For the second time in eight months, a Philadelphia team has screwed a New York team.
First it was Cliff Lee turning down a seven-year offer from the Yankees to join the Phillies, now it’s Nnamdi Asomugha joining the Eagles after the Jets engaged in a hot pursuit of the All-Pro cornerback. This pursuit proved costly when all-purpose superstar Brad Smith signed with the Buffalo Bills.
The Jets are trying to save face by signing Plaxico Burress to a one-year deal. Personal problems aside, he has not played football in two years and is 34. Is this really an upgrade over Braylon Edwards or just a stopgap? I think it’s the latter.
It’s great that the Jets went after a superstar like Asomugha, but since they didn’t close on the deal, Jet fans are now left to wonder if they could have put their attention towards singing a defensive lineman like a Charles Johnson, a Ray Edwards or a Cullen Jenkins. The New England Patriots added Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco for nothing more than a couple of draft picks.
Mike Tannenbaum has been a great GM for the Jets. I’m not going to argue against 2 consecutive AFC Championship game appearances. However, if the Jets want to get to a third, they are going to have to hope Antonio Cromartie doesn’t have bruised feelings and they are going to have to find some way to develop a pass rush. Johnson or Edwards would have been a good acquisition for them. Instead, it looks like New England got better and the Jets stood pat.
