Jets extend Sanchez, move on from Manning
The Jets committed to a franchise quarterback on Friday night — their own. They bowed out of the Peyton Manning sweepstakes with a flourish, agreeing with Mark Sanchez on a new five-year contract that could be worth as much as $68.5 million. It is a handsome reward for a player whose progress stagnated last season, when the Jets lost the final three games and missed the playoffs.
“I’m excited that the Jets believed in me and I’m a guy they want to move forward with in the future,” Sanchez said in a conference call, his first public comments since Jan. 2, the day after the Jets’ season ended.
The sides had been negotiating for weeks, said General Manager Mike Tannenbaum, even as the Jets debated whether to pursue Manning, who was released Thursday by the Colts. Calling it an obligation, Tannenbaum said he “looked into the possibility” of signing Manning, an exploration that could be construed as sending mixed messages: Sanchez is the Jets’ quarterback unless, of course, they could land a better one.
“It’s something they have to do,” Sanchez said. “The best part about it is they chose to stick with me.”
Sanchez’s third season did not end in the A.F.C. championship game, as it did his first two years. It ended with an 8-8 record, rampant dysfunction and a disgruntled receiver, Santonio Holmes (on Friday, Sanchez called reports of their strife overblown and said that he has spoken regularly this off-season with Holmes). It ended with his throwing three interceptions in the season finale against Miami, with anonymous teammates and prominent personalities criticizing his work ethic soon after. The Jets had expected Sanchez to make significant improvements last season, and he did not. Tannenbaum, asked what convinced him that extending Sanchez was the right move for the organization, cited Sanchez’s over all performance.
“It’s not a projection, it’s not a hope, it’s not an incremental leap of faith, it’s, ‘Here’s a three-year body of work,’ ” Tannenbaum said. “That said, we don’t have blinders on. It has to get better, and we think it will get better.”
To varying degrees of persuasiveness, Tannenbaum and Coach Rex Ryan have consistently expressed confidence in Sanchez, even as teammates ripped him anonymously and fans called for his job, even as it became apparent that Manning would be available. That the Jets looked elsewhere, even briefly, said more than the vague answers proffered at news conferences. At least until Friday night.
The extension lasts for three years beyond his original rookie contract, of which there were two years remaining. Sanchez is guaranteed $20.5 million over the first two years, according to a person with knowledge of the terms. He will make $58.25 million over all and can earn an extra $10 million via escalating clauses.
By now, the Jets know what they have in Sanchez, for better or for worse. His body of work stands at 53 games, four playoff victories included. His accuracy remains an issue, and his leadership has been questioned. But there is no solid evidence, not yet anyway, to prove Sanchez cannot win a Super Bowl, or follow a career arc similar to Eli Manning, who reached elite status later in his career than most.
By committing to Sanchez, the Jets are betting that he will soar under a new offensive coordinator, Tony Sparano, and a new run-oriented approach. They are betting that they can surround Sanchez with enhanced talent, with better protection, a speedy running back, a play-making receiver. They are also betting in Ryan that he can coax the Super Bowl he has guaranteed from a quarterback who has visited its doorstep.
When Sanchez steps back into the locker room this spring, teammates can rightly view him as a fallback option, albeit one with the richest contract in team history. That gulf, between what Sanchez earns, his status as face of the franchise, and how he is perceived by his own teammates, is growing wider. Rarely has a player won as much as Sanchez and still faced so much doubt. That doubt will disappear only when Sanchez wins a Super Bowl for them. They gave him three more years to do so.
Peyton-palooza touched down in Denver Friday for the first visit of Manning’s free-agent tour. Manning spent almost six hours at the Broncos’ training facility and was expected to spend the night in Denver. The Broncos, who captivated the N.F.L. last season when they made the playoffs with Tim Tebow at quarterback, are said to be a serious contender for Manning, who would allow team executive John Elway to gracefully transition the team away from the option offense it had to run with Tebow, without alienating the hordes of Tebow fans who clamored for him to start last season.
Manning flew with Elway, Coach John Fox and other members of the Broncos’ staff on owner Pat Bowlen’s private jet.
Manning, the league’s only four-time most valuable player, was released on Thursday, but is expected to move quickly to choose his new team, perhaps before full free agency opens on Tuesday, and is expected to visit Arizona and Miami, perhaps this weekend.
Interest in Manning, arguably the biggest free agent in N.F.L. history, has reached such a pitch that when he landed in Miami after being released by the Colts — he has a home there — his car was followed by helicopters and reporters on the road (the Dolphins have expressed an interest in Manning).
His arrival on a private plane in Denver was caught by cameras as a handful of fans gathered at the Broncos’ complex to greet him. Once Manning makes his choice, the attention will turn to Matt Flynn, the Packers backup who will be a sought-after free agent.
This article was written by Ben Shpigel and appeared in the New York Times. 
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