Conspiracy Theory Over Conventional Wisdom Invloving The Ducasse Pick

[Darth Vader]

Pure Speculation.

Facts:

The Jets have a pressure cooker on their hands in terms of resigning the premium talent it has drafted and developed the past few years.

That pressure cooker has started to blow steam:

1a) Numerous players coming to the end or at the end of their deals will or currently want new deals. The parade of players including All-Pros on their rookie contracts recently coming-out of the closet with comments, whether insinuations or demands, has been disconcerting. Not all of these players have made it known what they want, but most have:

Darrelle Revis

D'Brickashaw Ferguson

Nick Mangold

David Harris

Brad Smith

Shaun Ellis

Robert Turner

1b) It is essential to note that Some of the above players are multiple times All-Pros, Pro-Bowlers, or will command top dollar for their position. Even a player like Brad Smith will command loot as a ST player. Two of the players are the best at their positions in the NFL (Revis and Mangold), and Harris will command a check in the range of what the top ILB, Pat Willis just got -- $50 million...D'Brick's salary escalates to 10 million for 2011 and he will want to be paid top dollar for the stud LT he's become, and to protect the Franchise.

2) Players who wanted more that didn't get it last year and have already been axed, possibly foreshadowing a future dynamic were:

Thomas Jones

Alan Faneca

Jay Feely

3a) Additionally, the team has invested heavily in expensive free agents that limits the owner's cash flow, such as:

Jenkins

Pace

Scott

3b) To complicate this aspect, the team has gambled on what I'd call "audition signings". We've consciously acquired players from other teams, that are either problem cases, or under performers in their previous systems. These players are basically in their last year of deals, or signed to new one year deals and could be in for huge pay days next year:

Antonio Cromartie

Braylon Edwards

Santonio Holmes

Brodney Pool

4) We have also signed older vets for two year deals like:

Ladanian Tomlinson

Jason Taylor

As this all relates to Ducasse:

5a) It is well known that LT, after QB, is the highest paid position in the NFL.

5b) D'Brick's salary explodes from 3.12 million this year to 10 million next year.

5c) He will be looking for a new contract this year, before going into the final year.

5d) His salaray cap number almost doubles from 2010 to 2011, the dead money if cut decreases by half, and the cap savings if cut almost quadruple to 10 millions bucks!

5e) All of the other studs will be resigned or franchised by the time D'Brick can legitimately start asking to negotiate.

5f) You never hear Brick's name called when the CS talks about leadership in the locker room. Listen to Rex's press conference from this week. Listen to Sanchez talk about going to the WH dinner with Brick. Sounds excited? Brick is enigmatic, and underachieved for years. One reason we needed Faneca was because Brick was sucking without a cover there. While Brick blossomed last year, even covering for Faneca, this will just make it even more daunting to resign him.

5g) Brick, of all the young guys needing to be resigned, Revis, Harris, Mangold, Brick, may be the most replaceable if there is an adequate backup, or perhaps better said, is the worst performer of the group, and will command the largest new contract just because of his position.

6) The team will just not be able to afford to pay all of these guys at the top pay grade of their positions. They can't have the highest paid players in the league at their positions at several positions at once.

Therefore, something has got to give.

7a) Duccasse is making a transition to LG from LT, where he has prototypical N FL size, with the wingspan and nimble feet. While he will be developed at LG, I think he will be groomed clandestinely for LT, with Slauson, or someone else taking over at LG.

7b) Finally, The Jets Brass thought so highly of this player, they were going to draft him in rd 1 of the 2010 draft.

A LT in rd 1!

7c) IMO, the Jets WILL resign at least two of Cromartie, Braylon AND Holmes. Unless something crazy happens. I have a strong hunch they will resign all three.

So my question is was Ducasse drafted in the long run to replace D'Brickashaw, and perhaps not Faneca?

[villain_the_foe]

Make sense.

[#27TheDominator]

A couple of points:

This theory probably makes more/as much sense regarding the Wilson pick as the Ducasse pick. Particulary in light of the fact that they have already moved the guy inside to LG.

Faneca never looked for more money. He'd have been happy to continue collecting those bloated checks until his contract ran out. The team dumped him without saving much money presumably because they thought he was becoming a liablility on the field. Ellis is the one chirping about money, but they're making him play his deal out.

D'Brick isn't a leader? I'm not sure, but the fact that Sanchez took the guy to the White House tells you something. He didn't take the JN proclaimed "Greatest Center in all the World", he took Ferguson. Maybe it's just that UVa just fits in better on a White House visit than Ohio State, but I don't know. Fact is they all talked about Faneca's leadership and they cut him like a dog.

If Harris expects Patrick Willis money he can have a nice career somewhere else. I know Patrick Willis and Harris is no Patrick Willis.

[CoachTsurfing]

i could see ducasse taking over for brick. brick has been consistent, but you're right, he's not a great.

[NIGHT STALKER]

I'll tell you what though...looking over that list of players that need new contracts, the 2011 Jets are going to look a hell of lot different than the 2010 Jets.

[slats]

I said this at the time of the pick. Jets fans don't want to hear it, but D'Brick is not worth elite LT pay. Ducasse played LT in college. It's definitely not out of the question. I'm sure they'd like to have a couple options at the position when it comes time to hear what D'Brick and his agent want in a new contract. Wouldn't be surprised if Trader Mike tests his value on that market, too, in the next year or so.

[Sperm Edwards]

I said this at the time of the pick. Jets fans don't want to hear it, but D'Brick is not worth elite LT pay. Ducasse played LT in college. It's definitely not out of the question. I'm sure they'd like to have a couple options at the position when it comes time to hear what D'Brick and his agent want in a new contract. Wouldn't be surprised if Trader Mike tests his value on that market, too, in the next year or so.

I thought it also. Easier if we can re-sign him to a reasonable contract but that might not be possible. What if, by the middle or end of this season, Ferguson's demands are in the $12-14M per year range? He's turned into an excellent LT but he's just not worth that. If so, the Jets might be better off just letting him play out his contract for this year and then for $10M next year. He can always be franchised for $12M the year after that (or traded for a pretty high pick).

In a salary-cap league you have to make tough decisions. There are players you definitely want to re-sign. Then there are players you definitely want to re-sign pretty much at whatever his demands are. A player like Ferguson (or like Harris) is the former. He's excellent, but not incredible.

[Larz]

I see him replacing woody

[bobbyjet69]

i could see ducasse taking over for brick. brick has been consistent, but you're right, he's not a great.

i don't know? going from G to T is a whole different world, especially Left T!!

[Sperm Edwards]

i don't know? going from G to T is a whole different world, especially Left T!!

So going from LT to LG (as he's doing now) is doable but then moving back from LG to LT is a whole different world?

[bobbyjet69]

So going from LT to LG (as he's doing now) is doable but then moving back from LG to LT is a whole different world?

didn't know he played LT at Umass? everything i've read lists him at G. including Sporting news draft guide that i have in my hands right now.

[Sperm Edwards]

didn't know he played LT at Umass? everything i've read lists him at G. including Sporting news draft guide that i have in my hands right now.

That's because he was projected by many to move to G at the pro level even though he was a starting LT for 3 years and a backup LT for a 4th.

He has the size to play either. 6'4 1/2" is plenty tall and his 34.5" arm length is plenty long enough. Some people grading players require "minimum" arbitrary standards like no less than 6'5" even for dumb reasons like comparing people at combines. Or they see the kid's sheer height:weight ratio and figure that's not ideal for LT. At some point you really have to throw minute differences between players' measurables out the window. He's either got enough size or he doesn't. He does, so in particular now that the draft is over, it's a matter of he can either play or he can't play. I'd be lying if I said I focused on this kid's footwork for 3 years at UMass, but he's supposed to have quick feet. Whether they're quick enough to agilely move or slide his 330+ lb body (enough to play LT at the pro level) remains to be seen.

In a strange way it might not be the worst thing - if they were willing to slide Ducasse over to LT, which they probably aren't - if Ferguson got injured for a couple of games that didn't cost us the season. Nothing like a live tryout with the starters, and Ducasse certainly won't get much (if any) of that as long as Ferguson wears #60 for us.

[jason423]

Its an interesting theory. I do think the Jets like to keep their options open with the way they sometimes draft and this could give them the flexibility to maybe make such a move. I guess alot will come down to what Ferguson wants next season. I think if its comparable to Jordan Gross the team will certainly extend him. If its alot more they may think twice. I would think one of the things that would make the Jets nervous is that Brick switched agents. His original team really did not negotiate a great deal, all things considered. The Jets basically blew up the slotting system for both Gholston, Revis, and Sanchez(though hes a QB and teams often do that for the QB) while Brick got a very moderate deal. Negotiations may not be so easy the second time around.

[SenorGato]

5g) Brick, of all the young guys needing to be resigned, Revis, Harris, Mangold, Brick, may be the most replaceable if there is an adequate backup, or perhaps better said, is the worst performer of the group, and will command the largest new contract just because of his position.

This is too commonly said amongst this fan base...EASILY the most replaceable guy in that group is Harris. It's not even a contest.

I don't see Ducasse as a pro LT, and I don't see us letting D'Brick hit the open market. What team lets a franchise LT entering his prime hit the open market?

Also, what's D'Brick being evaluated on that he's the "worst performer" in that group? Again, not to attack the guy but Harris is probably there too. He's already a notch down because he's the only one of the 4 who's missed a game with injury...throw in that he's a LB...

[Darth Vader]

This is too commonly said amongst this fan base...EASILY the most replaceable guy in that group is Harris. It's not even a contest.

you are right. i take that back. i meant it in the sense of having a prospect in development or player on the depth chart that could fill in or in the near future fill in.

i also meant it in terms of how good the player is at his position vis a vis all other playes at his position in the league.

Harris IMO is better than Brick at this point, and the jets have reneged on trading Harris, when other teams have wanted him.

Harris is a potentially top 3 ILB in the NFL. And he may be more important considering how important his position is on the defense.

When he was hurt for the second Cincy game, Cincy was able to dominate the ground game.

[Darth Vader]

Its an interesting theory. I do think the Jets like to keep their options open with the way they sometimes draft and this could give them the flexibility to maybe make such a move. I guess alot will come down to what Ferguson wants next season. I think if its comparable to Jordan Gross the team will certainly extend him. If its alot more they may think twice. I would think one of the things that would make the Jets nervous is that Brick switched agents. His original team really did not negotiate a great deal, all things considered. The Jets basically blew up the slotting system for both Gholston, Revis, and Sanchez(though hes a QB and teams often do that for the QB) while Brick got a very moderate deal. Negotiations may not be so easy the second time around.

he is finally going to get a taste of the big dough in 2011, with that 10 million due. i think it will make him hungry. and i think he will become even better.

this is why i mention that something will have to give.

[SenorGato]

you are right. i take that back. i meant it in the sense of having a prospect in development or player on the depth chart that could fill in or in the near future fill in.

i also meant it in terms of how good the player is at his position vis a vis all other playes at his position in the league.

Harris IMO is better than Brick at this point, and the jets have reneged on trading Harris, when other teams have wanted him.

Harris is a potentially top 3 ILB in the NFL. And he may be more important considering how important his position is on the defense.

When he was hurt for the second Cincy game, Cincy was able to dominate the ground game.

Disagree and disagree...

- D'Brick is disturbingly underrated even by his team's fanbase. No...ESPECIALLY by this fanbase. Him not being an instant Pro Bowler and superstar seems to have cost him that popularity.

- We don't really know too much about any trade rumors here.

- Harris isn't a top 3 ILB. D'Brick is probably a top 5 LT with Roos, Thomas, him, Long, and I guess I'll put down Clady here.

- Harris' position in our D isn't that important? Not sure what that one means. He's an ILB, and we've already handed a pretty large contract to a veteran who can do what Harris does plus the other "thumper" type role that allowed Harris to throw his stats up last year. He's not even as important to the team was he was in '07....He's went from our best LB that year to our 3rd best LB last year and heading into this year.

That Cincy game was a fluke performance for the D IMO...Obviously I realize that Harris is a really nice player, but when you cut the fan part out he's the easy choice.

[PS17]

Disagree and disagree...

- D'Brick is disturbingly underrated even by his team's fanbase. No...ESPECIALLY by this fanbase. Him not being an instant Pro Bowler and superstar seems to have cost him that popularity.

- We don't really know too much about any trade rumors here.

- Harris isn't a top 3 ILB. D'Brick is probably a top 5 LT with Roos, Thomas, him, Long, and I guess I'll put down Clady here.

- Harris' position in our D isn't that important? Not sure what that one means. He's an ILB, and we've already handed a pretty large contract to a veteran who can do what Harris does plus the other "thumper" type role that allowed Harris to throw his stats up last year. He's not even as important to the team was he was in '07....He's went from our best LB that year to our 3rd best LB last year and heading into this year.

That Cincy game was a fluke performance for the D IMO...Obviously I realize that Harris is a really nice player, but when you cut the fan part out he's the easy choice.

Thank you, Gato. I can't stand how underrated Brick his. Next to Revis, he is easily the most irreplaceable of the players with expiring contracts coming up. EASILY.

[SenorGato]

Thank you, Gato. I can't stand how underrated Brick his. Next to Revis, he is easily the most irreplaceable of the players with expiring contracts coming up. EASILY.

Guys with D'Brick's skills don't come out every year.

Plus, the guy has been like a fine wine as a player...He's gotten noticeably better each and every year, and he's just now entering the typical prime years for LTs. He probably plays more snaps than anyone else on that OL too...

I really want to know what's cost him being notice by this fanbase...Top LTs just don't grow on trees...It really seems like D'Brick not instantly being a monster is what's costing him here...The guy is legitimately a top of the line talent and IMO has just as much HOF potential as

[JonEJet]

I have thought this the moment we drafted Vlad

Say Slausson pans out, and Vlad does well this year

Bye Bye Brick IMO

Harris is a LT keeper IMO

[Darth Vader]

Disagree and disagree...

- D'Brick is disturbingly underrated even by his team's fanbase. No...ESPECIALLY by this fanbase. Him not being an instant Pro Bowler and superstar seems to have cost him that popularity.

- We don't really know too much about any trade rumors here.

- Harris isn't a top 3 ILB. D'Brick is probably a top 5 LT with Roos, Thomas, him, Long, and I guess I'll put down Clady here.

- Harris' position in our D isn't that important? Not sure what that one means. He's an ILB, and we've already handed a pretty large contract to a veteran who can do what Harris does plus the other "thumper" type role that allowed Harris to throw his stats up last year. He's not even as important to the team was he was in '07....He's went from our best LB that year to our 3rd best LB last year and heading into this year.

That Cincy game was a fluke performance for the D IMO...Obviously I realize that Harris is a really nice player, but when you cut the fan part out he's the easy choice.

first, i took back the comment on Harris being less replaceable.

second, just think about what you are saying. what you are saying (and i have in the past year or so been a HUGE Brick defender here and elsewhere) is that brick is good if not great, and underrated. thta he has aged like wine. where does that point?

that points to a huge year, and huge contract demands.

which leads us back to my main point: something has to give. ducasse is what he is, insurance for that scenario, and other scenarios, because the Jets aren't going to draft another LT in the top 10. They think they got first round value in round 2.

[slats]

Guys with D'Brick's skills don't come out every year.

Plus, the guy has been like a fine wine as a player...He's gotten noticeably better each and every year, and he's just now entering the typical prime years for LTs. He probably plays more snaps than anyone else on that OL too...

I really want to know what's cost him being notice by this fanbase...Top LTs just don't grow on trees...It really seems like D'Brick not instantly being a monster is what's costing him here...The guy is legitimately a top of the line talent and IMO has just as much HOF potential as

We'll see what Brick does with Slauson or Ducasse next to him this year, and we'll see where the Jets offense decides it wants to go this season. They picked up weapons to be more of a passing team, and if they keep moving in that direction, they'll have to think long and hard about holding onto Ferguson.

But if they decide that they want to stick to being a power running team, and D'Brick is looking for elite LT pay, he may have to find it elsewhere. The Jets could use a bigger LT for those purposes - and Ducasse has about 30 pounds on him already.

[StraightCash]

if Harris is asking for top ILB money he can go get it somewhere else.

Luckily for us, we all know he is good. But hes never made a pro-bowl, and he was 2nd team all-pro once.

Should not be getting Willis/Beason money

[Jetsfan80]

I really want to know what's cost him being notice by this fanbase...Top LTs just don't grow on trees

Possibly because some of the best linemen are the ones whose names aren't mentioned often. Walter Jones was great because he was only called for holding something like 4-6 times in his entire career.

Guys who hold and get called for false starts are the worst linemen because they feel the need to cheat a little to get an advantage over linemen. Good linemen don't get penalized.

[SenorGato]

first, i took back the comment on Harris being less replaceable.

second, just think about what you are saying. what you are saying (and i have in the past year or so been a HUGE Brick defender here and elsewhere) is that brick is good if not great, and underrated. thta he has aged like wine. where does that point?

that points to a huge year, and huge contract demands.

which leads us back to my main point: something has to give. ducasse is what he is, insurance for that scenario, and other scenarios, because the Jets aren't going to draft another LT in the top 10. They think they got first round value in round 2.

And as the franchise LT, he's allowed that and he's allowed to be paid like that.

We'll be exactly in that same spot if Ducasse is D'Brick good in a few years, except we've already went through the growing pains with D'Brick. The organization drafted D'Brick with a top 5 pick, started him from Day 1, watched him grow into a top LT, drafted a QB...to let him go?

I think our OL for 2012 looks like:

D'Brick - Ducasse - Mangold - Moore - New RT

If D'Brick was older then I'd buy that there's even a possibility of him being let go. Since he's not, I just don't see any logical reason for it to happen.

Slats, as far as what kind of offense we'll want to stay...I think we'll see a balanced offense that'll work off the QB once Sanchez gets going. I'm thinking something like the early decade Pats offenses...

[GMJohnson]

JMO but you build thru the draft, pay the guys who come in as rookies, work hard, play well, improve etc, and you sign a free agent or two each year to augment that. All of the teams who are consitent winners use that basic strategy, Pittsburgh, New England, Indy, San Diego, Green Bay, Baltimore, hopefully Miami in the near future.

The problem with bringing in all these guys is, as the original poster stated so well, you end up with a bunch of players who are looking for more money, its still a business first and a game second.

Never played Jets GM before, but indulge me: Mangold is a beast, but LT is a premium position so if I could only keep one it'd be Brick. Ideally I'd keep both and send either Holmes or Edwards packing, you guys are loaded at WR, which is unecessary given your smashmouth style. Revis should be a Jet for life IMO, and for age reasons I'd prefer keeping Harris and cutting Scott inside. Calvin Pace, meh. He may have to go also, especially if you want to keep Cromartie. Gholston and Jenkins' contracts should be off the books soon also, I was unpleasantly suprised by the lack of significant fall off once Pouha came in full time. Hard choices yeah, but its not like you wont still be a good team w/o a few of these guys.

[SenorGato]

If I had to guess the guys we'll resign right now:

D'Brick

Revis

Mangold

Edwards

I think they try to pick up picks for the other guys somehow...

Also Dolphins fan, Pace is our best LB. Dude's a beast. I'd love to keep Harris and cut Scott, but that's not happening.

[PS17]

JMO but you build thru the draft, pay the guys who come in as rookies, work hard, play well, improve etc, and you sign a free agent or two each year to augment that. All of the teams who are consitent winners use that basic strategy, Pittsburgh, New England, Indy, San Diego, Green Bay, Baltimore, hopefully Miami in the near future.

The problem with bringing in all these guys is, as the original poster stated so well, you end up with a bunch of players who are looking for more money, its still a business first and a game second.

Never played Jets GM before, but indulge me: Mangold is a beast, but LT is a premium position so if I could only keep one it'd be Brick. Ideally I'd keep both and send either Holmes or Edwards packing, you guys are loaded at WR, which is unecessary given your smashmouth style. Revis should be a Jet for life IMO, and for age reasons I'd prefer keeping Harris and cutting Scott inside. Calvin Pace, meh. He may have to go also, especially if you want to keep Cromartie. Gholston and Jenkins' contracts should be off the books soon also, I was unpleasantly suprised by the lack of significant fall off once Pouha came in full time. Hard choices yeah, but its not like you wont still be a good team w/o a few of these guys.

Really good post. Revis is going to be a Jet for life, most likely. Then you are right about Mangold and Brick; LT gets priority over the Center. Edwards and Holmes are on a one year audition for a new contract. Almost guaranteed that one of them will be gone IMO. Harris should also get a contract. However, Scott and Pace aren't going anywhere soon. Cromartie is interesting. He's also in a contract year so he'll be really motivated. If he plays amazing for one year, and Kyle Wilson also shows promise, I wouldn't be surprised if the Jets let go of AC because they simply have too many other guys to pay.

It's gonna be interesting sorting all of these contracts out.

[jason423]

Possibly because some of the best linemen are the ones whose names aren't mentioned often. Walter Jones was great because he was only called for holding something like 4-6 times in his entire career.

Guys who hold and get called for false starts are the worst linemen because they feel the need to cheat a little to get an advantage over linemen. Good linemen don't get penalized.

But that has been, to some extent(moreso the false starts), a problem with Brick. He had 5 false starts last season and has 10 over his 4 year career. He was the most penalized lineman on the team last year.

[Lupz27]

Pure Speculation.

Facts:

The Jets have a pressure cooker on their hands in terms of resigning the premium talent it has drafted and developed the past few years.

That pressure cooker has started to blow steam:

1a) Numerous players coming to the end or at the end of their deals will or currently want new deals. The parade of players including All-Pros on their rookie contracts recently coming-out of the closet with comments, whether insinuations or demands, has been disconcerting. Not all of these players have made it known what they want, but most have:

Darrelle Revis

D'Brickashaw Ferguson

Nick Mangold

David Harris

Brad Smith

Shaun Ellis

Robert Turner

1b) It is essential to note that Some of the above players are multiple times All-Pros, Pro-Bowlers, or will command top dollar for their position. Even a player like Brad Smith will command loot as a ST player. Two of the players are the best at their positions in the NFL (Revis and Mangold), and Harris will command a check in the range of what the top ILB, Pat Willis just got -- $50 million...D'Brick's salary escalates to 10 million for 2011 and he will want to be paid top dollar for the stud LT he's become, and to protect the Franchise.

2) Players who wanted more that didn't get it last year and have already been axed, possibly foreshadowing a future dynamic were:

Thomas Jones

Alan Faneca

Jay Feely

3a) Additionally, the team has invested heavily in expensive free agents that limits the owner's cash flow, such as:

Jenkins

Pace

Scott

3b) To complicate this aspect, the team has gambled on what I'd call "audition signings". We've consciously acquired players from other teams, that are either problem cases, or under performers in their previous systems. These players are basically in their last year of deals, or signed to new one year deals and could be in for huge pay days next year:

Antonio Cromartie

Braylon Edwards

Santonio Holmes

Brodney Pool

4) We have also signed older vets for two year deals like:

Ladanian Tomlinson

Jason Taylor

As this all relates to Ducasse:

5a) It is well known that LT, after QB, is the highest paid position in the NFL.

5b) D'Brick's salary explodes from 3.12 million this year to 10 million next year.

5c) He will be looking for a new contract this year, before going into the final year.

5d) His salaray cap number almost doubles from 2010 to 2011, the dead money if cut decreases by half, and the cap savings if cut almost quadruple to 10 millions bucks!

5e) All of the other studs will be resigned or franchised by the time D'Brick can legitimately start asking to negotiate.

5f) You never hear Brick's name called when the CS talks about leadership in the locker room. Listen to Rex's press conference from this week. Listen to Sanchez talk about going to the WH dinner with Brick. Sounds excited? Brick is enigmatic, and underachieved for years. One reason we needed Faneca was because Brick was sucking without a cover there. While Brick blossomed last year, even covering for Faneca, this will just make it even more daunting to resign him.

5g) Brick, of all the young guys needing to be resigned, Revis, Harris, Mangold, Brick, may be the most replaceable if there is an adequate backup, or perhaps better said, is the worst performer of the group, and will command the largest new contract just because of his position.

6) The team will just not be able to afford to pay all of these guys at the top pay grade of their positions. They can't have the highest paid players in the league at their positions at several positions at once.

Therefore, something has got to give.

7a) Duccasse is making a transition to LG from LT, where he has prototypical N FL size, with the wingspan and nimble feet. While he will be developed at LG, I think he will be groomed clandestinely for LT, with Slauson, or someone else taking over at LG.

7b) Finally, The Jets Brass thought so highly of this player, they were going to draft him in rd 1 of the 2010 draft.

A LT in rd 1!

7c) IMO, the Jets WILL resign at least two of Cromartie, Braylon AND Holmes. Unless something crazy happens. I have a strong hunch they will resign all three.

So my question is was Ducasse drafted in the long run to replace D'Brickashaw, and perhaps not Faneca?

I subscribe to this theory, I actually posted this opinion on the night when we drafted Ducasse here is the thread.

http://www.jetnation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90544&highlight=lupz27

[Sperm Edwards]

This is too commonly said amongst this fan base...EASILY the most replaceable guy in that group is Harris. It's not even a contest.

I don't see Ducasse as a pro LT, and I don't see us letting D'Brick hit the open market. What team lets a franchise LT entering his prime hit the open market?

Also, what's D'Brick being evaluated on that he's the "worst performer" in that group? Again, not to attack the guy but Harris is probably there too. He's already a notch down because he's the only one of the 4 who's missed a game with injury...throw in that he's a LB...

I agree on Harris being more replaceable than Ferguson. A team doesn't need three of the 5 or 6 highest-paid LB'ers in the NFL. And I don't think anyone wants to see either one hitting the open market. But here's my question to you:

What do you do if Ferguson says he wants a contract averaging $13-14M per season and is inflexible about coming down in price? This is the situation some here are considering (and possibly Tannenbaum is also). If he can be locked up in the $8M range I'd say do it and probably so would most everyone. And if he wants to be the highest-paid LT in football we can trade him. We'd never let him just hit the open market without significant compensation to us no matter what, so I don't know where that came from as the only other alternative.

Every player has his worth. He's worth more than $3M and less than $15M. His biggest critics and his biggest fans would agree on that. Exactly what dollar amount his value is to the team is what it boils down to, not whether or not we'd like to extend him, because the choice doesn't exist in a vacuum.

[SenorGato]

Not for nothing, but Harris has probably already priced himself out already. He's going to get a contract that overpays him already...He's a good LB from a top D.

[Obrien2Toon]

I see him replacing woody

this. There is no way he can become a NFL caliber LT.

You don't let players of D'Brick caliber at that position leave. He actually keeps getting better every year. Also he has the body type where it looks like he can last about 15 years without many injuries. Like a Lomas Brown type.

[Sperm Edwards]

this. There is no way he can become a NFL caliber LT.

You don't let players of D'Brick caliber at that position leave. He actually keeps getting better every year. Also he has the body type where it looks like he can last about 15 years without many injuries. Like a Lomas Brown type.

What is the ceiling of what you would pay Ferguson? That is the question, not whether or not we (or the Jets) want to keep him, since everyone wants to keep him.

[Aten]

What is the ceiling of what you would pay Ferguson?

You know perfectly well that nobody can answer that.