Showing posts with label New York Jets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York Jets. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Chris Johnson lands with Jets
By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. (+The Associated Press Sports Writer)
Former Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson watches the second half of an NBA basketball game …
Despite the solid production, New York still entered the offseason aiming to improve the position with a big-play runner.
That's exactly what they're hoping to get in the speedy and durable Johnson, who turns 29 in September and is only the sixth player to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first six seasons.
''I see this as a team on the rise,'' Johnson told newyorkjets.com. ''This is a winning team.''
But there have been questions about whether he'll ever be the same player who rushed for 2,006 yards in 2009, when he earned his ''CJ2K'' nickname.
Johnson finished with 1,077 yards - the second-lowest total of his career - and a career-worst 3.9-yard average last season. He also rushed for 100 or more yards just twice.
The Jets held Johnson to just 21 yards on 15 carries in their 38-13 loss last season at Tennessee, but Johnson gouged them for 122 yards on 21 carries, including a career-best 94-yard touchdown run, in 2012.
The splashy move is reminiscent of the one the Jets made in 2010, when they signed an aging LaDainian Tomlinson, who turned out to be a useful role player. While being deliberate throughout free agency, general manager John Idzik has now signed arguably the three best players available at their positions in Johnson, quarterback Michael Vick and wide receiver Eric Decker.
New York also showed early interest in free agency in running backs Maurice Jones-Drew and Donald Brown, but they signed elsewhere.
The +Tennessee Titans cut ties with Johnson, making him a free agent, to avoid paying the $8 million he was due for this season, along with the final three seasons left on the $53.5 million contract he signed in September 2011. Johnson, who set several franchise and +NFL records during his time in Tennessee, repeatedly said he wouldn't take a pay cut this offseason.
That prompted the Titans to unsuccessfully explore trade options this offseason- including with the Jets - before releasing him. Johnson's exit appeared inevitable when Tennessee signed Dexter McCluster to a three-year deal and re-signed Leon Washington to join Shonn Greene in the backfield.
''The Titans were ready to move on,'' Johnson said in his interview with The Tennessean. ''They didn't want me anymore. But everything is going to work out.''
Johnson was the 24th overall pick in the 2008 draft out of East Carolina, and had never missed a game because of injury - despite having surgery after the season to repair a torn meniscus that he played with most of the year.
He has 7,965 career yards on 1,742 carries for a 4.6-yard average, including 50 touchdowns, and ranks third on Tennessee's franchise rushing list behind Eddie George and Earl Campbell. Johnson also has caught 272 passes for 2,003 yards and eight TDs.
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AP - Sports
NEW YORK (AP) -- Always fast on the field, Chris Johnson is looking to quickly prove his critics wrong.
The +New York Jets signed the former Titans running back Wednesday, a little over a week after he was officially released by Tennessee.
Johnson met with the Jets all day Tuesday - the first team he visited - and stayed in town to watch the Knicks-Nets game in Brooklyn before signing Wednesday. The Jets announced the move, but didn't release terms.
In a text message to The Associated Press, Johnson confirmed it was a two-year deal.
''I have a fresh start,'' Johnson told The Tennessean. ''Now I am going to go out there with a chip on my shoulder. I know a lot of people are doubting me.''
Johnson was told by the Titans of their decision April 4, ending a six-year stint in Tennessee during which he became one of the NFL's most exciting running backs. The former 2,000-yard rusher will team with Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell to give coach Rex Ryan and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg a deep and dangerous backfield.
The Jets also have Mike Goodson, who is dealing with legal issues and recovering from torn knee ligaments.
''I've always been a big fan of the Jets,'' Johnson told the team's website. ''There was some thought into this, but just at the end of the day, I was comfortable here. I just felt like it was the right situation.''
While his days as a workhorse running back - he carried the ball over 300 times in each of the 2009 and 2010 seasons - might be over, Johnson could be the perfect complement to the bruising Ivory and versatile Powell. In Mornhinweg's first season as offensive coordinator, the Jets finished sixth in the league in rushing last year with Ivory and Powell sharing the load.
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| AP |
The +New York Jets signed the former Titans running back Wednesday, a little over a week after he was officially released by Tennessee.
Johnson met with the Jets all day Tuesday - the first team he visited - and stayed in town to watch the Knicks-Nets game in Brooklyn before signing Wednesday. The Jets announced the move, but didn't release terms.
In a text message to The Associated Press, Johnson confirmed it was a two-year deal.
''I have a fresh start,'' Johnson told The Tennessean. ''Now I am going to go out there with a chip on my shoulder. I know a lot of people are doubting me.''
Johnson was told by the Titans of their decision April 4, ending a six-year stint in Tennessee during which he became one of the NFL's most exciting running backs. The former 2,000-yard rusher will team with Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell to give coach Rex Ryan and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg a deep and dangerous backfield.
The Jets also have Mike Goodson, who is dealing with legal issues and recovering from torn knee ligaments.
''I've always been a big fan of the Jets,'' Johnson told the team's website. ''There was some thought into this, but just at the end of the day, I was comfortable here. I just felt like it was the right situation.''
While his days as a workhorse running back - he carried the ball over 300 times in each of the 2009 and 2010 seasons - might be over, Johnson could be the perfect complement to the bruising Ivory and versatile Powell. In Mornhinweg's first season as offensive coordinator, the Jets finished sixth in the league in rushing last year with Ivory and Powell sharing the load.
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| Former Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson watches the second half of an NBA basketball game in New York |
Despite the solid production, New York still entered the offseason aiming to improve the position with a big-play runner.
That's exactly what they're hoping to get in the speedy and durable Johnson, who turns 29 in September and is only the sixth player to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first six seasons.
''I see this as a team on the rise,'' Johnson told newyorkjets.com. ''This is a winning team.''
But there have been questions about whether he'll ever be the same player who rushed for 2,006 yards in 2009, when he earned his ''CJ2K'' nickname.
Johnson finished with 1,077 yards - the second-lowest total of his career - and a career-worst 3.9-yard average last season. He also rushed for 100 or more yards just twice.
The Jets held Johnson to just 21 yards on 15 carries in their 38-13 loss last season at Tennessee, but Johnson gouged them for 122 yards on 21 carries, including a career-best 94-yard touchdown run, in 2012.
The splashy move is reminiscent of the one the Jets made in 2010, when they signed an aging LaDainian Tomlinson, who turned out to be a useful role player. While being deliberate throughout free agency, general manager John Idzik has now signed arguably the three best players available at their positions in Johnson, quarterback Michael Vick and wide receiver Eric Decker.
New York also showed early interest in free agency in running backs Maurice Jones-Drew and Donald Brown, but they signed elsewhere.
The +Tennessee Titans cut ties with Johnson, making him a free agent, to avoid paying the $8 million he was due for this season, along with the final three seasons left on the $53.5 million contract he signed in September 2011. Johnson, who set several franchise and +NFL records during his time in Tennessee, repeatedly said he wouldn't take a pay cut this offseason.
That prompted the Titans to unsuccessfully explore trade options this offseason- including with the Jets - before releasing him. Johnson's exit appeared inevitable when Tennessee signed Dexter McCluster to a three-year deal and re-signed Leon Washington to join Shonn Greene in the backfield.
''The Titans were ready to move on,'' Johnson said in his interview with The Tennessean. ''They didn't want me anymore. But everything is going to work out.''
Johnson was the 24th overall pick in the 2008 draft out of East Carolina, and had never missed a game because of injury - despite having surgery after the season to repair a torn meniscus that he played with most of the year.
He has 7,965 career yards on 1,742 carries for a 4.6-yard average, including 50 touchdowns, and ranks third on Tennessee's franchise rushing list behind Eddie George and Earl Campbell. Johnson also has caught 272 passes for 2,003 yards and eight TDs.
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AP Sports Writer Teresa Walker in Nashville, Tenn., contributed to this report.
AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL
AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL
Friday, April 4, 2014
Where will former Titan, Chris Johnson land? Jets and Broncos among Candidates
New York Jets, Denver Broncos among possible landing spots for Chris Johnson
BY CHRIS BURKE
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Chris Johnson averaged 3.9 yards per carry in 2013, the lowest output of his six-year NFL career. (Al Tielemans/SI)
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The 28-year-old Johnson has rushed for at least 1,000 yards in every one of his six NFL seasons, and he had that breakthrough 2,006-yard 2009 season that earned him both his nickname and the AP Offensive Player of the Year honor.
Johnson may be hoping to land another starting job somewhere. His better hope may lie in finding a steady RB-by-committee situation, with the door open for him to take over the No. 1 job if he performs well. Here are a few teams that might be interested:
• +New York Jets: Multiple reports have touched on the Jets’ potential interest in Johnson. The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport even surmised that the Jets were passing on DeSean Jackson because “perhaps they’re allotting money for Chris Johnson.”
Here, as with just about every spot on this list, Johnson would have to accept and settle into a tandem role in the backfield. The lead dog for the moment is Chris Ivory, who led the team with 833 yards rushing last season. In theory, Johnson would serve as an upgrade over Bilal Powell (176 carries for 697 yards in 2013) as the speed option alongside Ivory. Powell also served as the Jets’ pass-catching back, with 36 reception to just two for Ivory. Johnson has averaged 45.3 catches over his six +NFL seasons.
• +New York Giants: The Giants are another team that reportedly inquired about Johnson once he hit the trade block. (+Dallas Cowboys, up next on our list of possible destinations, also tested the waters.) The Giants already have signed ex- +Oakland Raiders, Rashad Jennings this offseason, so the addition of another veteran back might indicate that they’re not expecting David Wilson (neck) to be ready for the start of 2014. The balance between Jennings and Johnson would be similar to that of Ivory and Johnson.
• +Dallas Cowboys: Again the question, would Johnson accept a secondary role? With the Cowboys he would be behind DeMarco Murray, who topped 1,100 yards on the ground last season. Of course, Murray only played 14 games and has yet to make it through a full season, a stark contrast from the extremely durable Johnson.
In that context, Johnson would fit as a sturdy safety net plus as an improvement over the Joseph Randle/Lance Dunbar/Phillip Tanner cluster behind Murray. That said, Johnson has never carried the ball fewer than 250 times in a season and has not finished below the 1K-yardage mark. He likely would not challenge either of those numbers running behind Murray on the depth chart.
• +Chicago Bears: Random shot in the dark here, offered up mainly because the Bears have tried mostly in vain to limit Matt Forte’s wear and tear. Michael Bush certainly did not solve the problem, even as a goal-line back, and he’s now off the roster.
Johnson is a completely different runner than Bush, a power back Chicago preferred to turn to on the goal line and in short yardage. Johnson’s more similar to Forte, a shifty, versatile runner/pass-catcher. The need may not be there for the Bears, and Johnson likely wants a more promising situation, but Johnson’s skillset might pair nicely with Marc Trestman’s offense.
• +Arizona Cardinals: Rashard Mendenhall’s retirement stripped the Cardinals of their leading rusher from 2013, though Mendenhall hardly set the world ablaze with his 3.2 yards-per-carry average. Two 2013 draft picks remain: Andre Ellington and Stepfan Taylor. The former has earned the right to be a No. 1 guy, even with head coach Bruce Arians insisting he’ll continue to limit the back’s touches.
The match here is a debatable one, at best. Arizona would love to find someone who can shoulder some carries on early downs or in short-yardage (hence the signing of free agent Jonathan Dwyer). Johnson definitely can pick up some slack, but he has not done much in the way of grinding out yards recently.
• +Denver Broncos: Clearly, the Broncos are all-in for this season. So why not add a potential game-breaker at a relatively thin position? The franchise prepared for Knowshon Moreno’s exit by drafting Montee Ball last year, and he’ll bump up to the top RB spot for 2014.
But while the stable is not exactly bare behind Ball, with Ronnie Hillman and C.J. Anderson on the roster, Johnson would provide a boost. The heavy attention on Peyton Manning and the passing game could provide him the opposite of his situation in Tennessee, where teams stacked the box in hopes of forcing Jake Locker to the air. A spread offense that allows Johnson to work sideline-to-sideline might be just the ticket to revive his game.
• +St. Louis Rams: The Rams already have an overloaded RB group in Zac Stacy, Daryl Richardson, Benny Cunningham and Isaiah Pead. There simply may not be additional room for Johnson. The clear connect-the-dots tie here is that head coach Jeff Fisher drafted Johnson during his time with the Titans.
• +Jacksonville Jaguars: Gus Bradley and Co. seem to have a pretty clear vision for their rebuilding project, and Johnson may not fit it. If he does, though, this stands out as one of the few spots where Johnson could have a legitimate chance at the No. 1 job heading into the season.
Jacksonville signed ex- +Minnesota Vikings RB Toby Gerhart, who has been impressive in spurts during his short career but has been stuck behind Adrian Peterson. In other words, the jury is out on if he can handle the starting job for a full season. Gerhart currently stands as the de facto replacement for Maurice Jones-Drew, who’s now in Oakland. Johnson’s style would complement the hard-nosed Gerhart well.
Friday, March 14, 2014
Eric Decker signs with Jets - Broncos land Top Tier Free Agents, Headline First 24 Hours of NFL Free Agency
Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker joins Jets as Denver invest in free agency
Denver Broncos sign Aqib Talib, DeMarcus Ware, Andre Caldwell and TJ Ward, but allow Eric Decker to join New York Jets
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| Eric Decker with Peyton Manning before leaving the Denver Broncos for the New York Jets. Photograph: Larry W. Smith/EPA |
The New York Jets agreed a deal with Eric Decker, plucking the wide receiver away from the Denver Broncos, who have been busy in NFL free agency.
The Broncos have already signed cornerback Aqib Talib for $57 million from the New England Patriots, former Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware to a three-year, $30 million deal and ex-+Cleveland Browns safety TJ Ward, with a four-year contract for $23 million.
Decker will sign a contract with the Jets worth $36.25 million over five years with $15 million in guarantees.
Decker, who will be 27 on Saturday, was a member of Denver’s record-breaking offense last season that reached the Super Bowl. With quarterback Peyton Manning passing to him, Decker set individual career-highs with 87 receptions and 1,288 yards. The Jets, on the other hand, were one of the worst offenses in the NFL and are looking to build with second-year quarterback Geno Smith.
The Patriots reacted to the Talib deal by signing five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis just hours after he was released by the Buccaneers for salary cap reasons. The +New England Patriots agreed on a one-year deal worth $12 million, pending the completion of a physical.
Revis, the Jets’ first-round draft pick in 2007, was one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL during his first five seasons, when he helped the Jets reach two AFC Championship games. He tore his ACL in 2012 and was traded to Tampa Bay but returned to form with the Bucs. Revis hasn’t always been a fan of Patriots coach Bill Belichick, calling him ‘ignorant’ and a ‘jerk’ during his time at the Jets.
The +New York Jets saw right tackle Austin Howard agree to a five-year, $30 million deal with the +Oakland Raiders.
In other deals, the +Chargers signed former Pittsburgh Steelers tight end David Johnson to a two-year deal, wide receiver Jacoby Jones re-signed with the +Baltimore Ravens and former +Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Dekoda Watson agreed to terms with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Cleveland Browns released much-maligned quarterback Brandon Weeden and veteran Jason Campbell.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed former Chicago Bears quarterback Josh McCown to a two-year, $10 million contract. Head coach Lovie Smith said Wednesday that McCown would enter training camp as the No. 1 quarterback ahead of rookie Mike Glennon.
The Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks saw free agent wide receiver Golden Tate move to the Detroit Lions, agreeing to a five-year contract. Meanwhile, defensive end Chris Clemons was released to save the team $7.5 million against the 2014 salary cap.
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Englewood, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos locked up a shutdown cornerback, only his name wasn't Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
The +Denver Broncos spent the first day of free agency bolstering their defensive backfield, agreeing to a four-year deal with Pro Bowl safety T.J. Ward on Tuesday afternoon and then hours later reaching an agreement on a six-year contract with cornerback Aqib Talib.
Talib and Ward will play in a secondary that will be without Champ Bailey, who was released last week, and may be moving on from Rodgers-Cromartie, who entered free agency without a new deal from the Broncos.
The 28-year-old Talib had quite a year for New England last season, with teams largely choosing to go the other way rather than pick on him.
Sound familiar? It was the same way for Bailey in his prime.
By agreeing to a deal, Talib seemed to show there's no bad blood between him and the Broncos after he hurt his knee early in the AFC championship game against Denver when he was bumped by +Wes Welker on a crossing route. The league's officiating chief later ruled it a legal hit by Welker.
ESPN first announced the agreement with Talib, which is reportedly worth $57 million. The Broncos also are reportedly interested in defensive lineman DeMarcus Ware, who was released by Dallas on Tuesday in a salary-cap move.
Talib will be reunited with cornerback Chris Harris Jr., who's also a former Kansas Jayhawk. Harris played opposite of Rodgers-Cromartie last season before blowing out a knee against San Diego in the divisional round.
Harris later posted on his Twitter account: "I had to call my Fam Talib to see if it was real."
Reunited☝️@ChrisHarrisJr pic.twitter.com/SrMHqbjjuG
— Still Will (@itsWILLe) March 12, 2014
The Broncos also brought in Ward, who had 129 tackles and two interceptions for Cleveland in 2013. The Broncos are looking for some stability at a position that got juggled last year, with the loss of Rahim Moore and the inconsistent play of Duke Ihenacho. Veteran Mike Adams, also formerly of Cleveland, started the season as a reserve but ended up in the starting lineup.
"He's a young, explosive strong safety who is going to bring a lot of energy and toughness to our secondary," Broncos boss John Elway said of Ward.
Denver's big receiving news Tuesday was a two-year extension for fourth receiver Andre Caldwell, who could move up a notch because the Broncos and Eric Decker have parted ways.
I salute you Broncos Country for an amazing ride these past 4 years! Great teammates, great… http://t.co/DyeSrPhUI8
— Eric Decker (@EricDecker87) March 14, 2014
Caldwell came on late in the season when Welker was sidelined with a concussion. The 28-year-old Caldwell had 11 of his 16 receptions over the final three games of the season.
His most productive game in 2013 was against San Diego on Dec. 12, when he had six receptions for 59 yards and two TDs.
Caldwell was held without a catch in the 43-8 loss to Seattle in the Super Bowl.
"Hopefully I can compete for an extended role this year and contribute a lot more to the team," Caldwell said.
Caldwell received an invitation from Peyton Manning to attend offseason workouts at Duke University. Last spring, only Welker, Demaryius Thomas and Decker were invited to work on their chemistry with the five-time NFL MVP quarterback.
"It's just a process of building confidence with those guys all the way from April," Caldwell said.
Ward is expected to be a main piece around which the Broncos reshape a defense that was obliterated by an injury epidemic last season, losing Von Miller, Harris, Derek Wolfe, Kevin Vickerson and Moore.
Official like a referee with a whistle! #gobroncos #horsepower #milehighmagic #orangecrush http://t.co/76qZfLZi6q
— T.J. Ward (@BossWard43) March 12, 2014
The Broncos also could seek a replacement for linebacker Wesley Woodyard, a free agent who is now a LB for the +Tennessee Titans.
They'll need a new starting guard now that Zane Beadles has agreed to terms with Jacksonville.
Running back Knowshon Moreno is a free agent as well after rushing for 1,038 yards and 10 TDs in 2013.
The Broncos also hired two new coaches on Tuesday, bringing in assistant offensive line coach James Cregg and offensive quality control coach Bo Hardegree.
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