Running back Mike Goodson chose the Jets over the Bengals after meeting with coach Rex Ryan and others from the organization in a visit to the team’s Florham Park headquarters.
“It was just a great fit,” Goodson said in a conference call yesterday. “It felt like home.”
Goodson spent last season with the Raiders after three seasons with the Panthers. He has never rushed for more than 500 yards in a season and has been a backup his entire career. With the Jets, he could come to the forefront. He is expected to compete with Bilal Powell for the starting job.
“I think it’s yet to be determined,” Goodson said of his role. “It’s just competition. We have some great backs. I know [Joe] McKnight is [here and] Bilal Powell. [It is] just competition and whoever comes out I think is going to be good.”
Goodson, 25, ran for 221 yards on 35 carries last season and had a receiving touchdown. He believes the Jets new offense under Marty Mornhinweg will be a great fit for him.
“I definitely think it highlights the things that I do well in my game,” Goodson said, “catching the ball out of the backfield, being able to isolate the linebackers, run some routes and also running the ball between the tackles. I think it’s going to be good.”
The Jets need to replace Shonn Greene, who signed a three-year, $10 million deal with the Titans last week. Greene rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of the last two years. Powell’s playing time increased as last year went on, but he has not been asked to be the lead back.
The Jets love Goodson’s play-making ability and see him as a more explosive player than Greene. Goodson has never put up big numbers, but said he has never really had the chance to.
“I think you can blame it on a lot of different things,” Goodson said. “You can say a lot of different things, but I’ve been fortunate to play with a lot of good backs on the teams that I’ve been on. Most of them were ‘big-money’ guys: Darren McFadden, DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, so at the same time learning from those guys, I had to play behind them, so it was tough, but I think it’s put me in a position now where I can come in, be able to make those types of plays and be that guy at running back, that every-down guy.”
* The Jets might lose another one of their veteran players to the division-rival Dolphins. Free agent guard Brandon Moore visited Miami yesterday, according to a league source. The Dolphins already signed tight end Dustin Keller away from the Jets last week in free agency.
Moore, 32, has been a staple of the Jets offensive line since 2004. He also has been a leader in the locker room for several years. The Jets do not seem interested in bringing him back as new general manager John Idzik continues to let free agents walk out the door. The Jets signed Willie Colon last week to play guard.