New York’s interest in former Charger could prompt a move with current backup RB. Matt Bowen
I am curious about the Jets’ interest in former Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson, because I just don’t see what the plan is by swapping out one RB in his thirties in Thomas Jones — who was very productive as a Jet — for LT.
It isn’t surprising to see a veteran player on the downside of his career weigh his options by taking multiple visits to drive up his own market value in hopes of a semi-bidding war for second-tier free agent money. Some veteran players even wait until after the draft to make a final call to avoid seeing a rookie drafted at their exact position.
But, even in saying that, LT as a Jet?
From a scheme perspective, LT makes sense in Brian Schottenheimer’s offense because the running game is very similar to what Tomlinson saw under Norv Turner in San Diego — the off-tackle power game. Nothing special, but when you have an offensive line like the Jets, it produces results.
However, what is so surprising from my perspective about the Jets’ heavy enough interest to warrant a visit is the current depth chart.
Jones was let go because of Shonn Greene’s production down the stretch of the ’09 season and in the playoffs. Why bring in another 30-something back? Especially when Leon Washington is on the roster — who is better out of the backfield than Tomlinson and more productive.
In Minnesota — where he took his first visit — LT knows his role: a backup to Adrian Peterson (despite what Brad Childress tries to spin it as in his sales pitch). Probably eight to 10 touches a game and an increased role in the Vikings’ third-down passing packages.
But, in New York, LT would be the third option. Maybe five touches a game? Unless — and this is all speculation — the Jets are planning to move a player like Washington. Considering the trade they made this past weekend for CB Antonio Cromartie and during last year’s draft when they moved up to get QB Mark Sanchez, I wouldn’t put anything past head coach Rex Ryan and GM Mike Tannenbaum.
Time to make another deal? Or are the Jets seriously thinking about paying to bring in a veteran to watch as Greene and Washington get all of the touches?
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For a look at possible Jets offseason moves, check out this article from Bleacher Report.
Michael, or anyone else out there that would care to field this one:
Can you please explain why trading away Adrian Peterson for picks and signing LT to replace him would be a bad idea for the Vikings?
I seem to not be very convincing to the person that brought it up.
Thanks, all.
@Bob.
Trade Peterson for Picks and sign LT to be starter?
I guess I'll start with saying LT isn't a starter calibre back anymore, to be honest, I'm not even sure he's a very good 3rd down back either but that's another argument.
The Vikings are pretty stacked as it is, I don't think having more high draft picks can make them that much better. If the Chiefs or the Rams had a Peterson, then you got justify trading him for a couple of 1's and 2's but with the Vikings being Super Bowl ready now, what would be the point of bringing in multiple rookies.
They have a top 5 QB, top 2 HB, top 10 WR corp, above averaged TE, above average Oline, #1DL, a very good 4-3 LB corps, average CBs, below avergae Safeties.
What could they improve? Probably the Dbacks but as Sharper showed this last season, the system in Minny may be restricting the DBacks big plays rather than the quality of the players. Cover 2 is a bend-don't break system and that's what the Vikes D generally does. They give up a lot of yards but not that many TDs... combine that with one of the most explosive offenses in the league (prob top 3) and you have a winning combination.
With Hutchingson, Winfield, P Williams and Favre getting on in years and the last two likely to retire in 9 months, trading Peterson now for potential talent would be a big mistake.
Now I can see the argument for the Rams trading SJackson and having LT as starter and using the draft picks from SJax to improve for the future but it just doesn't fit the Vikings right now.
I'm a Packer fan, and I endorse Bob's idea.
Not my idea, the guy's who's it was needed convincing. I'm sure he won't take, even now.
Message to Ted Thompson... Go get Leon Washington & he will bring instant improvement to the return game. If you can get him for a 4th & his leg checks out well, then pull the trigger, Ted. I know you love you some draft picks, but that 4th would be well worth it.
Not to mention that he could also give the Packers the ideal 3rd down receiving threat our of the backfield that they have been sorely missing.
You helped the Jets out 2 years ago, so they owe you. Get on the phone if you haven't already & get ur done!
@The Good Kid
You are another homer who is oblivious of ground realities. What makes you think Jets will let Leon get away for 4th? He is cheap and a home run threat. Plus they can get a 4th for him next year if he becomes a free agent and wants to cash in.
Stop smoking whatever you are smoking.
yahoo aj...
Read the title of this article, numb skull. I have no idea of what it would take to get Leon, and neither do you. I was just throwing out a number that I thought would be a good starting point. If you don't agree, then counter my argument in a more respectful way. The reality is that Leon is not an every down back & is coming off a bad break(pun intended), so for you to completely dismiss a 4th rounder IMO is off base. I was just throwing out a number that as of now I thought would be reasonable. IMO nobody in their right mind will give up a 1st for him. A 2nd round pick for a guy coming off a bad injury? Not going to happen. So for the sake of argument lets say... between a 3rd & 4th & I would only give up a 4th at this stage due to the uncertainty of his recent injury.
So stop trying to pretend you know what he can be had for, because you really don't have the slightest clue, nor do I. My original post was applicable to the Jets getting LT, which IMO would make Leon more expendable. Now feel free to go punch yourself in the face, jerk.
TGK is probably closer to being correct than you are, yahoo dave jr. 2nd round pick of Leon Washington? 2nd Rd picks are probably the most "valuable" picks in the whole draft to a GM. This is not opinion, this is spoken by GM types. So a 2nd round pick for a part time player who was just injured a whole year? He was good but not that good. It's easy to think "good" players are worth 1st or 2nd rounders- but no, its not the case at all. Otherwise you'd see a lot more trades where teams are able to get rid of "good" but replaceable (and soon to be expensive) players like Leon is.
The Jets could be thinking about moving Leon Washington - but I think it's more likely about uncertainty, as Washington recovers from a compound fracture of his leg. He may not even be ready to play by opening day. And if he is, Greene has a history of nagging injuries. Greene has shown he's powerful and explosive - NOT that he's a workhorse back (not yet anyway).
In any case, the Jets run so much that they can use LT- as a change-of-pace who can also catch & block, back-up for either Greene or Washington, a goal-line specialist, a canny veteran to salt away leads (a la OJ Anderson for the '91 Giants), and as a slot receiver (a la Marshall Faulk during his twilight years).
All of you guys talking about the jets taking a 3rd or a 4th is absolutely redicullous!!! Do you guys not realize that 2 years ago he was top 3 in the LEAGUE for TOTAL YARDS!!!!! he does it all for the jets kick returns, catches out of the backfield, a home run threat at all times and oh yea before he got hurt last year he ran the seminal as well. Up untill that horrible injury last season it was clear cut that he was the number one back not jones. i challenge anyone to look at the stats. bottom lines is they tendered him a second round for comp and im sure based upon what i have read that they will match whatever comes his way. Dont forget that the jets have the best line in the nfl and the number one rushing attack so jones getting away even though i dont like it will not be the death of the team. If they do sign lt well than they will probably use leon more in a 3rd down and kr role. with shawn greene and lt splitting the rest o fthe downs just as they did with jones and greene down the stretch. my question is if they tendered him a 2nd why would they take anything less???Thats like saying the broncos would take a 2nd for marshall when they want a 1st. I just dont see the jets leaving themself thin at rb with just green and a old lt..honeslty i dont even think they will sign lt its just tenn. exploring all options... I see them landing a kevin smith a willie parker or a Pierre Thomas,Ronnie Brown LenDale White all of these guys are younger than lt with more tread on the tires, plus they would serve as a verteran presence and give the jets another smashing type rb who could thrive in the red zone. Plus they would come cheaper than lt. Just my take from a lifelong suffering jets fan. GO
J-E-T-S! JETS JETS JETS!!!
If the Jets thought he was as good or as valuable as bigstocker says then why did they "only" put the second round tender on him? These tenders only mean that the compensation will be that round if there's an offer sheet. Why would a team even discuss trading with the Jets if the Jets wouldn't accept anything less than a 2nd? Why not just sign him to an offer sheet and not waste time and energy? Think about it.
Good Kid,
The Jets gave Leon a second round tender, that means if someone offers him a deal, and the Jets refuse to match, it will cost the team signing Leon a 2nd round pick.
The Jets aren't letting him walk for a 3rd or 4th rounder, sorry.
Good Kid,
The Jets gave Leon a second round tender, that means if someone offers him a deal, and the Jets refuse to match, it will cost the team signing Leon a 2nd round pick.
The Jets aren't letting him walk for a 3rd or 4th rounder, sorry.
Jim,
I think a second round pick for a player whose value is based on speed, agility and athleticism; but is not an every down back, is good enough. Especially since he is coming off of a compound fracture. The guy's leg basically broke in two places and was sticking out... I'm not making it up either, read what the players said of the injury. With that being said, I think that is fair value. If this was last year, this wouldn't be close to enough.
Actually I think the Jets made a food move on Leon. Reports are coming in saying he will start training camp as opposed to the season opener.
To be honest, it's a win-win. If he signs elsewhere, the Jets get a second rounder, if not, they keep Leon and he has another year to prove he is healthy.
Maybe you're not a Jet's fan, so you don't understand his true value to their team, and his vale in general.
I stand corrected on my original statement. Had I known that he was a FA with a 2nd round tender & that his break was of the compound variety, then I would have never made that statemtent. If Leon had not been a FA, which I did NOT know he was. He would NOT be worth a 2nd coming off a compound fracture. Just because you put a 2nd round tender on a player doesn't mean he is worth that. He may NEVER be the same again(physically & even mentally) & no team in their right mind is going to give that for him at this stage. If they do, then don't be surprised if the Jets DON'T match it. They know more than anyone about the uncertainty surrounding Leon & they know that getting a 2nd for him could be a huge steal.
Did u guys not see what I wrote Leon is top 5 talent for all purpose yards. If he didn't have this injury last year we wouldn't even have this discussion he would have been tendered a 1 St and third and no one would have carred about jones. There are reports of several teams interested in leon including minn sf and the pats and trust me the pats would love to pry Leon away. We got history not worth a 2nd r u crazy btw if have ever heard Leon speak he is a class act as well any team would love to have him but once again the jets are tested the marketand will ultimately let the mkt dictAte his contact. I hope he stays gets healthy and lands the contract he deserves. This injury from all accounts was horrible bit the reprecussions after from reports will not be that bad yes he has a rod but it's not like he had ligiment damage or a torn acl his value is too much to let him walk for anything less than a 2 and no I don't see them being desperate to trade for less especially since they are thin at the positon and he is still cheap. You guys need to do some studdying and then try to comment on it. Not just hate on the jets cause we do and say what we want andade te afc championship with a rookie qb and a rookie rb!! And I'm out!!
bigstocker what h@@l are you talking about?
You do realize the severity of a compound fracture, right? He may NEVER be the same ever again. You don't give high quality picks up for such an uncertainty.
" You guys need to do some studdying and then try to comment on it. Not just hate on the jets cause we do and say what we want andade te afc championship with a rookie qb and a rookie rb!! And I'm out!! "
What? I'm not ever sure how to respond to that.
the good kid listen up kid...if you put a tender on someone that is it plain and simple what dont you understand about that how can you respond to that. You make no sense they match the sheet or we get the 2nd pick, PLAIN AND SIMPLE. i dont know what you think you know but that is how it works. And im not saying he is going to be the same player...i hope to god he is for his sake the teams and his familys but they apparently still feel reguardless that he is worth a 2nd or they would have placed a 3rd on him. You dont need to know how to respond to me telling you to study up cause you really should...this is what you wrote which is pathetic.
Message to Ted Thompson... Go get Leon Washington & he will bring instant improvement to the return game. If you can get him for a 4th & his leg checks out well, then pull the trigger, Ted. I know you love you some draft picks, but that 4th would be well worth it.
Not to mention that he could also give the Packers the ideal 3rd down receiving threat our of the backfield that they have been sorely missing.
You helped the Jets out 2 years ago, so they owe you. Get on the phone if you haven't already & get ur done!
1st off they had a 2nd round tender on the guy and your bantering about a 4th. uhh hello study up!
2nd you sure as hell sound like you really want teddy t to pick up the phone and get him but now you downplay that he may never be the same again?
3rd of all the things i wrote to talk about how valuable leon is to the jets you want to talk to me about studdying and then say he is basically washed up. Come on now once again his stats when healthy are off the charts in terms of total yards plus big plays but all the sudden you think we are going to just hand him over to you because gb needs a kr threat and 3rd down threat and you what traded a old qb that played you for 3 years straight. We all knew that he wanted to go to the vikings and im sure that just kills you packers fans..just so bitter.. no we will not just hand over leon cause we owe you nothing..in case you didnt know new yorkers are about looking out for number one and what have you done for us lately not something that happened in our time light years ago. respond to that little boy.
I'm glad not all Jets fans are such mindless homers. One year of making the playoffs and all of a sudden even injured part time players are elite and worth a 1st round pick? Hah
bigstocker... Did you even read my posts or did you just take them & twist them to fit your mindless agenda?
You seriously have some of the worst reading comprehension I've seen on here.
Your educational system has failed you. Learn how to read & write, tool. You are beyond a lost cause.
Well, you're right if the Jets have no interest in trading Washington, then they don't have to. However, there are instances when a player gets a tender, only because the team that places that tender doesn't want to lose that player for nothing...not necessarily because of anything else.
The Packers put a 2nd round tender on Darryn Colledge. I guarantee the Packers would not match, and would trade him for a third round pick. The Rams plan on replacing Alex Barron with Jason Smith at LT this year, but put the 2nd round tender on Barron. It's been reported that they'd accept a MID ROUND pick for him.
So, say the Jets sign Tomlinson, and have interest in trading Washington...then they would get nothing above a 3rd. That doesn't mean they want to trade him, and that doesn't mean he isn't a good player. Get it?
they are not trading him period!!! you guys have no clue..part time player that is a comment of a person that doesnt have a fucking clue. Like i said I dont even want lt and if i had my choice they would sign parker or brown. either way you guys dont have any idea how valueable leon is to us. He is not going anywhere they will match any offer sheet and you guys will see.
Well, once again, if he was as valuable to the Jets as you're making him out to be (everything taken in to account, including injury), then they would have put the highest possible tender on him. Right?
First, Leon's combined yards are overblown because he got nearly all the Jets' return work over the past three years. In his rookie year, he did almost no returning and had his best rushing/receiving season (650 yds. rushing, 270 yds. receiving). Over his career, he's averaged under 450 yards rushing and 250 yards receiving per season. Not exactly worldbeating numbers.
Sure, he's done pretty well, but he'll never be a workhorse back...just not the way he's built. And no one knows how he'll come back from that gruesome injury. There's far too much uncertainty there for anyone to seriously consider giving up a 2nd-round pick for him.
bigstocker trying to pretend he knows what the jets will do with Leon. TOO FUNNY!!!
Another fan trying to think he knows what goes on behind closed doors. Just stop, you aren't employed by the jets front office, therefore you have no idea of what is going to happen with Leon, PERIOD! Snap into reality, SERIOUSLY!
I never said that leon was the workhorse...there are not too many of those left anyway what i said is he does it all. This team is at a win now point and he knows the offense including special teams. Losing tj basically meant keeping leon. with that being said even with the addition of lt the jets will still use leon and he will hopefully be effective for them to use him even more. You guys are downplaying leons affect on the game. put it this way jeter does not overwhelm anyone with his stats however his affect on the game is blatent. Only jets fans know what i am talking about. All others just look at what his injury is and think that will define him. Leon is the type of guy that even if he is not on my team i will root for. Just a class act! The good bitch you are just a hater and please jimbo your talking rookie stats im talking about his last 24 games. His numbers are off the charts interms of total yards and i pray he will be the same. ...(and real jets fans know the front office is too!)
How is it that I'm hating? If anything I'm hating on your sheer stupidity, not Leon Washington. The guy is VERY versatile when healthy, but a compound fracture is not something that is a normal break that just heels normally( he has a rod in his leg holding the bone together ). You can down play his injury all you want, but the reality is that he may never be the same. He may never trust that leg to take a pounding & if he does there is no guarantee that it will hold up. A lot of questions surrounding him about that leg & IMO he is not worth a 2nd round gamble.
You act like we live in some other country & don't get to watch Jet games. You act like we can't go read New York newspapers online. Do you seriously believe the useless drivel that comes out of your mouth, bigstocker? The internet, Sunday Ticket, & cable are great devices to use to follow the sport.
Oh yea, just because you're a so called die hard Jet fan doesn't mean a thing when it comes to what the Jet front office does. You're a fan of the Jets, NOT an employee of the Jets. Get real, PLEASE!
And for the sake of the people that have to read your mind boggling crap.. LEARN HOW TO READ & WRITE, PLEASE! For the sake of the blog at least.
What's with NFP allowing this guy to swear too? I hope this site isn't turning into Pro Football Talk because that would be a major blow to it's credibility as a site known for it's intelligent & respectful football discussions.
Yes, bigstocker is basing his argument on emotion.
I'm a Packer fan. I would love to have Leon Washington come in and team with Ryan Grant in Green Bay's backfield. He'd be the ideal fit as a 3rd down/change of pace back and return man for the Packers.
That said, once again, the Jets put the 2nd round tender on him. Of course they like him, but bigstocker is making him out to be something he's really not. And if the Jets front office felt the same way as bigstocker he would have received the highest possible tender. Who knows, maybe he would have had he not been injured?
The reality of the situation is that he only received a 2nd round tender, and they just signed Ladainian Tomlinson, and they already have a stud (from early returns) workhorse back in Greene. So, maybe that all has to do with his injury, maybe that has to do with a combination of his injury and other things.
I'm not saying they will trade him, but if they have any thoughts on trading him whatsoever, the Jets front office knows they won't get more than a 3rd given the reality of the situation.
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02:56 PM
If they got a 2nd round pick for Washington, they would probably let him go, and draft another young RB, it that case, if LT would sign for a price lower than what they were willing to pay Jones, I think it would make some sense, but I dont see anyone coughing up a 2nd for washington until they see him back and healthy.
I also dont see the Jets spending a high draft pick (first 2 rounds) on a RB, they got greene in the 3rd, they got Washington in the 4th, in the past they got Lamont Jordan in the 3rd....they can find backs that fit their system later in the draft, they need to get younger on both lines, and they probably still need another corner.