Tannenbaum looks like a magician

FLORHAM PARK, N.J.

The day already was going well for the Jets, who took care of their most pressing free-agent need by agreeing to terms on a five-year, $50-million deal with wide receiver Santonio Holmes.

But then came the news that the Jets were in the hunt for the biggest prize of all on the free-agent market, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha of the Raiders.

Could it possibly be that the Jets not only get to keep one of the best play-making receivers in NFL history, but are in position to land one of the all-time best cover corners, too?

Sure looked that way Wednesday.

League sources indicated the Jets are major players in the Nnamdi sweepstakes, along with the Texans and 49ers. And if the Jets' big-money offer wasn't enough of an enticement for Asomugha, the chance to play opposite shut-down corner Darrelle Revis was another benefit to ponder.

"Bringing Nnamdi on board, that [would be] great," Revis said Wednesday on a conference call with reporters. "He's the best cornerback in the league. Me and him as a tandem would be unbelievable. I would love to have him as a teammate."

Not so fast. A source connected to the Asomugha situation told Newsday last night that the 49ers appeared to have the edge in the Asomugha competition. He said Asomugha may favor staying on the West Coast.

But even being in a position to think about signing Asomugha is a testament to the resourcefulness of general manager Mike Tannenbaum, whose aggressiveness in player procurement and shrewd moves with the salary cap have created a championship contender. From the blockbuster draft-day trade to acquire Mark Sanchez, to the acquisition of Holmes for what amounted to a fifth-round pick, to keeping his Core Four of Revis, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Nick Mangold and David Harris intact, Tannenbaum has been the prime mover for this roster.

It doesn't guarantee that the Jets will win the Asomugha derby, but even if they don't land the prized cornerback, they're still well ahead of where they were coming into this free-agent signing period. After all, locking up Holmes, the former Super Bowl MVP who almost single-handedly helped the Jets win half a dozen games last season with his late-game heroics, was a critical move.

There is still some uncertainty at the receiver position, particularly with Braylon Edwards. After two solid seasons in New York, he'd like to return, although he's uncertain about the Jets' plans. Edwards wrote on his Twitter account -- @OfficialBraylon -- Wednesday: "I would love to be a Jet but the feeling doesn't seem to be mutual with the management." A few minutes later, that tweet was removed with no explanation from the receiver.

And what about Randy Moss? Speculation has swirled that the Jets are targeting him, but a league source familiar with the situation tells me that the chances of Moss signing with the Jets are "very small." It's possible they don't want to make another move before they find out if Asomugha will sign with them.

"We prepared really hard, and we had a plan we put in pencil," Tannenbaum said. "We don't know what's going to happen. As I always say to Rex [Ryan], 'Let's make the best decisions for the Jets.' We have opportunities to improve the team. This year is fun and challenging."

And successful, too. Locking up the most important free-agent skill position player on the team was a big enough coup for the day. Creating the opportunity to add another All-Pro corner only adds to the anticipation.