Saints assistant coach Leigh Torrence leaves for job with Jets DC Gregg Williams

New Orleans Saints assistant coach Leigh Torrence joined the New York Jets for a job with Gregg Williams, his old defensive coordinator.

The New York Jets announced Tuesday that they hired Leigh Torrence for their vacant assistant defensive backs coach job, creating another hole on the New Orleans Saints coaching staff; the Saints have yet to name a replacement for linebackers coach Mike Nolan, who left for the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator gig back in early January.

Torrence was first hired by the Saints as a coach back in 2016, when he joined their staff as a coaching intern. He was promoted to a defensive assistant coaching position in 2017, and held it through 2019. Before that, he played three years for the Saints from 2009 to 2011. He appeared in more games for the Saints (38) than any other team, which included stops with the Washington Redskins (25) and Atlanta Falcons (10).

Now, Torrence is reunited with the defensive coordinator he once played for in New Orleans: Gregg Williams. Williams holds the same position with the Jets beneath head coach Adam Gase, and this is a great opportunity for Torrence to continue to advance his career.

But why didn’t he stay with the Saints? There probably wasn’t room for promotion in New Orleans, where defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn has been developed as a key member of their staff. He’s commonly grouped with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and head coach Sean Payton during games, and has rebuffed offers from both the New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals in recent years. With Glenn so entrenched, Torrence probably had to consider other opportunities, and the Jets were a logical fit.

We've hired Leigh Torrence as assistant defensive backs coach.

— New York Jets (@nyjets) February 11, 2020

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Former Jets’ Mark Gastineau on NFL single-season sacks mark: ‘I want it to be known that it’s my rec

Former New York Jet Mark Gastineau believes he was cheated out of the NFL’s single-season sacks record, and now, he wants it back.

Former Jets’ Mark Gastineau on NFL single-season sacks mark: ‘I want it to be known that it’s my rec

Former New York Jet Mark Gastineau believes he was cheated out of the NFL’s single-season sacks record, and now, he wants it back.

Sam Darnold, Le’Veon Bell long shots to win MVP in 2020

Jets QB Sam Darnold is at 100/1 odds to win the 2020 NFL MVP, while Le’Veon Bell has 150/1 odds.

A lot is expected out of Sam Darnold and Le’Veon Bell in 2020. Just not any hardware.

Darnold will enter his third season in the league and second season in Adam Gase’s offense. Bell, meanwhile, will look to shake off any rust that hindered his 2019 season. While it would be hard for the two to not have better years statistically, don’t peg either as a favorite for Most Valuable Player.

Darnold and Bell are more than longshots to be the league’s MVP in 2020. According to BetMGM, Darnold is 100/1 odds to win, putting him in the same class as Nick Bosa, Nick Chubb, Josh Jacobs, Alvin Kamara, Khalil Mack, Michael Thomas and J.J. and T.J. Watt.

Bell is much further down the list at 150/1, tied with incoming rookie quarterbacks Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa, as well as veterans Ryan Fitzpatrick and Nick Foles. Second-year quarterbacks Gardner Minshew and Drew Lock also have the same odds as Bell, as do Odell Beckham Jr., Todd Gurley, Julio Jones and DeAndre Hopkins.

The sports betting world is not exactly buying into Bell having a bounce-back season after the worst statistical year of his career. Bell rushed for a career-low 789 yards on 245 attempts in 2019, adding three touchdowns. In addition, Bell added 461 yards on 66 receptions and a touchdown.

On the other hand, Darnold is slowly making progress. Despite playing in just 13 games due to a bout with mono, the quarterback completed 61.9 percent of his passes for 3,024 yards, throwing 19 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

The Jets are not expecting an MVP season from Bell or Darnold, but neither are the oddsmakers. However, an improvement is most certainly in the cards.

Mark Gastineau wants sack record back from Michael Strahan: ‘It’s cheapened’

New York Jets legend Mark Gastineau says he wants the NFL’s single-season sack record back from Giants legend Michael Strahan.

Retired New York Jets defensive end Mark Gastineau sat in silence for years but, apparently, has decided that now is the time to speak up. And he’s coming in hot, demanding the NFL recognize him — not New York Giants legend Michael Strahan — as the true sack king.

Gastineau told ESPN on Monday that he wants the single-season sack record back, claiming that Strahan’s sack of Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre in 2001 shouldn’t count and has cheapened the significance of the record.

“It’s my record, and I want it to be known that it’s my record,” Gastineau said. “I’m not going to say, ‘I don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings.’ It’s my record.

“It’s a good record and it took me a long time to get that. It took a lot of work, a lot of work to get that record. So many years I worked my butt off to get it, and I finally got it, and it shouldn’t have been cheapened like it was. It’s like a tarnished record.”

Gastineau, like many others, believe Favre took a dive for his good friend Strahan, ultimately giving the Giants defensive end 22.5 sacks and the record in the final game of the season.

“I just want to be recognized for the record,” Gastineau said. “You wouldn’t want your son getting a record like that. I don’t think it’s good for the NFL. It was never good for the NFL, and I’m surprised the NFL didn’t step in.”

The extremely sour Gastineau, who recently had a battle with colon cancer, may have a point when it comes to the sack of Favre, but like so many others, forgets that Strahan was robbed of a sack earlier that season against Washington.

Strahan has addressed the controversy over the years, saying during an episode of “The Football Life” that the record hardly seems worth it due to the controversy.

“The sack record is great, absolutely phenomenal, but I almost feel like in a sense it was diminished because everyone goes, ‘Oh, Brett Favre gave you a sack,’ ” Strahan said.

“I caught so much flak over it. … It’s not worth it, because everyone looks as if one sack that they question is the defining moment of my career.”

At the time of the sack, Favre said slipping on the turf was not intentional, but his offensive linemen have come out over the years and claimed the original call was a run, but that the quarterback changed it to a roll-out at the last second.

Despite that, Strahan has maintained a healthy respect for Gastineau.

“I love Mark Gastineau. I appreciate him,” Strahan said in “A Football Life.”

The record belongs to Strahan and rightfully so. If Gastineau and others want to nitpick, then they have to re-watch every play of the 2001 season and credit Strahan with the sack(s) that were stripped from him. Either way, he ends up with 22.5 or more.

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Cap Cut Candidate: Should Jets move on from CB Trumaine Johnson?

Should the Jets keep Trumaine Johnson for another season? Jets Wire says no way.

Before free agency kicks off in March, Jets general manager Joe Douglas is going to have some decisions to make on players already at One Jets Drive.

Along with New York’s 32 impending free agents, there are a handful of players who could be shown the door in an effort to free up salary cap space. The Jets have $53 million to spend right now, according to Spotrac. That number could grow exponentially if Douglas parts ways with players eating up a large chunk of Gang Green’s payroll.

Among those who are a candidate to become a cap casualty is cornerback Trumaine Johnson. After signing a massive five-year, $72.5 million with the Jets in 2018, Johnson has been nothing short of a disappointment in his time with the team. Should he be granted another season to figure things out? Let’s evaluate the situation.

Pros of keeping him

The Jets are in bad shape at cornerback. Brian Poole is set to hit free agency and there is no guarantee he returns to the Big Apple next season. Darryl Roberts was awful in 2019 and is also a candidate to get cut. If Johnson is let go, that leaves New York with Bless Austin, Kyron Brown and Nate Hairston. Maurice Canady and Arthur Maulet are set to hit the open market.

Yes, Johnson has underperformed since joining the Jets. However, there is a reason why he was once the best cornerbacks in football. The 30-year-old has lost a step the last couple of years, but who is to say he can’t bounce back and put together a productive 2020 season? He did look good in training camp last summer before injuring his hamstring, after all.

Cornerback is New York’s weakest position group at this juncture. Why not give Johnson one last shot to get it right?

Cons of keeping him

There is really no point in keeping Johnson at his current salary. New York owes him $11 million next season. Johnson is not worth that number considering how he has performed the last two seasons.

If the Jets release Johnson before June 1, they would absorb $12 million in dead cap, but free up $3 million in cap space. That would allow Douglas to go out and sign a corner to replace him in free agency.

Not only does cutting Johnson make sense from a financial standpoint, but from a schematic point of view as well. Johnson found himself in defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ doghouse before landing on injured reserve. With the Jets looking to get younger, why would they keep an underperforming and overpaid veteran around?

The verdict

The argument that New York’s cornerback room would become even more of a mess without Johnson could give reason to believe he is worth keeping around for another year, but do not be fooled by this line of thinking.

Keeping Johnson does not solve anything. Just because he has a history of elite production does not mean he is magically going to return to that level of play. The Jets should not keep Johnson. Period.

The bottom line is, New York is better off without its 30-year-old, $72.5 million dollar man on the roster. It’s time to move on from arguably the worst free agent signing in franchise history.

4 right guards the Jets should target in free agency

Joe Douglas needs right guard support if he decides to cut Brian Winters. Here are five solid options in free agency.

The Jets currently have Brian Winters as their starting right guard, but Joe Douglas could easily look for his replacement this offseason following another injury-plagued year. Cutting Winters would save the Jets $7.28 million this offseason, money that could be used at multiple positions or for a more consistent and durable lineman.

The market for right guards is incredibly top-heavy this offseason. There are really only two players who will command big contracts, and they’re really the only ones worth the money to upgrade over Winters. If the Jets aren’t willing to grab either of the top two right guards, they can keep Winters, downgrade for a cheaper player, trade for a replacement or look to the draft.

Here are the top five right guards in free agency the Jets should consider.

Brandon Scherff

The Jets need a mauler up front and Scherff provides that both in run-blocking and pass protection. He finished 28th in pass-blocking and was top-six in run-blocking in gap and zone protections. Scherff is consistent with his ability, grading out between 75.0 and 81.4 in four out of five of his NFL seasons and at least 70.0 in all five.

When’s he’s healthy, Scherff is one of the best right guards in the league. That’s a big “if,” though, as Scherff hasn’t played a full season since 2016 and missed 13 games over the past two seasons with various injuries. Despite his injury history, his age and size – 28, 6-foot-5, 351 pounds – as well as his production make him arguably the best right guard on the market. His value is around $12.4 million per year, according to Spotrac.

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Ex-Jets coach fired from XFL job after just one game

Former Jets defensive line coach Pepper Johnson was fired by the XFL’s Wildcats after just one game.

A former Jets coach has been shown the door in the XFL.

According to Pick Wise’s Alex Alarcon, the Los Angeles Wildcats have fired Pepper Johnson, their defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, after just one game. The Wildcats have yet to name his replacement.

The Wildcats allowed 37 points, 315 total net yards and 5.6 yards per play in their 37-17 loss to the Houston Roughnecks in Week 1 of the XFL season.

Johnson spent time with the Jets as a player and a coach before he joined the rebooted XFL. He was a linebacker for the Jets for two seasons in 1997 and 1998. He then served as the Jets defensive line coach in 2015 and 2016 when Todd Bowles was New York’s head coach.

The 55-year-old Johnson was a player in the NFL for 13 seasons with four different teams, including the Giants, Browns, Lions and Jets. He was a two-time Super Bowl champ with Big Blue and made the Pro Bowl twice during his career.

After retiring from the league, Johnson got into coaching with the Patriots. He was with New England from 2000-2013, mainly working with the defensive line and linebackers. He then joined the Bills in 2014 as their defensive line coach before going to the Jets in 2015. Johnson was out of coaching for three years until the Memphis Express of the now-defunct AAF hired him as their defensive line coach in December 2018. That league folded midway through its inaugural season in 2019.

Johnson was hired by the Wildcats in June.

Antonio Cromartie calls for Adam Gase’s job, wants Jets to hire Eric Bieniemy

Antonio Cromartie wants the Jets to fire Adam Gase and hire Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

Add Antonio Cromartie to the list of people who don’t believe Adam Gase is the right man to lead the Jets.

The cornerback spoke to TMZ about his feelings toward Gase, and he didn’t exactly give a ringing endorsement. One of the main reasons Cromartie doesn’t like Gase is because of the way he uses and treats running back Le’Veon Bell.

“We don’t give our running back the ball in the second half of a game,” Cromartie said. “It just shows you that you’re trying to say that you don’t need him.”

Gase was reportedly against paying a 27-year-old running back, Bell, a lucrative contract, but former general manager Mike Maccagnan did it anyway. Bell received a four-year, $52.5 million deal from the Jets, but his usage was limited in 2019 and he had one of the worst years of his career.

During the season, Gase seemed to avoid handing the ball off to Bell in the second half of games. He claimed it was because of the game flow, but there were plenty of times when the Jets could have used him. Meanwhile, in the one game Bell missed due to an illness, Gase made it a point to run the football with Bilal Powell and Ty Montgomery.

If Cromartie had his way, he would have fired Gase after the season, despite him leading the team to a 7-9 record after a 1-7 start. As for who Cromartie would replace him with, he would go straight to Andy Reid’s staff and hire his offensive coordinator.

“I would go get Eric Bieniemy,” Cromartie said.

Bieniemy did interview for the Jets job after the 2018 season, but New York elected to go with Gase instead. He interviewed for a handful of openings this offseason but didn’t get hired.

To the dislike of Cromartie, Gase will be the Jets’ head coach in 2020. Christopher Johnson guaranteed him another year during the middle of last season. Whether Cromartie likes it or not, Gase isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

The 5 biggest free agent successes in Jets history

The Jets Wire takes a look at the five biggest free agent successes in New York Jets’ franchise history.

The Jets have been known for making poor decisions and having free agency decisions blow up in their face. Still, New York deserves credit for its good free agent signings over the years.

Whether it was signing an undrafted free agent that turned into a consistent starter or signing a player who would eventually build a Hall of Fame career with the team, these moves go down as some of the most successful in franchise history.

With that being said and free agency right around the corner, here are five of New York’s biggest free-agent successes.

Curtis Martin

Not only is Curtis Martin the greatest free agent signing in franchise history, but he is one of the best players to ever play for the Jets.

Martin inked a six-year, $36 million contract with the Jets back in 1998. He was one of the best players at his position at the time. He was acquired when the Bill Parcells-led Jets signed him away from the Patriots, sending New England two draft choices in return.

Martin rushed for a franchise-high 10,302 yards and 58 touchdowns in 123 career starts for the Jets. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2012 and was a two-time first-team All-Pro with the Jets in 2001 and 2004.

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