Steveg Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Jets offensive lineman James Carpenter is building Pro Bowl season From a distance, you half-expected the man to be an angry, surly S.O.B. who grunted his way through conversations. After all, you’d never actually heard him speak in the nine months since his arrival. James Carpenter has spent this season working in the shadows for one of the league’s most formidable offensive lines. Anonymity is a part of life in the NFL trenches, but the Jets’ left guard deserves Pro Bowl consideration. It turns out that he actually does speak, even if it’s not his preferred mode of communication. “I don’t talk that much,” Carpenter said with a laugh. He plays a position without concrete statistics, which makes it difficult for a fantasy-football crazed fan base to appreciate his standout play this season. Interior linemen are overlooked by the FanDuel and DraftKings crowd. For all the praise heaped on rookie general manager Mike Maccagnan for his free-agent spending spree, getting Carpenter after a couple of pricier options went elsewhere turned out to be a brilliant move. The Jets have already had solid returns on their four-year, $19.1 million investment. “I’m very fired up to have Carp here,” offensive line coach Steve Marshall said. “The way he’s played, he’s certainly a Pro Bowl-type guard. He quietly goes about his business. He’s a guy that deserves Pro Bowl recognition. I hope that comes.” Take the time to study the trenches and you’ll see what others around the league have noticed through three quarters of this season: Carpenter has been dominating opponents. The fifth-year lineman has allowed only five quarterback hits and went the first 11 games without allowing a sack (he gave up his first against the Giants last week), according to Pro Football Focus. “He’s been crushing people,” said right tackle Breno Giacomini, who played three seasons with Carpenter in Seattle. Carpenter, playing between pillars D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold, has helped keep quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick upright for much of the season. The Jets have allowed the second fewest sacks (17) in the league. Carpenter has also been instrumental opening holes for Chris Ivory, the second-leading rusher in the AFC. Rex Ryan made it clear that he believed that Carpenter was “playing at a Pro Bowl level” before the Bills came to MetLife Stadium last month. Carpenter, who joined a line with four returning starters, has infused the right attitude. He might be a man of few words, but his winning pedigree has not been lost on his new teammates. He won a national championship at Alabama before hoisting the Lombardi Trophy with the Seahawks. His message to teammates every day is clear: Let’s just be great. He has a champion’s work ethic and mindset. “He understands what it takes to win and the preparation you have to have to be successful in this league,” said Marshall, who coached Packers Pro Bowl left guard Josh Sitton last season. “You never take anything for granted. He has prepared like that every week… He’s kind of set the tempo in that regard for a lot of our younger guys and even some of the older guys. He doesn’t back off an inch.” Carpenter has learned plenty from Mangold and Ferguson to improve his game. Giacomini has seen clear evidence of growth from the last time they played together during the Seahawks’ Super Bowl season in 2013. “If everybody does their job, good things will happen,” Carpenter said. “So, I just try to lead that way: Do my job the best I can.” At 6-5, 321 pounds, he often gets recognized on the street as a football player, but strangers aren’t quite sure whom he plays for. It’s likely that Jets fans wouldn’t even know what he looks like. Such is life as an NFL guard. “He’s a Wookiee,” Mangold said. “He’s quiet, he’s powerful, he’s loyal as all get-out… and he’s got a lot of hair.” Carpenter’s sheer size prompted his high school basketball coach to believe he’d have a bruising menace in the paint. “That’s what I was supposed to do,” Carpenter said of being a banger. “But I was terrible.” His mean streak has always been reserved for a football field. He plays the way linemen are supposed to play. He plays angry even if he’s rarely angry at any other time during the day. He’s a simple man, who spends his free time with his fiancée. Sometimes he goes into the city to have a good meal. Sometimes he just sits on his couch. “I watch some weird TV shows,” he said. “I like to watch ‘The Big Bang Theory.’ It used to be my favorite.” Carpenter doesn’t particularly enjoy talking about himself, which is understandable given the position he plays. He doesn’t have to this season. His performances on Sundays have said plenty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bitonti Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 and people say the Jets OL needs rebuilding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerfish Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Another of Macs great pick ups in the off season. When you don't hear about or mention an olineman game in and game out he's usually doing a great job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villain The Foe Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 and people say the Jets OL needs rebuilding LT, C, RT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 and people say the Jets OL needs rebuilding Not a rebuild. But definitely some augmenting. Tannenbaum and Idzik never were able to use those mid-round picks on OL effectively. We're lucky to have had Mangold and Brick all these years, and now to add Carpenter. But we definitely could use upgrades at RG and RT, and we'll need to take a hard look at our long-term future at LT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villain The Foe Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Not a rebuild. But definitely some augmenting. Tannenbaum and Idzik never were able to use those mid-round picks on OL effectively. We're lucky to have had Mangold and Brick all these years, and now to add Carpenter. But we definitely could use upgrades at RG and RT, and we'll need to take a hard look at our long-term future at LT. You're right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetup Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 The Jets Oline does need rebuilding, just not on Bricks and Carpenters side. It's the other side that needs the work. I can actually say that Beno has played dramatically better compared to last year, BUT we need a real guard. Not Colon and Not Winters. We need to draft or get one in FA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirorob Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 The Jets Oline does need rebuilding, just not on Bricks and Carpenters side. It's the other side that needs the work. I can actually say that Beno has played dramatically better compared to last year, BUT we need a real guard. Not Colon and Not Winters. We need to draft or get one in FA Jets need to spend one of their first 2 draft picks on an O Lineman. Probably the 1st rounders, since they keep efffing up their second rounders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augustiniak Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 i can easily see them signing a RG in FA and then drafting a T in the first round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lego My Lageman Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 I dont think we need to rebuild, like at all. We just need to keep the flow of good "next men" for Bowles to coach. Make something out of those late round guys and ufas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetscrazey Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Carpenter and Winters have both been ok this year. Giacomini and Ferguson, combined with Mangold's time out for injury, have been the problem. Gailey certainly hasn't helped by putting the tackles in a lot of 1-on-1 situations with elite pass rushers. I think he does it because the offense is designed to get the ball out quickly, so interior pass rush gets priority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cant wait Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Carpenter has been a great addition but I'd like the jets to add a swingman that can move around on the line and play multiple positions, we need some insurance for mangold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cant wait Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Carpenter and Winters have both been ok this year. Giacomini and Ferguson, combined with Mangold's time out for injury, have been the problem. Gailey certainly hasn't helped by putting the tackles in a lot of 1-on-1 situations with elite pass rushers. I think he does it because the offense is designed to get the ball out quickly, so interior pass rush gets priority. some TE help is definitely needed too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afosomf Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 wait I was told my tommy shane all bama players are soft lmao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetup Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Either way we need to bring in two Olineman via draft or FA. Also we definitely need a competent backup center because as Nick goes, so does the Jets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rillo Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 and people say the Jets OL needs rebuilding Wouldn't say a complete rebuild, but a real RT would be nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurnleyJet Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Guard first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larz Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 the first thing I noticed in camp is he is a massive dude !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetster Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Breno is an overachiever who struggles a lot but works his azz off. I'd like to draft best Tackle available in 2016 & start him at right tackle. Brick contract needs to be redone, if he was cut it would be very difficult to get HUGE MONEY, he's near the end of his career & he's not a good run blocker. I just don't see Brick wanting to leave NY so I see him being open to redo his contract as long as it's still in line with what he'd get in FA at his age. I think Winters can get better, stronger, smarter & become like a Slauson type. A pass rusher would mean more to the Jets next year than another FA guard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 the first thing I noticed in camp is he is a massive dude !!! Go on. :unzips: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetdawgg Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Carp has made a huge difference this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenorGato Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Hoping the Jets can steal Andre Smith from the Bengals this offseason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afosomf Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Hoping the Jets can steal Andre Smith from the Bengals this offseason. Bama players are soft that is the word on the street Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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