Chatman signs one-year deal; chances of McFadden fading
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- March
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Most of the time when free agents come to a bad team they’re looking to improve it. Jesse Chatman’s already picked up three wins by signing with the J-E-T-S.
Chatman, a fifth-year running back, agreed to a one-year contract yesterday. It’s unclear whether he came for the money, the connections (he worked with Brian Schottenheimer in San Diego), or to escape the stinking fish carcass that was Dolphin football ‘07. You’ll recall that the Fins won one game — a tiny ray of light in a rough season for Jet fans.
Chatman is coming off a career season of 515 yards rushing on 128 attempts. That works out to 4.0 yards a carry, which is nothing to write home about. Unless you’re Jesse Chatman, in which case you’re writing home every day. (Mom, guess what, I had 60 yards today!) The two years before that were wasted seasons. He was inactive in 2005, then sat out 2006. We’re not talking Ricky Williams sitting out where a guy can still play. He just wasn’t in shape. It’s great that he got his career back on track to start in the NFL, but I’m not that comfortable with the Jets taking a flier on him.
Whatever. It’s only a one-year deal. And he’s the third-string back behind TJ and Washington. The bigger problem is that it sends a strong message about the Jets not drafting McFadden. Unless they trade TJ there’s no way they’ll carry four RBs on the roster, all of whom expect to touch the ball. McFadden might not have been there at 6 but if he was I don’t see how you can ignore the consensus best player in the draft. This is what happened to Adrian Peterson. Everyone ignores him because they don’t need a RB, then he goes for 7,000 yards his first season and you get 100 articles on how he slipped through the cracks.
Even if the Jets never planned on taking him, they could have faked it and traded the pick for high value to a team that covets him (i.e. Dallas). Now Dallas knows the Jets won’t take him and it knows Kansas City won’t take him at No. 5 because of Larry Johnson. So if Oakland passes on McFadden at No. 4, Jerry Jones can trade a ton of stuff to New England at No. 7 for their pick. Which New England would be willing to do. According to many reports, the Patriots like Vernon Gholston and would move down in the draft if he was gone. You figure there’s a good chance Gholston goes to the Jets at No. 6. So now our arch-enemy New England gets to load up all because we signed Chatman.
Yes, it’s all hypothetical. But entirely plausible.
This entry was posted
on Monday, March 10th, 2008 at 12:17 pm by Jake Thomases.
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Jane McManus 
[...] the rest of this great post here Author: Time: Monday, March 10th, 2008 at 11:17 am Category: Jets Comments: You can [...]
I completely disagree that the signing of Chatman to a one year deal means that the JETS won’t draft McFadden if he is there. If McFadden somehow slips to #6, he WILL BE IN JETS GREEN in 2008!!!
Well I remember years ago the Cowboys took Steve Walsh with the first round supplemental pick (no longer exits) the same year they took Aikman with the intention of trading him. Which they did a year later. Figuring the could get a kings ransom. They got a haul (a one and a three and a second the next year) but taking a first round supplemental would cost you your first round pick the next year and it cost them the first over all pick which ended up being the criminally over hyped Jeff George (admittedly I just looked that up). Which burned them because they would have made out like a bandit trading him. Still who cares, it’s about the Jets and If Jones is salivating for McFadden and we really aren’t going to take him for ourselves take him and trade him.
But we shouldn’t, we should keep him and thank the Football Gods and know we finally caught a break
In 2004 for San Diego Jesse Chatman had 392 yards on 65 carries, a 6 yard per carry. Micheal Turner had 104 yards on 20 carries, 5 yards per carry. Chatman was Turner before Turner.
If Gholston is available
#6, take him(stockpike pass rushers, remember the Giants). If McFadden is there trade down to mid first and get a late 2nd/early 3rd that we lost w/ the Jenkins deal. Jets need to get helpCB, youthOT,sizeWR, and fresh legs @ inside LB. McFadden will cost too much. He appears to be trying to break records in most number of children by the most number of women. His lack of self-control and character off the field makes a multi-million $ investment seem shaky at best.chatman means the patriots have a better draft. that makes almost no sense. you’re paid for this stuff?
Yes, but only with cookies and juice. Tell me how it doesn’t make sense.