Leon Washington is the Jets’ most important, and valuable, offensive player. When you consider he returns kicks and leads the “Seminole” offense, in addition to his ability to run the football, removing him from an offense leaves a huge hole. While Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene are capable backs, Washington is irreplaceable.
Now, after losing Kris Jenkins (their second-best defensive player; Darrelle Revis being No. 1) one week ago, the Jets will be without Washington for the remainder of the season after he suffered a compound fracture of his right tibia and fibula on Sunday.
Here’s some local reaction:
Mark Cannizzaro, New York Post
Joshua Robinson, The New York Times
And, consider the following from Cannizzaro’s piece:
As much of a blow as Washington’s injury is to the team on a football level, it’s a killer for Washington, who’s in the final year of his first contract and is way underpaid at $535,000 this year.
Washington held out briefly for a new deal at the start of training camp, but didn’t want to be a distraction to his teammates and he reported. He’s been playing on good faith that the Jets will reward him with a new deal. Unless there’s a new Collective Bargaining Agreement struck, though, Washington will be a restricted free agent in 2010.
“It’s the business side, off the field,’’ Revis said. “Leon just wants to play and he doesn’t want to let his teammates down. That (contract) situation will get sorted out soon enough. We support Leon and we know Mr. (Mike) Tannenbaum (the Jets GM) is going to get the job done and take care of him.’’
