Jets are interested in Emmanuel Sanders and Jeremy Maclin
Folks clamoring for the Patriots to "load up" their receiving corps this year through free-agency may cringe at this headline, as it appears the Jets are looking to put some "weapons" around Geno Smith, heading into his second year.
The Green are apparently "eye-balling" free agent wide-outs Jeremy Maclin and Emmanuel Sanders. Yep, that Emmanuel Sanders. The same one who the Patriots gave an offer-sheet to in the off-season with hopes of adding Sanders to the roster. But that offer was matched by the Steelers, and Sanders had his best statistical season to date, with career highs in receptions (67), yards (760), and touchdowns (6).
That stat-line definitely stings for Patriots fans still cringing thinking of the team's performance in the AFC Championship game. Would having Emmanuel Sanders alone have won the team the Super Bowl? No. But he definitely would have fit well into the 2013 offense had the Patriots been able to bring him in.
And now he is out there again, at a higher price tag, and to add insult-to-injury, Rex and the Jets are after him. They are reportedly going to cut Santanio Holmes and lose his large contract to make way for new talent. Their primary interests appear to be Sanders and Maclin.
Maclin is a dynamic receiver who missed the entire past season with a torn ACL. Leading up to that injury, Maclin, who was selected with the 19th pick in the 2009 draft, had amassed 258 receptions, 3,453 yards, and 26 touchdowns in four seasons with Philly.
The Jets pass offense was near dead last in the league this past year, yet they still managed to find a way to have a decent season after many pegged them as cellar-dwellers in preseason rankings. They played the Patriots tough in both regular season games and beat them in New York.
Maclin and Sanders would undoubtedly improve that team's offense, but ultimately it is whether or not Geno Smith is capable of being a quality quarterback that will determine whether or not the Jets will legitimately contend.
I sure wouldn't mind seeing Maclin and/or Sanders in Foxborough. But Bob Kraft's off-season comments thus far would suggest the team isn't planning on "over-extending" for any free agents. I think the translation there is that Patriots fans should get ready for another season with Dobson and Kenbrell on the outside, hopefully with a healthy Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman (who could very well leave in free-agency), and Danny Amendola rounding out the crew. Ugh.
@LiamPCunningham
@PatriotsLife
The Green are apparently "eye-balling" free agent wide-outs Jeremy Maclin and Emmanuel Sanders. Yep, that Emmanuel Sanders. The same one who the Patriots gave an offer-sheet to in the off-season with hopes of adding Sanders to the roster. But that offer was matched by the Steelers, and Sanders had his best statistical season to date, with career highs in receptions (67), yards (760), and touchdowns (6).
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| Getty Images/ESPN.com |
That stat-line definitely stings for Patriots fans still cringing thinking of the team's performance in the AFC Championship game. Would having Emmanuel Sanders alone have won the team the Super Bowl? No. But he definitely would have fit well into the 2013 offense had the Patriots been able to bring him in.
And now he is out there again, at a higher price tag, and to add insult-to-injury, Rex and the Jets are after him. They are reportedly going to cut Santanio Holmes and lose his large contract to make way for new talent. Their primary interests appear to be Sanders and Maclin.
Maclin is a dynamic receiver who missed the entire past season with a torn ACL. Leading up to that injury, Maclin, who was selected with the 19th pick in the 2009 draft, had amassed 258 receptions, 3,453 yards, and 26 touchdowns in four seasons with Philly.
The Jets pass offense was near dead last in the league this past year, yet they still managed to find a way to have a decent season after many pegged them as cellar-dwellers in preseason rankings. They played the Patriots tough in both regular season games and beat them in New York.
Maclin and Sanders would undoubtedly improve that team's offense, but ultimately it is whether or not Geno Smith is capable of being a quality quarterback that will determine whether or not the Jets will legitimately contend.
I sure wouldn't mind seeing Maclin and/or Sanders in Foxborough. But Bob Kraft's off-season comments thus far would suggest the team isn't planning on "over-extending" for any free agents. I think the translation there is that Patriots fans should get ready for another season with Dobson and Kenbrell on the outside, hopefully with a healthy Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman (who could very well leave in free-agency), and Danny Amendola rounding out the crew. Ugh.
@LiamPCunningham
@PatriotsLife
