The Jets won't be breaking the bank on F/A

I tend to agree with your hunch. I have the feeling that when free agency starts we'll be hearing nothing but dead air from the Jets. They will wait for prices to fall or might go right after a couple of good roll player types, but will largely let the Redskins of the world soak up the expensive agents.

I think they'll focus on signing Cotch an Rhodes to long term deals but be largely silent with big name signings.

 

I think that the Jets would spend big money on a free agent if they thought that was the right price. Unfortunately, there's too much stupidity and overspending in the NFL (though obviously less than in other sports). Still, a guy like Samuel is pretty much guarenteed to be overpaid so I don't expect the Jets to get him. But if, by some chance, he was valued like he should be, which is already a high value, I think the Jets would cough up the money.

 

I agree, LI Jets Fan. I don't see Tangini getting involved in bidding wars for high-ticket guys. Like you said, "We're not just one player away from the SB."

I could see Tannenbaum going after signing our present guys first, then seeing how much cash he has left over. He's taken that kind of conservative approach so far and I don't see that changing. It'll mean getting guys signed and under contract early, so I expect he'll be pushing them to sh*t or get off the pot. They'll make it clear to the agents why it has to be that way and I'm sure most will understand.

We need to get key players under contract early, then see how much funny money we've got left to play with. Don't forget, you've still got to sign the draftees, so by the time that's all over with, the amount we have is not that much of a big deal.

 

Im pretty sure the Jets will get a lot of FAs. The only thing is they are not gonna be Household names like last year. I do think that they will pursue 1 or 2 big named players but not necessarily sign them.

 

At least we won't be going after any more Rent-A-Whores like Ty Law. Mangini's too smart for that.

We're far better off seeking out younger, little-known, perhaps even yet-undiscovered talent and signing them to a reasonable contract. That's how the Patriots have been doing it and it shows. You can't afford to pay the Rent-A-Whores and still have enough left over to pay your existing talent that are all out there breaking their butts. Next thing you know, you've got a teamful of good but disgruntled players and a couple of very rich Rent-A-Whores who will go somewhere else in a heartbeat for a few dollars more.

 

What about a guy like Ernest Wilford? He would be a great #3 receiver and the big red zone target we are looking for.

Any chance we go after him? He is a free agent.

 

Not sure I agree with this theory. You can afford to be conservative with Tom Brady as your QB. Not to kill Chad but if you dont have the great QB, you have to build the team strengths in other places...and that doesnt come cheap.

The Patriots, without any household names at the receiver position came within a possesion of probably winning the superbowl. We can call their team "grunts" but when I look at their linebackers..their defensive line..and cb's, this isnt exactly a group of misfits. Eventually you have to sweeten the talent pool.

With that said, I dont see the Jets becoming the Yanks and overpaying for a Samuel etc. I just dont see them sitting back and waiting for draft classes to take them to the top.

 

Keep in mind that Tannenbaum didnt learn from the Patriots school of thought...he actually learned from Parcells. Parcells has been known to act quickly in Free agency to add depth and competition to the given roster.

Mangini, also spent sometime underneath Parcells, although most of his philosophy does shadow that of Bellichick.

W/ that said, I expect us to be cautious in Free agency. That doesn't mean we will only sign acouple younger role players, and wait till the draft, but it also doesnt mean we're turning into the Redskins.

We will most certainly pursue some marquee names, but will be wise in the bidding wars, not breaking the bank...and of course we will also be pursuing those lesser known, young role players to add crucial depth.

 

With looming bidding wars and lots of cap space it will not take much to start spending the excess 28 mill. I am not saying they shouldn't spend it, I am saying that it is better to spend it smart or wait to see how things shake out.
Here is why..........

When a team, lets say Washington, goes balls to the wall for a Samuel or Clements they are going to ruin the salary structure of every other CB. Same goes for the other positions. That in turn is going to make it prohibitively more expensive to sign our players such as Cotchery, Hobson and Rhodes. So that 28 mil becomes deceptive. Players are going to get bigger contracts and use up the cap space real quick. It happens in every sport when teams have money to spend and essentially have to spend it. Cap space will go faster than a crackheads money on payday. The only thing being this is a hard cap so there is not leeway like in Baseball.

I think it would be better to make smaller Free agent signings and not the big splash. I just am not convinced that signing hired guns is the way to go. I just do not think unless you get seriously lucky that free agents make average teams championship contenders in one fell swoop. I think the evidence in most any sport is that it takes great drafting and Free agent fill ins (role and or character players not superstars) to make a Championship contending team.

It seems like this FO started the great drafting process (I hope it was not a one year wonder). Now all they have to do is get the FA thing down and there is ample evidence that they can do that as well too. I am all for the smaller Free agency signings. Will I be upset if they brought in high dollar talent? No not in the least, however I will be very sceptical that in the end run it will make the team that much better. It just seems all the hired guns do is cause strife ruin the salary structure and in general do not turn an average team in terms of talent into a championship contender.

 

I don't mind letting the over-priced free agents go, but when the day happens that we let someone get away because of money I'll be extremely pissed......

Especially considering how much of a geinious Tannanebaum is with the cap, remember we were in cap hell at the end of the 2005 season, and now we are a solid 20 million under it, playing in NY we can afford to open up our wallets.........

 

I'm starting to have trouble defining the phrase 'break the bank' as it pertains to Free Agency. And I'm starting to think that the teams we see 'break the bank' are teams like the Vikings and Redskins and Raiders. I think I can do without that.

 

Did we all forget that last year we were willing trying to sign Deion Branch to a big contract while the patsies weren't??

 

The way i see it, Mangini must know that the jets are not 1 player away from the superbowl, but then again, we arent that far. we went 10-6 in a season that everyone expected us to be 4-12 in....you can call the Jets overacheivers...but then again, we had a core of players break out this year and surpass all expectations ( cotch, penny, rhodes, nugent, thomas) so to say our record was a fluke is hardly credible..

what this team needs is to continue to build through the draft, meanwhile making a few critical upgrades...my ideas include Leonard Davis, Asante Samual, and a few non-household names, just enough to upgrade in positions that we feel we cant address in the draft, as well as creating some competition in positions that are lacking depth....Daniel Graham isnt out of the question either...we could use another TE

 

I'm just hoping they attempt at Steinbach/Deilman and Corey Redding (Raeding?).

 

Steinbach or Leonard...it will most likely be one of them, the other position will be addressed in the draft late day 1 or early day 2

 

Leonard Davis is too big, isn't he upwards of 360 pounds?

Hmm, maybe we can teach him to play NT:breakdance:

 

Im just hoping they do something

 

he didnt become one of the better OTs in the league by being a fatty...he can definetely play at a high level...hes only going into his 7th season i beleive and hes turning 29..he should be good for another 5 years

 

Davis was at his best his first 2 seasons in which his weight was kept around 340-350 and was at Guard. He was able to use his huge frame, strength and leg drive to simply overpower opponents in run and pass blocking.

The Cards than decided to move him to his drafted position of LT, due mainly to his high salary count. Since than he has been exremely inconsistent and can struggle mightily w/ pass rushers. Additionally, he struggles w/ maintaining his playing weight.

I'm not sure he's a good fit w/ us, schematically and in terms of weight issues.