Man. This really sucks. I really loved Harris. He was always such a leader on D. Now what Decker is the main vet? @!@!
I just don't see them doing that radical a redesign of their defense. They were already using a lot of 4-3 concepts in their defense - a lot of their Dlinemen were playing mostly one gap defensive schemes on most plays. I also don't think they want to experiment with seeing if they can convert their young OLBs into defensive ends. They didn't draft Lee to make him an outside linebacker - they want him to play in the middle and roam the field. BTW, tampa 2 defenses were generally 4-3 defenses with a smaller, faster middle linebacker who would often drop into a safety spot covering the middle of the field.
This is just plain silly. All 32 teams do this. If players won't sign with the Jets because we cut players to save money, they won't sign with anyone else for the same reason. Shit, the Patriots trade you away before you turn 30 but everyone still wants to go there.
Jenkins and Maudlin have experience in the 4-3 and 3-4. Lorenzo played 4-3 in college. But I think the point is for them to be able to play both schemes and create sub-packages. Lee was drafted to be the ultimate inside nickel linebacker that can roam and do whatever you want him to do; that's on passing downs. Jack of all trades. However, what about the other downs? Run downs? We don't run a Tampa 2. We run a man to man defense, perhaps you can take principles from the Tampa 2 add it to your sub-packages, but it's not a true Tampa 2 defense as that was primarily a zone defense.
Not a surprise. This is a move many NFL teams would have made two years ago when it became obvious that Harris had lost a step. The Jets have had a lot of turnover in management and that probably delayed the decision by at least a year.
FA players would never resign with any other team if this was the case. This is common practice and not remotely close to being egregious. What the Cowboys did to Tony Romo is terrible, they lied to his face and tried to use him as leverage after the lie. Do you think players aren't going to sign with the Cowboys now?.. Harris and the FO were in contract restructuring talks and Harris didn't want to take less. So because the guy has played well for us for 10 years we should just do something that we know is a detriment to the teams future? If everyone's issue is the way that it was handled based on the twitter report of Dick, just keep in mind that the front office consists of an entire staff. How do we not know that they planned to break the news to him in a tasteful classy manner with all due respect involved, but thanks to some intern that Dick gave $100 bucks to it got leaked early. IT'S A BUSINESS!
I'm not surprised that Harris got cut, we're going to have five wins max this year and we're embracing a youth movement that Harris just does not fit. Harris had maybe one or two solid years left in him before he called in quits. Instead of wasting the next couple years on having Harris play, we can play a late round draft pick that is cut from another team or play some of our UDFAs. What I am surprised about though is how late the team cut him, and that's what irks me. Harris has been such a good Jet over the last 10 years and didn't deserve to be released so late in the off season, but that's the business I guess. I wish the best for him wherever he goes, just like how he gave the Jets his best.
The purge continues. Good player, low maintenance, never caused problems on or off the field. Thanks Hitman...
As a defensive minded football junkie, David Harris will without question, go down as one of my top 10 All-Time favorite N.Y Jets. He may be older and aging at the age of 33 but the man could still play and had some football left in the tank for 2017. Last year recorded 62 solo tackles & 32 assists for a total of 94 tackles combined. I'm going to miss the likes of Mangold and Harris here in 2017 as i did D'Brickishaw Ferguson of last year. But like #28 Curtis Martin & #24 Darrelle Revis all good things, must come to an end. With that said Maccagnan is now in full force with the youth movement.
Why do we keep saying how good of a leader Harris was? He was a good role model for younger players who led by example, but if my memory is working correctly, our team has had issues in the locker room for the past several years. Where was Harris when all of this was going down? For all of you who are going to freak out that I said this, relax. I really liked Harris. He was a good player and will be missed in the middle of our defense. Specifically in our run defense.
Scumbag Jets I swear On top of this, coward act having Bowles - who showed up over 2 hours later to his presser - be the one to address the release and not Maccagnan. Sooooo happy I'm not renewing my season tix this season.
Seriously, this is a move that any rebuilding team makes without thinking about it too much. You can argue timing and ask why the Jets were looking for a salary cut instead of just releasing him but 90% of NFL teams in the Jets situation would have made Harris a casualty in the rebuild. 75% of NFL teams would have let him go rebuild or no and they'd have done it a year or two ago instead of re-signing him. Harris was an excellent player for the Jets in his prime and I really enjoyed watching him. His prime ended along about 2012 and since then he has been stepping down slowly, becoming more limited and more of a liability in the process. It was time for the Jets to move on.
Couple of thoughts... 1) If Harris looked slower in OTA's than in December, than there is your reason to cut him now rather than sooner. You gave him a chance and he lost a step. Maybe its as simple as that. 2) If Harris was supposed to be a veteran mentor to Lee, then Lee's recent antics hurt Harris' reason to be here. Leonard Williams is the captain of the defense now and took care of Lee quite well. 3) Good point re. Free Agents thinking twice before signing with the Jets given the way they treat the veterans. But then again, the Jets have been a mediocre football club for a decade. What do they deserve, a ticker tape parade? 4) Harris and Mangold were good football players who werent good enough. Why do you feel bad for them? They are millionairs many times over. They have some of your hard earned dollars and wont have to work again in their lives. I feel sorry for us long suffering fans.
I don't think you use a first round pick on someone you're expecting to become solely a nickel linebacker. If Macc did that he should be fired. They clearly intend on Lee being a full time starter and I don't see them moving him to to the outside. I think he stays at mlb in a 4-3 defense. I don't disagree that Tampa 2 is primarily a zone based defense - I merely meant to show that you can use a smaller, but fast, middle linebacker in a 4-3 and Tampa 2 defense does so and somehow manages to stop the run. Incidentally, bowles likes to have 3 safeties on the field and he very much likes having interchangeable pieces on defense. Do not discount the value Lee could have periodically dropping back into a shallow safety role (as in a tampa 2 defense) - this can be very effective at stopping TE seam routes (which someone in our division likes to use a lot).
