Week 21 (March 15-21) Teams playing four games: Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Golden State, Houston, Indiana, L.A. Lakers, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Utah, Washington Teams playing three games: L.A. Clippers, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Sacramento, Toronto Teams playing two games: Dallas, Orlando, Portland

Toney Douglas (Knicks)- The last time Douglas started was on November 18th. Last Saturday he started and scored 21 points in helping the Knicks defeat the Mavs. He has played in at least 22 minutes the past four games and has 7 three-pointers in this span.

Jannero Pargo (Bulls)- Pargo started his first game of the season due to a wrist injury suffered to Derrick Rose. Pargo, scored a season high 20 points with 4 assists and 2 three-pointers. Rose should return tomorrow vs. the Grizziles.

Johan Petro (Nuggets)- Petro has started four straight games because of the injury to Keynon Martin. He is averaging 5.8 points, 7.8 rebounds .8 blocks as a starter.

Honorable mention: James Johnson (Bulls)

” LaDainian Tomlinson, the eighth-leading rusher in NFL history with 12,490 yards, signed a two-year contract worth $5.1 million with an escalator to $5.6 million, ESPN reported first on Sunday. A league source told the Star Tribune the Vikings made a similar offer.”

Tomlinson decided to sign with New York because of the familiarity and the larger role he would have in the Jets offense. The Jets offense is run by former Chargers assistant Brian Schottenheimer. Thomas Jones is a year older than LT but has 600 fewer carries  and is coming off a 1400-yard season.

Even though he is a Hall-Of-Fame back his carries and rushing yards have declined each season since 06-07. His production has tailed off due to injuries and the Chargers shifting into a pass-first offense.

LT is coming off a year where he set career lows in carries (223), yards (730), yards per carry (3.3), receptions (20), receiving yards (154) and it was the second time since his rookie season he failed to record a receiving touchdown. Jones, did not want to pay-cut and the Jets did not want to pay him the roster bonus he was due. Jones would have made $5.8 million this season with the Jets.

If Leon Washington does not recover from his injury then LT will be the primary third down back. He also can leave the team because he is a restricted free agent.Tomlinson had 12 touchdowns last season, 11 of them came from 10 yards or less. Half of them were from the one yard line which shows he can still be an effective goal line back.

Shonn Greene is expected to carry a heavy workload going into his second season. Greene rushed for 304 yards in 3 post-season games and should learn a lot from the former Charger. Even though the Jets may be paying less for LT the combo of Jones-Greene has been very effective. Behind a top offensive line and run first mentality the Jets led the NFL with 172.2 rushing yards per game. Lets hope we are getting a steal and not a “washed up” running back.

Who is Brodney Pool:

6″2/210

Drafted 2nd round (Oklahoma) by the Cleveland Browns

The Jets signed FS Brodney Pool to a one year, $1.3 million dollar contract. Trading Kerry Rhodes has created a hole at safety. Pool will be competing with Eric Smith and James Ihedigbo for the starting spot along side Jim Leonhard.

Pool started 10 games games for the Browns last season and finished with 50 tackles and 4 sacks. He missed the Browns final five games last season after sustaining a concussion. There have been mixed reports on how many concussions he has suffered in the past but his agent says “he is healthy and ready to go.”

Pool holds the Browns franchise record with a 100 yard interception TD against the Ravens in 07. The five-year players has 11 interceptions and 35 pass defensed in his career.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft10/insider/news/story?id=4968544

Todd McShay has USC Safety Taylor Mays going 21 to the Bengals and the Jets selecting Penn State defensive end Jared Odrick

Mel Kiper has the Jets selecting Mays, which is surprising considering his strong combine and other teams that have safety needs.

Who is Jared Odrick?

“Odrick has a good combination of size and strength. He is more of a run-stopper with power to hold the point but needs to utilize his hands more consistently to separate to the ball. Odrick shows power to collapse the pocket as a pass rusher but again needs to expand his pass rush package with more moves and counters to contribute at the next level. He feels pad pressure well and constricts running lanes effectively. He has some limitations (lateral agility and speed) but plays with a good motor and often wins with effort. Odrick could be considered a versatile prospect as an end in a 3-4 front or tackle in 4-3 schemes. Odrick has upside if he can improve his overall technique at the next level.”

Odrick had 7 sacks and 11 tackles for loss in his senior season. He would provide depth to the line and learn under Kris Jenkins who missed 10 games last season due to injury. He is 6′5″/304 pounds and had unofficial times of 4.98 and 5.04 in the 40. He is considered one of the top 5 defensive tackles in the upcoming draft.

Taylor Mays

“Mays has an outstanding combination of size, strength and athleticism for the safety position. He possesses excellent speed, quickness and burst for his size, which makes him a versatile player who could fit in several different schemes. He has good instincts to attack the alley as a run defender and can make plays in the passing game as a deep safety. He tends to be too aggressive with the ball in the air, trying to make the big hit instead of making a play on the ball. He can be inconsistent with his angles and technique but relies on his great athleticism to recover and make the play. Mays will be highly coveted in this year’s draft if concerns about his overall mental makeup are answered.”

Even though he is built like a linebacker 6″3/231, Mays had the fastest 40 at of all defensive backs (4.43). Out of safeties he had the second most bench reps (24) and second highest vertical (41). His strong combine made me think his stock has risen quite a bit and he would be selected in the top 25. If he is there at 29 the Jets should select him. I would not be surprised if they trade up to select Mays since they have a hole at safety after trading Kerry Rhodes.

Kansas City signed Thomas Jones to a two-year deal after the Jets released him. New York did not want to pay him the roster bonus he was due. The team should have kept him considering he has rushed for 2700 yards with 27 touchdowns the past two seasons. However, he was due a $3 million roster bonus on top of a $2.8 million base salary and Jones did not want to take a pay cut. “Jones ranks second only to LaDainian Tomlinson, who also was cut by his team, in yards rushing since 2005″.

Jones is coming off a career year where he rushed for 1402 yards and 14 touchdowns. However, the 331 regular season carries was the most of his 10-year career. Jones has rushed for at least 1100 yards in each of his past five seasons. His consistency can be credited due to his workout regimen but he is turning 32-years old in August. Also, the Jets boast one of the top offensive lines in the league which has increased his success. He only had a 2.6 yards per carry (117 total yards) in three playoff games.

One of the main reasons the Jets cut Jones was the emergence of Greene. He rushed for 304 yards in the postseason and averaged 5.0 yards per carry in the regular season. Greene should thrive as the main running back but the team needs to add depth.

Both the 49ers and Patriots have a rumored interested in Jets restricted free agent running back Leon Washington. If the Jets do not match an offer sheet made by another team then New York gets a second-round draft pick in return.

The upcoming NFL draft is deep at running back with likes as: C.J. Spiller, Ryan Matthews, Jahvid Best, Jonathan Dwyer, Toby Gerhart and LaGarrette Blount.  The backs the Jets should target are Anthony Dixon from Mississippi State and Dexter McCluster from Ole Miss.

“Dixon is a big, powerful back that runs with a good pad level and does a good job of keeping his feet alive to gain yards after contact. He lacks the speed to be a threat out wide or to take many all the way once he gets to the second level but he will move the chains and sustain drives. He can be a bit inconsistent when it comes to blocking but has the ability to deliver a good blow when he wants to. He will likely initially be a short yardage or red zone back that specializes in gaining the tough yards.”

Dixon led the SEC in rushing and was 15th in the nation with 1391 yards. In his 4 years he has has never fumbled the ball (910 carries). He has good size at 6″1″ and 245 pounds. He had a strong combine which was highlighted by a 10′1″ in the broad jump. His 40 time was 4.6  which is very similar to what Shonn Greene ran. Dixon does not have explosive speed but like Greene is an effective inside power runner.

“Undersized for the running back position and may end up being a wide receiver or return specialist at the next level. McCluster got a lot of all purpose yardage as a combination running back/receiver in Mississippi’s offense. He has had ball security issues over the years and needs to prove he can avoid turnovers if he wants to prove a player his size can contribute. He has the speed to turn a short dump off pass into a long touchdown with just a single missed tackle. While he is a bit of a luxury item, some team is apt to take a chance that he can contribute in situations.”

McCluster had a poor 40 time for his reputation (4.58) but posted the best top short shuttle time at 4.06. He rushed for 1,169 yards and caught 44 passes for 520 yards in his senior season. He had some big games which included 282 rushing yards (4 Tds) vs. Tennessee, 260 total yards vs. Arkansas and 184 rushing yards in the Cotton Bowl. He may be undersized but he is multi-talented and has tremendous potential.

Week 20 (March 8-14)

Teams playing four games: Boston, Charlotte, L.A. Clippers, Memphis, Miami, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio, Toronto, Washington
Teams playing three games: Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Indiana, Golden State, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City
Teams playing two games: Houston, L.A. Lakers, Phoenix

Reggie Williams (Warriors)- Williams signed a 10-day contract because of the lack of healthy bodies for the Warriors. He scored a career high 28 points yesterday against the Hornets. If Monta Ellis returns on Thursday, it lowers the value of Williams but he has a pedigree of scoring history. He the led nation in back to back years for VMI (28.1 in 06-07 and 27.8 in 07-08)

Sonny Weems (Raptors)- Weems has scored in double-figures in four of past five games. He scored a season high 20 points vs. the Knicks last Friday. In three games this month he is shooting 58% from the field and has value if he starts for the Raptors.

Terrence Williams (Nets)- In four games this month Williams is averaging 13 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6 assists in 29 minutes per game. He is playing more because of injuries to the Nets rotation.

Will Bynum (Pistons)-  Bynum started his first game of the season last Sunday and scored 12 points with 11 assists and 4 rebounds. He filled in for Rodney Stuckey who collapsed on the court last Friday against the Cavs.

Honorable mention:  Jose Juan Barea (Mavs)

The Jets traded safety Kerry Rhodes to the Arizona Cardinals for a 4th (Rhodes was a former 4th round pick) round pick in this year’s draft and a 7th round pick in the 2011 draft. Rhodes has a 4 years left on his contract and a $2 million roster bonus due on Friday. This past season he recorded a career low 55 tackles and did not intercept a pass until Week 12.

Rhodes will be replacing Antrel Rolle, who signed with the Giants last week. The Cardinals other starting safety (Adrian Wilson) is the same height 6′3″. The team’s new defensive  backs coach is Donnie Henderson, who was a former Jets assistant under Herman Edwards.

In his second season in the league Rhodes had 99 tackles, 5 sacks, 4 interceptions and 3 forced fumbles. However, his play has not been on the same level since his teammates have labeled him as “Hollywood” because of his off-the-field initiatives.

The Jets filled a need when they traded for cornerback Antonio Cromartie, However, they have a hole at safety because Eric Smith is a restricted free agent. Smith started two games this past season because Head Coach Rex Ryan benched Rhodes due to his lackluster play. While Rhodes played better after the benching the Jets needed to go in another direction.

According to Mel Kiper Jr. here are the top safeties in the upcoming Draft:

Eric Berry, Earl Thomas, Taylor Mays, Morgan Burnett, Reshard Jones

“He has failed to appear in court twice for different traffic tickets and hasn’t paid $799 in traffic-related fines, causing the Department of Motor Vehicles to withhold his driver’s license application.”

“Cromartie has at least seven children with six different women in five states. All children are under 6.”

“He was also disciplined by coach Norv Turner for breaking team rules regarding tweeting from the team premises.”

Antionio Cromartie was traded to the Jets for a  2011 third-round draft choice that could turn into a second-rounder. He comes with baggage but he is 25 years old and led the NFL in interceptions (10) in 2007. He was also named to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro team that year. That season he returned a missed field 109 yards for a touchdown. Darrelle Revis was a Pro Bowler and All-Pro for the Jets last season. This combo can turn out to be one of the best combos in the NFL.

Cromartie replaces Lito Sheppard, who the Jets released because of his roster bonus. Besides his legal troubles he has battled injuries which have affected his play over the past two seasons. He has just 5 interceptions over the past two seasons but has not missed a game. He is 6′2″ and ran a 4.38 at the combine which means he brings great size, speed and athleticism to the Jets.

His other flaws include missing tackles and getting burned for touchdowns. However, he should be re-energized playing alongside Revis and Head Coach Rex Ryan. The former first-round pick is in the final year of a five-year, $12.5 million contract which should motivate him to play on an elite level again.

“Before his high school career ended he was the first player to attend the Adidas ABCD Camp in New Jersey three times, and won the MVP his final season, an award given out to the likes of Lebron James and Kobe Bryant.”

Bill Walker was a Top 10 high school recruit and made the EA Sports High School Boys Basketball team in 2006. He was also a teammate of current Memphis Grizzle and former first-round pick (3rd overall) O.J Mayo. He received interest from top programs such as Connecticut, Syracuse, Texas but elected to go to Kansas State.

Walker elected to go to Kansas State and averaged 16.1 (5th in the Big 12) points, 6.3 rebounds and shot 46% (10th in the Big 12) in his second season. He played alongside Michael Beasley who was drafted second overall in the 2008 draft.

His knee injuries affected his draft stock but the talent, athleticism and size had scouts compare him to Vince Carter. His leaping ability, strength and competitiveness would have made him a first-round pick if he did not have knee issues.

Because of two ACL surgeries he was a second round pick by the Wizards in 2008 (47th overall) but was traded to the Celtics for cash. He was never given the opportunity to play for Boston appearing in only 34 games including last season and this year. However, he has showed the potential to score averaging  18.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and shot 47% from the field, 94% from the free throw line in 24 career NBDL games.

The Knicks acquired him in the Nate Robinson trade which could turn out to be a very savvy decision by Donnie Walsh. Walker has shown the ability to finish above the rim and his athleticism allows him to get to the basket.

Walker started his first game of his career last night (for Wilson Chandler-out due  to personal reasons) and scored a career-high 22 points. This marks the second straight game of at least 21+ points as he has played 36 and 35 minutes minutes. He is only 22 years old and showing why he drew comparisons to Vince Carter. Walker has a team option for $854,389 next season and $916,100 the year after.

Week 19 (March 1-7)

Teams playing four games: Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Golden State, Houston, Indiana, L.A. Clippers, L.A. Lakers, Memphis, New York, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento
Teams playing three games: Chicago, Miami, Milwaukee, New Jersey, New Orleans, Portland, San Antonio, Toronto, Utah, Washington
Teams playing two games: Minnesota

Jerry Stackhouse (Bucks)- Stackhouse has stepped up his play recently. The Bucks were one of the league’s hottest team that won 6 straight games before yesterday’s loss to the Hawks. Stack has scored double-figures and played at least 24 minutes in four straight games. He scored a season high 20 points yesterday and also is a good source for threes and free throw percentage.

Bill Walker (Knicks)- Walker has appeared in three games for the Knicks and played 25 minutes in last Saturday’s game. Wilson Chandler is expected to miss tonight’s game (personal reasons) and Tracy McGrady is dealing with a sore knee which means Walker could sustain minutes in the rotation.

Ronny Turiaf (Warriors)- Starting center Andris Biedrins left the last game with a groin injury and did not return. In the least two games Turiaf has 23 points, 14 rebounds and 5 blocks.

Darko Milicic (Timberwolves)- The former Knick has three games of at least 3 blocks for his new team. Starting center Al Jefferson is suspended (DWI) for the next two games which means Darko could get more run.

Honorable mention: Nicolas Batum (Trailblazers)