[nejets2820]

Dustin Keller: New York Jets shouldn't franchise me

• 
• By Kareem Copeland
• Around the League Writer
• Published: Dec. 28, 2012 at 08:55 a.m.
• Updated: Dec. 28, 2012 at 01:57 p.m.

New York Jets tight end Dustin Keller is not interested in the franchise tag when his rookie contract expires after this season. The five-year NFL veteran missed seven games this season with hamstring and ankle injuries.

"I don't want to be franchised," Keller told the New York Daily News on Thursday. "You want to make sure that you're going somewhere and you're signing something that was your decision. You don't want to be told that you're doing something for whatever price. You want to make that decision for yourself. You don't want somebody else making it for you. I would love to come back here, but when I came here, I signed a five-year deal and this is the fifth year on it.

"You want to be able to make that decision for yourself. That'd be illegal in another job."

The rules surrounding the franchise tag are a whole other discussion. They're part of the collective bargaining agreement and aren't changing until it's renegotiated.

The 2013 franchise tag for tight ends is tentatively set for $5.962 million. That's probably more than Keller would command as a free agent but without the security of a multiyear deal. He had a career year in 2011 with 65 receptions for 815 yards and five touchdowns. He played in all 64 games his first four years. But he's not on the list with the top tight ends in the NFL.

"My thinking always was that if they want me to, I will play out this deal and sign a new contract (after the season)," Keller said. "That's my word. The whole franchise tag deal is crazy. Somebody played out their contract, but now you can make them come back for another year even if it's not something they want to do? That's not the situation that I'm in right now, but I just think it's crazy.

[nejets2820]

Seriously? This guy thinks he deserves a new f***ing contract after his "performances" this year? FUCKK THAT SHIIT! Let him f***ing walk for all I care. Once the next team that picks him up starts losing, he's gonna feign injuries just like he did to us.

[a1elbow2.0]

We should have traded him last year. He has an overrated idea of his value and we stink anyway.

[Jetsfan0099]

He has no say in the franchise tag.

[SecondHandJets]

He's going to go the BE route. He thinks he's in line for a big contract? Nope. He's not Top 15 at his position and he hasn't been healthy. He's going to get a couple of 1 year offers to prove that he can stay healthy.

[Jetsfan115]

what did he say so bad that makes you hate him? seriously?
His logic is 100% sound. he signed a 5 year deal and he played it out w/o wanting a raise or an extension or threatening to hold out (aka revis) he honored his deal and all he said is he doesn't want to be franchised. I can't blame him personally. If you had a job that the risk was it could end any day and somebody offers you a 5 year security and then someone else forces you to play for them 1 year with no security you'd feel cheated too.

When did you all get so bitter becuase we had a crappy season?

[a1elbow2.0]

Jetsfan115, on 28 December 2012 - 04:15 PM, said:

what did he say so bad that makes you hate him? seriously?
His logic is 100% sound. he signed a 5 year deal and he played it out w/o wanting a raise or an extension or threatening to hold out (aka revis) he honored his deal and all he said is he doesn't want to be franchised. I can't blame him personally. If you had a job that the risk was it could end any day and somebody offers you a 5 year security and then someone else forces you to play for them 1 year with no security you'd feel cheated too.

When did you all get so bitter becuase we had a crappy season?

That he isn't that good of a TE and being in a bad offense has been a scapegoat for him and that he is just a slightly above average receiving TE who isn't that good at anything.

[SecondHandJets]

Jetsfan115, on 28 December 2012 - 05:15 PM, said:

what did he say so bad that makes you hate him? seriously?

The fact that he thinks he's worthy of a franchise tag. The franchise tag is the average of 5 top salaries at the player's position. Here's the list of the Top 5 paid TEs in the NFL:

Jason Witten, Dallas: $7.4 million/yr, $18.5 million guaranteed
Vernon Davis, San Francisco: $7.35 million/yr, $23 million guaranteed
Antonio Gates, San Diego: $7.235 million, $20.4 million guaranteed
Jermichael Finley, Green Bay: $7 million, $1 million guaranteed
Rob Gronkowski, New England: $6.9 million, $18 million guaranteed

So in essence, Keller is scoffing at a 1 year, $7.2M deal. Really Dustin? Your non-blocking, sometime-pass-catching, not-knowing-where-the-1st-down-marker constantly hurt ass thinks that he's too good for a 1 year deal? GTFO

[FlyHiJets]

Jetsfan115, on 28 December 2012 - 05:15 PM, said:

what did he say so bad that makes you hate him? seriously?
His logic is 100% sound. he signed a 5 year deal and he played it out w/o wanting a raise or an extension or threatening to hold out (aka revis) he honored his deal and all he said is he doesn't want to be franchised. I can't blame him personally. If you had a job that the risk was it could end any day and somebody offers you a 5 year security and then someone else forces you to play for them 1 year with no security you'd feel cheated too.

When did you all get so bitter becuase we had a crappy season?

I'm with you. Anyone bashing Keller needs their heads examined. With the exception of this season, Keller has played to his full extent & was the team's leading receiver for most of his contract. He actually EARNED his money & didn't make a bunch of noise. Whoever the new GM will be should offer him a 3 year deal that can extend to 4 or 5 that will benefit both parties.

The funny thing is that the same people that are crying about Keller not wanting to be franchized will likely be the ones willing to throw all kinds of money at Revis in the offseason when we don;t even know how he'll come back from his injury.

[a1elbow2.0]

FlyHiJets, on 30 December 2012 - 03:59 PM, said:

I'm with you. Anyone bashing Keller needs their heads examined. With the exception of this season, Keller has played to his full extent & was the team's leading receiver for most of his contract. He actually EARNED his money & didn't make a bunch of noise. Whoever the new GM will be should offer him a 3 year deal that can extend to 4 or 5 that will benefit both parties.

The funny thing is that the same people that are crying about Keller not wanting to be franchized will likely be the ones willing to throw all kinds of money at Revis in the offseason when we don;t even know how he'll come back from his injury.

Except Revis is actually elite at a position that is still a high caliber spot, not a player playing TE who is just decent at one part of the job (catching) and shitty at the other(blocking). Keller isn't even top half of the league at his position.

[HarlemHxC814]

what player is really going to say that they want to get the franchise tag?

[HurricaneJet32]

You guys are dicks...put yourself in someone else's shoes for once...damn.....

[FlyHiJets]

a1elbow2.0, on 30 December 2012 - 11:00 PM, said:

Except Revis is actually elite at a position that is still a high caliber spot, not a player playing TE who is just decent at one part of the job (catching) and shitty at the other(blocking). Keller isn't even top half of the league at his position.

Sorry a1, but you have to change your statement to Revis WAS elite at his position. Nobody knows how he's going to come back from the injury. You didn't notice the LACK of news regarding how his rehab is going? Nobody has heard a damn thing about it but you & others would still be okay with throwing a boatload of cash at him just because his jersey has the name Revis on the back? The last I checked, our secondary was amongst the tops in the league WITHOUT Revis.

For you to say Keller isn't in the top half of the league at TE is laughable. According to you, he's not in the top 16? REALLY? PLEASE enlighten me on the 16 TE's that are better than he is. You can't go with Tony Gonzalez because he's retiring.

[HarlemHxC814]

FlyHiJets, on 31 December 2012 - 01:01 PM, said:

Sorry a1, but you have to change your statement to Revis WAS elite at his position. Nobody knows how he's going to come back from the injury. You didn't notice the LACK of news regarding how his rehab is going? Nobody has heard a damn thing about it but you & others would still be okay with throwing a boatload of cash at him just because his jersey has the name Revis on the back? The last I checked, our secondary was amongst the tops in the league WITHOUT Revis.

For you to say Keller isn't in the top half of the league at TE is laughable. According to you, he's not in the top 16? REALLY? PLEASE enlighten me on the 16 TE's that are better than he is. You can't go with Tony Gonzalez because he's retiring.

So Keller is more valuable to this team than Revis is??

[FlyHiJets]

HarlemHxC814, on 31 December 2012 - 01:04 PM, said:

So Keller is more valuable to this team than Revis is??

No. I never said that he's more valuable. My point was that people are bitching about Keller needing a new deal & that he doesn't deserve one, but they'd be willing to throw a $hitload of money at someone still under contract for 2 more years that is coming off a potential career ending injury. No one has heard a thing about Revis with his recovery. No one knows if he'll be that same "elite" player he once was. I DAMN SURE wouldn't give him a new deal until after the 2013 season to ensure he is the same player he was & that he hasn't lost anything in the long time off. You notice he caught the injury bug & came up limp how many times after his holdout?

Our secondary is okay so if we could get 2 first round draft picks for Revis, I'd take it right now. Our pass D finished SECOND in the league without Revis. And it wasn't our DB's that were responsible for giving up that much. We got burned over the middle more than anywhere in LB territory.

We need a good pass catching TE more than we need Revis in my opinion. So if we can get 2 first rounders, go for it & let someone else take a big piece of their cap on someone that will only complain that he wants a new deal every 2-3 years.

[HarlemHxC814]

FlyHiJets, on 31 December 2012 - 01:14 PM, said:

We need a good pass catching TE more than we need Revis in my opinion.

[a1elbow2.0]

FlyHiJets, on 31 December 2012 - 12:14 PM, said:

No. I never said that he's more valuable. My point was that people are bitching about Keller needing a new deal & that he doesn't deserve one, but they'd be willing to throw a $hitload of money at someone still under contract for 2 more years that is coming off a potential career ending injury. No one has heard a thing about Revis with his recovery. No one knows if he'll be that same "elite" player he once was. I DAMN SURE wouldn't give him a new deal until after the 2013 season to ensure he is the same player he was & that he hasn't lost anything in the long time off. You notice he caught the injury bug & came up limp how many times after his holdout?

Our secondary is okay so if we could get 2 first round draft picks for Revis, I'd take it right now. Our pass D finished SECOND in the league without Revis. And it wasn't our DB's that were responsible for giving up that much. We got burned over the middle more than anywhere in LB territory.

We need a good pass catching TE more than we need Revis in my opinion. So if we can get 2 first rounders, go for it & let someone else take a big piece of their cap on someone that will only complain that he wants a new deal every 2-3 years.

Why is it that the argument is Keller vs a Revis raise? I would resign Keller for a small deal because he isn't that good. His lack of production doesn't warrant him wanting high end dollar.

[FlyHiJets]

a1elbow2.0, on 31 December 2012 - 01:32 PM, said:

His lack of production doesn't warrant him wanting high end dollar.

While he won't command top dollar (and I agree that he shouldn't get top dollar because he's not a good blocking TE to go with his catching skills), I'm REALLY wondering where you get his lack of production from.

Did you miss the seasons in which he was the team's leading receiver with the exception of this year when he was injured for literally half the season?

He's got numbers similar to Rob Gronkowski when it comes to receiving with the exception of one season for Gronk. He still had 28 receptions this year with only 8 games so call it 56 if he had the full season. Last year it was 65. The year before it was 55. I'm missing the lack of production.

I don't even see him asking for high end dollar. I see him wanting a multi-year deal and saying that he honored his contract so now he doesn't want a 1 year deal under the franchise tag. He'd take likely 4-4.5 per season and be more than happy with it. The franchise tag would give him more than that.

[a1elbow2.0]

Being the lead receiver for this team doesn't mean much. You can draft better TEs for a run focused team than paying Keller for what he would have done if he was always healthy/had a better QB/etc.