Jets make moves

Newsday's Tom Rock brings us more news from Gang Green

Jets re-sign Poteat; Barlow let go
BY TOM ROCK
tom.rock@newsday.com

February 21, 2007, 9:31 PM EST

Anyone who paid attention to the final quarter of the Jets' season would not be surprised by the moves the team made Wednesday, re-signing cornerback Hank Poteat and releasing running back Kevan Barlow.

Poteat went from training camp casualty, cut just before the regular season, to starting right cornerback for the final six regular-season games and the playoffs. Eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next month, Poteat signed a one-year deal worth $635,000.

In contrast, Barlow was brought in late in training camp as a possible successor to Curtis Martin; the Jets traded a fourth-round draft pick to the 49ers to get him after a deal for the Browns' Lee Suggs fell through. But Barlow was inactive in five of the last six games, a decision Jets coach Eric Mangini pointed out had nothing to do with injury.

Barlow ran for only 370 yards on 131 carries but managed six touchdowns. His best game as a Jet was a 75-yard effort in the mud in a November win over the Patriots, but he had only 30 carries after that.

The Jets, already a healthy $25 million or so under the salary cap, will avoid the $3.25 million Barlow was due to earn in 2007 but still will be docked two-thirds of the guaranteed million dollars they gave him in a restructuring in September, according to a source.

The Jets also released offensive lineman Trey Teague, who was signed last spring to help replace Kevin Mawae at center but broke an ankle in minicamp and never played a down. They signed safety Raymond Ventrone to a reserve/future contract.

The team also made a formal announcement regarding several previously reported coaching changes, most notably naming former Patriots receivers coach Mike Daboll as quarterbacks coach. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer handled those duties last season, and Daboll, who was close with Mangini in New England, could become the Jets' offensive coordinator if and when Schottenheimer leaves for a head coaching opportunity.

and my View: Barlow was slow to learn the system and would have only been a minor contributor to the offense at best.
still, he came east with great promise, and his next stop will be?? Teauge never got off on the right foot(Ohhhh my bad!)
so to speak, he never recovered from the broken ankle even though he worked very hard. Truth is, Nick Mangold will be the Jets center for the next decade+ if he stays healthy. Tannenbaum is making all the right moves here.