Category: Jets

Jets

The Jets Have Interest in Trading for Le’Veon Bell

Disgruntled star Le’Veon Bell has continued his holdout into Week 4 of the NFL season, and the Steelers have had enough. Pittsburgh has made it clear that they are not willing to give Bell the contract he desires, and have decided to explore possible trade options for their franchise player. Three teams appear to be in the running for the halfback, including the New York Jets.

The Jets haven’t had a star running back on their roster for some time now, and could be seeking to acquire Le’Veon to bolster their subpar offensive unit. Bell would undoubtedly uplift the organization’s run game as he is widely considered the best RB in the NFL when he is between the white lines. Bell is a three-time Pro-Bowler and three-time All-Pro honoree, which only begins to describe his abilities on the football field. He is an extremely patient ball-handler who is able to wait for holes to open up in the opposing team’s defense and attack them with aggression. His combination of speed and elusiveness is unmatched.

If you’re a Jets fan, it’s hard to not get excited when you hear your favorite team is in the conversation for the league’s top running back, but I wouldn’t say it’s time to celebrate just yet. Although it is a possibility, Bell has publicly stated that it would take a lot of cash for him to come to New York. In an interview earlier in the year, he said he would have to receive at least $95 million to join Gang Green.

Whether Bell ends up sporting green and white remains to be seen but only time will tell where Le’Veon continues his already accomplished playing career.

 

Featured Image via Flickr/Jack Kurzenknabe

Jets

Teddy Bridgewater Traded to the Saints

After Sam Darnold showed signs of excellence in his preseason play for Gang Green, the Jets organization has shown a sign of faith in his abilities as a potential starter by trading away Teddy Bridgewater to the New Orleans Saints.

The Jets will receive a third-round pick as compensation in the deal, which could go a long way for a franchise that is still trying to assemble a championship contender.

It’s always hard to hear that you have been traded, but Teddy found out he had been dealt in one of the most demoralizing ways possible. The team was on a bus on their way to Philadelphia when he was told he had been traded to New Orleans. At this point, the bus stopped and made him get off. He waved goodbye to his teammates and friends, and the team continued to their destination.

General manager Mike Maccagnan made a statement in regards to the trade, saying that “In his time with us, Teddy was the consummate professional, a great teammate and a tremendous leader. He worked diligently with our medical staff and made tremendous strides along the way. We wish him nothing but success in the future.”

While Bridgewater will remain a backup quarterback behind Drew Brees, the young quarterback could eventually become the 11-time Pro-Bowler’s successor as he will be turning 40 in a few months.

Bridgewater showed his potential early in his career while he was a member of the Minnesota Vikings. During his rookie campaign in 2014, the former first-round draft pick threw for 2,919 yards and 14 touchdowns. This display of proficiency was recognized by many and led to him being named the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year. He would continue on his path to success in 2015 when he connected on another 14 touchdowns and added 3,231 yards to his career total, earning him a spot on the Pro-Bowl roster. However, an ACL injury left him sidelined for an extended period in 2016 which would eventually make him lose favor in the eyes of the Vikings’ coaching staff, opting to start Sam Bradford and Case Keenum at the quarterback position for the next two seasons.

Now, he will have a chance to get back on track as he heads to NOLA and has the utmost confidence that he will once again be a force to be reckoned with on the football field. “I’m very confident,” said Bridgewater. “I’m confident in myself, confident in the athletic training staff and the coaching staff here that they can eventually get me back to the player I once was.”

 

Featured Image via Flickr/Keith Allison

Jets

Jets Have Interest in Disgruntled DE Khalil Mack

Once upon a time, the New York Jets had one of the best defenses in the NFL. It appears as though they will try to climb their way back to the top by attempting to acquire Khalil Mack.

Mack is not happy with his current contract situation which is why he has been holding out of the Raiders, and several NFL teams have contacted them to gauge a potential trade opportunity, including Gang Green. He is looking for a number north of $20 million a year, an unprecedented dollar amount for a non-quarterback.

While there are obstacles that are blocking a potential deal from being made, Mack could undoubtedly help any team in pursuit of a productive season. He is one of the best rushers that football has to offer, totaling 36.5 sacks in the last three years in Oakland.

His resume speaks for itself. Mack is a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 3-time Pro-Bowler, and 2-time First Team All-Pro. What is even more impressive is that in his four years in the NFL, he has yet to miss a single game, a testament to his durability and commitment to winning football games.

The Jets are clearly looking to find a quality pass rusher as they have also expressed interest in Dante Fowler Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars. They have ranked in the bottom 5 in sacks in each of the past two seasons, but getting Mack in the mix would change that rather quickly.

 

Featured Image via Flickr/Keith Allison

 

 

Jets

The Jets Will Work Out Kicker Kai Forbath

The Jets are looking to add depth at the kicker position. Correspondingly, they will host former Minnesota Viking Kai Forbath for a workout.

Forbath was released by the Vikings on August 20th after he lost his job to Daniel Carlson. Since he joined the team in 2016, he has connected on 47-of-53 field goals, an 89% success rate. It is also worth noting that half of his misses during those two seasons came on field goal attempts from 50+ yards out. Last year, he even made a 53-yard field goal which was the longest of his career since he was a Saint in 2015.

The placekicker had an excellent start to his career, setting an NFL record by hitting on his first 17 field goal attempts. He carried his ability to perform over from the college setting, where he became the first UCLA player to ever split the uprights 5 times from 50+ yards. Furthermore, he received several recognitions during his time at school, including being honored as an All-American, Second Team All-Pac-10 three times, and being given the Lou Groza Award.

He could act as an insurance policy as the Jets apparently don’t have faith in their current players at that position. New York had two kickers on the roster in Cairo Santos and Taylor Bertolet before picking up Jason Myers off waivers, but they aren’t willing to rest until they find the right man for the job.

 

Featured Image via Flickr/Keith Allison