The Jets made off like bandits last night, trading a fifth-round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Super Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes. The wide receiver was promptly suspended by the league for the first four games of the season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.
Holmes, who turns 26 in March, is coming off his best NFL season with 79 catches for 1,248 yards and five touchdowns in 2009, and a 16.3-yard per catch career average. The Jets were able to get him so cheaply because the Steelers have been imploding lately, and are already dealing with QB Ben Roethlisberger's off-field troubles (they were expected to release Holmes were they not able to trade him). Holmes was previously arrested twice for marijuana possession between 2006-2008, and is being investigated on charges of assault last month in Orlando, Fl. The Jets were aware of the possibility of the suspension going into the trade; Holmes is in the final year of his contract, and the Jets are banking that he will be on his best behavior on and off the field once he joins them.
Despite the fact he won't appear till Week 5, Jets players seem psyched about the move: All-Pro cornerback Darelle Revis (who hails from Revis Island) tweeted last night: "Wow we got Holmes this is crazy. We makin big moves this off-season. Putting the pieces together to get closer to that superbowl ring."
The acquisition continues the Jets recent streak of snagging controversial big-name players on the cheap: earlier this month, they signed future Hall of Fame RB LaDanian Tomlinson, coming off an off-year. Before that, it was cornerback Antonio Cromartie, he of the seven kids with six women in five states. And last season, they acquired electric wide receiver Braylon Edwards, right after he was charged with misdemeanor assault in Cleveland.
