Willie Colon: 2014 and Beyond

The Jets almost squeezed an entire productive season out of Willie Colon in 2013. Then in the finale Colon suffered a biceps tear. It was the fourth straight season Colon ended with a serious injury. The Jets had gotten Willie at a discounted rate. He ended up being a nice bargain to fill a need when they didn't have a ton of cap space.

After that season, the prudent thing probably would have been to move on. Things were not going to get better for the then 30 year old Colon. He had already been forced to move from tackle to guard. His play in 2013 was solid but not on an All Pro level. Any decline was likely going to make his play substandard.

Just like in 2013, Colon led guards in penalties. He had 14 in 2014. The number of pressures he allowed jumped from 14 to 24. I don't have any statistics to discuss his run blocking, but there was some real deterioration. Colon wasn't the asset he was in 2014. He seldom got a consistent push to open holes for runners.

Colon is going to be 32 before the 2015 season starts. As the pounding he has taken through the years adds up, it seems unlikely his play will rebound. I could see the Jets bringing him back for another training camp with a chance to get a roster spot. He might be better than some backup guards in the league. I think his days as an effective starter are probably over, though.