1)
Expect Ryan Fitzpatrick to appear a little off stride. Even
though he signed the night before training camp opened, he missed the OTA’s and
his timing may look a little off. Not to worry Jet fans, Fitz will be fine.
2)
I’m concerned about the offensive line. I’m always concerned
about my team’s offensive line. In baseball they say you can never have enough
pitching. In football I say you can never have enough good offensive lineman.
Nick Mangold has lost a step. Tackle Ryan Clady (#78) is an “All Everything”
tackle and a good pick up but injuries are a huge issue and as the grind of the
season goes on, we will have to keep a close eye on him.
3)
Running back is becoming an issue. Matt Forte is nicked up and
I am disappointed that Khiry Robinson (#31) coming off a broken leg injury,
doesn’t seem ready yet for the weekly pounding but keep an eye on him when and
if he gets on the field. Bilal Powell looked quicker than usual at the end of
last season. We want a back like him who can also catch passes out of the
backfield on our team.
4)
With the receivers, let’s see if the chemistry Fitz developed
will continue. I’m excited to see if Quincy Enunwa will continue to improve.
Jalin Marshall (#89) has been lighting it up in training camp so we’ll watch
him. Devin Smith, and tight ends Jace Amaro and Zack Sudfeld are all coming off
injuries. Smith is on the PUP list (Physically Unable to Perform) but let’s see
if Fitz can do something he hasn’t done as a Jet, look for an open tight end to
pass to.
5)
Muhammad Wilkerson just came off the PUP list. Keep an eye on
#99 Steve Mclendon. He is the former Steeler interior lineman we picked up. In
his position the number of tackles and sacks are a meaningless stat, he has to
clog the middle and not get pushed back. Let’s watch #50 Darron Lee, our first
round pick playing linebacker. He is quick but a little light so watch if he can
maintain his ground when he tackles and doen’t get pushed back an extra 2-3
yards after contact. Fellow linebacker, 3rd round draft pick Jordan
Jenkins (#48) has been turning heads and there is talk that he has a chance to
start.
6)
I’m very comfortable with our secondary. Revis’ wrist looks to
be healed. Marcus Williams takes over at the other DB position and Calvin Pryor
played well last year and learned to play under control.
7)
Let’s watch and see if new punter Lachlin Edwards can do the
job.
Other names to keep an eye on Thursday night:
Kicker Ross Martin #8 (not from the Wild Wild West)
competing with Nick Folk.
WR Charone Peake #17 rookie from Clemson. Could be a 7th
round steal.
DE Leonard Williams #92. Let’s see if he can continue his
improvement.
LB Lorenzo Mauldin #55. We need more penetration from this 2nd
year player.
QB Bryce Petty #9. I’m not sure how long he’ll be a Jet. He
has got to show something in pre-season.
QB Christian Hackenberg. I’m just as curious as everyone
else with this guy. Hope he plays!
_____________________________________________________________________
What the Jet scribes are saying:
Rich Cimini, ESPN
General manager Mike Maccagnan,
who once considered a career on Wall Street, showed last season that he has the
ability to identify undervalued stocks. His trades for Brandon Marshall and Ryan
Fitzpatrick cost him only two late-round draft picks, and the payoff was huge.
Those moves changed the New York Jets’ season.
He might have done it again with
Ryan Clady. Because he's an offensive lineman, Clady won't grab as much
attention as Marshall and Fitzpatrick, but he will be vital to the Jets'
chances in 2016. It's still early, of course, but this has the look of another
winning trade.
The Jets hope Ryan Clady can
return to the Pro Bowl form he displayed during his time in Denver. Capitalizing
on an unusual left-tackle situation in Denver, Maccagnan bought low and landed
a player with a Pro Bowl pedigree. He got Clady on the cheap because of his
injury history -- Clady missed last season because of knee surgery -- but the
lineman has shown no residual ill effects. He's taking the vast majority of the
practice reps, perhaps more than any other starter on the offensive line.
This could be a new version of the
Marshall trade. The Jets gave up a fifth-round pick, receiving a
seventh-rounder and a highly motivated, elite player looking to recapture his
previous form. Clady's last three injury-free seasons (2011, 2012 and 2014) all
culminated with a Pro Bowl selection.
Brian Costello, NY Post
The Jets had been done practicing
for about 30 minutes, but two individuals remained on the practice field, going
through play after play in the hot afternoon sun.
Quarterbacks Bryce Petty and
Christian Hackenberg stayed long after practice was over, working on certain
things that had not gone right in practice. It seems strange. Two players who
may be competing for one spot — future quarterback of this franchise — helping
each other out, playing wide receiver for each other and coaching each other
up. It is a sign of maturity from Petty, who was drafted just last year in the
fourth round, that he is helping Hackenberg, who ultimately could be the reason
Petty is cut at some point.
You couldn’t blame Petty if he
felt like he was yesterday’s news. When the Jets selected Hackenberg in the
second round of this year’s draft, it called into question how they felt about
Petty. Were they ready to give up on him already? Did they not like what they
saw in his rookie year?
The Jets have said the Hackenberg
selection has nothing to do with Petty. They are seriously considering keeping
four quarterbacks on their roster this season — Petty and Hackenberg as
developmental quarterbacks of the future along with starter Ryan Fitzpatrick
and backup Geno Smith, who are about 2016. If a quarterback does get cut, Petty
might be the odd man out.
He is not worrying about that at
the moment, though. Petty had his best day of training camp Thursday, throwing
three touchdowns, including an 80-yarder to Jalin Marshall. That came a day
after Petty went 0-for-6 in team drills. Petty benefited from extra reps
Thursday with Fitzpatrick getting a day off.
Jets coach Todd Bowles sees signs
of that progress.
“He’s getting to be more
consistent with the decisions he’s making,” Bowles said.
When the Jets took Hackenberg in
April’s draft, Petty said he had a few emotions, but ultimately it brought out
the competitor in him.
“There were probably several
thoughts that I had in my head, but to me, it was kind of like, ‘OK, let’s
strap it up,’ ” he said. “I came in here to prove that they made the right
choice in the fourth round last year. I’m still here to do that. That part
doesn’t change. Whatever happens in the future happens, but while I’m here, I’m
going to be the best quarterback I can be, the best teammate I can be. If that
is to help him through the things I learned last year and I’m continuing to
learn, that’s what I want to do.”
Manish Mehta, NY Daily News
His immediate future is tied to
four meaningless games a little more than a year after his long-term future
seemed secure. Bryce Petty is a big boy, so he can handle the realities of a
business devoid of loyalty.
His bottom line is the Jets’
bottom line: He must produce in the next four weeks or deal with the
consequences. He understands it, accepts it and wants to let everyone know that
he's going to make it happen.
The Jets preseason opener against
the Jaguars Thursday night will be the most important game in Petty's fledging
career… until next week. The former Baylor star quarterback and 2015
fourth-round pick will begin what amounts to a four-game audition to prove that
he belongs, a showcase of progress, a reminder to the team's brain trust that
cutting him would be a grave mistake.
This weeks newsletter is sponsored by Amazon Prime Instant video and Marty Schupak's sports instructional videos. Always free on Amazon Prime!
This weeks newsletter is sponsored by Amazon Prime Instant video and Marty Schupak's sports instructional videos. Always free on Amazon Prime!
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