One down, three to go

The Jets took the first step towards handling their most serious contract issues yesterday by signing D'Brickashaw Ferguson to a six-year, $60 million extension. The new deal features $34.8 million in guarantees, which is a record total for an offensive lineman.

Ferguson is one of the four Jets who are most mentioned for new deals this offseason. I am a firm believer that one of the most important aspects of successful offense in the NFL is offensive line continuity. Every assignment that an O-line has is a group assignment, and the familiarity of having the same five guys up front year after year is a comfort few teams can afford in the modern era. While the left tackle position isn't as important as it was in the days of mostly seven-step drops while the defense was always lining up their best pass rusher at right end (the QBs blind side if he's right handed), it's still the most important position on the offensive line, and Ferguson has established himself as one of the top 5 (or so) tackles in the league.

As to why Ferguson was first, instead of Mangold or Harris (or even Revis), I would imagine it has something to do with how well the market is established for left tackles. If the Jets had their way, Revis would have been first, especially since he's been the squeaky wheel this offseason. But, given the uncertainty of the collective bargaining agreement and Revis' willingness to wait until he's bowled over with a huge offer, Revis may wind up playing the waiting game for the dollars he feels he deserves.

If I were a betting man, I would think that Mangold would be next. Mangold may already be the league's best center, and he's shown a willingness to discuss his contract situation openly. From a PR perspective, signing Mangold quickly would further demonstrate the front office's willingness to spend to ensure future success.

I don't want to wish the summer away (especially considering some of the waves I've caught the last few days), but I wish we were kicking the season off tomorrow. This is easily the most anxious I've been to see a new Jets team since 1999. We need not revisit how that turned out.