Thoughts on L.T.- What does his addition mean for Leon Washington and the Jets?

Late Sunday afternoon, the ex-Charger LaDainian Tomlinson and the Jets agreed on a 2-year contract. I’m sure the Jets don’t view L.T. as a starter at this point in his career, but I would imagine they plan on giving him at least 10-15 touches a game.  It’s clear that Tomlinson wasn’t his normal self last season, where he only averaged 3.3 yards per carry and did not seem to have the burst that we are so used to seeing. The addition of the future Hall of Fame running back may confuse many Jet fans, including myself. There are several questions raised by this signing:

If the Jets wanted a veteran RB, why didn’t they just keep Thomas Jones?

Now the details of L.T.’s contract have yet to be released, but I would imagine that Tomlinson received a similar contract to the one Jones received, with possibly an even higher salary. Thomas Jones had a career year last season, rushing for slightly over 1,400 yards and had 14 touchdowns as the Jets starting running back. With Tomlinson having possibly the worst season of his career last year, why would the Jets consider this an upgrade? First, the Jets have the best offensive line in the NFL, so people argue that many backs could have had the type of year Jones had behind the Jets’ line. Next, it was clear that Jones was wearing down at the end of the season, becoming almost ineffective in the last few games and the playoffs. Jones was injured, but maybe this injury is more serious than we thought.  Remember, Ryan had Jones sit out of practice late in the season “just to keep him fresh.” I bet there is more to this story than Rex was telling us.

Last season, after Leon Washington got injured, the Jets had a terrible screen game and no one could catch the ball out of the backfield.  Both Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene are not very good pass catchers. I remember even seeing Tony Richardson and Danny Woodhead lining up in the backfield to catch passes on some plays.  L.T. is known to be a threat in the passing game, and a running back who can catch the ball can be a developing QB’s best friend.  This leads us to our next question:

Does the Tomlinson signing mean the end to Leon Washington?

Let me start off by saying that Washington is one of my favorite Jets, and I think he is vastly under-valued by many fans. I think he is very important and would love to keep him on the roster next season. However, I feel like this signing spells the end for Washington, and I’ll tell you why. Leon’s agent, Alvin Keels, is a complete douche. He has a reputation of over-valuing his clients and stretching out contract negotiations. Keels is going to demand starter money for Washington, and right now the Jets just can’t afford that, especially with questions surrounding Leon’s health. The Jets have so many contracts that need to get signed before the 2011 season, and I think they know that Leon’s contract is not top priority. I expect the Jets to try to move Washington now so they can get something in return for him instead of letting him walk in free agency next season. I think the Jets will be happy in 2010 with Brad Smith returning kickoffs and have L.T. be their pass catching threat out of the backfield on 3rd downs.

If Leon isn’t a Jet in 2010, can Shonn Greene and L.T. handle all the carries?

No. Shonn Greene’s physical style of running will most likely lead to him getting banged up. We saw this last season when he got injured in the AFC Championship Game.  Greene also had an injury in training camp when he tweaked his ankle, which led to limited action during the first few games of the ‘09 season. If the Jets get a draft pick for Washington, I fully expect the Jets to draft a RB early in April’s draft. I think the Jets will open up the passing game a little more this year, but they will still be a run first team. In order for the Jets offense to be effective, they need a rotation of 3 solid running backs.

Final Thoughts:

I am not very high on this move to be honest.  I feel like Jones is a better option than Tomlinson at this point in their careers.  I would like to see Washington stay on the roster, but I understand that the Jets will most likely be shipping him out. It does make sense though, since Mangold, D’Brick, Harris, Cromartie, Edwards, Revis, and B. Smith all have contracts that need to be signed soon. I know it’s an uncapped year, but that doesn’t mean you can overspend and assume that a cap will never come back.

Tags: Brandon Marshall, Ladainian Tomlinson, Leon Washington, Thomas Jones