Dustin Keller: Stay or Go?
by John B on Jan 31, 2012 10:03 AM EST
Email
PrintDustin Keller is an average tight end. It might not sound right, but there is strong basis for this opinion. Dustin is a very good receiver for his position, faster and more athletic than a lot of guys. He is arguably a top ten pass catching tight end. He is coming off his best receiving season, 65 catches for 815 yards.
While the pass catching part of his game is good, he is an extremely poor run blocker, one of the worst at his position. It has been kind of an odd thing for a team that wanted to pride itself around its run game has a tight end so much more adept at receiving than blocking.
Keller is a good receiver, but he has not been the kind of player defenses have had to game plan around. He does not present the physical mismatches a Rob Gronkowski or Jimmy Graham does. He has not consistently broken games the way Antonio Gates or Dallas Clark did at their best.
Keller has been a nice complimentary player who can create favorable matchups. Part of this has been due to his inconsistent quarterbacking, but Dustin has to take some of the blame also. His route running can be inconsistent. He also does not come up with a lot of catchable balls. I am not talking about Santonio Holmes style brutal drops either. There are a lot of balls within his grasp in traffic that he does not come up with. There are also numerous instances where he just does not look for a pass coming in his direction.
I was not shocked to hear the rumors of the Jets potentially shopping Keller because of all this. NYJetsCap.com indicates getting rid of Keller would free up a little more than $1 million in cap space. I would not recommend the Jets doing this. I think Keller can be exploited to create favorable matchups with the offense, and he seems to be the only receiver Mark Sanchez has a bond with right now. I have come to think, however, that Keller is not the full time tight end the Jets have been using him as. I think the team should find a more complete guy capable of run blocking and receiving and move Dustin around more. Have him play tight end, but also split him wide in base sets to either isolate him against a slower linebacker or smaller corner. Use him out of the backfield. He can probably be better exploited.
What do you think?
61 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Go
If they can get something for him. When you are an one dimensional player who does not excel at your one reason you are playing football, you are expendable. In other words, he don’t block, he only catches passes. The problem is, he does not do that great. He has too many drops, and gets jam out of his break too much. And in other words, for a team that wants to become or is physical, their TE is so not physical.
by BIG OH!!!!! on Jan 31, 2012 10:12 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Amen
Well said. His value will never be any higher. Trade him now while they can get something good for him. They can use the 3rd round pick they get for him on a Safety, WR or RT or possibly even a bigger, stronger TE that’s a better blocker yet still a good receiver.
I was excited for the Jets to get Keller, although I didn’t like trading up to get him. He hasn’t been worth what they paid to get him. It’s not totally his fault that he wasn’t used by BS the way he would have been most effective, but if he had blocked better, run better routes, and not dropped so many passes, perhaps he would have been used more and been more effective.
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years." Alexander Tyler
I would agree with you, except....
we don’t have a very good record of getting rid of a player who is doing well for us to bring in someone better. The Edwards-Mason debacle should have taught us that.
If we’re talking trading Keller for a Gronkowski caliber TE, then fine. However, that never seems to be how it works out for us.
Take notes from the Patriots
I think he’s a better Aaron Hernandez. Split him out wide, put him in the backfield and hand it off to him, TE reverses, etc. Mismatch/misdirection-central.
by Exystence on Jan 31, 2012 10:14 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Yeah, that’s kind of what I was getting at. He’s a Hernandez type player, and he’s been used as a traditional tight end.
Editor-In-Chief
Gang Green Nation
SB Nation's Jets Blog
http://www.ganggreennation.com
Un-tradional playing....
John…… could you ever imagine the Jets running Keller out of the backfield with the ball the way the Pats did the both their TE’s on pitches etc.. They just mowed up the yardage. I would have loved to seen Keller doing something like that. Instead all we got him to do was run in motion…..
"It's only through change we learn to grow".
Completely agree
I was going to write a Hernandez analogy also. I hope Rex is watching and learning from Belichick and Coughlin. There is much to be learned.
Agreed - Keep him
As find better ways to use him.
I know I'm human, and that's my greatest weakness. But, I never let it stop me, and that's my greatest strength. - Frank Castle
by ProfScorpio on Jan 31, 2012 10:34 AM EST up reply actions
Problem is to me
Keller isn’t fast enough to do what Hernandez does, seems like he lost a step since his rookie year or something now he’s basically average at everything, he put on some weight but he’s still a horrible blocker bit now with less speed.
"We're not there yet, but we're going somewhere," Johnson said. "And we're going to Brooklyn. We're not going to contract. We're going to Brooklyn."
by Atronic on Jan 31, 2012 10:54 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
This
Cumberland should be able to do those things and more cheaply than Keller.
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years." Alexander Tyler
Well then....
I know we copied the Wildcat from the Finns so I’d love to see us do the same thing from the Pats and their TE’s. Seeing them go a few series with them in the backfield was powerful the way they just chewed up the real estate out there. It was like the defense had no answers for that kind of offensive playcalling. That’s the type of creativity I want to see out of our offense instead of the same old shift this, move here, return there, set……it does nothing……I want the offense to attack….not be passive…….by maximizing our weapons ie. utilizing our TE(s) we dictate the game to the defense and not the other way around.
"It's only through change we learn to grow".
Agree.
He is slower than Hernandez and drops more balls. As he is going into the last year of his contract it’s time to either re-negotiate or move him. That’s also a note from the Patriots or any good organization – better to get rid of a player a year too early than a year too late.
by Traveling Man on Jan 31, 2012 12:33 PM EST up reply actions
He's good, but to say without any backing that he is a better Hernandez seems crazy to me.
Not a better catcher and certainly not nearly as quick. Has he ever been in the HB position?
Depth is great. Right up until you need it!!
If the compensation is right trade him
He was the leading receiver, but he only had a 57% catch rate. Honestly he might be better off dropping weight and playing wideout
Oh yes that's right, I'm a Jets fan.
by Bob_The_Friendly_Baker on Jan 31, 2012 10:16 AM EST reply actions
Put Keller
in the right offense and he is a superstar. The reason our skill position guys dont put up numbers is because our offense sucks. Santonio didnt suddenly become an average player when he was traded to the Jets either.
As long as this team continues to play conservative offensively the numbers will not be there for the likes of Keller and Holmes. Put either of these guys in a real offense and they would shine.
At the rate we are going we should just draft 5 more fullbacks and pretend its 1950 because that is how our offense plays. Three yards and a cloud of dust was the NFL of yesteryear but Rex thinks its the way to win today.
Blame the offense, blame the Sanchize...blah, blah, blah
Neither Keller or Holmes get as much separation as they should. Period. I don’t care if you got Peyton back there. Peyton will try to squeeze a ball into coverage which Keller or Holmes will drop. Yet, when Braylon was here, the one guy we had who can stretch the field with his speed…Sanchez was able to connect down the field and it opened things up for Holmes. Not just coincidence that Holmes does better playing as Robin instead of playing as Batman.
by Versifiervt on Jan 31, 2012 11:54 AM EST up reply actions
THIS
Well said.
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years." Alexander Tyler
Why keep a weapon we don't and won't use?
Let him go to the Pats so they can trot out 3 TE passing sets. Sparano had an excellent pass catching threat in Fasano and rarely used him, I doubt he’ll use Keller at all. Also, Keller’s trade value is peaked, IMO. The TE position isn’t getting anymore valued as several TEs this season have had monster seasons and if we didn’t have a 5 y/o with Asperger’s running our offense, then Keller would have put up monster numbers as well.
With competent QB play the guy will beast.
But yeah, we should make him more of a point of emphasis and get creative getting him the ball. The run-game being more of a focal point should free things up for him. We should be using shifts and motions to get him in favorable match-ups. LBs and safeties can’t key on the run game if they’re worried about Dustin, ans LBs and safeties can’t key on Dustin if they’re worried about the run game.
But in the same token, if we're looking to revamp the defense into more 40 front personnel...
Then we should shop him for a backer, or maybe even a good safety.
I thought I was the only one
who thought the problem with Keller was the one who’s throwing the rock to him… Or should I say AT him?
Stay
the problem is our QB cant throw a 5 yard pass with accuracy. there’s been numerous times where Keller is wide open but Sanchez over throws him or misses completely. our offense was terrible this year, everybody was caught sleeping by not looking for the ball this not just him so i cant put that only on Keller.
if they trade him, i don’t think were getting more than a 5th round pick in return. just keep him, he improves statistically every season.
If you can get something out of him, trade him. As said before, he just finished the year with the sixth most reception yards amongst tight ends and was the team’s leading receiver, so this would be the definition of selling high (not necessarily buying low as he was a first round pick). I also think that these stats are misleading in terms of what Keller’s contribution is as compared to what is out there for replacement players. Think about it for a second and list out the good tight ends in this league and you’ll realize they aren’t that rare. He’s actually probably the 3rd best tight end in the division (Gronk, Hernandez and Fasano).
In my mind, Keller’s numbers definitely benefit from the offensive struggles of this team. If this team were to improve their passing game in any manner, that would undoubtedly mean involving the wide receivers more and as I don’t expect the number of attempts to increase, this would probably be at the expense of Dustin’s numbers. Bottom line is that he is probably near the peak of his market value and combine that with the fact that he is in the last year of his contract (I think) and the ability to free up cap space and it makes sense.
Shop him and trade him. Or really use him.
There is no in between. He should line up at WR, TE, FB, H-Back. But he has little value lining up at just one of those positions. His value is that he can line up at all of them. Next year he will want greater than $5 mill per year. That’s expensive unless he has a role. ^5 catches can easily be spread around. Especially when 65 catches only comes with a handful of TDs.
That's the point.
Use him, use that guy. He can play in the slot, he can play wide or even in the backfield. If Sparano is not going to do this then put him in the trading block and let’s hope we can get a 3-4th round pick.
Great Post John
Keller is an averge TE on this team.
I would go a step further and say that his value to another team is greater then It is to ours. So we might have a unique chance to make our team better through trade or draft picks by shopping him around.
I’d like to pose a question to GGN.
What would Kellers worth be on draft day?
A 2nd and a 3rd? Just a 2nd from bad team with a higher pick?
If Keller can fetch a second, he's gone tomorrow
I doubt Keller fetches any higher than a 4. I’m not sure how you can trivialize the value of our leading receiver to our team.
by J-Nasty on Jan 31, 2012 11:56 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I'm gonna assume you ment to reply to me.
You might be right about the 4th I don’t know I’m not any good at judging value on draft day. Thats why I asked.
The fact that Keller just had his career year with Mark and still didn’t set the world on fire with his stats only furthers my point that he would have more value to another team and thus may pay dividends in a trade.
Keller is not doing anything on the field thats making Mark better.
He drops passes. He’s not that great in the open field or after the catch and like John said, he’s a non factor in the running game. He ran his routes and caught more passes then the other guys. He’s not the diamond in the rough. He a shiny pebble sitting atop a pile of cow dung.
If a team wants to hand over something that could possibly have a diamond value to us how is that trivializing the matter?
I Think He's Worth at Least a 3rd
possibly a 2nd. If he can cut down his drops and improve his route running, used correctly in the right offense I think he could put up some big numbers. Some OCs and HCs out there will know how to utilize him and will pay for him. Rex & Co. obviously don’t.
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years." Alexander Tyler
He's an average tight end with one year on his contract and severe limitations
Non-essential position
One year left on contract
Borderline top 10 player at this non-essential position
Limited player (can’t block)
Noted inconsistent player
Going to turn 28 during the 2012 season
Teams know the Jets want to get something before he hits free agency which invites lowball offers
Do you really think anyone’s going to pony up for Dustin Keller? He makes little sense for a rebuilding team being almost 28 and other top teams won’t drop assets on a guy who won’t put them over the top (and most already have stud TEs). Logically, Keller doesn’t have much value on the market.
by J-Nasty on Feb 1, 2012 9:37 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
He's a slightly above-average tight end with one year on his contract and severe limitations
Non-essential position
One year left on contract
Borderline top 10 player at this non-essential position
Limited player (can’t block)
Noted inconsistent player
Going to turn 28 during the 2012 season
Teams know the Jets want to get something before he hits free agency which invites lowball offers
Do you really think anyone’s going to pony up for Dustin Keller? He makes little sense for a rebuilding team being almost 28 and other top teams won’t drop assets on a guy who won’t put them over the top (and most already have stud TEs). Logically, Keller doesn’t have much value on the market. Look at the players that go for 2nd round picks, all much higher caliber players than Keller.
by J-Nasty on Feb 1, 2012 9:38 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Relax J-Nasty
I think you guys are both close. Like I said I’m not good at judging talent on draft day I differ to other people for that. If you want to debate whos right then your conversation is better aimed ay Joe. He’s the one who thinks Keller MIGHT be worth a 2. He may be over shooting kellers value but I also think you might be under shooting it as well.
I find it hard to believe the team can’t find a 3rd round pick somewhere in the draft for this guy. Thats all.
Non-essential position?
Hardly. You obviously haven’t been paying attention to what’s going on in the NFL. Would NE be in the SB without Gronk and Hernandez? Would the Saints have made it as far as they did without Graham? Would SF have made it to the NFC Championship game without Davis? Would Cam Newton and the Panthers have done as well as they did this year without Olsen and Shockey? That’s just a small sample. The TE is becoming the rage in the NFL. Many of the better TEs are taller than Keller, but he’s as fast as most of them I believe. Used correctly in the right offense, he still offers a great mismatch against LBs and many Safeties. He might not bring a 2, but I don’t think there’s any way he’d bring only a 4th.
His inconsistency is the biggest thing, but other teams may excuse some of that considering BS and Sanchez and the mess the Jets’ offense has been. 28 isn’t that old. He can still probably play at a pretty high level for another 6-7 years if he takes care of himself and doesn’t get any serious injuries. The drops are a lack of focus and can be cured.
The fact that he only has one year left on his contract may not be that big of a deal. Any team trading for him, would probably negotiate a longer-term contract anyway.
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years." Alexander Tyler
Elite TEs are all the rage. Guys like Olsen and Shockey are JAGs
Newton would’ve been much worse off without Smith than those 2 combined. Speaking of Olsen, he’s basically a similar caliber player who was 2 years younger than Keller and he brought in a future 3, which for some reason teams value as a current 4th… which is right where I pegged Keller’s value.
by J-Nasty on Feb 1, 2012 7:32 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
You're Wrong
You obviously didn’t see many Panthers games. Yes Smith is a big target for the Panthers, but if it wasn’t for Olsen and Shockey, they wouldn’t have been able to consistently move the ball and score as much as they did. They may not be elite TEs like Gronk or Graham, but they aren’t JAGs.
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years." Alexander Tyler
Kerry Rhodes got us a Fourth and a conditional 7th
Keller is a one year rental, he is looking to score big bucks in 2013. The Patriots oddly enough have helped our market situation with Keller. The hope is that the Gronk & Hernandez success, gets NFL copycats in a frenzy for pass catching TE’s…But what I think will happen is that Keller will follow Schotty out to St.Louis to help install his offense, the Rams giving up their 4th (1st pick of the fourth round) and a conditional 6th in 2013, typical Tannanbaum deal, but the best value the Jets can get . I’m looking at Kellen Davis TE from the Bears as a FA replacemnt
I don't remember much about Kerry's contract.
Was he a one year rental too?
Are TE’s generally thought of as having more worth than a Saftey?
Kerry was thought of as a possible probowl talent at the time as well but then again so is Keller in some conversations.
I agree about your rising stock comment. TE could be a hot pick-up this year after the years some TE’s have had up until this point.
A lot of people are blaming Sanchez for Keller average stats
There is some truth to that, but please don’t ignore his dropped TDs, his getting stripped of the ball after catching it. It happened last season as well as this past one, going for a TD. I agree maybe they should put him out wide more, but then you asking our inaccurate QB to become more accurate. So I say move him while you can get something for him.
GO
he is at optimum value trade wise and getting rid of him will save over 4m in cap .
i also means we get an extra pick or two in the draft and we can sign Davis or Carlson to long term deals for less than kellers contract of 4.9m this year and the potential 5m+ he will want next year when his contract is up .
why risk losing him for free when we could get a 3rd , or a 4th and 5th if we trade him .
just in case you are all wondering where i’m getting his salary as 4.9m . he is due to earn 1.9m according to nyjetscap.com on there cap page but they also have an article called " getting under the salary cap " where the writer states that keller is due a 3m increase . " I also think its highly likely that Dustin Keller will receive a $3 million or so raise in the final year of his deal " .
i was thinking 1.9m was a very small cap number for a 1st round pick in the final year of his contract under the old rookie pay scale considering wilkerson will earn 1.6m in his 2nd year under the new rookie pay scale. i use wilkerson because they were taken around the same pick of the draft.
you can check out the article , i will leave a link below
http://nyjetscap.com/2012_Articles/2012cap.php
follow me on TWITTER @tinley24
i want jeffery in green at pick 16
Notre Dame vs. Navy: The Emerald Isle Classic
Date:Sept. 1, 2012
Location:Dublin, Ireland
You've Become My Favorite Poster
Good stuff, mate.
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years." Alexander Tyler
I think you touched on this before......
in another story. But you have covered all of the bases here rather nicely and with your follow-up below. I am in agreement that Keller did not turnout to be the Jets version of Antonio Gates or you name similiar versions. With an eye on rising costs vs. past performance and estimated future performance by Keller a change must be made. Seeking to deal him at this years draft in April is the most logical thing for the Jets to do. Its an opportunity to move forward to fill current needs and add depth. We have an opportunity prior to the draft to find a very suitable and more qualified replacement. It’s a “Win-Win” scenario for the Jets……as long as they follow through with this idea…..this year.
"It's only through change we learn to grow".
potential replacements for keller via FA
if he goes this year we could replace him with one of the following :
Jermichael Finley
Fred Davis
John Carlson
Scott Chandler
Martellus Bennett
Joel Dreessen
Visanthe Shiancoe
Jeremy Shockey
Leonard Pope
Zach Potter
or we could lose him next year for free and replace him with :
Travis Beckum
Tony Gonzalez
Todd Heap
Delanie Walker
Benjamin Watson
Jason Witten
if we are to lose keller next year then we as a franchise need to see what potential replacements we could get . if his replacement could be better/cheaper from the 2012 list then trading him is the best option for the team . if the franchise like someone from the 2013 list hen we should keep him .
i my opinion there are TE’s on the 2012 list with a good enough skill set to replace him that will be a lot cheaper than some of the guys on the 2013 list and cheaper than what it would cost to sign keller up to a long term deal
follow me on TWITTER @tinley24
i want jeffery in green at pick 16
Notre Dame vs. Navy: The Emerald Isle Classic
Date:Sept. 1, 2012
Location:Dublin, Ireland
keep him
he gives us almost a heath miller type guy. he is also our best offensive threat in my opinion. we just need a big bodied tall tight end opposite of him
by ganggreen24 on Jan 31, 2012 1:18 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Unless someone offers something mighty tasty for him, stay
Some people said it earlier, but I think his consistency issues would be resolved if he were used more appropriately.
Arm chair GM. Mod/contributing writer at SBN Jets blog GGN.
GangGreenNation.com
keep him.
are we really considering getting rid of the last person who has some real chemistry with sanchez? he has hot streaks and cold streaks, but to get rid of him would leave holmes & kerley as the likely only receivers with any chemistry w/ sanchez. that’s not good.
Don't think Sanchez had chemistry with any receivers last season.Mark hit Keller more than a few times
in the back with passes and at the end of the season Dustin’s helmet had some football sized dents.
by Putnan Prince on Jan 31, 2012 3:42 PM EST up reply actions
Stay. He definitely will be playing for a good payday
And I think him and mark can make big strides next season
Let's Make sure we play like the f***in NEW YORK JETS
and not some f***in slapd**k team!
by jets4life24 on Jan 31, 2012 3:56 PM EST via mobile reply actions
and if he earns his big pay day will the jets be able to afford to keep him or will they be outbid by another team ?
then we lose him for nothing
follow me on TWITTER @tinley24
i want jeffery in green at pick 16
Notre Dame vs. Navy: The Emerald Isle Classic
Date:Sept. 1, 2012
Location:Dublin, Ireland
Since...
…I first heard about the Keller trade rumors it got me to thinking. First off let me state that I am a big fan of not only Keller but Sanchez too. That being said, I believe we should trade them.
When it was first reported here on GGN that Keller might possibly be traded I commented on that post and said if Keller goes, Sanchez won’t be our QB. I think I was right. They’re best friends, there isn’t a chance in hell that if we traded away Keller, Sanchez wouldn’t be upset. So why not a package deal?
Let’s not forget, Keller is in his final year of his contract with the Jets and Sanchez, who some believe is one of the most overpayed players in this league has only two more years left.
With Sanchez and Keller you get two players that have chemistry with each other. That something that is very important when it comes to winning games. To already have at least one established connection would make a team with a new QB pretty happy.
If you’re wondering what team would take this trade? I think it’s pretty obvious, the Washington Redskins. After another abysmal year in Washington, especially at the QB position they are going to be looking for yet another new QB. The Redskins are a team known to utilize the catching tight end in Fred Davis. With Davis’ contract up, and coming off of a 4 game suspension reasons to drop Davis and pick up Keller seem to be at a high.
What I think we get in return, in addition to our first round pick is their first rd pick which we will use some how to trade with the Bucs and pick up Trent Richardson. How we do this…well I haven’t gotten that far yet, but these are just thoughts and what I want to see happen. I’m excited to see this all play out.
Interesting
First, if Sanchez goes into a funk and pouts like a little girl because if BFF is traded to another team, then he has no place in the NFL. Maybe he should go try being a model for a living.
Second, I would be shocked if Washington traded for both. That’s unheard of. I can’t imagine it. I’d love it if it did, but can’t see it happening. If it did, however, the Jets would have to get more than just Washington’s first round pick. You’re talking about two former first round picks, they have playoff experience, have the chemistry thing you mentioned, Keller offers the potential for mismatches, both are solid citizens and Sanchez has played well in big games. I’d think the Jets would have to get at a minimum Washington’s first and third plus possibly their 5th or Washington’s first and a solid starter. The problem is that there aren’t a lot of players on the Redskins that I think are worth taking. Orakpo would be one for certain, but there’s no way they’d let him go in that deal. The Jets would have to throw in their 2nd or 3rd round pick, and even that may not be enough. Maybe Ryan Kerrigan or Atogwe and another 2nd tier player.
No way the Jets should even consider trading up in this draft. If they do, Tanny should be fired on the spot.
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years." Alexander Tyler
stay for now
I agree he should be utilized differently, but c’mon TE is still way down on the priority list going in
I never came here to kiss Bill Belichick's rings. I came here to win, let's put it that way. ... I'm certainly not intimidated by New England or anybody else. Rex Ryan
by Simon Says Jets on Jan 31, 2012 5:46 PM EST reply actions
We should try and get as much as possible for Keller. Even though he has had chemistry with Sanchez, i dont think we can afford him. He will be looking for a max contract, and with the guys we have already locked up, it will be difficult to sign him and be active in free agency.
We can easily get a 2nd round pick for Keller which could turn into a future #2 WR, or a pass rushing outside LB. It will also give us more flexibility to address the holes on our team.
by servantofchrist on Jan 31, 2012 5:55 PM EST reply actions
I'm really torn on this
By getting rid of Keller we’re ripping away Mark’s Safety Valve, and who knows what that could do to him next year? He was also the only legit receiving threat we had this year. On the other end, he may not be good in the new system, and we may not be able to keep him. We need someone who can block AND catch, we don’t have that. That’s why we went after Todd Heap isn’t it? I really don’t know what to think, i’ll take whatever comes.
I said GO but.....
…..probably not going to happen if the best they can get is a 3rd rounder. Too thin at receiver and too attached to Mark (or vice versa).
But yes, he seems to be a tweener – not a prototypical TE if he cannot block and manhandle the ball away from defenders. I had been expectying big things from him and although his numbers look solid in a year when nothing did Jet fans watching have seen too many holes in his game.
Plenty of FA options out there that could be better in the Jjets system.
No Keller means NO OFFENSE
If you thought the offense was stagnant at times, consider the offense without Keller. It’s easy to say that the athletic tight end can’t block based on his size, but his blocking has improved each year to the point where he is no longer a liability but an asset.
When Keller is on the field, the whole defense is alert, with safeties especially alert to his presence. A run up the middle or a power play is not the first concern when Keller is on the field.
Furthermore, Keller has as much or more game speed than any tight end in the NFL. His routes are crisp. At times it may appear that Keller or any of the other Jets receivers are out of sync because of the quarterback deficiencies. Keller is sure-handed, with only two drops this year; both of which were when he was set up for failure (Ray Lewis-Ravens, James Ihedibo-Patriots during garbage time).
Name the top tight ends in the game. Now list the quarterbacks for those tight ends. It’s no coincidence that tight ends with great potential cannot thrive without an effective quarterback. And let’s be honest, Sanchez is without a doubt one of the five worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL.
The Jets organization should do everything in its power to ensure Keller remains a Jet. If they make the mistake of letting him go, he will make the Jets look very silly. Attaining 800 yards receiver with Mark Sanchez is equivalent to 1600 yards with Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, or the villain himself, Thomas Brady.
Keep Keller and Save Face.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Gang Green Nation
Related FanShots on Gang Green Nation
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Former high-school star Brian Banks does serious time on trumped-up charge, now hopes for an NFL shot
- Former ‘idiot kicker’ Mike Vanderjagt in trouble after accosting junior-high heckler
- Adrian Peterson blows teammates away in footraces; appears to be on the mend
- UPDATE: Charlie Sheen didn’t buy Lawrence Taylor’s Super Bowl ring
- Alex Smith gets blown up by Jon Beason over Cam Newton comments
