D dept. : are we switching from a 3-4 front to a 4-3 ? ? ?

[kelly]

• 
  Rich CiminiESPN Staff Writer

•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
• Email
• print
• comment

A look at what's happening around the New York Jets :

~ ~   7. Hired gun : If the Jets aren't satisfied with their young edge rushers at the end of the preseason, they should consider a call to Dwight Freeney, 36, who said last week on SportsCenter that he wants to play another season. He proved last season that he still has a knack for sacking the quarterback, as he racked up eight sacks in 11 games for the Arizona Cardinals. He'd supply instant pass rush. Just saying.

rest  of  above  article  : 

>     http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/60375/slow-playing-the-ryan-fitzpatrick-situation-could-backfire-on-jets

[Mainejet]

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to publish an article posing this very question. Darron Lee is NOT cut out to play in a 3-4 formation. Keeping him in a 3-4 formation is like putting t!ts on a bull. It's just useless. But in a 4-3, this guy is extremely fast sideline to sideline and that is exactly what the Jets need to defend that wheel route. So it's either change their formation or move Lee to Safety. If they keep him in a 3-4, this will go down as one of the worst drafts the Jets have ever had.

[JetBlue]

On 3/22/2016 at 11:55 AM, drdetroit said:

We have no edge rushers and our linebackers aren't fast enough how does this make sense? McClendon played nose in Pittsburgh 

Flash forward to May 2016, Darron Lee, Jordan Jenkins and Bruce Carter say Hi 

[kelly]

• 
  Rich CiminiESPN Staff Writer

•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
• Email
• print
• comment

A look at what's happening around the New York Jets  :

1.Tweaking the D: The Jets were a top-10 defense last season in the major statistical categories, but one area that needs work is their sub defense -- the nickel and dime packages. Everybody knows how important they are in today's game. With so many spread offenses, it's common for defenses to use their nickel personnel for at least 50 percent of the snaps.Interestingly, the Jets used their nickel and dime packages for only 440 snaps (43 percent), good for 21st in the league, according to ESPN Stats & Information. They didn't perform particularly well with five or six defensive backs on the field, finishing 21st in yards per play (6.19), 19th in yards per rush (5.29) and 15th in yards per pass attempt (7.06).

Perhaps that factored into some of their draft-day decisions. First-round pickDarron Lee, known as a blitz-and-cover linebacker, will play immediately in the nickel. Third-round pick Jordan Jenkins could start out as a pass-rushing specialist and fourth-round cornerback Juston Burris will have a chance to work his way into playing time. If nothing else, the Jets will have more speed on the field for those crucial second-and-long and third-and-long plays.

~ 4. The three wise men: The Jets have to be one of the most seasoned teams in the league when it comes to interior defense. The three men in the middle -- inside linebackers David Harris and Erin Henderson, plus nose tackle Steve McLendon -- have a combined 22 seasons of experience. The downside is you always worry about a lack of speed when you're dealing with older players. Henderson and McLendon replaced younger players, Demario Davis andDamon Harrison, respectively.Harris likes his new middle men. On Henderson: "He played better and better as the season went on. You go back and watch and the last game of the season, he played phenomenal. It all came together for him. We're all looking for great things from him this year."On McLendon: "[Harrison] was a hell of a player for us. He pretty much averaged 70 tackles a season playing nose tackle, and that's unheard of. Now Steve is here. He comes from a similar system in Pittsburgh. He knows a lot of our verbiage already. I talk to him almost every day. ... He's athletic, he's as strong as an ox and he's a veteran, so he knows how to approach it."

~  8. Ear plugs could be an option: The neighborhood around Harris' locker has changed. Gone is the retired D'Brickashaw Ferguson, quiet and always mature beyond his years. New in that part of the locker room are Sheldon Richardson and Rontez Miles, both young and brash. "I guess I have to be the old, wise [leader]," Harris cracked.

rest of above article  :

>      http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/60498/jets-hatch-plan-to-prevent-defense-from-getting-nickel-and-dimed

[kelly]

• 
  Rich CiminiESPN Staff Writer

•  
•  
•  
•  
•  
• Email
• print
• comment

The New York Jets return to the field on Tuesday for the first time since their crushing loss to the Buffalo Bills. Yep, it's that time of the offseason -- organized team activities, better known as OTAs.The Jets have 10 non-contact practices over the next three weeks, followed by a three-day mandatory minicamp (June 14-16). The first practice open to the media is Wednesday.

A look at the top storylines :

~ ~   3. Building chemistry on D : Bowles has four new starters to break in, so these offseason practices are important from a communication standpoint. The good news is that three of them were backups last season and have experience in the system -- linebackers Erin Henderson and Lorenzo Mauldin and cornerback Buster Skrine. The only newcomer is McLendon, who replacesDamon Harrison. With Darrelle Revis out, Skrine and Marcus Williams -- both battling for Antonio Cromartie's old job -- figure to get most of the reps. Assuming he's healthy, Dee Milliner begins his last-chance season.

rest of above article  : 

>     http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/60517/for-starters-geno-smith-remember-him-will-lead-jets-offense

[kelly]

@eallenjets @nyjets do you think the cornerback that will play opposite @Revis24 is currently on the roster ?

12:30 PM - 11 May 2016

 

EA: We are still four months out from the regular season, so there is a long way to go. I think the Jets will allow their current group of corners to compete on the outside and then go from there.  Buster Skrine  will get the first crack at CB2 although he certainly can move back inside as well. 

Marcus Williams  had a team-leading six interceptions in limited duty last season and  Dee Milliner , the No. 9 overall selection in the 2013 draft, is still 24 years old.  Juston Burris , an NC State product taken in Round 4, has intriguing size and could eventually become a factor down the line.

rest of above article : 

> http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-6/-EA-QA-Youth-Can-Take-the-Jets-to-Next-Level/3301829b-f6ed-44fa-ae00-7aa63739a84f

[kelly]

@eallenjets @nyjets what defensive front will the jets play more of this year? 3-4 or 4-3? Thanks.

6:07 PM - 11 May 2016

EA: Remains to be seen. MMQB.com’s immensely talented Andy Benoit wrote last year of Bowles, “The labeling is mostly academic anyway. Structure doesn’t define Bowles’s system. Concepts do, especially nickel and dime sub-package concepts.” Bowles and defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers are going to bring the heat and enter Darron Lee – a speedster at the linebacker position who can get to the quarterback quickly (think A gap or the edge) or help immediately in coverage. Even without Damon Harrison, the Jets will boast one of the most talented defensive fronts as  Steve McLendon  and  Jarvis Jenkins  were quality value signings in free agency. The Jets will benefit from having  Sheldon Richardson  to start the year and the linebacker position will be interesting to monitor this summer as a lot of youth surrounds  David Harris  and Erin Henderson.

rest of above article : 

> http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-6/-EA-QA-Youth-Can-Take-the-Jets-to-Next-Level/3301829b-f6ed-44fa-ae00-7aa63739a84f

[kelly]

The Jets have been searching for a pass-rushing outside linebacker for a decade now. Since the team traded John Abraham, the role has gone unfilled despite the team throwing money and draft picks at it.

Now, that search has gone north of the border. This offseason, the Jets signed Freddie Bishop III, who had 11 sacks for the Calgary Stampeders last season in the Canadian Football League. As the Jets open spring practices this week, Bishop is one of the most intriguing players on the roster.“I don’t know that you compare the number, but 11 sacks is 11 sacks,” Jets coach Todd Bowles said. “I was in Miami when Cameron Wake got there, and we took him from Canada. Sometimes it takes guys time to develop, and you can develop over there and come back over here and be good players or can develop over there and have a career over there. We saw some things in Freddie, not just the sacks, but as far as him playing the position and knowing how to play the position that made him appealing to us and made us want to sign him.”

Last spring as he got settled into the job, Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan told his scouting department he wanted them to take a hard look at Canada. When Maccagnan was a young scout with the Redskins, he used to mine the CFL for overlooked talent. Pro personnel director Matt Bazirgan assigned scouts to every team in the CFL. When the Canadian season ended in November, the Jets had a list of players they wanted to work out. Bishop was on the list.The Jets were not alone in their interest in Bishop. He worked out for seven teams before signing with the Jets. Bishop impressed the Jets with his power-rush moves. Bishop went undrafted out of Western Michigan in 2013, spent a brief time with the Lions that spring, then went to Canada.

At 6-foot-3, 255 pounds, Bishop looks the part of an outside linebacker.

“The biggest thing to me that stood out about him from Day 1 was just that this was clearly an athletic guy — one of those guys that you see in the uniform and he immediately passes that eyeball test,” said Duane Ford, a CFL analyst for TSN.The Stampeders had some good pass rushers when Bishop got there, so he spent most of his first two years in the CFL watching and learning. He became a starter last year, and his impact was felt.

“He had to wait his turn, and then when he got his chance he exploded,” said Glen Suitor, another TSN analyst.

He played opposite Stampeders star Charleston Hughes, a player most teams in the CFL game plan against, according to the analysts. That helped Bishop get more opportunities, but he took advantage of them.“He’s a jack of all trades,” Stampeders defensive coordinator DeVone Claybrooks said. “He can play in coverage. We asked him to do a lot of things. We asked him to play inside at the three-technique where he was powerful enough to do that, but he’s also athletic enough to drop into coverage on zone blitzes, plus he is a very powerful and skilled pass rusher.”

Claybrooks played for the Cowboys in 2004 when Bowles and Jets defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers were both position coaches there. Claybrooks told Bishop the Jets would be a great fit for him.the Jets have a room of unproven outside linebackers. They have moved on from longtime starters Quinton Coples and Calvin Pace and now have a bunch of young players trying to win the job.

The 26-year-old faces a major adjustment coming back to the United States version of football. In Canada, defensive linemen line up 1 yard off the ball, so they have a running start at the offensive line. Bishop saw it as an advantage for the offense, but others disagree.Bishop inevitably will be compared to Wake, who has become a star for the Dolphins after a CFL career, but that probably is unfair.“He’s definitely not Cam Wake,” Forde said. “Cam is unique in any league he plays in. Cameron Wake up here was a guy who sort of dominated everybody he played against. Freddie, to me, in this league was a good player, but I wouldn’t describe him as a dominant Canadian Football League player.”

Even if he is not Wake, he has a shot at making the Jets if he can play special teams and show some ability off the edge. The Jets sold Bishop on getting a chance to compete.They told me the chances were good,” Bishop said. “They told me it was going to be an opportunity.”

>    http://nypost.com/2016/05/24/meet-the-sack-master-lb-project-jets-unearthed-from-canada/

[kelly]

Taking a respite from Ryan Fitzpatrick and the New York Jets' quarterback situation, let's shift into X's-and-O's mode with a scheme-related question as it pertains to the defense.

@RichCimini #jetsmail with the personnel the Jets have wouldn't they be better off in a 4-3 base rather then 3-4

12:04 PM - 27 May 2016

 

@RichCimini: I happen to agree with you, Nolan, but I don't think Todd Bowles will deviate from his 3-4 base.

Right now, their challenge is finding ways to get Muhammad Wilkerson,Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams on the field together. After all, the whole point of coaching is to get your best players in the action. Defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers addressed this the other day, saying, "As we look at it now, our main question is, how are we going to line up? That would be a good question as we get close to training camp because those three guys are really good football players. ... It probably would be more advantageous for us to get them all on the field at the same time."But that's tough to do in a 3-4 base because none of them plays nose tackle. Let's play coach for a moment. In a 4-3 front, you could play Richardson and Williams inside, with Wilkerson as the strongside end and Lorenzo Mauldin as the weakside end (a position he played in college). You'd have David Harris at middle linebacker, with Erin Henderson on the strong side and rookie Darron Lee as the weakside 'backer. Looks good, right?

Your question piqued my curiosity about last season's rotation with Wilkerson, Richardson, Williams and nose tackle Damon Harrison, now a former Jet.

Below you will see the playing-time leaders (based on snaps) at the various positions on the defensive line, via ESPN Stats & Information. Unfortunately, I don't have a count on how many plays the Wilkerson-Richardson-Williams troika played together. It happened quite a bit late in the year because Richardson was moved to outside linebacker. That won't happen again, according to the coaches.One thing to remember when you're reading these snap counts: Each defensive-line position is included, regardless of scheme. As you know, the Jets didn't play a basic 3-4 on every play -- they switched fronts -- which explains why there are five different positions. Also note that Richardson missed five games.

FIRST AND SECOND DOWN

Left end: Wilkerson 333, Williams 38, Richardson 16.

Left tackle: Wilkerson 263, Williams 131, Harrison 94, Richardson 51.

Nose tackle: Harrison 313, Williams 26, Wilkerson 23, Richardson 4.

Right tackle: Williams 310, Harrison 86, Richardson 77, Wilkerson 22.

Right end: Richardson 162, Williams 102, Wilkerson 30.

THIRD DOWN

Left end: Wilkerson 71, Williams 17, Richardson 15.

Left tackle: Wilkerson 67, Williams 35, Richardson 18, Harrison 8.

Nose tackle: Williams 26, Wilkerson 26, Harrison 18, Richardson 2.

Right tackle: Williams 54, Richardson 31, Harrison 19, Wilkerson 8.

Right end: Richardson 37, Williams 19, Wilkerson 15.

Basically, the Jets have three very talented interior-type linemen in Wilkerson, Richardson and Williams, all of whom are 300-plus pounds. I think Bowles and Rodgers are smart enough to know they have to be flexible, mixing up their fronts. A lot of those decisions will be game plan oriented, based on the opponent. If the Jets are facing a power-running team like the Buffalo Bills, you could see the Big Three in a 4-3 front, with newcomer Steve McLendon on the nose. Against a spread offense, they might go with a smaller, faster front, which could mean rotating the Big Three.

To me, this is the most challenging scheme-related decision facing the Jets.

>       http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/60601/jets-defensive-riddle-how-to-incorporate-big-three-into-one-scheme

[kelly]

Last year defensive end Jarvis Jenkins had the best season of his professional career. He pulled in career highs in starts (15), tackles (32), sacks (four) and QB hits (11). Now he’s ready to translate that successwith the Jets in 2016. The Clemson product is also reunited with his former college roommate,Marcus Gilchrist, and former Bears teammate, Matt Forté.

What’s it like living in the New York metropolitan area ?

“I definitely like it. It’s fast paced, there’s a lot of people here…but you know, I’m glad to be here, glad to be another addition to this football team and hopefully get a championship here.”

How do you translate your career high 4 sacks into this season ?

“I definitely just need to build from the momentum I started last year, you know. Last year was obviously one of my best years but I can’t let that be my peak. I learned a lot and had a lot of mistakes also which could have been better. I’m going to learn from the positivity I had and add it to my game and hopefully get another career high this year.”

How is the D-line shaping up ?

“We’ve got a lot of guys there working hard, building camaraderie together, playing with each other and getting used to each other. Once we all get together as one, it’s going to be a sight to see, and I’m really looking forward to getting to work with these guys.”

What is Matt Forté like as a teammate ?

“He teaches you how to work hard. He’s just one of those guys, man. He actually has a shirt that says ‘22 work hard’ and he doesn’t just wear that shirt just to wear it. When I first got to Chicago I saw the shirt, which he had for seven years, and every day he wore it. There wasn’t one day I didn’t see him in the weight room at 6 a.m. doing extra work before everybody got there – It shows why he’s a Pro Bowler.”

How does it feel to reunite with former college roommate Marcus Gilchrist ?

“It was kind of weird…we were roommates for four years and then we got drafted, but once I told him I was visiting the Jets and potentially signing he was pumped up about it. I’m just ready to get back to work with that guy. Playing with him for four years in college and then coming here, it was reminiscent, because he calls out every play he sees. He’s one of smartest guys I’ve been around so it’s going to be good to get back on the field with him again.”

>     http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-7/5-Questions-with-Jarvis-Jenkins-/37391370-2ce1-45ae-893f-1970252a5f68

[kelly]

JETS' DEFENSE HAS PLENTY OF STAR POWER

Gang Green's defense has some holes, but few units have top talents like Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Darrelle Revis. The group lands very high on Bill Barnwell's list.Ranking defensive triplets

 

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

[kelly]

Over the course of the next several weeks, Jets Wire will be taking a look at many of the team’s positional battles leading up to training camp. From backup spots, to starting positions, we’ll break them all down. On tap today? The nose tackle

POSITION:

Nose Tackle

SPOT ON DEPTH CHART:

Starter

PLAYERS COMPETING

Steve McLendon, Deon Simon

FAVORITE:

Steve McLendon

ANALYSIS:

The player that starts at this position Week 1 may not be the one that finishes the year atop the depth chart.

One of the more intriguing battles to watch throughout training camp and the preseason will be the one right at the heart of the Jets’ defensive line. With Damon Harrison now with the Giants, former Steeler Steve McLendon, and last year’s seventh-round pick Deon Simon, will fight it out to replace him. As things stand right now, McLendon is slated to be the starter. But the position is very much up for grabs.

See, here’s the thing: For the most part, McLendon is who he is. He’s a solid run stuffer. He’s not gonna do anything crazy, nor is he going to rush the passer. He’s going to clog the middle of the field and not much else. Having spent eight years in the NFL, there isn’t much McLendon is going to do to surprise anyone.

Simon, on the other hand, is an unknown. The wildcard in the bunch.

A 6-4, 334-pound mountain of a man, Simon spent 2015 developing on the Jets practice squad after playing low-level college ball at Northwestern State. Now with that year under his belt, if Simon has made a legitimate jump in progression, there’s a good chance he can push McLendon for playing time.

Odds are? Look for McLendon to start the year as the Jets starter, before Simon takes the spot from him midway through the year.

>      http://jetswire.usatoday.com/2016/07/04/jets-training-camp-position-battles-nose-tackle/

[JustInFudge]

I swear on my life that this has been a possibility since Mangini.  Every offseason there is either an article or a poster who claims it.  The reality is, it doesnt matter anymore if you're a 4-3 or 3-4 team because teams play so much Nickel that everyone has a sh*t ton of 4 man fronts in their scheme and everyone has the personnel now to deploy it. 

[kelly]

Barnwell: Jets ‘D’ Triplets No. 5

Green & White Have Difference Makers on the Defensive Side of the Ball

Last season, Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson combined to rack up 17 total sacks andDarrelle Revis also registered a career-high 9 takeaways.  ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes the Jets’ defensive trio is among the best in the league, ranking them No. 5 overall.

“The Jets' big three isn't without question marks, but it's difficult to find a more impactful trio when all three are at their best,” Barnwell said.

Wilkerson, who is recovering from a broken right fibula, earned his first Pro Bowl selection last season after racking up a career-high 12 sacks. His 28.5 sacks have paced the club since the beginning of 2013. Revis underwent offseason wrist surgery, but the star corner participated in individual drills this spring and expects to be ready to go for training camp.

"I've still got a lot of ways to go, especially over the summer, to get it 100 percent," Revis told reporters, "but I've just got to keep on stabbing it and working on it."

Richardson, who racked up five sacks and 19 QB hurries in just 11 contests last season, will miss the Jets’ first game while serving a league suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Eligibleto participate in all preseason practices and games, the trimmed-down Richardson will stay up front along the defensive line in 2016.

>     http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-7/-Barnwell-Jets-‘D’-Triplets-No-5/3dab30a7-2369-4fdb-912f-9d810762053d

[kelly]

Steve McLendon knows he got a contract from the Jets to, at least on paper, fill the nose tackle spot vacated when Damon Harrison left in free agency. But McLendon  told  NJ.com he’s focused on being the best player he can be, not on being the next “Snacks” Harrison or even his true replacement.

Getty ImagesSteve McLendon knows he got a contract from the Jets to, at least on paper, fill the nose tackle spot vacated when Damon Harrison left in free agency.But McLendon told NJ.com he’s focused on being the best player he can be, not on being the next “Snacks” Harrison or even his true replacement.

“He was like the traditional nose tackle, do it all,” McLendon said of Harrison. “Big, strong, explosive. I’m not as big as him. My game is built off quickness and strength. I try to stay light. Using my hands a little bit more, because I know I’m probably not going to be able to … I mean, I can hold double teams.

“But big Damon Harrison, he’s a monster. He’s a monster, man. He’s big and strong. And he can move. That’s why I said we’re two different players. I really can’t say I’m a nose tackle. I’m a defensive tackle. He’s a traditional nose tackle. I’m a defensive tackle.”

Harrison signed with the Giants at the start of free agency, getting a five-year deal worth $24 million in guaranteed money. He started every game the last three years for the Jets and was an important piece of some pretty good defenses.

Harrison is listed at 6-foot-4, 350, hence McLendon calling him “a monster.” The Steelers listed McLendon last season at 6-foot-3, 310. McLendon has been in this spot before; he moved into the starting lineup after longtime Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton — who was listed at 325 pounds — retired.

McLendon started 32 of the 79 games he played with the Steelers from 2010-15.

“I’m not taking over for [Harrison],” McLendon said. “I’m just coming here to playfootball. He went somewhere else. I came here. So it’s not like I’m taking over for anybody.”

>      http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/07/03/mclendon-says-hes-his-own-man-not-focused-on-replacing-harrison/