well from Rich Cimini of New York Daily News Jets beat writer.. Finally got my hands on the Kenyon Coleman contract. Wow, the Jets really overpaid for this guy, a career backup in Dallas. Coleman received a five-year, $20.5 million deal, with a $4.5 million signing bonus and base salaries of $1 million, $4 million, $3 million, $3 million and $2.5 million. He will make $9.8 million in the first two years, with a hefty $5.05 million cap number in 2008. He?d better be better than Kimo von Oelhoffen. Still haven?t caught a glimpse of Thomas Jones? new deal, but I?m told he will make $13 million in the first two years. Clearly, GM Mike Tannenbaum is front-loading the contracts, trying to take advantage of the abundance of salary-cap space. FB Darian Barnes didn?t break the bank. He got a one-year contract for $595,000, presumably with a modest signing bonus on top of that. By paying so much to Coleman, and by retaining von Oelhoffen and re-signing graybeard Bobby Hamilton, the Jets are giving the impression that they?re not thinking about picking a defensive end with their first pick (25th overall). The only 3-4 end who?d be worth the 25th pick is Nebraska?s Adam Carriker, and I?d be shocked if he lasted that long. Charles Johnson (Georgia) and Anthony Spencer (Purdue) are too small for the Jets? scheme. Here?s a name to keep an eye on: Penn State LB Paul Posluszny. He?s got ?Eric Mangini Player? written all over him. He can play inside and outside, and with the Jets shopping Eric Barton in trade talks, they?re going to need another inside ?backer. Food for thought.
Frontloading a few contracts (both FA and resignings) this year is a logical choice if you don't plan on signing a lot of FA this year. Get the big money out of the way now so that you have more to spend in a year or two. You just have to make sure you're still going to want these guys in a few years. As to the versatility of Posluszny, he may be very versatile in a 4-3, but I'm not so sure he will be heavy enough for versatility in a 3-4.
Yeah, Posluszny seems like he wouldn't fit in with out Defense. He's a 4-3 player and to make him move would almost guarantee little playing time in 2007. Cimini is probably right though, that with all this $$$ being tied down to our D-Line we'll probably look elsewhere in the draft. I'm starting to think the Jets just might take the best available player with the #25 pick. If Barton is shipped somewhere, then Linebacker would be obvious pick at #25, if not then CB needs to be addressed
You are going to find very little players who are 3-4 players with experience as not too many colleges use the 3-4.
All of the new contracts have a huge cap number for 2008-- cotch, jones, and coleman all have massive numbers in year two. Perhaps they are projecting a good amount of cap space for 2008. It's a good way to have the deals if you plan to keep a guy through his entire contract, but I think I perfer the last year to have the big payday.
What's Cimini talking about? If they drafted Spencer it would be to play OLB, not end. He's not too small for OLB.
He says "overpaid", but the Jets haven't actually handed over any of that cash yet. If he's awful in year one then he won't see much of the rest of the deal. If he plays superbly well then he's worth every penny and not overpaid, surely?
Another beat writer without a clue. If you look at the costs of defensive lineman this is a pretty cheap contract and if he stinks they could cut him after one year. Good 3-4 ends are different types of players, they aren't flashy they just need to fill two gaps. Obviously a) Mangini liked what he saw on film and b) Parcells likes him. As far as Spencer and Johnson Cimini really is a moron if he considers either of them for DE for the Jets. Clearly If we drafted either player they would move to outside linebacker. Is it me or do the fans seem to know more then the beat writers at this point?
its pretty clear fans think they know more....this coleman deal is a joke. a career backup got too much money. thats the truth. theres too many guys circle jerking the FO like they are all knowing. god forbid they acutually *GASP* make a mistake!!!
THERE is kind of an unwritten rule these days - If you have a decent cap number you frontload the free agents and backload the draft choices especially the day one choices. this doesn't surprise me at all....our 2008 cap number should be in the same ball park as the 07 number - however, i see the jets trying to re-work a couple deals like ellis, coles (if he isn't cut), and drob. this should free up some more space for the 1-2 free agents next offseason. one thing to remember - the jets have not broken the bank this offseason and with the front loaded contracts it makes you wonder if they have big plans for draft day such as trading up to get that guy..... jil
another thing about the coleman deal.... i actually do not mind it - even if its perceived as an overpayment...... i can guarantee you the guy came highly recommended and the jets are in no position to let a young front seven guy get away. next thing you know the ravens, steelers, pats, browns are all shelling out the same dough for him. the 3-4 DE position is in need and you are more likely to fill it in FA rather than the draft. its the LB spots in the 3-4 that are much more easier to fill in the draft. jil
fact is this if coleman doesnt get that deal here. he goes and gets it somewhere else. to land a Free Agent in this day and Age you have to overpay.
So, look and see who has been inactive until a day or two ago, and we'll know which poster is Cimini ....:beer:
