Vilma is not worth much because he is coming off an injury, hasn't performed at a high level in a couple years, is on the last year of his contract, he doesn't want to be a Jet and everyone knows the Jets don't have much of a use for him. We were in this same situation a few years ago with Darren Howard. Howard had pretty much said he didn't want to be in New Orleans, we tagged him even though we had Will Smith waiting in the wings because the Saints thought he was worth more than a 3rd round pick from the Eagles. He ended up costing 8 million, split time with Will Smith who was more productive, ended up getting injured and at the end of the year he left and we got nothing. I would love to have Vilma becuase we haven't had a real MLB since Sam Mills. Then again, I would hate to give up a 3rd round pick since we have a ton of needs when Vilma has a HUGE injury concern and if he can be productive then we still have to sign him to a mega contract at the end of the year. Vilma is worth a 1st round pick if he comes back healthy and can play at the level he did when he was first in a 4-3. If he can't come back then he isn't even worth his salary, much less a draft pick. You have to figure the trade will be in the middle of those two scenarios. I can see a 4th that could become a conditional 3rd with enough play time.
Honestly I think this injury is being overplayed a bit much....It was a big mystery that he was even injured...
Per Tom Rock on Newsday.com UPDATE: According to a league source, the Jets will receive a conditional draft pick from the Saints based on Vilma's production, likely for the 2009 draft.
I agree with you on Jenkins. I feel after a year or so Rodgers would return to his selfish, lazy ways.
What happened to the supposed Detroit deal anyway. I have a feeling Vilma's knee is not holding up to scrutiny. If that's the case, it may be a 4th or 5th being offered.
Vilma is coming off an injury where any team that trades for him will clear him medically. No team is going to trade for a guy that they think is screwed up medically. The NFL knows Vilma is not a 3-4 backer, and thats why he hasn't had the numbers he used to have in the last two years. You say yourself that you would love to have Vilma, yet de-value him in your post. The fact of the matter is that the Lions are interested, the Panthers are interested, and so is your team. Among the others that I haven't heard about. He is a good young linebacker, that excells in a 4-3. The market will determine the value of all the players, and who is a better 4-3 middle linebacker available on the market than Vilma?
Latest rumor is the pick is a conditional third, meaning the Jets will get a third and it will possibly be bumped to a second depending on his performance. So worse case, it would be a third according to this rumor.
If we get a third for Vilma and then give our third to carolina for Jenkins thats awesome IMO. We move down a few spots to get rid of a player who doesn't fit well in our scheme and get a huge NT which will improve our run D. Then we move D-rob to DE and move ellis to OLB.
The conditional 3rd or 2nd sounds fair enough. If we kept Vilma and he bolted, we'd get a 3rd regardless.
I'm fine with the conditional 3rd but we have to get something this year. How about a 5th in '08 and a 3rd that can be a 2nd in '09? is this all we can get? Millen's an idiot, we couldn't get more than this out of him? I think we should keep him. it's not worth it.
Tell you what, all this defensive tackle talk, between Jenkins and Rodgers, leads me to believe that the Jets would not feel comfortable taking either Dorsey of Ellis at pick 6 in the draft.
