Jets TE dispute lingers on
Posted: Friday May 02, 2008 08:09AM ET
The Jets will get a firsthand look at their new tight end, first-round pick Dustin Keller, with the start of a three-day rookie minicamp Friday at Hofstra. The incumbent, Chris Baker, remains entrenched in a contract dispute that has no end in sight. The organization has no interest in sweetening Baker's deal. An angry Baker, who has requested a trade and is boycotting the voluntary offseason program, came out publicly this week to say the Jets reneged on a promise to renegotiate his contact.
Chris Baker, Harry How/Getty Images
Comments (16)
HAHA!!! I hate the Jets. Personal feelings aside, all this does is show another example of how a player turns into a child because they can't get their way.
biglawdog | 05/02/08, 08:12 AM
Report Offensive CommentI think the same person who is giving Roger Clemens advise is giving Mr Baker advise......
ARE YOU SERIOUS chris?
who are you?
jgb | 05/02/08, 09:00 AM
Report Offensive CommentIt never ceases to amaze me how few pro union fans are out there. You guys are the ultimate haters! Just because you don't have that kind of earning power, you refuse to see the other side of the issue. NFL teams regularly cut guys for whatever reason, but as soon as a player decides not to honor his contract because it's under valued, he becomes a pariah.
JGB, who are you? Can you say that you've donned a pro uniform? Who the heck are you to decide how good he is? I'll tell you who he is, he is the starting TE for the NY Jets and now two guys that have now produces in the fashion that he has, will be earning more money than him.
speedkills_862 | 05/02/08, 09:33 AM
Report Offensive Comment"Baker came out publicly this week to say the Jets reneged on a promise to renegotiate his contact." But did the JETS pinky swear?
Jabril1217 | 05/02/08, 09:40 AM
Report Offensive CommentHe may be starting...but he wasnt all that good. Lets see what this keller kid can do. A couple of yrs ago, we passed up Heath Miller for a friggin kicker. ugh.
ModelEmployee | 05/02/08, 10:26 AM
Report Offensive CommentBaker has to be kidding. He got a heavily front loaded 4 yr deal which paied him on par with the top TE's in the league for 2 yrs. Now when the last 2 yrs of his deal kick in he thinks he's underpaid.
Cut his a$$.
m2Dz | 05/02/08, 10:56 AM
Report Offensive Commentwhere does Baker have the right to act like this? Hes not even good!!!
adrockamd1981 | 05/02/08, 11:42 AM
Report Offensive CommentRather than re-negotiate with a vet, let's overpay someone who hasn't played a down of professional football, because he "could be the next big thing".
E-Nasty | 05/02/08, 11:53 AM
Report Offensive Commentgood bye chris baker. dont let the door hit you when you get your out right release
ramschamps | 05/02/08, 12:34 PM
Report Offensive CommentNote to Chris Baker. All signs point to you being released or cut SOON! Cut your losses and be ready to join another team at the start of the pre-season
Hawks4life | 05/02/08, 01:38 PM
Report Offensive CommentWaaaah I'm only making millions to PLAY A GAME!
Whatever dude. Go flip burgers or get a real job and then come crying about how little you make.
smoss | 05/02/08, 03:10 PM
Report Offensive CommentGet your paper Baker, get all you can for as long as you can becuase the NFL career is short baby!
Hail2BigBlue | 05/02/08, 04:51 PM
Report Offensive CommentBaker had a solid season last year and is not asking a lot to stay around to the end of his contract. He is making under a million dollars this year. Jets need a solid vet at TE and it isn't Bubba Franks. Moreover they need to avoid another Pete Kendall fiasco. A big reason the Jets were atrocious last year is because their O-line was in disarray without him. Kendall wanted 1 million dollars more to stay. Sounds like a lot to the working man BUT look at how much they have spent in FAs to beef their O-line back up! They should have kept Kowaleski too. That kid had heart.
Photon9 | 05/02/08, 05:04 PM
Report Offensive CommentHe should try holding his breath, or maybe throw a tantrum where he gets all upset. SCREW HIM! He signed the contract, now he gets to play. Otherwise he, and all these other whiners can start sitting out the season!
Hillary Clinton | 05/02/08, 07:02 PM
Report Offensive CommentThis is what happens when you decide to throw big money at Free Agents who never played a down for you..There will be more unhappy Jet players....
50yearfan | 05/02/08, 08:21 PM
Report Offensive CommentWow, you guys are way off base. Baker has every right to feel aggrieved, and he's been handled terribly. Baker is making 650K this year, to be the starter, right? They then sign Bubba Franks to be the BACKUP, with a contract value of 1.65 million, over a MILLION more than the guy who he's backing up. They then draft a rookie TE (ridiculous waste of a pick), who's going to get paid substantially more than Baker, as the rookie contracts are way out of scale, and all you idiots are saying he doesn't have the right to be pissed. all you guys need to take the financial aspect out of the equation and tell me how you'd feel in this situation. Personally, i never have any sympathy for athletes, but based purely on the way this has been handled, he's got every right to be angry.
willgold76 | 05/05/08, 11:00 AM
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