Jets Agree To 1-Year Deal With Burress
By Jeff Capellini, CBSNewYork/WFAN.com
NEW YORK (WFAN) -- From Big Blue to Gang Green -- with a bullet.
The Jets and Plaxico Burress have agreed to a one-year deal deal that will pay the wide receiver just over $3 million.
Sure-handed Burress, who will turn 34 on Aug. 12, will be looking to prove he still has what made him a star with the Giants before spending nearly two years in prison on a weapons charge. He joins explosive Santonio Holmes out wide, giving the Jets arguably one of the best one-two receiving combinations in the NFL.
According to reports, Burress' decision came down to the Jets, Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers. Burress had met with a bunch of teams, including the Giants on Friday, and wasn't expected to meet with the Jets. However, at approximately 9:20 Sunday morning Burress tweeted "East Coast here I come!"
The move came at a key juncture for the Jets. They open camp on Sunday and were reeling a bit after being snubbed by cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha on Friday night. They are are still looking to fill voids in the secondary, and, according to reports, appear to be closing in on a long-term deal with free agent Antonio Cromartie. The Jets added nickelback Donald Strickland and re-signed safety Eric Smith on Saturday.
The signing almost certainly ends Braylon Edwards' tenure with the Jets. It was assumed General Manager Mike Tannenbaum was going to make re-signing all of his receivers a priority, but it appears Edwards is looking to be paid as a No. 1 receiver, something the Jets were not going to do. The move also puts to bed any notion that the Jets still have interest in Randy Moss, a player figured to be a fall-back option had Tannenbaum struck out with his top choices.
Burress, who caught the winning touchdown for the Giants in Super Bowl XLII, has 505 receptions, just under 8,000 yards and 78 touchdowns in nine professional seasons. However, his career took a detour in 2009 when he was sent to prison on a weapons charge after he accidentally shot himself inside a New York City nightclub.
Since leaving prison Burress has worked on revitalizing his image, including making several public appearances.
It remains to be seen if Burress still has all the ability that made him one of the more feared receivers in the NFL for several years. Some experts have suggested two years away from the NFL is simply too long to come back and be effective. However, others have said Burress is in incredible shape and eager to silence his many critics.
Burress will provide quarterback Mark Sanchez a sorely needed target opposite Holmes, who signed a 5-year, $40 million deal on Friday. Holmes may be the more explosive of the two, but Burress is a physical receiver with great hands and should be a force in the red zone.
The Jets also came to terms with third-round pick Kenrick Ellis, meaning they now have all six of their draft picks under contract. They spoke earlier in the day with free agent Todd Heap, but he eventually come to an agreement with the Arizona Cardinals on a two-year deal.
Please stay with WFAN.com and CBSNewYork.com for more on this developing story.
