Wrong on so many counts... First, it is terrible policy renegotiate with older players who signed a contract and are merely looking to cash in. Second, the Jets did very little to burn bridges. It was Kendall who first complained. The Jets made it clear they weren't going to negotiate. Kendall ratted them out to the league for contact in their "non-contact" camp. When it was plain to see that Kendall situation wasn't going to be resolved, they proceeded as if he wasn't going to be the starter, and he took offense. The fact of the matter is, any bad situation was of his own making. What were the Jets supposed to do, plug him into the starting spot until they could get rid of him and bump Bender/Clarke up whenever they got rid of him? Kendall made his bed, and he had to lie in it. By the way, this week the Jets got two second day picks for two players who weren't going to be on the team this year. Something for nothing. That Redskins pick is probably going to be a high four. Finally, your statements implying that the Jets are "not the Patriots" is ludicrous, when the very reason for the success enjoyed by New England over the last five years is their willingness to go with low cost personnel and players that could fill roles well. The Pats were only following a tradition that was set down years ago by the Pittsburgh Steelers when they cut the likes of Ty Law and Lawyer Milloy. The Jets aren't doing this because they want to be "like New England," they're doing it because they want to win football games now and in the future. -X-
O i've watched...other than that i totally agree wit ur post...however those games he played center we were in those games...just had horrible play calling and played way to conservative
What's being lost in the shuffle here is that the Jets got a 4th round pick out of the deal. Seriously throughout this whole situation if you thought a 4th round pick was attainable for such a malcontent I would've thought you were an idiot. Normally I wouldn't make a big deal about a draft choice, but this is a regime that in every draft wheels and deals in order to get the guys they want on this team. I'm all for putting more ammo in Tannenbaums revolver.
Most of the players may not have agreed with putting him in the rookie dorm, and maybe some of them didnt agree with playing him at C late in the pre-season game, either; I agree that the FO didnt handle it all superbly, either. He was the union rep, and I am sure some players secretly empathized with him during this ordeal. But they got rid of him now, got some value for him, and it's time to move on. Let's see what Bender and Clark show on Saturday.
The market way surpasses most five-seven year contracts within a few years after they are signed. That is why so many guys hold out. None of them will sign deals they can live with as long as owners throw crazy amounts of money at players. Lets say for argument sake your a wr and the market is 7m for an elite Wr when you sign and it goes to 15m in two years and you are the best in the game and 27 are you going to suck it up and risk not getting your last big payday? Lets say your Chad Johnson making 7m and the avg wr now gets 10m a year. From a fans standpoint I would say suck it up. From a realistic standpoint these guys have to get the money while they can. The owners would cut them in a second if it suited their purpose.
The other thing to remember is that the Pats often use rookies, Mankins and Hochstein come to mind. Remember how much Ashworth and Andruzzi leaving was going to hurth them?
Mankins was a highly touted first round pick. As much as I like our current regime I don't have the faith that we can just plug in players on the o-line like the Pats can yet. Pats have won three superbowls, if I was a Pat fan I'd believe they could turn shit into gold. ats_suck: ats_suck: ats_suck: Three signs for a compliment I still hate those bastards.
...and if that 4th rounder turns into another Leon, Rhodes, or Cotch--their last three 4th rounders--we'll be remembering this as a steal! Also, has anyone considered that the seemingly desperate manner in which Kendall approached this whole thing might suggest he knows his body is telling him this will be his last year and he needed to get every penny he could because he will be physically unable to play after this year? my bet is he's not even in the league anymore when we make that 4th round selection in 09
So players will only want to sign with teams they think are patsies and will break when the threaten to walk from their deals. If that's the game why do players have lawyers and agents to make sure they are properly represented? Pete Kendall is not only a Vet, he is the Union Rep. For a guy like him to make a deal based on a verbal in today's world, to me smells like so much BS. This is nothing more than a guy whining his way out of a contract. You know what it worked so why would any player not want to sign with the Jets knowing that all they have to do is whine and they will be moved and get more money from the next team.
Great points..and all on the money..especially the part about the money. Bottom line is that Pete Kendall did everything a player could do to get cut. His actions are copied by about 1 percent of the league...acting like an idiot to get cut. Did he actually think a 34 year old guard would be tradebait? No way..just watch the cuts that will be made the next couple weeks and tell me Pete Kendall didnt belong with all of them. The only difference here is that the Jets sat back and let him chirp like a moron and waited..waited..waited...until some foolish team threw out a 4th rounder for him. Again, that foolish team is the Redskins...not surprising at all. Would I prefer him being on the roster this year? Of course..but not with his attitude. So instead of being cut..we got a draft pick. Bingo..another brilliant move.
In the grand scheme of the Jets we are slightly worse off on the OL and slightly better off as far as building a team with players who want to be here.
