OTA Whispers

New Jersey – It’s time for a heaping helping of Jets OTA Whispers from June 8, 2016. We have a variety of different things to go over, so let’s get into it . . .

Dion Bailey hurt his knee last week and was held out of the OTA practice today. He says he will be back for team’s veteran minicamp next week . . .

Jets running back Zac Stacy, who broke his leg on November 12 against Buffalo returning a kick (why he was returning a kick, that’s another story). He said he should be back for the start of training camp.

He told me today he suffered the worst kind of leg break for a running back in the lower leg . . .

There was a Mo Wilkerson citing in the locker room today.

Two reporters approached him to get a comment, knowing it was a long shot, but that is your job.

First Darryl Slater of the Newark Star-Ledger. He was shot down.

And then Kim Jones of the NFL Network, and she was shot down.

Mo doesn’t like to talk to reporters under the best of circumstances, so to expect him to talk in the middle of a nasty contract dispute, forget about it.

Did you see this story today from the NFL Network – “The Denver Broncos pass rusher turned down an offer of $114.5 million, reported NFL Media’s James Palmer, via a source informed of the negotiations. In terms of total value, the contract would have been the highest ever for a non-quarterback.”

I’m sorry, that sounds fine to me.

The reason I bring this up in relation to Mo is that these top contracts for Front Seven players are getting a little out of hand.

And I’m sorry, I’m just not going there.

In a sport with so many injuries to defensive players, I just can’t invest that kind of money in one player. If he goes down, you are stuck with a big chunk of your cap in the trainer’s room.

Just look what happened with Justin Houston in Kansas City. On July 15, 2015,, the Chiefs signed Houston to a six-year contract worth $101 million, including $52.5 million in guaranteed money.

He was dealing with a knee issue for a big chunk of last year and didn’t have much production, and now that knee injury is likely going to make him miss part or all of 2016.

Wilkerson broke his leg last year.

Miller blew out his knee a couple of years ago.

I’m sorry, I think you need to temper these deals a little.

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again, I’d give Wilkerson the deal Cameron Jordan got in New Orleans – a five-year deal for 55 million with $34 million guaranteed. Perhaps sweeten it just a little.

I know he’d be insulted by that, but I think that is fair.

But he’s looking at the Marcel Dareus and Ndamukong Suh contracts, you know those deals for $100 million with around $60 million guaranteed. And the Olivier Vernon deal with the Giants in on his radar – five years, $85 million, with $52.5 million guaranteed

I just can’t go there.

I kinda draw the line at that $11 million range. That is where the Carolina Panthers drew the line with Josh Norman before letting him walk.

I think the top players on defense, on various teams, who are willing to take $10-11 million a year get deals done. Vikings safety Nolan Smith just got $10 million per.

These guy looking to set world records, things drag out.

It’s highly unlikely a long-term deal gets done with Mo this year, unless he backs off that Dareus-Suh-Vernon stratosphere . . .

I think the Jets got a steal in seventh round WR Charone Peake (pictured above).

October 8, 2016

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