Jets Place Second Round Tender on Leon Washington

The Jets have placed a second round tender on fan favorite running back and kick returner Leon Washington. The explosive back missed the second half of the 2009 season due to a broken leg. 

Washington’s agent, Alvin Keels, said, “I expect there to be a market for Leon during free agency and would say his return to the Jets will be 50/50 at best at this point.” Keels added, “He is ahead of schedule while rehabbing from his week 7 injury. He will be 100% healthy and ready for camp either in NY or elsewhere.”

As steep as a second rounder sounds, I expect there will be a team that makes an offer for Leon. He is an explosive back that can score any time he touches the ball. He can help a team that is on the edge of being a Super Bowl contender. He is valuable on special teams and on third-downs. 

If the Jets decided not to match an offer made by another team for Leon, getting a compensatory second round pick would help them out. What makes me feel better about this situation is that the Jets went on a deep playoff run in 2009 without Leon. What’s startling is that if they lose Leon, they’ll have just one running back remaining on the team out of their big three running backs that they had last season. That means Shonn Greene is the one remaining running back and the Jets would desperately need to get another difference maker to support the second-year back.

It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Jets try to bring Jones back on a cheaper deal, but don’t count on it. 

The Jets have created a hole for themselves and the hole may widen if they let Leon walk. A second round pick is tempting, however, and I wouldn’t put it past the Jets. The Jets must think extremely high of Shonn Greene. 

It’s going to be a very interesting off-season for the Jets when you take into account the rules of an uncapped year and the holes they need to fill. The draft is going to be critical for the Jets and receiving a second round pick for Washington may be worth it for the Jets.

The Jets also placed a second round tender on Brad Smith.