There's no way the Jets could have kept Pete Kendall this season, not with the acrimony built up over the last several months. Kendall claimed he received verbal assurances of a $1 million raise - to $2.7 million - by the Jets, while GM Mike Tannenbaum and coach Eric Mangini have been unwilling to grant the request.
Kendall responded with plenty of harsh words for the coach and GM whenever anyone asked how he felt, and there was simply no way he could have co-existed on this team this season without huge fallout.
So the Jets did the right thing by getting a draft pick from the Redskins for the 34-year-old guard, who still has a few good years left. If they weren't gonna pay him - and clearly, they weren't - then best to get something in return.
The deal also keeps Kendall away from the Dolphins, the team they were deathly afraid would sign Kendall if he'd been released at the end of the preseason.
So it's a win-win in that respect, but on the field, it's far from certain. The Jets simply don't have a replacement who provides the kind of steady leadership and solid blocking that Kendall offered. Adrien Clarke is the likely fill-in, but he has had a less-than-stellar camp so far.
Comments (17)
Good Riddenance, What a Big FAT Baby Kendall is. Anyone who is more concerned about his own paycheck instead of the team, is someone not to have. He just signed a contract last year and now all he can do is cry about renegoiate a new one. Just crazy how not only players but management at times forget that there is no "I" in team.
There is no "i" in team ... but there is a "me."
Too bad Tiki, I mean Kendall chose to use the media for a contract negotiation. He had to know that would not put pressure on Mangini. If anything they had to. Kerry Rhodes is underpaid too. If they paid Kendall aftrer holding out then what. He should have come in and worked behind the scenes. I guess he saw all those FA lineman getting paid in the off season and he wanted in. Too bad. the guy was solid for the Jets but 34 year old guards who never made the Pro Bowl can be replaced. Hell, the Jets got him when the Cardinals release him
I'm not a Jets fan but I have very many friends who are and I echo what they are all saying today, "Good riddance" What a baby this guy is! He has a chance (although slim) to win a ring with a very good club and he tosses it away for the almighty green. Have fun playing on a 10 loss team in Washington this year Pete!
I'm always amazed when the fan base turns on a player that puts his body on the line every Sunday and takes the side of management, particularly when management has acted dishonorably... i think it's clear that Kendall was 'duped' by the GM and was promised a raise this year in return for some cap help to sign the 2 high priced rookie linemen last year. All of a sudden he's a 'baby' for being pissed that he was screwed over after being a 'team player' last hear, mentoring mangold and furguson, and deferring a raise to help the team's cap issues? come on!!! stop drinking the koolaid jet-fan and really be honest about who the bad guys in this situation really are....
Yeah, JHN, that is the thing. Kendall flatly accused the team of lying, reneging on a handshake deal. Mike Tannenbaum and Mangini never refuted this version. Seems like they felt their word was not binding. Kendall handled the situation the only way he could, good luck to him.
If anyone cares to study the game film from last year, you'll see that Kendall's line work last year left MUCH to be desired. He may have mentored the two rookies, but the information that he managed to pass along to Ferguson didn't help. He was a near Gallery bust. Funny how that never gets mentioned in the praise that Kendall gets for working with the rook, who, BTW, got his clock cleaned on more than one play last week against the Vikes. And that's not even mentioning the fact that he got absolutely wiped out on the interception return.
I like the Mangini/Tannenbaum team as much as the next guy, but the now all too obvious blunder in not getting any help for the O-Line this off season, especially with a spare 10 million bucks in the coffers, speaks to their dual shortsightedness. Considering that the Bills picked up not one, but two O-Linemen in the off season, one has to wonder if these guys haven't become enamored with their press clippings. Someone might tell them that Thomas Jones, or Jim Brown for that matter, can't run very effectively without at least a decent line to block for them.
Here's hoping that they've got something up their collective sleeves, because if they're going to go into this season with an untested left guard and swinging gates at BOTH tackles, we'll battle Miami for the cellar in the AFC East.
Win a ring?? The only thing Jet Fans will be saying after the hundred excuses is what they say every year "maybe next year".....poor jets...
The NFL doesn't make handshake deals. They take pains to draw up contracts with all the i's and t's dotted and crossed. Pete Kendall knows that. Everyone knows that with the exception of JHN and Craig. Kendall's gone, "Good riddance to bad rubbish!"
awats
Jets fans don't make excuses Alex. Jets fans are the first to criticize the team when the play badly. But, like any other fans, we don't like non Jets fans commenting and spreading false rumors.
awats
Good-bye Pete. Thanks for the help, but you showed your true colors on the way out. So take all your whining down to the Redskins. You helped us in the pass but you were hurting the team for your own gain. That says something about the real person you are. Hope you enjoy that mess down in DC.
Absolutely untrue, awats. Giants made several while Wellington ran the team. If Kendall was lying why didn't the team fire back? Defend themselves professionally? Because he was not lying, simple, much like you.
LoL washington will be a 10 loss team....lol washington will definetly do better then the Jet...our defense is back and we have 2 of the best runningbacks and jason campbel who is doing well in the preseason unlike the jets who have pennington throwing piks like usual
time will tell whether the jets will regret having lost an experienced, reliable, lineman that until management lied to him was a great team player. true enough that he isn't and may never be an all-pro, but the question is will the jets be 'better' with that big hole at guard and will it be worth it to the redskins to have a reliable vet with maybe 2 decent if not remarkable years left in him in return for a 4th round pick.
i think it is pointless really for jets fans or non jets fans to predict whether the trade will turn out best for either team. the fact is no one knows. what is known is the jets GM is not an honorable man. true enough, a handshake agreement isn't worth the paper it's written on, but what kind of world do we live in when people can actually defend a man breaking his word and then describe the man that was done wrong as being a 'baby' and a 'whiner'? my question to those people is how would you react if your boss or foreman shook your hand and looked you in the eye and told you that he'd do the right thing and then turned around with the gutless cope-out: "sorry brother, we had nothing in writing..." i bet if you were in Pete's place you'd be singing another tune...
Pete's only crime was actually believing that the Jets management are men of their word. maybe it's best that he go to 'that mess down in washington'. at least there he will know that he will be treated fairly.
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