The Jets have agreed to terms with former Raiders wide receiver Chaz Schilens.
Jets announce they have agreed in principle to a contract with WR Chaz Schilens. #nyj
Schilens is a 26 year old who stands 6'4" and has been timed in the 4.3 range for the 40 yard dash. The ultimate questions to me are the terms of the deal and where the team expects him to end up on the roster. If it is near the minimum, and he is going to compete with Patrick Turner, he seems like a decent guy to take a shot on. If it is for a couple million per year, and the team intends for him to replace Plaxico Burress, it is difficult for me to get on board.
You have to like Schilens' physical tools, but those alone do not make a good receiver. There are a lot of big and fast receivers who have not been successful in the NFL. It takes more. He has never caught more than 29 passes, put up more than 365 receiving yards, or had more than 2 touchdowns in a single season. He has never had a 100 yard game. He is injury prone, having missed at least eight games twice in a four year career. I think Jeremy Kerley would be a better starter.
Is this a guy the team wants to develop, or is it a guy the team is going to count on to start? That is the question. If it is the second, I have to question what the Jets are doing. That Mark Sanchez extension was a bad idea anyway, but if they did it to clear cap space to sign guys like Schilens and Drew Stanton, what was the point?