You know you want him!!!! Abraham and Brandon LLoyd, that would be my ideal offseason.
Abraham may Jet out of N.Y.
By RICH CIMINI DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Jets defensive end John Abraham, confused by the direction of the organization and upset that it seemingly doesn't consider him part of the long-term plan, has told friends that he wants to play elsewhere. "He wants to get the hell out of New York," a person close to Abraham said yesterday. "He's pretty upset."
Abraham, eligible to become a free agent on March 3, might get his wish. The Jets still haven't had substantive contract talks with Abraham, and there appears to be no chance of signing him to a long-term deal by the start of free agency, according to several industry sources.
The Jets have until Feb. 23 to decide whether to use the franchise tag on Abraham for the second straight year. The prevailing theory is that they will use the tag for the purpose of trading him, but there are serious salary-cap implications that might force the Jets to simply let him hit the open market. No matter how it plays out, Abraham probably has played his last game with the Jets.
Abraham's future is one of many hot issues facing the Jets' new regime. They already have approached Chad Pennington about taking an $8 million pay cut.
As expected, the club also has opened talks with Curtis Martin about reworking his contract (read: significant pay reduction), according to a person familiar with the situation.
Martin, 32, coming off his worst season and knee surgery, will count $8.1 million on the salary cap, which includes $6.2 million in base salary. The Jets would clear $2.4million in cap room by cutting the NFL's fourth all-time leading rusher.
Despite a Hall of Fame-caliber resume, Martin isn't untouchable, although it's believed the Jets would like to have him back in a reduced role.
Several veterans will be asked to accept pay cuts, as the Jets are about $26 million over the projected cap ($92million). Several players are expected to be released, including Ty Law, Jay Fiedler, Jason Fabini, Pete Kendall and, possibly, Kevin Mawae.
The Jets are rebuilding, and they appear poised to do it without their most prolific pass rusher.
Abraham, disgruntled last season while playing on a one-year, $6.7 million contract (the designated amount for a franchise defensive end), is believed to be seeking at least $18 million in guarantees. In December, he said he wanted a long-term deal, whether it was with the Jets or another team.
The previous regime didn't believe Abraham was worth that kind of money, and apparently neither does the new brain trust - and Abraham is bitter.
"He feels like they don't respect him," the person close to him said.
Conventional wisdom says the Jets can use the franchise tag for the purpose of trading him, but that would eat up another $8 million in cap space. That would necessitate clearing $34 million by March 3, and industry sources believe the Jets will be hard-pressed to do that by March 3.
If the Jets can't afford to tag him, Abraham would be a free man. Abraham is said to be dreading the prospect of getting the franchise designation.
The tag him/trade him scenario also could backfire if Abraham actually signs the $8 million franchise tender when it's presented. (In 2005, he waited until August.) Because of complicated cap implications, that would hurt the chances of a trade, a piece of leverage Abraham's agents probably will use.
But there is a wild card. The circumstances could change if a new collective bargaining agreement is put into place before the start of free agency. A new CBA would increase the salary cap and could change the rules for franchise players.
We couldn't possibly afford Llyod and Abraham and probably wouldn't even be able to afford Abraham.
"Guess [Ryan Kerrigan] really does have a good motor. And is relentless. And never quits on a play. And just keeps coming. And probably eats Wheaties and drinks Apple Pie smoothies and shaves with Valvoline." -Dan Steinberg DC Sports Bog
But there is a wild card. The circumstances could change if a new collective bargaining agreement is put into place before the start of free agency. A new CBA would increase the salary cap and could change the rules for franchise players.
Daniel Snyder has defined incompetence, failure and greed to true Washington Redskins fans for over a decade and a half. Stay away from football operations !!!
I found this brief statement in a article today about Chad Pennington...
Notes: As first reported in The Star-Ledger, the Jets will place the franchise tag on DE John Abraham ($8.3 million) before Thursday's deadline. Nonetheless, the club might try to trade him, with San Diego, Washington, Cleveland and Houston as possible destinations. Mangini said he hasn't spoken to Abraham....
Wasn't there some talk during the 2004 playoffs when the Jets were still contending that Abraham was in fact 100% healthy but refusing to return to the field because the Jets had failed to offer him a long-term deal and he was facing free agency the next season? If anyone remembers, he did not play in either Jets playoff games (win vs. San Diego, loss v. Pitt) that year, but it was rumored he was fully recovered from the knee injury that caused him to miss the last four games of the regular season. If all this is true, do we want that kind of 'me-first' player on this team? If the guy decides to take the playoffs off because he's not happy with his contract or whatever, he shouldn't be a Redskin.
