Pace: I'm not the savior!

[BACH]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03052008/sports/jets/pace__im_not_the_savior_100560.htm

PACE: I'M NOT THE SAVIOR
By PAUL SCHWARTZ
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March 5, 2008 -- When the Jets New York Jets opened the coffers and handed over superstar money to unheralded linebacker Calvin Pace, they invested in his future potential based on one solid season with the Cardinals. He acknowledges that, just as he's heard whispers that perhaps he's nothing more than a one-year wonder.

"My goal is to do my part," Pace said yesterday. "I'm not going to sit here and make any predictions about what I'm gonna do and how strong I'm gonna make the team. I'm just one guy, I'm not the savior. The one-year wonder thing, I can't really comment on that. People will say what they want to say. [The Jets] did their research on me, they know how I fit in, it isn't like they just took a chance. They did research on things that I had forgot about in my past. That's one reason I choose them."

There were many reasons for Pace to choose the Jets. Perhaps as many as $42 million reasons, which is the sum total of the bloated six-year contract Pace signed, including a franchise-record $22 million in guaranteed money. The Jets studied how well Pace played last season, his fifth in Arizona but his first lining up in a 3-4 defense. Pace enjoyed a breakout with career highs in tackles (98), sacks, (61/2), fumble recoveries (four) and interceptions (one). The Jets also play a 3-4 and figure Pace has merely scratched the surface on the havoc he can create.

Pace views the move to the 3-4 the perfect fit for his skill sets as a 6-foot-4, 272-pound converted defensive end.

"That probably really has been the biggest thing throughout my career, since I was nine years old," Pace said. "In today's game the 3-4 is really helping out guys like myself, give us the opportunity to rush off the edge and help in your drops, give the offense a different look. Playing in the league nowadays you're playing tackles who are 6-7, 350 and been to eight Pro Bowls. It's hard to sit up and rush from a 4-3 game in and game out. When I was playing the 4-3 in Arizona I had to face Walter Jones, Orlando Pace in their prime, it's hard. It's easier once you can sit and try to work some matchups, give 'em different looks."

The Jets made Pace one of the highest-paid linebackers in NFL history. He nearly signed with the Dolphins and said he made an 11th-hour decision to accept the Jets' mega-deal.

"Honestly, the money never really crossed my mind, it was more just where am I going to end up," Pace said. "I guess nowadays free agency is about the big money. For me, I just took it as I didn't know where I was going to go. I felt like the whole process was like going to a new high school. That was unsettling for me. The money was going to be what it was going to be."

*

One day after signing Damien Woody to a five-year, $25.5 million contract to replace him at right tackle, the Jets released Anthony Clement Anthony Clement , a 10-year veteran who in his two years with the Jets started all 33 games. The Jets also signed cornerback Andre Woolfork. A 2003 first-round draft pick of the Titans, Woolfork, 28, played four unremarkable years in Tennessee. He was out of football last season.

[email protected]

Sounds to me like Pace knows that he got overpaid. Or is it just me?

 

[cardsfanmd]

Sounds to me like we would have been better off trading Fitz and resigning Pace for less 2 weeks ago.

 

[CHAPTER 7]

"the money never really crossed my mind"...but yet he is the highest paid LB. He must love the cold place.

 

[BigShtank]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3278105

Jets veterans aren't happy with the spending spree.

The New York Jets have been one of the most active teams in the NFL's free agency period, signing left guard Alan Faneca, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, defensive end/linebacker Calvin Pace and right tackle Damien Woody to big-money deals.

In total, the team doled out approximately $142 million for the four players -- $74 million of it guaranteed. While the spending spree might have the Jets' fan base energized, some of the team's veteran holdovers reportedly are wondering when the Jets will show them their money.
"You pay guys you don't even know, and the guys in the locker room -- the guys that have your back -- you don't give a damn about them," an anonymous player told The New York Daily News. "It shows where the loyalty is."
The Jets are coming off a 4-12 season under second-year coach Eric Mangini and general manager Mike Tannenbaum. The team made the playoffs as a wild-card team in the first season of the new Jets regime.
Last season, the team traded guard Pete Kendall to the Redskins, rather than give him a pay raise, which he had publicly lobbied for in training camp.
Among the players who have made it known they would like new contracts are wide receiver Laveranues Coles and tight end Chris Baker. The Jets also are trying to negotiate a long-term extension with star safety Kerry Rhodes, who will be eligible for restricted free agency after this season. According to the Daily News, the Jets and Rhodes remain far apart.
Another anonymous player referenced the team's trade of Jonathan Vilma to New Orleans in his criticism of the team. Vilma, who never fit in the team's 3-4 defense, was traded to the Saints for draft picks.
"They're getting rid of the young guys and bringing in old guys," the anonymous player told the Daily News. "I don't know what they're doing."
One of the newest additions, however, said he thinks the team is spending big in the hopes of putting a dreadful 2007 behind it.
"There's a definite sense of urgency to turn things around," Faneca said, according to the Bergen Record. "I think the attitude in the building is right. Making changes and being aggressive in the offseason only helps."

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Sounds to me like we would have been better off trading Fitz and resigning Pace for less 2 weeks ago.

lol

Why do you think that his agent would have accepted less 2 weeks ago?

 

[RedViper]

Sounds like he has PTSD from all the years of being considered a bust and being looked at as the guy who could have been Suggs. Good luck with those Jets fans if you don't produce. Thats going to be ugly.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Not a savior. He may not even be a starter.

 

[cardsfanmd]

Not a savior. He may not even be a starter.

Please, just for my own selfish curiosity, give me 5 3-4 OLBs who you think are better.

 

[football karma]

yknow--

I think Calvin is a good player

I also think Calvin is a complimentary player -- meaning -- to be successful, he has to be the fourth or fifth best player on the defensive unit -- not the best or second best.

I am not sure he is good enough to still produce when offenses make a point of knowing where he is going to be.

I would have loved to see the Cards bring him back. He was solid and dependable.

But the Jets paid Calvin like they expect him to be a differnence maker on defense, and I am not sure if he is that kind of player.

 

[BACH]

Please, just for my own selfish curiosity, give me 5 3-4 OLBs who you think are better.

Come On.. This Pace love affair of yours got to stop.

3-4 OLBs that I definately think are better than Pace:

Shawn Merriman
Shaun Philips
James Harrison
Adelius Thomas
Bryan Thomas
DeMarcus Ware
Angelo Crowell
Kameron Wimbley
Terrell Suggs

There are still several players that I believe are in the same class, but still better than Pace. Just to name a few:
Antwan Peek
Manny Lawson
Mike Vrabel
Clark Haggans

EDIT: I put Lawson on the list based on his production as a rookie and his overall. He was injured most of last season, so it's hard to compare directly. I still believe he has more potential than Pace.

 

[cardsfanmd]

That list is downright hilarious. I have to go to a basketball game right now, but I will be sure to shred it when I get home tonight.

 

[BACH]

That list is downright hilarious. I have to go to a basketball game right now, but I will be sure to shred it when I get home tonight.

Looking forward to it. All you need is objective argumentation that Pace is better than 9 players from my list...

 

[football karma]

Come On.. This Pace love affair of yours got to stop.

OLBs that I definately think are better than Pace:

Shawn Merriman
Shaun Philips
James Harrison
Adelius Thomas
Bryan Thomas
DeMarcus Ware
Angelo Crowell
Kameron Wimbley
Terrell Suggs

There are still several players that I believe are in the same class, but still better than Pace. Just to name a few:
Antwan Peek
Manny Lawson
Mike Vrabel
Clark Haggans

other than Bryan Thomas and Manny Lawson, its a pretty good list

 

[SoCal Cardfan]

PACE: I'M NOT THE SAVIOR

To me, that reads as...

Don't be too dissapointed when you see the real me next year, thanks for the dough, BIYATCH!!

 

[SuperSpck]

When will Jesus be a FA?

 

[jefftheshark]

I'm just one guy, I'm not the savior. The one-year wonder thing, I can't really comment on that.

- Calvin Pace

This has got to give the average Jets fan a very warm and fuzzy feeling. The whole article seems to be aimed at lowering expectations; just what you want to hear when your team has invested a boat load of their cap into a guy who has consistently fallen below even average expectations.

When I read stuff like this, I suspect that Calvin Pace's wonderlic score was only slightly above that of a turnip's.

JTS

 

[SuperSpck]

When I read stuff like this, I suspect that Calvin Pace's wonderlic score was only slightly above that of a turnip's.

JTS

Oh I think Vince Young taught us that turnip IQ does not equal football IQ.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Please, just for my own selfish curiosity, give me 5 3-4 OLBs who you think are better.

Off the top of my head, i think Merriman, Ware, Phillips,Thomas,Harrison and Ellis are better 3-4 LB's. It's kind of hard because there aren't a ton of teams i can think of that are 3-4 as their base.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

This has got to give the average Jets fan a very warm and fuzzy feeling. The whole article seems to be aimed at lowering expectations; just what you want to hear when your team has invested a boat load of their cap into a guy who has consistently fallen below even average expectations.

When I read stuff like this, I suspect that Calvin Pace's wonderlic score was only slightly above that of a turnip's.

JTS

He went to, and graduated from Wake Forest, I doubt he is "unintelligent"

I thought the tone of the article was that he is a team player and no "one" player is going to turn around a lousy defense.

 

[CardinalChris]

Both Somers and Urban made a comment about how the New York media and a player like Calvin Pace were a bad mix considering how he handed the pressure poorly in AZ. I know he's disappointed until this year, but when did he lack the ability to handle criticism? I don't remember any media blunders. Plus, he should be used to criticism because the fans abused him here!!

 

[Shzm13]

My sig says otherwise, calvin!

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Please, just for my own selfish curiosity, give me 5 3-4 OLBs who you think are better.

I'm not ripping on Pace.He had a nice year. I tend to think he caught lightning in a bottle and took full advantage of it,22 million times over. The resaon i'm so skpetical is because IF Okeafor doesn't get hurt we are even less concerned about Pace leaving than Bryant Johnson. But Okeafor did get hurt and Pace showed value,so good for him. I would just liked to have seen a more consitent performance over 5 years before i pay him huge money.

 

[HookemCards]

I'm not ripping on Pace.He had a nice year. I tend to think he caught lightning in a bottle and took full advantage of it,22 million times over. The resaon i'm so skpetical is because IF Okeafor doesn't get hurt we are even less concerned about Pace leaving than Bryant Johnson. But Okeafor did get hurt and Pace showed value,so good for him. I would just liked to have seen a more consitent performance over 5 years before i pay him huge money.

I think Pace would have taken less to stay in Arizona, but who knows for sure. Sometimes its better to take less and stay where you are. I would imagine after moving his family, taxes, higher cost of living in NY, the difference between 42 million w/22 mil guaranteed isn't a whole lot different than 30 mil w/15 mil guaranteed. Especially when he has to learn a new system, and deal with NY media and fan expectations.

 

[football karma]

Both Somers and Urban made a comment about how the New York media and a player like Calvin Pace were a bad mix considering how he handed the pressure poorly in AZ. I know he's disappointed until this year, but when did he lack the ability to handle criticism? I don't remember any media blunders. Plus, he should be used to criticism because the fans abused him here!!

I think the point they were trying to make is that Calvin is a guy who was sensitive to the criticism that "he wasnt Terrel Suggs".

Dont know if it effected his play, but you got the sense he took it personally.

Just wait until he goes without a sack the first three games of next season - one has to figure the media and fans in NY will be all over him.

A message board is hardly a scientific consensus, but the Jets board has all sorts of posts with the sentiment: "The Jets finally have a pass rusher!" and predictions of double digit sacks.

We have all seen Calvin in the role of "key pass rusher" and he wasnt all that productive.

 

[cardsfanmd]

I'm not ripping on Pace.He had a nice year. I tend to think he caught lightning in a bottle and took full advantage of it,22 million times over. The resaon i'm so skpetical is because IF Okeafor doesn't get hurt we are even less concerned about Pace leaving than Bryant Johnson. But Okeafor did get hurt and Pace showed value,so good for him. I would just liked to have seen a more consitent performance over 5 years before i pay him huge money.

I understand I have went slightly overboard with Pace. I just feel he was way better than what most on this board took him for. Do I think he was worth 22 mill guarentedd?? HELL NO!!!

I was hoping for him to line up across from Okeafor and for us to use Berry as a situational pass rusher. I assume you are planning on Laboy starting now as I am, which doesn't bother me much. As long as his head stays in one peice I think he will be pretty productive in that role.