T-Ball Skills & Drills
The Good
Sam Darnold continues to look the part. I’m ecstatic on the inside but tentative when talking about him. Field vision and extending plays are two attributes I love in quarterbacks. I just hope an injury is not nearby because he extends plays when he should curl up and go down like Tom Brady. But Sam Darnold is the real deal. The Chris Herndon suspension for the first 4 games is a bummer but if by some miracle the Jets are 3-1 in the first 4 games, it will be a fun season when Herndon comes back.
Jamison Crowder & Company
This is what you are going to get from a gifted player like Jamison Crowder (from Duke). If the Jet offensive line performs, Crowder will have a stellar season. He only had 2 receptions with one going for a touchdown but wait till you see this player’s YAC (yards after catch). Jet fans will see the 6’3” Darnold regularly find Crowder in crossing patterns who will get tons of extra yardage a la Wes Welker.
Linebacker Frankie Luvu is a solid tackler who when he is on the field, mixes it up like an NBA player who specializes in getting rebounds (like Paul Silas and Dave DeBusschere). The Jets list 4 starting linebackers on their web site depth chart: Brandon Copeland, C.J. Mosley, Avery Williamson and Jordan Jenkins. Despite Jenkins having 7 sacks last year (Luvu had 3), you can make a case that Luvu should be in the starting rotation ahead of Jenkins or Copeland. We’ll have to see more of him and how he is developing covering running backs out of the backfield but I have always liked this guy since day one and he deserves to be on the field. Thanks Mike!
Greg Dortch is quick! He was a little overmatched playing wide receiver Thursday night but still caught a TD pass. This punt returner should also have kick off responsibilities once the Jets cut Trenton Cannon. He returned one punt 32 yards and fans saw a sprinkling of what he can do. If I was Adam Gase, I would also put in some packages with Dortch coming out of the backfield. Imagine this 5’7” lightning rod running hiding behind these huge NFL linemen on a screen pass? If Gase does this, the Jets have Bruce Harper 2.0.
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The Bad
Parry Nickerson was thought to be a steal by some last year but he looks like he doesn’t belong on an NFL field. He is constantly getting burned for long plays and seems to out of position. A lot of times his coverage reminds me of Devon Lee trying to cover running backs. Giant fans wondered why the Giants played Geno Smith ahead of Davis Webb a couple of years ago. Thursday night we saw why. Davis Webb is just not an NFL quarterback and one of those players I would advise to get his insurance license. With Trevor Siemian having solid game and Luke Falk getting a passing grade, I’d be surprised if Webb is a Jet after the first cut. Look for him to land in Philadelphia for part of the pre-season as the Eagles back-up QB, Nate Sudfeld got hurt. Joe Douglas might deal him to his old team for a conditional 7th round pick. Jachai Polite was lost! He and the rest of the Jets defense did not get any pressure on any Giant QB.
The Ugly
Does it get any uglier for kicker Chandler Catanzaro? Was Lucy out there pulling the football from Charlie Brown? Not just missing 2 extra points but if you saw him at Jet practices, he has not lit it up. I’m one of the few who wasn’t upset the Jets didn’t resign Jason Myers but Catanzaro has been awful. Matt Bryant is 44 but Joe Douglas has got to give him a call. I may be wrong but I think 34 year old former Jet Nick Folk is available. I’d also have him in for a tryout.
2019 New York Jets Updated Training Camp Schedule
Here is the Jets’ updated training camp schedule, in terms of all publicly open practices and preseason games:
• Sunday Aug. 11, 8:25 a.m. — open to public, with ticket
• Tuesday Aug. 13, 8:25 a.m. — open to summer camps only
• Thursday Aug. 15, 7:30 p.m. — Week 2 preseason game, at Falcons
• Sunday Aug. 18, 7 p.m. — Green and White scrimmage/practice (at MetLife Stadium)
• Saturday Aug. 24, 7:30 p.m. — Week 3 preseason game, vs. Saints
• Thursday Aug. 29, 7 p.m. — Week 4 preseason game, vs. Eagles
Admission and parking at all 2019 Jets Training Camp events will be free, but tickets are required. Free tickets can be downloaded by visiting newyorkjets.com/camp. Practices may be cancelled or closed to the public in the case of inclement weather. Fans are encouraged to call the team’s fan line at (973) 549-4844.
Green Tidbits
…..Why in the world was Quincy Enunwa on the field Thursday night?…..Deontay Burnett 4 catches (targeted 4 times), 12 yards. Less than modest stats but he continues to catch balls thrown to him…..Elijah McGuire and everyone else did not the run the ball well but he looked good catching passes out of the backfield.....
CB Kyron Brown who was moving up the depth chart got burned but he was active. Might have something here…..Offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele came out crazed. He looked like a missile with a purpose on the first 2 plays of the game…..RB Valentine Holmes deserves another look after playing very hard. He took some licks but kept coming back for more…..Montrel Meander shows some quicks. Let’s keep an eye on #30…..
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What the Jets Scribes Are Saying
Rich Cimini, ESPN
The Jets' first-team offense was sharp, sans RB Le'Veon Bell, who was held out for precautionary reasons. "He's taken a lot of hits over his career," Adam Gase said. "The way he's been practicing, that has really been the important part for us." He said they will go week-to-week on whether to play him in the preseason. Practice is fine, but there's no substitute for game speed. He needs to get a few carries before Week 1…..The Jets have a developing problem at kicker, as Chandler Catanzaro missed two PATs. His work in practice also has been spotty. It's time to bring in some competition. Adam Gase didn't dismiss that possibility, but he refused to sound the alarm. He said there was an issue with one of the snaps/hold. "We have to look at the whole operation," he said…..Sam Darnold was perfect in his preseason debut — a 158.3 passer rating. He completed 4 of 5 for 68 yards and a TD, leading a 75-yard drive. Darnold caught a break, almost throwing a pick on his first pass attempt. It should've been intercepted by Jabrill Peppers. Darnold rebounded with poise, sliding in the pocket on long completions to Chris Herndon and Jamison Crowder. They were wide open, as the Giants appeared confused in coverage. This was a good first step for Darnold, who didn't have Le'Veon Bell (coach's decision).
Brian Costello, NY Post
Jamison Crowder and Ty Montgomery’s Jets debuts didn’t last long.But Sam Darnold’s two new weapons made sure to introduce themselves before getting the rest of the night off. With the Jets first-team offense only playing one drive in Thursday’s preseason opener — a 31-22 loss to the Giants at MetLife Stadium — Crowder and Montgomery made the most of it, showing a glimpse of the offense Adam Gase hopes to boast in his first year at the helm. Of course, the Jets’ biggest prize of the offseason, Le’Veon Bell, was held out of the game, but Crowder and Montgomery welcomed themselves to the green and white in no time, keying a seven-play, 75-yard drive that ended in Crowder’s 3-yard touchdown catch for the 6-0 lead.
“That’s really as good as it can get,” Crowder said. “We got a lot of weapons in this offense. My main thing is just play my role, be as much of a viable target for [Darnold] as I can. So whenever I get the opportunity, I’m going to take full advantage of it.”
Sam Darnold's performance was so good it became forgettable
Of the seven plays the Jets ran on the way to the end zone, Crowder and Montgomery combined to touch the ball on six of them, with a Darnold pass to Chris Herndon the only outlier. Montgomery took two carries for 7 yards and caught a 5-yard pass, showing ever so briefly the Swiss Army knife he can be in Gase’s offense…..Crowder could become Darnold’s favorite receiver to throw to this fall, a veteran target in the slot who signed a three-year, $28.5 million contract. The 26-year-old is coming off a down year last season with the Redskins, when he was hampered by a nagging ankle injury, but looked strong Thursday night.
Al Iannazzone, Newsday
Adam Gase apparently can bring the best out of Sam Darnold.
The Jets’ second-year quarterback threw a perfect game in Thursday’s preseason opener at MetLife Stadium. Actually, it was only a perfect series, because that’s all Darnold played in the Jets’ 31-22 loss. But he carved up the Giants’ defense, leading the Jets on a seven-play touchdown drive. Darnold completed 4 of 5 passes for 68 yards and a score on the game’s first drive. His passer rating was a perfect 158.3.
This was Gase’s first game as the Jets’ coach. He was brought in to help develop Darnold into a franchise quarterback, make the offense explosive and lead the Jets back to the playoffs. There’s a long way to go, but the first-team offense — with Le’Veon Bell a healthy scratch, watching from the sideline — had no trouble moving the ball against the Giants.
“It was fun out there for that first drive,” Darnold said. “Hopefully it gave Jets fans a little taste of what this season is going to be like.”
It almost was a very ugly and imperfect start for Gase and Darnold, whose first pass nearly was picked off by safety Jabril Peppers. On the very next play, Darnold showed some of the traits that have the Jets excited about the future. Darnold was on the move and fired a pass to second-year tight end Chris Herndon, who was wide open. The play went for 32 yards. Herndon is a big part of the Jets’ offense and will be missed while he serves a four-game suspension to start the regular season for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.
NFL News and Rumors
…..Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown has filed a grievance against the NFL to be permitted to wear his preferred helmet, league sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. There was some recent scuttlebutt that Brown was skipping Raiders camp in response to the cryotherapy treatment that damaged his foot. Rather, it seems that Brown is staying away as he fights the league for his right to wear the headgear that he wants…..The NFL has suspended Browns wide receiver Antonio Callaway for violating the league’s policy and program on substances of abuse. He’ll miss the first four games of the season, leaving the Browns without one of their most intriguing weapons until mid-October……Eagles backup quarterback Nate Sudfeld underwent surgery on Friday morning for a broken bone above his left wrist, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter) hears. The QB is expected to be out for six weeks, creative some uncertainty for the Eagles as they head into the season…..Broncos’ undrafted free agent tight end Austin Fort suffered a torn ACL in Thursday night’s preseason game against the Seahawks, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Of course, it’s a season ending injury, so Fort will have to wait until at least 2020 to make his true NFL debut…..On his first drive as a Lion, Jermaine Kearse suffered severe injuries. The recently signed wide receiver sustained a broken leg and ankle damage, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Kearse was blocking on a run play, and a defender rolled into him. The veteran wideout signed a minimum-salary Lions pact earlier this summer. He required an air cast after the injury, per the Detroit News’ Justin Rogers (on Twitter)…..The Dolphins announced that they’ve signed free agent defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche to a one-year deal and placed him on the active/physically unable to perform list. The pact is worth $1.19MM, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com…..The Chiefs have agreed to sign free agent cornerback Morris Claiborne, according to Terez A. Paylor of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Claiborne will receive a one-year deal worth $1.5MM, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The pact contains playtime incentives, tweets Tom Pelissero of NFL.com, and Paylor indicates (via Twitter) those incentives could be worth up $1.5MM. In total, Claiborne’s deal will have a maximum value around $3MM. Kansas City is bringing in Claiborne with the knowledge that he’ll be unavailable for the first quarter of the regular season. Claiborne was hit with a four-game suspension earlier this month after violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy…..Michael Crabtree won’t be joining the Cardinals after all. Just hours after word of an agreement leaked, negotiations between the two parties went bust, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. With that, the wide receiver remains on the free agent market
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