In the end, regarding the shocking loss of Chad Morton to the Redskins, it was the Jets’ trust in attorneys that cost them their key role player, who was awarded to Washington by an arbitrator on Monday.
When faced with having to match the voidable years on the offer sheet the Redskins gave to Morton, the Jets were advised by the NFL Management Council that they didn’t have to match those voidables because they were not a principal part of the deal.
That advice, though given in good faith and with good intentions, turned out to be incorrect, according to arbitrator Richard Bloch, who handed out the stunning ruling on Monday.
Then, according to highly placed sources with intimate knowledge of the goings on, during the arbitration hearing last week, when Bloch disclosed to all in the meeting that he was a Redskins season-ticket holder, the attorneys for both the NFL Management Council (the Jets’ side) and the NFL Players Association (Morton’s side) convinced Jets assistant GM Mike Tannenbaum, the Jets official present, that Bloch was OK to make the decision.
“They convinced him that it was the right thing to do,” one source said of the attorneys to Tannenbaum.
It’s unclear whether Tannenbaum had the authority to demand another, perhaps more impartial, arbitrator.
There were those inside Weeb Ewbank Hall yesterday who still were seething about the decision and the fact Bloch might not have been unbiased when dealing with such a critical decision.
The Jets yesterday declined to comment publicly on Bloch’s allegiance to the Redskins via his season tickets, but sources within the organization concede they’re livid about the way this nightmare played out.
“We’re disappointed and upset in the decision because we didn’t expect this outcome, along with everyone else, but it’s over and we’ve got to move on,” Jets GM Terry Bradway said last night. “We’ve got the draft in three weeks. We have nine picks and we have a chance to get better.”
They’d better find a kick returner or two, because the Jets’ roster is bereft of a legitimate one other than backup RB LaMont Jordan, who isn’t the classic explosive return type.
“In my mind, we did everything we had to do,” Bradway said. “That we didn’t get the player [Morton], we had no control over that. There was evidence that everyone thought we’d win this case. We can dwell on it, but that doesn’t do us any good.”
As compensation for the loss of Morton, the Jets receive the Redskins’ fifth-round pick in this draft (the fifth in the round), giving them nine picks. In the last two years, the Jets had a total of 11 picks.
“We’re disappointed in the ruling, but from our standpoint it’s time to move on.” Bradway said.
