Lindor Remains Unsigned as Deadline Nears

 The Mets enter Opening Day ensnared in a royal mess thanks to Francisco Lindor's continued refusal to accept a contract extension from the organization in the form of 10-years and $325 million. Lindor is seeking a deal worth $385 million over 12 years, and word is both sides are not talking anymore. 

It looks like the Mets are going into tomorrow's opener with their highly touted off-season acquisition with one foot already out the door. That is not a feeling the Mets, Steve Cohen, nor Mets fans wanted at this point. 

It will be fascinating to see how Mets fans treat/react to Lindor throughout the year, starting with next week's home opener at Citi Field April 8 against Miami. In a poll we posted to Twitter, 39 percent said they would boo Lindor, while 10 percent said they would boo owner Steve Cohen. 51 percent said they would cheer. 

This is going to turn ugly before it gets better. Check out our vlog about the Lindor mess and the start of the Mets season. 

Lindor Playing Hardball with Mets as Deadline Looms

 It's getting late early. In this case, the self-imposed deadline short stop Francisco Lindor put on the Mets to hammer out a long term deal is coming to a close, and nothing appears imminent, in spite of the Mets best efforts.

 

According to SNY's Andy Martino, the Mets offered Lindor a contract in the neighborhood of 10 years at $325 million. He rejected that offer. Martino added that was the Mets best and final offer to the former All Star. 

Lindor meanwhile has countered with a request for a 12-year deal at $385 million. That would give him the second richest contract behind only Mike Trout who has a $426.5 million deal with the Angels.  

Meanwhile, CBS's Jon Heyman is reporting that many people inside baseball feel that Lindor should accept the Mets offer. The offer is also about $100 million less than what he was offered in Cleveland a year ago, according to Heyman. 

 

This comes just a day after Mets owner Steve Cohen wined and dined with Lindor, only to Tweet out cryptically that the "ravioli wasn't good." Cohen has used the Lindor negotiation as a ploy to tease fans on Twitter, including asking the fans for what would be a reasonable offer. 

With less than two days before the opener, the Lindor contract is becoming a distraction nobody wanted. Lindor could simply accept the offer, or both sides could come back to the table and renegotiate. 

If both sides part ways from the negotiating table at this point, Lindor risks becoming basically public enemy number 1 in the eyes of Mets fans for not accepting such a huge offer to begin with. It would create a distraction that would follow him all season. 

Furthermore it would put the Mets in a precarious position. If Lindor walks next winter, it would mean the Mets traded away two talent starters and a few prospects for nothing. That is a tough pill to swallow. At the same time, considering the number of talented shortstops available next winter including Trevor Story, Carlos Correa and Javier Baez, the Mets could turn that route. However, those guys could be waiting to see what Lindor settles on to re-set the market.

Is Steve Cohen Playing with Fire over Lindor Contract Tweet?

 Mets owner Steve Cohen is no stranger to speaking his mind. 

 Remember this is the same guy who told the media at his introductory press conference that he wants to win a World Series within three to five years.

 

When the whole GameStop fiasco came to his door, he got into a tit for tat with Barstool Sports' own David Portnoy on Twitter. And, last week he appointed infamous former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie as a member of the Mets Board of Directors. 

Now Cohen is taking the Mets contract negotiations with shortstop Francisco Lindor to Twitter. 

"What do you think Lindor will accept? I am going to crowdsource the answer." 

When asked by a fan if a deal was imminent, Cohen said it was not. 

Considering Lindor has stated consistently that he wants to be paid before Opening Day, which is 4 days away, tweeting, even light-heartily about the negotiation is not only bold, it could ultimately blow up in Cohen's face. If the Mets do not hand out an extension in the next four days, and Lindor plays out the year before hitting free agency next winter, this will be a tweet that -- well -- as they say, won't age well. 

Lindor is commanding top dollar. He is widely considered the best shortstop of his class, and there will be a bunch of shortstops going free agent next winter. 

Mookie Betts and Frenando Tatis Jr. all inked deals north of $300 million. One would have to imagine that Lindor is looking for a deal in that neighborhood. 

Complicating matters is the pending free agency of Michael Conforto, who is also a pending free agent, and is represented by Scott Boras. 

Cohen can joke all he wants on Twitter, he's running out of time to get a deal done before the season begins. 

Pundits and Fans Swoon over Zach Wilson Pro Day, Assume He's Lock for Jets

There is an old saying about the definition of insanity.... It means doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result. 

Now, imagine being a Jets fans and hoping to get what many consider one of the top quarterback's in the draft. 

Everywhere you turn the media praises the player, calling him a "generational" talent and "can't miss."  Fans on social media are convinced said quarterback is going to lead them to multiple Super Bowl championships before he ever gets drafted.

 You look at his college stats and see he had one 'ok year' and one 'really good year.'

 He's got a good arm. 

People praise him for his football IQ. 

And on his pro day he wows people with his arm strength on a rollout, where he has to set his feet and throw across his body downfield. 

Sound familiar? 

It should, because I am talking about Sam Darnold. Yeah, the same guy Jets fans can't wait to toss to the corner like a pair of worn sneakers. 

Back in 2018, Sam Darnold was the "can't miss" quarterback prospect. Every pundit on the planet felt Darnold was going to turn heads in the NFL. Mike Francesa said he would own New York. Colin Cowherd praised him as "thick, trunky and a born again leader." 

We heard it all. The Jets fell in love. Then GM Mike Maccagnan made Darnold the center piece of his draft; the kind of player that would set the standard for the Jets for years to come. 

Well, as all know Maccagnan is gone. Another GM who drafted a quarterback high in the draft for the Jets who wound up losing his job. Current General Manager Joe Douglas now finds himself in a similar spot. 

Douglas, Head Coach Robert Saleh and Offensive Coordinator Mike LaFluer were all in attendance on Friday in Utah to watch the latest "can't miss" prospect, Zach Wilson, at his pro day. Pro days are what they are, they give you a glimpse of the players arm talent, but that's about it. It doesn't tell the entire story -- game film will do that more than anything. 

Wilson had some good throws, other throws he missed on, and of course, he had that one spectacular throw on the rollout that had heads turned.  It doesn't mean he will turn into the hybrid version of Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes that people keep comparing him to. It also doesn't mean he will be terrible. Pro days are what the are. 

Many now assume that Wilson is a lock to the Jets at the number 2 pick because the 49ers traded with Miami for the third overall selection. The 49ers never contacted the Jets, but don't tell the fans that who automatically assumed that it means the 49ers know that the Jets know they are taking Zach Wilson.  

Yeah, I can picture the conspiracy theory meme already. 

 If the theories are correct, and the Jets are indeed drafting Wilson second overall, then they better get this right. 

Douglas did Darnold no favors the past two years. He turned a really bad offensive line constructed by Mike Maccagnan, and turned it into an even worse offensive line (sans for the left tackle). He stripped the Jets down the past year and made it pretty obvious the Jets were tanking in 2020. They almost did, before before beating the Rams and Browns in Weeks 15 and 16. 

This year's free agent haul saw Douglas add more depth pieces than impact players; they didn't even address their offensive line woes, something they have to do now in the draft. And the fans expect this team to be better with Zach Wilson rather than Darnold? I'll stop laughing for second. 

Drafting Zach Wilson doesn't guarantee anything except another year of rebuilding. Another year of "wait and see;" another year of hoping for better days ahead. The Jets can't keep running this strategy back every two to three years. For once they need to show some intestinal fortitude and worry more about building around the quarterback position to make it better. 

Sam Darnold is not Tom Brady. We get it. He's not even Josh Allen. We get that too. But he's going to be 24 next season, and he is still worth salvaging in the right system. Many believe that the offense LaFluer runs is perfectly suited for Darnold's skills set. Instead the Jets and Darnold appear headed for divorce, even though the trade market for him continues to dwindle by the day. 

It's a shame. But it's the product of insanity. It's the Jets way.

For Zach Wilson's sake, if he does become a New York Jet, here's hoping he doesn't find himself on the Jets fans chopping block in two years with another GM.

Did Corey Davis Drop Hint on Sam Darnold?

 Newly minted Jets wide receiver Corey Davis may have slipped a bit of a hint regarding the future of Jets quarterback Sam Darnold. 

In speaking with reporters, Davis said he signed with the Jets "with the belief Sam Darnold will be the team's quarterback in 2021" (New York Post). 

As Davis is quoted as saying in the story by the New York Post, "That is my understanding. I'm coming in with the understanding that Sam is the guy." 

Davis added that he is looking forward to working with Darnold, and called him a "great leader." 

"I look forward to playing with him. He's a competitor. We can both learn from each other. He's young and we are both growing and we can grow together." 

That's a hell of endorsement for a quarterback who might be out the door. It has been speculated by media pundits for weeks that Darnold would traded, and GM Joe Douglas has done little to fan the flames on the rumors, saying he would listen to calls on Darnold. 

Thus far nobody has bitten. Even the Washington Football Team was reportedly not interested in Darnold after it signed another ex-Jet quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick. 

According to the same story, Darnold has not reached out to Davis, who is expected to be the team's number 1 wide receiver.

Regardless of what Davis may say or believe, it will be up to Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh on whether Darnold will be back. Many believe that Saleh and the coaches want Darnold to return, while Douglas has his eyes set on BYU quarterback Zach Wilson in the draft.

Giants Get their man, Ink Kenny Golladay to a 4-year contract

 The Giants have their big down field target. Big Blue has completed a deal with former Detroit Lions wide receiver Kenny Golladay on a four-year $72 million contract according NFL insider Ian Rapoport. 

The deal could be a max of $76 million with $40 million guaranteed. 

 

Even though the Giants had a round $8 million in cap space coming into free agency after reworking a few contracts, they were able to land their top target regardless. 

The Giants targeted Golladay from the start. They desperately needed a deep threat to stretch the field for quarterback Daniel Jones. Now he has the big target, much like his predecessor Eli Manning once had with Plaxico Burress over a decade ago. 

Golladay, who stands at 6-foot-4, played only five games last season due to a hip injury, catching 32 passes for 338 yards. The year before in 2019, Golladay broke out with 1,190 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns with the Lions. He had 1,063 yards receiving and five scores in 2018. In short this is a big time target. 

Suddenly a Giants off-season that was pretty quiet the past week got a whole lot more interesting with the signing of Golladay who gets the biggest contract of all available receivers this spring. 

Rutgers Stuns Clemson, Advances to Round of 32

 RUTGERS 60 - CLEMSON 56

It was 30 years in the making, and for the loyal followers, boosters and alumni of Rutgers University it was well worth the wait. The Scarlett Knights stunned the Tigers of Clemson University 60-56 at the close of the first night of the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament. 

The Scarlett Knights will play Houston on Sunday. It is the first victory by a Rutgers men's team in the tournament in over 38 years.   

Four players were in double figures for Rutgers on Friday night, including 13 points a piece from Geo Baker, Jacob Young and Caleb McConnell, who poured down 13 off the bench. Ron Harper Jr. dropped 10 points on the night for Rutgers. 

The Scarlet Knights set the tone early when Baker nailed a three pointer to open the scoring at 3-0. From there on out it was a tit-for-tat between Rutgers and Clemson as the two schools traded the lead eight times in the first half. 

Give Rutgers credit they hung in when things looked their bleakest. After holding a 5-3 lead, Rutgers went cold offensively, as Clemson ran off a 9-2 run to take a 12-7 lead with 12:47 in the first half. Harper's dunk with 12:26 to go in the first half, cut the deficit to three and gave the Scarlett Knights some momentum back. 

After Caleb McConnell's layup gave Rutgers a 13-12 lead, the Scarlett Knights fell behind again when Clemson's Hunter Tyson nailed a three to make it 15-13 Clemson.

It would remain a close Clemson lead really deep into the second half, that was until Jacob Young hit a three for Rutgers that gave the Scarlett Knights a 39-37 advantage with 13:20 to go in regulation. 

After Harper hit a couple of free throws, a Clemson turnover led to a layup by Young to give Rutgers its largest lead at 43-37. 

Suddenly Clemson's shooters went cold. They missed four consecutive shots, and failed to defend their end of the floor as Rutgers found rebounding opportunities. McConnell's three with 9:37 to go gave Rutgers a 50-39 edge, and made it apparent that we would be in for a major upset. 

Still Clemson fought back. A 10-0 run cut the Rutgers lead to one, until Young connected on another three to make it 53-49. Later, Caleb McConnell's dunk with 4:26 to go extended the Rutgers lead back out to three at 55-52.

Still Clemson wouldn't go away. They would tie it at 55 on a bucket and free throw by Clyde Trapp. However Geo Baker's dagger with 3:48 to go proved to be the final nail Rutgers needed to lock down the victory. Clemson had no answer down the stretch, and a horrible decision to not foul Rutgers in the waning seconds proved costly as RU walked off winners.

Carlos Carrasco sidelined with hamstring tear, Lindor Sets Contract Deadline

 Remember that wonderful, warm feeling you felt earlier this winter when the Mets traded for Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco? 

Remember how good it felt? Well, one half of that equation is now out for the foreseeable future as starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco has been diagnosed with a hamstring tear, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. 

According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, who tweeted out "Carrasco's hamstring has been classified as a high-grade tear, which is not good news. Probably looking at 6-8 weeks sidelined, minimum, according to a source." 

This is a huge blow to both Carrasco and the Mets. New York was hoping Carrasco would slide into the number three spot in the rotation behind Jacob deGrom and Marcus Stroman; instead the Mets have to hope that the likes of David Peterson, Joey Lucchesi and Jordan Yamamoto are ready to step and solidify the bottom half of the rotation.

Carrasco had already spent a better part of Spring Training battling elbow soreness and didn't pitch a single inning in spring training games this year. 

As for Lindor, the self-imposed deadline he put on the Mets to get a deal done on a long term extension is rapidly approaching, and still there is no deal yet. When asked about it Lindor said he is more than willing to wait to go to free agency if no deal is reached. 

"Like I said earlier, I will not be negotiating during the season. I will go to free agency. If something carries on during the season it's not fair for me; it's not fair for the team. I got to give everything I got to winning baseball games. So if it doesn't happen during Spring Training, I will go to free agency. We'll talk in November, December or whenever free agency starts." 

In short, the Mets are running out of time to justify their trade of two starting infielders for Lindor and Carrasco. With other notable shortstops like Carlos Correa and Trevor Story also set to hit the market next winter, it wouldn't be surprising in the least to see Lindor go for the highest bidder. If the Mets lose Lindor to someone else next winter, it will be a huge black eye for Steve Cohen and company.

Jets Flirt with JuJu while Adding More Depth Pieces in Cole and Feeney

 Rumors early Thursday indicated that the New York Jets were having "conversations" with former Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, but by the end of the day Thursday, Gang Green instead signed former Jaguars wide out Keelan Cole on a one-year $5.5 million deal. 

Signing Cole doesn't necessarily mean that the Jets are out on the Schuster talks, but it does indicate that GM Joe Douglas is more than happy to go out and stock up on guys he deems were undervalued in free agency. 

Unlike Schuster, Cole is a virtual unknown.  He was an undrafted rookie out of Kentucky Wesleyan in 2017, and hauled in 42 balls for 748 yards and three touchdowns. After two disappointing seasons in 2018 and 2019, Cole showed some slight improvement catching 55 passes for 642 yards and five touchdowns. 

Let's be honest he is no JuJu Smith Schuster from the standpoint of on-field production. Should/or/had the Jets come to terms with Schuster on a deal, it would have given the Jets a bonafied number 1 threat at wide receiver, and potentially reunited quarterback Sam Darnold with one of his favorite college targets. 

Now the Jets appear steadfast on putting the number 1 Wide Receiver onus on Corey Davis, who showed great promise last year as the number two receiver behind A.J. Brown in Tennessee. 

In short, the Jets still need help here. 

Meanwhile, Gang Green did ink an offensive lineman. Not one of the top lineman in this year's free agent class -- all of those are gone now. The Jets agreed to terms on a one-year deal with guard Dan Feeney, formally of the LA Chargers. Feeney started all but one of the 57 games he's played in in his NFL career, mostly at guard. He can also play center. Feeney addresses a need, but he may not be the finishing piece that the Jets need on a line that was one of the worst in the NFL a year ago. 

Washington No Interest in Sam Darnold. Seahawks? Maybe ...

 The market for Jets quarterback Sam Darnold continues to shrink. According to multiple reports, starting with ESPN's Dianna Russini and NFL Network's Kim Jones, the Washington Football Team has little interest in the Jets quarterback after they inked another ex-Jets QB in Ryan Fitzpatrick. 

Russini tweeted out, "I spoke to a source in Washington about the possibility of the WFT trading with the Jets for QB Sam Darnold. I was simply told "don't waste your time."  

In short, talk to the hand. The WFT is more than happy to roll the dice on Fitzpatrick and whatever quarterback they have behind him -- maybe even someone in the draft for that matter than roll a dice on Darnold.

The only other team that has rumored to be interested in Darnold is the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks may be dealing their Super Bowl winning quarterback Russell Wilson, who has expressed frustration with the teams' personnel moves, particularly the lack of offensive line protection. Nothing is imminent on a trade of Wilson at this point. 

However, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll sung praises of Darnold saying "I think he's real talented without question. He's got great throws in him. He's a real quarterback. He sees things. He makes big plays and big throws in difficult situations because of his talent. It's just a matter of time, Sam is going to be a big-time quarterback." 

 

That's some effusive praise from a Hall of Fame coach about a quarterback who has not gotten enough support nor proper coaching in his three years with the Jets. 

Carroll also knows something about greener pastures after leaving the Jets, having been the Jets head coach for a year back in 1994. In fact the Seahawks have been a haven for ex-Jets like former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and safety Jamal Adams, whom the Jets traded to Seattle last summer. 

Of course that all depends upon a trade of Wilson. The Seahawks would be nuts to deal their best player, and considering the mega cap hit they would take in dead money - of $39 million to be exact - if they were to deal him before June 1. 

Teams like the Bears, Panthers, Broncos, Saints, and Jets are looking for a QB. Keep in mind the Houston Texans will eventually have to acquiesce and deal Deshaun Watson if he is sincere about not playing in Houston anymore - so there would be competition for Wilson were he to be become available. 

As of right now, the market for Darnold is not great. The Jets are in the midst of a critical decision. Trade Darnold. Keep him and trade back in the draft, or draft his replacement in either Zach Wilson or Justin Fields. There is always the chance the Jets could get into the Watson sweeps, but that appears unlikely considering how GM Joe Douglas really doesn't like to flex too much muscle and prefers to build through the draft. 

Giants Re-up with Leonard Williams on 3-Year Deal

 Not much has gone right for the New York Giants up to this point in free agency, but on Tuesday they changed the narrative a bit when the inked one of their own, defensive lineman Leonard Williams on a three-year deal. 

Williams, who was acquired by the Giants from the Jets in the midst of the 2019 season, flourished last year for Big Blue recording 11.5 sacks on 57 tackles. It was by far his best season as a professional. The Giants had franchise tagged Williams twice, including this off-season, but both sides were deep in negotiations on a long term deal. 

Williams new contract will pay him upwards of $63 million with $45 million guaranteed. He would have made $19.5 million this season on the franchise tag. 

The cap hit from Williams deal will be roughly $11 million, providing the Giants $8 million in cap space for this season according to ESPN. 

As for Williams it's an incredible turnaround. He was a virtual non-factor with the Jets. Drafted in the first round by Gang Green in 2015, he underwhelmed in 4-1/2 seasons with Gang Green. He never became the disruptive force up the middle and on the edge that the Jets hoped he would become. 

Instead GM Joe Douglas traded Williams to Big Blue in the midst of the 2019 season for a 2020 third round pick and a 2021 fifth round pick. The Jets used that third round pick on Ashtyn Davis a safety from the University of California who recorded only 25 tackles in his rookie year with Gang Green. 

It's easy to say right now the Giants have gotten the better of the deal after Williams' explosive 2020 season.

Jets and Giants Underwhelm Badly on First Day of Free Agency

One thing Joe Douglas and David Gettleman have in common, they love shopping at the Five and Dime. 

On the first day of free agency, both New York teams sat and watched as top free agents flew off the board, signing with other teams, while the Jets and Giants stood their ground settling instead for cheaper options. 

The Giants only move was to sign Devonte Booker, a back-up running back to a two-year deal worth around $6 million. That was it for Big Blue thus far. Considering the Giants have only $913,913 in salary cap space (ranked 29th in the NFL) from which to work with, they are not going to make a lot of moves to begin with. 

Losing Kevin Zietler to the Ravens on a 3-year deal with $16 million guarnateed doesn't help either. The Giants need help on both sides of the ball, especially at edge rusher, and offensive line and they failed to improve either on the first day.  Considering some of the big names that are now off the board, it's hard to envision the Giants doing anything but add depth pieces at this point. 

Criticism is certain to come Gettleman's way, who is entering his fourth season at the helm and is out of excuses. 

Meanwhile Monday's free agent frenzy was an "L" for Jets GM Joe Douglas. While he tried to salvage the day by signing a number of depth pieces, it was little consultation, considering the Jets had over $65 million in cap space to play with. They had no excuses, and they failed to draw any interest from big names. 

The Jets were linked to guard Joe Thuney, who signed a five-year $80 million deal with Kansas City; linked to defensive end Yannick Ngakoue who signed a two-year $26 million with Las Vegas; linked to center Corey Linsley, who inked a five year $62.5 million deal in LA to play for the Chargers; and linked defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who wound up signing a four year deal with Cincinnati. 

In short, the Jets got none of the big names they were linked and rumored to prior to Monday. 

Instead the Jets settled. The settled on former Titans Wide Receiver Corey Davis on a three-year deal that will pay him $27 million guaranteed. Signed defensive end Carl Lawson to a three year $45 million deal, and inked linebacker Jarred Davis to a one-year deal. 

All of them are projects. 

Corey Davis has been a mixed bag at wide receiver. He's underwhelmed in fact in his five years with the Titans. His best year - last season, Davis hauled in 65 passes for only 984 yards and five scores. He has never had a 1,000 yard season at wide receiver. 

The Jets desperately need a #1 wide receiver, and it is hard to fathom that they have one on the roster right now.

As for Lawson, he is a guy who brings pressure from the edge, but has underwhelming sacks numbers. He had only 5.5 sacks last year with Cincinnati. Still though if you crunch the analytics he is credited with creating 10.5 sacks last season, and is ranked 14th in pass rush win rate. Lawson's big issue has been staying healthy. He had an ACL tear in 2018 and a hamstring injury in 2019, so he has yet to duplicate the 8.5 sack effort he had in 2017 - his rookie year. 

In short, Lawson is a player with potential. If you ask Jets fans, they are over the moon over these signings -- you begin to think Jets fans would be happy with just about anything for that matter. Both the Lawson and Davis signings are ok, but nothing that will set the Jets apart. 

Not when the Patriots are adding impact players and spending big bucks all over the place. The Patriots are making no excuses. What is the Jets excuse? 

The Jets have been and are a cheap organization. Joe Douglas is a guy who likes the build through the draft, not free agency. This is Douglas' second free agency, and for the second straight year it has been underwhelming returns. 

The Jets still need help at wide receiver, offensive line, edge rusher and corner. They got problems all over the field, and today's depth signings do not change that. Oh, and there is this other glaring issue about the quarterback -- you might have heard about it.

Jets are Leaving Sam Darnold Out to Dry

 As free agency is about to kick off in the NFL, speculation about what the New York Jets may or may not do with their quarterback position is the question that seems to be the key to the off-season. 

Gang Green owns the number two pick in the upcoming NFL draft; they have a ton of draft capital, and have been rumored to be one of the many destinations for disgruntled Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. However the chances that the Jets land Watson is not great -- even if they have the most to offer.  Jets General Manager Joe Douglas appears he wants to hold on to his picks, while teams like the Bears, Panthers and Broncos are rumored to be willing to give up just about anything for Watson. 

That leaves the Jets with really one of two options. 1) Keep Sam Darnold and build around him, or 2) draft his replacement. 

It appears more and more likely that the Jets will look to deal Darnold. Douglas said he would listen to calls, and according to SI's Albert Breer and ESPN's Adam Shefter the Jets have been contacted by as many as eight teams about Darnold. 

Meanwhile, CBS' Pete Prisco said he believes there is a chasm between Douglas and the Jets coaching staff. The coaches want to keep Darnold. Douglas wants to unload him and draft Zach Wilson out of BYU. 

If there is a chasm already within the Jets, that is a horrible sign. 

 

To be honest, Darnold hasn't been good in his brief three years in the league. His fellow draftmates Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen have passed him on the expressway, but both Mayfield and Allen have great supporting casts and franchises that believe in them. Darnold has had nothing. He had two bad head coaches and coaching staffs; and virtually nobody to play with him. Now Darnold has a GM who just six months ago called him "untouchable," now considers him very much "touchable." 

In many ways Darnold has been given a raw deal here in New York. He deserves better. There is no reason to believe that the Jets coaching staff of Robert Saleh and Mike LaFluer can't work with Darnold and fix him; that is one of the reasons why they are here. 

While it would make sense financially for the Jets to move on from Darnold -- he is due $25 million next year -- and resetting the rookie contract again with a new quarterback, it would mean the Jets remain in the same holding pattern of drafting a new supposed franchise savior every three years. 

And who is to say that Zach Wilson will be the guy? Wilson had one great year at BYU in 2020, and one year where he was not so good as he battled injuries in 2019. Heck, Wilson was even battling for his job as recently as August. Yes, Wilson improved a lot last year, but to say he is a better prospect than Trevor Lawrence - as Chris Simms of NBC has stated; or to completely ignore Ohio State's Justin Fields who had a more consistent college career is foolhardy. 

The Jets are better off keeping Darnold, trading out of the 2 and getting more players, if for no other reason than for continuity purposes. If things don't work out with Darnold in year 4, you move on. 

Chances are though, the Jets are well on their way to repeating their same old pattern. Draft a quarterback. Let him fail. Dump said quarterback for another three years later. 

Mets-Lindor Extension Talks Beginning According to Heyman

 CBS Sports' Jon Heyman is reporting that extension talks between the Mets and shortstop Francisco Lindor are starting this week. 

In a Tweet posted Monday morning, Heyman said, "Francisco Lindor, Mets extension talks are expected to begin in earnest this week. Opening Day is at least a soft deadline, so figure about 24 days to get it done." 

The Mets woud love to ink Lindor to a contract, considering they traded two major league ready players to get him this winter, and the fact that Lindor - a pending free agent - could command a hefty price tag on free agency, in a year where shortstops are going to be plentiful on the open market next year. 

Lindor imposed an April 1 deadline to get a deal done before the regular season begins, and does not want negotiations to hover over the season. 

The question will be what the contract will look like. Considering that Mookie Betts landed a $300-plus million deal from the Dodgers last year, and that Fernando Tatis Jr. inked a 14-year $340 million deal from the San Diego Padres a few weeks ago, one would figure that Lindor would command a similar deal. 

Bear in mind the Mets also want to re-sign left fielder Michael Conforto to a deal as well; he is set to hit free agency next year as well. 

It will be very interesting to see if the Mets can strike a deal with one or both players on long term deals. If the Mets ink Lindor before the start of the regular season it will signal a huge tone for the Mets and their new owner Steve Cohen moving forward.

Jets Franchise Tag Marcus Maye

 New York Jets safety Marcus Maye will return for at least this upcoming season after the Jets slapped the franchise tag on him, guaranteeing he will make $10.5 million this season, if the two sides can't come to terms on a long term deal. 

Both sides have been working on an extension, but General Manager Joe Douglas slapped the tag on Maye since the deadline to franchise players is 4 p.m. Tuesday. 

The tag comes just a week after Maye's agent Erik Burkhardt slammed the Jets for not getting his client a new deal, claiming Gang Green "refuse(s) to take care of their best player, captain and team voted-MVP," according to ESPN. 

Yankees manager Aaron Boone Taking Leave of Absense for Pacemaker

 Yankees manager Aaron Boone is taking an immediate leave of absence from the team to have a pacemaker installed. It is the second time the Yankees skipper has had heart surgery; he had open heart surgery back in 2009 according to ESPN. 

According to reports, Boone said in a statement that he had been bothered by fatigue, low energy and shortness of breath. In three seasons at the helm, Boone is 236-148 as Yankees skipper.  Bench Coach Carlos Mendoza will take over as acting manager until Boone returns to the dugout. 

 "I'm in a great frame of mind because I know I'm in good hands with the doctors and medical staff here. ... They are confident that today's surgery will allow me to resume all of my usual professional and personal activities and afford me a positive long-term health prognosis without having to change anything about my way of life," Boone is quoted as saying in a story by ESPN.

 The Yankees begin the 2021 regular season at home, April 1 against Toronto.  

Jets Host Eagles, Giants visit Miami as Details Emerge on 17th NFL Game

 The mystery of the 17th regular season NFL game that will be added to the schedule next season is starting to come to light. We knew already that the NFL was planning to add the game due to revenue incentives, and that teams from the NFC East and AFC East would play one another depending upon where each team finished in the standings. 

One thing that is still uncertain is whether this will happen or not. Chances are good that we will see a 17th game this season. 1) Because the owners want it so they can make more money, especially after COVID-19 kept fans away last fall, and 2) more television revenue. Money makes the world go 'round, ya know. 

If and when the owners approve the 17th game, one would imagine the preseason will be cut down from four games to two or three contests. It's been a long standing belief that preseason games are a waste of time, and fans do not enjoy paying regular season prices for games that do not count and mean nothing to them, except for the number of players on the bubble. 

Now we have more details: 

1) The AFC will host the NFC in the 17th game this year, and the each conference will rotate hosting the game every year after that. For example in 2022, NFC teams will host that 17th game against their AFC counterparts. 

2) NFC East teams will visit AFC East teams; NFC North teams will visit AFC West teams; NFC West teams will visit AFC North teams, and NFC South will visit AFC South teams. More specifically, that means the New York Jets who finished in last place in the AFC East at 2-14, will host the Philadelphia Eagles who finished 4-11-1 and in last place in the NFC East. 

The Giants whose 6-10 record earned them a second place finish last year will visit the Miami Dolphins, who finished 10-6 in second place int he AFC East. 

3) There will be no extra bye weeks. The season will start normally the second week in September and run into the second week in January for 18 weeks. There will be only one bye week for everyone. 

4) With the end of the season pushed back a week, it could mean a wild card game would be eligible for Monday Night Football, which makes sense considering ABC is now back in the mix to host a Super Bowl game sometime in the near future. 

5) Super Bowl LVI will now take place President's Day/Valentine's Day weekend instead of the first weekend of February. 

6) Rumors are the NFL will add two Christmas day games this year. 

7) The match-ups:

 Eagles @ Jets 

Giants @ Dolphins

Cowboys @ Patriots

Washington @ Bills

Packers @ Chiefs

Bears @ Raiders

Vikings @ Chargers

Lions @ Broncos

Seahawks @ Steelers

Rams @ Ravens

Cardinals @ Browns

49ers @ Bengals

Saints @ Titans

Buccaneers @ Colts

Panthers @ Texans

Falcons @ Jaguars  

Dates and times of these games will not be known until at least mid-to-late April when the schedule release comes out.

Success or Failure: Yankees off-season review and Spring Training Preview

 Spring training is well underway in Major League Baseball, and with it hordes of questions surround the 2021 New York Yankees. The Bronx Bombers had a fairly quiet off-season -- for them -- with only their re-signing of DJ LeMahieu proving to be the biggest signing of the winter. The question is, did the Yankees do enough? 

The Yanks are relying on a makeshift rotation behind ace Gerrit Cole, as well as a lineup that is predominately right handed, with several guys coming off down years. Our thoughts on spring training 2021 thus far ...