Nervous before Training Camp

Am I the only person in Jets nation nervous about a few things that we haven't talked about on here yet?

Chad Pennington. He had a conference call yesterday with the Jets reporters in Hofstra. Chad isn't expected to be back to 100% until close to or around September 11th, which is the opening Sunday of the football season. Can you really go into the first game of the season playing 100% only for the first time in a year? Don't you need to play at 100% capacity at least once or twice before you get all your "game timing" back?

Maybe not. Maybe he can get back to his old self with a snap of the fingers, with gradually increasing his role in the Preseason. But if this is the plan (which everyone seems to say that it is), Chad NEEDS to play 2 to 3 quarters in the final preseason game. This is unheard of for a Jets starting quarterback. Gang Green has always been conservative during the last preseason game with their quarterbacks, but that precedent needs to change this year.

Final question on this topic: What happens when you reconstruct a shoulder of a quarterback that already had a weak arm in the first place?

John Abraham. My first reaction after hearing that he was going to hold out of training camp was "I wish the Jets had either traded him last year, or used the franchise tag on Lamont Jordan instead". Then I came to my senses, and realized what a defensive line would look like while losing John Abraham and Jason Ferguson in the same offseason.

With that thought out the window, I come to the realization that the Jets need Abraham. The Problem? He's always hurt. And if he gets hurt for an extended period this year with a franchise tag contract, the Jets would be able to say to themselves, "Well, we gave it a shot with him for one more year, but the pattern continues...", and then proceed to let him go to another team willing to take a chance with him next year.

Unfortunately, Abraham and his agent aren't stupid. They know their best chance to get a good long term contract is him signing RIGHT NOW with the Jets. They would risk losing everything if he played one year under a frachise tag contract. (Granted he would still have his $6M that he would be due to make this season under the contract, so don't feel sorry for the guy). So because of all this, they are trying to force the Jets hand to lock him up to a contract.

Gang Green needs to give Abraham his way. They can't go into the season with more of a depleted defensive line. Abraham is an unreliable player, he will come down with the flu and sit out a playoff game in the drop of a hat, but he is also a difference maker. The Jets need a difference maker.

Abraham gone bye-bye

Thanks Donnie for the notice.

Two weeks before training camp starts, the Jets gaping hole in the secondary got even bigger. Who knew that was possible? Donnie Abraham FINALLY decided to retire, his agent announced yesterday.

Donnie waiting so long into the off season really created a stir in the Jets Organization. Apparently, most of the front office thought he was coming back for one more season. Why did they think that? Who knows, Donnie never really said that. Group think I guess. These guys would be perfect working for the CIA.

Anyway, the Jets immediately traded a sixth round pick to Dallas for a Bill Parcells reject, Pete Hunter. Who? He fell into Parcells' bad graces because he refused to move to safety last year. That's great, another safety caliber player playing cornerback for the Jets. What speed he must have.

Ty Law looks like a possibility. I read in the Daily News this morning that he is asking $6M per season. If they Jets give a 31 year old with a bad foot $6M a year, they really are fools, and will be even much better CIA candidates.

I do really want Ty Law on my team though. I think he's a good defensive leader, and still has some gas in the tank. But I would only want him if the asking price gets much much lower.