There is no doubt that the upcoming campaign will be packed to the brim with expectations for the New York Jets with all of the personnel splashes that they have made in both additions and subtractions this offseason. Originally some of the moves looked questionable at best for the team with a number of expiring contracts after the 2010 season, but perhaps they were making moves with an anticipatory outlook toward the future.

The team has had some big names to their roster beginning with two former San Diego Chargers in running back LaDainian Tomlinson and corner Antonio Cromartie. They also snagged former Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Santonio Holmes for a bargain basement price when it was revealed that he will be suspended for the first four games of the upcoming season due to another violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. Aside from LT who received a two-year deal with the team, these other two arrivals each have expiring contracts after the 2010 season.

New York released running back Thomas Jones earlier in the offseason and more recently cut veteran offensive guard Alan Faneca as well. All of the Jets moves to this point seem to be financially motivated with the impending 2011 offseason being a make or break one for the franchise. The Jets have four former early round draft picks that are unhappy with their current contractual situations that they are looking to appease in the near term. Offensive tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson, inside linebacker David Harris, center Nick Mangold, and perhaps most importantly shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis have all outperformed their rookie deals and need re-upped with lucrative extensions. The Jets are facing a difficult decision with which players to prioritize, but their lockdown corner Revis has to top the list followed closely by Mangold at center.

Under the current uncertainty that the 32 NFL teams are operating, spending is down league-wide on free agents and extensions as teams are being more frugal than ever with the possibility of a lockout looming large. The Jets could be one of the teams most affected by these fears as they try to create a blueprint for keeping their big four homegrown talents on offense and defense in house well into the future. The lack of spending has been seen in record numbers across the NFL as the previous low for free agents changing hands in one offseason was set in 1997 when only 85 players switched uniforms. This year only 51 have done so to this point and that number is unlikely to rise by much before the season gets underway. From the unpopular moves of letting Faneca and Jones go to the questionable trades for Cromartie and Holmes, the Jets will be under the gun to get new deals done with high-priority veterans as soon as possible. With Revis already holding out of OTAs, it seems to be only a matter of time before his fellow unhappy green clad brethren follow suit to force the Jets hand and cash their checks before putting themselves at risk in 2010.

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