Sounds like Harvin is going to be doing everything except take out the trash

[flgreen]

Jets' Rex Ryan bullish about Percy Harvin's potential as outside WR, punt returner, despite inexperience

 

 

 

 

John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com By Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Email the author | Follow on Twitter

 

on October 22, 2014 at 6:54 PM, updated October 22, 2014 at 7:06 PM

 

 

FLORHAM PARK – The Jets’ opportunity to prove that trading for wide receiver Percy Harvin “could be a potential coup,” as general manager John Idzik put it, begins Sunday against the Bills.

 

 

Last week, Idzik got Harvin for a small price – a sixth-round draft pick that reportedly will become a fourth-rounder if Harvin is with the Jets next season. But Sunday might be too early to expect Harvin to occupy a large role in the Jets’ offense, at least in terms of playing time.

 

 

Jets coach Rex Ryan reiterated Wednesday that Harvin probably won’t play 50 snaps in this game, as offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg gets Harvin acclimated to his West Coast offense. Harvin will return kickoffs, and probably will have a package of plays on offense. He might even return punts, Ryan said Wednesday.

 

 

Despite Harvin’s potentially limited snaps Sunday, the game could provide a glimpse of how the Jets plan to use him, and how it might differ from the ways Harvin was used by his previous teams, the Vikings and Seahawks.

 

 

Ryan and Mornhinweg are still getting a read on where Harvin fits best. Wednesday was his first practice with full pads as a member of the Jets. Still, it seems likely that Harvin will line up as an outside receiver more often than he did in Minnesota and Seattle

.

 

The Jets have long believed, since they evaluated Harvin before the 2009 NFL Draft, that he was more than just a slot receiver. This is his chance to prove them right, and to help their offense by stretching the field deep. It was something that David Nelson, the Jets’ No. 2 outside receiver behind Eric Decker, could not do consistently enough. The Jets cut Nelson to make room for Harvin on the roster.

 

 

“When you look at how we are going to use Percy, it might be different than how he was used in Minnesota, how he was used in Seattle,” Ryan said. “I guess time will tell. I think he’s a special talent. First off, I think when he came out of college, there was a lot of questions about him playing anything other than a slot receiver, until he had a workout.

 

 

“Then you see his skill sets – the way he can run patterns from the outside, his hands. All that type of stuff led us to believe that he can be more than just an inside player, if you will. I still believe that’s true.”

 

 

Harvin played his first four NFL seasons in Minnesota, which traded him to Seattle after the 2012 season. Harvin missed almost all of 2013 because of a hip injury. If you examine his time in Minnesota, and what he did this season with Seattle, it is clear that he was not used as an outside deep threat receiver as often as the Jets might use him.

 

 

From 2009-12, Harvin ran routes from the slot on 88.5, 70.2, 62.8 and 59.8 percent of his pass patterns, according to Pro Football Focus. This year in Seattle, that percentage was 74.3. None of Harvin’s 26 targets this year came on deep throws (20 yards or longer), per PFF. From 2009-12, Harvin’s deep target percentages were 12.9, 14.4, 8.5 and 6.2. Harvin said he became frustrated this season with how rarely (basically, never) the Seahawks sent him down the field.

 

 

Even though Harvin has not been used often on deep throws, he has long possessed big-play potential, because of his speed and shiftiness in the open field. Just consider his yards after the catch averages from 2009-12: 6.2, 6.4, 7.1 and 8.7 per reception – which ranked 12th, fourth, seventh and first in the NFL, per PFF. His yards after the catch average this year is 4.9.

 

 

“To have a guy out there on the outside that can stretch the field, that can hit them long for that deep ball, I think it can help us out tremendously,” said Jets running back Chris Johnson, who knows the rushing attack would benefit from this.

 

 

Ryan is so bullish about Harvin’s potential that he might have him return punts. Walter Powell has been doing that for the Jets, after they cut rookie Jalen Saunders, who muffed two punts and lost one of them. Harvin has returned 127 kickoffs in his NFL career, including five for touchdowns, but has never returned a punt in the NFL or college.

 

 

 

Video: Will Rex Ryan use Percy Harvin on punt returns? ‘We will consider it. Strongly.’

 

New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan says he expects new wide receiver Percy Harvin to play a roll on offense in Sunday’s game agains the Buffalo Bulls. He also says he will consider using him on punt returns. (Video by John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

 

 

In 2004, as a high school junior, he ran back four punts for touchdowns. But with all due respect to the Virginia High School League’s Beach District competition, fielding and returning punts against the Bills will be quite different. Still, Ryan said he will "strongly" consider having Harvin return punts Sunday.

 

“It’s a lot tougher being a punt returner than it is a kick returner,” Ryan said. “It is a lot different. Does he have the skill set to do it? I think he probably does.”

 

Jets quarterback Geno Smith, who could benefit more than anyone from Harvin’s arrival, is taking a hopeful but guarded outlook on Harvin’s impact Sunday, and beyond.

 

“You can never really tell until you get out there and get some live game action,” Smith said.

 

He repeated a variation of this wait-and-see line several times Wednesday. While Smith said he is “excited” about Harvin’s potential to “do a lot of great things for us and make us all better,” Smith understands there will be an adjustment period for Harvin with the Jets’ offense – and that it isn’t as simple as plugging him in and excelling.

 

“This isn’t video games,” Smith said. “We have some things drawn up for him and we just want to let him go out there and play. We’re not going to try to overemphasize anything when it comes to him or anybody else.”

 

Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DarrylSlater. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.

[slats]

I hope the punt return talk is just an effort to make the Bills think. The guy has enough on his plate just learning a handful of the playbook. Returning punts is a difficult job. No reason to saddle him with that, too. Certainly not this week, anyway. 

[dbatesman]

Jets' Rex Ryan bullish

[win4ever]

I hope the punt return talk is just an effort to make the Bills think. The guy has enough on his plate just learning a handful of the playbook. Returning punts is a difficult job. No reason to saddle him with that, too. Certainly not this week, anyway. 

 

I actually think punt returns might be the easiest for him because it's reactionary.  The blocking isn't set in stone, usually just has an angle to it, and then depends on what the punt kicking team does, so he can catch and then decide what to do on his own.  He would have more trouble with straight plays on offense, especially in the passing game because it's based on timing and route trees that he may not be familiar with.  

 

I think they'll run a couple of jet sweeps, and throw it deep a couple times with him.  Pretty much use him like Stephen Hill and just run deep and hope he can take a safety with him.  If he does, then a decoy, if not, give it a shot.   It'll be interesting to see how they incorporate him in after the bye week. 

[T0mShane]

Oh good lets take another player and make him do some sh*t that he doesn't need to be doing in order to demonstrate that rough and tumble grit that the coach likes to see in his socialist grunt no-stars program.

[stevegrunder]

Oh good lets take another player and make him do some sh*t that he doesn't need to be doing in order to demonstrate that rough and tumble grit that the coach likes to see in his socialist grunt no-stars program.

 

Its called swagger, and master motivation. Two things you wouldn't recognize if either slapped you upside your face. Learn son, learn.

[Pac]

I hope the punt return talk is just an effort to make the Bills think. The guy has enough on his plate just learning a handful of the playbook. Returning punts is a difficult job. No reason to saddle him with that, too. Certainly not this week, anyway. 

 

Having him call for fair catches and actually catching the ball would be an improvement. 

[Lizard King]

Hey let's take the best slot receiver in the game and make him a wideout great move. I don't understand why we try and reinvent the wheel on everything I really don't.

[jgb]

Hey let's take the best slot receiver in the game and make him a wideout great move. I don't understand why we try and reinvent the wheel on everything I really don't.

Because we don't know what we are doing. They probably resigned Kerley when they did to show harvin "hey, see we already have a slot guy so don't worry it won't be you"

[jack48]

Jets' Rex Ryan bullish about Percy Harvin's potential as outside WR, punt returner, despite inexperience

 

 

 

 

John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com By Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Email the author | Follow on Twitter

 

on October 22, 2014 at 6:54 PM, updated October 22, 2014 at 7:06 PM

 

 

FLORHAM PARK – The Jets’ opportunity to prove that trading for wide receiver Percy Harvin “could be a potential coup,” as general manager John Idzik put it, begins Sunday against the Bills.

 

 

Last week, Idzik got Harvin for a small price – a sixth-round draft pick that reportedly will become a fourth-rounder if Harvin is with the Jets next season. But Sunday might be too early to expect Harvin to occupy a large role in the Jets’ offense, at least in terms of playing time.

 

 

Jets coach Rex Ryan reiterated Wednesday that Harvin probably won’t play 50 snaps in this game, as offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg gets Harvin acclimated to his West Coast offense. Harvin will return kickoffs, and probably will have a package of plays on offense. He might even return punts, Ryan said Wednesday.

 

 

Despite Harvin’s potentially limited snaps Sunday, the game could provide a glimpse of how the Jets plan to use him, and how it might differ from the ways Harvin was used by his previous teams, the Vikings and Seahawks.

 

 

Ryan and Mornhinweg are still getting a read on where Harvin fits best. Wednesday was his first practice with full pads as a member of the Jets. Still, it seems likely that Harvin will line up as an outside receiver more often than he did in Minnesota and Seattle

.

 

The Jets have long believed, since they evaluated Harvin before the 2009 NFL Draft, that he was more than just a slot receiver. This is his chance to prove them right, and to help their offense by stretching the field deep. It was something that David Nelson, the Jets’ No. 2 outside receiver behind Eric Decker, could not do consistently enough. The Jets cut Nelson to make room for Harvin on the roster.

 

 

“When you look at how we are going to use Percy, it might be different than how he was used in Minnesota, how he was used in Seattle,” Ryan said. “I guess time will tell. I think he’s a special talent. First off, I think when he came out of college, there was a lot of questions about him playing anything other than a slot receiver, until he had a workout.

 

 

“Then you see his skill sets – the way he can run patterns from the outside, his hands. All that type of stuff led us to believe that he can be more than just an inside player, if you will. I still believe that’s true.”

 

 

Harvin played his first four NFL seasons in Minnesota, which traded him to Seattle after the 2012 season. Harvin missed almost all of 2013 because of a hip injury. If you examine his time in Minnesota, and what he did this season with Seattle, it is clear that he was not used as an outside deep threat receiver as often as the Jets might use him.

 

 

From 2009-12, Harvin ran routes from the slot on 88.5, 70.2, 62.8 and 59.8 percent of his pass patterns, according to Pro Football Focus. This year in Seattle, that percentage was 74.3. None of Harvin’s 26 targets this year came on deep throws (20 yards or longer), per PFF. From 2009-12, Harvin’s deep target percentages were 12.9, 14.4, 8.5 and 6.2. Harvin said he became frustrated this season with how rarely (basically, never) the Seahawks sent him down the field.

 

 

Even though Harvin has not been used often on deep throws, he has long possessed big-play potential, because of his speed and shiftiness in the open field. Just consider his yards after the catch averages from 2009-12: 6.2, 6.4, 7.1 and 8.7 per reception – which ranked 12th, fourth, seventh and first in the NFL, per PFF. His yards after the catch average this year is 4.9.

 

 

“To have a guy out there on the outside that can stretch the field, that can hit them long for that deep ball, I think it can help us out tremendously,” said Jets running back Chris Johnson, who knows the rushing attack would benefit from this.

 

 

Ryan is so bullish about Harvin’s potential that he might have him return punts. Walter Powell has been doing that for the Jets, after they cut rookie Jalen Saunders, who muffed two punts and lost one of them. Harvin has returned 127 kickoffs in his NFL career, including five for touchdowns, but has never returned a punt in the NFL or college.

 

 

 

Video: Will Rex Ryan use Percy Harvin on punt returns? ‘We will consider it. Strongly.’

 

New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan says he expects new wide receiver Percy Harvin to play a roll on offense in Sunday’s game agains the Buffalo Bulls. He also says he will consider using him on punt returns. (Video by John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

 

 

In 2004, as a high school junior, he ran back four punts for touchdowns. But with all due respect to the Virginia High School League’s Beach District competition, fielding and returning punts against the Bills will be quite different. Still, Ryan said he will "strongly" consider having Harvin return punts Sunday.

 

“It’s a lot tougher being a punt returner than it is a kick returner,” Ryan said. “It is a lot different. Does he have the skill set to do it? I think he probably does.”

 

Jets quarterback Geno Smith, who could benefit more than anyone from Harvin’s arrival, is taking a hopeful but guarded outlook on Harvin’s impact Sunday, and beyond.

 

“You can never really tell until you get out there and get some live game action,” Smith said.

 

He repeated a variation of this wait-and-see line several times Wednesday. While Smith said he is “excited” about Harvin’s potential to “do a lot of great things for us and make us all better,” Smith understands there will be an adjustment period for Harvin with the Jets’ offense – and that it isn’t as simple as plugging him in and excelling.

 

“This isn’t video games,” Smith said. “We have some things drawn up for him and we just want to let him go out there and play. We’re not going to try to overemphasize anything when it comes to him or anybody else.”

 

Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DarrylSlater. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.

 

 

Why cant he take out the trash?

[BroadwayJoe12]

Hey let's take the best slot receiver in the game and make him a wideout great move. I don't understand why we try and reinvent the wheel on everything I really don't.

And when did he become the best slot receiver in the league??

[JustInFudge]

Who cares where they play him?  He's a, just get him the damn ball, type of players because he makes sh*t happen all over the field.

 

The SEC Champ Game back in 2006 was the perfect example of Harvin's ability.  He did everything.

 

6 carries 105 yards, 1 TD (on a 67 yard TD run).  5 receptions 62 yards, 1 TD (on a 37 yards streak down the sidelines) and they used him on their own 15 to fake a punt and pick up a 4th and long.

 

You got him for 9 games...let him do it all.  Put him in at corner.  Cant hurt. 

[Integrity28]

Lost is the myriad outrage this season is — what I find to be one of the most puzzling examples of ineptitude — the inability to find someone to return punts for us. To the extent that we've cut a 4th round draft pick, carry a couple of guys who may be able to do it for us on the active roster (while additional draft picks get poached from our p-squad), and now we've traded for a guy (albeit in a very Jet-friendly deal) who may finally give us a capable punt returner. Who we'll also be paying like $6-7 mil for the remainder of the season.

 

I love the Harvin trade as of now.

 

But seriously, this quest for a punt returner and the ripple effect it has had on roster management is a microcosm of everything wrong with this season.

[#27TheDominator]

Eh.  Complaining about this is silly.  I am more interested that they dumped Nelson for this.  Nelson is the kind of settle in the zone guy that would have been helped by Harvin drawing coverage.  It makes sense to test Harvin at punt returner since they don't seem so interested in Powell as a WR.  That might let them bring up Enunwa.  I could see them letting Harvin handle punts where the guy has to tee off and letting Kerley handle the fair catches.  Or more likely letting Kerley handle them this week and working Harvin in.  Complaining about using him outside is a joke. Look at the clips.  I think on the 3 TDs called back in one game he was outside on all of them.  An end around, WR screen and post.  How dare we try such unheard of formations and plays! 

[JustInFudge]

Eh.  Complaining about this is silly.  I am more interested that they dumped Nelson for this.  Nelson is the kind of settle in the zone guy that would have been helped by Harvin drawing coverage.  It makes sense to test Harvin at punt returner since they don't seem so interested in Powell as a WR.  That might let them bring up Enunwa.  I could see them letting Harvin handle punts where the guy has to tee off and letting Kerley handle the fair catches.  Or more likely letting Kerley handle them this week and working Harvin in.  Complaining about using him outside is a joke. Look at the clips.  I think on the 3 TDs called back in one game he was outside on all of them.  An end around, WR screen and post.  How dare we try such unheard of formations and plays! 

 

Nelson was terrible.  My guess is they view Cumberland and Amaro as better options to "settle in the zone" and they possibly want to get them on the field together more often using one of them in the Joker role. 

[#27TheDominator]

Nelson was terrible.  My guess is they view Cumberland and Amaro as better options to "settle in the zone" and they possibly want to get them on the field together more often using one of them in the Joker role. 

 

Nelson was dinged.  They may bring him back if/when he gets healthy.  He is the kind of guy you can cut without worrying about somebody else picking him up.  He is certainly terrible as a #2, but as a 4 or 5 he may be serviceable when healthy.  Good point about Amaro.  This may be one of those anything he can do Amaro can do better situations. 

[FidelioJet]

Hey let's take the best slot receiver in the game and make him a wideout great move. I don't understand why we try and reinvent the wheel on everything I really don't.

While I wouldn't say he's the best receiver in the game it does concern that once again they are trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

The signing of Kerley is earily reminiscent of the Sanchez deal after the attempt to sign Manning. Clearly different situation and the Kerley thing had to be the works for sometime but it is interesting timing.

[pointman]

Title misleading. When we face New England again and he burns Revis, he is going to be taking out the trash so.

[Lil Bit Special]

Why cant he take out the trash?

 

Below his pay grade.

[#27TheDominator]

Lost is the myriad outrage this season is — what I find to be one of the most puzzling examples of ineptitude — the inability to find someone to return punts for us. To the extent that we've cut a 4th round draft pick, carry a couple of guys who may be able to do it for us on the active roster (while additional draft picks get poached from our p-squad), and now we've traded for a guy (albeit in a very Jet-friendly deal) who may finally give us a capable punt returner. Who we'll also be paying like $6-7 mil for the remainder of the season.

 

I love the Harvin trade as of now.

 

But seriously, this quest for a punt returner and the ripple effect it has had on roster management is a microcosm of everything wrong with this season.

 

I am not sure if that outrage is lost.  Matt has been pretty targeted in his hate. 

[JetsFanInDenver]

So Kerley cannot return punts because we cannot afford to lose him BUT Harvin can because this team is so deep that we can afford to lose him.

 

I would rather Harvin run outside the numbers and catch a few deep balls.

[Sperm Edwards]

Why cant he take out the trash?

 

Not a team player. 

[#27TheDominator]

I watched film of Harvin in sweats running routes at 3/4 speed against nobody and I can say he is already a huge improvement.  He doesn't look hurt.

[JoeC36]

I watched film of Harvin in sweats running routes at 3/4 speed against nobody and I can say he is already a huge improvement.  He doesn't look hurt.

 

I watched max play flag football and he looked like Steve Largent.