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It’s time for another helping of Website Whispers from Dan Leberfeld . . . Check it out . . . Combo deals – what a bargain . . .
Was asked today by a national NFL writer what I thought it meant that Woody Johnson was in St. Louis today for the court hearing.
My answer, “Nothing.”
He’s there as an observer. Remember, the NFL is his main business. He’s not like Baltimore’s Steve Bisciotti who runs a corporation and an NFL team at the same time.
I don’t mean that as a shot at Johnson. It’s just the reality of the situation. He has time some other owners don’t have.
Along with his charity work to help find a cure for Lupus, and his fundraising for Mitt Romney, the Jets are his main focus.
He’s really trying to stay out of the fray when it comes to the NFL talks.
He’s taking the high road, saying things like, “we need to talk,” and “I miss the players.”
It’s actually a smart position since he’s not on the committee that is handling the negotiating for the owners, so why make statements to piss off the players, like Miami’s Stephen Ross?
What purpose does it serve to take a position, especially since the Jets are trying to create the most player friendly environment in the NFL, for Woody to say anything against the players?
He’s got nothing to gain.
So the bottom line is this – he was there as a spectator – nothing else . . .
Free agent Shaun Ellis being at this week’s defensive line workout is a great sign for the Jets.
What a great mentor for Muhammad Wilkerson! What a teacher for the Jets prized first round pick!
If the Jets are serious about winning, Shaun Ellis comes back.
You have to realize how raw Wilkerson and Kenrick Ellis are? They both have huge upsides, but right now they are balls of clay who needed to be molded by Rex (who is a brilliant defensive line coach – brilliant – along with being a heck of a head coach). And don’t forget Jets assistant Clyde Simmons – one of the best pass rushers of the modern era.
Did you know Simmons had 121.5 career sacks? Are you kidding me? This guy was such an underrated player, and now he’s an underrated assistant coach. What terrific addition to the staff by Rex last year. This guy is going to work wonders with DE Wilkerson (remember, Kenrick Ellis is a nose tackle, not an end).
But, obviously Rex and Simmons haven’t gotten their hands of two balls of clay yet, and this is setting back their progress.
So for Shaun Ellis to be at these defensive line workouts is great news for Wilkerson.
It’s obviously bad news for the Jets that Kenrick Ellis isn’t at the workouts, but honestly, who is going to pay for him to do this? He doesn’t have the money to bankroll this trip from West Palm Beach (room, board, airfare). He hasn’t signed one contract yet.
To be blunt, Kenrick Ellis not getting OTA and minicamp work is a disaster for the kid.
And the fact that Wilkerson and Kenrick Ellis are falling behind with no team actiivities since the draft, is another reason Shaun Ellis needs to come back.
Wilkerson and Kenrick Ellis will be lost for a chunk of the season. As Bill Parcells used to say, “They will be like a ball in the weeds.”
So Jets need Shaun Ellis, especially early in the season, in this bizarre, lockout-laden season.
And here is another reason Shaun Ellis will likely be back. A 3-4 end the Jets like quite a bit, Ropati Pitoitua, said this week he’s 75 percent healed from a torn achilles. So he’s likely headed to the PUP list at the beginning for the first six weeks of the season, and Shaun Ellis can grab the spot Ropati would have had, if the Jets had decided to move on from Shaun.
But the bottom line is this, after Ellis played one of the best games of his career against New England in the playoffs, he convinced the Jets they need to bring him back . . .
The Dustin Keller photo with this story has nothing to do with today’s notes, we just thought it was a good photo. It was from Mark Sanchez’s Jets West Camp.
The next update will be Monday night. Have a good weekend.