Jets Have Second Best Defensive Line in League ? ? ?

[kelly]

NFL.com : Jets Have Second Best Defensive Line in League

Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com ranked the top defensive lines in the NFL. The Jets fared unsurprisingly well, ranking only behind the Rams.

The Jets' defensive line is so good that it can lose one of football's prime run-stoppers in Damon Harrison and still rank as our top 3-4 defensive lines. Richardson slashes and burns like a player 50 pounds lighter. It is no surprise Rex Ryan used him as a goal-line back in 2013 because it always looks like Richardson is playing downhill.

Wilkerson always looks like the smartest, most complete lineman on the field. He is the rare pass rusher that often picks up his sacks by reading the play in front of him and reacting. If the Jets need to roll with Geno Smith for a season just to save cap room to pay Wilkerson all the money, they should just let Ryan Fitzpatrick walk. Williams should soon be part of the top starting trio in football, while Jenkins could be a sneaky steal for depth. This line forms Todd Bowles' best defense against a sophomore slump.

 

Rosenthal doesn't even mention Steve McLendon. McLendon is probably the fourth best lineman on the roster, but he could end up being a sneaky value signing. He won't play at the same level as Harrison, but he can give this team quality snaps, which combined with an improvement out of Williams might be enough to take the unit to the next level.

There also has been some buzz around 2015 seventh round pick Deon Simon. Dom Cosentino posted an article with defensive line coach Pepper Johnson praising Simon. When combined with the praise Simon got from Mike Maccagnan mentor Charley Casserly earlier in the offseason, one might wonder whether the Jets are really excited about his potential. The comparison people will likely make is the one Casserly made. Harrison was also an unheralded small school prospect who didn't play in year one. It isn't fair to expect Simon to become Harrison, but if he could become a decent rotational guy for cheap, it would be a win for the Jets and make their depth better.

>     http://www.ganggreennation.com/2016/7/7/12113898/nfl-com-jets-have-second-best-defensive-line-in-league

[Larz]

Better be, lol

[EM31]

It is almost bizarre at this point the way that successive Jets front offices have had good luck finding DL talent in unusual places.  Whether it was Mike Devito, Damon Harrison or a number of other decent contributors we have done quite well filling out the DL line depth behind our front line studs with UDFAs, late round picks or free agent detritus.

If only we had the same level of good luck elsewhere.

[joewilly12]

[kelly]

The Jets have one of the NFL's best defensive lines. That much you know, if you follow the team even a little bit. Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, and Leonard Williams make for quite a combination. 

(By the way, it sure looks like Wilkerson is going to play 2016 on a one-year franchise tag contract.) 

Yes, nose tackle Damon Harrison departed for theGiants in free agency, and the Jets replaced him with Steve McLendon. So there are somequestions at that spot. 

But the 2016 Jets still have an excellent defensive line. Is it the NFL's best ? 

Well, not according torankings compiled by NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal, who listed his top 12 defensive lines. He put the Jets at No. 2, behind the Rams. The rest of the top five is the Bengals, Giants, and Panthers from Nos. 3-5. 

Here is Rosenthal's explanation for his ranking of the Jets' defensive line at No. 2. He assessed not only Wilkerson, Richardson, Williams, and McLendon, but also free agent pickup Jarvis Jenkins, a depth addition.  

The Jets' defensive line is so good that it can lose one of football's prime run-stoppers in Damon Harrison and still rank as our top 3-4 defensive lines. Richardson slashes and burns like a player 50 pounds lighter. It is no surprise Rex Ryan used him as a goal-line back in 2013 because it always looks like Richardson is playing downhill.

Wilkerson always looks like the smartest, most complete lineman on the field. He is the rare pass rusher that often picks up his sacks by reading the play in front of him and reacting. If the Jets need to roll with Geno Smith for a season just to save cap room to pay Wilkerson all the money, they should just letRyan Fitzpatrick walk. Williams should soon be part of the top starting trio in football, while Jenkins could be a sneaky steal for depth. This line forms Todd Bowles' best defense against a sophomore slump.

Do you agree that the Jets' defensive line is behind the Rams' group? Or should the Jets be No. 1? Sound off down in the comments.

>       http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/07/jets_dont_have_nfls_best_defensive_line.html#incart_river_index

 

[Integrity28]

On 7/8/2016 at 5:10 PM, EM31 said:

It is almost bizarre at this point the way that successive Jets front offices have had good luck finding DL talent in unusual places.  Whether it was Mike Devito, Damon Harrison or a number of other decent contributors we have done quite well filling out the DL line depth behind our front line studs with UDFAs, late round picks or free agent detritus.

If only we had the same level of good luck elsewhere.

Well, we did have a defensive line coach as our head coach for what felt like an eternity... so, there's that.

[kelly]

We recently informed you of some defensive line rankings done by NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal, who placed the Jets second in his league-wide pecking order, behind the Rams.But what about the Jets' defensive front as a whole? We're talking about the defensive linemen and linebackers here. 

Well, Pro Football Focus is out with some rankings of the NFL's best defensive fronts. And the Jets check in at No. 10.The teams ahead of the Jets: the Broncos, Seahawks, Panthers, Rams, Raiders, Vikings, Chiefs, Texans, and Bears. 

Here is PFF's take on the Jets' defensive front : 

Projected starters: DE Leonard Williams, NT Steve McLendon, DEMuhammad Wilkerson; OLB Lorenzo Mauldin, OLB Sheldon Richardson; ILB David Harris, ILB Darron Lee

Other names to know: DE Jarvis Jenkins; OLB Jordan Jenkins; ILB Erin Henderson, ILB Bruce Carter

Key stat: The Jets allowed only one rushing touchdown in base defense — fewest in the NFL in 2015.

Though Sheldon Richardson will miss Week 1 for the second year in a row, the Jets still boast an embarrassment of riches up front on the defensive line. Richardson, Leonard Williams, and Muhammad Wilkerson power a defense whose biggest weakness is a lack of production off the edge, a hole that Lorenzo Mauldin and rookie Jordan Jenkins will be charged with plugging. At the second level, an upgrade on the departed Demario Davis next to David Harris could yet see this defense take a jump forwards in Todd Bowles' second year at the helm.

A few points here. Richardson isn't going to be an outside linebacker this year unless something crazy happens. And Henderson is currently starting ahead of Lee, though Lee will have an important role in the Jets' defense. Don't be surprised if Jordan Jenkins is the starting outside linebacker opposite Mauldin. But PFF is right in its assessment that the Jets must upgrade their edge rushing in 2016. And Mauldin will play a big role in that mission. Davis stunk in pass coverage, particularly against fast running backs. The Jets hope Henderson and Lee can shore up that area of their defense. 

Do you think No. 10 is a fair ranking for the Jets' entire defensive front? Sound off in the comments. 

>  http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/07/jets_defensive_front_isnt_among_nfls_5_best_per_pr.html#incart_river_index

[kelly]

Breaking down the New York Jets' roster, unit by unit, in preparation for training camp :

Position: Defensive line

Projected starters: Muhammad Wilkerson, Steve McLendon, Sheldon Richardson/Leonard Williams

Projected reserves: Jarvis Jenkins

Notables on the bubble: Deon Simon

Top storyline: The Jets have a potentially dominant defensive line, but how will the Big Three (Wilkerson, Richardson and Williams) be deployed? The base defense is a 3-4, but none of them play nose tackle, so it will get tricky at times. Head coach Todd Bowles and defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers will no doubt cook up some fronts that allow all three to play at the same time. They finished last season with Richardson at outside linebacker, but the coaches have indicated they don't want to go down that road again. This will test their creativity and ability to keep all three happy. Before fracturing his leg in Week 17, Wilkerson was one of only four defensive linemen in the league who played at least 90 percent of his team's defensive snaps. Williams (77 percent) will command more PT as he improves in his second year, and Richardson (75 percent, not including his suspension) might be the most explosive player of them all.

Player to watch: McLendon has one of the toughest assignments on the roster: Replace Damon (Snacks) Harrison at nose tackle. McLendon, 30, is a grinder, a guy who worked his way up from an undrafted free agent to a starter with the Pittsburgh Steelers. That said, he played only 34 percent of snaps in 2015, sitting out on passing downs. He offers no pass rush and, at only 310 pounds, he's not a traditional anchor on the nose. But know this: The Steelers yielded only 2.31 yards per rush with him on the field, according to NFL stats, as opposed to 3.62 without him. The 1.31 differential was the highest in the NFL last season among defensive linemen who played at least 300 snaps.

Training camp will be a success if ...: Wilkerson plays in the third preseason game without aggravating his surgically repaired leg. That should be enough to get him ready for the Sept. 11 opener. A year ago, he missed the first two preseason games because of a hamstring injury, but the layoff obviously didn't affect his performance during the regular season. The Jets will be cautious with their new $86 million defensive end, probably keeping him out of contact drills for the early stage of camp. Wilkerson vows to be ready for Week 1, and if he is, that's all that matters.

Wild card: For the second straight year, Richardson will be suspended for the start of the regular season. This time, it's only one game, not four, so he figures to get a full diet of practice reps in camp. That will keep him in shape and focused. A year ago, he was a second-string afterthought as the coaches used the time to get Williams up to speed.

By the numbers: No team defended the run better against two-back sets than the Jets, who allowed a league-low 1.85 yards per carry, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

>     http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/61348/snacks-time-is-over-but-jets-loaded-defensive-line-still-has-huge-appetite

[drdetroit]

Depends on whether McClendon is even semi-decent.  The steelers defense didn't look very good last season

[Mainejet]

I think the writer could be splitting hairs claiming that the Rams have the best DL. The Rams are very good, no doubt, but the Jets are a very close second, if not right there with the Rams.

[nycdan]

Hard to argue that.  Rams DL is also scary good.  But they did add Coples as depth so that has to bring them down a notch.

[mkajet01]

They do! But no qb

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[Hackenberg - Banned]

9 hours ago, drdetroit said:

Depends on whether McClendon is even semi-decent.  The steelers defense didn't look very good last season

good enough to make playoffs and win a game. That makes 20 other teams look not gooder than them

[kelly]

 The world knew Jarvis Jenkins was signing with the Jets before Jarvis Jenkins agreed to sign with the Jets. 

This offseason, the defensive end was enjoying his tour on the free-agent market. A number of interested teams had contacted his agent, and visits were set up. The first on the itinerary? The Jets.After meeting New York's coaching staff in March, Jenkins left without a contract. At the airport a few hours later, he got a call from his agent saying the Jets made an offer. He was grateful, but wanted to wait to consider all options. 

When Jenkins got off the plane, his phone was blowing up with congratulatory texts. "A reporter was next to me and overheard my phone call," Jenkins told NJ Advance Media on Wednesday. "He heard me say, 'Ok, cool,' and thought I agreed to a contract. 

"I didn't actually sign for another week!"

When Jenkins did make his contract with the Jets official, it was a little bit of a surprise. After all, New York was quite deep at the defensive end position, and Jenkins was coming off a career year. Following four underwhelming seasons in Washington -- he had two total sacks -- Jenkins brought the QB down four times in 2015 with the Bears.A 28-year-old versatile defensive lineman coming into his own? It's no wonder a "good bit" of teams contacted Jenkins' agent wanting to sign him. Several of those teams were even willing to offer Jenkins a starting position. 

So why the heck did he pass, choosing instead to be the Jets' fourth-string defensive end? 

"You can't look at being a starter," Jenkins said. "Some of those places, yeah, they wanted me to be their starter, but I didn't think I fit in their defense. It wouldn't have worked well. At the end of the day, it's all about fit.

"I put my options on the table, and this is where I felt most comfortable."

That comfort stemmed from the way the Jets rotate their defensive linemen. Whether you're the starter, or fourth string, you see the field. Jenkins said it blew him away how even when Pro Bowlers Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson were resting, the defense was still dominant. 

That's what he wanted to be a part of. Now, he is.  "He can be a versatile piece," Jets coach Todd Bowles said. "We're still figuring out some of the things he can do, but right now we're keeping him inside. He has the versatility to go outside, right now we're keeping him inside."

Through organized team activities, minicamp and now two weeks of training camp, the Jets are exceeding Jenkins' expectations. He came in knowing the defense would be good, but the competitiveness has been a pleasant surprise. In the defensive line meeting room, everyone pushes everyone. It doesn't matter if you're a Pro Bowler, or undrafted rookie. 

"Every single person in there thinks they're the starter," Jenkins said. "It's great because iron sharpens iron. You got guys, young guys, competing like they're the starters and making plays. That drives you."

With the regular season fast approaching, the Jets' defensive front is starting to develop chemistry. In a full-contact drill Wednesday, there were more than a few big hits that sent all into a frenzy. And Jenkins says it's only the beginning. The sky's the limit for the Jets in 2016. 

"We can be a dominant unit," he said. "We just have to put our mind to it."

>   http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/08/how_jarvis_jenkins_became_a_jet_before_he_actually.html#incart_river_index

 

[kelly]

~ ~ 6. Up for a fight : It raised some eyebrows in the offseason when Jarvis Jenkins, a solid starter for the Chicago Bears, decided to sign a free-agent contract to play for the Jets, with one of the most talented defensive lines in the league. Jenkins said he had opportunities to start elsewhere, but he chose to play with Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson andLeonard Williams because he wanted to challenge himself.

“Even though I’m older than these guys, I look up to them because these guys can show me how to take my game to another level,” Jenkins said. A nice contract helped too. He will make starter’s money ($3 million), even though he’s projected as the fourth or fifth lineman.Jenkins looks like a terrific depth signing. Defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers can take one of the Big Three off the field knowing there won’t be a significant drop-off. The Jets did not have that luxury last year.

rest of above article : 

> http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/62267/memo-to-jets-the-more-the-merrier-doesnt-apply-to-quarterbacks

[Beerfish]

Has Sheldon Richardson done even one blessed thing in this camp?

[kelly]

Th

ree years ago, the Jets lost a quality veteran nose tackle, Sione Pouha. There was uncertainty at the position, and a second year player from a small schoolemerged not just as a starter but as one of the best run stuffers at his position in the league.

For this reason, comparisons to Damon Harrison come naturally to people when they discuss Deon Simon. Now Harrison is gone, and Simon is trying to emerge.These comparisons are probably unfair to Simon. How can you ask a kid to become as good as Harrison? If Simon develops into a quality rotational player, that would be a win for the Jets and worth the seventh round pick the team invested in him.

Simon is not likely to win a starting job. The Jets invested in a new nose tackle in the offseason, Steve McLendon. Back in 2013, the Jets only had Kenrick Ellis and veteran Antonio Garay, who had signed a cheap deal and was subsequently cut when Harrison emerged in the preseason. McLendon's contract makes it unlikely he will be Garayed this season.

Simon did seem to help his cause for a roster spot on Friday night against Washington, though. He flashed ability on a number of plays.

Here is a fourth and short play in the first half. Simon (number 93) does exactly what you want a nose tackle to do. He doesn't allow the offensive line to get any push, and he gets off his block to make the stuff when only one Washington lineman engages him.

This was another play where Simon held the point of attack and shed a blocker to make a stuff. This is exactly what you want out of your nose tackle.

Here Simon forces a safety by drawing an illegal hands to the face penalty in the end zone. He uses a power move to gain leverage, collapse, the pocket, and force a penalty and two points as a  result .

As much as I like the big man who plays with power, I love the thinking big man who plays with power. This play was probably my favorite from Simon all night. It's about brain power . Simon detects a screen before the ball was even thrown, identifies where it is going, and destroys the play.

Obviously a few big plays in preseason does not a quality player make, but this was a nice step forward for Simon. When it comes to project players, the one thing I want to see is consistent progress. You don't need to be a star by year two. You do need to be better than the player the Jets had in year one. We are starting to see Simon show that he is and perhaps worthy of a backup spot on the defensive line.

>     http://www.ganggreennation.com/2016/8/22/12582846/deon-simon-flashed-for-jets-against-washington

[kelly]

The Jets get to reacquaint with a familiar face Saturday, but this will be anything but a grudge match.

Defensive tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison is gone but not forgotten by Gang Green, and neither his former coach nor ex-teammates are holding the fact that the former undrafted free agent signed a big-bucks deal with their crosstown rivals against him.

That’s why the Jets sound more like proud parents watching their kid go off to college as they prepare to square off against Harrison and the Giants in their annual preseason matchup at MetLife Stadium.“I know the person, not just the football player,” Jets coach Todd Bowles said Thursday when asked about Harrison. “I know what he stands for and what he is. From that standpoint, I’m proud of him.”

The Jets didn’t want to lose Harrison, 27, but couldn’t come close to matching the five-year, $46 million deal he landed from the Giants last spring that included an $8 million signing bonus and $24 million guaranteed.It hurt to watch Harrison depart because the 6-foot-4, 350-pound plugger was a key reason for the Jets’ dominance against the run last season. Bowles’ team ranked first in the league in run-scoring defense and allowed the second-fewest rushing yards in 2015 with Harrison starting all 16 games.

The Jets signed former Steelers backup tackle Steve McLendon — who at 280 pounds is 70 pounds lighter than Harrison’s listed weight — to plug the hole created by Harrison’s departure, but it remains to be seen if that will be enough.“I can tell you at the end of the season [if the Jets have made up for Harrison’s exit], but it’s definitely a big hole to fill,” Bowles said Thursday. “But we’ve got guys who know how to play, and we’ll play certain ways to try to get better numbers.”

Bowles’ reference to “certain ways” also explains why the Jets are in a forgiving mood with Harrison. Gang Green is still loaded with defensive-line talent, and this could allow Bowles to have his three best linemen — Sheldon Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson and Leonard Williams — on the field at the same time more often.

Richardson, who is still one of Harrison’s close friends, said the Jets might actually be better off with McLendon because McLendon is a better pass rusher.“We’ll be all right,” Richardson said Thursday. “We’ve got a guy here who’s going to do the same thing [as Harrison] in Steve McClendon, and he’s a little more versatile. He’ll be more effective in the pass rush and stout in the run game.”

Bowles grew so tight with Harrison that Harrison even relied on Bowles as a sounding board in free agency — an unusual arrangement between player and coach in today’s NFL, to say the least, especially considering Harrison ended up signing with another team.But Harrison was so popular in the Jets’ locker room that Bowles and his former teammates say they couldn’t help but get close to him.

“It’ll be great to see him,” Bowles said. “I wish him success against everybody but us. He’s a real good friend of mine, and I kept in touch throughout the whole process he was going through. It’ll be good to see him. I just don’t want to see him too much [in the Jets’ backfield].”Richardson, though, wasn’t about to let Harrison sign with the Giants without at least one dig, especially after Harrison announced to his former teammates last week he was ceasing their regular Madden video games and was “cutting off all communication” until after Saturday’s game.

“It’s definitely going to be a little different seeing him in Big Blue,” Richardson said. “He’s going to look weird in that uniform. Like a big blueberry.”

>       http://nypost.com/2016/08/25/jets-miss-blueberry-harrison-but-say-d-may-be-better-now/

[kelly]

The New York Jets must cut their roster to 75 by 4 p.m. ET Tuesday and to 53 by 4 p.m. ET Saturday. Here’s a final 53-man roster projection :

~ ~  DEFENSIVE LINE (5) : Muhammad Wilkerson, Leonard Williams, Steve McLendon, Jarvis Jenkins, Deon Simon

Sheldon Richardson won't be on the opening-day roster because of a one-game suspension for violating the league's personal-conduct policy. When he returns, the Jets will have five starting-caliber defensive linemen. We'll give a slight edge to Simon for the last spot because he's the only backup with nose-tackle ability, but undrafted rookie Lawrence Thomas remains in the conversation for a roster spot. It depends on the severity of a shoulder injury.

rest of above article :

> http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/62578/jets-solve-qb-riddle-by-keeping-four-in-53-man-roster-projection

[kelly]

You know the drill by now: It's time for another Jets mailbag.But this isn't just any ordinary Jets mailbag. It's the final before the start of the regular season. 

You know what that means ?

Well, not much. Nothing is going to change from a mailbag point of view. OK, enough chit chat, onto the questions : 

@Connor_J_Hughes do you see a situation where Sheldon, Leo, and Wilk are all in on a 3-4? Do you think Leo can play nose effectively?

11:29 AM - 30 Aug 2016

HUGHES : I do actually, yes. Defensive line coach Pepper Johnson spoke two-ish weeks ago about how the team likes the idea of Leonard Williams at nose tackle. You can read more on it here. The Jets want a faster defense, and having Williams at the nose, as opposed to a big, 360-pounder, gives them that.

From looking at Williams this year in the locker room, the dude looks bigger. Not heavier, just bigger. There's no doubt in my mind he can play any position across that defensive line, and play it effectively. 

Now, I don't think that will be the Jets defensive formation every play. But it will certainly be in the rotation.  

rest of above article  : 

>   http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/08/mailbag_are_jets_interested_in_geoff_schwartz_why.html#incart_river_index

[kelly]

 -- Steve McLendon didn't train for the season at a tony gym in South Beach and he didn't have a nutritionist who filled his blender with protein concoctions, as some players do. No, he conditioned his body the old-fashioned way.

We're talking turn-of-the-century old -- the 19th century.

The New York Jets defensive tackle lives on a 227-acre farm in Clayton, Alabama, where he owns more than 20 heads of cattle and gets his hands dirty by working from sunrise to sunset. His weight training includes hoisting bales of hay and bags of feed for three hours every morning -- and then he goes into the self-built gym on his property for a traditional workout.

Instead of taking a vacation before the start of training camp, McLendon spent his last few days on the farm, installing close to 1.5 miles of water piping in the ground -- the distance from his house to the road. It was hard labor, but he wore headphones and found it relaxing."Your body feels different things; it's like playing football," said McLendon, who returned to his farm over the weekend during the players' three-day break. "That's the way to do it, just work, work, work, work, work, work.

"I pretty much work all day long to prepare myself for this," he continued, meaning the season. "My body is used to the grind. It gets tough, but it's mind over matter."During the offseason, McLendon's days began at 6 a.m. His alarm clock was the sound of crunching gravel in the driveway. It was his grandfather, Roy McCrae, pulling up in his truck to begin the work day. Before waking his grandson, McCrae fed the fish (mostly bass) in the eight-acre lake on the property.

And so began the day.

When the chores were done -- and that included the dicey task of making sure the water moccasin weren't laying eggs alongside the lake -- McLendon repaired the 100-yard sand pit near the house. There, he'd play with his kids and also run sprints, barefoot, improving his explosiveness and building strength in his ankles and legs.

Naturally, he built the sand pit by himself. It's part of his grand plan. When his career is over, he'd like to train athletes.For now, McLendon is learning how to farm from his octogenarian grandfather, and he also credits Tennessee Titans nose tackle Al Woods, a former teammate with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He encouraged McLendon to get into the cattle business, noting the added benefit of owning your own farm -- a great way to stay in shape.

"He was like, 'Make this part of your workout,'" McLendon said. "I did, and I can see the difference."

McLendon is 6-foot-3, 310 pounds, a country-strong interior lineman who worked his way up the depth chart with the Steelers. He was an undrafted free agent out of Troy State in 2010, and he kept climbing, finally replacing Casey Hampton at nose tackle.The Jets signed McLendon to a three-year, $10.5 million contract after losing Damon (Snacks) Harrison to the New York Giants in free agency. It was widely assumed he'd become the starting nose tackle, but he's moving around the line, playing other spots. He's not a massive space eater like Harrison and the coaches won't force him into that role.

"I came here to help the defensive line be successful, I didn't come here to replace anybody," McLendon said. "Nobody can replace Snacks. No matter what they say, nobody can replace him. A big guy that explosive and that strong, he demands triple teams -- not double teams, triple teams. So I'm not here to replace him. I'm here to do the best I can and get better every day."At 30, McLendon is the elder statesman in the defensive-line room, the most talented room in the building. The Jets have three former first-round picks -- Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams -- along with the capable Jarvis Jenkins. The affable McLendon has blended in nicely, especially on the field.

"He's a dominant, physical presence, a guy who's really stout up front," Wilkerson said. "He can rush the passer and his resume speaks for itself, what he did in Pittsburgh. He's been part of a Super Bowl run and he can teach something to everybody in the room. He's an older guy we can all learn from."

In more ways than just football.

>      http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/62894/steve-mclendon-has-a-farm-e-i-e-i-o-and-on-his-farm-jets-dt-never-rests

[rillo]

LMAO , football is back!

[nycdan]

Does he hunt boar on his farm?

[whodeawhodat]

Hard to believe that Mo is only 26

[JetBlue]

On 7/8/2016 at 5:10 PM, EM31 said:

It is almost bizarre at this point the way that successive Jets front offices have had good luck finding DL talent in unusual places.  Whether it was Mike Devito, Damon Harrison or a number of other decent contributors we have done quite well filling out the DL line depth behind our front line studs with UDFAs, late round picks or free agent detritus.

If only we had the same level of good luck elsewhere.

Robby Anderson, Charone Peake and Jalin Marshall say hi. ;-).  Lol, I know it is very early but it looks like we might have strike gold with at least one of these receivers, if not all three. 

[EM31]

1 hour ago, JetBlue said:

Robby Anderson, Charone Peake and Jalin Marshall say hi. ;-).  Lol, I know it is very early but it looks like we might have strike gold with at least one of these receivers, if not all three. 

Fingers crossed.

[MaxAF]

4 hours ago, nycdan said:

Does he hunt boar on his farm?

Yes he does. He chases them down with a Bowie knife. But he prefers wrestling them and choking them out.

[kelly]

JETS COULD PUT THREE D-LINEMEN IN PRO BOWL

Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson have already made Pro Bowls (Richardson as an alternate). Rich Cimini thinks that Leonard Williams could join them in his second season and that all three will make it. Bold predictions for 2016 season

 

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

[kelly]

 — The Jets got off to a promising start Sunday with proving they have the NFL's best defensive line. 

They'll have to keep this up over an entire season, in order to definitively show that. ButSunday's 23-22, season-opening loss to the Bengals gave the Jets plenty of reasons to be hopeful about their defensive front. 

The Jets had seven sacks, their most since they had eight in September of 2013 against the Bills. The Jets' five first-half sacks were their most since they also had five in 2003 against the Eagles.Six of the Jets' seven sacks Sunday came from defensive linemen — 2.5 from Leonard Williams, two from Steve McLendon, and 1.5 from Muhammad Wilkerson. Outside linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin also had one.Oh, and for Thursday night's game at Buffalo, the Jets get Sheldon Richardson back from his one-game suspension. Richardson will return to the team Monday. 

How dominant could this line be with him in the mix? 

"Out of control," cornerback Buster Skrine told NJ Advance Media. "Our front seven, I'd say they're the best front seven in the league. I feel like we've got the best in the league."Said Williams: "We know what we have, and we came out and proved it. We've seen what we can do without [Richardson], and we know that we can do more with him, so we're looking forward to it." 

Richardson's line mates enjoyed some milestones Sunday as he watched from afar. Williams, as a rookie last year, had three sacks all season. McLendon entered Sunday with five total sacks in his six NFL seasons, and no more than two in any one season. He had just two sacks over the past three seasons combined.And yet the Jets still lost, even though they had seven sacks. Ever seen that ? 

"I don't think I have," said middle linebacker David Harris. 

He also noted this: "A lot of sacks they had were only on four-man rushes. Those guys are pretty much hard to block one-on-one."

Still, the Jets fell Sunday to the Bengals. 

"Chunk plays," Skrine said. "They made a whole bunch of chunk plays." 

The Bengals had a 49-yard completion and two 54-yard passes, including a touchdown of that distance. Three plays for 157 yards — 41 percent of the Bengals' total yardage Sunday."It doesn't matter how many sacks you've got, if they're throwing the deep ball [on you]," Skrine said. "We've just got to be better on the back end." 

>     http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/09/jets_defensive_line_thrives_vs_bengals_could_be_th.html#incart_river_index

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Rich CiminiESPN Staff Writer 

Jets DE Sheldon Richardson comes off the suspended list today, meaning they have to clear a spot on the 53-man roster. Some practice squad moves: They added LB Victor Ochi and WR Wendall Williams and released RB Raheem Mostert and WR Myles White. Ochi, waived by the Ravens in the final cutdown, passed the physical after initially flunking due to a preseason shoulder injury.

 

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

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If your offense cannot score and your secondary can't cover, not even adequately, doesn't mean all that much. A decent NFL offense is gonna outscore that. Thankfully, the Bills and Rex Ryan and Taylor are ready made to screw things up for themselves. 

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ooops hough the Jets suffered an agonizing one-point loss to open the season, the defensive line flourished as they recorded six of the team’s seven sacks against the Bengals. Here’s how significant Sunday’s performance was:

• The seven sacks set a franchise record in terms of home openers.
• The sack barrage tied for the most in franchise history on opening day (1966 at Miami).
• It also marked the first time since 1964 the Jets recorded more than five sacks in a season opener at home.

Second-year defensive lineman Leonard Williams led the charge in the trenches, registering a career-high 2.5 sacks and he was half of a sack shy from equaling his 2015 total.

“It feels good, but I don’t want to let it get to me,” he said. “I want to just keep playing and keep building up on the season and keep moving forward.”

The USC product picked up where he left off as he recorded two sacks in the preseason. Williams also praised defensive tackle Steve McLendon, who recorded the first multisack game of his career.

[kelly]

Although the Jets suffered an agonizing one-point loss to open the season, the defensive line flourished as they recorded six of the team’s seven sacks against the Bengals. Here’s how significant Sunday’s performance was:

• The seven sacks set a franchise record in terms of home openers.
• The sack barrage tied for the most in franchise history on opening day (1966 at Miami).
• It also marked the first time since 1964 the Jets recorded more than five sacks in a season opener at home.

Second-year defensive lineman Leonard Williams led the charge in the trenches, registering a career-high 2.5 sacks and he was half of a sack shy from equaling his 2015 total.

“It feels good, but I don’t want to let it get to me,” he said. “I want to just keep playing and keep building up on the season and keep moving forward.”

The USC product picked up where he left off as he recorded two sacks in the preseason. Williams also praised defensive tackle Steve McLendon, who recorded the first multisack game of his career.“He wasn’t able to show his full talent with the Steelers,” Williams said. “He was more of a two-gap guy, taking blockers off for the linebackers. Now, in our system, he can just get off the ball and be disruptive, which is what he is.”

McLendon, who had only logged five career sacks entering Sunday’s matchup, was in no mood to blame the back end for some of the Bengals explosive plays.“We’re a team here, no matter what happens,” he said. “Maybe we just need to get to the quarterback more, so we can keep that pressure off our linebackers and defensive backs.”

The Green & White, who also featured rookie  Lawrence Thomas  and  Jarvis Jenkins  in the rotation Sunday, will add another weapon to its arsenal Thursday as  Sheldon Richardson  will rejoin the team from suspension.

“We are so excited to get him back,” said McLendon. “It’s going to help us with depth. We still have Jarvis [Jenkins], [Lawrence] Thomas and [Deon] Simon. Now we’re getting a dynamic, Pro Bowl caliber guy like Sheldon back. He can get you with speed, power and quickness. He’s pretty much got it all so we’re excited.”

> http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-7/Defense-Puts-Up-Historic-Sack-Numbers-in-Loss/5c4276d8-7c78-4108-b1dd-a59d10dbe430

[kelly]

-- Sheldon Richardson hated having to watch the season opener on TV, but he liked what he saw from his fellow defensive linemen.

"It was good seeing those guys eat like that," Richardson said Monday upon returning from a one-game, personal-conduct suspension.

It was a seven-course meal for the New York Jets.

They sacked Andy Dalton seven times in the 23-22 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, including six by the defensive line -- 2.5 sacks for Leonard Williams, two for Steve McLendon and 1.5 for Muhammad Wilkerson.

They will have to make room at the table for Richardson, who will make his 2016 debut Thursday night against a Buffalo Bills offensive line that may not have left tackle Cordy Glenn. His status is in doubt after a Week 1 ankle injury.Now that the Jets' talented defensive line is whole, a lot of folks are wondering how the coaches will put the puzzle together. The main question: How do they get the Big Three -- Wilkerson, Richardson and Williams -- on the field as much as possible?

Frankly, it shouldn't be that big a concern. In case you haven't noticed, the Jets don't play a standard 3-4 front because they no longer have a classic nose tackle. When Damon Harrison signed with the New York Giants, the Jets began to evolve as a defense, moving away from the 3-4.Ostensibly, McLendon was signed to replace Harrison, but he's not an old-school, space-eating nose tackle, the guy who lines up over the center and protects the linebackers. As he showed Sunday, he has the ability to be a disruptive, one-gap player. He can play the nose -- he did it with thePittsburgh Steelers -- but he won't be forced into the position for the purpose of maintaining a 3-4 look.

Harrison was a fantastic player, but his departure has created more flexibility on the defensive line. Against the Bengals, they opened in a 4-3 front, with McLendon and Williams at tackle and Wilkerson and rookieLawrence Thomas at end. Obviously, it worked.Don't be surprised if they go with the same front against the Bills, with Richardson replacing Thomas at end. The Bills like to run the ball and it makes sense to have the big fellas on the field. The concern is that the linebackers -- David Harris, Erin Henderson and Mike Catapano -- can be exposed in pass coverage. It's not a fleet group of 'backers.

The point is, the Jets have options, which should make them less predictable.

"(The front) kind of fluctuates from week to week, depending on who we play and what the matchups look like," coach Todd Bowles said. "So were going to play 3-4 or 4-3, depending on what we think we see on the other side of the ball."This isn't a major issue. This isn't the Golden State Warriors trying to decide on a starting five. This is a good thing for the Jets. Every one of their defensive linemen can play multiple positions, including Williams, who played nose tackle in the preseason.

Williams admitted he wasn't keen on the idea at first, but he warmed to it once he started sacking the quarterback. Beating a center, he said, is easier than beating a tackle.

Bon appetit, gentlemen.

>    http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/63099/make-room-for-sheldon-richardson-jets-de-is-back-and-hes-hungry

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Rich CiminiESPN Staff Writer 

Bills coach Rex Ryan is impressed with the Jets' defensive line: "They had seven sacks and, oh, by the way, Sheldon Richardson never played. Golly. I thought it was good when I was there. They drafted that other kid (Leonard Williams). You guys know darn well you would've killed me if we would've drafted that kid. It would've been, 'It's just about the defense.' No, it was about the best player and they certainly got one of the best players there. ... (He's) a big monster."

 

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