Free agent WRs have been known to look at QBs of teams they may sign with. Money is number 1. The winning program angle is vastly overrated. The QB is a bigger factor than you think.
You're not trying to say that Buress chose the Giants because he thought Eli was better than Culpepper, are you? If it wasn't for Peyton being a machine, Culpepper would've been the MVP in 2004. He went to the Giants because the Vikings decided they didn't want him. If he chose to play with Eli over Culpepper (at the time), he was a bigger idiot than I originally thought.
I guarantee that everyone who thinks we wiffed on Chatman didn't even consider the guy to play for the Jets when free agency opened up. But when we lose him to another team, somehow we've failed. Imagesrdecieving (isn't it "I before E except after C...") has it right. Until we start winning, there's going to be a natural skepticism about this CS and FO. And, honestly, the Bengals are closer to paydirt than the Jets are at this point.
Then to answer your question, they aren't lining up to play for us because our FO isn't showing interest in and actively pursuing them. We aren't building through Free Agency, we're building through the draft. It's not just some cliche anymore, it's reality.
Chatman seemed like a waste of a roster space, IMO. I'd rather have Dwight, seeing how he's a decent reciever as well.
I think Plaxico just wanted to shine. You go to New York & you get alot of attention. You go to Minnesota & everybody forgets about you unless you're a Chris Carter or Randy Moss.
Bengals Sign Antonio Chatman Jets lost another targeted player this morning, WR/KR Antonio Chatman to the Bengals. Would've been a nice addition. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2376023
Please name the 29 others.. and please name any of them that really mattered.. Not really a big loss here..
MSG has it right when they wrote the following about free agency: "The Jets, on the other hand, will have to look toward tomorrow and build through the draft, because with a 35-year-old coach (Eric Mangini), and a 37-year-old GM (Mike Tannenbaum), both learning on the job, free agents, for the most part, are saying, thanks, but no thanks to Gang Green". "So far, they have only been able to sign a backup linebacker/special teamer (Matt Chatham) and a 35-year-old defensive end (Kimo von Oelhoffen)"
Please enlighten us, how many contracts have been offered that FAs passed on? Just because a team brings in a FA, does not mean they offer a contract. Did the Jets offer Chatman a contract? If they didn't, then Chatman didn't pass on anything. Didn't you also say that the FO has only been able to sign old players, and career back-ups in other threads? How is Chatman now a top-tier FA? If the Jets did sign him, you would put in the same category as Chathem and Oelhoffen. Give me a break.
Who said he was a top tier FA. The only free agents the Jets have signed are Matt Chapman and Kimo von Oelhoffen. NEITHER had an interview with any other team and they over payed for a 34 year old DE. They have yet to sign and anyone they invited to Hofstra that interviewed with another team, that's the point. And the same point was made by MSG. Keep drinking the green Kool Aid.
