This Guy Is A Jet!
You can't replace Curtis Martin, but I'll take Thomas Jones.
I was really impressed with him last year in the Bears playoff run.
Maybe my friends in Chicago can clue me in to why the Bears parted with him.
I think this is good news for us Jets fans.
Best of luck with him. He's durable, but also has a little case of happy feet before he hits the line. He's generally had pretty good stats, but as a Bears fan you always tended to think you were missing a little something at the RB position.
He's certainly much better than the Jets' other options at RB; his YPC average is actually the same as Curtis Martin's.
Posted by: Rockwell | March 06, 2007 at 10:10 AM
Looks like a great trade for the Jets. They swapped second-round picks and moved down 26 spaces in the second round, which the NFL point system views as the equivalent of a third-rounder. And they got a guy who can carry the load.
Good news for Packer fans as well. The Bears held onto the more injury-prone (albeit younger) of the two backs, they look like they're going to lose Lance Briggs and all the viable veteran free-agent QBs have moved already, so Rex Grossman is back on top!!! Yippee!!! Of course, we can't cheer too loudly after losing Ahman Green to a ridiculous contract, but I'm sure Verand Morency (sp?) is destined for greatness. At least in preseason.
My understanding is that Jones wasn't happy sharing time with Benson.
Posted by: JayR | March 06, 2007 at 10:20 AM
Welcome Mr. Jones!
Posted by: jackson | March 06, 2007 at 12:06 PM
The Bears used a high draft pick on Cedric Benson a couple years ago. He has yet to perform at the same level as Jones, but he is a solid (albeit expensive) back. I guess the Bears are just trying to get their money's worth by elevating Benson to no. 1 status. Definitely a good trade for the Jets.
Posted by: MattK | March 06, 2007 at 12:19 PM
I think Jones can kinda be a nussiance when he's not the "featured back". As long as he's getting his carries, you'll love him.
Posted by: Rick | March 06, 2007 at 02:03 PM
Sadly for Jets fans the following are now Patriots;
Adalius Thomas and Wes Welker, Sammy Morris and Kyle Brady are nice pick ups too.
Is this what it feels like to be a Yankees fan?
Posted by: Erik Schwartz | March 06, 2007 at 02:14 PM
I couldn't be happier with this acquisition. T.Jones is a tough workman-like back and seems like a good fit for the Mangini Jets. I just swung a trade for Jones on my dynasty roster as well :)
The one thing I was hoping would happen would be scoring Dillon just to piss off the Pats.
I don't think the Wes Walker move hurts so much, but the Adalius Thomas move was a big one.
Posted by: Tim Marman | March 06, 2007 at 04:12 PM
Looks like JayR's Packers are getting dragged along in that pic :)
Posted by: Andrew | March 07, 2007 at 09:05 AM
Nice shot of him against the Packers where he had an amazing 27 yards rushing. (yawn)
But wait! He also had receiving yards - oh wait. Perhaps the -3 yards receiving isn't noteworthy.
Hmmm.....
Sure hope the Jets didn't pay too much for him.
Posted by: Dave | March 07, 2007 at 09:35 AM
I can only guess that as Cedric Benson started to see more playing time in the last quarter of the season, there must have been some issue or concern with Jones. It certainly seems on the face of things that the Jets got by far the better end of this deal. I was very surprised by it.
Posted by: Dick Costolo | March 07, 2007 at 01:01 PM
Well, Andrew, it wouldn't have been the first time that KGB was given a piggyback ride by a running back. That's why the Packers shelled out for Cullen Jenkins.
Oh, and by the way, the Packers killed the Bears in the game this picture was from.
Posted by: JayR | March 07, 2007 at 03:13 PM
He has the skills, the guts, and the work ethic to battle Curtis Martin. Though his time in the league will tell if he has the same sense of giving back to his community, he will never have Curtis's smile. (Terrific post on Geni.)
Posted by: Ayal Rosenthal | March 08, 2007 at 11:21 PM