Snacks Harrison: I Feel I'm the Best NT in football

[flgreen]

Damon Harrison: I feel I’m the best nose tackle in football

Posted by Josh Alper on July 14, 2015, 3:26 PM EDT
New York Jets v Tennessee Titans
AP
The Jets defensive line has been a frequent topic of conversation this offseason thanks to the arrival of Leonard Williams in the draft, Muhammad Wilkerson’s desire for a new contract and Sheldon Richardson’s four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

There was less intrigue around nose tackle Damon Harrison, but he may be making a bid to shift some of the focus in his direction before training camp gets underway by comparing himself favorably to every other player at the position in the league.

“If you would have asked me after my first year starting about how I am as a player, I would have given you a humble answer. Not too confident but humble,” Harrison said, via NFL.com. “But when you ask me now, I feel like I’m the best nose tackle in football. If you look at a nose tackle’s job description, nobody does it better than me and I’m confident in saying that. I’ve watched Vince Wilfork my entire life. Dontari Poe, Haloti Ngata even though he moves around. Paul Soliai, I watch everyone because you can always take something from someone. But it’s my time now.”

Harrison’s claim is sure to be met with differing opinions, but he’s been very effective in the middle of the Jets line while starting every game over the last two seasons. While some of that has to do with the strength of the players around him, another strong season will put him in position for a nice payday next offseason when he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent.

Harrison said that the scheme with the Jets hasn’t changed much despite the departure of Rex Ryan and the rest of the line remains talented, which should put him in a good position to further his case for both that big deal and his position in the pecking order of NFL nose tackles.

 

[flgreen]

Paying all these DL is going to be a real problem next off season. Macc had a real good year this year, he'll have his work cut out for him next season.

Sure hope Williams and Barnes make a mega leap forward

 

[jetgreen13]

with a hard salary cap it's close to imposible to keep (like hammer likes to say) a "super unit" together for long..

i'm glad mac was ahead of the curve when williams fell into our laps..

 

[flgreen]

with a hard salary cap it's close to imposible to keep (like hammer likes to say) a "super unit" together for long..

i'm glad mac was ahead of the curve when williams fell into our laps..

Yep

I remember some people were moaning at the time, "you got to be kidding me, another D linemen?" If Williams turns out to be any where near what his potential is, that might be one of the best picks in recent memory.

Like i said Macc had an excellent off season. One more good draft, and if Jackie Davidson can spin some cap magic, Jets might be in very good shape for a few years.

That's one of the fun parts about the off season. We can be extremely optimistic with out fear that the team will be hit with a 46-3 drubbing next Sunday. LOL

 

[BlindsideD'Brick]

Yep

I remember some people were moaning at the time, "you got to be kidding me, another D linemen?" If Williams turns out to be any where near what his potential is, that might be one of the best picks in recent memory.

Like i said Macc had an excellent off season. One more good draft, and if Jackie Davidson can spin some cap magic, Jets might be in very good shape for a few years.

That's one of the fun parts about the off season. We can be extremely optimistic with out fear that the team will be hit with a 46-3 drubbing next Sunday. LOL

I think we can put 46-3 drubbings behind us now that Rex is gone. In his 6 years, I can recall a few too many beat downs, where the team simply did not look prepared to play.

 

[sg3]

Yep

I remember some people were moaning at the time, "you got to be kidding me, another D linemen?" If Williams turns out to be any where near what his potential is, that might be one of the best picks in recent memory.

Like i said Macc had an excellent off season. One more good draft, and if Jackie Davidson can spin some cap magic, Jets might be in very good shape for a few years.

That's one of the fun parts about the off season. We can be extremely optimistic with out fear that the team will be hit with a 46-3 drubbing next Sunday. LOL

I admit I have one or two posters on ignore, but I don't recall one single poster here moaning or whining about the Jets stealing arguably the #1 rated player in the entire draft class with the sixth pick. Raider and Washington fans should be moaning, certainly not any Jet fans with any clue at all

 

[Bronx]

Time to get creative with the cap. We need to pay less at the LT position for a few years and get creative in a few other areas. We can keep all these guys. The Bills have all their guys. Especially since we aren't paying big QB money

 

[Superman55]

He's been the best NT for 3 consecutive years and the best defensive lineman against the run those same 3 seasons. He will be very challenging to replace if we lose him.

 

[Elias]

How would you guys rate Snacks' play so far? It's hard for me to gauge his impact on the team. NT are hard to evaluate.

 

[BlindsideD'Brick]

How would you guys rate Snacks' play so far? It's hard for me to gauge his impact on the team. NT are hard to evaluate.

I know the YPC stat looks good for the Jets defense, but the eyeball test has been a little different. I've seen quite a few big runs against our front seven this year. Gore absolutely steamrolled us the first half of the Indy game, and Philadelphia's Ryan Matthews also ran for over 100 and ripped off a few big runs, too. Not having Sheldon Richardson has made Snack's job a little harder, and Williams is a rookie, so some mistakes should be expected. But we're not quite as dominant against the run as before, IMO.

I think Snacks is valuable to this team, but if you ask me who's a higher priority to re-sign to a big deal, it's Wilkerson. No doubt about it.

 

[dabigyear]

I have a novel idea Mr. Harrison, why don't you just shut up and play!

 

[Mainejet]

You know Harrison might very well be correct in his statements, but people are missing the bigger picture IMO. Harrison is a good NT. No argument from me. But we are also in a time where there isn't a whole lot of talent at NT. At least that is what I see.

Does anyone here believe Damon Harrison is the player that Kris Jenkins was when he was our NT?

That's the difference right there.

Damon Harrison is a top notch NT when there aren't whole of great talents at the NT spot. Guys like Vince Wilfork and Kris Jenkins had it all over Damon Harrison. JMO.

So I think posters may be overthinking this problem we have with our DL. Granted, it's a good problem, but a problem never the less. It's true we won't be able to pay all of our linemen. But a guy like Damon Harrison will come cheap in comparison to guys like Sheldon, Mo, and Leonard.

I figure the Jets can sign two of the 3 between Sheldon, Mo, and Leonard. They can also easily pay Damon Harrison IMO. Following that strategy would allow the Jets to hold on to great talent along the DL and still build a SB winner.

 

[cysporsche]

You know Harrison might very well be correct in his statements, but people are missing the bigger picture IMO. Harrison is a good NT. No argument from me. But we are also in a time where there isn't a whole lot of talent at NT. At least that is what I see.

Does anyone here believe Damon Harrison is the player that Kris Jenkins was when he was our NT?



That's the difference right there.

Damon Harrison is a top notch NT when there aren't whole of great talents at the NT spot. Guys like Vince Wilfork and Kris Jenkins had it all over Damon Harrison. JMO.

So I think posters may be overthinking this problem we have with our DL. Granted, it's a good problem, but a problem never the less. It's true we won't be able to pay all of our linemen. But a guy like Damon Harrison will come cheap in comparison to guys like Sheldon, Mo, and Leonard.

I figure the Jets can sign two of the 3 between Sheldon, Mo, and Leonard. They can also easily pay Damon Harrison IMO. Following that strategy would allow the Jets to hold on to great talent along the DL and still build a SB winner.

Snacks can't hold Kris Jenkins jock strap ! Jenkins was an All-Pro DT several years for the Panthers before we converted him to NT. Snacks is dreaming about a bigger contract.

Go Jets...Cyborg

 

[dabigyear]

Good NT's stop the running game inside, great ones influence stopping the whole running game. His opinion of himself doesn't mean s--t,

 

[Mugatu]

Jenkins is the most disruptive DL player I have ever seen put on a Jets uniform going back to 82 when I started following football closely.

 

[jetkwondo]

Jenkins is the most disruptive DL player I have ever seen put on a Jets uniform going back to 82 when I started following football closely.

Yup, though it was very short lived...

I still can hear Phil Simms calling the replay "OH MY GOD!!! Did you see what Kris Jenkins did..." where Jenkins absolutely obliterated the Texans center, tossing him aside like a rag doll, on his way to the QB in the 2009 home opener...

Snacks has been consistently stout against the run which does grade him out as one of the best NT's in the league since he won the job in the training camp competition with Kendrick Ellis.

It is what it is and I have no problem with his honest opinion of himself which I feel was spot on... Especially knowing his story and how much hard work he put in to get where he is today as an undrafted FA!. Good for him!!!

 

[Savage69]

I know the YPC stat looks good for the Jets defense, but the eyeball test has been a little different. I've seen quite a few big runs against our front seven this year. Gore absolutely steamrolled us the first half of the Indy game, and Philadelphia's Ryan Matthews also ran for over 100 and ripped off a few big runs, too. Not having Sheldon Richardson has made Snack's job a little harder, and Williams is a rookie, so some mistakes should be expected. But we're not quite as dominant against the run as before, IMO.

I think Snacks is valuable to this team, but if you ask me who's a higher priority to re-sign to a big deal, it's Wilkerson. No doubt about it.

A question for you.. Mac has been fair with contracts to every Jet he signed this year which makes one wonder?? Has Mo turned down reasonable contract offers while waiting for a JJ Watt type deal?? Something makes no sense and to me it looks like it's not on Mac..

 

[flgreen]

A question for you.. Mac has been fair with contracts to every Jet he signed this year which makes one wonder?? Has Mo turned down reasonable contract offers while waiting for a JJ Watt type deal?? Something makes no sense and to me it looks like it's not on Mac..

Yeah, this what I'm fearing. I guess I can't blame him, but I sure hate to lose such a good player. I don't think they are going to pay him elite money. Especially with the emargence of Williams.

We'll see how it plays out, but Macc is going to hve to earn his money next year. There is also the matter of Brick, and Mangold's deals.

 

[Savage69]

Yeah, this what I'm fearing. I guess I can't blame him, but I sure hate to lose such a good player. I don't think they are going to pay him elite money. Especially with the emargence of Williams.

We'll see how it plays out, but Macc is going to hve to earn his money next year. There is also the matter of Brick, and Mangold's deals.

Mac can even deal with Revis and not Mo?? LOL I think Mo get traded next season..

 

[BlindsideD'Brick]

A question for you.. Mac has been fair with contracts to every Jet he signed this year which makes one wonder?? Has Mo turned down reasonable contract offers while waiting for a JJ Watt type deal?? Something makes no sense and to me it looks like it's not on Mac..

It's hard to really know for sure, since none of us are privy to the negotiations. It does seem likely that the two sides are far apart, though. But also there's the fact that Macc is in the driver's seat here. He can tag Mo next season, and has all the leverage right now. So he doesn't have to do anything right now or next year in terms of an immediate long term deal.

We have a ton of good defensive linemen, and not all of them will be here long term. The numbers just don't add up. I'd really hate to see Wilkerson be the odd man out, but it wouldn't shock me. Especially if Richardson cleans up his act, and Williams continues to progress.