James Carpenter - Going to the Jets?

[savvyman]

Initial reports says yes.

http://nflmocks.com/2015/03/09/nfl-free-agency-jets-will-sign-ol-james-carpenter/

[NorthHawk]

More emphasis on OL this draft, I would guess.

[jshawaii22]

I'm really surprised we didn't at least make a play for Iupati. He is Carp with more 'football' instinct.

js

[mykc14]

I'm really surprised we didn't at least make a play for Iupati. He is Carp with more 'football' instinct.

js

And probably a lot higher price tag, although Carp did get an all-pro vote last year.

[Hawk Sista]

Yeah, he did, but that dude was drunk, high or both.

So now the Jets have Giacomini and Carp. Maybe they can start the season w/ back-to-back penalties.

[savvyman]

If Carpenter is worth $5 Million then what is Okung Worth?

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/575300778119688192

[Hawk Sista]

Weird! 5 million a year?

[mykc14]

Weird! 5 million a year?

I don't think it is that weird, although it certainly is high. They are paying him based on his play last season, with the thought he is young and could improve. We look at it with the perspective of his prior 3 years of being overweight and ineffective.

[NorthHawk]

I think they have a lot of Cap room so it isn't that big of a stretch to pay him 5 million.

[Hawk Sista]

Yes, they do. BUT........ deals like this one can prove to be precedent setting. Despite our situational frustration with Okung, he and Max are clearly the best linemen we have and both made the NFLs top 100 list that one time they were healthy all year. Next year, teams with cap space will over-pay for Okung if we don't.

[NorthHawk]

I was thinking that, too. Sweezy is also a Free Agent next year.
It is a possibility and if it happens we will have an even worse OL so it becomes a necessity to draft OL this year and next at the very least.
I think they should select one early to mid draft every year to have a pipeline of talent at a relatively lower price.

[Zorn76]

I trust our F.O., they've earned it.

[RiverDog]

I trust our F.O., they've earned it.

Most of their great moves have come on defense. Offensively they are a lot more human.

[HumanCockroach]

Like I said earlier, Carpenter is viewed MUCH differently outside of Seattle, but teams and front offices, as are Sweezy, and others. Seattle HAS ( or maybe I should have said had) a "quality" line. It isn't the "best", but it was FAR from the worst, and players on this team, have strengths and weaknesses just like every other teams players.

It should continue to churn, but there are a HELL of a LOT worse guards currently suiting up for other teams than Carpenter. He didn't sign the highest contract ever for a guard ( nor should he have) but 5 million a year doesn't seem extravagant to me for an above average guard in the NFL with SB experience.

[NorthHawk]

I don't see Carpenter as an above average Guard at all.
I think he's average at best and can't stay healthy.
There's always the possibility our blocking scheme doesn't fit his skill set, though and he could thrive elsewhere provided he stays on the field.

[NorthHawk]

According to PFT, Shelley Smith (Guard) who played for the Dolphins last year will be visiting us tomorrow.
The OL rebuild is just starting it would seem.

[HumanCockroach]

I don't see Carpenter as an above average Guard at all.
I think he's average at best and can't stay healthy.
There's always the possibility our blocking scheme doesn't fit his skill set, though and he could thrive elsewhere provided he stays on the field.

Been my point for going on two years now. You don't see him that way, but others do, and those people happen to have big fat wallets, so what you, or I or anyone else see's becomes moot. There aren't a whole lot of guards in the NFL I can tick off, that I would say are hands down better than Carpenter, can you? Iaupati is considered amazing, and based on last seasons performance, I wouldn't say he was "hands down" better, but the trick is, with lineman, ESPN isn't showing them making mistakes, or their "low light" reel or anything. Seems to me at least, lineman, ALWAYS get chastised by their own fans, because we see ALL the mistakes, while never noticing the quality of play for the LG in Cleveland or jacksonville etc, so typically MOST fans will say the same thing, about the same positions in regards to their OWN teams lineman, while believing other teams have to have it so much better.

Carpenter is a an above average guard based on what a team was willing to pay the man to come play for them, or at the very least he showed enough of that potential to make him worth it. Teams don't pony up a ton of dough for "below average" offensive lineman, at least not that I have seen, and certainly NOT for guards. So either the new GM is an absolute idiot in NY, OR his play graded out better than pretty much anyone in Seattle gave him credit for ( I mean I understand Cable is not going to trash his own players, but he DID say last season that Carpenter was the "best guard" in the league at one point. Not sure if I bought it, but top 5 or 6? I suppose I could buy that depending on what was he was being asked to do).

[jshawaii22]

I don't know if Carp is above or at average, because we don't run a typical scheme. There have been a lot of other Olineman that have left us and gone on to careers, but nothing spectacular, either.

There's a thought... maybe our outdated blocking scheme needs to be updated instead of trying to find others to fit it.
Nothing against Coach Cable, but the 'cut block' may be outlawed and we continue to use it.

js

[NorthHawk]

Teams overpay for players every Free Agency every year.
This year it's Carpenter.
Good for him to get the big bucks.

[jshawaii22]

5m, I don't know if that's 'overpaid' or not. But, I do know that BMax @ 10m +++ ... that's overpaid!

js

[RiverDog]

Like I said earlier, Carpenter is viewed MUCH differently outside of Seattle, but teams and front offices, as are Sweezy, and others. Seattle HAS ( or maybe I should have said had) a "quality" line. It isn't the "best", but it was FAR from the worst, and players on this team, have strengths and weaknesses just like every other teams players.

It should continue to churn, but there are a HELL of a LOT worse guards currently suiting up for other teams than Carpenter. He didn't sign the highest contract ever for a guard ( nor should he have) but 5 million a year doesn't seem extravagant to me for an above average guard in the NFL with SB experience.

Normally I wouldn't be concerned losing a player like Carp, but when you consider that the injury prone Russell Okung is in the last season in his contract, Britt's performance was so-so, Unger is gone with no replacement currently on our roster that was good enough to earn a spot on last season's final 53, and that our newly acquired tight end isn't a very good blocker, you have to wonder how long we can go before the inattention to the OL starts to catch up with us.

[kalibane]

I think people need to remember how bad Carp was before last season. He was a turnstile in pass defense and was decent in run blocking but never great or consistently mauling guys.

This season he finally gets in good shape and started consistently moving people in the run game and was better but still was below average in pass protection. And this change just happens to manifest in his contract year? There is no way I'd pay Carp 5 mill a year. I will be shocked if he finally "got it". He has all the flashing red lights of a contract player and watching him completely whiff on his pass blocking assignment causing the play to breakdown in less than 2 seconds is not something I remember fondly.

You're welcome to miss him. I will not.

[RiverDog]

I think people need to remember how bad Carp was before last season. He was a turnstile in pass defense and was decent in run blocking but never great or consistently mauling guys.

This season he finally gets in good shape and started consistently moving people in the run game and was better but still was below average in pass protection. And this change just happens to manifest in his contract year? There is no way I'd pay Carp 5 mill a year. I will be shocked if he finally "got it". He has all the flashing red lights of a contract player and watching him completely whiff on his pass blocking assignment causing the play to breakdown in less than 2 seconds is not something I remember fondly.

You're welcome to miss him. I will not.

Oh, I agree with you 100% about Carpenter. I never did like him from the day he showed up to training camp so far out of shape that he couldn't last a single offensive series without sucking air like a vacuum cleaner. I couldn't imagine embarking on a new and exciting life like he did and not be spending 10 or 12 hours a day at the local Gold's Gym working myself into the best possible shape to impress my first employer and take the league by storm. Instead, he came to camp looking like he had spent 10-12 hours a day at Papa John's. At the very best, he was a disappointment as a first round pick if not a full fledged bust.

Normally, I wouldn't give a rip about losing a player like him and would be telling him not to let the door hit ya where the Good Lord split ya. I'm concerned about the timing of his departure, especially after the Unger trade.

[savvyman]

Oh, I agree with you 100% about Carpenter. I never did like him from the day he showed up to training camp so far out of shape that he couldn't last a single offensive series without sucking air like a vacuum cleaner. I couldn't imagine embarking on a new and exciting life like he did and not be spending 10 or 12 hours a day at the local Gold's Gym working myself into the best possible shape to impress my first employer and take the league by storm. Instead, he came to camp looking like he had spent 10-12 hours a day at Papa John's. At the very best, he was a disappointment as a first round pick if not a full fledged bust.

LOL - Calling it like it is.