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Kerley, "'I feel like I should be somewhere on the field." (Merged)


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Say what you want about Kerley but I think he as a good attitude about this situation.  However, unless there is an injury, it appears 5 on the depth chart.  Maybe 6th with Smith gets back.... 

 

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/09/jeremy_kerley_jets.html#incart_story_package

 

Jets' Jeremy Kerley, after 1 snap in Week 1: 'I feel like I should be somewhere on the field'

FLORHAM PARK — Jeremy Kerley entered this season as the Jets' established slot wide receiver. But after he saw his participation with the starters significantly decrease in training camp, Kerley played just one offensive snap in Sunday's season-opening win over the Browns. 

Kerley said Wednesday he thinks he should be playing more.

One reason why Quincy Enunwa has seen more action in the slot, according to coach Todd Bowles, is that Enunwa is a big player than Kerley, and a better blocker. Plus, the Jets are down a tight end, since Jace Amaro (shoulder) is out for the season. Enunwa can fill some of those duties. 


PLUS: Jets report card, as they open Todd Bowles era by pounding Cleveland Browns


Kerley agreed that Enunwa is a better blocker than him. 

"But I've never seen a team run the ball 100 percent of the game," Kerley told NJ Advance Media on Wednesday. "There's got to be a pass somewhere in between. I think he's a superior blocker. I think he's real good at running routes. I think I'm good at running routes, as well. I think I'm good at what I do.

"I'm not going to say that I feel like I should be the starter or a starter. I say all the time that I feel like I am a starter. I feel like I should be somewhere on the field, because I'm a ball player and I'm a play maker. The coaches, they have what they like. They have certain image in their head that they want to see. And maybe I just don't fit that image. I'm cool with that, because I can't control it.

"It's tough, because you want to play. I see myself being on the field making plays. But at the same time, we won. I think the players that were in did a good job. I like Chris Owusu. I like the way he balls. There would never be a situation where I would be like, 'I think I can do better than them [the Jets' other receivers].' But as far as me being on the field with them balling, yeah, I think I can play with anybody." 

When the Jets used three-receiver sets against the Browns, the most common look was Eric Decker in the slot, with Owusu and Brandon Marshall on the outside. In four-receiver sets, Enunwa joined that trio, as an additional slot receiver. Owusu played 40 snaps against the Browns, Enunwa 27. 

Kerley said the coaches haven't talked to him much — and he hasn't asked them questions — about his reduced role. Perhaps he could ask the coaches what he must do to play more. 

"I don't really think that type of discussion would help the situation," Kerley said. "I think they're kind of set on what they want. They have things that they like, and I respect that. If Quincy is what they want to go with, if Chris is what they want to go with, I respect it. I'm not too surprised by what happened Sunday." 

Kerley said he expects more of the same in Monday night's game at the Colts

"Definitely," he said of Owusu and Enunwa getting more snaps than him. "That's kind of what I expect it to be." 

Because of how little action Kerley saw with the starters during camp, he said he also expected a limited offensive role Sunday against the Browns. But he "was a little surprised" about getting just that one snap. 

"I don't think it was really frustrating," Kerley said. "I want to be in the game, not just holding my helmet on the sideline. Coming into it, I knew kind of what it was. I didn't have high expectations." 

Kerley thinks he "definitely" can help the Jets' offense. 

"I'm a ball player, man," he said. "I can play football, whether it be on the inside [in the slot], outside, back side, left side. I don't care where it's at. I can play football. I always feel like I can be on the field helping somewhere. I don't decide whether I'm out there." 

Last season, Kerley signed a new four-year, $15.4 million contract with the Jets that included $4.8 million in guaranteed pay. Kerley has three more years on his deal after 2015. If the Jets cut him after this season, he would count $1.8 million toward their 2016 salary cap, compared to $3.1 million if he's on the team. 

If Kerley's limited offensive role continues (and he seems to think it will), it is difficult to imagine the Jets retaining him in 2016 with that cap figure. Kerley said he wants to stay with the Jets. He isn't concerned about perhaps barely playing, besides being the punt return man, in the final 15 regular season games. 

"Man, I'm not even worried about [the next] 15 games in the season," he said. "I'm just worried about today, tomorrow, and what I can control. Fifteen games from now, I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know if I'm going to be here. I don't know where I'm going to be at." 

"It's definitely a different feeling. Everything happens at one point in time in somebody's career, where you're facing some type of adversity. So this is just my time. This is my opportunity to run from it or face it head-on. So I'm facing it head-on. I can't control whether I'm here or not. But while I'm here, I'm doing my job. And I'm doing my job how I do it." 

Kerley is trying to keep his playing time issues in perspective, too. 

"I'm a football player, but I don't consume 100 percent of my life on football," he said. "This is my job, but I have other jobs that are more important than football. So I don't let myself get flustered or caught up in what's going on with not starting. That's not something that I can control. What I can control is what happens to my kids in their future. I try to keep that on my mind while I'm out here." 

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

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Kerley said the coaches haven't talked to him much — and he hasn't asked them questions — about his reduced role. Perhaps he could ask the coaches what he must do to play more. 

"I don't really think that type of discussion would help the situation," Kerley said. "I think they're kind of set on what they want. They have things that they like, and I respect that. If Quincy is what they want to go with, if Chris is what they want to go with, I respect it. I'm not too surprised by what happened Sunday." 

He hasn't talked to the coaches about his reduced role because he doesn't think that conversation would help the situation, so he goes to the media and talks to THEM about it. Yeah.

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This whole situation is bizarre and I totally feel his frustration.  He's a good player and should be on the field.  I'm surprised he's not being shopped because he'd be very effective in the right offense.  That said, it's not like he's missing out on a lot of plays.  The Jets didnt exactly spread the ball around a whole lot on Sunday.  Outside of Powell and Ivory on a check down, only 3 other players touched the ball in the passing game (Decker, Marshall and Owusu).  And while I get the blocking perspective to an extent...Kerley has been on the field plenty when the Jets have had success running the ball over the years, so that's kind of b.s.   

No throws to a TE.  Only WR's (3).  So it's not like there were a ton of balls going around. 

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Kerley should worry more about being a better punt returner (his one job as of now) than getting more reps on offense. There are probably hundreds of young kids coming out of college that don't get drafted or signed that would KILL just to contribute on special teams.

This I agree with 100%.  He's been given that job, so perfect it.  That's your chance to impact the game.  And a game changer on ST's can take a team very far and help in a major way, look at Hester.  I'm not saying he's a Hester but strong return can change momentum, field position and the ultimately, the game. 

But I do get his frustrations. 

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He's awkwardly stuck between being not big enough and not fast enough. In previous years when we didn't have NFL caliber receivers he fit us well now he's not as big as our bigs (Marshall/Deck) and he's not as fast as our smalls (Owusu/Smith) he has good hands and was clutch on third down but that speaks to the lack of talent we had as opposed to his talent. We didn't really have a go to guy to feed it to he was the best we had with Decker drawing all of the attention of defenses but now we have a roster full of go to's (understanding Decker/Owusu were already here last year) I like Kerley I think he's too good to sit on the bench but our WR depth is pretty stacked. He's shifty but he's not a burner like our other smaller guys. Id like it if we could move him for his sake.

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It's pretty amazing how quickly and completely Kerley has fallen out of favor with the coaching staff.  He was the Jets' number 1 receiver just two short seasons ago.  When the new coaching staff was hired earlier this year and watched tape of their new roster, they must have hated what they saw from Kerley.

Personally, I always viewed Kerley as a solid #3 / #4 type of WR.  I believe he has the skills necessary to have some sort of role with the offense.  However, the writing is on the wall, and his days as a Jet are numbered.

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This I agree with 100%.  He's been given that job, so perfect it.  That's your chance to impact the game.  And a game changer on ST's can take a team very far and help in a major way, look at Hester.  I'm not saying he's a Hester but strong return can change momentum, field position and the ultimately, the game. 

But I do get his frustrations. 

Yeah, I guess I can understand his frustrations. It's not his fault that the team became so devoid of talent over the years that he became the best offensive weapon we had. And now that we're starting to see an influx of new talent, Kerley feels he's being left behind.

Kerley instantly became our best receiver and player on offense the moment that Holmes (that godforsaken douche) walked out the door--and perhaps even before, because Kerley would never toss the ball to the other team if he got hurt. And then walked in Decker. Then Owusu. Marshall. Smith. Enunwa. Kerley probably thinks he deserves a bigger slice of the pie, and now that he actually has to compete for it, he's finding his roster spot is not as guaranteed as it used to be. He was a pretty decent player for us, and I was expecting him to get plenty of opportunities this season, but it kinda seems like his time here is running short. Although if he could just turn into an explosive punt returner, it would do wonders for him.

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Same thing happened to M Lynch when Gailey took over in Buffalo, he just didn't fit what Gailey wanted to do, Kerley doesn't fit what Gailey, and Bowles want to do on offense.  I think some of Lynch's attitude affected what happened to him with Gailey also, but only they truly know the whole story.

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forgot about Edelman. He'd start on the Pats on the outside. They have sh*t. 

they have sh*t but they run that system to perfection. The Pats are prime examples of winning via execution and doing so consistently. I hate them with a passion but that system has always produced even when Cassel came in or WR's changed they still produced. They must work their asses off to perfect what they do so you also throw in a little cheating and viola you have a consistent SB contender

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A WR who thinks he should be a starter.

News at 11.

Zzzzzz.

Sorry Kerley, Rex is gone, no more "Rex's guys" getting all the time.

I like you, but if you want to play, win the job.

Forget the Rex guy stance Kerly was arguably the best Jets receiver the last 2 seasons. Now with Marshell and a healthy Decker his stock has fallen with an addition of talent.

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Smart to sign the extension but now he's too expensive to cut and too expensive for a #4-6 receiver so he's tough to trade. If he gets traded it's to a team desperate for talent where he'll endure another sh*tty QB. If he ends up languishing at the bottom of WR depth and making those terrible punt returns then he's just going to be a forgotten player that nobody will want at the end of his contract. He'll go into FA with a film full of waiving at punts.

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He's awkwardly stuck between being not big enough and not fast enough. In previous years when we didn't have NFL caliber receivers he fit us well now he's not as big as our bigs (Marshall/Deck) and he's not as fast as our smalls (Owusu/Smith) he has good hands and was clutch on third down but that speaks to the lack of talent we had as opposed to his talent. We didn't really have a go to guy to feed it to he was the best we had with Decker drawing all of the attention of defenses but now we have a roster full of go to's (understanding Decker/Owusu were already here last year) I like Kerley I think he's too good to sit on the bench but our WR depth is pretty stacked. He's shifty but he's not a burner like our other smaller guys. Id like it if we could move him for his sake.

He's not even as big as the "smalls."

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