DMN: Jets Courting Miles Austin

[masomenos]

Miles Austin.

How did a completely raw, undrafted player make a Bill Parcells team as an inactive sixth receiver when he wasn't even projected to return kicks on special teams?

Monster upside.

And after two years of development, Sky Miles was finally ready to contribute and started making a push for playing time during training camp and pre-season. Austin led the team in receiving yards for the pre-season despite only playing parts of two games before injuring his knee.

When Austin came back, 8 of his 13 total receptions, 186 of his 278 yards and all 3 of his career touchdowns came from week two through seven.

Then someone named Tony Romo went down with an injury. Austin caught 2 passes the following week from Brad Johnson before getting blanked the next two games.

Romo then returned and Austin plucked 2 passes for 26 yards, including converting a third and seven the play before Tellus' go ahead touchdown grab in a potential season saving road victory.

But Austin again injured his knee and would catch only one more pass the rest of the season.

Injuries (Austin & Romo) played a big role in Austin's stat line last season, but I don't see why anyone can't see the upside and potential.

Three touchdowns in four weeks isn't an accident.

Truth be told, the accident was not having five scores during that time span.

Austin took a bad ankle on his first reception in Green Bay that allowed the safety to make the tackle on what should have been a touchdown. Two weeks later, Austin had a touchdown sail right through his hands only to be caught in the back of the end zone by Patrick Crayton against the Bengals.

That's a damn good post.

 

[jterrell]

So you're essentially trading a "unproven, undrafted free agent" for an unproven drafted player.

Seems like a wash.

The difference is all players enter the league unproven but if you manage to somehow make it 3 years in and still hold that distinction I think it is fair to hold that against you.

At least as it relates to your value.

Again, I'd love to keep Austin for his r2 tender and see what he can do with yet another year to prove himself but there is no way I'd give him any real money based on his speed and 23 career catches.

There is a big difference between being a solid player and being a player worth 4 mil or so per year plus forgoing a r2 pick for.

 

[Randy White]

The difference is all players enter the league unproven but if you manage to somehow make it 3 years in and still hold that distinction I think it is fair to hold that against you. .

Sure, that makes sense, but for players who have had legit opportunities to prove themselves. Miles hasn't because of the tremendous amount of talent on this team. The very little he's been featured, he's succeeded. However, when you're not even in the top 5 or 6 pecking order in the passes department, it's hard to prove your true worth.

 

[Beast_from_East]

I really am torn on this one.


On the one hand, having an extra 2nd round pick would be nice. However, we would have to use one or trade both to get another WR. Problem is that everybody and their uncle would know this and the teams right behind us might try and "leap frog" us to draft WRs they like before we can make a move.

On the other hand, I really like Austin and would hate to see him go to the Jets and become a stud (ala Jimmy Smith back in the day). Plus we would lose all our speed on the outside.


I really dont know which way to go here, I guess all we can do is wait and see if the Jets even offer Austin a contract. Now if the contract is for stupid money or has a poison pill, then we have to let him walk.

 

[Idgit]

Miles Austin.

How did a completely raw, undrafted player make a Bill Parcells team as an inactive sixth receiver when he wasn't even projected to return kicks on special teams?

Monster upside.

And after two years of development, Sky Miles was finally ready to contribute and started making a push for playing time during training camp and pre-season. Austin led the team in receiving yards for the pre-season despite only playing parts of two games before injuring his knee.

When Austin came back, 8 of his 13 total receptions, 186 of his 278 yards and all 3 of his career touchdowns came from week two through seven.

Then someone named Tony Romo went down with an injury. Austin caught 2 passes the following week from Brad Johnson before getting blanked the next two games.

Romo then returned and Austin plucked 2 passes for 26 yards, including converting a third and seven the play before Tellus' go ahead touchdown grab in a potential season saving road victory.

But Austin again injured his knee and would catch only one more pass the rest of the season.

Injuries (Austin & Romo) played a big role in Austin's stat line last season, but I don't see why anyone can't see the upside and potential.

Three touchdowns in four weeks isn't an accident.

Truth be told, the accident was not having five scores during that time span.

Austin took a bad ankle on his first reception in Green Bay that allowed the safety to make the tackle on what should have been a touchdown. Two weeks later, Austin had a touchdown sail right through his hands only to be caught in the back of the end zone by Patrick Crayton against the Bengals.

At the first line of this love story you are erroneous. Austin was a special teamer day 1. He was a gunner and kick off return guy, who even if he wasn't the main guy held a job as a returner. He ended up returning 29 kicks which is still tied for his career high in any one year.

I am also sure it didn't hurt that a Jersey guy brought him in as a fellow Jersey guy.

But who care really? Bobby Carpenter keeps making he team too, does that make him any good? Would you take a r2 for him?

Bluefin, you're not going to let jterrell completely sidestep the meat of your (great) post with that Jersey-guy throwaway line, are you?

 

[gimmesix]

I don't want to lose Austin because he has good potential. But, he hasn't done squat yet. Nor has he had much opportunity. So if we get a 2nd round pick for someone who hasn't accomplished anything yet, that's not a bad thing. He's had a lot of time to develop and it's put up time for him this coming season. If we match a contract and he doesn't put up, then that's trouble. If he blossoms next year on the Jets, at least we got a 2nd round pick for it. So I'm not up for mtahcing unless the contract is extremely reasonable.

This is where I stand.

I'd rather take the second-round pick than match an offer that binds us to a player who might not "put up." But I'd rather the Jets leave him alone so we can find out for sure this year if Austin can put up before deciding whether to give him a big contract.

Either way, though, I don't think Dallas loses. The extra second-round pick gives us some ammunition to go after a receiver we like to replace him, and possibly be even better.

I definitely wouldn't match unless the offer is reasonable enough for someone who might end up being a No. 3 or No. 4 receiver instead of possibly becoming a No. 2. Taking an expensive chance that he will be a No. 2 can come back to bite us hard.

 

[dallasfaniac]

I don't know if anyone mentioned it, but what if Jerry were to sign Lance Moore if the Jets took Austin. I know Austin has alot of upside, but Moore had 79 receptions for 928 yards and 10 TDs last year, although he's probably a product of their system.

 

[Doomsday]

Maybe its me but something seems messed up when Proctor gets the same tender as Miles Austin. Hard to believe Proctor is as valuable to the team after watching him stink up the joint last year.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Maybe its me but something seems messed up when Proctor gets the same tender as Miles Austin. Hard to believe Proctor is as valuable to the team after watching him stink up the joint last year.

I still cant believe Proctor even got a tender. I would have put his arse on the first bus out of town, he totally sucked last year.

I will never forget the G-men game where Guorde snapped the ball early and everybody on the line moved out of their stance except Procter, that was freaking halarius!!!!!