranked OT per PFF. He was clearly well below average....bad actually. i thought his pass blocking was really poor, and his run blocking was a bit of a letdown. he's fine to keep as an expensive backup, but no way should he head into the season as the starter again.
if we can free up an additional $15, replace CJ0K with the CJ from Buffalo, and grab an equal talent to Harvin for less we are in good shape. We'd come out on the plus side cap wise to add to our heaping pile. I seriously doubt Harvin will re-structure. Just a hunch. He can just as easily get the re-structure type money on a better team. Zero upside for him staying in that scenario.
I get this analysis, but Harvin was one of the few players I can think of right now who both seemed to produce and like being on the Jets after being traded. So from his perspective I don; think I would say zero upside. Not much above zero, perhaps, but not zero.
Finally a couple of observant ones listed Cumberland as a major release. For me a definite release. For a big bodied tight end he missed way to may blocking assignments, leading to botched plays. Gone CJ seemed to run harder at the end ( as NYJets21 noted), but what took him so long to get energized.. Gone. Harvin showed some great moves and action but in the end was rather misused as a runner too often. Gone if the number doesn't come down.
I don't like Harvin at 10.5. He is a hybrid, not a true wideout. I want a guy out there who can run routes all day. I like his offensive potential at a lower price, just not at wideout and 10.5
Chris Johnson obviously won't be back. We can pretty much carve that in stone. Pace probably won't be back either given his age and cap number, but he can still play a little so who knows. The rest I'm not sure. Harvin depends on if we get someone to replace him I guess, but that's a ton of money to tie up in a shaky WR. Breno will likely return I think given his small cap number and the fact that we are thin on the OL.
Chris Johnson needs to go. As does Harvin (I'll take the higher draft pick). I don't get why people want Babin gone? We have nothing else at OLB and he was good at getting pressure?
Out of all of them the only one I get rid of is Johnson. Breno isn't that good but his cap # is beneficial to keeping him for depth Pace produces, he's another good depth guy.| Harvin needs to be reworked but the guy is a playmaker who gives defensive coordinators fits. Babin is a good pass rusher and given the lack of that at the position, I like him to stay. I also love his attitude.
I would cut Babin, Pace, CJ and Harvin. Maximize our cap space for premium talent. I would keep Breno because OL is such a key and even if he gets beat out by a better player, he adds depth in a spot where you can never have enough. As for the others, Pace and Babin are into their mid 30's and frankly on a 4-12 team you cannot afford to keep around old, past their prime veterans for a combined $3.8m in cap space. Whatever they add should be replaced by younger drafted or undrafted talent. For example doesn't it make sense to finally pursue a pass rushing OLB (perhaps Fowler or Gregory in the 1st round?) for this 3-4 defense? If so then Coples slides into the strong side (which suits his size and point of attack strength) replacing Pace. In that scenario we can find cheaper younger backups than pay two vets 3.8m, neither of whom can contribute on special teams. Harvin is a no brainer. He's not a true route-running WR and we already have Kerley as a slot guy (who we extended which was another dumb move by Idzik people don't talk about). For $10m and our 4th round pick I would send him packing. CJ was another Idzik special. Useless and expensive. I don't understand why we haven't cut him yet. I like the idea of CJ Spiller here. He was so explosive and dangerous (running and catching) a few years back under Gailey and perhaps post injury he can get back to some of that teaming with Ivory.
Babin did a very good job last year. I would rather have a younger version of John Abraham but until we have a replacement I would hold on to Babin. Pace took a pay cut a couple years ago and got a raise for playing well in the year after that. Of the two I would rather cut Pace unless he agrees to another pay cut.
The day of decision on Harvin is March 19th. To keep him you give up a 4th rounder or cut him and give up your 6th.
the good thing is we have some FA time to see if we can land a good wideout. Then a decision can be made on Harvin. Harvin is not irreplaceable. A guy like Spiller could do some of the things he does at a much lower price. Harvin is not a wideout. He cannot go between the tackles. I realize that a 4th round pick is not much for a 10 million dollar player, but he i not a 10 million dollar player. And we are not even talking about the injury bug. Or the migraines.
