Thomas Jones Skips Minicamp, Complicates NFL Draft for the New York Jets

The first minicamp of the Rex Ryan regime is officially under way, and it's happening without the AFC's 2008 leading rusher.

Unhappy with his contract, Thomas Jones has skipped all of the voluntary *wink* workouts and meetings with the New York Jets since the start of the offseason.

Upon being acquired from the Chicago Bears in 2007, Jones was awarded a contract that would pay him an average of $5 million a year over the following four seasons.

Of course, the language of the NFL contract is a foreign one, as that four-year, $20 million deal pays Jones a meager $900,000 in 2009.

And now the difficult questions begin. How much more money is Jones worth? Can he be immediately replaced?

Jones will be 31 at the start of the season—not a friendly number for NFL running backs. He sees the writing on the wall.

In 2010, Jones will count for over $7 million against the cap—a number GM Mike Tannenbaum would sooner cut than accommodate. Leon Washington is in the midst of a contract negotiation where he's seeking something that averages out to at least $4 million per year.

With the draft a little over a week away, Jones' decision to play hardball with the Jets' front office can place him in a position to be supplemented with an early draft choice.

He's not the same 27-year-old who was fresh off a great season in Chicago when the Bears selected Cedric Benson. He's a 30-year-old running back who led the AFC in rushing with the lowest total yardage in over 10 years.

Jones' 1,312-yard season comes on the heels of a decline in production from AFC backs like LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson.

It's not a matter of what Jones believes he deserves. It's about his lack of any leverage in this scenario.

He may have been selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2008, but his 1,300-yard season was consistent with what he had done in Chicago. It's why Tannenbaum gave him the $20 million contract after completing the trade.

Jones finally met expectations in 2008. He was overpaid in the first year of his contract.

The offensive line struggled in 2007, and Jones managed to scrape together 1,100 yards with one touchdown. But his success in 2008 can easily be attributed to the money spent on improving the offensive line, and not his own abilities.

Given his age, it was understood that Jones would need to be replaced sooner than later. Unfortunately, he's forcing the Jets to consider it sooner.

The Jets are facing a plethora of areas that can be addressed with their 17th overall pick.

Wide receiver tops most lists if a trade for a proven veteran cannot be completed. Some believe drafting a quarterback is a necessity, given the unknown element surrounding the men currently on the roster. Defensive line help is also a priority.

The running back position was an area people were willing to address, but it wasn't supposed to be a pressing need. Thomas Jones is now making it a critical decision for Gang Green.

With Ohio State's Chris "Beanie" Wells and Georgia's Knowshon Moreno expected to be available around the 17th pick, the Jets' draft-day decision has become even more complicated.

Given his production in 2008, Jones does have significant value if the Jets were looking to package him in a trade.

New York is going into the draft with only six choices and could be looking to acquire more picks on the first day. There are a few teams who might be listening for any Jones offers.

Angel Navedo is a contributing writer to TheJetsBlog.com and the Examiner for the New York Jets. He can be reached here.