Plenty of Jets Storylines as Minicamp Approaces

[JetNation]

By Glenn Naughton

 

With OTA’s over and done with, the volunteer portion of the Jets offseason comes to a close as mandatory minicamp gets set to kick off in Florham Park this Tuesday.  As you might expect of a team in the early stages of a tear-down and re-build, there’s plenty to keep an eye on in the coming days and weeks.

The Quarterback Competition:  

Quarterback Bryce Petty struggled last season, but should be in the middle of the team’s QB competition.

Obviously this is where all eyes will be pointed for the majority of camp.  There’s every reason to believe that the Jets as an organization, and their fans, are hoping to see Christian Hackenberg or Bryce Petty play well enough to win the starting job.

Odds are, however, that Josh McCown, a veteran who has played in countless pro offenses, will take control and hold the position down for the early part of the season.  If Hackenberg or Petty manage to look even close to competent, that could get them the nod.

A word to the wise, be careful in how much attention to pay to the team’s writers, as any incomplete passes from Hackenberg that roll toward the sideline may be reported as heat-seeking missles endangering the lives of those in attendance.

Will Eric Decker be in Attendance?

By now, you know the Jets have made it public knowledge that they’ll look to trade wide receiver Eric Decker to the highest bidder, or they’ll release him if there’s no interest.

Some teams have been rumored to be in on the Decker sweepstakes, with the Baltimore Ravens emerging as the first possible landing spot.  If Decker is in fact no longer going to be a Jet, it’s a big blow to a very talented, but unproven group of receivers.

Is Kelvin Beachum an Option at Right Tackle?

Offensive tackle Brandon Shell played well enough to be given a shot to start in 2017.

This is a question that shouldn’t even garner any consideration at any point, yet somehow it is.  Mike Maccagnan and the Jets traded up in last year’s draft to take offensive tackle Brandon Shell, who went on to play fantastic football at right tackle over the final month of last season as a rookie.  According to pro football focus, (PFF.com), Shell was the top-rated pass blocker over the final month of the season, not giving up a single pressure.

Then, this offseason, the Jets signed free agent left tackle Kelvin Beachum to a 3-year $24 million contract.  Seems pretty basic, right?  Well,  a prominent Jets beat writer listed Beachum as the team’s starting right tackle, with Ben Ijalana starting on the left side.

Unless it’s for a few weeks to see how Beachum responds after playing poorly in Jacksonville last season after recovering from a torn ACL,  (and even that’s a stretch), just the thought of playing him at right tackle with a young and developing player like Shell being put on the bench in favor of an Ijalana/Beachum tandem makes little sense.

Will rookie reps continue?

Many onlookers said that this draft was going to be a big one for GM Mike Maccagnan, who would have to find at least a few day-one starters to get the organization back on track.

It was no surprise that round one and two safeties, Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye got starter reps during OTA’s, but two other names popped up on multiple occasions.

Wide receiver ArDarius Stewart and linebacker Dylan Donahue (nickel package) saw significant reps with the team’s starters early on.  Stewart would make sense as an option out of the slot in John Morton’s west coast offense while Donahue could get a shot at finally helping the team solve their years-long search for a pass rusher off the edge.

Who will the back-up safeties be?

Rontz Miles as slimmed down to 200 pounds in preparation for the 2017 season.

The aforementioned Adams and Maye should hold down the middle of the Jets secondary from the moment the season kicks off, but who are the legitimate candidates to provide depth?

A little-mentioned 2016 undrafted free agent of Maccagnan’s in safety Doug Middleton, who was elevated to the 53-man roster late last season should be given a shot to win a spot at free safety, whereas well-known thumper Rontez Miles should be able to keep the strong safety spot.

Miles, aware of the new dynamic in the Jets secondary, reportedly lost 26 pounds this offseason, getting down to his college playing weight according to Rich Cimini of ESPN New York.  Looking to improve his mobility and coverage skills, Miles did as much as could be expected to give himself a chance to stick with Gang Green once again in 2017.

Just a few of the many story lines that will bear watching in the coming weeks, be sure to visit our forums at JetNation.com to chime in on all of the battles as they unfold.

 

 

 

 

 

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[Sarge4Tide]

I'll be looking for hints related to the following likely roster battles:

Fullback
Julian Howsare vs Anthony Firsker (how much do we even use a fullback)

Tight End
Jason Vander Laan vs Eric Tomlinson - Is Vander Laan an actual player or just a warm body?

Wide Receiver
Do any of the WRs on the bubble have a legit chance to make the team: Myles White? KD Cannon?  Chris Harper?  Gabe Marks?

Offensive Line
Always hard to tell much about the O Line in minicamp, but do any of rookie UDFAs who impressed in rookie camp get any PT or mentions: Javarius Leamon, Ben Braden, Chris Bordelon? 

Defensive Line
Mike Pennel vs Lawrence Thomas vs Anthony Johnson might go down to the very last cut - I know they play different positions, but one of them will likely be the 6th DL, the other 2 will likely be cut

Linebacker
Big jumble at OLB - Assuming Mauldin & Jenkins are safe and Donahue will be kept as a promising draft pick - do Corey Lemonier, Josh Martin, Freddie Bishop,or Frank Beltre get any mentions - those 4 might be fighting for 1 spot.  

Cornerback
How do the 2 draft picks look - Clark and Jones?  Can they actually play?  

Safety
Doug Middleton and NFL vets Corey White and Shamarko Thomas will likely fight for 1 roster spot all summer.  Do any of the 3 get mentioned in minicamp?

Kicker
Martin vs Catanzaro -  is either ahead right now?

Kick Returner
Does anyone emerge as a legit threat at KR / PR?

[ASH1962]

The main question I have is what events will the media use to turn Minicamp into a Jets bashing contest. If Petty misses a pass will they say he threw the ball threw someone's windshield? Of if Hack misses an open receiver, will they say he threw the ball thru a window or something else stupid like last week?

Can't we even just suck in peace? Ok report the stories as they happen but please don't make $hit up for the sake of reading your own print, that is both childish and totally unprofessional.

For the first time I can ever remember, they are going to do things correctly by going young - maybe, or at least once they rid themselves of the current HC, but that does not give the media the right to invent nonsense just to goof on us while we are down, especially about our young QB's who are now on their second offensive system since they joined the league. IMO What the media should be writing about is why Fitzpatrick started week 17 last year, or why so many players were played out of position, or why they absolutely quit in the KC game, the Indy Monday night fiasco where they did not even bother to show up, or how many times they were blown out on National TV. The focus of a new season should not be the young QB throwing a pass that happened to bounce out of bounds and hit someone standing on the sideline in a "voluntary" minicamp that nobody really gives a $hit about.

[MDL_JET]

2 minutes ago, ASH1962 said:

The main question I have is what events will the media use to turn Minicamp into a Jets bashing contest. If Petty misses a pass will they say he threw the ball threw someone's windshield? Of if Hack misses an open receiver, will they say he threw the ball thru a window or something else stupid like last week?

Can't we even just suck in peace? Ok report the stories as they happen but please don't make $hit up for the sake of reading your own print.

For the first time I can ever remember, they are going to do things correctly, maybe, or at least once they rid themselves of the HC, but that does not give the media the right to invent nonsense just to goof on us while we are down, especially about our young QB's who are now on their second offensive system since they joined the league. IMO What the media should be writing about is why Fitzpatrick started week 17 last year, or why so many players were played out of position, or why they absolutely quit in the KC game, the Indy Monday night fiasco where they did not even bother to show up, or how many times they were blown out on National TV. The focus of a new season should not be the young QB throwing a pass that happened to bounce out of bounds and hit someone standing on the sideline in a "voluntary" minicamp that nobody really gives a $hit about.

They shouldn't miss. They're NFL QBs. That's not allowed. 

[Dunnie]

If the media goes into a feeding frenzy of bullsh*t ... i say we start reporter bashing threads to see if they will turn on each other. We all know they read this board for ideas


Sent from my iPhone using JetNation.com mobile app

[Beerfish]

 

[ASH1962]

32 minutes ago, MDL_JET said:

They shouldn't miss. They're NFL QBs. That's not allowed. 

Not according to these imbecilic reporters they aren't (NFL QB's)

[Warfish]

All of you will feel much better when you realize that what the "media" says doesn't mean anything in terms of how the team will play and develop. Turn them off, don't read them.

But please, don't obsess over their meaningless babble then come here and bitch about it like it's new or news ffs.

Be a fan. Don't be a flagellant.

[peebag]

4 minutes ago, Warfish said:

All of you will feel much better when you realize that what the "media" says doesn't mean anything in terms of how the team will play and develop. Turn them off, don't read them.

But please, don't obsess over their meaningless babble then come here and bitch about it like it's new or news ffs.

Be a fan. Don't be a flagellant.

Also...most importantly...don't be flatulent.

[ASH1962]

Right, good, ok... thanks Dad....Got it. Don't criticize the team. Don't criticize the media.

10-4.

Everything is wonderful. Give Bubba Gump a 10 year extension.

 

[Jetscode1]

1 hour ago, Warfish said:

All of you will feel much better when you realize that what the "media" says doesn't mean anything in terms of how the team will play and develop. Turn them off, don't read them.

But please, don't obsess over their meaningless babble then come here and bitch about it like it's new or news ffs.

Be a fan. Don't be a flagellant.

This.

[#27TheDominator]

I was going to rep this when I thought Air Force had posted it.  Then I saw it was JetNation.  **** that, that guy's a dick.

[jetfan39]

1 hour ago, ASH1962 said:

Right, good, ok... thanks Dad....Got it. Don't criticize the team. Don't criticize the media.

10-4.

Everything is wonderful. Give Bubba Gump a 10 year extension.

 

nobody said not to criticize the team.  They are saying don't go crazy over agenda driven reports from our "beat writers" who are just trying 

to keep their jobs by collecting clicks any way they can.  There is enough bad stuff going n without making stuff up with " anonymous" sources 

[AFJF]

1 hour ago, #27TheDominator said:

I was going to rep this when I thought Air Force had posted it.  Then I saw it was JetNation.  **** that, that guy's a dick.

I don't like either one of 'em.

[Happy Clouds]

2 hours ago, peebag said:

Also...most importantly...don't be flatulent.

But........but......I thought that....uh....this was the place to come to......"air out" our point of view? 

[56mehl56]

3 hours ago, peebag said:

Also...most importantly...don't be flatulent.

Doubly so near SARI's car.

[AFJF]

5 hours ago, Sarge4Tide said:

I'll be looking for hints related to the following likely roster battles:

Fullback
Julian Howsare vs Anthony Firsker (how much do we even use a fullback)

Tight End
Jason Vander Laan vs Eric Tomlinson - Is Vander Laan an actual player or just a warm body?

Wide Receiver
Do any of the WRs on the bubble have a legit chance to make the team: Myles White? KD Cannon?  Chris Harper?  Gabe Marks?

Offensive Line
Always hard to tell much about the O Line in minicamp, but do any of rookie UDFAs who impressed in rookie camp get any PT or mentions: Javarius Leamon, Ben Braden, Chris Bordelon? 

Defensive Line
Mike Pennel vs Lawrence Thomas vs Anthony Johnson might go down to the very last cut - I know they play different positions, but one of them will likely be the 6th DL, the other 2 will likely be cut

Linebacker
Big jumble at OLB - Assuming Mauldin & Jenkins are safe and Donahue will be kept as a promising draft pick - do Corey Lemonier, Josh Martin, Freddie Bishop,or Frank Beltre get any mentions - those 4 might be fighting for 1 spot.  

Cornerback
How do the 2 draft picks look - Clark and Jones?  Can they actually play?  

Safety
Doug Middleton and NFL vets Corey White and Shamarko Thomas will likely fight for 1 roster spot all summer.  Do any of the 3 get mentioned in minicamp?

Kicker
Martin vs Catanzaro -  is either ahead right now?

Kick Returner
Does anyone emerge as a legit threat at KR / PR?

Not sure if the Jets have any intentions to look at him there, but D-lineman Brandin Bryant got some work at FB with Seattle after plaing DL in college.  I like him a lot as a lineman, violent hands and great motor, but with so few options at FB, can't help but wonder if the Jets will take a peek at him there as well.