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NFL News | April 12, 2010
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Santonio Holmes is shown the door
By Peter KIng
April 12, 2010
Now this is redonkulous. Donovan McNabb from Philadelphia to the Redskins at 8 p.m. last Sunday. Santonio Holmes from Pittsburgh to the Jets at 11:15 this Sunday night. The state of Pennsylvania obviously has no respect for the offseason sleep habits of Mr. Monday Morning QB.
Holmes to the Jets. A 26-year-old Super Bowl MVP traded for a fifth-round pick. A healthy star receiver coming off a 1,248-yard season, for the 155th overall choice in the draft.
Six quick points about a deal almost as stunning as the McNabb trade:
1. It's a 12-game trial for New York. It's a great deal for the Jets, obviously, but it comes with a giant asterisk. Profootballtalk.com reports Holmes is due to start the season on a four-game NFL suspension for violation of the league's substance-abuse policy. He's also been accused of assaulting a woman in Florida for allegedly throwing a glass of juice in her face and cutting her. Since this is the last year of Holmes' rookie contract, the Steelers are trading three-quarters of Holmes' 2010 season for a fifth-round pick, which makes a little more sense.
2. The Steelers are sending a message to Ben Roethlisberger, and to any other future miscreants on the team. We've all heard how chagrined the Steelers are over this offseason. ESPN reported Saturday there will be no criminal charges brought against Roethlisberger over his sexual-assault allegation by a 20-year-old coed in March -- I heard the same thing from a reliable source Sunday night -- but there could still be a civil suit filed by the family. And he still must meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
It's unlikely the commissioner would use use his far-reaching "the-shield-has-been-tarnished'' powers to suspend Roethlisberger for a brief period at the start of the season for his second sex-related accusation in eight months, especially without criminal charges. What may make more sense is a ban of a game or two by the upstanding Steelers, who could use conduct-detrimental-to-the-team as a reason to sit Roethlisberger. In a city like Pittsburgh, the populace would applaud a slap upside the head to Big Ben.
In the meantime, the Steelers, I believe, are saying to Roethlisberger: You have two strikes on you, and you're out if you get another strike. This is a decision of conscience for Pittsburgh, not a football decision.
3. This happened very suddenly, too sudden for the Steelers to troll the NFL to see if they could make a better deal, which they almost certainly could have done. When I say sudden, I mean Sunday. I hear the first inkling the Jets got of this deal came in a phone call Sunday, and GM Mike Tannenbaum jumped on it.
Now, it's possible the Jets have too many at-risk players. A four-game suspension for substance-abuse means Holmes is one positive test away from a year out of football. Fellow Jet wideout Braylon Edwards could be facing a one-game ban for pleading no contest to misdemeanor aggravated disorderly conduct. The Jets previously dealt for talented but troubled Antonio Cromartie (seven children in five states), who the Chargers were determined to unload this offseason.
4. Rex Ryan absolutely loves Holmes. It's no secret that the Jets coach thought Holmes was the most dangerous receiver he faced. Before taking the Jets job, Ryan was the Ravens' defensive coordinator. In 2007, second-year receiver Holmes caught eight balls for 208 yards and three touchdowns against the Ravens in two games. In 2008, Pittsburgh swept the Ravens in three low-scoring meetings, the last being the AFC Championship Game. In those three games, Pittsburgh totaled three offensive touchdowns -- all scoring receptions by Holmes.
Ryan's throwing a party this morning, and when Holmes walks into the Jets' complex in Florham Park, N.J., Ryan will hug him like a college roommate he hasn't seen for 30 years.
5. In retrospect, maybe we saw this coming. The Steelers signed Arnaz Battle, a poor man's Hines Ward, last month, and also brought back former all-purpose receiver Antwaan Randle El; they hosted immensely talented Dez Bryant, the top wide receiver in the draft, on a two-day visit a week ago. Mike Wallace emerged as a major threat as a rookie with a 756-yard, six-touchdown season. They could open the season with a respectable receiver group by doing nothing in the draft.
6. Jets-Steelers, in Pittsburgh, is more must-see TV for the NFL this fall. The schedule-maker is kind. We can only hope the game is in the last 13 weeks of the season, so Holmes will be there to face the team he helped get that sixth ring.
Last thing: The Jets are amazing. They've become a little like the old Raiders (we're afraid of taking no one on our team), a little like the Yankees (we'll sign anyone to win), and a little like the Dan Snyder Redskins (we love headlines!) in the last year. With any luck, they'll sign all-decade player Jason Taylor to be a designated pass-rusher by Wednesday. And with all the additions, they've retained their first- and second-round picks, 29th and 61st overall. If they don't implode, they're going to a damn good team.
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