Important for New York Jets To Keep Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes

The Jets have 18 players that are free agents. It’s no wonder Rex Ryan said the team will not keep everybody.

With the salary cap, it’s impossible to keep everyone. Guys will want a raise and the team can’t afford to fit every player’s salary increase under the cap.

As Mike Tannenbaum and his staff do their due diligence, it will be interesting to see which players they choose to keep.

Tannenbaum wants to keep David Harris. The Jets need linebackers that can go out and hit, so he will be a priority.

It’s safe to say the Jets want to keep Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes. It remains to be seen if they can keep both, but one of them will be back.

Yet, it’s a must for them to sign Edwards and Holmes to a long-term contract. They had a good season, and they played a role in Mark Sanchez’s development as a quarterback.

There’s no reason to let a good thing disappear. The Jets can’t afford to bring in new receivers and have Sanchez learn to work with them.

A young quarterback needs receivers that he can trust and be familiar with. That was the case with Sanchez when he worked with Edwards and Holmes this year.

The three hit it off so well.

They spent time going over plays at practice.

They always communicated with each other at games.

It was Edwards that always encouraged Sanchez when times were tough.

The sophomore quarterback is not ready to take command of the team just yet. The Jets can’t expect him to work with any receiver and have him flourish.

Outside of the DUI arrest, Edwards has been a pro here.

He hasn’t caused any disruption to the team.

He showed up on time, and his work ethic helped him to not drop balls. He played at a high level this year, and he was one of the team’s valuable players.

He led the Jets in touchdowns, and he was a difference maker in tight games. He put himself in a position to catch the ball in the fourth quarter of a tie game.

It was Edwards that made an important catch, which helped Nick Folk kick the game-winning field goal against the Colts.

It was Edwards that caught many receptions, including a touchdown in the win against the Patriots.

Not only did he play well in the regular season, but he did the same thing in the postseason. This is good enough for him to earn a long-term contract.

Holmes had his ups and downs with the team. He dropped many balls, but he made great catches too.

He did a good job of blocking, which helped Edwards be in a position to make catches.

He did the dirty work, and that’s a testament to his character—Most wide receivers would worry about knowing where to catch the ball than do the grunt work.

Edwards and Holmes have their share of baggage, but in their time with the Jets, they behaved like model citizens. They played within the team concept.

It’s going to be tough to replace those guys if they leave. Drafting a receiver is not a feasible solution and getting an over-the-hill receiver is not the way to go.

Deep down, the Jets know they have to keep the pair together. Their problem is figuring out how to get it done.

Both of them are going to want a long-term deal. They are in the prime of their career, and they want to get their last contract before they start aging.

Don’t expect them to get a discount. They are going to want an expensive deal. There are suggestions the Jets can’t pay both.

Tannenbaum could get a break here though.

It is doubtful teams are going to pay Edwards or Holmes the money they think they are getting.

There is a good chance one of the receivers could get a one-year deal with an attempt to get a lucrative contract next year. In that regard, both can’t be signed.

The lockout could sldo play a role. The more it extends, the more the Jets will have a tough time getting them in order. Teams can be quick to sign others if lockout ends late.

The Jets need time to talk with Holmes and Edwards.

They need to work with their agents, and negotiations are time-consuming. It would behoove the Jets if the lockout is long. Players would want to be quick signing with teams if lockout ends in August.

It will be interesting to see how all this works out for the Jets.

A successful offseason is keeping those two on the team.