Friday was Day 1 of the NFL free agency period and the Jets were busy making headlines.
The Green and White did some adding and subtracting and made themselves a better team. At least I hope they have.
The day started with the inevitable --
Jonathan Vilma was traded. The former first-round pick and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year was sent to the New Orleans Saints for a conditional 2009 draft pick. When I first heard the news, it was reported that the Jets would receive a fourth-round pick or a third-round pick if Vilma met certain playing requirements. I was outraged. Sure, Vilma is coming off a knee injury, but surely he had to be worth more than one conditional pick? Right?
Well, looks like those reports were wrong. Here's the real scoop according to
Rich Cimini of the Daily News:
The Jets will receive a fourth-round pick from the Saints in the upcoming draft.
If Vilma achieves playing-time incentives and signs an extension with the
Saints, the Jets would receive a second- or third-round pick in 2009. In that
case, the Jets would send their fourth-rounder in '09 to the Saints so they
could recoup this year's fourth rounder.
I'm still not in love with the trade, but it's better than just getting a conditional pick in 2009. Hopefully, Vilma will return to form in Nor'leans, sign an extension with the Saints and give the Jets a second-round pick in '09.
The Jets then traded for defensive tackle
Kris Jenkins from the Carolina Panthers. The Jets website reports that the Jets made the deal for "undisclosed draft choices" but the
Associated Press (and other outlets) claim it was for third- and fifth-round picks in this year's draft. I guess we'll find out eventually, but one thing seems certain -- the Jets reportedly signed the 6'4, 349 pound man-mountain to a five-year,
$35 million contract with about $20 million guaranteed.
Jenkins, a three-time Pro Bowler, played in the 4-3 in Carolina, but the Jets see him as a perfect fit to man the nose in their 3-4. The seven-year veteran comes with some baggage (weight problems, conflicts with his former coaches, injuries), but maybe a change of scenery will get him back on track.
The Jets also signed defensive tackle Sione Pouha to an extension. The three-year pro finished with career highs in games played (16) and tackles (40) last season. That doesn't sound like a whole lot, but the 6'3, 325 pound Pouha really played well at the end of the year which included an 8 tackle performance against the Tennessee Titans in Week 16. Pouha also had this great quote in March's issue of Jets Confidential:
"Anything you're good at, you like. I like eating. I'm good at it, so I do it. I'm not really good at long-distance running so that's why I'm not in the Olympics."
Made me laugh.
And finally, the Jets and free agent guard
Alan Faneca have tentatively agreed to four-year, $32 million deal with roughly $23 million in guarantees. The signing could be announced this weekend.
This was a move the Jets
had to make. The 10-year pro, who has spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, is a five-time All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowler. He will immediately upgrade the offensive line at left guard and should help with the maturation of left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold. He should also bring a certain level of nastiness that the Jets are lacking along the offensive front.
All in all, a pretty eventful day for the Green and White.
Let's hope it translates to wins on the field in 2008.
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