So when we resigned Harris the consensus seemed to be that we overpaid for an aging vet. Personally, I thought we paid him more than his play was worth but was somewhat understanding of his veteran role, leadership, and the fact that we didn't have many other options available to us. However, it seems like he is playing his best football right now. Harris has had some ups and downs over the years, we've all seen that he might have "lost a step". He actually looks a lot faster this year...maybe its the scheme or maybe the fact that he's played just about every game, he's probably played through some nagging injuries due to our depth problems... What do you guys think? Worth the money?
The Hitman is still the man. I think it's a 3 year, $21 million deal right? See how he plays in 2016 and 2017 to see if the team overpaid. It definitely seemed like it at the time. It had to be done though.
Harris is worth every penny. He is the only real LB on the jets--Coples should be a DE, Davis couldn't tackle my 87 year old mother, and Pace is older than my 87 year old mother.
Harris is currently the number 1 ranked ILB in the league through the first 3 weeks, according to PFF, and by a wide margin. Grades out as a 6.3 overall (-.3 pass rush, 4.2 coverage, 2.1 run defense), whereas 2nd best is a 3.5 (Craig Robertson of the Browns) followed by Mosley, Cushing, and Brandon Marshall.
He's playing at an All Pro type level right now. I couldn't name a better MLB/ILB through 3 games so far even though I'm sure there are a couple of other studs playing well right now. Either way, of course we didn't overpay. I said it back then and I can only repeat myself. Plenty of other teams were interested in Harris in free agency, and I think Rex even offered him more money.
Yeah we definitely got our money's worth this year at leat. I think Harris just happy we took care of him. Can't ask for much more than fat contract like that as an aging linebacker in the 2015 NFL. Certainly worried about our future at the position as Demario Davis by himself seems scary. I hope we resign him to anything substantial.
He's not a starter in this league. Maybe you can find a lesser role for Davis, but I would look to upgrade as soon as possible.
http://nypost.com/2015/09/28/how-the-best-lb-in-the-nfl-wisely-flies-under-radar-for-jets/ How the ‘best LB in the NFL’ wisely flies under radar for Jets By Mark Cannizzaro September 28, 2015 | 10:44pm Modal Trigger David Harris brings down Josh Robinson against the Colts earlier this season. Photo: Getty Images MORE FROM Mark Cannizzaro How Jets' crucial letdown mistake could burn them next week Don't let justified Patriots hatred distract from their greatness One rotten performance puts a crimp in Red Bulls' good vibes Todd Bowles' Gladys Knight crush may be taking next step What the Eagles' dysfunction means for the Jets David Harris did not, has not and will not ever stand on a stool in the middle of the locker room and urge on his Jets teammates with a crazed, raised voice. The Jets’ veteran linebacker is not that kind of player nor is he that kind of leader — which is not to say he isn’t one of the team’s most important players and leaders. In the wake of Sunday’s lackluster 24-17 home loss to the Eagles that soiled the Jets’ 2-0 start, Harris’ teammates would serve themselves well to follow his lead. Follow what he does on the field, which consists of making play after play quietly and efficiently — think Bill Belichick’s mantra: “Do your job’’ — and his demeanor off of it, is heavy on even-keel and light on overreaction. “It’s just as important not to overreact to a win as it is not to overreact to a loss,’’ coach Todd Bowles said Monday. “We didn’t overreact to our two wins and we’re not going to overreact to a loss.’’ Equal doses of calm and perspective are the proper prescription for what ails the Jets after Sunday’s loss, in which they fell behind 24-0 in the first half thanks to their inability to match the Eagles’ urgency. And no player on the Jets exudes calm and perspective better than Harris, who has spent all of his nine NFL seasons with the team and has seen every high and low imaginable along the way. Yet when the Jets arrive in London on Friday morning in advance of their game Sunday against the Dolphins at Wembley Stadium, there will not be a lot of British NFL fans donning green No. 52 Harris jerseys roaming about the airport, streets or pubs. Appropriately, Harris’ locker in the team’s Florham Park, N.J. training facility is tucked in a far corner of the room. There is not a lot of reporter traffic there, because Harris is not what we in the business call “a good quote.’’ The next flashy, bold controversial thing Harris says will be the first. After Sunday’s loss, even though it was Harris’ forced fumble on Eagles running back Ryan Mathews in the fourth quarter that gave the Jets a chance to get back into the game, there was not a single Harris quote in a story written after the game. Nor was there after he forced a key Andrew Luck fumble the previous week in Indianapolis. Given his low-key demeanor and the way he quietly goes about his business, Harris is the model Bowles player, because that is exactly the way the Jets coach carries himself. Harris is the antithesis of former Jets linebacker Bart Scott: All substance, no self-promotion. “If he was on social media he’d probably have been to like five Pro Bowls by now, but Dave’s a quiet guy; he just comes in and does his job,’’ defensive end Leger Douzable said. “He’s probably the best linebacker in the NFL,’’ fellow linebacker Demario Davis said. “He’s just under the radar because he chooses to be under the radar. This is a guy who has 1,000 tackles in his career. He can get all the media attention and all the marketing he wants. But that’s not his style, not his character.’’ Harris’ style and character comes directly from his blue-collar upbringing in Michigan. “That’s how I’ve always been since I was little,’’ Harris said. “In pee-wee football, my coach always preached, ‘Act like you’ve been there before.’ I just try to be the ultimate team player. I guess they say I’m my father’s child. He was the same way — go about his business, do what he’s got to do to get the job done without any recognition or fanfare.’’ Harris’ father, Timothy, worked as a die-cast technician in a Michigan automobile plant. When the Jets signed Harris to a three-year, $21.5 million contract extension in March with $15 million guaranteed, there was instant criticism from some around the league about how they overpaid a 31-year-old linebacker entering his ninth season without ever having been voted to a Pro Bowl. Harris heard the chatter, but refused to let it rattle him. “Every year, people say you can’t do something — whether it’s as an individual or a team,’’ he said. “But you have to put that out of your mind and go out and do your job.’’ That’s exactly the path, in the bigger picture, the Jets need to take on their way to London this week. Filed under david harris , new york jets
Tough to go in that specific order. I don't see the Jets spending a high pick on a TE. You got Amaro, and Chan doesn't require much productivity at the TE position. Maybe you look for a young, disciplined TE that can block later in the draft to help out the run game. I hope Mac doesn't forget that the QB needs an offensive line.
He's a player man. Considering how bad Demario has looked, it really helps you appreciate everything Harris does.
Remember; There wasn't much if ANY kind of ILB market out there. Our options were 1. retain Harris on a competitive free agent lifted contract 2. sign Brandon Spikes or some other JAG to play MIKE, or 3. draft a replacement and put them in at one of the most vital positions in the Defense as a rookie. 7 million a year is a couple million steeper than I would have liked, but thats just the cost of keeping him off the market in effect. His early returns have been exceptional and well worth the cost though, and we would be incredibly lucky if he keeps it up. Given his lack of injury history and usage, that shouldn't be a difficult task.
I'll gladly eat it for now. I was really adamant about wanting to move on from Harris; I thought he was too old, to slow and painfully unaware in coverage. When the details of the contract came out I thought Mac was just spending for the sake of getting rid of cap space. Through 3 games I've been very pleased and impressed with him. He looks rejuvenated. One thing's for sure, I'd much rather have a player prove me wrong by being good when I didn't like them than by sucking when I vouched for them.
