Going into the season, it appeared that Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards would be in direct competition to increase their free agent value this year.
It’s worked out well for the Jets and the team will likely have to choose one eventually. It’s possible both impending free agents could leave, but G.M. Mike Tannenbaum thinks he can make it work.
“Obviously, they’re both very important pieces to us, both priorities,” Tannenbaum told Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. “We want to keep as many players as we can, but a lot of questions have to be answered. We need to know what the rules are.”
Translation: Nothing is happening until a labor agreement is worked out. Tannenbaum has reached out to both agents and said they are interested in a deal once the team knows “the rules.”
At that point, Edwards and especially Holmes may tough to keep without the use of a franchise tag. Edwards has picked up his production this year (598 yards and six scores in 10 games), but Holmes is clearly the bigger difference-maker. He could pass Edwards in yardage despite playing four fewer games.
While Edwards has repeatedly said he’d love to stay in New York, Holmes doesn’t want to talk about it now.
“Ask me in February,” he said.