Article:Tannenbaum Has the Right Idea

Mike Tannenbaum has the right idea this week in his plans for Chad Pennington. He said this week that he expects Chad to be back for the 2008 season. The premise is that the economics are that good with the cap right now that he won't have to force Chad into a paycut. I believe that the best plan for the New York Jets would be to keep Chad Pennington, for a few reasons.

For one, Kellen Clemens did not exactly set the world on fire. After taking over for Chad Pennington mid-year, he looked nervous in the pocket, and consistently made poor decisions. Yes I know, he has a better arm that Chad Pennington. He can run a little bit. A strong arm and mobility are not everything. You have to know where to go with the football on every play. Whether you are a Chad backer or not, he knows where to go with the football. He completes 65-70 percent of his passes all the time.

Secondly, you need the veteran presence as a backup. Even if you tell me you have seen enough and that Kellen Clemens is your starter next year, who do you want behind him instead? Jeff Brohm? Sage Rosenfeld? Brian Griese? Some other retread? I don't think so. You want someone on the bench that knows the system, knows the team, and knows how to lead this team and Chad is the presence that you want. Unless you could acquire a guy like Derek Anderson, you should keep it as it is.

Chad may want to be a starter, and GM Mike Tannenbaum did state that he would listen to any offers that people call him with. However, he is planning to have Chad in camp for 2008, and that is the correct way to go.