Fire Joe Namath's Assessment of Plaxico Burress

Broadway Joe is wrong.

Legendary Jets QB Joe Namath apparently doesn't think much of Jets WR Plaxico Burress, saying the newly freed receiver will be "damn lucky" to complete the season.

Namath also compared Burress to former Jets WR Braylon Edwards, which is never good. "When I see Burress, certainly in the past, and Edwards, their route running and adjusting, I didn't like it -- and I still don't," Namath told ESPNNewYork.com Tuesday. I'll be surprised if Burress and (QB Mark) Sanchez click well and I'll be even more surprised if Burress, after being laid off for two years and change, is going to make it through the season."

On paper, Namath is as wrong in his assessment of Burress as he was when he tried to kiss Suzy Kolber.

Burress is 34, and those 20 months in prison probably didn't help his game. He has, however, been very durable during his career. In the eight full seasons Burress played before he was suspended during the 2008 season, he never appeared in fewer than 11 games and he went the full 16 five times. Another season he played in 15.

From a statistical standpoint, Burress has also been a lot better than Edwards. He twice caught 10+ TDs in a season and had four 1,000+ receiving-yard campaigns. Except for his monster 2007 when he caught 16 TDs and had 1,289 yards, Edwards has never topped 7 TDs or 884 yards. 

It's possible that Burress will get hurt or won't click with his QB, but that's true of just about any WR. There isn't a long track record of players coming back from two years in prison at age 34, so it's hard to predict what will happen. Michael Vick may be the closest example for comparison purposes and it seems like he's done OK. Signing Burress was not a bad move, the Jets will not likely be sorry and Namath should take a wait-and-see approach with Burress. Plax is motivated and he could do very well.