Jets' Steve McLendon says he's different from 'monster' Damon Harrison

[Gas2No99]

Jets' Steve McLendon says he's different from 'monster' Damon Harrison

Steve McLendon tries to rely on his quickness. (Courtesy of New York Jets)

By Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Don't try comparing the Jets' new nose tackle, Steve McLendon, to their old one, Damon Harrison, who signed with the Giants in free agency. 

McLendon will be the first to point out that you can't really compare him and Harrison. This isn't a boast. Far from it. McLendon is a reserved guy. Rather, McLendon is simply saying that he and Harrison are very different players. 

"I'm not taking over for him," McLendon told NJ Advance Media during minicamp. "I'm just coming here to play football. He went somewhere else. I came here. So it's not like I'm taking over for anybody." 

So McLendon doesn't view this as filling Harrison's shoes? 

"Nope," he said. "Because we're two different people." 

And two different players. 

"Most definitely," McLendon said. "He was like the traditional nose tackle, do it all. Big, strong, explosive. I'm not as big as him. My game is built off quickness and strength. (More akin to Bowles' preference on type of DLineman in the Elite Defense that he ran in 'Zona) 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." 

McLendon is 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds, while Harrison is 6-foot-4 and 350 pounds. With the Jets over the past three seasons, Harrison established himself as perhaps the NFL's best nose tackle. He is very clearly a nose tackle. 

During spring practices, the Jets worked McLendon at the nose tackle spot, but they also moved him all across their defensive line.

McLendon has embraced the opportunity to play various roles ever since the Steelers signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2009. McLendon said this is one reason why he was able to stick in the NFL. He started the past three seasons in Pittsburgh before signing with the Jets in free agency after Harrison departed. 

McLendon said that in addition to playing nose tackle this spring, he also lined up in the two, three, four, five, and six techniques along the line. (We're going to see A LOT more blitzes with interchangeable players attacking from different positions)

Two technique is head-up with the offensive guard. Three is shading to the guard's outside shoulder. Four is shading to the offensive tackle's inside shoulder. Five is head-up with the tackle. And six is shading to the tackle's outside shoulder. 

A nose tackle generally plays the zero technique (head-up with the center) or one technique (shading to the guard's inside shoulder). 

Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com

[BurnleyJet]

He's a NT, so really you can only see his worth looking at the teams average V the run. If we are sub 4 yards per carry he's good. Above not so good.

[Jetdawgg]

The Steelers let him go because he could not play NT like Casey Hampton did for them. Clearly he is a DT. I see more 4/3 from the Jets with Harris on the way out at LB

[Gas2No99]

16 hours ago, Gas2No99 said:

 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." 

 

 

15 hours ago, BurnleyJet said:

He's a NT, so really you can only see his worth looking at the teams average V the run. If we are sub 4 yards per carry he's good. Above not so good.

 

Illiteracy is a G0D DAMN SHAME IN THIS COUNTRY, let alone READING COMPREHENSION. 

[Sperm Edwards]

On 7/5/2016 at 0:05 AM, Gas2No99 said:

Jets' Steve McLendon says he's different from 'monster' Damon Harrison

He's a different monster.

Old monster:

 

New monster:

  

 

OK, probably he won't be Elmo. Remember, though, the last DL "monster" we plucked from the Steelers FA list was that useless sack of sh*t Kimo von Oelhoffen. Hope this monster turns out better. A lot better.