This is what NFL had to say about this kid: Too often a liability in pass protection, Carpenter hasn't lived up to his first-round draft pedigree.
Because generally when it comes to free agency in the NFL, it's nearly all from McDonalds. And even though it says, "steak" on the menu, it's generally not worth ordering a steak from Micky D's.
The deference that some fans have for management...At best this dude was the 5th best guard available. I won't hate this move if the contract was reasonable, but Boling and Wisniewski were very clearly better players and available. And a couple days ago the top 2 FA Gs were there for the taking as well.
I'm not "getting on you." I just asked a question for clarity's sake. I didn't understand how you could want one Seattle player who's not rated highly and could be a product of all the great players around him, but pooh-pooh another who played pretty well. I thought maybe you had some inside info on the two. But to answer your question, I would have been OK with Maxwell at $6 million per year, but not at $10 million per year. He was waaaaaay overpaid. There have been a series of CBs who played in a SB and who got big FA contracts that spring immediately following, and who never were worth those big contracts. Once Jackson re-signed with the Texans, and teams started overpaying CBs like crazy, I was glad that the Jets didn't sign Maxwell or anyone else immediately. I'll be happy with two second tier CBs like Tramon Williams and Cro, or Skrine and Cro. That may not be good enough, but it may be the best that Mac can do under the circumstances. He would have been nuts to offer Maxwell more than what Philly is gonna be paying him.
We have to adress the position, at least they fuckin acknowledge that. We probably need to sign another Guard even if they do land Carpenter.
You, nor no one else knows that or can say that. Just because they were technically FAs, doesn't mean that they were "there for the taking." They may have just used the Jets to drive up what they got from other teams. They may have had zero interest in playing for the Jets. Think about it. If you were a player, wouldn't you rather play for a team that had a realistic shot at a SB? Wouldn't you want to go to a team that wasn't in a total makeover? Wouldn't you want to go to a more stable situation? Also, I think a lot Jets fans forget that not everyone wants to live and play in the NY/NJ area. A lot of people from around the country despise that part of the country, and especially if they have a family, may not want to move there. Money isn't everything.
I'd like some inside info on why you would sign Maxwell at 6 million a year, let alone at all if you think he sucks. I don't care what the grades gave Carpenter. He sucks. I am hoping we signed him for depth and depth alone and are still working out the kinks with Boling or Wisniewski
Every year good players go to bad teams. Parnell, Odrick, and Julius signed with JAX. Hudson with Oakland etc etc. More often than not money and playing time dictate who will go where. It's possible that Iupati, Franklin, et al. didn't sign with us because we haven't been good or some weird anti-New Jersey bias that you're adumbrating. But the overwhelming likelihood is that they didn't sign here because we didn't go after them or we were outbid.
No inside info, it's just that he's young, and $6 million is a lot more reasonable and palatable. I realize that teams have to overpay some for FAs, and teams like the Jets that are rebuilding/in disarray have to pay even more if they're lucky enough to land players. If the Jets had thought highly enough of Maxwell to sign him for $6 million, I would have had questions, but would have been willing to wait and see if they were right and how he played. I certainly wouldn't be killing them as you are now for signing Carpenter, and what you're saying doesn't make any sense. Carpenter is not a depth signing. Please. That's ridiculous. He doesn't suck. He's better than anyone the Jets have on their roster by far, unless Dozier is a player.
Yes, every year some players do sign with bad teams, but other players say they have no interest in playing for certain teams. The Jets have had high profile FAs turn them down before because they didn't want to raise a family in the NY/NJ area. Well unless the reports are wrong, the Jets did go after them and hard. It's quite possible that Mac set a price that he was willing to pay for their services and other teams were willing to go higher. Those other teams may have had fewer holes to deal with than the Jets. Perhaps Parnell, Odrick and Julius only cared about the $s and/or playing time. Maybe they thought with Jacksonville likely to be drafting Winston, it would be a team on the rise. Who knows? The thing is, you know that we often never know the truth about what transpired behind the scenes. It will be interesting to see what Iupati, Franklin and Carpenter signed for, and what Boling and Wisniewski sign for. That will give us a little more insight into what may have happened. It's also quite possible that Iupati wanted to stay on the West Coast (or as close as possible), or maybe wanted to sign with a team that would play the Niners 2x a year so he could stick it to them.
Anyone who watched the playoffs or like me who lives in seattle and watched their games you'd know James was very very subpar and even tho he came from the draft as a better pass blocker than run, he did not show that in seattle. The eye tests showed he's not very good and so did the statistics or better yet PFF because of their good analysis and statistics on the trenches (I only go to PFF for the trenches) Seattle fans here and on the forums are celebrating but wishing him the best, he was never going to be resigned so this was inevitable. That being said with all the info and tape on him I find it highly unlikely he will start, I'm pretty sure he's a depth signing. With the cap space the jets have and the need in guard along with the Guards left in the market, there is no way you look at James and think "Well he's the best guard available and fills the need so lets leave it to him." He might be better than what the jets had for run blocking but I find it highly HIGHLY unlikely he's any better than the other guards for pass blocking. Dude simply doesn't have the technique and footwork for it. In a perfect world from my dolphin fan perspective that he starts... Suh will have a harder time finishing his dinner than James Carpenter. That being said I'm sure he won't start for you guys. Edit: and depending on the money, if he's a depth signing than I don't think this is a bad move.
Jacksonville drafting Winston after they spent pick #3 last year on Bortles? You can pack the next bowl, my friend. You sound like you could intern for John Idzik down in Jacksonville
There just weren't tons of good free agent guards available. It was Iupati (or whatever), and a bunch of other guys. We managed to get one of the "bunch of other guys." Better than nothing. It's way too soon to start comparing him to Idzik. To pull an Idzik, he would have to trade a HoF CB, then cut a pro bowl CB, then sign a backup CB for the same salary and say "Alright, I fixed the secondary. Done!" Leave it to Jets fans; free agency hasn't officially started and we're already on the verge of talkin' billboards.
Who do you think you are? You need to get over yourself, Ace. You're coming across as an irrational prick.
Follow John Middlekauff@JohnMiddlekauff I was premature on James Carpenter to the #NYJets I'm told discussions are still ongoing are we sure this is even a done deal?
