Tweet
Curtis Martin's injured knee forced the New York Jets to employ a running-back-by-committee approach last season. No more of that. New York has landed a replacement chairman.
Filling their need for a No. 1 ball carrier, the Jets, according to league sources, have agreed to a trade with the NFC champion Chicago Bears that will land them Thomas Jones and the 63rd overall pick in the upcoming draft in exchange for the 37th overall pick. New York acquired that in a draft-day deal with Washington last year. The deal is expected to be approved by the league on Tuesday.
The Jets still own two picks in the second round, their own (No. 59) and now the Bears' original selection. The Bears select 31st in Round 1 and for now are set to be on the clock six picks later.
With rookie Leon Washington, Cedric Houston, and Kevan Barlow sharing the rushing load, New York ranked 30th in the league last season with an average of 3.5 yards per attempt. Washington led the team with 650 yards. In Jones, 28, the Jets get a back who has rushed for more than 1,200 yards in each of the past two seasons -- becoming the first Bear to do so since Walter Payton in 1985-86. Jones was the postseason's second-leading rusher with 301 yards, averaging 5.5 yards per attempt and scoring four touchdowns in three playoff games.
The Jets and their fans got an up-close look at what New York is getting Nov. 19 when Jones rushed for 121 yards on 23 carries in the Bears' 10-0 win at the Meadowlands.
After rushing for 1,335 yards and nine touchdowns in 2005, Jones acted on his unhappiness with his contract by boycotting the Bears' voluntary offseason workouts. Jones was entering the final year of the deal he signed in 2004 and slated to earn $2.75 million this season, but his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, and the Jets were believed to be working on a new long-term contract last night.
The seventh overall selection in the 2000 draft by the Cardinals out of Virginia, Jones played three seasons in Arizona, spent the 2003 season with the Buccaneers, and has led the Bears in rushing each of the past three seasons. The Bears, however, drafted Cedric Benson with the fourth overall pick in 2004. Jones and Benson made a formidable tandem during last year's run to Super Bowl XXLI, but what was believed to be an icy relationship with each other, as well as Benson with the rest of his teammates, has been a popular topic in the Windy City since Benson's arrival. Jones requested a trade earlier this offseason.
Benson tied Jones for the team lead with six rushing touchdowns and equaled his average of 4.1 yards per rush, carrying 157 times to Jones' 296. It was never a matter of if but when the Bears would elevate Benson to No. 1 status. That time is now.
Source: espn.com
Filling their need for a No. 1 ball carrier, the Jets, according to league sources, have agreed to a trade with the NFC champion Chicago Bears that will land them Thomas Jones and the 63rd overall pick in the upcoming draft in exchange for the 37th overall pick. New York acquired that in a draft-day deal with Washington last year. The deal is expected to be approved by the league on Tuesday.
The Jets still own two picks in the second round, their own (No. 59) and now the Bears' original selection. The Bears select 31st in Round 1 and for now are set to be on the clock six picks later.
With rookie Leon Washington, Cedric Houston, and Kevan Barlow sharing the rushing load, New York ranked 30th in the league last season with an average of 3.5 yards per attempt. Washington led the team with 650 yards. In Jones, 28, the Jets get a back who has rushed for more than 1,200 yards in each of the past two seasons -- becoming the first Bear to do so since Walter Payton in 1985-86. Jones was the postseason's second-leading rusher with 301 yards, averaging 5.5 yards per attempt and scoring four touchdowns in three playoff games.
The Jets and their fans got an up-close look at what New York is getting Nov. 19 when Jones rushed for 121 yards on 23 carries in the Bears' 10-0 win at the Meadowlands.
After rushing for 1,335 yards and nine touchdowns in 2005, Jones acted on his unhappiness with his contract by boycotting the Bears' voluntary offseason workouts. Jones was entering the final year of the deal he signed in 2004 and slated to earn $2.75 million this season, but his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, and the Jets were believed to be working on a new long-term contract last night.
The seventh overall selection in the 2000 draft by the Cardinals out of Virginia, Jones played three seasons in Arizona, spent the 2003 season with the Buccaneers, and has led the Bears in rushing each of the past three seasons. The Bears, however, drafted Cedric Benson with the fourth overall pick in 2004. Jones and Benson made a formidable tandem during last year's run to Super Bowl XXLI, but what was believed to be an icy relationship with each other, as well as Benson with the rest of his teammates, has been a popular topic in the Windy City since Benson's arrival. Jones requested a trade earlier this offseason.
Benson tied Jones for the team lead with six rushing touchdowns and equaled his average of 4.1 yards per rush, carrying 157 times to Jones' 296. It was never a matter of if but when the Bears would elevate Benson to No. 1 status. That time is now.
Source: espn.com