Harvin is projected to be our top earner? That will have to change. http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/new-york-jets/cap/2015/
If the Jets lose Harvin over money it will be a shame. They're not exactly overloaded with playmakers.
As much as I love the flashy playmakers like Harvin, many teams have been winning recently with a great QB, great or above average running game, and mediocre at best receivers. Most recently both the Pats and Seahawks have average at best WRs. Edelman, Amendola, LaFell....only Edelman is even clearly better than Jeremy Kerley! Sure they have Gronk at TE, but he's usually hurt. And the Seahawks have no-names like Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, Chris Mathews......................that's ridiculous! And who do they have at TE, Luke Wilson? ....please, both the Pats and Seahawks have basically nobodies at WR, certainly nobody that scares opposing defenses. But they have QB's who spread the ball around masterfully, and good running games. That seems to be the formula. And the Pats don't even have a big money RB, although they have some pretty good ones. So, seems like we should concentrate our cap dollars on the following positions: QB, OL, DL, CB. Those are the key big money positions in today's NFL. (it's also why those are the positions with the most high draft picks year after year...they always point that out during the draft)
It helps when you have Tom Brady and Russell Wilson. NE is all Brady and Belichick. Offensively, Seattle is all Russell Wilson and Beast Mode. People underestimate Edelman because of his size. But in my opinion he is as good if not better than Welker in his prime. The guy just gets open and is a YAC machine. He is also an elite punt returner. He fits perfectly with their short passing attack. To say NE doesn't have flashy playmakers is false anyway. They have Gronk and he played all 16 games this year.
if we can get Harvin to restructure we're in a whole different ball game. imagine if we can get Harvin in the slot and use him as our Edleman type guy in Gailey's offense. I know signing Kerley complicates that but we could then sign a 2nd teir WR or draft a guy in the 3rd-5th round unless Cooper or white is available and Mariota isn't.
He's by far the most dynamic playmaker on the team, but it's hard to see them keeping him at that salary and the new regime sacrificing a 4th round pick. Maybe he's retained at a more reasonable contract, but I can't see this or any team paying him that much money. Since Gailey is the OC, I could see them bringing in CJ Spiller to fill a similar dynamic role on offense for a lot less money
I like this order a lot --"So, seems like we should concentrate our cap dollars on the following positions: QB, OL, DL, CB. " BUT we need someone who can throw the ball and im just not sold on Geno. We Def need o-line help.
Before we get all weepy at the thought of putting Harvin in the slot and running reverses, it was just that kind of thinking in Seattle that pissed Harvin off and he ended up here. Elite players like Harvin, Santonio, etc don't see them selves a movers of the chains, even if that's the best place for them. They want to be on the outside racking up ESPN highlight catches.
That's a fair point. I was reading an article on the QB position earlier from a magazine I have, and they made the case that the best way to do it is to put everything else in place and then draft your QB. They pointed to the success of Joe Flacco and Big Ben, that they were drafted onto playoff contenders so they didn't have to do it all themselves. The pieces were already in place for them to succeed, versus Blake Bortles for example, drafted onto a bad Jags team with not much around him and struggled greatly. But then again, if a potential franchise QB is sitting there, how can you pass on him? But I still think Geno has enough potential, with the right OC and players around him that it's too soon to kick him to the curb. Give him one more shot under Gailey, with better pieces around him and see if he can be more consistent in year 3. That's my opinion anyway. But I would still draft someone in the middle rounds for some added competition, and maybe sign a Mike Glennon or someone like that. (I'm not even a Geno Smith fan btw, I never thought they should have drafted him, but I've seen enough flashes in his first 2 seasons to think he has some upside.)
A player like Harvin is perfect for a spread hybrid offense. I can see him getting snatched up by New England and giving us headaches for a while. Not that that is a great reason to keep him at his current contract but the guy is versatile as hell and we're not even talking about his return ability which would be amazing to have now that Bobby April is the ST coach
It never hurts to give your QB weapons. If Russell had a good receiver just imagine how good the Seahawks would be (spoiler - they'd be back to back SB champions)
It seems like with the acquisition of Gailey that we'll keep a player like Harvin. His offense is generally predicated on getting playmakers in open space and Bills fans have posted that we will have the best screen game in the NFL with Gailey. Since there's no cap hit for the remainder of Harvin's contract regardless of when we cut him and tons of cap space it seems silly to cut him to roll the dice and hope we get a better wide receiver in the free agent market or send wide receiver right to the top of the needs list again and make us reach for a receiver if Cooper is gone. We also need to stop thinking as fans that he will restructure. He and his agent made a calculated move announcing very early that he will not restructure. Harvin's a guy with concussion issues his entire career. Why would a guy like that that's likely two helmet to helmet blows away from being out of the NFL want to take less money? Keep Harvin and go get a Cecil Shorts at $4-5 million a year or draft a guy in the 3rd through 5th rounds with a history of playing on the outside to allow Harvin to be moved all around. More dimensions of an offense and multiple players like Harvin are never a bad thing. People hold his gadget aspect against him. Look at the final 4 this year and they're all multidimensional offenses without big traditional down field receivers outside of Jordy Nelson.
If we keep Harvin no way we pay Cecil shorts and also Decker and Kerley. That's way too much $ tied up in the WR position. Id much rather invest that money in a guard or a non-gadget WR. My guess is we see who we can sign during the first days of free agency and if we get a decent WR opposite Decker we cut ties before the Harvin trade upgrades to a 4th ( think key date is March 19)
I think a full season with the Jets will be good for us and Harvin. We have plenty of cap space! Why not give it a shot?
We have till a couple days after free agency begins to decide on Harvin so if D Thomas is not in the building at that point we may have to keep him at his current price or be prepared to downgrade at the receiver position. I do think Gailey is salivating with the potential to have Harvin and possibly Spiller back.
Hey, if we can afford it under the cap, then I'm all for keeping Harvin. I just think that there are more pressing needs if we don't have enough cap space to go around. I would address our needs in the following order: CB, OL, OLB, WR. I don't count QB because I think they will give Geno one more year, and I don't like either of the 1st round options (Mariota or Winston). I'd rather see them spend a mid-late round pick on a developmental QB prospect instead, give Geno one more year with a better OC and wait until there's a draft with better 1st round options at the position, if Geno doesn't pan out.
Keeping Harvin on the roster at 10.5 million and a 4th round pick is too much. If he's willing to be released and resigned after March 19th so the compensation is reduced to a 6th round pick being sent to Seattle along with compensation in the range of 3 million i'm game.
If we can restructure him great, if not we should keep him for 1 year at his price tag. We have the money and we need the talent.
We are in a passing league. Teams have adapted by gathering elite defensive backs. Both the Pats and Seahawks' secondaries are elite, which neutralizes any team whose strength is in their wide receivers. The league is constantly changing, and we shouldn't try to mimic what has been done in the past, but predict where the league will go and what strengths are needed to win in the future. In my opinion, as teams realize elite WRs don't make an elite team, they wont' pursue stacked WR corps, which will lead to teams not pursuing stacked secondaries, and the WR corps will soon be a crucial factor to a winning team. It's a constant circle, and the Jets always seem to be behind the 8 ball.
