Something people need to keep in mind with the numbers here. We're in the beginning of what may be a multi-year resetting of what's considered "overpaying" in an NFL with a rapidly expanding salary cap. Half of the league has over $20 million in cap space. A quarter has $38 million or more. We may be in a great absolute position, but our relative position to the rest of the competition isn't what we though it would be a few months ago. That being the case, Jets are just going to flat out overpay in certain situations to keep guys they feel they need to, as well as for guys to come here over teams with better prospects to offer. This may be the best way to do it with bridge guys like Harris - high up front hit with a short, defined timeline. It sounds like a lot, but only until we understand what the adjusted market really is.
We overpaid for a player that really isn't as good as hyped but finding a replacement would have been tough and you can't understate continuity at the ILB position. He's also a team leader. Kept him from the Bills too. It's an eh move.
http://overthecap.com/position/inside-linebacker 7 a year is about what he's worth IMO, and it's a downgrade from what we have been paying him for the past 6 years. Considering the cap increase and the lack of an ILB market (and keeping Harris away from Rex), I'm happy with the contract. My only concern is the guaranteed money. If he is injured or his play goes dramatically down at 32 or 33, it won't be good.
Yeah, law of supply and demand. The thing is if Harris had walked, who do you replace him with? You either have to plug in a rookie, or run the risk of overpaying for a less productive player in FA. Harris plays 99% of defensive snaps. There is value there, even if he's not a perennial pro bowler.
The best news today is that Maccagnan and the Jets want to WIN NOW. Otherwise you would let a veteran like Harris walk and wouldn't trade for a player like Marshall. Very happy.
Good post Plus we are coming off a notoriously cheap regime with Idzik. The players knew that full well. That's not a good stigma to have. To have the new regime's first move be to overpay a team leader, a respected player in the locker room, that will gain good favor with the players. It might help in negotiations with guys like Wilkerson, it helps to build trust a little.
Glad he's back. Jets would have had a gaping hole to fill without him. Sometimes you have to overpay for value, which the Jets clearly did in this instance. It's a good move, a luxury move even. The Jets have the money to spend and are acting like a NY market team for once, while at the same time showing, get this..LOYALTY to their players.
I agree 100%. If you don't sign him, then its another postion you need to fill and it can not, can not be a rookie. So while he's limited, better to keep him and worry about other positions that we are worse off.
We don't have any besides D. Harris & D. Davis. Coples is really a DE converted to OLB. So are Calvin Pace and Jason Babin. Terrible years of drafting put us in this spot.
Im under the assumption that Rex thought that Harris was leaning toward going to Buffalo. Because of that Alonso became expendable in his mind. Bradham and Brown are good players but the depth is an issue. Buffalo traded away a starter to Philly and lost out on one with Harris resigning. So Id say its a bit of an issue.
