New York Jets: Chris Johnson and Other Miscellaneous Ramblings

Dec 29, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans running back

(28) walks off the field after the Titans

I was hoping that circumstance would help me out with today’s article because as we know Chris Johnson is in the New York area, the Jets are in the New York area so I was hoping they would help me out and get a deal done so I can analyze it. Unfortunately after LSU Pro Day today, once again there is radio silence at Florham Park and we are left to guess what will happen next.

Now don’t get me wrong, Idzik, Rex and company needed to be at LSU today because there are some big time prospects there that can help the franchise for years to come. Odell Beckham Jr. is a receiver with blazing speed, that also happens to be a good route runner, and have good hands. Beckham Jr. is also one of the premiere returners in college football. Jarvis Landry is another impressive receiver. Landry might not have the speed of Beckham but he is an even better route runner and has the lowest drop rate in college football (2% according to an article by Greg Peshek of Rotoworld that you can read here). Jeremy Hill is a deceptively quick back for a 233 lb. runner and according to Tony Pauline he did well in the receiving drills, which can only help his stock. However, he does has two arrests on his record, a sexual incident in high school for which he was put on probation, that was just recently lifted, and an incident at a bar where he allegedly sucker-punched a man. He sent letters to all 32 teams explaining himself and included character references from his days at LSU. Quarterback Zach Mettenberger threw for the 1st time since an ACL injury sidelined him. I don’t think the Jets will draft a quarterback high but they are always looking.

In other Jets news, the team resigned Garrett McIntyre yesterday. It’s a decent signing for depth purposes but you certainly wouldn’t want him in games other than situationally to rush the passer. His signing, most likely for the league minimum, will not prevent the Jets from drafting a linebacker nor guarantees McIntyre’s spot on the final 53. The Jets announced the signing via Eric Allen‘s Twitter (@eallenjets). That angered Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News who has very little to do since there are few leaks and the team keeps breaking all the rest of the news. Mehta tweeted in response to the fact that the signing was broken on Allen’s Twitter:

Jets announcing transactions on same account that told fans it was “absurd that there are freak out sessions in March” re: free agency #nyj

Looks like someone is getting a bit snippy.

What’s next? Chris Johnson’s agent loves to use the media to negotiate, so I’m sure we’ll get some news on if, and when, Johnson will take visits and to which teams. If he signs and accepts his role splitting carries with Chris Ivory than they could be a very good 1-2 punch. Johnson is certainly a back that is a threat to score every time he touches the ball, a playmaker the Jets have rarely had. If he doesn’t accept the role and gripes about his carries all year then it will be a problem. Then there’s the fact that he has had a lot of carries over the years and seems to be declining at age 28. Others say he battled through injuries last year and should be fresh in 2014. So I can see both sides to the argument of whether or not to sign him.

So tune in tomorrow when something may or may not happen, and fans and media may or may not be happy about it. Such is a day in the life of a Jet fan.