Your reasoning makes sense. R/F is probably a profitable play in the long run.
The only reason why I would considering peeling here are the great implied odds. Villain gives you roughly 1-3, and you can be assured that in this type of tournament (especially being a re-entry format), Villain is willing to stack off against you. So it costs you 1500 to potentially win another 6.5 k. If you don't fill up, you still have more than 30 BB. And except for exactly QJ (and maybe 99 which you block), villain should never have you dominated here, as QQ,JJ raise pre.
Only problem is that you may not realise your full equity, as any capable villain will barrel turn, which will force you to fold. But in these types of tournaments villains are not always capable
(as in this case when he checks a J, which is a pretty much a brick for the straight)
Going all in when your hand deteriorates is just LOL, you can tell your mate that...but he probably knows (hopefully)
And yes, never flatting flop here, unless I am folding every club, K, A, T,8,J to a bet.