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The Jets need to re-sign David Harris. This is a no-brainer for several reasons. Let’s delve into some of the reasons why . . .
First of all, he’s still at the top of his game at 31.
In 2013, he had 123 tackles, and then this past year, he has 124.
He is a top-shelf tackler with superb technique, who is very good at weeding through the trash and finding the ball carrier.
He’s also a good interior blitzer and serviceable in coverage.
Is he great in coverage? No. Not great. But good enough.
A former Jets inside linebacker made a great point to me about their pass coverage at ILB. He said if you get pressure on the quarterback in 4-5 seconds, guys like Harris and DeMario Davis can holdup, but if you make them run around back there for 7-8 seconds, with little pressure on the QB, the result is often not going to be good. The former Jets ILB says this theory pertains to most inside linebackers.
So while Harris doesn’t have great speed, he’s very smart, instinctive and assignment savvy. He can do a good enough job in coverage as long as you don’t leave him on an island too long.
And I believe, after watching them the last three years, the last two as a starting tandem, that Harris is better in coverage than Davis, who runs better, but Harris has been instincts.
Harris is also very durable at a brutal position that involves a great deal of contact. He has started every game his entire career, aside from the last five games in 2008 due to a shoulder injury.
He deserve a great deal of credit for starting all 16 games this past year, after taking some friendly fire from Calvin Pryor (who must learn to play more under control). While Harris was making a tackle, Pryor can flying up from his safety spot, and slammed Harris full speed in the back of his shoulder.
It was a very painful injury – a severe bruise – but Harris never missed a game. I hear he was getting a ton of treatment to be able to play every week. Also, he was wearing a brace or wrap on it behind the scenes, but took it off when he came into the locker room, so the media wouldn’t make a big deal about it. Most players would have missed time with this injury, I hear it was very, very painful. Harris didn’t miss a beat.
Harris is a team-first guy, and he wasn’t going to let his teammates down, no matter how severe the pain was in his shoulder.
Harris is an awfully impressive guy.
Harris gets it.
He’s a pro’s pro who works very, very hard on his craft. He also has great character, and always says the right things to the press and is a terrific family man.
He doesn’t get as much attention as he deserves because he’s so low-key, but he’s one of the better inside linebackers in football.
Too often over the years things end badly for the Jets and players.
Core players who should never leave, leave.
Jerricho Cotchery is the perfect example.
Guys that bleed Jets green.
You need guys like this to build a culture.
That isn’t to say that you keep players past their ability to contribute on the field.
No way.
But some guys should finish their careers as Jets, who don’t.
When I go to Kohl’s and see the only jersey they are selling is Joe Namath’s, and they are selling Victor Cruz and Eli Manning from the team up Route 80, this is what I’m talking about.
Don’t get me wrong, Namath is a legend, but there need to be core players in the modern era, who stay around for a while, who are true Jets.
More Wayne Chrebet’s.
To have Namath as the only marketable jersey now (though I think Mo Wilkerson will become a hot jersey moving forward), in 2015, there is something wrong.
Harris is a Jet through and through, who can still play on a high level, and deserves another contract. They can’t let him walk and play the next couple of years somewhere else.
The two sides need to work this out.
And I sense they will.
February 18, 2014
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