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New York Jets tight end Chris Baker is coming off a solid 2007 season, and he's making a pedestrian salary of less than $1.5 million in 2008. It's hard to blame him if he's not happy with his contract.

So maybe that's why Jets coach Eric Mangini doesn't seem to blame him. Talking about Baker today, Mangini sounded calm and rational:

"I've talked to Chris and one of the things that's important to Chris and I is that he stay current on the information and that's what we've been focusing on," Mangini said. "Chris has been working with the information and will continue to work on the football side of it."

But there's a wild card in all this: Last year the Jets didn't have any viable tight ends other than Baker. This year they've added veteran Bubba Franks, the former Packer.
And the New York Daily News reports that Franks is looking good:

Should no-show Chris Baker be worried? Whoa, let's not get crazy here. Baker, not here because he's unhappy with his contract, still is the best tight end on the roster. A few years ago, Franks was one of the best red-zone tight ends in the league - he and Brett Favre had a lot of success together in Green Bay - but one good practice in May doesn't mean the old Bubba is back.

That last part is important to note, but the first part might just be significant enough to make the Jets think they don't need to cave in to Baker's salary demands. Every day that Franks looks impressive, Baker loses a little bit of leverage.