why all the hate for eric barton?

I'm with you. The only reason that i can surmise is that the jets will most likely acquire another LB (whether it be AT or we draft one). And, Hobson is a bigger LB capable of playing inside while Barton costs us more than Hobson. By cutting Barton, the jets can save some money.

 

I agree also. He's a great run-stopper and should start next year. People who want to cut him don't have a great reason to it seems.

 

I've always been a Barton hater...and i'm not ashamed of this
sure, the guys played better than i expected him to last season, especially when it came to stopping the run

but he's the wrong side of 30 (as of september), he's reached his peak physically. This is not Mo Lewis we're talking about, there's no reason to keep this guy any longer. However, I do feel that the secondary needs more help than our linebackers in the draft. So if barton was to sign a reasonable contract extension, I wouldn't be irate

 

ok, im sorry but this is getting just a little bit irritating about the whole age thing. I mean, as soon as a i guy hits thirty BOOM cut him. You said it yourself he played well! how do u know he has reached his peak physically. Many guys still play well in their 30's (see Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas, Marvin Harrison, Ray Lewis, Pete Kendall, walter jones, olin kreutz, terrell owens, tony gonzalez, pat williams, derrick brooks, tedy bruschi, trevor pryce, adalius thomas... just to name a few). We need some continuity on this team. We can't just cut guys left and right especially productive guys like barton. I would much sooner cut hobson than barton. we can't cut guys who have been good and show no serious signs of a freefall simply because of age or because of pure speculation. Younger guys aren't better guys. By cutting Barton we are making our LB core worse. We wouldn't be able to get a better inside linebacker.

 

The only reason anyone should want to cut any of our current linebackers is salary. We should keep all of them and just add to it via draft or FA. Depth in the 3-4 is key and we want as many good LB's as possible.

What is the point I'm making?? That if we sign Adalius Thomas that doesn't mean someone is getting cut!! Barton is solid, Hobson is solid. In all reality, Vilma was the worst of the 4 linebackers last season (I know I will get flamed for that lol)....

 

Barton is very solid. I have noticed that our defense as a whole plays better with him in the lineup than when is not in the lineup.

 

Beats the heck out of me. He was one of the best players on the field for the Jets in 2004, got hurt in 2005, and played well again this year in 2006. I think its part of the Madden, the grass is always greener, we can find some great rookie syndrome that always infects this board.

 

The only reason people want him cut is because of his contract.

 

The Jets are $30 million under the cap and Barton has a cap hit around $3 million in 2007. If the Jets were truly in a mode to save money on fat contracts, the first cut would be Ellis, who is slated to count around $10 million against the cap in 2007. That's about $2.5 million per sack. Talk about overpaid. At least Barton makes plays. Ellis has been a major major bust since signing his big contract in 2004. Ellis' contract makes Barton appear as if he is playing for free.

 

i've always been a supporter of barton but the one play that still makes me cringe is the SD playoff game in 04 when he did one of the most moronic things of all-time, clubbing brees in the head. Ugh... what a way that owuld have been to lose if we didnt win in OT

 

This may seem crazy...but what about moving Barton to the inside, swapping with Vilma. Have Barton come inside on run plays and Vilma inside on pass plays...

 

Actually, they're a little over $20 million under the cap.

And I really don't feel like getting into a whole Ellis thing with you again, you consider a 3-4 DE not getting double digit sacks a disappointment. Think whatever you want of him, but better him playing solid football for 16 games than great football from Abraham for 2 of 3 games.

 

I like him for the fact that when he was hurt he still went in the game and played unlike john abrahms

 

In the 3-4 system Barton already plays on the inside. Thomas and Hobson were on the outside and Vilma and Barton were the 2 ILBs.

 

The San Diego playoff game

 

I agree. He played well this year and was one of the best players on the 2004 defense.

 

Barton is probably our most intimidating LB at the moment. With him on the field, it puts little things in the back of a RB's mind. Not big things, like AD would, but just little things. No reason to send him packing.

 

Jonathan Vilma lovers hate Barton, because Barton makes Vilma look very ordinary.

 

An Attempt at an honest assessment of Barton.

1. He was pretty awful for the first 6 or 7 games of the season against the run as were most of the LBs as they adjusted to the system.

2. After the mid season off week he became our most effective LB at stopping the run. Teams stopped running right at him as they had been doing.

3. For whatever reason Mangini was already sitting Barton for several series a game even into the playoffs. To me this indicates either a lack of faith in Barton's play, decision making, or health. BTW as a result teams learned to run right at Kassell when Barton wasnt on the field.

4. ILB is one of the places where the team has the most depth and not one of the positions in the 3-4 where you necessarily need a flashy, big time player.

Bottom Line:

Barton played well the last half of the season and clearly he can still bring it. But, Mangini's decision to sit him in favor of Kassell even in critical situations cant be a good sign. The Jets are relatively deep with guys who can play the position that Barton plays and Mangini obviously likes Kassell a lot.

Keeping Barton a 3 mil a year when the coach already doesnt think of him as an every down player is awfully expensive particularly when there might be others who can do the job, are younger, and will do it for less.