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Jets Sign Faneca
3/1/08
Sunday, March 2, 2008
12:20:00 AM EST
After a period of intense speculation, the Jets announced on Saturday that they have reached a deal with free agent guard Alan Faneca. The former Steeler will sign a 5 year contract worth $40 million. $21 million will be guaranteed in the richest contract for an offensive lineman in NFL history. This is one of the best moves this franchise has made in a long time.
Faneca is a seven time Pro Bowler. He is a major force in the running game and holds his own in pass protection. He represents a monumental upgrade over Adrien Clarke. He will be able to help D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold the same way Pete Kendall did. The main difference is that Faneca is a substantially more effective lineman. D'Brickashaw will thrive next to Faneca as he will no longer have worry about covering for a missed assignment by the left guard as he did constantly when playing next to Clarke. Alan can also help compensate for Ferguson's deficiencies in run blocking. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington will see more daylight than they ever have as Jets. Kellen Clemens will actually have time to throw and avoid falling into bad habits that arise when one repeatedly has to rush one's throwing mechanics. With this single move, the Jets have transformed their offensive line from a liability into an asset.
There are other hidden benefits to this deal. It will increase fan confidence in ownership. When the team did next to nothing in free agency after a successful 2006 season, there was some lingering concern within the fanbase that Johnson was a tightwad. The Jets had never made a huge splash during Woody's ownership. His two head coaches, Herman Edwards and Eric Mangini, have been among the lowest paid in the league. The reason Edwards left was over money. Fans can now be assured that their owner is not afraid to put out money to bring New York a winner.
This contract also sends a message to NFL players. The front office played hardball with Pete Kendall, and storm clouds are gathering over Laveranues Coles. In addition, Kevin left New York on bitter terms. When respected veterans feel that they have been shafted, word starts to spread. The Jets could have gotten a bad reputation in league circles about being unwilling to treat veterans with proper respect (this is money in player language), which could have made players leery about coming to the Jets in the future. This signing will give Mike Tannenbaum and Eric Mangini more credibility in relation to players in negotiations. They have shown that they are not stingy penny-pinchers who only worry about the bottom line. They will pay for talent.
Anybody who does not like this move from the Jets' perspective is crazy. It turned a glaring weakness into a major strength. It would have been nice to find a younger, cheaper player, but teams are keeping their own talent thanks to the rising salary cap. Faneca may be aging, but he is still among the best in the game. As much as he will help D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold, they will make him better. Part of his perceived decline during his last year in Pittsburgh was due to instability at the left tackle and center positions. Offensive lines function as a unit. The Jets now have three elite talents next to each other on the left side. Things are starting to look bright for 2008.
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12:20:00 AM EST
Jets Sign Faneca
Faneca is a seven time Pro Bowler. He is a major force in the running game and holds his own in pass protection. He represents a monumental upgrade over Adrien Clarke. He will be able to help D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold the same way Pete Kendall did. The main difference is that Faneca is a substantially more effective lineman. D'Brickashaw will thrive next to Faneca as he will no longer have worry about covering for a missed assignment by the left guard as he did constantly when playing next to Clarke. Alan can also help compensate for Ferguson's deficiencies in run blocking. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington will see more daylight than they ever have as Jets. Kellen Clemens will actually have time to throw and avoid falling into bad habits that arise when one repeatedly has to rush one's throwing mechanics. With this single move, the Jets have transformed their offensive line from a liability into an asset.
There are other hidden benefits to this deal. It will increase fan confidence in ownership. When the team did next to nothing in free agency after a successful 2006 season, there was some lingering concern within the fanbase that Johnson was a tightwad. The Jets had never made a huge splash during Woody's ownership. His two head coaches, Herman Edwards and Eric Mangini, have been among the lowest paid in the league. The reason Edwards left was over money. Fans can now be assured that their owner is not afraid to put out money to bring New York a winner.
This contract also sends a message to NFL players. The front office played hardball with Pete Kendall, and storm clouds are gathering over Laveranues Coles. In addition, Kevin left New York on bitter terms. When respected veterans feel that they have been shafted, word starts to spread. The Jets could have gotten a bad reputation in league circles about being unwilling to treat veterans with proper respect (this is money in player language), which could have made players leery about coming to the Jets in the future. This signing will give Mike Tannenbaum and Eric Mangini more credibility in relation to players in negotiations. They have shown that they are not stingy penny-pinchers who only worry about the bottom line. They will pay for talent.
Anybody who does not like this move from the Jets' perspective is crazy. It turned a glaring weakness into a major strength. It would have been nice to find a younger, cheaper player, but teams are keeping their own talent thanks to the rising salary cap. Faneca may be aging, but he is still among the best in the game. As much as he will help D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold, they will make him better. Part of his perceived decline during his last year in Pittsburgh was due to instability at the left tackle and center positions. Offensive lines function as a unit. The Jets now have three elite talents next to each other on the left side. Things are starting to look bright for 2008.
Written by georgecoztanza Blog about this entry |
Add to del.icio.us | digg this
