Eric Mangini yesterday acknowledged linebacker Jonathan Vilma will have knee surgery today in Florida.
In step with his no-information policy, Mangini would divulge little else – not which knee it is (it’s believed to be his right knee) or what type of surgery he’s having (whether it’s arthroscopic or a more major procedure).
“It’s just surgery,” Mangini said at his intentionally vague best.
Vilma, on his paid weekly radio appearance on WFAN yesterday, was again asked which knee is injured and he said, “I’m still not allowed to talk about it.”
Vilma, who was supposedly injured in the Jets’ loss to the Bengals three weeks ago, declined to participate in a conference call with reporters yesterday.
When Mangini was asked whether Vilma would be ready for minicamps and training camp next year, he said, “Really, all we’re looking at right now is the next step, which is the surgery. Then we’ll take it from there.”
With Vilma’s replacement, rookie David Harris, having recorded 41 tackles in the two games he’s started and playing markedly better than Vilma, the question about whether Vilma will even be a Jet next season become a legitimate topic of conversation.
Vilma, signed through the 2009 season, is definite trade bait. Sources have told The Post the Jets have talked to more than one team about trading him.
Speculation about why his season ended prematurely has run rampant, including that the Jets wanted to put Vilma on injured reserve so he couldn’t further damage his trade value.
Vilma, a team captain who has always avoided criticism of the team, has been unhappy playing in Mangini’s 3-4 defensive scheme since the coach arrived. People who know Vilma have confirmed that.
There was a report last week out of Baltimore that the Ravens might be a trade suitor with the Jets for Vilma because they reportedly don’t want to give Ray Lewis a large contract extension.
As long as everyone is kept in the dark with this unnecessary clandestine dance by both the team and Vilma, speculation about his future will continue to swirl.
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No speculation was necessary with yesterday’s release of safety Rashad Washington, who had four special teams penalties in the last three games.
Washington was called for one penalty against the Bengals, one against the Bills that cost the team about 45 yards in field position, and two Sunday against the Redskins.
Mangini, whose strongest message to the team as it has lost six in a row has been how players never know which bad play they make might cause the team to lose a game, couldn’t watch anymore.
“Rashad did a lot of good things for us, and he’s a really good person,” Mangini said. “I wish him well.”
Surely, Mangini wishes Washington’s release serves as a message to the rest of the team.
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Mangini tweaked tight end Joe Kowalewski for his big celebration following his first career TD Sunday, saying, “It was a one-yard catch and about a 50-yard celebration.”
“I’m happy for him,” Mangini said. “Joe’s a guy you cheer for. He came in here not as an undrafted free agent but as a tryout player rookie weekend. We always tell those guys it doesn’t matter how you got into the room, it matters what you do from here.”
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Redskins safety LeRon Landry was fined $16,764 for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Kellen Clemens Sunday. Clemens joked that when he looked at his helmet after the game, he saw about a three-inch yellow mark from Landry’s helmet hitting his.
Landry’s fine was large because he was previously fined $7,500 for an earlier personal foul penalty.
Mangini acknowledged yesterday Clemens “is a little sore.”
Wide reciever Evan Prall was added to the Jets practice squad. Punter Ben Graham and his wife enjoyed the birth of son Jack Benjamin on Monday night.