Green Jets & Ham Posted May 8, 2005 Share Posted May 8, 2005 BERGEN RECORD By RANDY LANGE Adrian Jones, who played little as a rookie left offensive tackle for the Jets last season, has a message for anyone who has doubts he can replace departed right tackle starter Kareem McKenzie. "I would really and truly like to be a dominating player," Jones said from his Dallas home last week before resuming his work in the Jets' off-season conditioning program Monday. "I would like to be one of those tackles where, in the defensive meeting room, they've got to look at me and find my weaknesses. I want to be someone people spend more time on than just a regular pro tackle." Lofty ambition. Can he achieve it? We won't know until this year's preseason and regular season roll around, but Jones got off on the right foot during last weekend's minicamp. "One thing I've seen is that he's really not the type of player who gets rattled," line coach Doug Marrone said. "He rarely will make the same mistake twice. Through minicamp I was very satisfied with his development. I see a player getting better every day." "I messed up a couple of times, but that's what practice is for," Jones said. "As a whole, it went pretty well." Some think Jones, after three seasons as a tight end and only his senior season as a left tackle at Kansas before the Jets spent a fourth-round pick on him, isn't sufficiently prepared to make this switch without a hitch. General manager Terry Bradway had a strong predraft response to such thoughts: "Trust me on this one. He can play right tackle." Marrone said Jones began to work on the right side for the scout team after Week 10. He emphasizes Jones' athleticism and likens his move to that of Brandon Moore, whose strong transition from defensive lineman to starting right guard prompted the Jets early in the off-season to sign him to a contract extension through 2010. Jones said he understands fans' and reporters' questions but isn't worried. "If you can do it at left tackle, you should be able to do it at right," he said. "There are changes in footwork, different aiming points, but you're still going to be an offensive lineman, no matter what side you're on." The anxiety really is rooted in whether Jones can fill McKenzie's shoes so that Chad Pennington's right side - the one with the rehabbing shoulder - is well protected and Curtis Martin can continue to run with abandon. "There's a lot of pressure on A.J., because we are a good team," Marrone said. "But we're expecting a lot of great things from him." As is Jones from himself. "I want to show the fans I'm doing the best I can," he said, "to get us to the Super Bowl." http://www.northjersey.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted May 8, 2005 Share Posted May 8, 2005 Next to Pennington's recovery he could very well be the most important piece to the puzzle next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4HCrew Posted May 8, 2005 Share Posted May 8, 2005 I am still hoping the Jets sign a veteran lineman post June 1. With the loss of Becht's blocking (cannot believe I said that) and Jones the running game could take a hit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
124 Posted May 8, 2005 Share Posted May 8, 2005 Adrian Jones has obviously showin Marrone, TB and Herm something and if they believe he can be a star RT then I believe in him too. Lets go AJ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barton Posted May 8, 2005 Share Posted May 8, 2005 Question If the Jets were willing to spend so much money on a fat crap a** left tackle like Jonas Jennings and they love Adrian Jones soooo much and don't like Fabini at left tackle, then why not keep Adrian Jones at left tackle and move Fabini back to right tackle??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy 2 Times Posted May 8, 2005 Share Posted May 8, 2005 I think that's the plan for next season. Let's see if he can play right before sticking him at left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatsFanTX Posted May 8, 2005 Share Posted May 8, 2005 Question If the Jets were willing to spend so much money on a fat crap a** left tackle like Jonas Jennings and they love Adrian Jones soooo much and don't like Fabini at left tackle, then why not keep Adrian Jones at left tackle and move Fabini back to right tackle??? Exactly. The last thing a china doll figurine QB needs is a human turnstile (Fabini) as a tackle on his blind side. There is no reason to wait a year in moving Jones over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted May 8, 2005 Share Posted May 8, 2005 I still think that with the June 1st cuts some veteran is going to be brought in even just for depth. Jones keeps getting all the talk from Bradway and the coaches as the guy that is going to be the starter. I know at the draft at the ESPN Zone the guy looked chiseled and really physically in shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l_j_r Posted May 9, 2005 Share Posted May 9, 2005 ... i'm sure a veteran will be brought in for depth after the next rounds of cuts ... basically the front office trusts jones to be the starting RT & thus i will get on-board ... ... full agreement with the earlier post that penny's rehab is #1 ? and jones at RT is #2 ? for how good we can be this season. if those 2 questions are answered in the positive the lombardi trophy remains in the afc east, however it procures a new residence ... l_j_r Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 Exactly. The last thing a china doll figurine QB needs is a human turnstile (Fabini) as a tackle on his blind side. There is no reason to wait a year in moving Jones over. I agree. LT is Jones's natural position, RT is Fabini's natural position. Jones is young and big enough to play LT. Fabini has a bad back. If we are not going into the season with anyone better than these 2, then I would absolutely prefer Jones on the left side protecting Pennington's blind side. It's worth a shot, anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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