Jets Putting Full-Court Press on L.T.

Here is what the Jets have planned for LaDainian Tomlinson:

-- He arrived from Minnesota here on Thursday night and the Jets welcomed him into his hotel room with a gift basket for his first child, expected this summer.

-- He had breakfast on Friday morning with a group of team executives that included general manager Mike Tannenbaum, head coach Rex Ryan and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

-- He was given a tour of the Jets facilities.

-- He met with coaches to talk about the Jets offense and the role he would play.

-- He was scheduled a tour of the Jets' new stadium Friday afternoon, complete with a police escort to the facility.

-- He was expected to have dinner with Jets staff at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J.

At each step of the itinerary, the Jets are hoping to convince this future Hall of Fame back that they have the home he seeks, the place where he can finish his NFL career and the spot that gives him a solid chance to win his first Super Bowl ring.

Minnesota spent all day Thursday trying to convince Tomlinson of the same things.

Though Philadelphia and New Orleans have let their interest be known in Tomlinson, as well, and though he has let them know the feeling is mutual, the Jets see the race for Tomlinson as a two-team battle between them and the Vikings.

And a Jets executive source said, when egos become involved in acquiring a player, the Jets will be hard to beat.

"We want this guy, and when we want a player, we typically go get the player,'' the Jets source said. "We have every intention to get him signed before he leaves.''

But Tomlinson has already told the Jets that he wants to think things over, travel back home to visit with his wife, LaTorsha, and pray over all options.

The Jets are praying they can convince him to sign now.

And the courting, the convincing is in full swing.

The Jets are willing to give Tomlinson a two-year contract equal to the two-year, $5 million-deal they would not give to departed running back Thomas Jones, now with Kansas City. They may be willing to move upwards to $3.5 million a year for Tomlinson in a contract loaded with incentives.

That is a prime chunk of change for a running back who reaches age 31 in June and enters his 10th pro season this fall. For a back who in each of the last three seasons has seen his average yards per carry slip from 5.2 to 4.7 to 3.3.

The Jets, however, see this back in the same manner that Vikings coach Brad Childress described him: A runner with "a decent amount of squirt'' left who "has a very good feel" between the tackles. Childress has added that Tomlinson could be No. 1A in his offense to Adrian Peterson at No. 1.

Both teams see a third-down weapon extraordinaire, primarily as a pass receiver out of the backfield.

The Jets view him as an answer to the Patriots' Kevin Faulk.

But there would be issues for the Jets to manage.

As a backup running back, Tomlinson would earn at least three times as much as starter Shonn Greene. How is that going to play? And Tomlinson would not play on special teams, thus, the Jets lose depth there.

Schottenheimer is doing what he can to keep the Jets' interest in Tomlinson keen. He coached Tomlinson in San Diego and has told the franchise that Tomlinson is a model citizen, an important factor to have on the field and in the locker room and a dependable player. He is reminding Tomlinson that since the Jets and Chargers offensive systems and terminologies are similar, the learning curve for the player will be smaller than that with other potential suitors.

"We've done the homework and he still has that burst when he is on the perimeter, and though his instincts as a back used to be 10 times better than everyone else, it is still a couple of times better than most,'' a Jets executive source said. "He would give us that change of pace back after you pound it and pound it with Shonn. If LaDainian stays healthy, you put him in some of the same situations our other backs were in last year with this offensive line and you will see even bigger production.

"I know he wants to win a championship and that factors heavily into his decision. We think we can accomplish that together.''

Now, to convince Tomlinson of that.