http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/keller_wants_to_stay_jet_vZwh7wAj5kkL77pSzJPNjK Keller wants to stay with Jets By BRIAN COSTELLO Last Updated: 7:53 AM, March 3, 2013 Posted: 11:55 PM, March 2, 2013 Jets Blog The Jets are the only NFL team tight end Dustin Keller has ever known. That may change soon. Keller is scheduled to become a free agent March 12, and all indications are the Jets will let him hit the open market. The 28-year-old does not know what to expect from the free agency process. “I kind of view free agency like the draft, at this point I don’t know where anyone stands, including the Jets, but everything will take care of itself,” Keller told The Post in an email. “I’m not stressing myself out about where I’m going to be, I’m just going to continue to work my butt off this offseason so I’m ready no matter where I’m going to be.” Still, Keller made it clear he would love to be back with the Jets. He remains close with quarterback Mark Sanchez as well as others on the team that selected him in the first round of the 2008 draft out of Purdue. “Yeah, I’d like to return,” he said. “I have a lot of great friends on the team, and I’ve always thought of myself as a key piece of the offense there, but if I’m not there that’s fine, too. There are no hard feelings. I understand it’s a business for the Jets, but at this point it’s a business decision for me as well.” Keller hoped to get a long-term extension before last season, similar to what he saw teammates Nick Mangold, D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Sanchez receive. But former general manager Mike Tannenbaum declined. “Did I want to sign a new deal before last season? Yes,” Keller said. “Am I angry about it? No. Like I said, I understand the business side. I signed a five-year deal and I played through that whole contract, even though recent first-round picks have re-signed with a year left. So I think I deserve the right to see what else is out there.” Keller’s agent met with the Jets brass at the NFL scouting combine last month, but Keller remains unsure just how much the team wants him back. He has not spoken to new GM John Idzik, but has heard from new offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. “I have talked to Coach Mornhinweg and he made clear to me that he would like to have me back, but the guys upstairs may have different thoughts than the coaches,” Keller said. The 2012 season was a rough one for Keller. He played in just eight games while dealing with hamstring and ankle injuries, and was limited to 28 catches and two touchdowns. That could hurt his value as a free agent if teams question whether he can stay healthy. But Keller never missed a game before last season and says he is 100 percent now. Keller should generate high demand as one of the top tight ends available in free agency. “The thing I wants teams to realize is that I played my first four years in the NFL without missing a single practice, let alone a game,” Keller said. “I’m not some injury-prone player that teams have to worry about. Both of my injuries were non-contact injuries, so they were just fluke incidents. I don’t think people realize that there is a 100-percent injury rate for players in the NFL, and my injuries were minor.”
From what I've read recently about the WCO, it seems like a TE with hands would be a big plus. I mean if we still had Kyle Brady running seam routs...uck.
I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't brought back. This team has bigger priorities and I am sure Idzik will address them before Dusty.
The JETS have held Keller back IMO. Like countless other players. If he goes to a Team like the SAINTS, Pats or almost any other team except the JETS who use a receiving TE, the guy will be a Pro Bowler for a string of years..
With a proven OC now, hopefully we can see the true potential of our offensive players. Too bad we don't have cap-space to franchise Keller
2.5-3.25M a season for 3/4 years. I'd be OK with Idzik giving him a contract like this. Keller will shop around but I think all contract offers elsewhere are gonna be in the same ballpark as this one. If Keller gets an offer close to 4M (or more) then Jets gotta let him walk.
Catching passes from Drew Brees, Tom Brady or Mark Sanchez. Hmmmm, I can't imagine he could be a pro-bowler in New Orleans or New England.
I say keep him. He's a solid TE. Coming off of a bad/injury year I doubt he will command that much $ and if he truly wants to stay here we could probably cut a team friendly deal.
Silly fact. Keller is the only constant in Mark Sanchez's NFL career. What? 12 different receivers? I made up the number 12, wouldnt be shocked if true. How many different WR's?
I still remember the first TD Sanchez threw in his career - that went to Chansi Stuckey for 31 yard bomb. It was such a beautiful pass too. That year, Sanchez had Stuckey, Cotchery (!) and Keller. Then, Braylon came within season, with exchange of Stuckey - then Santonio tagged along. Edwards would leave soon and be forgotten in the wake of oblivion. So, it is clear Sanchez didn't have a stable WR corps - but I still have hard time believing such a fantastic rookie turned into the nacho we know now. Maybe, just maybe, with right offensive schemes and a few more play makers at the backfield, he may revert into the Sanchize we all have seen in the first two years. P.S. That said, I am of an opinion that, Keller must be retained - especially if he is willing to take some home town discount. And I say this for a reason. Keller had an experience in WCO at a pro level, unlike Sanchez. And he thrived. He became Favre's favorite target in his lone stint as a Jet for a reason. Keller will be a fantastic fit with Mornhinweg's system. Granted, it was not a full-scale WCO - Schottenheimer never ran that - but he was used like a TE usually is used in WCO when Favre fed him the ball. Favre fed him the ball more or so because Schottenheimer's route combination and read weren't too close to his experience (or, you can safely say, it makes no fucking sense) and he could get some sensible production out of Keller - if he's good enough for Favre, in quasi-WCO, that should be more than good enough for Mornhinweg's system, no? Remember, that was his rookie season too - and he became Favre's favorite target that season. That has to be good for something, to me at least. We all have short memory when it comes with these players, but hating when there is a clear evidence of success is not a good sign of reasoning.
I really think that was an issue in the past, but remember him actually making some decent blocks. Anyway that was when we were supposedly running a ground and pound O , now we are going WCO, I think he would be ideal, fast with great hands.....just need someone to get him the rock :/
Me too. It looks like he's hit his ceiling though. I absolutely HATED the fact that he was 'handed' the job as well without any real competition. maybe this was the real reason for trading Stanton, he would have won the job. Its evident that he's not starting NFL material now.
Keller should stay. He's well worth it as a receiving TE. We should draft a blocking TE as well. If Keller had a top 15 QB throwing his way, I'm convinced he'd be a pro bowler.
Keller is overrated by far too many fans here. He could never improve his blocking and disappears for long stretches in the passing game. I don't think he's tough enough. And him being a fan/friend of Sanchez is a net negative, since the Jets have to get rid of Muck asap.
