S dept. : Jets | Team may pursue Leonhard ~ ~ ~

[Joe W. Namath]

If Leonard was black, nobody would be talking about him. He is ok, but I still like Elam. Elam is a gamechanger.

[dassin]

[QUOTE=Joe W. Namath;2982798]If Leonard was black, nobody would be talking about him. He is ok, but I still like Elam. Elam is a gamechanger.[/QUOTE]

Elam will still be a gamechanger on this team, he just is not cut out for a starting role...(remember when he got beat for an Eddie Royal TD, then again for a Brandon Stokely TD in the SAME GAME?)

Race has nothing to do with it and I'm pretty sure people are taking about him because he's a FA, would come cheap, our new coach loves him, had a good season/great postseason and we have a hole at SS.

[JOHNNY JOHNSON]

[QUOTE=Pennington10ToMoss83;2981954]Anything is better than Elam, dude cant even tackle a parked car.

[IMG]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm141/DudleyDoWright/Elamsucks.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]

leonhard's play is on the rise - he got better and will continue to get better IMO - which is why i agree that he'll be a nice signing for us.

with that said let's not go crazy and put him in canton just yet --- it would be a [I]nice[/I] signing, and I hope it gets done, unless rashad johnson is our other plan with our first pick... william moore deserves mention as a safety though he's looked like a LB in Mobile, not getting out of his breaks - meanwhile johnson looks like an animal and true ballhawk as well...

Anyway FWIW - here's abram elam's and jim leonhard's 08 stats:

Abe Elam - 69tackles 2sacks 3FF 1int

Leonhard - 69tackles 1sack 0 FF 1int

[dassin]

[QUOTE=JOHNNY JOHNSON;2982813]leonhard's play is on the rise - he got better and will continue to get better IMO - which is why i agree that he'll be a nice signing for us.

with that said let's not go crazy and put him in canton just yet --- it would be a [I]nice[/I] signing, and I hope it gets done, unless rashad johnson is our other plan with our first pick... william moore deserves mention as a safety though he's looked like a LB in Mobile, not getting out of his breaks - meanwhile johnson looks like an animal and true ballhawk as well...

Anyway FWIW - here's abram elam's and jim leonhard's 08 stats:

Abe Elam - 69tackles 2sacks 3FF 1int

Leonhard - 69tackles 1sack 0 FF 1int[/QUOTE]

Felt it was necessary to add JL's post-season stats:

16 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 Pass def.

[JOHNNY JOHNSON]

[QUOTE=dassassin;2982802]Elam will still be a gamechanger on this team, he just is not cut out for a starting role...(remember when he got beat for an Eddie Royal TD, then again for a Brandon Stokely TD in the SAME GAME?)

Race has nothing to do with it and I'm pretty sure people are taking about him because he's a FA, would come cheap, our new coach loves him, had a good season/great postseason and we have a hole at SS.[/QUOTE]

was about to say as much.... you saved me the effort:beers:



All good points.;)

[dassin]

[QUOTE=JOHNNY JOHNSON;2982830]was about to say as much.... you saved me the effort:beers:



All good points.;)[/QUOTE]

No doubt Jimmy, thanks :yes:

btw, where do you guys get these animated drinking smiley's?

[24]

[QUOTE=Pennington10ToMoss83;2981954]Anything is better than Elam, dude cant even tackle a parked car.

[IMG]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm141/DudleyDoWright/Elamsucks.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]

The guy is still a ball hawk. We got 10 other guys on the field that can tackle a parked car. I dont mind Elam as a starter. He is also explosive on the blitz.

[JOHNNY JOHNSON]

[QUOTE=dassassin;2982841]No doubt Jimmy, thanks :yes:

btw, where do you guys get these animated drinking smiley's?[/QUOTE]

haha. . just click on [U][More][/U] under the smiley you used.;)

[dassin]

[QUOTE=JOHNNY JOHNSON;2983254]haha.. just click on [U][More][/U] under the smiley you used.;)[/QUOTE]

Holy Shnikes, I've really never noticed it before...yee-haw!! :jockey:

[JOHNNY JOHNSON]

[QUOTE=dassassin;2982675]This is the full article that Kelly referenced in her post...I made this a thread but should've just posted it in here. Its a good read and I learned some new stuff about the guy...

[URL="http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens21jan21002017,0,1981132.story"]http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens21jan21002017,0,1981132.story[/URL]

Leonhard's contract is up after strong season
Safety waits as Ravens juggle many offseason priorities on 'D'

By Ken Murray
January 21, 2009

Change is coming to the Ravens' indomitable defense.

Rex Ryan, the architect/coordinator, is already gone. Cornerback Chris McAlister has one foot out the door. Pro Bowl linebackers Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs are lined up for big paychecks.

Then there's play-making safety Jim Leonhard, one of the unsung heroes of that defense, whose future in Baltimore is cloaked in salary cap intrigue.

If the Ravens are able to sign Lewis and Suggs, will they have enough money left to reward Leonhard for his stellar season?

Or, faced with a lesser offer, [B]might Leonhard bolt for the New York Jets and a reunion with Ryan?[/B]

After three nondescript years with the Buffalo Bills, Leonhard found a home in the Ravens' secondary this season. When Dawan Landry suffered a spinal cord concussion in September and eventually went on injured reserve, Leonhard became the starting strong safety.

He never missed a step, through 16 starts, including three playoff games.

As the season wore on, Leonhard proved his worth in more ways than as a safety. He was the [B]team's best punt returner[/B], averaging 11.6 yards, nearly twice that of Yamon Figurs. He returned kickoffs on occasion (averaging 20.4 yards). And when the need arose - [B]as it did in the AFC title game, when the Ravens were short on cornerbacks - Leonhard played nickel back, too.[/B]
[B]
Versatile, tough, quick, smart. He made a career-high 85 tackles in the regular season and played well in the playoffs (one interception, half a sack, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and 16tackles)[/B]. Not a bad resume to take into free agency Feb.27.

Leonhard, 26, signed a one-year contract for [B][U]$520,000[/U][/B] in April after he aced a weekend minicamp tryout with the Ravens. That contract is up, and for the first time in his pro career, he has options.

"I had a great season," he said Monday before players scattered across the country. "I was put in position to make plays, and fortunate enough to make a lot of them. I've spoken all season of how I love this system and this defense."

[B]Defensive tackle Trevor Pryce calls him "Little Jimmy Leonhard" out of respect for the 5-foot-8 safety with a boyish face.

"You like players like that because they don't get a lot of publicity," Pryce said. "But those are always the best ones. [U]Jimmy is a damn good football player[/U]. People are just starting to notice now, but we knew that a long time ago."
[/B]
As much as he would like to stay, Leonhard knows there's a chance he might have to go. It's obvious the Ravens' biggest priority on defense will be keeping Lewis and Suggs, and perhaps fellow linebacker Bart Scott. Contracts for Lewis and Suggs, franchise tag or not, will be very expensive.

"These guys are tremendous game changers on the team and in the league," Leonhard said. "I don't know what the front office thinks, but in my mind, they're priority guys, and that will determine what happens ... to the rest of the free agents."

While the Ravens almost certainly will want to keep Leonhard, paying him may become the issue. They still don't know how soon or how well Landry will come back from his injury. He has yet to be cleared by a doctor for any contact. But they did draft two promising safeties in April in Tom Zbikowski (third round) and Haruki Nakamura (sixth round).

In salary cap economics, this gives the Ravens leverage, too.

[B]And don't discount the Ryan factor. The departed coordinator likes Leonhard a lot. He wanted the Ravens to sign him out of Wisconsin as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He might get that chance now as coach of the Jets.

Leonhard also appreciates the fact that Ryan knew how best to use him.

"[U]I would love to play for Rex again[/U]," Leonhard said. "Obviously, I have a lot of respect for him, as well as the coaches that are still here. If that opportunity comes up, who knows what will happen? I'm going to enjoy this season for a little bit, then let everything work itself out the next couple months."

And if Leonhard hits the free-agent market, how long would it take before he calls Ryan?

"Probably not long," he said.
[/B]
[/QUOTE]

:sunny:

[JerseyJet80]

leonhard would be a solid addition

[kelly]

[QUOTE=Joe W. Namath;2982798]If Leonard was black, nobody would be talking about him. He is ok, but I still like Elam. Elam is a gamechanger.[/QUOTE]
this is NOT a " race/racial " issue.
leonhard is/has been a productive player in the nfl.
he would be a good addition to our roster.

cheers ~ ~ :toast:
[img]http://a902.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/28/a_cf7de9786d2a7ad4c1439e7e815d4995.jpg[/img]

[K-Met57]

[QUOTE=VincenzoTestaverde;2982038]It looks like Eric Smith is done. So much for the next John Lynch.[/QUOTE]

he is actually the 3rd "the next john lynch" we have had...

frost
mcgraw
Smith

[VincenzoTestaverde]

[QUOTE=K-Met57;2985169]he is actually the 3rd "the next john lynch" we have had...

frost
mcgraw
Smith[/QUOTE]

I don't understand this organization's fascination with white safeties. This stupidity has been hurting our defense for like 10 years now. Eric Smith flat out stunk this season and basically his entire career. I'm sure there are plenty of caucasians out there who can play the position but for the Jets to go out of their way every year just to find one is racist and beyond inept.

Elam isn't great but he's decent. This isn't a big need.

Unlike those losers you mentioned at least Leonhard looks like a football player.

[jetfanbc77]

Why are you guys so down on Eric Smith? Just because he was overdrafted like Anthony Schlegal? Don't forget, according to Mangini, Smith remembered everyones name at the table prior to the draft, scored well on his SAT's, and works really hard in the classroom. I don't know why this isn't the recipe for a successful team?

[Jordy]

[quote=kelly;2985129]this is NOT a " race/racial " issue.
[B]leonhard is/has been a productive player in the nfl[/B].
he would be a good addition to our roster.

cheers ~ ~ :toast:
[/quote]

That's quite an overstatement there dude. I agree with the other stuff.

[JOHNNY JOHNSON]

[QUOTE=jetfanbc77;2985220]Why are you guys so down on Eric Smith? Just because he was overdrafted like Anthony Schlegal? Don't forget, according to Mangini, Smith remembered everyones name at the table prior to the draft, scored well on his SAT's, and works really hard in the classroom. I don't know why this isn't the recipe for a successful team?[/QUOTE]

is that jennifer aniston in your avatar:eek:


if so she looks really good... and when did she get tits like that

[Jordy]

[quote=JOHNNY JOHNSON;2985924]is that jennifer aniston in your avatar:eek:


if so she looks really good... and when did she get tits like that[/quote]

No, that's the chick who was linked with Tim Tebow all over the internet a couple of weeks ago.

If Jen had tits like that, she would step to the head of the class in my school. :D

P.S. Are we allowed to says tits?

Oops.

[Jet Nut]

[QUOTE=VincenzoTestaverde;2982038]It looks like Eric Smith is done. So much for the next John Lynch.[/QUOTE]

Who ever called E Smith the next Lynch??????:eek:

[Jordy]

[quote=Jet Nut;2985940]Who ever called E Smith the next Lynch??????:eek:[/quote]

Seriously.

Side note. Phil Villapiano was John Lynch before John Lynch was John Lynch. ;)