Smizzy Posted August 6, 2005 Share Posted August 6, 2005 Jets Cornerback Would Welcome Law to Team By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Sports Writer August 5, 2005, 5:15 PM CDT HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Ray Mickens has heard all about how Ty Law would be a perfect fit for the New York Jets. He agrees -- even if it means he'd lose a shot at being a starting cornerback. "If Ty Law is going to help us, then I'm all for it," Mickens said Friday at training camp. "I definitely want him to come here. If I was the first one to have to call him to get him to come, I'd do that." Law's agent, Carl Poston, met with Jets officials Thursday to discuss the possibility of the highly coveted free-agent cornerback signing with the team. While there was nothing new to report Friday on the discussions, Jets fans and players alike have fantasized about what the three-time Super Bowl winner with New England would bring to New York. And that includes Mickens, who has recovered from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and is listed as the Jets' starter at left cornerback -- a position at which Law has been a perennial Pro Bowler. Law, coming off an operation in January to repair ligament damage in his left foot, also is being courted by Detroit, Kansas City and Pittsburgh, among others. "I hope that we sign him," said Mickens, in his 10th season with the Jets. "I think that's going to make our team that much stronger. My whole deal is I want to win a championship and I don't know how much longer I'm going to be playing, or playing here in New York, so I want to win a championship here." The 32-year-old Mickens has outlasted a handful of coaches and general managers, and countless challenges for his position as a sometime-starter and primary cog in the nickel package. "It shows that any time you're with one organization for a long time and survived five head coaches -- it shows that you're flexible, versatile and can adapt to change," Mickens said. "And also that you're a true player." He's also overcome a potential career-ending injury. Mickens hurt his knee in practice last Aug. 15, underwent surgery and missed the entire season. It was a big blow to a player who was coming off his best season as a pro, when he stepped in for the injured Donnie Abraham and made a career-high 75 tackles and had two interceptions in 14 starts. "After the first month or so after the injury, it was tough for me mentally," the soft-spoken Mickens said. "But after that, I was just determined to get back and finish completing some of the goals I had set for myself and some team goals -- I was determined to get back to help my team." Mickens missed some early practice time with swelling in the knee. But he said he's feeling fine and has made some outstanding plays to prove it, including breaking up a potential touchdown pass from Chad Pennington to Laveranues Coles during Thursday night's practice. He's also been practicing in his old nickelback spot and on special teams. Just 11 months after major knee surgery, the 5-foot-8 Mickens is again showing the form that made him a fan favorite. "It feels good to be playing a game that I've been playing since I was 7 years old," he said. "I hadn't missed a season until last year and I really had a lot of time to think about how much this game means to me and how much I enjoy doing it." David Barrett is set to start at right corner, but the left cornerback spot opened up when Abraham retired shortly before training camp began. The team drafted promising Justin Miller, who has shown some brilliant flashes as well as some rookie mistakes while practicing at the position. "Is he a starting corner? Is he a third-down corner? We don't know that yet," coach Herman Edwards said. New York also acquired veteran Pete Hunter from Dallas to provide added competition, but he's also coming back from a torn ACL. "Ray's been a guy here for almost 10 years and one thing about Ray Mickens, he's outlasted them all," Edwards said. "So, obviously, he understands that and continues to work and that's what we anticipate him doing. And that's what you call being a pro." It might all be moot if Law signs with the Jets -- and Mickens insists he'd be fine with that. "I'm just happy to be back playing," Mickens said. "Whatever role it is that they have for me, I'm just going to try to be the best in the league at it. I have personal goals for starting, but at this point in my career, I'm more team-oriented. If I win a championship, you can throw out all the personal goals I've had for myself because the main one would have been accomplished." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Troll Posted August 6, 2005 Share Posted August 6, 2005 I'm liking Ray Mickens' "Please Don't Cut Me" campaign. Hilarious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spjets Posted August 6, 2005 Share Posted August 6, 2005 the onyl thing that bugs me is if MILLER continues to play strong in TC and is starting material..we paid big bucks for LAW for nothing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSJ Posted August 6, 2005 Share Posted August 6, 2005 the onyl thing that bugs me is if MILLER continues to play strong in TC and is starting material..we paid big bucks for LAW for nothing... If that happens you could see law move to FS and Coleman to SS. Then the Jets could cover 3 wide without going into a nickel package. Leaving lots of blitzing potential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenBeans Posted August 6, 2005 Share Posted August 6, 2005 I'm liking Ray Mickens' "Please Don't Cut Me" campaign. Hilarious. Pete Hunter is the guy that's gonna get cut outta this - not Big Play Ray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warfish Posted August 6, 2005 Share Posted August 6, 2005 Pete Hunter is the guy that's gonna get cut outta this - not Big Play Ray. You mean Mini-Me Mickens, the never-was, too short, too slow, too weak wanna be CB who, over his whole career, has been, AT BEST a below average #2 CB?? The faster this guy gets cut, the better. Miller, Strait and a bag of worn out footballs are ALL better than Mickens. All I can ask any Mickens supporter is this: Do you really, truly have any faith that Ray Mickens could cover ANY of today's big, tall #1 and #2 WR's?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatsFanTX Posted August 6, 2005 Share Posted August 6, 2005 the onyl thing that bugs me is if MILLER continues to play strong in TC and is starting material..we paid big bucks for LAW for nothing... sp, would you really want a rookie starting at CB? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Troll Posted August 6, 2005 Share Posted August 6, 2005 Pete Hunter is the guy that's gonna get cut outta this - not Big Play Ray. So we are just giving away draft picks for free now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big E Posted August 6, 2005 Share Posted August 6, 2005 If that happens you could see law move to FS and Coleman to SS. Then the Jets could cover 3 wide without going into a nickel package. Leaving lots of blitzing potential. Exactly...that would be the perfect scenario rs. Can you imagine the d-backfield being as solid as that? It's like a dream come true! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenBeans Posted August 6, 2005 Share Posted August 6, 2005 So we are just giving away draft picks for free now? Mickens is a proven quality nickel corner. Pete Hunter is unproven, period. IF (maybe less of an if then early this week) Ty Law becomes a Jet then Mickens stays and Hunter is the odd man out. One thing prevents this - Derrick Strait. Only he can cause BPR to go bye bye ond only by proving he can play nickel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Troll Posted August 6, 2005 Share Posted August 6, 2005 Mickens is a proven quality nickel corner. Pete Hunter is unproven, period. IF (maybe less of an if then early this week) Ty Law becomes a Jet then Mickens stays and Hunter is the odd man out. One thing prevents this - Derrick Strait. Only he can cause BPR to go bye bye ond only by proving he can play nickel. Did we learn nothing from Mo and Marvin? Nothing from T-Buck and Tongue? Ray Mickens is a 32-year old smurf that is coming back from a serious injury. If him being there is going to take away playing time from young players like Strait and Miller, then he should be cut. We can't have seven cornerbacks on the field at once. Someone is going to have to go. My money is on the declining midget veteran rather than the young, tall cornerback that we just traded for a month ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenBeans Posted August 7, 2005 Share Posted August 7, 2005 Did we learn nothing from Mo and Marvin? Nothing from T-Buck and Tongue? Ray Mickens is a 32-year old smurf that is coming back from a serious injury. If him being there is going to take away playing time from young players like Strait and Miller, then he should be cut. We can't have seven cornerbacks on the field at once. Someone is going to have to go. My money is on the declining midget veteran rather than the young, tall cornerback that we just traded for a month ago. Ray Mickens is nothing close to Mo or Marvin - he still wants to play. T-Buck was washed up and Tounge never could play. Mickens CAN still play and still wants to play (and has proven it so far this camp), and Hunter has been so-so at best. Like I said, only Strait can cause BPR to be cut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 Ray Mickens is nothing close to Mo or Marvin - he still wants to play. T-Buck was washed up and Tounge never could play. Mickens CAN still play and still wants to play (and has proven it so far this camp), and Hunter has been so-so at best. Like I said, only Strait can cause BPR to be cut. OK, Ray Mickens wants to play. So do 6 other corners on this team. The only reason I would want Ray back is because he has experience as a Jet and could help teach the young guys. But at some point, you have to make a business decision. The Jets can only house 6 corners, MAX, and if it is down to Mickens and Hunter, it HAS to be Mickens who goes. Mickens saves us more money on the cap, he is old and slow, whereas Hunter was just traded for for a 7th rounder, is quicker, taller and very young. Ray has been a solid Jet, but it's time to say "nothing personal, Ray, but you're the odd man out." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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