The Jets Front Office Dropped The Ball On Braylon Edwards Again

[LeonM]

Rewind to 2010, New York Jets deep playoff run to the AFC Championship Game. Mark Sanchez had his best stretch of games as a pro vs The Patriots and Steelers. Throwing for nearly 300 yards in each contest with multiple td's and big game changing plays through the air. It gave the Jets promise going into the 2011 season that Mark Sanchez was ready to take the next step as a quarterback.

Everyone knows what happened to Mark Sanchez in 2011. The team regressed and he regressed but what led to that point?

A few things, The Jets lost their leading receiver in Braylon Edwards. Arguably, Their best all around receiver in nearly a decade. Braylon Edwards was not only the teams biggest and toughest target but he was also the teams best deep threat. Couple that with the fact that he made big plays in big games. The Jets do not beat Peyton Manning and the Colts in Indy without Edwards clutch plays at the end of that game. Braylon continued to produce at a high level in the two weeks that followed.

The offseason and lockout came and the Jets decided to retain Santonio Holmes and turned their back on Braylon Edwards.

The Jets and Mark Sanchez lost their two most reliable targets in the passing game in Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery heading into the 2011 season.

They were replaced by Derrick Mason and Plaxico Burress. Two fading players with no chemistry with the offense and very little to no gas left in their tanks. Major downgrade from Edwards and Cotchery to mason and burress.

The past is dead but the mistakes of the past continue to haunt the Jets. Here the Jets were with an opportunity to bring back a key piece to their offense in Braylon Edwards who was free on the market since January. The Jets decided to ignore him and never pursued him and now he has signed with Seattle.

It made so much sense to bring back a clutch player who provided a lot to the team in games and on the practice field. Arguably, one of the Jets very best practice players they have ever had.

Here we are in the early stages of training camp in 2012 and the Jets biggest uncertainty on their roster is their targets in the passing game. Biggest issues coming out of camp is the Jets receiving core. Not just from an experience standpoint but from a physical and mental standpoint.

The head coach is complaining about the receivers physical and mental awareness in camp. Across from Santonio Holmes is a freakishly talented but extremely raw rookie receiver in Stephen Hill. An unknown commodity in second year player Jeremy Kerley and a fragile backup receiver in Chaz Schilens. The front office put together this ill conceived grouping and they expect their young quarterback to excel with this group. Here's an idea, use one of your star defensive players to play wide receiver. Pray he doesn't get hurt doing so.

The front office dropped the ball on Braylon Edwards. He should have been a Jet in 2011 but Mike Tannenbaum and company had a hard on for the Giants superbowl past with Plaxico and Braylon Edwards should have been a New York Jet in 2012. The old saying is that you reap what you sow. The truth that actions cause consequences. In this case, Inaction is causing consequences.

[jetswin]

I did not read your entire argument but I will agree with the thread title. When I heard the other day the Jets were actually interested in signing Braylon the day he signed with Seattle I thought why did they drag their feet. Hopefully Hill can thrill this year.

[loluchka80]

i wanted the jets to resign braylon over santonio, but i think its obvious now that the front office knew something about his health. he got cut last year from the 49ers, and it took until the training camp for a team to give him a chance this year. there has to be a reason, because like you said, when healthy he is a big play guy with size.

[LeonM]

Originally Posted by loluchka80

i wanted the jets to resign braylon over santonio, but i think its obvious now that the front office knew something about his health. he got cut last year from the 49ers, and it took until the training camp for a team to give him a chance this year. there has to be a reason, because like you said, when healthy he is a big play guy with size.

Not only that but Braylon Edwards completely fit the Jets style and new offense. A big physical receiver who is an outstanding blocker.

I have very little faith in what the front office knows at this point. They made a huge mistake not bringing him back and they paid for it in 2011 and are paying for it now.

[LeonM]

Originally Posted by jetswin

I did not read your entire argument but I will agree with the thread title. When I heard the other day the Jets were actually interested in signing Braylon the day he signed with Seattle I thought why did they drag their feet. Hopefully Hill can thrill this year.

Thanks, I think.

Hill better thrill. the Jets offense is going to be easy to defend. 8 man fronts are not needed for a run game that can barely break runs over 10 yards and on passing downs, just cover Holmes and Keller.

[sec.101row23]

Braylon or not, this team needs another veteran WR. Having to rely on a rookie and Chaz Schillens is a lot to ask for. This WR is very thin, and if even one of them misses time its downright scary.

[OCCH]

Originally Posted by LeonM

Not only that but Braylon Edwards completely fit the Jets style and new offense. A big physical receiver who is an outstanding blocker.

I have very little faith in what the front office knows at this point. They made a huge mistake not bringing him back and they paid for it in 2011 and are paying for it now.

How would Braylon's 15 catches in 2011 made the difference for us?

[Ray Ray19]

I was an Edwards fan, and before the draft and before any FA signings, I was hoping the team would bring him back, but it is clear that there were concerns about his health.

But why can't Schilens be the same player for us? He has similar size, more speed, is a physical receiver who can block, and doens't come nearly with the baggage that Edwards did, not to mention the cost benefit for the team. He's also younger and still has some upside as many thought he'd be a key player in Oakland, only issues were his own health. He's healthy, and wa healthy when the Jets made the move to sign him over Edwards then, and we all know Edwards wasn't healthy back in the spring, it would have been a risk signing Edwards at the time.

[Dimitri_0515]

Again with this?

[sec.101row23]

Originally Posted by Ray Ray19

I was an Edwards fan, and before the draft and before any FA signings, I was hoping the team would bring him back, but it is clear that there were concerns about his health.

But why can't Schilens be the same player for us? He has similar size, more speed, is a physical receiver who can block, and doens't come nearly with the baggage that Edwards did, not to mention the cost benefit for the team. He's also younger and still has some upside as many thought he'd be a key player in Oakland, only issues were his own health. He's healthy, and wa healthy when the Jets made the move to sign him over Edwards then, and we all know Edwards wasn't healthy back in the spring, it would have been a risk signing Edwards at the time.

Has Chaz ever made it through a season with out missing significant time? I have no problem with bringing him in, but I think they could use another veteran WR. Once Chaz goes down again, it will leave this WR group pretty thin. Not exactly a confidence inspiring group.

[C Mart]

So now we're going to have daily threads on this?

If the Jets wanted him they would have signed him

[Matt39]

Originally Posted by Ray Ray19

I was an Edwards fan, and before the draft and before any FA signings, I was hoping the team would bring him back, but it is clear that there were concerns about his health.

But why can't Schilens be the same player for us? He has similar size, more speed, is a physical receiver who can block, and doens't come nearly with the baggage that Edwards did, not to mention the cost benefit for the team. He's also younger and still has some upside as many thought he'd be a key player in Oakland, only issues were his own health. He's healthy, and wa healthy when the Jets made the move to sign him over Edwards then, and we all know Edwards wasn't healthy back in the spring, it would have been a risk signing Edwards at the time.

what upside does Chaz Schillens provide? Again, Chaz Schillens....who basically the entire league would say to themselves..."WHO?"

[OCCH]

Originally Posted by sec.101row23

Has Chaz ever made it through a season with out missing significant time? I have no problem with bringing him in, but I think they could use another veteran WR. Once Chaz goes down again, it will leave this WR group pretty thin. Not exactly a confidence inspiring group.

Originally Posted by Matt39

what upside does Chaz Schillens provide? Again, Chaz Schillens....who basically the entire league would say to themselves..."WHO?"

I was a Braylon fan, but at this point I don't see how Schillens and BE aren't pretty much the same player, except that Schilens is younger and his WR coach actually wanted him here . . .

[Joe W. Namath]

But why can't Schilens be the same player for us? He has similar size, more speed, is a physical receiver who can block, and doens't come nearly with the baggage that Edwards did, not to mention the cost benefit for the team. He's also younger and still has some upside as many thought he'd be a key player in Oakland, only issues were his own health.

Schilens has been in the league for 4 years averaging 18 catches a year and 1.75 tds a year. He has never done anything at the nfl level.

He was a 7th round draft pick so he wasn't highly thought of coming out of college.

Can someone tell me what would cause anyone to believe that this guy can do anything for us? Has he had Victor Cruz like 3 td preseason games?

Even if Schilens stays healthy, what has he done to make you think he can be a good player?

[Ruby2]

Let it go people.

[Matt39]

Originally Posted by OCCH

I was a Braylon fan, but at this point I don't see how Schillens and BE aren't pretty much the same player, except that Schilens is younger and his WR coach actually wanted him here . . .

Braylon had a pedigree, produced at the NFL level and was already a productive player for this team.

Schillens was a 7th round pick and did nothing for a few years in Oakland besides getting hurt.

I really dont care that we didnt bring Bryalon back, but please stop with this Schillens has great upside nonsense...you've never even seen him play. It's like Matthew Hatchette all over again.

[RaoulDuke]

Originally Posted by loluchka80

i wanted the jets to resign braylon over santonio, but i think its obvious now that the front office knew something about his health. he got cut last year from the 49ers, and it took until the training camp for a team to give him a chance this year. there has to be a reason, because like you said, when healthy he is a big play guy with size.

Exactly.

Just like there was a reason we got Otah for a 7th (or 8th?), and it wasn't Tanny's negotiating talents. We seem to forget other teams have smart people making smart decisions. If a guy can't find a team or is traded for peanuts, chances are he's damaged goods.

[ASG0531]

Braylon is going to catch a pass and drag McCourty and Chung into the Seattle endzone and this entire place is going to erupt with anger.

[GreenWave]

Yes, this subject has admittedly been beaten to death, but I was also bothered by that report that the Jets had Braylon on the radar and failed to act.

Maybe the report is false. I hope it was, because otherwise this thread is dead-on. If Braylon was on the radar, he should have been brought in unless he was asking for 3/4 mil. Period. Dismissing Braylon when there's only one veteran receiver on the team was gross negligence, if the team had interest.

Originally Posted by Matt39

I really dont care that we didnt bring Bryalon back, but please stop with this Schillens has great upside nonsense...you've never even seen him play. It's like Matthew Hatchette all over again.

The Schilens praise at this stage is laughable, and this is the perfect comparison.

Matthew Hatchette, Curtis Conway, and Justin McCareins were all players we thought would be "that guy" for the team, and Schilens has less of a pedigree at this stage of his career than any of them. A healthy Braylon is a proven performer in this style of offense and wouldn't have had to start if Hill came on strong.

I just can't understand why the team would let a veteran receiver who has familiarity with the QB and the style of offense they want to run get snatched up when he could have been had for a painless 1-year deal. On a team with little veteran presence at WR, it just seemed like a no-brainer.

[OCCH]

Originally Posted by Matt39

Braylon had a pedigree, produced at the NFL level and was already a productive player for this team.

Schillens was a 7th round pick and did nothing for a few years in Oakland besides getting hurt.

I really dont care that we didnt bring Bryalon back, but please stop with this Schillens has great upside nonsense...you've never even seen him play. It's like Matthew Hatchette all over again.

I know it's easier to rant than actually have a dialogue, but I never talked about Schillens "great upside" -- I simply said he and BE are pretty much in the same situation - good physical tools but injury-plagued to the point no one knows what they can expect from them.

There has to be a reason it took Braylon so long to get a job TWO YEARS IN A ROW. There also has to be a reason why our new WR coach brought Schillens with him (notice how we haven't heard a peep about bringing Carey from Miami).

That doesn't make him our next Keyshawn. But anybody acting like we "missed the ball" with Braylon is living off the same blind faith others have that Schillens could be a productive player for us this year . . .