Brian Costello: Keller wants to stay with Jets

[C Mart]

Keller wants to stay with Jets

By BRIAN COSTELLO
Last Updated: 7:53 AM, March 3, 2013

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.”

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/...5kkL77pSzJPNjK

[Joe W. Namath]

We are turning the page on alot of guys that have been around here a long time. Keller is one of those guys. Out w the old, in w the new. He is not in the plans.

[DDNYjets]

Sounds to me like his agent's phone isn't ringing off the hook.

I'd take him back if he gets his boyfriend to take a paycut for him and plays for whatever Sanchez's paycut is. 1 yr deal.

[Nike]

keller will only reach his full potential with sanchez gone. sanchez is not a te friendly qb.

[C Mart]

Originally Posted by DDNYjets

Sounds to me like his agent's phone isn't ringing off the hook.

I'd take him back if he gets his boyfriend to take a paycut for him and plays for whatever Sanchez's paycut is. 1 yr deal.

"Legally" the agents for FAs can't start to negotiate with other teams until March 9th..They can then start to sign March 12th.

[Gibby]

I for one am so sick of the word " potential" when it comes to Jets players. Keller is one of the first guy that comes to mind. Let him go have "potential" on another team. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

[DDNYjets]

Originally Posted by Nike

keller will only reach his full potential with sanchez gone. sanchez is not a te friendly qb.

How can you say that? All Sanchez has done is look for Keller in the passing game. Keller doesn't have great hands and does not get the separation you would expect from a player with his athleticism.

[Nike]

Originally Posted by DDNYjets

How can you say that? All Sanchez has done is look for Keller in the passing game. Keller doesn't have great hands and does not get the separation you would expect from a player with his athleticism.

easy, sanchez doesnt utilize his tes the way they should be used. many blamed schotte it didnt improve with sparano either. sanchez doesnt throw an accurate enough pass for kellers liking friends or no friends bring in another qb and we have an elite te in keller.

[JonEJet]

Give Keller a decent QB, and he'll have a breakout year

[John_0515]

Keller's contribution is in the matchup problems he creates. It's not personified because of th lack of offensive firepower, but Keller has an ability to get open and is decent as an open field runner until first contact, where he is awful.

He often drops passes, is not good after first contact, and as mentioned by DD, has poor acceleration to get separation. His blocking is also not good.

He's a poor man's Hernandez. Not as fast or athletic. His contract should be less than AH's, which is not that high.

I feel that in Denver, NE, and offenses of that caliber, he could thrive, but right now he is Sanchez's security blanket, nothing more.

[JonEJet]

Originally Posted by Joe W. Namath

We are turning the page on alot of guys that have been around here a long time. Keller is one of those guys. Out w the old, in w the new. He is not in the plans.

Really? Who exactly are we turning the page to?

Keller is a guy that was drafted by the Jets, and deserves to stay a Jet

[LSJF]

Originally Posted by JonEJet

Really? Who exactly are we turning the page to?

Keller is a guy that was drafted by the Jets, and deserves to stay a Jet

Agreed, he should be signed, hopefully to a cap friendly deal.

[Borgoguy]

As long as he means the Winnipeg Jets, I'm all in.

In our collective hearts, I think we'd all agree that Keller was never the monster TE we expected. Nice player; just not one of the elite TEs.

[Nike]

keller should have been used alot differently here. 2 te sets or with him in the slot. he has the talent to be that hybrid te/wr if he can stay healthy.

[Dreamers]

Originally Posted by Nike

easy, sanchez doesnt utilize his tes the way they should be used. many blamed schotte it didnt improve with sparano either. sanchez doesnt throw an accurate enough pass for kellers liking friends or no friends bring in another qb and we have an elite te in keller.

Sanchez isn't going to be the starter of this team next year so that is not a factor anyway. I agree it took 3 years for Sanchez to learn to actually look Kellers way. He is a lock on passer that rarely checks 2nd and 3rd options. That is the reason most of our WRs and accent pieces have look below average. It is not the talent around him that is the issue on this team. He has failed to produce no matter who his weapons have been.

[JonEJet]

Originally Posted by Borgoguy

As long as he means the Winnipeg Jets, I'm all in.

In our collective hearts, I think we'd all agree that Keller was never the monster TE we expected. Nice player; just not one of the elite TEs.

I remember when Favre was here, he wished he would have had Keller earlier in his career

Since Favre, it's not like our QB has been slinging it....can't help but believe Favre that Keller is a weapon, with a better QB

[C Mart]

Originally Posted by JonEJet

Give Keller a decent QB, and he'll have a breakout year

Define "breakout"?

'10-'11 he basically was #10 for TEs...Not saying he's Gronk/Whitten but what's "breakout". '11 seemed to be his best season and that was when Tom Moore was involved w/Jets..'12 we all know was a waste due to injuries...


http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorysta...alse&Submit=Go

[JetsNeedNewton]

Originally Posted by Borgoguy

As long as he means the Winnipeg Jets, I'm all in.

In our collective hearts, I think we'd all agree that Keller was never the monster TE we expected. Nice player; just not one of the elite TEs.

I don't get it. If you're elite, like Revis, everyone wants to trade you. If you're not elite, everyone wants to trade you.

Keller makes mistakes, but so does every player. And now I'm starting to question whether some of those mistakes, like the pass he took on the helmet, were his or Sanchez's.

[ASG0531]

He would absolutely be a valuable weapon in a Denver, NE (they have too many already with Ballard coming in next year), Green Bay, New Orleans or even Atlanta offense. Smart QBs could get a lot of production out of him provided he stays healthy. The Jets? Not so much.

[FMJets]

Originally Posted by John_0515

Keller's contribution is in the matchup problems he creates. It's not personified because of th lack of offensive firepower, but Keller has an ability to get open and is decent as an open field runner until first contact, where he is awful.

He often drops passes, is not good after first contact, and as mentioned by DD, has poor acceleration to get separation. His blocking is also not good.

He's a poor man's Hernandez. Not as fast or athletic. His contract should be less than AH's, which is not that high.

I feel that in Denver, NE, and offenses of that caliber, he could thrive, but right now he is Sanchez's security blanket, nothing more.

Without those 2 skills he should be gone. We are trying to get better at every position. He doesnt pass my eye test. Looks slow in the open field (I also hate it when he dives) and can sometimes drop catchable balls like if someone is within 2 feet of him.