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The New York Jets don't release an official depth chart until the first preseason game. Sorry, we can't wait that long. Here's our projected depth chart (based on how we see them lining up at the start of training camp) :

 

 

Offense WR Brandon Marshall DeVier Posey Devin Smith LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson Ben Ijalana   LG James Carpenter Oday Aboushi Jarvis Harrison C Nick Mangold Dakota Dozier Dalton Freeman RG Willie Colon Brent Qvale Brian Winters RT Breno Giacomini James Brewer Charles Brown TE Jeff Cumberland Jace Amaro Kellen Davis WR Eric Decker Jeremy Kerley T.J. Graham QB Geno Smith Ryan Fitzpatrick Bryce Petty FB Tommy Bohanon J.C. Copeland   RB Chris Ivory Bilal Powell Zac Stacy Special Teams PK Nick Folk Andrew Furney   P Ryan Quigley Jacob Schum   LS Tanner Purdum     KR Saalim Hakim Chris Owusu T.J. Graham PR Jeremy Kerley Walter Powell  

 

 

Note: RB Stevan Ridley (knee) and CB Dee Milliner (Achilles) are returning from injuries that might limit them at the start of camp.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52122/projecting-jets-depth-chart-for-start-of-training-camp

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So much of the New York Jets' offseason was about big money and big names -- Darrelle Revis, Brandon Marshall, Antonio Cromartie ... you get the point. But let's not forget about the little guys, the unheralded players that could compete for prominent and semi-prominent roles.

 

Remember these names during training camp next month; this is our list of sleepers :

 

Rontez Miles, safety -- After two years on the practice squad, Miles is ready to make a serious run at a roster spot. He's an intense, physical player who will have to earn his keep by blowing it up on special teams. He was one of the minicamp stars, but can he carry it to training camp? It would be a great story. He has recovered from a serious leg injury late last season that, in extreme cases, results in amputation.

 

Chris Owusu, wide receiver -- Who can forget his performance in the 2014 finale ? Against the Miami Dolphins, Owusu caught one pass for 36 yards, rushed once for a 23-yard touchdown and broke an 87-yard kickoff return. Owusu, who spent two-plus seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is a super-athletic receiver who can make the team if he rips off a couple of long kickoff returns in the preseason.

 

Brent Qvale, guard -- First things first: It's pronounced KWAL-e. No player helped himself in the spring more than Qvale, who played his way into the right-guard competition. At 6-foot-7, 315 pounds, he's built like a tackle, his college position, but the guard-needy Jets are willing to look past that if he can play a little inside.

 

Wes Saxton, tight end -- Who? He's an undrafted rookie from South Alabama and a former high-school teammate of Jameis Winston. Saxton is a raw, pass-catching tight end who can't block a lick, but that won't matter too much because they plan to use him in an H-Back role. Slowed by an undisclosed injury in minicamp, Saxton is an interesting developmental prospect.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52204/four-unheralded-jets-who-could-surprise-in-training-camp

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The New York Jets came close to adding a new tight end.

 

They were one of 10 teams late last week to submit a waiver claim for Tim Wright, according to ESPN Insider Field Yates. Wright was surprisingly released by the New England Patriots. He ended up reuniting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have the No. 1 waiver priority. If the Bucs had passed on Wright, he would've landed with the Jets, who were next in the pecking order among the 10 teams.The interest in Wright may indicate some concern with the tight end position. Jace Amaro missed last week's minicamp with a back injury (not serious, according to coach Todd Bowles) and Zach Sudfeld suffered a potentially severe knee injury. The Jets are being curiously quiet about Sudfeld. Bowles acknowledged last week it probably was more than a minor injury based on the fact Sudfeld required testing, but since then ... crickets.

 

Projected starter Jeff Cumberland was a busy man in minicamp, getting most of the reps. The only other tight end on the roster is undrafted rookie Wes Saxton, who also missed time with an injury.It's important to note that offensive coordinator Chan Gailey has two tight end positions in his offense -- the traditional, in-line tight end and an H-Back. Amaro is expected to fill the H-Back role. Wright would've been an ideal H-Back. He's known for his receiving skills, having compiled 80 receptions and 11 touchdowns in two seasons. He's a minimum-salary player with some talent, which explains why so many teams were interested.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/51937/tight-end-problems-jets-wanted-former-patriot-tim-wright

 

Wow.  They totally neglect to mention Kellen Davis.  Good news as far as I am concerned.

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A few thoughts about the four-game drug suspension of New York Jets defensive end Sheldon Richardson :

 

This isn't his first drug-policy violation. Under the league's policy on substances of abuse, you can't be suspended for a first failed drug test. For certain drugs, you can't even be suspended for a second failed drug test. That means Richardson was already in the league's drug program and that the violation that resulted in this suspension was at least his second violation. The new drug policy makes it more difficult to get suspended for drugs of abuse (it even lowered the threshold for a positive marijuana test), which means this isn't some kind of over reactive move by the league against a guy who didn't deserve it.

 

It's going to hurt. It's not equivalent to the Patriots losing quarterback Tom Brady for the first four games, but you can make the argument that Richardson -- who had eight sacks last year from his 3-4 defensive end position -- is the best player on the Jets. If Brady's suspension stands and he has to miss the first four games, those are a month's worth of chances for AFC East rivals to make hay in the division. Losing Richardson obviously hurts the Jets' chances to do that.

 

The timing is bad. After a home opener against the Browns, the other three games Richardson will miss are at Indianapolis, home against the Eagles and at division rival Miami. Those teams were a combined 29-19 last season. Tough stretch of games for Richardson to have to miss.

 

The Jets' draft luck looks even better now. Taking defensive lineman Leonard Williams when he fell to No. 6 in the draft in April may have created a glut at a position where the Jets were already strong. But every team knows the importance of a deep rotation on the defensive line, and the loss of Richardson underlines that even more for the Jets. Williams should get a chance to get a few more training camp reps in the new Todd Bowles defense than initially planned, as he's likely to play more in the first four games with Richardson out.

 

Could it help Muhammad Wilkerson? Wilkerson's contract situation is separate from Richardson's issue. But an NFL player's best (only?) leverage most of the time in contract negotiations is the threat of not playing. The idea of having to play without Wilkerson and Richardson should be scarier for the Jets than the idea of having to play without just Wilkerson. So if you're Wilkerson's agent, this could provide an opportunity to see if you can scare the Jets into coming your way a bit in negotiations. I'm not sure Wilkerson is ready to threaten to miss practices or games in an effort to get what he wants. But if he were, then this might lend additional teeth to such a threat.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52257/what-does-sheldon-richardsons-suspension-mean-for-jets-wilkerson-williams

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  • 4 weeks later...

With his first training camp as an NFL head coach fast approaching, Todd Bowles reached out Sunday to one of his mentors, Bill Parcells. The conversation wasn't football-centric, per se, but the Hall of Fame coach left Bowles with a piece of advice as he prepares to attack one of the sport's lightning-rod jobs -- HC of the New York Jets."The last thing I said to him was, 'Your job right now is to get the right 53 on your team,'" Parcells said Monday.

 

If it were only that simple.Todd Bowles' style is a big change from Rex Ryan, but ultimately all that matters is the number in the win column.

 

Unlike most first-year coaches, Bowles is stepping into a win-now project. This isn't a rebuilding situation with a rookie quarterback, a green roster and modest expectations. The Jets have a veteran team and the highest cash payroll in the league ($165 million, according to ESPN Stats & Information), and you can bet owner Woody Johnson -- after four straight years without a playoff appearance -- isn't dreaming of a .500 season.Neither are the players. Stars such as Darrelle Revis and Brandon Marshall didn't come to the Jets to endure a season of growing pains from quarterback Geno Smith,asthe two previous teams did.They're 30 & 31, respectively, so they understand that a better tomorrow isn't promised in the NFL. It creates an unusual dynamic for Bowles: a rookie coach leading a seasoned team."When you go into a season, you're trying to win a division and go to a Super Bowl, regardless of the pieces you have and don't have," Bowles said in a phone interview. "If you don't have that mindset coming in, as a player or coach, you don't need to be here.

 

"It's not 'win now,'" he added. "It's trying to win every year."

 

No one is predicting the Jets, coming off a 4-12 disaster, to win the AFC East -- but they're expected to be in the wild-card hunt. And they should be, considering the players they acquired in the offseason. There's no built-in alibis for Bowles in terms of the roster. He's not starting a rookie quarterback, as Rex Ryan did in 2009 with Mark Sanchez. He also isn't starting a surgically repaired quarterback, as Eric Mangini did with Chad Pennington in 2006. Bowles' two predecessors made the playoffs in their first season. Make that three, as Herm Edwards did it in 2001.

 

Can Bowles continue the trend ?

 

"He's a pretty sharp guy. I don't think he'll get distracted," Parcells said. "He has a good player's mentality, meaning he has the ability to move on to the next play, so to speak. You can't get distracted in that job. That's one of the hardest things for inexperienced people to understand, but Todd is pretty focused and determined."One of the encouraging signs about Bowles is that he seems immune to outside noise. He said he doesn't give a hoot about what people are saying and writing about his team, which leads you to believe he won't be affected by criticism. Some coaches say they operate in an impenetrable shell, but they're full of you-know-what because -- under stress -- they change and start acting as if they're listening to strange voices. In Bowles' case, you actually believe him.An early concern, though, is whether he has the take-charge personality to command a room and lead a team. We've already established he's the anti-Rex, but that's hardly a strike against him. After all, how many championships has Ryan won with his bombastic style ?

 

Nevertheless, Ryan was beloved by his players. The soft-spoken Bowles has to win them over with his own personality and approach. He's responsible for leading 53 men -- the right 53, as Parcells would say -- and making them into a cohesive, overachieving unit."Don't worry," said Parcells, who hired Bowles to his Dallas Cowboys' coaching staff in 2005 and later brought him to the Miami Dolphins. "It may not be loud, but it will be to the point. He'll get his point across."In his day, Parcells was loud and confrontational, traits he felt were necessary to do his job. Bowles is neither. He's a plain-talking coach who uses his words economically; he expects his players to listen the first time, regardless of the decibel level."I can't even come close to Bill or try to be Bill -- nor do I want to be," he said. "This is my first year; he's a legend. I'm trying to make my way, my own way in this league."

 

Defensively, the Jets will be just fine with Bowles; no need to worry about that. The greatest challenge will be on the offensive side of the ball -- specifically, navigating a potentially volatile quarterback controversy. Smith will open camp as the first-team quarterback -- the first practice is Thursday -- but Ryan Fitzpatrick is lurking. The players are behind Smith, but they'll get impatient if his turnover issues resurface.Handling a tense quarterback situation is one of the most important aspects of any head coaching job, especially in the New York market. It wasn't one of Ryan's strengths, and we saw what happened. No one knows if Bowles will be any better; this is uncharted territory. He will lean heavily on offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, 63, who returns to the NFL after a three-year hiatus."I really like Gailey, assuming he hasn't lost his fastball," a longtime personnel executive said. "He can coach around the quarterback. He won't let the quarterback lose games."

 

If the Jets can get past their quarterback issue -- OK, that's a big if -- they have January potential. If they're not at least 8-8, the season will be a disappointment, rookie coach and all. Yes, Bowles gets a honeymoon period. But, considering the circumstances, it's more like a half-moon.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52372/jets-coach-todd-bowles-gets-a-honeymoon-but-itll-be-shorter-than-most

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There are no questions when Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson are on the field; you know what you're getting. Off the field, different story.Wilkerson is entering the final year of his rookie contract, due to make $6.97 million, and he wants a new deal. From all indications, he will report Wednesday for the start of the New York Jets' training camp, but his coach isn't counting his defensive linemen before they're arrived."I'll just wait until Wednesday and see how it goes," Todd Bowles said Monday, when asked about the possibility of a camp holdout for Muhammad Wilkerson. "I'm hopeful that he'll be there." "I wouldn't be surprised or not surprised," Todd Bowles said Monday when asked about the possibility of a camp holdout. "I'll just wait until Wednesday and see how it goes. I'm hopeful that he'll be there."

 

Wilkerson participated in last month's mandatory minicamp even though he was "frustrated" with negotiations. Before that, he was a no-show for the voluntary portion of the offseason, working out on his own for two months. The penalties for skipping training camp are severe, including a $30,000 per day fine, according to the collective bargaining agreement.Asked if there's concern about a Wilkerson holdout, Bowles said, "No, not with me there isn't." He acknowledged he hasn't been in communication with his star defensive end.Richardson's situation is entirely different -- a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. He's eligible for the preseason, but he can't practice once the regular season starts and he will miss the first four games.

 

Bowles said he's planning to rotate other players into Richardson's spot during the preseason, but he can't forget about Richardson."He needs to get some work in and get himself in shape, like everybody else," Bowles said. "He's part of the team."Bowles, who said in a previous statement the suspension is "disappointing for Sheldon and the team", indicated there has to be "a balance. There will be enough reps out there for everybody to get. I think that will work itself out."First-round pick Leonard Williams is the leading candidate to replace Richardson in the starting lineup, but there are other options, including Leger Douzable, Kevin Vickerson and Stephen Bowen.

 

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52390/todd-bowles-hopeful-mo-wilkerson-will-report-to-jets-training-camp

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Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson skipped the voluntary portion of the offseason because he wanted a new contract.

 

He arrived in time for the mandatory minicamp to avoid a fine.

 

So it follows that he’s going to show up for training camp on time, since that’s when the serious fines accrue.According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, Wilkerson is expected to arrive on time tomorrow despite the lack of a new deal.Wilkerson’s riding out the $6.96 million option year left on his rookie deal, and is obviously hoping for something with far more security soon.

 

But it’s apparently not worth the big financial hit it would take to make this level of statement. While players can rack up $72,920 in fines for skipping a three-day mandatory minicamp, it jumps to $30,000 per day in training camp.“I’m very confident, hopefully that things will work out with myself and my agent and those guys get something worked out,” Wilkerson said in June.

 

The clock’s ticking. But at least the meter’s not running.

 

> http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/07/28/report-muhammad-wilkerson-will-report-to-jets-camp-on-time/

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 -- Camp Bowles is set to begin.

 

On Wednesday morning, the New York Jets report to training camp, starting their first season under Todd Bowles. There will be a conditioning run, meetings and Bowles' address to the team in the evening. On Thursday, they will practice at 2:20 p.m. ET.

 

With conditioning in mind, Todd Bowles will be conducting afternoon practices during training camp. 

 

A few storylines from Week 1 :

 

1. Hot, hot, hot: There's a reason why the Jets will practice every day in the afternoon: Conditioning. Bowles wants the players to be on the field during the hottest time of the day. The forecast over the next few days calls for temperatures in the 90s, which doesn't displease the coach. Said Bowles: "It's camp. It's supposed to be hot." This is something new for the Jets, who always practiced in the mornings under Rex Ryan.

 

2. Easy does it: Heat aside, Bowles isn't planning to run a boot camp. He understands that, in the current NFL, it makes little sense to beat up your players in camp. The two-a-day era is over. Mindful of that, he will stress the mental side of the game in camp."We have to be physical, but you have to be smart," he said. "We really have to get good at game situations. We really have to get good with learning how to practice and be physical without hurting each other."

 

3. Taking attendance: There shouldn't be any no-shows. The draft picks are signed and disgruntled defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, unhappy with his contract, is expected to report. The question with Wilkerson is whether he will put a deadline on negotiations for 2015. Some players don't like to negotiate during the season because it creates a distraction. If he takes that approach, the two sides will have about six weeks to hammer out a deal. Wilkerson is due to make $6.97 million in his walk year.

 

4. Mea culpa 2.0: Sheldon Richardson apologized in a statement last month for violating the league's substance-abuse policy, resulting in a four-game suspension, but now he gets a chance to address the matter in person -- with his teammates and the media. Hey, it couldn't hurt.

 

5. Tracking Geno: Geno Smith's progress will be a daily storyline in camp. Yes, again. He busted his butt in the offseason, trying to learn a new playbook and working on his deficiencies. Now we'll see how he responds on the field as he attempts to nail down the starting job, with Ryan Fitzpatrick lurking in the background.

 

6. Heeeere's Todd: On Wednesday night, Bowles will address the team, as all coaches do on the first night of camp. What will he say  ? "My thing will be, we're here to get some work done," he said. "We've got a long way to go and we've got some time to do it. I'll stress the accountability standpoint and the chemistry standpoint. Those will be the main things I'm trying to get across, being where you're supposed to be and doing what you're supposed to do. This is how we're going to do things, this is what I want done, this is how we're going to do it."

 

7. Walking wounded: Don't be surprised if a few players are placed on the physically unable to perform list. The names to watch are Marcus Gilchrist (shoulder), Dee Milliner (Achilles' tendon) and Stevan Ridley (knee), all of whom were restricted in the spring.

 

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52431/jets-training-camp-begins-green-curtain-opens-on-todd-bowles-era

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 -- The clock is ticking on a potential contract extension for New York Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson.Wilkerson, who reported to training camp Wednesday despite being unhappy with his current contract, intends to play out the final season of his deal if an agreement isn't reached by the start of the regular season, according to sources.

 

It's not an unusual approach. Many players prefer to table negotiations during the season to avoid the distraction. This gives Wilkerson and the Jets about six weeks to hammer out a deal.Wilkerson is due to make $6.97 million, the amount of his fifth-year option. He will be a free agent after the season, but the Jets have the franchise tag at their disposal. The projected amount is about $16 million.

 

The Jets have said they'd like to extend Wilkerson, one of the top young defensive linemen in the league, but there doesn't seem to be a great deal of urgency. Talks have picked up, but no agreement is imminent.Wilkerson wasn't available to the media, but he said at last month's minicamp that he remains hopeful a long-term deal can be hammered out. That hasn't changed. He grew up in nearby Linden, New Jersey, and said he would like to play the rest of his career with the Jets.

 

At the same time, Wilkerson, who skipped the voluntary portion of the offseason program, indicated last month that he was "frustrated" because he expected a deal to be done. But he also added, "It's a business. These things take time."Wilkerson, a first-round pick in 2011, is one of the Jets' best players. A four-year starter, he has 24 sacks and seven forced fumbles in his career. He has unusual value because he can play any position on the defensive line.

 

The landscape changed in April, when the Jets selected Leonard Williams with the sixth overall pick, giving them a surplus of talented defensive linemen. They also have Sheldon Richardson, who is signed through 2016.It will be difficult, but not impossible to re-sign Wilkerson and Richardson, who cast some doubt on his long-term future by violating the league's substance abuse policy -- resulting in a four-game suspension.

 

> http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/13338826/muhammad-wilkerson-new-york-jets-play-final-year-contract-deal-not-reached-season

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Camping out with the New York Jets ...

 

What's happening : On Thursday, the Jets will conduct their first practice, starting at 2:20 p.m. ET. The long haul to opening day starts now. The Jets have six weeks to get ready for the Cleveland Browns.

 

What's hot : We're not talking about the weather (or maybe we are). The most compelling storylines on Day 1 usually focus on positional battles and players returning from injury. Cornerback Dee Milliner (Achilles' tendon) and safety Marcus Gilchrist (shoulder) have been cleared for practice, but it remains to be seen how much they actually participate. Naturally, we'll focus on the quarterback position (Geno Smith versus Ryan Fitzpatrick), but right guard, outside linebacker, safety and running back bear watching, too. ... This will be the fans' first chance to get a good look at the rookie class, featuring Leonard Williams, Devin Smith, Lorenzo Mauldin and Bryce Petty. ... After practice, we'll hear from Sheldon Richardson, who has yet to publicly address his four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. Muhammad Wilkerson will be asked questions about his ongoing contract saga. ... The players will be in "shells," not full pads. The first padded practice is Saturday. That's when the intensity picks up.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52473/new-york-jets-wake-up-call-day-1

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Is the dawn coming ?

 

Let's go back to December 21st. The Jets had just lost to the Patriots 17-16 to drop to 3-12. The most popular news story around Florham Park was the Fire John Idzik movement. It was no longer a question whether or not Rex Ryan would be fired. Officially missing their 4th straight postseason, the Jets franchise was in complete chaos.

 

The offseason overhaul began with one of Woody Johnson's smartest decisions since becoming owner and would set the tone for calming the storm. Not only did he fire both Idzik and Ryan, which allowed for a completely revamped and much-needed culture change, but he also hired the experienced minds of Ron Wolf and Charley Casserly to help find their replacements. It's no secret that Woody is not the most brilliant football mind, but good leaders learn how to delegate responsibility in their own areas of weakness. The first result was GM Mike Maccagnan, a desperately needed talent evaluator who worked through the ranks beginning as a scout in the CFL. The second was HC Todd Bowles, a well-respected, no-nonsense defensive mind whose former boss Bruce Arians called a "no brainer" head coach.

 

With a ton of cap space to work with, Maccagnan made several huge moves to reinvigorate talent back into the roster. No signing was bigger than the snatching of Darrelle Revis away from the New England Patriots. Bringing home Revis bolsters the secondary, of course, but also instills a sense of leadership, discipline, and accountability, all of which were visibly absent in practices and games in 2014. Maccagnan would also make a big splash on offense, trading a 5th round pick for the highly talented Brandon Marshall and a 7th round pick (used to acquire Zac Stacy). Marshall, a true #1 big-bodied receiver, would also come $3 million cheaper against the cap than if the Jets decided to keep Percy Harvin.It's understood that Bowles,who spent 2 years with Marshall in Miami,  gave Maccagnan a more personal insight into Marshall's profile, easing concerns about his previous off-the-field issues. What a difference it can make when the GM and HC are on the same page.

 

Other notable transactions include Antonio Cromartie, Buster Skrine, Marcus Gilchrist, Stevan Ridley and the re-signing of David Harris.Moving to the draft, those watching on NFL Network may remember Mike Mayock saying, "Wow, the hometown Chicago Bears might land the best player of the draft at #7". Instead, Maccagnan stayed true to his strategy of best player available and drafted Leonard Williams, arguably the best defensive prospect since Ndamukong Suh. Highly praised for his first draft, Maccagnan also added a DeSean Jackson type flyer in Devin Smith, an impact mauler in Lorenzo Mauldin, and an insurance policy quarterback who some evaluators said had the best arm strength in the draft. If Geno Smith never pans out in New York, there are much worse places to start over than Bryce Petty with some experience in the NFL.

 

After all free agent signings and a seemingly very successful draft, it's pretty remarkable how quickly things were turned around over the last 7 months. The Jets were in a very dark place not so long ago and to even have a hope of making the playoffs this year is a testament to how successful this offseason was, beginning at the top with Woody. As Bowles reminded us, the Jets only look improved on paper right now, but there is a lot of reason to be excited. Beginning with today's first practice, we will begin to see the persona this new team takes on and if the offseason hype can translate into a healthy number in the W column and a playoff birth.

 

> http://www.ganggreennation.com/2015/7/30/9059515/new-york-jets-the-night-is-darkest-just-before-the-dawn

 
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 A day of training camp is in the books and the Jets are already scrambling to obtain information on Sheldon Richardson, one of their best players who is already suspended for four games by the NFL and now stands charged with resisting arrest and endangering the welfare of a child.Richardson was getting second-string reps on Thursday behind first-round draft pick Leonard Williams, a possible blessing in disguise that will force the rookie to come out of the Pro Bowler's shadow sooner than expected.

 

"Seeing yourself go from the Pro Bowl to second-string ... you can't help but be disappointed in yourself," Richardson said Thursday, just hours before a much larger story about him broke.

 

We lead our Jets training camp observations with this because Richardson's troubles have a bit of a domino effect for the rest of the franchise.A first-time head coach (Todd Bowles) and a first-time general manager (Mike Maccagnan) now have a lot on their plate.

 

1. Muhammad Wilkerson cannot exit training camp without a new deal: Bowles praised the star defensive lineman on Thursday for attending all of the offseason team functions despite the fact that he's been teased with a new contract for the better part of three years now. This is partially the fault of the Rex Ryan administration who would tell anyone who would listen that Muhammad Wilkerson was the next Richard Seymour and that the team needed to earmark funds for him."I'm one of the leaders on this team, and at the start of training camp my job is to get out here with my teammates and get ready for the season," Wilkerson said.He later added: "I'm going to focus on the season. It's my job to go out and be competitive with my teammates and get ready for games on Sundays."With all the trouble mounting for Richardson, a defensive lineman under team control though the 2016 season, the Jets can no longer assume that he'll pick up the slack if the team allows Wilkerson to test free agency.

 

2. Drills with a purpose: Martyball is dead in New Jersey, which has led to the implementation of a much more practical practice schedule -- at least after one training camp practice. There are no drills that don't have a direct correlation to certain routes or play concepts, which should be especially beneficial for Geno Smith if the team hopes to have him ready for Week 1.This might not be related, but it's the first time in a decade the Jets have had a former player as a head coach and a former scout/personnel man as a general manager at the same time. Sometimes this leads to a stale type of group think, but sometimes it's the simplicity and experience that can turn a franchise around.

 

3. Speaking of Geno Smith ... After watching a Rex Ryan defense go full boar at Mark Sanchez every day for five years, I can safely say it did not help his development as a quarterback. After watching Smith try to complete a pass against Darrelle Revis while Wilkerson and Williams leapt into his peripheral vision I canalso safely say he doesn't have much timeto implement thenew offense.For some quarterbacks, this is a blessing. But for Smith, who consistently holds on to the ball too long and over-thinks plays, I'm not sure what this is. Though it's only one training camp practice -- the first, mind you -- there were enough check downs and scrambles to cloud my enthusiasm.

 

4. This secondary will be great, but ... The team had better hope Dee Milliner comes around. I think it's healthy to express a bit of skepticism about the long-term validity of Antonio Cromartie opposite Revis. Cromartie is 31 and coming off a not-entirely-spectacular season with the Cardinals. According to Pro Football Focus, he was one of the top 25 corners from 2014 in terms of yards allowed, with a catch rate of nearly 60 percent. Having Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall on hand might be a bonus if only because it will keep Cromartie interested throughout camp.

 

5. Todd Bowles will be fine in New York: It's not an easy place to coach, but Bowles seems to have all the embedded clout of someone like Herm Edwards without the bombast. He's not Eric Mangini, either, which should help.

 

> http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000505333/article/five-observations-from-jets-camp

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RichCimini: There are many variables, so it's difficult to say at this point. On Friday, Todd Bowles said he has "no idea" if Sheldon Richardson will play again this season -- a rather ominous statement, I think. It certainly appears that Richardson violated the league's personal-conduct policy with his arrest and the troubling circumstances surrounding the alleged incident. His failure to notify the team in a timely manner also is a violation of the policy. I'd be surprised if he doesn't receive multiple games on top of his four-game drug suspension, but the entire year? That would be harsh. Then again, since the Ray Rice debacle, Roger Goodell is trying to be Mr. Tough Guy. The landscape has changed significantly.
 

@RichCimini: Barring another incident, I don't believe the Jets have any plans to cut Richardson this season. They can't trade him now because of the four-game suspension and the likelihood of another suspension. They could keep him next year, too, because he's signed through 2016. At that point, they'd have to decide whether to extend the fifth-year option. As I wrote the other day, I think the Jets should try to trade him after the season. If he comes back this year and plays well, he'll have trade value. There's too much risk to sign him long term, so the big dollars should go to Muhammad Wilkerson and Damon Harrison, both entering contract years.
 

@RichCimini: Yes, I do think there's some connection. And, yes, I do think there's a chance Wilkerson lands a long-term contract before Week 1. A few weeks ago, I didn't think there was much of a chance, but the two sides are talking -- and that's a good sign. From a public-relations standpoint it would be a great move for the Jets, committing to a homegrown player who does all the right things on and off the field. That would send a strong message to the locker room ... and to Richardson.
 

@RichCimini: Is that what you're hoping? I'd say it's unlikely. Geno Smith would have to give Bowles a reason not to start him. By that, I mean he'd have to stink it up in the first two preseason games. Hey, look, anything is possible with Smith, but I believe the organization wants him to grab the job because he has a higher ceiling than Fitzpatrick. It's still early, but Smith has taken all the first-team reps over the first two days of practice, performing reasonably well -- no turnovers. His arm strength allows Chan Gailey to attack all areas of the field, whereas Ryan Fitzpatrick is somewhat limited. The biggest test for Smith will be the second preseason game, when he should play about a half, presumably.
 

@RichCimini: I'm not sure where this safety talk is coming from (I've seen it come up a few times on Twitter), because I haven't heard one word about that possibility. Dee Milliner's main focus is getting healthy; the last thing he needs is having to learn a foreign position. He has a long road ahead of him and I'm not sure where, or how, he fits into the secondary. The man still hasn't stepped foot on the practice field. I don't see much of a role for him this season. Frankly, it wouldn't shock me if he's not ready by opening day.

 

@RichCimini: That group of receivers is a little less crowded now that rookie Devin Smith (broken ribs) is down for at least a few weeks -- a tough blow. He will be way behind, and it will be difficult to catch up and make any type of impact. Shaquelle Evans has made a couple of plays on the practice field, and he's definitely in the hunt for that last receiver spot or two. T.J. Graham also has stood out, and I'd consider him a strong contender. Evans is better than Quincy Enunwa, another member of the Idzik 12 -- but that's not saying much. But I like what I've seen from Evans, who can help his chances by creating a role on special teams.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52592/analyzing-different-angles-to-the-sheldon-richardson-situation

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With the former face of the franchise — larger-than-life Rex Ryan — now residing in Western New York with his custom-detailed Buffalo Bills pickup truck, the Jets would love for the new face of their franchise to be one of their players.

 

Like, say,quarterback Geno Smith.But for the right reasons,not for a continuation of the 41 turnovers,including 34 interceptions,he has committed in first two seasons.For the reasons that Tom Brady is the face of the Patriots, Aaron Rodgers is the face of the Packers, Andrew Luck is the face of the Colts, Drew Brees is the face of the Saints and Peyton Manning is the face of the Broncos.Because they’re the best players on the field for their respective teams, the primary reason for those teams’ perennial success.Too much to ask? Sure it is. Since when, after all, have the Jets resided in an ideal world? Since never.But what the Jets are left with in the absence of Ryan and his outsized, back-page-headline-magnet personality is a team without a face, a team in search of its personality, its identity.

 

But that’s OK. First-year coach Todd Bowles, seems poised to put his own stamp on the program — and it will have more to do with the players on the field than the man occupying the head coach’s office.In the short time since he was hired in January, Bowles already seems to have laid a groundwork of more calm, consistency and player accountability.Less than a week into training camp, it’s too early to figure out whom the Todd Bowles Jets will be, who (if anyone) will emerge as the newest face of the franchise and what this team will be known for, but Bowles has a plan in place. He carries himself with a quiet confidence, comfortable with what he’s doing.Asked by The Post after Tuesday’s practice if he believes in having one player or element to the team become the “face’’ of the team, Bowles said, “You let that evolve and take care of itself. I’m more interested in having a tough team than I am having faces of the team. Faces of the team will be recognized as you go forward.’’

 

If Smith, who has been handed the keys to the starting quarterback job — and very much the fate of the franchise — can shed his mistake-prone ways, make enough plays and stay out of the way of Bowles’ defense, he can become a face of the team in a positive way.Cornerback Darrelle Revis, in his second tour of duty with the Jets, has the kind of rare ability to become the new face of the team.If offseason acquisition receiver Brandon Marshall can return to the prolific form that produced 218 receptions and 23 touchdowns in 2012 and 2013 with the Bears, he has a chance to become the face of the team.What’s more likely to happen is this: The 2015 Jets will not become known only for one or two players or for Bowles, who avoids headlines with the same fervor that Ryan craves them.“Rex was such a huge personality that he was literally the guy,’’ guard Willie Colon told The Post on Tuesday. “I think what Todd is trying to bring here is that we’re all a part of this. We’re all accountable for our actions. We all have a role to play to win games on Sundays. And, if we’re all doing it together, literally the Jets organization will be the face of the franchise — as it should be.’’

 

Ryan, because of the way he steered attention to himself, perhaps protected his players too much, allowing for less accountability. This is not to say Bowles will be throwing his players under the bus, but the players and their potential flaws might be a bit more exposed now with Ryan gone.“Rex wasn’t afraid to take it on the chin and wasn’t afraid to dish it,’’ Colon said. “Everything leaned on him, and that took pressure off players. He felt like he could take it because he was tough enough. But at the end of the day, we [the players] have to be tough enough to take it. We have to be mentally tough and mentally focused. That’s what Todd is trying to get us to do.’’Asked what his vision for this team is, Bowles said, “I have a pretty good feel. The trick is to get them to have a feel and let it evolve. You can see the vision all you want, but if you can’t get it across to your guys, then it’s pointless.’’

 

What kind of team is he trying to build ?

 

“Tough, smart, disciplined and aggressive,’’ he said.Though it was not his intent, Bowles — unwittingly — described himself.

 

>    http://nypost.com/2015/08/05/who-will-be-the-new-face-of-the-jets-the-contenders/

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-- Thursday morning's wake-up call, Day 8 of New York Jets training camp :

 

What's happening : The players will be on the field at 1:50 for stretching, followed by special teams. The full-squad practice begins at 2:20. It's closed to the public; only fan-drawing winners are eligible to attend.

 

What's hot : This is hump day, the third straight day of practice in a five-day stretch. This is the point in camp where the monotony starts to set in. It's a long grind, and they're still one week away from the first preseason game, next Thursday at the Detroit Lions. ... The Muhammad Wilkerson Watch enters Day 4. He hasn't practiced since tweaking a hamstring. He also has avoided the media. He doesn't like to talk about injuries or his contract situation. ... The Geno Smith Interception Watch enters Week 2. He has yet to throw a pick, covering six interception-free practices. Will this be the day? ... This is weird: We've yet to see a training camp scuffle. Player skirmishes are part of the deal. You put 90 overheated men on the same field, most of them battling for jobs, and tempers are bound to flare. In 2012, the Jets were fighting every day in Cortland, New York. It got so out of hand that Rex Ryan actually made them run penalty wind sprints. But so far at Camp Bowles ... peace and tranquility. Quick, somebody hum, "Kumbaya."

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52753/peace-and-harmony-rule-after-one-week-of-camp-bowles

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There was a lot of injury news out of New York Jets camp today, particularly in the defensive backfield as both Antonio Allen and Dee Milliner have gone down.Allen tore his Achilles tendon and was placed on the waived/injured list, ending his season. His best fit in new head coach Todd Bowles’ scheme was likely as a hybrid box linebacker/safety hybrid and that opportunity should fall to 2014 first-round pick Calvin Pryor, who showed well when placed in a similar role last season.

 

As for Milliner, his injuries have piled up as he heads into his third season in the league. He’ll reportedly miss six to eight weeks with a wrist injury after playing only 118 snaps last season. His 74.7 overall rating actually puts him higher than newly signed cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who is expected to start opposite fellow free-agent signing Darrelle Revis (88.4 rating). With Cromartie best suited on the outside, Milliner was likely destined to man the slot, a position he’s only played on 23 snaps in his two seasons.

 

Look for yet another free-agent signing, Buster Skrine, to get first crack there while Milliner is out. We had no problem with the Jets’ signings of Revis and Cromartie, but Skrine’s signing more than raised a few eyebrows. Now he looks primed to play in the slot, though he comes in with a 49.7 rating after three subpar seasons with the Browns.The losses of Allen and Milliner depletes the Jets’ depth for the time being, especially for a coach like Bowles who loves to trot out versatile defensive backs, but Revis cures a lot of ills and Cromartie provides value against bigger receivers. Now it’s a matter of Skrine taking a step forward in his new scheme.

 

> http://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/08/07/pressure-is-on-buster-skrine-following-jets-injuries/

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Monday morning's wake-up call, Day 12 of New York Jets training camp :

 

What's happening  :  After a day off, the Jets are back to the practice grind. They will be on the field at 1:50 p.m. ET for stretching, followed by special teams periods. Practice begins at 2:20 p.m. ET. It's open only to fan-drawing winners.

 

What's hot  :  The Jets have two practices before they travel to Detroit for Thursday night's preseason opener. ... The focus this week will be on positional battles. On offense, the most competitive position is right guard. Incumbent Willie Colon, who got extended work with the starters in the Green & White practice on Saturday night, is the frontrunner. Todd Bowles has hinted that Oday Aboushi and/or Ben Ijalana could get a crack at it this week. For now, Colon's main competition is Brian Winters. ... The No. 3 wide receiver job appears open. Quincy Enunwa, having a solid camp, could get some first-team reps, pushing Jeremy Kerley. It could be a battle of attrition, as Devin Smith, T.J. Graham, Walter Powell and Chris Owusu are dealing with injuries. . ... On the injury front, the biggest question remains Muhammad Wilkerson (hamstring), who hasn't practiced in a week. At this point, it would be a surprise if he plays Thursday night. ... On defense, it'll be interesting to monitor rookie linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin, who has been lighting up positional drills. He won't unseat Calvin Pace by opening day, but he's on the come.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52876/jets-finally-have-a-game-in-their-sights

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The lyrics are from Creed, the song “With Arms Wide Open,” the singer Bryce Petty, the audience Jets veterans.

 

“Well I just heard the news today; Seems my life is gonna change; I close my eyes, begin to pray; Then tears of joy stream down my face; With arms wide open under the sunlight; Welcome to this place I’ll show you everything; With arms wide open; With arms wide open.”

 

 

This was Monday, at an annual rite of summer for rookies all over the NFL. Why this song ?

 

“One, because that’s about the only song that I know from first verse to like the chorus part of it,” Petty said. “I actually had two buddies at Baylor that anytime we’d do karaoke, that’s the song we’d always go to, it’s just fun to kinda reenact his voice.”

 

Petty was asked how he was received.

 

“I think the guys liked it,” he said. “It was crickets at first just to see if I would screw up the lines so they could boo me. But I think they realized the talent came out, and I think that I got a lot of respect.”It is exactly the kind of career trajectory the Jets envision for Petty,the Chosen One by Jets fans disenchanted with Geno Smith to be the Quarterback of the Future. The future being 2016 at the latest.Broadway Bryce sounds terrific, but Petty is grounded and perceptive enough to offer a more realistic takeoff on Broadway Joe’s famous, “I Can’t Wait Until Tomorrow ’Cause I Get Better Looking Every Day” when you ask him how long it will take him to master a pro system that is foreign to the spread he ran at Baylor and he says: “Who knows? I’m not worried about it. What I am worried about is being better tomorrow than I was today.”

 

He laughs readily, is mature beyond his 24 years, knows he’s no longer big man on campus.“The hardest part,” Petty said, “is just going from, when I would walk into the building at Baylor, I knew everybody. I knew everything there is to know, as far as, ‘All right, we’re going to add this in today, we’re going to put this in.’ And now, it’s like every day I’m like taking notes like I’m in high school all over again. That part’s tough because I like to know everything. I like to be on top of things, and so sometimes when I’m not is when I get kind of frustrated withmyself because I want to be able to know everything that’s going on.”It’s hard not to like this kid.“The biggest thing for a quarterback, especially a young guy, is to come in with no ego and have a willingness to learn,” Ryan Fitzpatrick said. “He’s certainly done that. That’s all you can ask for, somebody who will come in and put in the time, and he’s done that.”

 

Petty laughs out loud when you ask him if he thinks he has what it takes to cope with the New York environment.“It’s part of it, it’s part of it, you guys got a job just like we do,” he said. “Unfortunately, I think, sometimes you guys get a bad rep, sometimes we get a bad rep on how we handle things, but at the end of the day, like I said, you guys got a job, we got a job. You guys are going to ask tough questions.There’s going to be games where it’s going to suck to answer those tough questions. So as long as you handle it maturely,as long as you don’t think that you’re bigger thanthe team,I think that anybody can handle that .”You have no chance in this market if you are thin-skinned. Petty is certain he is not thin-skinned.

“No, no, no, I don’t think so,” Petty said. “My dad’s always messed with me ever since I was a little kid. I’ve been messed with kind of my whole life, so I’m definitely thick-skinned in that area. But then also, I don’t read a whole lot. I know who I am as a quarterback, I know who I am as a player on and off the field. There’s going to be days where I’m not on my game, there’s going to be days where I am, and I’m not going to read it either or.”

 

His father Todd was his coach from first through sixth grade. “The normal father-son banter, I guess if you will — never let me get too big-headed about things, and just keeping it loose, and I think that’s important, man,” Petty said. “If you can’t laugh at yourself, then you got bigger problems to fry.”No wonder his favorite quarterback was Brett Favre.

 

" He plays with such a tremendous amount of passion. … You could tell that every time he was out there that he loved what he was doing, and that’s something that I always admired about him, but I’ve always tried to model myself after, especially with social media, with society, you’re put under a microscope, there’s so much pressure, and I always felt like he was … like I could see a little kid in him every time he played,” Petty said. “I love playing the game, because I started it when I was young ’cause I loved it and I want to keep doing that, even when the pressure’s as big as it is.”Favre came from tiny Kiln, Mississippi. Petty comes from tiny Midlothian, Texas. He is hardly awestruck by New York.“I love it. It’s so much different than my five stoplights in Midlothian, Texas, but it’s a lot of fun. A lot of fun,” he said.

 

He has the size and the poise and a good arm, and won’t be thrown into the fire like Marcus Mariota will be. Just because you throw for 4,200 yards a year ago doesn’t mean you are ready for the NFL. Petty knows that. Says he knows who he is as a quarterback. So who is he as a quarterback ?  “You’re going to get a guy who loves the game, a guy that’s going prepare his butt off, and wants to be great,” Petty said. “And I think that those things, as far as intangibles that can make somebody special, you got to have those three things — you got to love it, you got to want to prepare, and you got to want to be great.”It’s a chess game to Petty, and he recognizes you can’t be Bobby Fischer overnight. So he has no timetable to be great. The biggest hurdle for him ?  “It’s really what is Coach [Chan] Gailey wanting out of this play?” Petty said. “When he calls this, what is he looking for? There’s certain looks that a defense has that can give this play problems — what are those problems? There’s certain looks a defense can give that we love — what are those looks? It’s little intricacies like that, that’s what I want to know, that’s what I want to learn.

 

Petty said he is thrilled he can learn under Smith and Fitzpatrick.“For me it’s a tremendous blessing, and almost a godsend to be here,” he said.His message to Jets fans :

 

“Shoot, that you’re going to get a guy that first off wants to be here. I love this place. This place is awesome, it’s exactly where I want to be. I’m going to give you guys, I’m going to give this team all I got. And get excited for this year, we’re going to be good.”

 

> http://nypost.com/2015/08/05/rookie-bryce-petty-on-nfl-life-and-whether-hes-the-jets-qb-of-the-future/

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If we were to label the level of Jets turbulence this summer, we'd go with the type in which strangers are holding hands, the flight attendants are sobbing and prayers of all faiths echo throughout the cabin.

 

Welcome to the weird , wild and sometimes unbelievable world of the New York Jets , Todd Bowles!

Geno Smith will not begin the season as the Jets' starter on Sept. 13. He might even not be eating solid foods by then. This is what happens when you stick your finger in the face of a crazy person. Linebacker IK Enemkpali broke Smith's jaw in two places. Geno, because he's kind of a different dude, posted a photo of himself on Instagram with the message, "I'll be back." OK.We're sure Geno will return, but it remains to be seen if he'll ever get his starting job back. It's Ryan Fitzpatrick's gig now, a stunning turn of events for a team prepping for its preseason opener. It all amounts to a huge challenge for Bowles, who has been no stranger to the unforeseen since his team reported to Florham Park late last month.

 

Camp started with a bombshell, when news surfaced that star defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson had hidden a July arrest connected to a street-racing incident in his native Missouri. Jets GM Mike Maccagnan openly acknowledged that trust in Richardson had been broken and it's unclear if Richardson -- already suspended four games for a substance abuse violation -- will play a snap in 2015.Bowles has faced on-field drama as well. Wide receiver Devin Smith, a second-round pick ticketed for a role as a needed vertical threat in Chan Gailey's offense, has been shut down after breaking multiple ribs in practice. The team also lost cornerback and former first-round pick Dee Milliner, whose attempt at a comeback season has been temporarily derailed by a wrist injury that required surgery.
 

When Bowles took over as coach in January, he preached accountability and promised a tight ship after six years of the easy-going Rex Ryan regime. We imagine there are hot takes to come that the drama around the Jets acts as a hint Bowles is in over his head. But there's little Bowles could have done to stop anything that's transpired to this point. You can't even blame Bowles and Maccagnan for Enemkpali -- consider him one last parting gift from former GM John Idzik.

 

Bowles' true test begins now. At a point where the season could start to spiral before it starts, Bowles must provide a steadying hand to guide this eternally star-crossed team out of its latest electrical storm. Bowles knew he faced a challenge. He had no idea.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000508696/article/true-test-about-to-begin-for-jets-coach-todd-bowles

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t's been a tough start to the football season for Todd Bowles' Jets. There might be an argument to suggest Sheldon Richardson is the best player on the team, certainly a strong case to put him in the top two, and he'll be lucky to only be suspended four games. Chris Owusu was pushing his way into first team three receiver sets in camp, now he's facing an uncertain recovery from yet another concussion. Talented deep threat Devin Smith is missing out on valuable training camp reps with a punctured lung. The team has lost some defensive backfield depth with Dee Milliner missing up to eight weeks and Antonio Allen on injured reserve. Muhammad Wilkerson, importance magnified with Richardson out, is still working his way back from a hamstring strain. Now the team has lost its starting quarterback for 6-10 weeks, definitely costing him at least some of the regular season. All this before even the first preseason game.

 

When a team has this many negative storylines playing up in the early going, we can see how it might stretch beyond the players missing time and impact morale in the clubhouse as a whole. The question of how Geno Smith's broken jaw and IK Enemkpali being cut impacts the season as a whole is, after all, already being put to the players, and the likelihood is they and the coaching staff will keep getting questions along these lines going forward.Even with everything that has happened so far though, this doesn't need to yet significantly change expectations for the year. The offense still has more talent at the skill positions than in recent seasons, and the defense may have lost depth but can still prove one of the more dominant units in the league. Ryan Fitzpatrick is not an incredibly exciting player, but can be a functional quarterback for this team. Sportsfan86's excellent recent chalkboard piece showed a blend of solid execution and hair-scratching decisions, we're likely going to get a first hand view of both from Fitzpatrick in the coming weeks. He isn't likely to be the type of talent who can carry the team for stretches, the hope is he won't have to with Marshall and Decker on the outside as big targets, and with a dominant defensive unit in support.This is a team that may just be talented enough to compete without superstar play from the QB position, and despite poor luck early with injuries and suspensions. If the team can compete with Fitzpatrick, they can ride him the rest of the way. If things aren't working out they can make a final evaluation of Geno once he returns where there is no longer pressure to win games now with this talented veteran roster. Hopefully though, this team can still win games in 2015.

The most talented teams in the NFL have a higher gear to go to when needed.

 

The Packers team that looked lifeless in the first half against a terrible Jets team last year, when needed stepped it up for that win, and ultimately found the higher gear later in the season. They arguably should have gone to the Superbowl. The Seahawks looked in serious jeopardy of missing the playoffs in October, they stepped it up and arguably should have won the Superbowl. The Patriots offensive struggles to start 2014 were significant enough to where questions were being asked if Tom Brady had begun his decline. They did win the Superbowl. These teams all had several things in common, notably strong quarterback play, and among other elements this helped them push things up a notch to get over early stumbles. The Jets aren't so talented, and can't afford any early failings if they are to make the playoffs this year. This is a team that needs to play up to its potential right from the start of the year to have a chance at contention, and can't afford to let the tough training camp luck affect preparation for the season ahead.

 

In a way, there are some parallels to the Arizona Cardinals of 2014, with Bowles as the defensive coordinator. Battered by suspensions and injuries almost from the off, the team kept on winning, getting to 11-3 and looking like the potential #1 seed in a loaded NFC. This was a team winning with former Jets QB, technically, Drew Stanton, another functional but unexciting journeyman QB. In the end, being forced to go to their third string QB Ryan Lindley was too much for the team to withstand, but their season proved a template for withstanding one key loss after another and pressing ahead for playoff contention. Hopefully a spirit Bowles can bring over and instill with the Jets now as the head coach.A lot of what we've seen from Bowles so far this year lends to optimism here, the focus on accountability, the demand of high standards even in a practice later in camp on a natural let-down day - after the Green & White practice where some veterans were given a day off.

 

He quite clearly expects the players on the field to perform to the best of their abilities, even in a practice, so we can expect the high standards to carry through into regular season practices and certainly the games themselves. Intuitively, this would seem to be the right way to approach it, though really only results will tell. If he can deliver a team that plays with a high degree of effort all the way through, it would be a promising start to his head coaching career. This year may come with relatively low pressure for Bowles, by NFL standards anyway, a rare year where he might get a pass for a low wins total if the team shows up and plays hard through the year. If the team does that though, perhaps the team can surprise in the wins tally as well.

 

> http://www.ganggreennation.com/2015/8/13/9145077/challenging-start-for-todd-bowles-tenure-with-the-jets

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  • 2 weeks later...

Monday morning's wake-up call, Day 26 of New York Jets training camp  :

What's happening :  After a night on Long Island for their annual "Family Night" practice at Hofstra University, the Jets will be back on their home turf for the final week of camp. The players are on the field at 1:50 p.m. ET for stretching, followed by special teams and the regular practice at 2:20. It's youth-football day at camp, and it's open to fan drawing winners.

What's hot : We'll be awaiting medical news on rookie linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin, who had a knee injury on Sunday night. The Jets have the depth to absorb a long-term injury at outside linebacker -- the top backups are Jason Babin and Trevor Reilly -- but you'd hate to see them lose Mauldin, a high-energy player with exciting potential. ...We'll also be keeping a close eye on Muhammad Wilkerson (hamstring), who returned to practice and seemingly didn't suffer any setbacks. How an injured player responds 24 hours after his first extensive work since the injury often is a telling sign. ... This is a key week for depth-chart watchers. Typically, teams go with their projected starting lineup in the third preseason game, so how the Jets line up in practice should provide some clues as to how they're planning to move forward. Then again, it's not like there's a lot of suspense. The quarterback will be Ryan Fitzpatrick, the right guard will be Willie Colon and every other starting job was virtually locked up at the start of camp. If there's an unsettled job, it's the No. 3 wide receiver -- and Quincy Enunwa appears to be the frontrunner.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53400/jets-return-to-new-jersey-to-begin-final-week-of-training-camp

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-- Tuesday morning's wake-up call, Day 27 of New York Jets training camp  :

What's happening : There's no practice. The Jets were slated for a practice on the original schedule, but it was cancelled to comply with league rules. It would have been five straight days of practice, Sunday through Thursday, and that's a no-no.

What's hot : They probably could use a day of rest, as no fewer than 15 players sat out Monday due to injuries. ... With the first mandatory roster cutdown approaching, the tension is building for bottom-of-the-roster players. Teams are required to be down to 75 players by next Tuesday, meaning 15 players will lose their jobs in the coming days. The backups won't get much time Saturday night against the New York Giants, putting a premium on every practice rep. Players on the bubble have to do something -- anything -- to catch the eye of a coach. Wide receiver Jonathon Rumph did that on Monday, making a four-yard touchdown catch over Antonio Cromartie in a red zone period. As Todd Bowles said, "It’s an important time. It’s crunch time. Guys have got to step up." ... It's hard to believe, but there are only four practices remaining in the preseason -- two this week, two next week. The regular season will be here before you know it.

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53436/todd-bowles-its-crunch-time-for-players-battling-for-roster-spots

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-- Wednesday morning's wake-up call, Day 28 of New York Jets training camp :

What's happening : After a day off, the Jets are back at it on Wednesday afternoon. It starts with 1:50 stretching, followed by a 30-minute special-teams period. The official practice starts at 2:20. Take a good look, fans. It's the final public practice of training camp. (Fans need a valid ticket).

What's hot : The depth at outside linebacker is a concern. On Tuesday night, the Jets signed Bryan Johnson, who was cut by the Buffalo Bills in June. Injuries hit the position on Sunday and Monday, with rookie Lorenzo Mauldin (sprained knee) and starter Calvin Pace (strained groin) going down. No word on the severity of Pace's injury; Mauldin will miss at least one week. Right now, they have only three experienced outside 'backers -- Quinton Coples, Jason Babin and Trevor Reilly, who figures to play a ton Saturday night against the New York Giants. They also have an undrafted rookie, Deion Barnes. You know who could be starting right now if he hadn't lost his cool? IK Enemkpali, who was fired after punching Geno Smith in the face. ... To make room for Johnson on the 90-man roster, they cut Steve Maneri. They still have six tight ends. ... Only three days until the Jets and Giants battle for the Snoopy Trophy. Can you feel the drama building ?

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53467/jets-add-a-free-agent-to-injury-plagued-linebacking-corps

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-- Thursday morning's wake-up call, Day 29 of New York Jets training camp :

What's happening: It's the final practice of camp, starting at 2:20 p.m. ET. When it's over, the Jets will break camp. Obviously, it won't have the same feel as past years, when they packed up in Cortland, New York, and headed home to New Jersey. Such is life when you conduct camp at your year-round facility. For the players, the end of camp means they no longer have to stay in a hotel. Recapping the last four weeks, it was blissfully quiet, right?

What's hot: Practice will be devoted to game prep. As you know, they face the New York Giants on Saturday night. Because it's the preseason, they're not in full game-plan mode, but they will familiarize themselves with some of the Giants' plays. For instance: On Wednesday, wide receiver Saalim Hakim and Walt Powell both wore No. 13 in practice, simulating Odell Beckham, Jr. on the scout-team offense. Players will look at some Giants' tape, but the preparation won't be anything close to what will occur the week of Dec. 6, when the two locals meet in a real game. ... This will be Muhammad Wilkerson's final hurdle before he makes his preseason debut. If his balky hamstring emerges from practice unscathed, Wilkerson will be cleared to play. ... The Jets' final two opponents in the preseason, the Giants and Philadelphia Eagles, are also on the regular-season schedule. Teams in those situations usually stick with vanilla game plans, not wanting to give away trade secrets. Todd Bowles isn't worried about revealing too much because, as he noted, the regular-season clash is so late. A lot can change over four months.The timetable is different for Jets-Eagles -- they play in Week 3 -- but the preseason paranoia won't be as great because it's the final exhibition game. It'll be the backups, and it'll be basic stuff.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53499/after-tumultuous-summer-jets-set-to-break-training-camp

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The New York Jets face the New York Giants at 7 p.m. ET Saturday at MetLife Stadium. A couple of things to watch for during the game :

Why watch : Because this is the third and most important preseason game, it might be a good time for the Jets' starters to ... you know, show up. In the first two games, the Jets were outscored 24-3 with their starting units on the field (not counting a touchdown last week against the Atlanta Falcons' backups). All told, the Ryan Fitzpatrick-led offense has produced only 10 points in seven possessions. Numbers don't mean anything in the preseason; it's all about staying healthy and getting comfortable with personnel and schemes. That's where the Jets still are playing catchup, and this is their last shot because the starters won't play in the finale.

Did you know ? The Jets lead the all-time preseason series, 24-21-1. This is the fifth annual MetLife Bowl, the winner receiving the coveted Snoopy Trophy. (Feel free to roll your eyes.) This is Tom Coughlin's 12th year as the Giants' coach. In that span, the Jets have had four head coaches -- Herm Edwards, Eric Mangini, Rex Ryan and Todd Bowles.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53510/jets-hope-to-find-offensive-rhythm-in-last-preseason-test-for-starters

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For the Jets’ starters, the regular season has arrived after a rocky summer.With the third preseason game in the books, the Jets top players now can start preparing for the Browns in Week 1 while the backups play the final preseason game Thursday night against the Eagles. Jets coach Todd Bowles did not rule out playing the starters in that game, but it is unlikely.

Instead, the Jets’ starting offense and defense move out of the preseason mentality and into the regular season. The Browns come to MetLife Stadium on Sept. 13, so the Jets have less than two weeks to get ready for Mike Pettine’s crew.“I feel like we’ve grown,” Bowles said of the preseason. “We still have some work to do, but we’ve grown each week. Our process is to get better working toward Week 1. I feel like we’ve grown quite a bit.”Training camp has not gone smoothly for the Jets. They lost their projected starting quarterback, Geno Smith, to a broken jaw after teammate IK Enemkpali punched him Aug. 11. That forced the Jets to adjust their offense midstream to quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, a difficult situation for any team.

The timing between Fitzpatrick and his wide receivers looked off in the first week he was with the starters. He had spent the spring and the beginning of camp working with the second team. It took time to develop some chemistry with Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, but it looked good Saturday night, when Fitzpatrick threw for two touchdowns against the Giants and had a passer rating of 133.“There’s still stuff we need to work on,” Decker said. “Fitzpatrick has only been in there a few weeks. We’re still building that timing with him and the camaraderie so to speak as far as a receiver/quarterback relationship goes. But, I think we did a good job mixing in both run and pass. I think eliminating the penalties is something we have to focus on, clean up that stuff, but as long as we’re moving the ball forward and not turning it over, we’re making plays when the opportunity is at hand.”

The Jets were encouraged after Saturday’s 28-18 win over the Giants, but Marshall cautioned they could not get too happy about it.“Let me say this again, yeah, we played well, but we still have a lot of work to do,” Marshall said. “Am I happier and are most guys happy with the progress we made? Yes, but if we want to be great, if we want to be good, first, we have to calm down and relax and understand we have a lot of games to go, and we have a lot of work still to get done. So, we’ll strap it back up on Monday and try to get better.”Defensively, the Jets had given up touchdowns on their opening drives in the first two preseason games. They emphasized coming out faster against the Giants, and they followed through. The Giants only put together one good drive against the Jets’ starters, and that was aided by three Jets penalties. The defense also has scored touchdowns in each of the past two games. The lack of creating turnovers was a huge problem for the Jets last year, so they have to be encouraged by what they have done in the preseason in that department.

“We’ve got high expectations for ourselves,” linebacker Demario Davis said. “I don’t know if we’re ever where we want to be. We’re not content. We’re satisfied with the performance, but we’ve got a long way to go still. We’re going to come back next week, work hard and get ready for Week 1.”

 >     http://nypost.com/2015/08/30/the-jets-are-putting-ugly-past-behind-them-just-in-time/

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- So now what happens at tight end for the New York Jets   ?

On paper, it's bleak. With Jace Amaro (shoulder surgery) lost for the season, their only experienced players are Jeff Cumberland and Kellen Davis, neither of whom is a receiving threat. Ordinarily, this would be cause for alarm, but the Jets might be able to skirt disaster because Chan Gailey's passing offense isn't tight end-based.If Gailey leans toward the system he used as the Buffalo Bills' coach from 2010 to 2012, the Jets will be all about the wide receivers. In those three seasons (covering 2,989 offensive snaps), he employed a four-receiver package a league-high 586 times, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He used three receivers for 1,669 snaps, fifth in the league. He used two tight ends for only 341 snaps, 32nd in the NFL.

If the preseason is an indication, Gailey appears to be taking the same approach. Only five of the Jets' 51 completions have gone to tight ends, including only one to Cumberland.The emergence of Quincy Enunwa as a potential contributor also could be a factor in the overall strategy. It might be a stretch to say he's a hybrid wide receiver/tight end, but he has the size (6-foot-2, 225 pounds) and blocking skills to handle some tight-end responsibilities. This is one of the reasons why they're smitten with him, dropping Jeremy Kerley on the receiver depth chart.

Todd Bowles called Enunwa a "tweener," saying he could create a matchup advantage."It gives the opposition a problem as to what they're going to play, base or sub," Bowles said. "If it's sub, he can go ahead and block some of the smaller guys. If it's base, hopefully he can outrun some of the bigger guys. He's kind of an interesting guy that can do both."

Truth be told, the Jets weren't sure how to use Amaro, who doesn't block a lick. Acknowledging his deficiency as a blocker, they started calling him an H-Back, saying they planned to move him around the formation. It sounded great, except he doesn't have the speed and acceleration of the new-age tight ends you see across the NFL. You get the feeling the new regime considers him a square peg in an offense filled with round holes.No doubt, general manager Mike Maccagnan will be searching for a tight end over the next few days, but it probably won't be a high-profile addition. One player to watch is Joseph Fauria of the Detroit Lions. The Lions just acquired Tim Wright in a trade, dropping Fauria to fourth on the depth chart. As a rookie in 2013, he showed promise, scoring seven touchdowns on 18 receptions.

Bottom line   : Because of the way they play offense, the Jets can survive the loss of Amaro.

>    http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53739/explaining-why-loss-of-jace-amaro-isnt-crippling-for-jets

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Change is a good thing

Sometimes change is a product of fate. The Jets were ready to take another ride on the GenoCoaster until a sentient trivia question named IK Enemkpali threw a right cross that will live in infamy in Gang Green lore. With Smith sidelined by a busted jaw, the starting job belongs to journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Punch was an unmitigated embarrassment for the franchise, but the Jets might be better off. Fitzpatrick is savvy, battle-tested and comfortable in Chan Gailey's offense.

Meanwhile, Darrelle Revis and the Jets made up. Contracts that include $40 million guaranteed have a way of thawing tensions. The Jets also brought back Antonio Cromartie and added Buster Skrine, remaking a secondary that was in desperate need of a facelift. New general manager Mike Maccagnan also acquired wide receiver Brandon Marshall, a move that allows Eric Decker to slide into his more natural fit as a No. 2 receiver.

Yeah, but what about ...

There's a reason Fitzpatrick is about to start a game with his sixth team. The Harvard grad is the ultimate bridge guy, but the Jets haven't figured out what's on the other side yet. Fourth-round pick Bryce Petty is a raw prospect and it's unclear how the team would react if Geno ever got another meaningful snap. (Support for Smith was suspiciously scant after The Punch.) Also, there is the chance that Marshall stirs things up in the wrong way. This has been known to happen, and a Marshall/Jets marriage almost feels destined for drama of some sort. And, oh yeah, Sheldon Richardson seems to be in the midst of a quarter-life crisis.

One guy to watch

The Jets dodged a bullet when results of an MRI on Leonard Williams came back negative. The No. 6 overall pick vowed to be ready for Week 1, and he's looked as good as advertised this preseason with 1.5 sacks, including a safety. If Williams develops into a star, the Jets will have the most loaded defensive line in football.

What we'll be saying in February

The Jets remain a quarterback away from being an AFC contender (what else is new?) and the window is closing fast with several foundation players on the wrong side of 30.

Predicted finish: No. 4 in AFC East, No. 11 in the AFC, No. 20 overall in Around the NFL's Power Poll

> http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000521811/article/new-york-jets-season-preview-gaining-ground

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Rich Cimini ESPN Staff Writer 

A quiet Friday for the Jets, but they worked out a handful of players, including QB Matt Blanchard (Packers) and TE Brandon Bostick. You may remember Bostick from the NFC Championship Game; he's the Packer who botched the onside kick. Tight end is a big need for the Jets. Look for a move over the next 48 hours.

>   http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

— Aside from his Jets teammates and coaches, Kellen Davis said, the only person he talks football with is his wife, Jillian. She loves the sport, knows the sport, and so she has noticed that her husband has been targeted only one time during the first two games. Which is one more than the Jets’ other tight end, Jeff Cumberland.

“She tells me to keep grinding,” Davis said. “It’s all you can do.”

Davis signed with the Jets in March aware of the reputation that the team’s new offensive coordinator, Chan Gailey, had for not featuring tight ends in the passing game. When Gailey was the Bills’ head coach from 2010 to 2012, only Chicago’s tight ends were thrown to less frequently and caught fewer passes than Buffalo’s, according to Pro Football Focus. Davis played for the Bears then, but he said the imbalance felt more noticeable now.

“Every situation is different,” Davis said. “We’re not in charge of who gets the ball every play. I feel like at some point, we’ll get some opportunities. We’ll capitalize on those opportunities, I know that. We’ve just got to be ready.”Only one other team, Jacksonville, does not have a reception by its tight ends, though the Jaguars expect to integrate them more when Julius Thomas, one of the best in the league, returns from a broken right hand. The Jets are not ignoring the position — though their tight ends have played 89 snaps, by far the fewest in the N.F.L., according to Pro Football Focus — but Gailey prefers to spread the field with three- and four-receiver sets and use his tight ends to block. Under Gailey, the Jets’ tight ends remain in protection on 50 percent of passing plays, far more than the league average of 23 percent, according to game charting by Pro Football Focus.

“They’re kind of more unsung people on offense right now,” Coach Todd Bowles said.

The Jets’ absence of receptions at the position is noticeable relative to the production boom around the league. The new breed of tight end resembles a power forward but runs like a wide receiver, posing matchup problems epitomized by players like Rob Gronkowski of New England, Travis Kelce of Kansas City and Tyler Eifert of Cincinnati. The three of them accounted for seven of the 22 touchdowns scored by tight ends in Week 1, the most in a single week since the 1970 merger, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, which also said that the 36 touchdowns by tight ends were the most through the first two weeks of any season.Before Jace Amaro sustained a season-ending shoulder injury in training camp, the Jets envisioned him being an H-back — moving him around the formation behind the line of scrimmage, not beside the tackle, and serving more as a pass-catching option than as a blocker. In theory, he would have been their closest thing to a Kelce or an Eifert, though the Jets would not have made him nearly as much a focus of their passing game.

Amaro’s absence allowed the Jets to highlight even more their talent at receiver, where Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall have combined to catch 23 of Ryan Fitzpatrick’s 37 completions and all four touchdown passes, while establishing Davis, a skilled in-line blocker, and Cumberland as complementary, if secondary, pieces on offense.

 

Perhaps that changes a bit on Sunday, when Philadelphia visits MetLife Stadium. The Eagles’ best inside linebackers, Kiko Alonso (knee) and Mychal Kendricks (hamstring), are out, and their likely replacements, DeMeco Ryans and the rookie Jordan Hicks, tend to struggle in coverage. When asked whether such matchups could portend greater — or any, really — involvement for Cumberland and Davis in the passing game, Gailey said, “If I told you that, then you’d write it and the other team would know.Then he added: “You have to see the matchups on film; you have to feel like you can win that situation. Then it has to be successful on the practice field. If it isn’t successful on the practice field, you have a hard time calling it in a game.”

Davis said he had entered the past two weeks feeling confident in plays the Jets had practiced that were designed to get him or Cumberland the ball. The only time Fitzpatrick threw to Davis, in the second quarter in Week 1, a Cleveland defender jumped the route and swatted the pass away. There have been moments, Bowles said, when Cumberland was the primary option, but he was covered too closely.“Everybody looks for stats; everything’s about fantasy football now, so people only go by how many catches you have, how many touchdowns, how many targets,” said Cumberland, who caught 23 passes last season, three for touchdowns. “Watch the whole actual game and see how we’re being used.”

As an example, Cumberland mentioned his block that sprang Chris Ivory’s 10-yard touchdown run in the season-opening victory against Cleveland. With Davis on the field, the Jets have averaged 5.3 yards on 27 carries, and he said he had graded high in their two games.Still, at one point, Davis was considered a red-zone threat in Chicago, where, in 2011, he caught five touchdown passes. It is unlikely that he will do so again with the Jets, but he believes what Gailey said a few days after they defeated Cleveland.

“Just when you think that we’re not going to throw to them,” Gailey said, “that will be the week that we do.”

>     http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/27/sports/football/new-york-jets-tight-ends-have-a-job-to-do-but-few-passes-to-catch.html?ref=football&_r=0

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