Leon Washington Wants to Stay a Jet

Leon spoke about his contract situation yesterday.

It's steady going," he said in regards to contract talks between the Jets and his agent Alvin Keels and whether he'll be at camp. "Contact situations are a process where it takes a lot ot time. You have to trust your management. I have to trust Alvin Keels. I believe he will go out and do a good job for me. But I have to be patient. It's an ongoing process. The good thing about it is the New York Jets want to get something done, and I'm honored to be in that situation. So I look forward to it."

Washington didn't waver when asked if he wants to continue to be a Jet.

"This is where I want to be," he said. "I'm young in my career. I believe I did all the things I need to do on and off the field to deserve the right to have this contract extension. So hopefully I can be rewarded for all the things I've done on and off the field."

I'm a bit surprised the two sides haven't reached a new deal yet. Part of the problem has been Leon's role. I've heard a lot of people call him a unique player, which makes it tough to value exactly what it's worth. The argument goes that Leon can take over a game like an elite player, but doesn't carry the ball enough to be considered an elite back. This might sell him short. Eric Mangini did not give him many offensive touches. That doesn't necessarily mean Washington is incapable of effectively carrying a bigger load. If he can dominate a game with a few touches, why wouldn't he be able to dominate a game with a large workload?

What do you think about this?