Mark Sanchez’s possible knee injury isn’t the only item of Jets news coming out of Alabama Thursday. Jets G.M. Mike Tannenbaum held court on a variety of topics. We could stretch them out into a bunch of posts for pageviews, but that would be selfish. The quotes are courtesy of the Newark Star-Ledger.
* Vernon Gholston will be back. With no salary cap, there was thought the team would just get rid of him now. Tannenbaum on Gholston: “I have no objective information that the guy doesn’t love football.”
* While the most disappointing player on the team will be back, one of its leaders, running back Thomas Jones, may be gone. “We hope that he’s back,” Tannenbaum said before admitted that economic issues could get in the way. Jones is owed a $3 million roster bonus in March and a $2 million salary. Translation: he’s not getting all that money.
* Like Braylon Edwards, Leon Washington will get tendered as a restricted free agent. The lack of a collective bargaining agreement could allow the Jets and Washington to avoid tricky long-term contract negotiations while he recovers from a major injury.
* Tannenbaum expects Kerry Rhodes back. The buzz on this has changed dramatically within the week.