Jets GM Tannenbaum constantly tinkers

Mike Tannenbaum has his own personal jumbotron, except his isn't the conventional one you might be thinking of, not the high-definition boards that look like the ones at New Meadowlands Stadium.

The Jets general manager's version is more like the one that was featured on HBO's "Hard Knocks," which showed a red "X" next to quarterback Kellen Clemens' name, leading some to think he was about to face "The Turk," who tells players they have been cut.

It's a huge roster board directly behind the desk inside his office at the team's Florham Park, N.J., training complex, just feet from his fingertips so he can always tinker with it if need be and see the precise breakdown of what his roster looks like.

"Philosophically, we always talk about one through 45, that has to be for the coaching staff," Tannenbaum said. "Those are the guys that they are coaching this week and put the game plan together for. Then, the 46th players though 53, and the eight practice squad players, we feel like up here, we've got to make sure we are looking all the time - be it the UFL, Arena, camp - wherever it may be and always see if we can upgrade our roster."

That he does at a rate that probably compares to few, if any, other teams. Excluding Santonio Holmes' reinstatement from the reserve/suspended list and those placed on injured reserve, the Jets have made 37 roster moves since Sept. 7, the day the 53-man and eight-man practice squad rosters needed to be set for Week 1.

Tannenbaum is especially particular about the practice squad, constantly reshuffling by the week. Of those 37 roster transactions, 17 were with the practice squad, the place Tannenbaum loves to stash players such as second-year linebacker Josh Mauga, who was signed from the practice squad to the active roster Oct. 26 and has played in six of eight games since.

"He's a guy that we had a good grade on coming out [of college], and he had been nicked up a few times, and kind of on-and-off the roster or practice squad," Tannenbaum said. "But as much as you are excited about the Braylon Edwardses, and the stars like the Santonios, the Josh Maugas from a front-office perspective gives us as much a sense of fulfillment as anything."

Of course, there's also a down side. Case in point: letting the versatile Danny Woodhead go, who's now flourishing for the Patriots. Tannenbaum is taking some heat for cutting the running back/wide receiver loose, something he's fully aware of.

"When you have one of these jobs, you understand that's going to come with the territory, and you learn to embrace it," Tannenbaum said. "I understand that's part of the job. We made the best decision in our judgment at that time and the fact that he's gone on and been successful, I'm actually rooting for him.

"Just again, you typically don't like to see that in your own division."

Tannenbaum's hands are tied at the moment regarding what he can do long-term. The Jets have a bevy of players who are in the final year of their contracts, but with a lockout looming because of uncertainty with the CBA - "It's more like we are being held in 'Never Never Land,' " Tannenbaum said - he's not sure what the rules will be, and can't make much headway on locking up some of the expected free agents.

"We are going to try to take care of as many as possible," he said. "We can start prioritizing things once we know, 'Is there a salary cap? How much is it? How many franchise tags do you get? Do you get any transition tags?'

"We have a lot of questions that need to be answered."