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Would this be consistent with his philosophy?
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport announced that San Francisco WR Deebo Samuel wants to be traded.
Samuel probably has his eye on a contract like Las Vegas Raiders’ Davante Adams ($28.5 million per season) and the Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill ($30 million per season), and perhaps the 49ers don’t want to go that high.
So many Jets fans on social media are calling on the Jets to trade for Samuel. Because as you know, Zach Wilson needs more weapons, according to many people.
But keep something in mind. Samuel wants a new contract after three years in the NFL.
When Jamal Adams wanted to do that, it led to a trade. Remember what Yahoo’s Charles Robinson wrote shortly before the Adams trade to Seattle:
“Sticking point on extension is simple. Guys like Aaron Donald and Khalil Mack played four seasons (and won DPOY) before their extensions. Jets don’t want to do Adams’ deal after three years for the highest-paid-safety money he wants. In 2021 it could be a different story.”
So if you wouldn’t do it for Adams, why would you do it for Samuel?
Perhaps some would argue that Samuel’s timeline on a new deal should be moved up since he was a second-round pick, not a high first like Adams, so he didn’t make as much money upfront.
Now Samuel is claiming through surrogates in the media, that it’s not about the money.
But isn’t it usually about the money?
And if you are going to say it’s not about the money, but won’t explain what it’s about, then we have to assume money is part of it, until you explain otherwise. We will see if the CAA surrogates/clients in the media eventually explain what it’s about, if it’s not about the money.
However, as for the Jets making a run at Samuel, we will say what we said before – some of the things that Wilson needs to work on, have nothing to do with weapons. Footwork, mechanics, field vision and accuracy aren’t related to weapons. So people who think adding a star receiver will change all that, really don’t understand football. Perhaps with a strong off-season, Wilson can improve in these areas. We shall see, but weapons aren’t a magic wand for a QB who needs work.
Robert Griffin tweeted earlier this week – “The Jets could hit a home run in the draft and it won’t matter if Zach Wilson doesn’t start playing like a franchise QB.”
That should apply to trades also.
Wide receivers don’t lead you to Super Bowls – great quarterbacks and defensive lines do. Name one receiver who led a team to a Super Bowl?
“I was taught by [Bill Walsh] – wide receiver is the last position you fix on your team,” said former NFL GM Mike Lombardi on VSIN. “I think if Bill Walsh was still alive he’d still believe that.”
So all this talk about the Jets needing weapons to help Wilson are putting the cart before the horse.
You see if your quarterback has proven to have the requisite skill set to be a very good NFL QB, then you make a big move for a weapon.
Look, of course you add weapons along the way regardless, especially in the draft, but don’t do it thinking it’s going to be the panacea for a young QB who has a lot to work on. That is fool’s gold.
So paying a king’s ransom for a receiver, first trading valuable draft capital, and then backing up the brink’s truck for him in a new deal, might not be a great idea if your QB isn’t proven yet.
April 20, 2022
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