The Jets Continue to Be the Busiest Team in the NFL, Sign Calvin Pace and Damien Woody

It seems that the misery of a 4-12 season has lit a fire under the seat of Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum. He's been the most active man in the NFL since the offseason officially began, a trend that continued this afternoon when Gang Green signed Calvin Pace and Damien Woody as free agents. And, as in the Kris Jenkins and Alan Faneca acquisitions, the Jets spent money like a drunken sailor to make the deal happen.

Pace, a bust until recording six and a half sacks this season, got $22 million in guaranteed money to sign with the Jets for six years and $42 million overall. The move to a 3-4 served Pace well in Arizona last season but, as the Jets saw with Bryan Thomas, boosts from scheme changes can be temporary boons to otherwise mediocre players. Even his 2007 "breakout" was a modest one, making this move a gamble of major proportions.

Woody didn't match Faneca's NFL-best deal but will get $11 million in guarantees from the Jets to play right tackle. He started five games there for the Lions at the tail end of a four-year stint which featured more negatives than positives. He had been a productive guard and center with the Patriots before moving to Detroit, something that likely affected Eric Mangini's impression of his abilities.

There's a lot to like about the moves the Jets have made thus far. The biggest needs entering the offseason were for a nose tackle, offensive linemen and a pass rusher off the edge. Check, check and check. They may have overpaid for Faneca and Pace, but each was the best player available at their spot and that usually means spending more than might be reasonable.

That said, no matter what you think of the talent acquired by the Jets over the past few days, their moves reek of desperation. Rightly so. The team's roster was incredibly short on talent and long on players who didn't fit the system. Every move has addressed those needs but at a great price which signals a bit of a hot seat under Mangini and Tannenbaum. These were the same guys who couldn't find a million bucks for Pete Kendall and threw the team under the bus for it. Now they've got a limitless checkbook. If this path doesn't result in a trip to the playoffs, it could well cost them their jobs.