Evil Mehta training camp preview

[T0mShane]

NY Jets return to training camp in massive rebuilding mode

Rex Ryan breathed life into a bland franchise four years ago, but the most colorful coach in the NFL finds himself at a crossroads entering this season.

The Jets barely resemble the teams that made two consecutive AFC Championship Games in Ryan’s first two seasons. Owner Woody Johnson fired longtime general manager Mike Tannenbaum and jettisoned Darrelle Revis, arguably the best defensive player in the league, during an offseason marked by change.

New general manager John Idzik gutted the roster, replacing 10 starters in what promises to be a rebuilding season for the franchise.

The Jets have lost 13 of their last 19 games dating back to a forgettable late-season meltdown in 2011, leaving Ryan’s future beyond this season in doubt. The organization maintains that the circus has left town now that the failed Tim Tebow Experiment is over. But can Ryan, who will also be the de facto defensive coordinator, resurrect his team and salvage his job with a dearth of talent on the roster?

The Jets have preached Idzik’s “competition” mantra this offseason as if it’s some sort of revelation, but every team in the league has the same credo. Truth be told, there is only a handful of jobs truly up for grabs, none bigger than quarterback.

Here are 5 burning training camp questions:

1. Will Geno Smith beat out Mark Sanchez for the starting quarterback job?

The closely scrutinized competition became a two-man race after Idzik’s David Garrard Experiment failed after only two months. Sanchez is coming off his worst year as a pro, but he made it clear recently that he’ll “absolutely” win the quarterback competition in camp. He has raved about new offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg’s timing and precision West Coast offense, but seeing is believing at this point for most Jets fans, who have become disillusioned by Sanchez’s turnover-prone ways. Sanchez had a league-high 33 fumbles in the past three seasons and a league-high 52 turnovers the past two seasons.

New quarterbacks coach David Lee has been working overtime to help cut down on Sanchez’s mistakes with ball-security drills in practice, but will they work?

Smith thrived with quick, short passes in college — one of the staples in Mornhinweg’s offense, too — but it’s unlikely that the rookie will be ready to be the Week 1 starter. He’s still working to improve his drop backs after spending the majority of his career at West Virginia in the shotgun.

Greg McElroy, who started one game last season, will be competing with Matt Simms for the No. 3 job.

Sanchez is the favorite to be the starter entering the season, but how long will he hold onto the job? Smith will get his chance at some point during the season if/when the Jets fall out of playoff contention. Idzik needs to find out if the rookie can be a franchise quarterback before determining if he should draft a signal caller in the first round of the 2014 draft (see: 2010 Carolina Panthers).

2. Will Dee Milliner make an immediate impact in the secondary?

The hype swirling around the quarterback competition helped Milliner fly under the radar as he rehabbed from offseason shoulder surgery. The organizational decision not to pay Darrelle Revis a top-dollar extension left a cavernous hole in the secondary that Milliner will have to help fill. Antonio Cromartie will pick up where he left off last season by shadowing opponents’ No. 1 wide receivers, but Milliner’s ability to contribute right away on the outside will be paramount for a secondary that also lost two veteran safeties (LaRon Landry and Yeremiah Bell) to free agency.

Milliner, who was widely regarded as the best cover corner in the draft, has the skill set to be a solid pro. His presence will also allow Ryan to slide Kyle Wilson back into the slot, where he’s been more successful.

How quickly can Milliner, who missed all of OTAs and minicamp, assimilate into one of the more complex defenses in the league? Ryan & Co. think the ninth pick of this year’s draft won’t have a big learning curve. Milliner also needs to steer clear of the bumps and bruises that littered his college career. Although Milliner always played through minor injuries at Alabama, long-term durability is a legitimate concern.

3. When will WR Santonio Holmes be ready to play?

Holmes isn’t an elite receiver, but he’s clearly the Jets’ best pass-catching weapon. The mercurial veteran has taken a measured and methodical approach while rehabbing from a severe Lisfranc foot injury and is expected to begin camp on the physically unable to perform list.

The Jets are woefully thin at the position — Jeremy Kerley is the only reliable returning wideout — but Idzik curiously didn’t add anyone of relevance in free agency or the draft.

Holmes, who took a pay cut in the offseason, has a $10.75 million cap charge in 2014 and almost certainly will be released after the season unless he’s willing to take a major pay cut again. So, it’s unlikely he’ll rush back until he’s fully healthy.

That will hamper an offense already lacking sufficient playmakers and put more pressure on second-year receiver Stephen Hill, who struggled for much of his rookie season. Opposing defensive coordinators won’t wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat worrying about Clyde Gates or Ben Obomanu.

4. Will “Marty Ball” thrive?

Mornhinweg’s arrival was a breath of fresh air for an offense that lacked imagination under Tony Sparano, who was the architect of the league’s 30th-ranked unit last season. Ryan wants a more diverse and aggressive offensive plan, but the Jets don’t appear to have the necessary pieces to become an explosive group.

Mornhinweg loves to air it out, but his personnel may be better suited for the ground-and-pound philosophy from yesteryear. The quarterbacks and wide receivers aren’t elite, but the new offensive coordinator has quality running backs at his disposal.

Chris Ivory, who was acquired from the Saints during the draft, is an upgrade from the departed Shonn Greene. Mike Goodson, who is facing gun and drug charges stemming from an offseason arrest, has game-breaking ability as a pass-catching option out of the backfield.

Mornhinweg’s wild card is veteran tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., whose knees have betrayed him in recent years. If Winslow stays healthy and fellow tight end Jeff Cumberland develops more consistency, Mornhinweg might be able to turn one of the league’s worst offenses from a year ago into a respectable group.

5. Can the Jets finally get a consistent pass rush off the edge?

Ryan enters this season with his most athletic defensive line, which will prompt more four-man fronts than ever before. Muhammad Wilkerson, a budding star, anchors a unit that also includes Quinton Coples, Kenrick Ellis and Sheldon Richardson.

The hope is that the young nucleus can generate enough heat on quarterbacks to relieve the burden on a revamped secondary, but Ryan still needs help from his edge pass rushers. Coples will play more on the edge, but his role as an outside linebacker has been greatly exaggerated. He’ll see his fair share of time as an interior pass rusher again.

Taking QB Geno Smith is the second round has grabbed the headlines from first-round picks Dee Milliner (l.) and Sheldon Richardson.

Ryan hopes outside linebacker Antwan Barnes can revert to his 2011 form when he had 11 sacks for the Chargers. Calvin Pace, who was cut and re-signed at a bargain-basement price, has been a solid presence in pass coverage, but has never turned into a consistent pass rusher. Ricky Sapp has shown flashes of pass-rushing ability in practice, but has been unable to make a consistent contribution.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

ROOKIE TO WATCH: CB Dee Milliner

Although QB Geno Smith will grab most of the spotlight, Milliner’s ability to quickly assimilate after missing OTAs and minicamp while rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery will be critical for a secondary that will look to somehow replace Darrelle Revis. Milliner won’t assume Revis’ role — Cromartie will be shadowing the top receivers each week — but he’ll have to prove that he can be a starter from Day 1 to help solidify a secondary that has typically been one of the best in the league under Ryan.

VET ON THE HOT SEAT: QB Mark Sanchez

Sanchez’s $8.25 million guaranteed base salary this season made him a lock to return (especially after David Garrard retired), but this will be the final opportunity for the turnover-prone fifth-year quarterback to revive his career with the franchise that traded up to take him with the fifth pick in the 2009 draft. Sanchez will be in the first legitimate training camp competition of his career. Although the smart money is that he’ll beat out Smith in August, the bigger question is how long he’ll be able to hold onto the job. If the Jets struggle early, Ryan will almost certainly hand over the reins to the rookie.

POTENTIAL BREAKOUT STAR: DL Quinton Coples

Coples had a team-high 5.5 sacks as a reserve last season, showing flashes of greatness that have given the brain trust hope that he will blossom in 2013. Ryan will give Coples opportunities to rush off the edge, but he’ll also be used as an interior pass rusher. Ryan publicly chided the former first-rounder in the offseason for not setting the standard in the weight room, but believes the second-year lineman is poised to make an impact.

POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH

Both guard spots are up for grabs after the Jets lost starters Brandon Moore and Matt Slauson. Veterans Willie Colon and Stephen Peterman have taken the majority of first-team reps in the offseason, but third-round pick Brian Winters has a legitimate chance to start if he can make the transition from being a left tackle in college. Colon appears to have one of the spots secured if he can stay healthy. The underachieving Vlad Ducasse is a longshot.

PUSH PANIC BUTTON IF . . .

. . . WR Santonio Holmes still hasn’t fully practiced by late August: Holmes, who has been rehabbing from Lisfranc foot surgery, is expected to begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list. The Jets have made it clear that the goal has always been to get Holmes ready for the Sept. 8 opener against the Buccaneers (when he’s likely to square off against Darrelle Revis), but Ryan & Co. would love to get some peace of mind by watching him participate in a full practice and preseason games.

POP THE CHAMPAGNE IF . . .

. . . QB Geno Smith clearly outplays Mark Sanchez in the preseason: The biggest question surrounding Smith is his ability to quickly absorb the intricacies of Marty Mornhinweg’s West Coast offense. The Jets need to find out if Smith can be the quarterback of the future. GM John Idzik may do backflips on the sidelines if his second-round pick shows great promise and distances himself from Sanchez in camp and in preseason games. It would be early validation that he made the right call by selecting the former West Virginia star.

If Smith flops whenever he gets his chance during the regular season, Idzik will surely target a quarterback (see: Teddy Bridgewater or Tajh Boyd) in the first round of next years’ draft.

Author:

MANISH MEHTA.

[Larz]

Funny how these bloggers just get to say the owner got rid of a player or it was the GM when it suits them

 

Troll

[slats]

POP THE CHAMPAGNE IF . . .

. . . QB Geno Smith clearly outplays Mark Sanchez in the preseason: The biggest question surrounding Smith is his ability to quickly absorb the intricacies of Marty Mornhinweg’s West Coast offense. The Jets need to find out if Smith can be the quarterback of the future. GM John Idzik may do backflips on the sidelines if his second-round pick shows great promise and distances himself from Sanchez in camp and in preseason games. It would be early validation that he made the right call by selecting the former West Virginia star.

Why would that be a bigger question for Geno than Sanchez? They're both learning a new offense. I'm not aware of any intelligence problems with Geno, in fact, he was labeled "gifted" as a kid after taking an intelligence test. Maybe Manish is a racist? Seriously. I don't know where he gets that from.

Biggest question for me regarding Geno mentally isn't his intelligence, but his mental toughness. His ability to stand up to adversity, and to bounce back from a bad performance.

[jetsjetsjetss]

Why would that be a bigger question for Geno than Sanchez? They're both learning a new offense. I'm not aware of any intelligence problems with Geno, in fact, he was labeled "gifted" as a kid after taking an intelligence test. Maybe Manish is a racist? Seriously. I don't know where he gets that from.

Biggest question for me regarding Geno mentally isn't his intelligence, but his mental toughness. His ability to stand up to adversity, and to bounce back from a bad performance.

 

 

its been reported a lot that sanchez is light years ahead of geno about knowing the offense

 

something like playing in a similar offense in college while geno did something completely different

[kelticwizard]

Why would that be a bigger question for Geno than Sanchez? They're both learning a new offense. I'm not aware of any intelligence problems with Geno, in fact, he was labeled "gifted" as a kid after taking an intelligence test. Maybe Manish is a racist? Seriously. I don't know where he gets that from.

Biggest question for me regarding Geno mentally isn't his intelligence, but his mental toughness. His ability to stand up to adversity, and to bounce back from a bad performance.

 

My guess is that it will be a bigger test for Geno because he has to both learn a new offense and adjust to the increased speed and power of the pro game all at once.  Sanchez only has to learn the new offense, he's played in the pros four years.

[The Crusher]

Why would that be a bigger question for Geno than Sanchez? They're both learning a new offense. I'm not aware of any intelligence problems with Geno, in fact, he was labeled "gifted" as a kid after taking an intelligence test. Maybe Manish is a racist? Seriously. I don't know where he gets that from.

Biggest question for me regarding Geno mentally isn't his intelligence, but his mental toughness. His ability to stand up to adversity, and to bounce back from a bad performance.

Not sure that's how he meant it. To me it seems he's just comparing the complexity of the pro system as compared to the college system. Saying it's less an issue for Mark is kind dumb considering he's the guy who had to wear the color cooridinated wrist bands.

[dbatesman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73IxEmUsMGY

[NCJETSFAN]

If u can get bridgewater u do he's alot better than what we have

[pfilippone]

  

 

Dumb question probably but here goes anyway:

 

Why is it so important that Geno have to switch to being behind center? Is it required for the WCO? 

Why can't Geno start off in the shotgun if he's more comfortable there?  You can always hand off and run from the shotgun, can't you?

[Bleedin Green]

My guess is that it will be a bigger test for Geno because he has to both learn a new offense and adjust to the increased speed and power of the pro game all at once.  Sanchez only has to learn the new offense, he's played in the pros four years.

 

While Sanchez has played in the NFL for four years, I'm still waiting for any evidence that he's actually adjusted to the pro game.

[Bleedin Green]

I also found it rather comical that Mehta made repeated attempts to act as if the Jets are doomed without Revis unless Milliner can come out of the gate as a top-notch starter, meanwhile the guy played 2 partial games for the Jets last year and the Jets still had the league's #2 ranked pass D.  Don't get me wrong, Revis is obviously a great player, but it's not like we can't possibly imagine what this defense will be like without him, we just had a whole year of it.  Given that, the more likely issue with the Jets pass D this year would be the complete changeover at the safety spots.

[slats]

I also found it rather comical that Mehta made repeated attempts to act as if the Jets are doomed without Revis unless Milliner can come out of the gate as a top-notch starter, meanwhile the guy played 2 partial games for the Jets last year and the Jets still had the league's #2 ranked pass D.  Don't get me wrong, Revis is obviously a great player, but it's not like we can't possibly imagine what this defense will be like without him, we just had a whole year of it.  Given that, the more likely issue with the Jets pass D this year would be the complete changeover at the safety spots.

Exactly. They keep trying to make the Revis story bigger than it actually is, when the reality is that if Milliner is merely an upgrade over Wilson, the CB position is stronger than it was last year. And it was pretty strong last year. The much bigger issue for the Jets secondary is the safety position, which isn't being discussed at all. Not as sexy as Revis, I imagine.

It won't be long before the story surrounding Revis is, how long will the Bucs continue paying him $16M/year?

[#27TheDominator]

While Sanchez has played in the NFL for four years, I'm still waiting for any evidence that he's actually adjusted to the pro game.

 

You don't have to, but I would rather not alter the offense to suit Smith until he shows he is the man.  Bad as Sanchez has been, I don't think they are at the point where you throw all your eggs in the Geno basket.  I think for camp and the preseason you run your offense and then go with whoever is better.  Presumably the lesser of two evils. 

 

 

I also found it rather comical that Mehta made repeated attempts to act as if the Jets are doomed without Revis unless Milliner can come out of the gate as a top-notch starter, meanwhile the guy played 2 partial games for the Jets last year and the Jets still had the league's #2 ranked pass D.  Don't get me wrong, Revis is obviously a great player, but it's not like we can't possibly imagine what this defense will be like without him, we just had a whole year of it.  Given that, the more likely issue with the Jets pass D this year would be the complete changeover at the safety spots.

 

 

Exactly. They keep trying to make the Revis story bigger than it actually is, when the reality is that if Milliner is merely an upgrade over Wilson, the CB position is stronger than it was last year. And it was pretty strong last year. The much bigger issue for the Jets secondary is the safety position, which isn't being discussed at all. Not as sexy as Revis, I imagine.

It won't be long before the story surrounding Revis is, how long will the Bucs continue paying him $16M/year?

 

Yep.  We shouldn't be looking at the Jets secondary as losing Revis as much as gaining Milliner.

[Integrity28]

Why would that be a bigger question for Geno than Sanchez? They're both learning a new offense. I'm not aware of any intelligence problems with Geno, in fact, he was labeled "gifted" as a kid after taking an intelligence test. Maybe Manish is a racist? Seriously. I don't know where he gets that from.

Biggest question for me regarding Geno mentally isn't his intelligence, but his mental toughness. His ability to stand up to adversity, and to bounce back from a bad performance.

 

The Indian-American is racist against the African-American over the Hispanic-American?

 

Really? LOL

 

I think it's probably got more to do with rookie vs. veteran, and Manish not really caring if his writing makes any damn sense.