Since this deal was done mid-season, does that mean that some of the signing bonus can be against this year's cap...assuming there is some space available?
No, its 2007 beyond, but lets see the terms of the contract before we say its an awesome move or crappy move. the 1.8 mil in prorated bonuses stinks so far, but lets not forget something here. isnt the 2007 cap 108 mil~ (avg 53 players.....2 mil a yr and rookies and late draft picks dont make shit) plus I think mangini is bellichicken style not many big FA's will be signed UNLESS its an ultimate need. I think I am correct but, isnt just about every team going to be under the cap since it was 94 mil in 2005~ We saw baseball explode, football will too... (If teams have money, they will spend it)...every team has money and OLB is one of the few positions that actauly makes money in FA. So lets see what happens when Lance Briggs gets his 7 yr 60 mil deal +20 mil SB nobody knows the 2008, 2009 2010 caps right now but they are suposedly high. And yes it better be backloaded the last 2 years.
With the 9 mil bonus and most likely a back loaded contract It will be only 3 and change on the cap per year, which isnt bad at all. Its not the total contract that matters only the cap hit needs to be worried about and between 3 and 4 mill per isnt bad at all for a starting OLB.
Who says we dont go for A. Thomas or draft a 1st round OLB. We will have money to play with. If we get a top notch passrusher on the other side of BT that could be one of the best OLB tandems in the NFL.
11 good games wouldn't make it a top OLB tandem...Bryan has been good no doubt, but this money is ludacris. I would of been for 5 years $15 mil, because quite frankly 11 games does not get you this type of deal. Unless Baltimore keeps him, the Jets got the wrong Thomas.
Having thought about it some more I'm reluctant to criticize the deal. Tannenbaum and Mangini have had a pretty good record so far of fixing the problems that existed on the roster and they may have felt it was worth overpaying a bit not to have to find another outside linebacker. If they do the same thing with Victor Hobson it will be unfortunate. A 3-4 needs to have an impact guy on one of the wings to keep the offenses honest. Right now neither of the Jet's outside linebackers fits that description. That's why nothing happens on pass defense unless the Jets bring 3 linebackers or a couple of defensive backs on blitzes. Personally I'd rather have taken a chance that Briggs was going to come free in Chicago and given him twice the deal they just gave Thomas.
Jets' Thomas gets extension Saturday, December 02, 2006 BY DAVID GURNEY Star-Ledger Staff HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Bryan Thomas found a system that suited him and it has paid off handsomely. The defensive end/linebacker and the Jets agreed to a contract extension, it was announced yesterday. General manager Mike Tannenbaum and Thomas' agents Brian Mackler and Alan Herman finalized terms on a five-year, $25 million extension that includes a $9 million signing bonus. The contract was the finishing touch on three days of negotiations that ended late Thursday night. Thomas was in the final year of his contract and would have become an unrestricted free agent in the off-season. "We're happy and the Jets are happy," Herman said. "Bryan is fitting in beautifully in the new system and he's happy with the Jets. I applaud Mike Tannenbaum for moving early on this. "Not many players in the upcoming free-agent class can do what Bryan can in rushing the passer and dropping back in coverage. If the Jets had waited, they would've probably had to pay much more to keep Bryan. It's a great deal for the Jets and a great deal for us." Thomas has already posted a career high in sacks this season with a team-leading five and also has 58 tackles and a fumble recovery. The fifth-year pro has started in 30 of the 72 games he's played as a Jet and in all 11 this season. Thomas has thrived in the 3-4 defensive alignment rookie head coach Eric Mangini has installed. With 6 1/2 sacks and 150 career tackles heading into this season, the former 22nd overall pick in 2002 had been considered a disappointment before this year. "We're pleased that Bryan Thomas is going to remain a Jet," Tannenbaum said in a press release. "He has worked very hard and developed in our program. We agree that it's a fair deal for both sides." Thomas was primarily a defensive end in the 4-3 alignment under former head coach Herman Edwards. Under Mangini, he has become more of hybrid defensive end/linebacker and it has resulted in a breakthrough season. "I've enjoyed my time being a Jet, and I am excited about the present and future of this team," Thomas said in a statement. "This is where I started my career and I am grateful that the Jets believe in me." Thomas attended the University of Alabama-Birmingham, where he set the Conference USA record with 35 sacks. "Bryan's approach and hard work both on the field and in the classroom earned him this opportunity," Mangini said. "He's done everything we've asked of him and he exemplifies the type of player we want on defense. Bryan is a versatile player who we can count on each week to make plays." With snowy conditions in Green Bay yesterday and more snow and temperatures in the 20s forecast for tomorrow, the Jets will have to adapt to the wintry conditions when they face the Packers. It should be a real challenge for a team that has yet to play in snow or cold this season and has experienced unseasonably warm temperatures this week. Yet, Mangini remains confident his team will handle the change in climate. "We've tried to take advantage of the elements each time they've presented themselves," Mangini said. "On Thanksgiving, it was pretty cold and rainy. Different from snow, but you have to have the ability to adapt to whatever the elements are." Staff writer Dave Hutchinson contributed to this report. http://www.nj.com/jets/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1165041543223160.xml&coll=1
For me it was never about where he was drafted that made me not like him, it was that our first pick that year was used on a position that was probably our strongest at the time. Yeah, and it didn't help that our secondary was pretty shakey and we passed on Ed Reed and took BT. I think the guy will only get better in the current sytem and be productive.
What are you talking about? The Jets tried to "make-up" for that blunder by selecting the next John Lynch in Jon McGraw... Oh wait:wink:
He's going to be 28 next year in the first year of a 5 year deal. How old were Lewis and Jones when they slowed down?
What are you talking about? Thomas had two quality DE's in Abraham and Ellis in front of him. I recall Thomas playing pretty well in that SD playoff game a couple years ago too where he filled in for abraham
Thomas doesnt really have that much wear on him. Hasnt really palyed that much in his career this is the first time he has been a full time starter.
That's part of the equation, but aging is not just a product of wear and tear. There are biological processes involving oxidation and mass accumulation that also kick in at an accelerating rate in the late 20's and early 30's. If it was just wear and tear then sedentary people with little activity would outlive active people by quite a bit. In fact the actual activity level of a person has almost no correlation at all to survival rates as people age. What does have a correlation is body mass and weight, with lighter people out-surviving heavier people by quite a large number of years. The reason that football players retire earlier than most athletes and then die earlier after retiring is that the body just does not react well to excessive mass acquisition and oxygenation of tissue, and pro football players are at the extreme edge of the population in both categories. A 30 year old football player is roughly the equivalent of a 35 year old baseball player in terms of what they have left in the tank. Giving a 28 year old football player a 5 year contract is kind of like giving a 33 year old baseball player that same contract. When you see a football player defy the odds by playing in his late 30's it's usually the guys with close to normal body mass, like Jerry Rice and Darrell Green, along with numerous kickers, that manage the feat. Quarterbacks also play later than other positions due both to economic concerns (the value left in their contract and cap number) and because deterioration of the lower half of the body generally does not have as big an impact on their play as it does at other positions. BTW, if you want to live longer then lose weight. 50 extra pounds will probably take 20 years off of your life. No joke. Fat is more dangerous than smoking in terms of longevity. If you're already at a reasonable weight for your height then quitting smoking (if you smoke) would be the wise move.
Except if the baseball player declines and nobody wants him you're stuck with the contract, whereas if Thomas sucks in 3 years he can be cut without the Jets being on the hook for his remaining salary.
