Monday, March 17, 2014

Giants Beat Jets, Sign Rodgers-Cromartie to 5-Year Deal


Now it is the Giants who are getting the better of the Jets this off-season. 

The New York Giants continue their blitzkrieg off-season signing another player to a multi-year contract, this time nabbing former Broncos' cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to a five year deal worth $39 million, with $15 million guaranteed. 

With Rodgers-Cromartie in town along with Walter Thurmond and Quintin Demps, who they picked up on Sunday, the Giants secondary is only getting bigger and better. The Giants already have the likes of Prince Amukamara and Antrelle Rolle in the secondary, and these new additions give Big Blue a more menacing presence than in years past. 

Opponents have grown used to killing the Giants secondary over the years, a unit that has been partly responsible for Big Blue's struggles; now they have unit that compete with the big, physical receivers of the NFC East. 

Not to mention, Big Blue has committed to former Ravens linebacker Jameel McClain and re-signed Jon Beason. If the Giants can get their front seven healthy that brings the Giants back to the established pass rush they once had, this defense could be lethal. 

As for Cromartie, he's a ball hawk, and still young, only 27-years old. Last year he had three picks for the AFC Champion Denver Broncos, and owns 19 career interceptions. He is going to be a very solid addition to the Giants in 2014. 

While the Giants walk away from this signing big winners, there is also a loser in this deal and that is the New York Jets. 

The Jets had first dibs at Rodgers-Cromartie and blew it. They had him in their building, and even went as far as to have him take a physical with the team. Usually when a player has a physical for a team it means they are close to a deal, but instead John Idzik and Woody Johnson let Rodgers-Cromartie walk out the door, hop in a car and drive down Route 46 via Route 3 to the Giants training facility. 

The Jets have once again struck out big time in free agency. 

They missed out on Alterraun Verner, who many thought they were very much interested in, but instead allowed him to sign a deal with the Buccaneers. 

They let Donte Whitner, another free agent slip through their hands to the Browns. 

The stick that broke the camels back of course was the front office's decision to not even think about bringing back Darrelle Revis, allowing him to walk to the Patriots. 

Now the Jets have lost out on Rodgers-Cromartie. If New York is not careful, they might lose out on Antonio Cromartie, whom they released last week to make cap space. The Jets entered this period with $40 million in cap room, but have only spent big money on Eric Decker. 

While Decker is good, the fact that he is the only big signing for Gang Green is unacceptable. Oh, and by the way, the Jets were supposed to be in the running for former Packers receiver James Jones. Yeah well, Jones signed the Raiders. The Jets missed out again. 

With all of the mistakes and missed opportunities the Jets have had this off-season, it makes one wonder whether GM John Idzik really knows what he is doing when it comes to talking to players. 

Check out these tweets from the Daily News' Manish Mehta, and it looks like some bad stuff is starting to rumble in Florham Park: 



Friend of Rex Ryan chimes in on news Jets couldn't land Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (or any legit CB in free agency): "Rex is pissed."

Woody Johnson employees not named Idzik are not happy with Idzik. One just told me Idzik "operates on his own time & schedule. Unbelievable"


Source on Jets GM John Idzik: "He'll get a pass on one fire... and he'll fire Rex after next season."

While Mehta has had his issues reporting in the past, if these tweets have any validity to them things are going south for the Jets fast, and it's only March. Oh, and in case you are keeping count, the Jets have less than a week to unload Mark Sanchez or face paying his $2 million bonus for 2014.

As they used to say in New York, Giants win, Jets lose. 

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