NFL Free Agents 2012: New York Jets Would Be Wise to Let Plaxico Burress Walk

The New York Jets didn't make the playoffs for the first time in Rex Ryan's run as head coach.

Does any of that blame fall on the shoulders of high-profile free-agent signing Plaxico Burress? It was, after all, his first season with a team that had been to two straight AFC Championship games.

But the answer is no.

Should the Jets bring Plaxico back then?

Again, no.

The 6'5" receiver caught only 45 passes for 612 yards and eight touchdowns.

The eight touchdowns are a nice touch, but if you actually watched the Jets you'd see how often the ball was forced his way in the red zone. He was targeted only five times less than Santonio Holmes, a former Jets captain and supposedly one of the best receivers in the entire league, and the two finished with eerily similar numbers.

Mark Sanchez's numbers improved across the board, especially in the touchdown department, but the Jets were far and away the worst they've been in Sanchez's young career.

What is the problem then? The Jets don't want Sanchez to throw 543 times per season.

They don't need him throwing 59 times a game like he did in the loss to the Giants. In the Jets' eight wins only twice did Sanchez throw the football more than 35 times.

In the Jets' eight losses, he attempted 35 or more passes five times.

Plain and simple, the Jets aren't going to win as a passing offense.

General manager Mike Tannenbaum might already know that. He was quoted in the New York Daily News saying:

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"He (Plaxico) did a great job for us,” Tannenbaum said. “I thought his blocking, he did a really good job with that. Obviously, he helped us in the red zone. . . . And he was a real pro. He’s really an interesting guy and he was a really good teammate. Free agency is a couple of months away, and we’ll look at everything."

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If they look at everything, they'll see Santonio Holmes in the second year of a five-year deal coming off one of the worst seasons of his career outside of his eight touchdowns.

They'll see Dustin Keller coming off the best season of his career and entering a contract year. They'll see soon-to-be second-year player Jeremy Kerley as more than just a return man. And they'll see that their best chance at success doesn't include bringing back a guy they have to force the ball to.

When it comes down it, the Jets need to focus on revamping their running game and playing ball with the receiving weapons they have.

Burress is a great talent, but he's not what this team needs. Any money they'd spend on his eight touchdowns can be used to give more touches to Holmes, Keller and Kerley while finding more help in the run game.

Don't blame Plaxico for the Jets' disappointing 2011, but don't bring him back for 2012 either.