Kurt, Keller is a good but one dimensional role player. He is not a good fit for H back because he can't block to save his life, not fast enough to be a Hernandez type of oversized receiver playing TE, and not clutch enough to recognize at the snap when his QB will be in immediate trouble because many times his head is in the wrong direction. He's not great. He may be above average in some aspects, but he is in essence a good role player at best. I hate to say that. I had much higher hopes for him.
I totally agree with this. I really liked his potential, but he seems to have hit the ceiling. He's by no means a "bad" player, but I wouldn't lose sleep if he goes. It sounds like other TE's would be better fits with the offense Sparano is looking to run.
In my opinion, Fred Davis fits the mold the best, if Cumberland is healthy then I would ditch Keller for a 3rd or 4th and draft a blocking TE. Between Davis, Cumberland, draft pick the TE spot would be taken care of
Getting rid of Keller would really get me fired up. Is one more third round pick this year worth DK to you guys? really? he's probably the only pass catcher that has chemistry with Sanchez. Even if we dump Sanchez for Manning who's going to help us out more a 3rd round project player or a solid target like Keller. Keep Keller and pay him when it's time. The Jets can get cocky when they think players are so replaceable, they lowball guys like Ellis and Braylon without realizing they were important parts to our back to back AFC championship appearances. They might not be superbowls but we're not as far away as it seems. Trading a talented TE like DK might be something a rebuilding team would do for picks but if we want the best Jets team on the field next year DK better be a part of it.
ding ding ding! DK is an asset with no real replacement on the roster. We need him, and we need him pretty badly. You guys thought the TE position was bad this year, take away the best one we have, and let me know what you think its like next year...
Everytime Davis went in for Cooley he did nothing but produce on a schitty redskins team. At 6'4" and 260 he has a bigger frame with good hands.. Cumberland is cheap with nothing but upside, at 6'4" and 260 again he has a bigger frame... draft a blocking TE and press on.... Now in saying this you have to look at the way DK is used, what does he bring to the table. If you can only get a 5th round pick for him then forget it its best to keep him
Well if the Jets go the Manning route they probably keep Keller and stay with the Air Coryell offense that he fits in. Given that they've already gone with Sparano at OC this would be the team pulling itself in different directions though. QB is good at one thing and OC at another. Keller would be good in one part of the offense and lost in another. It really comes down to what the Jets want to do on offense. Re-signing Keller to a long-term contract requires that they stay in an offensive set that he will be good in. Letting Braylon go was a mistake although not one that was as obvious at the time it was made. I'm sure the Jets did not intend to have Holmes be the only fast receiver at the time they made the move, everything else just evolved into them having one of the slower WR groups in recent Jets history. Letting Ellis go was bad from a defensive consistency point, particularly against the run, however good teams tend to let a player go a year early and Ellis was definitely in that category entering 2011. I liked Ellis a lot and was sorry to see him go but I understand the philosophy behind the move. This is the golden question. Does Keller have more play value for the Jets now in the new offense next season or more trade value to help build the best set of players for that offense? If the Jets had traded Jonathan Vilma right away when Mangini came in they'd have probably been better on the field and had a better 3-4 a couple of seasons down the road. They certainly would have gotten much more value for Vilma than they eventually received. Keller is not as good a player as Vilma was, however he's the same kind of misfit player in the new offense as Vilma was in the 3-4 half of Mangini's early defenses. Does he have enough play value for the Jets to hold him, particularly given that losing him is going to hurt Sanchez - whether badly or not remaining to be seen.
I don't think either are good fits in the offense Sparano is going to want to run. They're both pass catching TE's who really lack in the blocking game. People need to read all of Br4dw4y5ux's posts in this thread if they haven't already because he's 100% on point.
Dustin Keller is coming off a 65/815/5 year. His value will never be higher, and now is a good time to try and trade him. I'm thinking you could get 3rd round pick for him from a WCO type--possibly the Cleveland Browns. I don't see continutiy being as big of an issue for Mark this year as in last based on the fact that he will have to learn a new offense regardless.
Yeah he'd stay the Manning Route. I think they just need to make it work with him with Sanchez and Sparano, maybe they can draft an elite blocking tight end or sign a good back up and run two tightened sets but no reason to trade Sanchez' favorite target. I doubt Sparano is going to ignore Keller I think the plays are going to be 60-40 run to pass and Keller can get us first downs. I can see both sides on both moves we committed a lot of money on Holmes so we didn't have too much for Braylon. I'm on the Braylon Bandwagon for getting him back next year I think Sanchez could use the separation he can get and they already have good chemistry which Sanchez is lacking with some of his WR's at the moment. [/QUOTE] I here what your saying but at the end of the day I think Sanchez falls apart without Keller and Sparano can adjust enough to get his tightend some throws. The offense has enough questions to lose stability at tight end
He'd be a slow wide receiver. Maybe still quite good as a possession guy, but he's never going to get separation on a good CB, no way in hell. He's going to have to make catches in tight coverage all the time. I don't know that he'd be good for Sanchez in that light. Outside the red zone Plaxico Burress was a disaster this season mainly because he could not get separation from the defenders and nobody throws jump balls for simple possession plays.
lets get rid of anybody decent so we can bring in ..................*crickets*................... Tannenbaum has been a disaster recently. I dont know if he and mangini just got lucky working together or what, but they both have sucked since they got divorced
1. It is amazing how many people don't understand the concept of elite. There aren't 32 Gronks and Grahams out there and those two would not perform to the level they do without Brady and Brees. Is that really that hard to understand? 2. Tight end successes this year will increase the demand for elite tight ends. An elite tight end is not defined by blocking ability, he is defined by his ability to create mismatches, take up defenders and catch the ball. If you don't believe this, check the pay for blocking TEs versus receiving TEs. 3. There are not nearly as many elite to top tier TEs as teams that want them. Keller is easily in this class. 4. We could get a second and a fourth for Keller no problem. The fourth would probably be 2013 and conditional so it could rise to as much as another second. 5. No way we trade Keller. Sparano is not one dimensional ground and pound. His philosophy is to build to the team's strengths. Keller is one of those strengths. Additionally, the Jets have to give Sanchez every chance to improve this year. Trading Keller is like admitting they expect Sanchez to be replaced in 2013. 6. Keller will actually get a new deal before the season. He is a good investment. He has a good attitude, works hard and has value. If you don't give him a deal, he walks for best money in 2013, a year when TE salaries may well go through the roof. If you give him a deal and you decide to trade him after 2012, you still get value for him.
No, it's not too difficult. Who is saying there are 32 elite TE's out there? The system that Sparano runs doesn't require elite pass catching TEs. It requires all around TE's that MUST be able to pass and run block well. If they happen to be an elite pass catching TE as well, that's a bonus. Someone needs to revisit the concept of elite. Keller is not in that category at all. It's laughable that you think he is. I'll bet you a dollar we couldn't. My guess is a 3rd AT BEST, but more likely a later round pick. Just because he's not one dimensional doesn't mean he wants a TE that can't block. Protecting the QB will be one of the main focus points of Sparano. Thanks Nostradamus. I think it's more likely that he's traded this offseason than extended.
