BAMAPHIN 22
FinHeaven Elite
Chad Pennington wants to stay with the New York Jets and hopes to come to an agreement with the team on a renegotiated contract.
Pennington said Tuesday on a conference call from Bradenton, Fla., where he is rehabbing his injured right shoulder, that the biggest issue was finding ``middle ground.''
``I'm an optimist,'' the quarterback said. ``If everything works out the way I think it can work out, I'll be a Jet. If that doesn't happen, that's OK, too, because I've enjoyed my time here. This isn't anything personal against me. The Jets need to do what they think is necessary to take the organization to the next level.''
The Jets want to slash his base pay to make his contract more salary-cap friendly. The team is about $26 million over the cap and needs to come to an agreement with Pennington before free agency starts Friday.
He is expected to have a salary cap number close to $12 million this season, including a $3 million roster bonus due in March. The Jets must also weigh whether they believe Pennington can come back from two major shoulder operations in an eight-month span and be effective.
``I've proven throughout the years there's no reason to have that much doubt because I've come back from injuries and been successful,'' Pennington said. ``I understand their concern and wanting to make the right decision for the organization.
http://sportsillustrated.netscape.cnn.com/sports/story.jsp?floc=sp-nfl-5-l22&flok=FF-APS-2020&idq=/ff/story/0030%2F20060228%2F1923258346.htm&sc=2020
Pennington said Tuesday on a conference call from Bradenton, Fla., where he is rehabbing his injured right shoulder, that the biggest issue was finding ``middle ground.''
``I'm an optimist,'' the quarterback said. ``If everything works out the way I think it can work out, I'll be a Jet. If that doesn't happen, that's OK, too, because I've enjoyed my time here. This isn't anything personal against me. The Jets need to do what they think is necessary to take the organization to the next level.''
The Jets want to slash his base pay to make his contract more salary-cap friendly. The team is about $26 million over the cap and needs to come to an agreement with Pennington before free agency starts Friday.
He is expected to have a salary cap number close to $12 million this season, including a $3 million roster bonus due in March. The Jets must also weigh whether they believe Pennington can come back from two major shoulder operations in an eight-month span and be effective.
``I've proven throughout the years there's no reason to have that much doubt because I've come back from injuries and been successful,'' Pennington said. ``I understand their concern and wanting to make the right decision for the organization.
http://sportsillustrated.netscape.cnn.com/sports/story.jsp?floc=sp-nfl-5-l22&flok=FF-APS-2020&idq=/ff/story/0030%2F20060228%2F1923258346.htm&sc=2020