Just curious, if the Jets were so hot on signing Leonhard, don't you think we would have seen the release of either Elam or E. Smith (or both)? I personally found both to mediocre at best, and it would be another mil and a half (roughly) off the cap.
Since free agency is crazy and anything could happen, the Jets would be stupid to cut Elam or Smith before Leonhard is signed.
I like Elam for the fact that he creates turnovers and isn't afraid to hit. But perhaps he is better suited as a backup.
Elam's not going to get cut, but Smith's as good as gone. No point in doing so before his replacement is signed, though.
I think we're going to see a few June 1st cuts this season - Smith will more than likely be one, if he's not gone by then...
Rex Ryan's defense needs quality safeties...I wouldn't be surprised if we carried at least 4 safeties this year even after we sign Leonhard i would expect us to add another safety...probably later in the draft and then have a few undrafted FA's compete cutting Elam or Smith saves us little...let them compete and see if they can cut it in the different defensive scheme Elam i think has a chance as a backup Smith will likely be cut
Elam and Smith are both good backups. Elam can fill in the role very nicely. He created several big plays last year and I think he do a great job as a backup. If one of the starter goes down, he can do a decent job taking over. I hope we don't dump either one of them regardless of Leonard. Yes we save a lil on the cap space but then we'll be signing two more players. If we pay the two new player a league minimum, we'll save no more than $500k for replacing them.
Because they trimmed the fat. It was only Bowens who wasn't worth what he was getting paid for. Barton is an UFA. We haven't exactly trimmed him but he'll have to go with a lower price on his new contract if he wants to stay here. We are targetting Scott and/or Lewis in the FA. Thats obvious. We'll throw in the big bucks to get either one of them. Leonard is not Ed Reed, so you can't entirely depend on him and assume we need no one else besides Leonard and Rhodes.
Eric Smith is crap. Elam isnt horrible. He's nothing special but he has potential and does have a knack for creating turnovers.
Elam is a decent depth guy, but I would only want him in a pinch. Eric Smith is worthless. Honestly, though, I'm not sold on the idea of Leonhard. He's a pet for Ryan like E. Smith was for Mangini.
^Must be all the Chrebet fans, 'cause I honestly can't think of another logical explanation for all the Leonhard love.
I didn't see much of his play, except for a couple games here and there and the Playoffs. Do you think, whether or not he's Ryan's "pet," he's still more talented than Eric Smith and can start/consistently contribute for this team?
The only reason is because he's a raven who played under Ryan. I have no problem with leonhard coming in, I think he will do a good job, but the main reason he is leaving baltimore is because he knows he would be competing for the safety job. I'm high on leonhard because he knows the system, or at least the basis of the system that Ryan will be running, I'm sure there will be changes. He isn't the insane playmaker or ballhawk people are making him out to be. But he will be a good player for us if we sign him.
^good points, but he would not be coming in as a starter, so there really is no call for fanfare with regards to his signing. No better or worse than when Mangini brought in Kassell.
Yes, I think he appears to be far better than Smith, although he also had far better coaching and talent surrounding him. My fear is that he's another Damien Robinson. A JAG who scores a cushy starting job on a new team/same scheme due to benefiting from an astounding Pro Bowl roster on a previous team.
I think he would be probably be a jag if a cover 2 team picked him up or a team looking for him to play center field. That's not what his best attribute. He's great in the box, blitzing. He also seems like a great punt returner something that we don't currently have.
Leonhard played second fiddle to Dawan Landry and Ed Reed this year, but in 07' he was an adequate producer on defense and recorded 13 tackles on opening day for the Bills. They guy can hit, that's for sure, and he's as solid a tackler as they come. But I just don't understand the hype over him for someone who has flown relatively under the radar up until this offseason. But being his formed D-Coord, I have to trust Ryan's instincts on this one. Maybe he saw something the rest of the league didn't.
Hype? I don't think anyone has really been hyped about Leonhard i think everyone just seems to agree that he would be a solid addition at a good price...he knows the system and would likely be the starter what's not to like about that?... not to mention it would also please Rhodes to know that the guy who was good enough for Ed Reed is now playing next to him I haven't seen any thread calling Leonhard an allstar and besides Rex Ryan likes to have at least 3 solid Safeties...that's why Leonhard is expendable in Baltimore I'd still expect us to draft a mid to late round safety to compete and at least be the 3rd Safety
Take a few minutes and read through some of the free agent threads. The love affair for Leonhard is astounding for a guy who no one even heard of until this year.
