A good player with attitude & a motor. It would be stupid to cut him unless there's serious shit behind the scenes.........
Bowens is not a player you can have every down cuase I dont think he can do much in pass protection. Schlegal has never proved anything so you cant count on him starting. I think we have to have Barton unless we draft someone.
Right now the LBs on the team are: Hobson Vilma Barton Thomas Kassell Chatham Bowens Schlegel Spencer Thats nine guys (I'm not counting the extreme longshot guys). The 3-4 does need depth at LB, but last year the jets carried 8 LBs at the end of the season and as everyone has been reminding me, Schlegel didnt play. This is before the draft and lots of draft experts and people here think we should still pick up another. I could see the Jets getting down to seven, but they'll probably stick with 8. That means one guy has to go and if the Jets draft an LB 2 guys have to go. So whose out? I think Chatham's days with the Jets were numbered the day Bowens signed. Basically, Bowens will play as a situational sub for Thomas and Hobson and will be a vast improvement. The only reason to keep him would be for ST, but I dont see him sticking for that. Schlegel could be cut, but I doubt it. He didnt get a chance to play last year and I cant see them cutting him without at least letting him play some downs on D. I think Mangini sees him as a prototypical ILB that will be come a solid run stuffer. I think he gets his chance this year. Kassell is, I think, going to be in the last year of a two year contract. Mangini likes him and gaving him the opportunity to play D quite a bit last season. He's a bargain and the definition of depth if Schlegel pans out or if Barton stays. Spencer is the ST LB and I dont think he really is counted on even as depth on D. He may get cut after camp but he will be replaced by another guy with the same job description. Hobson is younger than Barton and had his best year ever at OLB. I dont think the Jets are looking to replace him next year, but if they draft an OLB I look for them to try to move him next off season. Vilma is going to get another year in the 3-4 at least. Thomas was just resigned to a nice longterm contract Bowens was just signed to a nice FA contract. Which leaves Barton. He is an expensive player that Mangini is clearly not going to have play every down -- he didnt last season. He had good series and on the whole was solid against the run and brought occasional pressure on the QB. But lets face it he's the oldest, most expensive ILB in a competition with 3 other ILBs for 2 jobs. On top of that his trade value is probably higher now than it will ever be again. There are lots of teams out there in playoff contention that need a solid LB and might be willing to pay him for one year if it helped move them closer to the playoffs. I think if someone offers the Jets a 3rd for him they'll jump at it. If not they might cut him to save some money.
