Jets' versatile, explosive Washington dazzles Ryan
Photo credit: Getty | Leon Washington #29 of the New York Jets is tackled by Brendon Ayanbadejo #51 of the Baltimore Ravens during a preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium on August 24, 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland.
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Rex Ryan knew Leon Washington had dynamic playmaking ability.
Washington's unique blend of blazing speed and reliable hands, packaged with his toughness as a ballcarrier, make the Pro Bowl kick returner a rare commodity. He's a triple threat who can score from anywhere on the field, putting him among the NFL's top offensive weapons.
Still, Washington's output against the Ravens Monday night had Ryan a bit taken aback.
"He's even better than I thought," Ryan said after the Jets' 24-23 loss in Baltimore. "He's a little stud and I knew he was tough. But that defense, that doesn't happen to [it]. I don't care preseason, regular season. He's special."
The fourth-year pro had a brilliant game, contributing in three areas. He had a combined 176 yards on 13 touches. His 48 yards on eight carries led the team, and his 35 yards and a touchdown on two receptions were also tops.
It's all just in a day's work if you ask Washington, who also had a 52-yard kickoff return.
"Sometimes, I'll be like, man, I'm surprising everybody every time I play," he said. "I don't know how I keep surprising everybody. I've been doing this the last two years, so it was good for [Ryan] to see it in person.
"Obviously, being at Baltimore, he didn't get a chance to see me play. But once again, I'm only as good as my teammates. Those guys up front, they did a tremendous job of opening up the holes for us."
Ryan has promised to get Washington more touches because of his home run-hitting skills. He'll also be moved around the field, and the Jets will try to do different things with him, such as lining him up in the backfield with Thomas Jones, as they did against the Ravens.
Washington had that 19-yard touchdown grab from Mark Sanchez when he beat linebacker Jameel McClain. But his 16-yard screen on third-and-12 six plays before the TD kept the Jets' first scoring drive alive.
"Any time he gets a chance to touch the ball out in open space, he can make a big play," center Nick Mangold said, "and that's what we wanted to see."
Washington's unhappiness with his contract has been well documented. Making $535,000 in the final year of his rookie contract, he's seeking a new deal. He boycotted three weeks of voluntary team activities and showed up after the mandatory reporting time in Cortland July 30, strolling in around midnight.
He's believed to be seeking a deal averaging about $6 million a season, and the Jets reportedly have increased their offer to approximately $5 million. Washington claims he's no longer worrying about the contract and isn't harboring ill feelings toward the Jets' decision-makers.
"I don't have any vendettas," he said. "I love to play football, so when it's Monday night playing against the Ravens, it takes me back to Little League, going out and playing football and doing my job. I'm just going to continue to do it and whatever happens, the situation is going to happen."
