12:32PM - Coles Looking For New Contract Tuesday, December 25th, 2007 by Gary Grund Rich Cimini of the New York Daily News informs us that Jets wide receiver Laveranues Coles is apparently looking for a new contract in the offseason. His current contract runs through the 2009 season and is worth $11 million over the next two years. The Jets view Coles as a role model and leader in the locker room. Despite being plagued with injuries the past two seasons, he played through the majority of them and was still there for the team when his number was called. If the Jets decide not to renegotiate Coles? contract, he may ask the team for a trade. Cimini also says that while head coach Eric Mangini has not determined who will start this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, all signs are pointing to Kellen Clemens. If Clemens is unable to go for the game, Chad Pennington will get the start and this could potentially be his final game as a Jet. What do guys think.... I this fair value? I personally would like to see him stay, I think he brings a lot of intangibles to the table.... and seems to bleed green....
I'd say trade him while he has value, if it weren't for the injuries I'd say keep him but he's getting a bit injury prone.
Ya think the off season and a less intense training camp might make a difference? He is a tough SOB, and seems to be growing as a team leader, God knows we could use one of those, and Mangini might have to take a "Tom Coughlin" look in the mirror and change things up a bit.....
He's our best wide receiver and with a good slot receiver, Coles & Cotchery could put some real numbers up.
Coles can scratch his ass. His contract is more than fair and he has had 2 concussions already. Concussions + WR = ticking time bomb. He should consider himself lucky to have his current contract.
Cimini seems to have some agenda about pushing a Coles trade, I don't see this when I read about the Coles situation in the Post. I don't think Coles will be traded and I am not sure if he cares that much about a deal. I think they may get an extension done, but it would only be to lower his cap number for the next two years and give him more guaranteed money. Mangini does need to ease up on the players though
The funniest part about this whole story is I read in one of the newspapers that Coles justification for this is that he has to look out for his family. WTF? I can understand you trying to make the most you possibly can, but don't give me that bullsh*t. He's got enough money already to take care of his family for the rest of his life. And if he ever becomes hard up, he can sell that mansion he just built in Florida with the bowling alley and basketball court in it, that should hold his family over.
Coles is a very good hard player but he never signed a contract that didn't need to be redone. You could see this coming the day we got him.
He is getting paid plenty. Does he really think someone else will signed him to a new deal that pays more then 11 million over two years? I don't. We are not talking about Randy Moss here.
I think you would see more teams giving up for Coles. Couple the fact that he's an underrated wide receiver to begin with and not to mention that he is a locker room leader, you could definitely argue that he is underpaid at an average of $5.5 million a year for the next two years.
I love Coles but he got his big deal when he left to go to Washington then we gave him MORE money to get him back. I would explore trade options at this point. He's getting older and he's very beat up.
I'd rather not trade away something that we are at least decent in, because behind Coles and Cotchery is either garbage or talent too raw to count on, and with the amount of holes on this team as is it wouldn't be wise to add another one
Post-concussion syndrome aside, he's worth more than $11/year. He brings a lot to the table. Let's be honest, while Cotch has his moments, he's far more effective when Coles is lined up on the other side of center. Unless we plan on drafting a true #1, we're not replacing Coles. Sign him. As for him protecting his family, think about something before you spout off. The guy has had TWO concussions. Long after his playing days are done he's going to need to take regular visits to the doctor to deal with persistent migranes, vertigo, and a number of other post-concussive remnants. He makes a lot more money in a year than I'll probably make in my lifetime. On the other hand, I put don't my long-term health on the line once a week. Not to mention, after already having two concussions, he is, as someone pointed out, a ticking time bomb. I'd want to protect myself with a good salary too. Plus, 1) it's not your money, and 2) the Jets aren't spending up to the cap anyway. They may as well pay him.
IF we trade Coles the Jets need to make a play for a bigtime offensive player, because Coles is the only one we have at this point.
2006 Cotch w/ Coles: 11 games- 53 recs, 716 yds, 13.5 per rec, 1 TD avg. per game- 4.8 recs, 65 yds, .09 TDs 2006 Cotch w/o Coles: 4 games- 21 recs, 338 yds, 16 yards per, 1 TD avg. per game- 5.25 recs, 85 yards, .25 TDs Let's also not forget when Coles went down against Miami on Christmas '06 Cotch had the huge TD rec and a good game in a monsoon. The only bad game cotch has had w/o Coles was the Dallas game. Cotch can be a legit #1. I love Coles, we all do, but he is getting older and is beat up. We cannot give him another raise unless it's incentive based.
Give the guy a break - he just built himself a shopping mall to live in; he's going to need a few more dollars.
I'm fine with a mostly incentive-based contract, as I am with any player in any sport. Personally, I view Cotch as a star #2, but never a #1. His numbers are better when Coles isn't in the lineup because there are no other options to throw to when Coles is out. We've only seen Baker actually become part of the passing game since Clemens started throwing the ball. Beyond that, there's no one else that is a serious threat. Who knows though? Maybe Cotch is that good. He's surely shown flashes. I just have zero confidence in anything about this team right now, so my judgement could be a bit clouded in regard to him. I'd still pay Coles though. Who do you replace the #2 spot with, even if Cotch can step into the #1 position?
w/ the other receivers we have it would make life more difficult for Cotch as D's would begin doubling and rolling a 3rd man towards him so his #s would go down but in the limited time he has spent w/o Coles his #s have gone up. obviously we'd all rather have Coles and Cotch but we can't break the bank for Coles.
