inmate running the asylum Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Jets: They are set to spend Wednesday, March 03, 2004 BY DAVE HUTCHINSON Star-Ledger Staff Armed with a fat checkbook and a mandate to revamp the defense, the Jets and general manager Terry Bradway will embark on free agency today. It's the biggest off-season in Bradway's three-year tenure with the Jets, especially coming on the heels of the team losing four key players to the Redskins last off-season. Bills cornerback Antoine Winfield is atop the Jets' wish list and may visit this week, according to someone with knowledge of the club's thinking. The Jets were prepared to pay Redskins cornerback Champ Bailey big money in a trade and have now targeted Winfield, an excellent cover corner and sure tackler despite his diminutive size. The Jets may also try to strike quickly and sign Seahawks wide receiver Darrell Jackson, who they courted last off-season as a restricted free agent. Yesterday, the Jets made a major move among their linebackers by sliding weakside linebacker Sam Cowart to the middle. The club will keep Cowart's contract intact and pay him a $1 million roster bonus today, according to his agent, Paul Healy. Cowart earned Pro Bowl honors in 2000 while playing inside linebacker in the Bills' 3-4 defense. Cowart's switch means veteran middle linebacker Marvin Jones, who spent his entire 11-year career with the Jets, will be released. The Jets are expected to pursue a weakside linebacker in free agency and/or select one high in next month's draft. Second-year pro Victor Hobson will step into the slot vacated by Mo Lewis, who was released on Monday. Bradway has a lot of holes to fill, and his job could hinge on how the club fares in free agency. Following the 6-10 finish last season, coach Herman Edwards received a two-year extension and Bradway, whose contract had coincided with Edwards, didn't receive such job security. Bradway has two years left on his contract. Bradway and Edwards have been holed up at Weeb Ewbank Hall plotting strategy since returning from the NFL Combine last month in Indianapolis. "Obviously, we lost some guys who were very, very good players (last season) and what you have to do is retool, whether it's through the draft or free agency," Edwards said at the combine. "There are some guys we're looking at (in free agency)." The Jets, who have said they'll be active in free agency, could have as much as $10 million in cap space. Cornerback, wide receiver, safety, linebacker and guard are among the positions the Jets are looking to fill via free agency, the draft or both. They're expected to select a linebacker and receiver early in the draft, even if they land one of the two in free agency. Signing a "shutdown" cornerback such as Winfield is perhaps the key to what new Jets defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson wants to do. He is looking to play a more aggressive, blitzing-type defense that can only work if you have cornerbacks who can play man-to-man coverage. The Jets' sense of urgency was revealed in their attempt to acquire Bailey. The 49ers' Ahmed Plummer, a fifth-year pro with a tremendous upside, is also a possibility if the Jets can't land Winfield. Finding a big wide receiver has been a problem since the departure of Keyshawn Johnson four years ago. Although the draft is deep at the position, the Jets will likely look to sign a veteran such as Jackson, the 49ers' Tai Streets or the Ravens' Marcus Robinson, all of whom the Jets courted last off-season. With the release of starting safeties Sam Garnes and Tyrone Carter on Monday, the Jets are expected to pursue a veteran safety such as the Steelers' Mike Logan. Chiefs safety Greg Wesley is also a possibility. Weakside linebackers on the market include the Colts' Marcus Washington and the Raiders' Eric Barton. Acquiring a veteran guard to replace the retired Dave Szott is also a need. The Jets will probably try to sign a second-tier free agent to fill that void. Notes: Vikings WR Randy Moss wants out of Minnesota and has mentioned the Jets as a team he'd like to play for, but his price tag (at least two first-round picks) may be too high. His college QB was Chad Pennington. ... The Jets are expected to pay WR Curtis Conway a $695,000 roster bonus due today and keep him as insurance until they land a veteran in free agency. ... RT Kareem McKenzie, a restricted free agent, was given a first-round tender offer ($1.37 million) although he was a third-round pick. Thus, if a team tries to sign him, the Jets would receive a first-round pick as compensation. ... The Jets could free up close to $3 million in cap space by reworking the deals of DT Josh Evans ($3.8 million cap number) and CB Donnie Abraham ($3.6 million). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Jackson would be a nice pickup for them, and he would be their #1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panel Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Every team is eyeing him, and for what reason, I do not know. He isn't THAT much better than the other options to be getting this much attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Originally posted by panel Every team is eyeing him, and for what reason, I do not know. He isn't THAT much better than the other options to be getting this much attention. Jackson wouldn't be as expensive as the other WR's out there and he was Seattle best WR last year. Yes he dropped a lot of balls but he is very good. Even better then Koren Robinson in my opionion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dissonance19 Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 I think the Jets need to get a big tall physical wr that would be a nice tandem with Moss. Maybe in the draft, get a Roy Williams or Reggie Williams. I just dont see Jackson being a right move for them. Also he may get the big $$ and not produce. He should stay in seattle. And keep what they have going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Originally posted by dissonance19 I think the Jets need to get a big tall physical wr that would be a nice tandem with Moss. Maybe in the draft, get a Roy Williams or Reggie Williams. I just dont see Jackson being a right move them/ Also he may get the big $$ and not produce. He should stay in seattle. And keep what they have going. I think the plan is to draft one and get Jackson so then they have Moss, Jackson, and one of the Williams. Not to bad for NY and Penny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dissonance19 Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Originally posted by jbooma I think the plan is to draft one and get Jackson so then they have Moss, Jackson, and one of the Williams. Not to bad for NY and Penny. haha i had to edit my post from before. i read it over and was like what the hell was i saying there? But good point. Moss may be a better slot guy but he really broke out last yr. Maybe if the get Jackson, they may look at CB if they dont sign one in the Free agency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 If the Jets want him he's as good as ours . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kappaluvacee Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 If winfield is on Danny's radar he'll never make it to NY...I admit I don't know a whole lot about Winfield, but the more I start to see posts about him and I read articles he sounds like a CB in the D. Green mold. For those of you with more knowledge of him would you same the same? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dissonance19 Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 His height is what teams will shy away from. He plays likes he's 6'0 but is 5'9. Plays the run well, very physicial for his size. Some critcize him for not getting a whole lot of ints as a CB should. But I basically say it's cuz the Bills had a vacant pass rush. They did statistically have the best pass D last yr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.