Holmes declares he's with Jets for long haul
Santonio Holmes is in the last year of his contract, but says he feels comfortable in New York and wants to remain a Jet "for the long haul." (Aug. 7, 2010) Credit: Pat Orr
CORTLAND, N.Y. - As far as Santonio Holmes is concerned, he's already home.
The wide receiver easily has been one of the most impressive players so far in training camp, this despite missing the first two days of practice because he was given permission to spend extra time with son Santonio III, who recently had surgery to remove his spleen.
Holmes, like so many of his new teammates, is in the final year of his contract. So it's not too early to ponder his future with the Jets, a tenure Holmes wants to be a marriage made in heaven for years to come.
"I already told the guys, I told [Mike] Tannenbaum, I've talked to Woody [Johnson], I told Rex [Ryan], I told the guys on the team - I'm here for the long haul, you know?" Holmes told Newsday Monday. "And I think I'm going to make my claim and I'm going to be a part of this team.
"Regardless of what anybody may think on the outside, I'm going to be here for the long haul and hopefully we will continue winning championships."
Count Ryan among those who are thrilled with Holmes, who'll miss the season's first four games for violating the league's substance-abuse policy.
"He's just got great route- running ability," Ryan said. "He's strong, he's physical, all those types of things. We know he's a clutch guy, too. There's no doubt."
Westhoff: Grass greener
Mike Westhoff signed a one-year extension that expires after the 2011 season, and the special teams coordinator plans on retiring when his new deal runs out. Westhoff, now in his 28th season overall and 10th with the Jets, said he never considered leaving the Jets because "you're like a jackass standing in knee-high clover leaning over the fence and eating a weed because he thinks it looks better," he said. "People do that all the time and I'm not like that. I'm very appreciative of what I have."
Extra points
OLB/DE Jason Taylor has a slight groin pull and was held out of a few drills . . . WR Braylon Edwards (sore knee) and RB Joe McKnight (dehydration) were limited . . . TE Jeff Cumberland (head), G Marlon Davis (knee) and Brashton Satele (ankle) sat out practice. . . Backup QB Mark Brunell was given the day off from throwing.
More Jets
