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When the Jets signed inside linebacker Erin Henderson last offseason, he was rebounding from rock bottom. 

After establishing himself with the Vikings from 2008-13, Henderson was out of the NFL in 2014, following two arrests for driving drunk. During his time away from the league, Henderson sought treatment for his substance abuse issues. So when he arrived at One Jets Drive, on a one-year contract, it was no sure thing that he'd work out. But he did. He wound up being a productive passing downs replacement for Demario Davis last season. 

Henderson, who turns 30 next month, is now starting for the Jets, because they let Davis leave for the Browns in free agency. The Jets re-signed Henderson to a two-year contract this offseason. The Jets hope Henderson can help with their pass coverage at the linebacker level — a weakness last season. And they are optimistic about Henderson (who last started in 2013), if only because of how he looked last year, when he put rock bottom behind him. "I think when you talk to Erin, he wanted a second chance, and he got it," said inside linebackers coach Mike Caldwell. "And he took full advantage of it. So his motivation, he's a competitive guy. He wants to be the best. 

 

"He's been in this league for a while, so he knows how to do it. The thing I saw about him [last year] is he was tough. He accepted his role. Whatever we asked him to do, he did it — special teams, certain packages. He went out there and performed and he made plays for us." 

Henderson entered the NFL as an  undrafted rookie  with the Vikings in 2008. He proved himself, and then became a starter from 2011-13. Then he slipped, with his substance abuse problems, and had to work his way back into the league. In addition to starting at one inside linebacker spot, it seems Henderson could be the Jets' top backup at middle linebacker, in case something happens to David Harris. But Caldwell said the Jets haven't formally established their depth chart at inside linebacker just yet. One thing is for sure: Henderson stood out during spring practices not only because he played well (particularly in coverage), but because he was a consistent, vocal presence on the field. One day, he barked at rookie quarterbackChristian Hackenberg before the snap, trying to throw off Hackenberg. 

"That's his personality," Caldwell said. "If you see him and you know him, he's that guy that has a bunch of energy. And he's going to bring it, and guys feed off of that. When he's out there [during practice], he's going to bring the best out of the guys beside him and the guys he's going against." 

>      http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/06/how_jets_erin_henderson_took_full_advantage_of_his.html#incart_river_index

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The Jets coaching staff made one thing abundantly clear during minicamp two weeks ago: They do not have a depth chart right now.Ask anyone from head coach Todd Bowles, to one of his many assistants, and that same message will be echoed time and time again. No player is a starter; no one is getting “first-team reps.”With that being said, whenever the first depth chart does come out. . .Jordan Jenkins is sure to be atop it.

A third-round pick in this year’s draft, Jenkins has done just about everything a linebacker in a padless practice can to impress New York’s coaching staff. He’s made leaps and bounds each and every day. He’s grabbed a hold of the defensive scheme faster than many others.  He’s made plays. He’s asked the right questions. He’s given the right answers when called upon.

To put it bluntly, the rookie doesn’t look like a, well, rookie.

“I think he’s a very consciousness guy,” linebackers coach Mark Collins said after one of New York’s minicamp practices. “He’s tough. I think he has a pretty good command of the content. He also loves football, which is a big part of it. Not everyone loves football.”

At 6-3 and 260 pounds, Jenkins is considered a bigger-bodied outside linebacker. He’s not as fast as he is strong. He’s more physical than he is agile. All of those traits were on display during his collegiate career at Georgia.With so many big-name players on the defensive side of the ball — namely Leonard Floyd — it was a rare situation when Jenkins actually got to rush the passer. When the team brought on those who specialized in getting to the quarterback, Jenkins says he often got bumped down to a three-technique. His job wasn’t getting the QB, but rather eating up blocks and setting picks so others on the defense could reap the rewards.

“Someone had to go down, and naturally, I was the bigger guy,” Jenkins told Jets Wire by his locker. “I did a lot of the dirty work, and that was all right with me. I’m just a guy trying to get work done and be physical.”In four years, Jenkins recorded 107 tackles, 39 tackles for a loss and 19 sacks. Entering the draft, many scouts looked past what Jenkins did on the field, and instead focused on what he didn’t. The small sack number had him labeled “not a dynamic pass rusher” by some. . . the Jets weren’t among them.

“To me, it comes down to turns,” Collins said. “I’ll give you an example: Lorenzo Mauldin had four sacks for us last year, but he played 250 turns. You may have another rookie that had four sacks, but had 750 turns. It all comes down to turns.“I didn’t watch all 12 of [Jenkins] games, but I watched enough of him. Sometimes you’re not in a position to rush the QB and pin your ears back. It comes down to turns. Jordan has rush ability.”And improving that rush ability is something Jenkins is working on over the course of these next six weeks. He’s soaked up all he can from the Jets coaching staff. Now, along with some personal workouts, his focus is fine-tuning his rushing craft. No, he doesn’t have a problem being the do-the-dirty-work backer, but Jenkins wants to be able to do it all.

Before camp, Jenkins is hoping to improve his hips, striking and eliminate wasted movement to be a, as he describes it, more “efficient” pass rusher.Because when the Jets do report for training camp July 27, and the coaches do put together that first depth chart. . . Jenkins hopes he’s at the top.“I know I’m a rookie, but I’m gonna go as hard as I can and hit someone in the face,” Jenkins said. “My mindset is if I’m working, and you’re working, I’m just gonna try to do my best.”

>    http://jetswire.usatoday.com/2016/06/28/jordan-jenkins-impressing-jets-heading-into-training-camp/

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It makes too much sense to ignore changing the base to a 4-3. That's the only way Bowles can get all of their D linemena out on the field all at once and it also makes their small fry linebacker relevant. In a 3-4, You cannot all those great D linemen out there doing what they do best and small fry gets eaten alive. If Bowles is too dumb or stubborn (take your pick) as to stick with a 3-4 base? then he deserves to lose his job or finally pull his head out of his A$$ and use his guys in the way they are best suited.

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Among the reasons cited for the lack of a serious push from the Jets to sign defensive endMuhammad Wilkerson to a long-term contract this offseason is the presence of Sheldon Richardson and 2015 first-round pick Leonard Williams.With Williams and Richardson filling out the defensive line, the argument is that the Jets don’t feel they need to commit to Wilkerson beyond the franchise tag they gave him for the coming season. Williams backed up that feeling as a rookie by leading the team in quarterback hits while recording 63 tackles and three sacks.

Williams says he’d like to do even more as a pass rusher this season and feels prepared to take a step up now that he’s had more time in the team’s defensive scheme.“It is different because last year I just kept thinking, ‘rookie, rookie, rookie,’ but now … I know that I’m a pro now,” Williams said, via the New York Post. “I know the playbook now, so I don’t have to think as much when I’m out there, I can just play. It’s less pressure now that I’m not a rookie anymore, and I don’t have to have that tag or label on me. It’s just been more comfortable overall this year.”

Defensive line coach Pepper Johnson said Williams has taken his maturity “to another level” this offseason, which supports the notion that he’ll be doing more on the field for the Jets this season. If things play out that way, the Jets will likely feel comfortable about the future of their defensive line wherever Wilkerson winds up in 2017 and beyond.

>    http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/06/26/leonard-williams-more-comfortable-overall-in-second-year/

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Over the course of the next several weeks, Jets Wire will be taking a look at many of the positional battles leading up to training camp. From backup spots, to starting positions, we’ll break them all down. On tap today? Outside linebacker

POSITION:

Outside Linebacker

SPOT ON DEPTH CHART:

Starter

PLAYERS COMPETING

Trevor Reilly, Jordan Jenkins, Deion Barnes, Freddie Bishop

FAVORITE:

Jordan Jenkins

ANALYSIS:

With Lorenzo Mauldin locked in on one side, the starting spot opposite him is up for grabs with a handful of players competing to become No. 1 on the depth chart. Among them all, well, there isn’t much experience.Jordan Jenkins is a rookie, Trevor Reilly has played mostly special teams throughout his two-year career, Deion Barnes spent last season on the practice squad and Freddie Bishop signed with New York after playing the last three years in Canada.

Again. Not much experience.

When camp opens July 27, it’ll likely be a mix of Reilly and Jenkins with the first team while Barnes and Bishop work in on passing situations. By the end of camp, though, expect Jenkins to be the every-down starter.The backer looked quite good during OTAs and minicamp, and is hoping to keep the momentum rolling come the end of July.

 

>     http://jetswire.usatoday.com/2016/06/29/jets-training-camp-position-battles-outside-linebacker/

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As the Jets get close to training camp, I am going to examine the roster and give you my top 25 players. Each weekday, we will reveal another person on the list, leading right into camp. I am not including rookies on this list because I do not feel it is possible to fully evaluate them before they play a game. I also am not including Ryan Fitzpatrick on the list because he is not technically a Jet at this time.

No. 20: Erin Henderson

Last year’s ranking: Not ranked

Position: Inside linebacker

Age: 29

How acquired: Signed as a free agent on April 8, 2015

Years left on contract: 2

2016 Salary Cap figure: $1.25 million

Looking back at 2015: Henderson was one of the best stories on the Jets last season. The team picked him up off the scrap heap and his role grew and grew. He was out of football in 2014 after the Vikings released him following two DUI arrests.The Jets did not know what to expect from Henderson last year, but were pleasantly surprised. He came in willing to play special teams and showed he really wanted to be there. Eventually he played more and more at inside linebacker. For the final month of the season he rotated series with starter Demario Davis. He finished the year with 45 tackles and one forced fumble.

Outlook for 2016: The Jets were so happy with Henderson they signed him to a two-year contract this offseason and he replaced Davis, now in Cleveland, as the starter next to David Harris.The main question for Henderson this season is how long he can hold off first-round pick Darron Lee. The Jets’ plan is for Lee to play in sub packages to start, but you don’t draft someone in the first round just to play in sub packages. Eventually, Lee is going to cut into Henderson’s playing time, but that may not happen until 2017 if Henderson plays well enough.

Henderson looks noticeably more comfortable this spring. He was loud on the practice field, talking smack with wide receiver Brandon Marshall constantly.“I think he’s feeling more comfortable and he likes to get everybody going,” Jets coach Todd Bowles said. “Erin’s always been a talker behind the scenes. But lately he’s become more of a, shall I say, vocal leader in that regard and it’s all in fun with him. If you know him, it’s all in fun. He gets the guys going and he likes to cause little stir-ups out there every now and then. But it was good camaraderie.”

>      http://nypost.com/2016/06/30/jets-pleasant-surprise-now-faces-challenge-from-top-pick/

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  • 2 weeks later...

@Connor_J_Hughes How would u rank the #NYJ LBs on potential?@jordanOLB, @DLeeMG8, @LozoIV have outstanding speed#NYJ have not had in years

 

 

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AFC East Q&A : How about Ronald Darby, Leonard Williams as rising stars ?

 

Today's question : The stars of the AFC East are well established, headlined by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. But who is the rising star in the division ?

One interesting case study is Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler, who went from undrafted free agent out of West Alabama to Super Bowl hero to Pro Bowler. That’s the true definition of a rising star, and now that he has established his place, it’s time to look for who is next in line in the AFC East.

There are plenty of worthy choices, and ESPN.com's AFC East reporters offer their take.

~ ~   Rich Cimini, New York Jets reporter: Jets defensive end Leonard Williams, drafted sixth overall in 2015, is primed to take a big step in his second season. He was quietly efficient as a rookie, but his improved familiarity with blocking schemes will allow him to make more splash plays in 2016. Defensive line coach Pepper Johnson, a hard-to-please, old-school coach, said Williams has the physical ability to be one of the top defensive linemen in the league. I believe him.

 

rest of above article  :  

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/80602/afc-east-qa-how-about-ronald-darby-leonard-williams-as-rising-stars

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As the Jets get close to training camp, I am going to examine the roster and give you my top 25 players. Each weekday, we will reveal another person on the list, leading right into camp. I am not including rookies on this list because I do not feel it is possible to fully evaluate them before they play a game. I also am not including Ryan Fitzpatrick on the list because he is not technically a Jet at this time.

No. 10: Leonard Williams

Last year’s ranking: Not ranked (rookie)

Position: Defensive lineman

Age: 22

How acquired: Selected in the first round of the 2015 Draft

Years left on contract: 3 (plus a team option for a fourth)

2016 Salary Cap figure: $4.2 million

Looking back at 2015: The Jets were shocked when Williams fell into their laps in last year’s NFL Draft. Ranked by most draft experts as the best player in the draft, Williams fell to No. 6 and Mike Maccagnan grabbed him despite the Jets’ defensive line already being a strength of the team.The move paid immediate dividends after Sheldon Richardson was hit with a four-game suspension to start the season due to violating the league’s drug policy. Richardson’s absence opened a hole that Williams filled admirably for a rookie.

Williams finished the year with 63 tackles, three sacks, 30 quarterback hurries and 19 quarterback hits. He ended up playing more than 800 defensive snaps.The productivity dipped a little in the middle of the season, but Williams got better and better late in the year. He figured out how to use his hands more and started to understand NFL blocking schemes better.

Outlook for 2016: You saw flashes in 2015 of what made people rate Williams so highly coming out of USC. Now it is time to see that on a consistent basis. This is always the jump players have to make from their first to second years. There is no reason to think Williams can’t make it. Williams has stated his goal is to become a better pass rusher. He moved around the line a bunch last year and probably will again this year with Muhammad Wilkerson and Richardson also on the line. If he can get his sack total in the 6-to-8 range, the Jets would be thrilled.

The development of Williams is a key piece in the Jets’ strategy for the future. With their failure to sign Wilkerson to a long-term deal, many people believe the Jets are banking on Williams becoming an equally productive player who would be cheaper for the next four years. That is a high bar to reach: Wilkerson is a Pro Bowl player.

>    http://nypost.com/2016/07/14/leonard-williams-bust-out-would-re-shape-jets-in-2-obvious-ways/

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The New York Jets open training camp July 27 at their year-round facility in Florham Park, New Jersey. Here’s a closer look at the Jets' camp, which wraps up on Aug. 24 :

~ ~  That rookie should start : Jordan Jenkins has a terrific chance to claim the outside linebacker job on the strong side. The third-round pick is a physical player with "heavy hands," as the coaches like to say. In theory, he should be even better when the pads go on. If he can handle the mental aspect, he'll be an opening-day starter. There's no incumbent at Sam linebacker.

rest of above article : 

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/61094/with-camp-approaching-jets-ryan-fitzpatrick-qb-drama-intensifies

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Breaking down the New York Jets' roster, unit by unit, in preparation for training camp :

Position: Offensive line

Projected starters: LT Ryan Clady, LG James Carpenter, C Nick Mangold, RG Brian Winters, RT Breno Giacomini.

Projected reserves: Brent Qvale, Ben Ijalana, Brandon Shell, Wesley Johnson.

Notables on the bubble: Jarvis Harrison, Dakota Dozier.

Top storyline: The Jets are hoping to squeeze another year out of this group, which needs an infusion of young talent. They haven't used a first- or second-round pick on an offensive lineman since Vlad Ducasse in 2010, and that didn't work out too well. They have intriguing young players waiting in the wings -- namely Shell, a right tackle taken in the fifth round -- but they might not be ready for another year. Pro Football Focus rates the Jets' line as 24th in the league, noting it doesn't have a high ceiling. Indeed, the only player on the ascent is Carpenter, who stabilized left guard after an underwhelming career in Seattle. Coming off a shaky season, Giacomini could be vulnerable if he continues to regress. The leader remains Mangold, 32, projected as the oldest starting center in the league. He galvanizes the unit with his smarts and savvy.

Player to watch: Clady has the task of replacing the retired D'Brickashaw Ferguson, one of the league's most durable players over the past decade. Durability isn't Clady's calling card; he has missed 30 of the past 48 games due to foot and knee injuries. When he plays, he's very good, having made the Pro Bowl in each of the past three years when he started every game. If healthy, he'll be an upgrade over Ferguson, whose play declined last season. It'll be an adjustment for Clady, who goes from the Denver Broncos' zone-blocking scheme to the Jets' man-blocking system. If his surgically repaired body parts don't hold up, the Jets are in trouble.

Training camp will be a success if ...: Let's put it this way: It won'tbe a success if people are ruing the day that Ferguson retired at the age of 30. There's a lot of pressure on Clady to live up to a standard of consistency set by Ferguson, who never missed a play due to injury in 10 years.

Wild card: With four starters returning, the line should have a strong sense of continuity, and that will be critical as they start the season. Why? Because five of the first seven opponents fielded top-11 defenses last season (yards allowed). You'd better buckle up those chin straps, men, because it's going to get tough early.

By the numbers: The Jets were a middle-of-the-pack rushing team (4.17 yards per carry), in part, because of Chris Ivory's ability to break tackles. In fact, the Jets ranked fourth in yards after contact (1.89 yards per rush), but they were only 23rd in yards before contact (2.28). Ivory is gone. His replacement, Matt Forte, isn't a big yards-after-contact runner, meaning the run blocking will have to be sharper than it was in 2015.

>     http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/61322/minus-brick-in-the-wall-jets-offensive-line-hopes-to-answer-critics

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With training camp less than a week away, the Jets and first-round draft pick Darron Lee still don't have a contract agreement. This is unusual: The league's collective bargaining agreement, which kicked in in 2011, mandates four-year contracts for all drafted players, with all salaries and bonuses slotted according to a pay scale. As such, there is little room for bargaining.

As Andrew Brandt explained last year in The MMQB :

There are very few negotiable items: offset language (the ability for the team to recover guaranteed money if the player is released and signs elsewhere), bonus payment terms, roster bonus allocations and other miscellaneous structural issues.

Still, Lee is one of just three 2016 draft picks without a contract. The issue? Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio noted last month that the Top 19 picks in this year's draft received fully guaranteed money for all four years of their deals. The Jets drafted Lee at No. 20. And at No. 22, Washington wideout Josh Doctson has roughly one-third of his fourth-year salary not guaranteed.It would stand to reason, then, that the hang up for Lee--who is slotted to get a deal with a max value of $10.2 million, including a signing bonus of approximately $5.6 million, per per overthecap.com--is related to how much of his fourth-year salary is guaranteed.

Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa (selected No. 3 overall) and 49ers guard Joshua Garnett (No. 28) are the only other unsigned picks. Like Lee, Bosa and Garnett are represented by agents from CAA.Lee participated in organized team activities and minicamp even though he didn't have a deal. Training camp holdouts rarely happen for NFL rookies, and Lee has given no indication that he might stay away if a deal can't be completed by the start of camp.

The Jets' rookies and veterans are scheduled to report for camp next Wednesday.

>  http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/07/jets_darron_lee_one_of_three_unsigned_2016_draft_p.html#incart_river_index

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This article just points out what everyone already knew. The OL is VERY suspect this season. I figure this unit will cost us respectability this season. Mac did nothing to fix this very obvious problem. As far as I am concerned, the failure this team will suffer through this season is ALL Mac's fault. He sucks as a GM.

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Breaking down the New York Jets' roster, unit by unit, in preparation for training camp :

Position: Linebacker

Projected starters: David Harris and Erin Henderson (inside); Lorenzo Mauldin and Jordan Jenkins (outside).

Projected reserves: Darron Lee, Trevor Reilly, Bruce Carter, Deion Barnes.

Notables on the bubble: Mike Catapano, Freddie Bishop.

Top storyline: The Jets are taking a calculated gamble by going into camp with no starting experience at outside linebacker. That's right, none. The most experienced player is Mauldin, who played 244 defensive snaps last season as a situational rusher. He's expected to graduate to an every-down role, probably on the weak side. Mauldin impressed during offseason practices, demonstrating an improved understanding of the defense. On the strong side, Reilly was atop the off-season depth chart, but that position truly is wide open. Jenkins, a third-round pick from Georgia, will get a chance to win the job after a promising offseason. Teammates were blown away by how quickly he adapted.

Player to watch: With the post-draft focus on Christian Hackenbergand the ongoing quarterback drama, Lee became a footnote. That's unusual for a first-round pick, but it could be a good thing because there will be less scrutiny. He's not expected to start right away -- he's playing behind Henderson -- so he'll be able to concentrate on his specific role. He will be used in the nickel package, which should accentuate his blitz-and-cover skills. Lee brings a different dimension to the revamped linebacking corps -- speed. This dude can run. First, there's the matter of his contract. Lee is one of only three unsigned first-round picks.

Training camp will be a success if ...: A couple of the young players nail down prominent roles in the linebacker rotation. Mainly, we're talking about Mauldin, Jenkins and Lee, all of whom represent the future of the linebacking corps. Right now, the Jets have only three seasoned linebackers -- Harris, Henderson and Carter, a free-agent addition from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Harris, the defensive glue, will have to show the way. There will be growing pains, but the overall speed of the unit will be improved. The outside backers produced only eight sacks last season; it has to be better than that.

Wild card: Former starter Calvin Pace, 35, is only a phone call away. If Todd Bowles doesn't like what he sees from the kid linebackers, he could reach out to Pace, who reportedly wants to keep playing. That would be at least a month down the line.

By the numbers: When running backs were targeted in the passing game, the Jets ranked only 23rd in opposing QBR (60.8), according to ESPN Stats & Information. The linebacking corps had some hiccups. Lee will help in this area, but it will remain vulnerable when Harris and Henderson are on the field.

>    http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/61358/jets-linebacking-corps-the-young-and-the-relentless-david-harris

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Two rarities occurred for Jets rookie linebacker  Jordan Jenkins  on the same play during team drills at Thursday's first practice of training camp.He came down with an interception. And then he got up and ran with it.

"I was supposed to have somebody in the backfield, and I saw him block so I backed off to try and read the quarterback's eyes," Jenkins explained. Then he leaped and batted  Ryan Fitzpatrick 's toss into the air."Part of me said, 'Man, I wanted to get that pick,' " he said, thinking it was incomplete. "Next thing I know, I dived and I caught it. And I was about to stay there on the ground and I looked up and everybody started chasing and I said, 'I'm going to have to run.' "

Jenkins was accomplished enough as a four-year Georgia 'backer to be named the Bulldogs' defensive co-captain and Defensive MVP as a senior and then selected in Round 3, 83rd overall, by the Jets. But one thing he never did in a game was get a pick — rarely dropping into coverage, he had no interceptions in 52 career games.And of course because it was his first pro interception of any kind, his initial instinct came from college ball — he caught it on the ground so he was down.

But Jenkins is picking up the pro game just fine as he works at both outside LB positions."I thought I had a couple of good rushes today," he assessed. "Overall, I'm a big critic of myself. There's things I need to work on. I'm still a bit rusty. I've just got to improve my rush angle and be more efficient."

>     http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-randylangefb/Jordan-Jenkins-Reflects-on-a-Rarity-a-Pick/4bdc5b3e-ca03-4882-8af3-1cb1d257bd70

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On June 28, 2016 at 0:04 PM, kelly said:

The Jets coaching staff made one thing abundantly clear during minicamp two weeks ago: They do not have a depth chart right now.Ask anyone from head coach Todd Bowles, to one of his many assistants, and that same message will be echoed time and time again. No player is a starter; no one is getting “first-team reps.”With that being said, whenever the first depth chart does come out. . .Jordan Jenkins is sure to be atop it.

A third-round pick in this year’s draft, Jenkins has done just about everything a linebacker in a padless practice can to impress New York’s coaching staff. He’s made leaps and bounds each and every day. He’s grabbed a hold of the defensive scheme faster than many others.  He’s made plays. He’s asked the right questions. He’s given the right answers when called upon.

To put it bluntly, the rookie doesn’t look like a, well, rookie.

“I think he’s a very consciousness guy,” linebackers coach Mark Collins said after one of New York’s minicamp practices. “He’s tough. I think he has a pretty good command of the content. He also loves football, which is a big part of it. Not everyone loves football.”

At 6-3 and 260 pounds, Jenkins is considered a bigger-bodied outside linebacker. He’s not as fast as he is strong. He’s more physical than he is agile. All of those traits were on display during his collegiate career at Georgia.With so many big-name players on the defensive side of the ball — namely Leonard Floyd — it was a rare situation when Jenkins actually got to rush the passer. When the team brought on those who specialized in getting to the quarterback, Jenkins says he often got bumped down to a three-technique. His job wasn’t getting the QB, but rather eating up blocks and setting picks so others on the defense could reap the rewards.

“Someone had to go down, and naturally, I was the bigger guy,” Jenkins told Jets Wire by his locker. “I did a lot of the dirty work, and that was all right with me. I’m just a guy trying to get work done and be physical.”In four years, Jenkins recorded 107 tackles, 39 tackles for a loss and 19 sacks. Entering the draft, many scouts looked past what Jenkins did on the field, and instead focused on what he didn’t. The small sack number had him labeled “not a dynamic pass rusher” by some. . . the Jets weren’t among them.

“To me, it comes down to turns,” Collins said. “I’ll give you an example: Lorenzo Mauldin had four sacks for us last year, but he played 250 turns. You may have another rookie that had four sacks, but had 750 turns. It all comes down to turns.“I didn’t watch all 12 of [Jenkins] games, but I watched enough of him. Sometimes you’re not in a position to rush the QB and pin your ears back. It comes down to turns. Jordan has rush ability.”And improving that rush ability is something Jenkins is working on over the course of these next six weeks. He’s soaked up all he can from the Jets coaching staff. Now, along with some personal workouts, his focus is fine-tuning his rushing craft. No, he doesn’t have a problem being the do-the-dirty-work backer, but Jenkins wants to be able to do it all.

Before camp, Jenkins is hoping to improve his hips, striking and eliminate wasted movement to be a, as he describes it, more “efficient” pass rusher.Because when the Jets do report for training camp July 27, and the coaches do put together that first depth chart. . . Jenkins hopes he’s at the top.“I know I’m a rookie, but I’m gonna go as hard as I can and hit someone in the face,” Jenkins said. “My mindset is if I’m working, and you’re working, I’m just gonna try to do my best.”

>    http://jetswire.usatoday.com/2016/06/28/jordan-jenkins-impressing-jets-heading-into-training-camp/

 

So it might surprise you then to know the players got their official "start of preseason" depth chart posted yesterday.   The media hasn't gotten wind of it yet but Jordan Jenkins is listed as the 3rd SAM linebacker.    So.....take that for whats its worth.   He can work his way up through the course of the preseason and regular season.  But he currently sits at 3rd on the depth chart.   Mauldin is the starter on the other side at the Will.   

 

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Leonard Williamsicon-article-link.gif feels much more comfortable entering his second training camp. This is the first year since high school he has played under the same system in back-to-back seasons and it seems to be paying off thus far. In two days of camp, the USC product has gotten a good push off the ball, played the run well and spent a lot of time in the offensive backfield.

“Mentally I know what to expect,” said Williams. “Last year I was coming out here day-by-day wondering what’s going to happen and where I’ll be in the lineup. I feel a lot more weight off my shoulders now that I know where to be at the right time.”

The 6’5”, 302-pounder started 15 games in 2015 and led the Jets in quarterback hits with 32. But Williams wants to turn those pressures into sacks in 2016.“I just want to get better at pass rushing. I had a lot of QB hits last year, but the stat I want to see is sacks," he said. "I have to get there that one second faster and that’s what I’ve been working on  getting off the ball faster and getting off my blocker faster.”

Williams will have a chance to display his moves Saturday for the team’s first padded practice.

>     http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-7/Williams-Eyeing-Sacks-in-Sophomore-Year/e91f789f-fc23-4106-b2fd-64d687f46361

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 -- Sunday's wake-up call, Day 4 of New York Jetstraining camp :

What's happening : The Jets will be in pads for the second straight day, but there's a good chance they will wind up indoors again, as the weather forecast is ominous. They will be on the field at 1:50; practice is open to the public with a valid ticket.

What's hot : The offense will look to rebound after a shaky day, especially in the red zone. Quarterback Geno Smith struggled, throwing two interceptions in one seven-on-seven period. He threw another on the final play of practice, from inside the 10-yard line with only a few seconds left in the "game." It was Smith's first bad practice. The Jets had one of the league's most efficient red zone offenses last season, so there's no reason to panic. ... The Jets have been rotating three different players at right tackle during Breno Giacomini's absence -- Brent Qvale, Ben Ijalana, and rookie Brandon Shell, who also is getting a look at left tackle. None of them have legitimate NFL experience, so the team would be in a bind if Giacomini's back injury becomes long-term.

He's expected to miss at least a week, but that appears to be a conservative timetable. Asked if he's concerned about Giacomini's availability for the season opener, coach Todd Bowles said, "Not at this point. ... As it goes forward, we'll see how it progresses. There may be worry or concern, but it gives us a chance to look at other guys." Giacomini hasn't been spotted on the sideline during practice, usually an indication that an injury is serious. ... With Matt Forte(hamstring) and Khiry Robinson (leg) on the sideline, recently-signed veteran Bernard Pierce is getting a lot of work. He's a Temple product, which doesn't hurt his chances. Bowles is a Temple alum.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/61620/jets-playing-musical-right-tackles-during-breno-giacominis-absence

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On ‎7‎/‎29‎/‎2016 at 3:44 PM, Nostradamus said:

 

So it might surprise you then to know the players got their official "start of preseason" depth chart posted yesterday.   The media hasn't gotten wind of it yet but Jordan Jenkins is listed as the 3rd SAM linebacker.    So.....take that for whats its worth.   He can work his way up through the course of the preseason and regular season.  But he currently sits at 3rd on the depth chart.   Mauldin is the starter on the other side at the Will.   

 

who are the players listed ahead of Jordan at Sam  linebacker ?  Thanks in advance .

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  Through four Jets training camp practices, including two in full pads, rookie Jordan Jenkins has received every first-team rep. 

It sure appears that Jenkins, whom the Jets drafted in Round 3 out of Georgia, is the early favorite to start at the outside linebacker spot opposite Lorenzo Mauldin.And while the Jets need better edge-rushing production this season, there is more to being a complete, every-down NFL outside linebacker than just rushing the quarterback. You also must set the edge against the run (not let the ball carrier turn the corner) and sometimes drop into pass coverage.

Jenkins believes he has the skills foundation to do both of those things. In particular, Jenkins feels especially comfortable defending the run. 

"I feel like that's one of my stronger suits," he told NJ Advance Media. 

In college, he adopted the mentality "that teams weren't going to run the ball my way. And I was going to be someone that set the edge, because if I didn't make the play, they weren't running outside of me." He doesn't have much pass coverage dropping experience in games. But, he said, "It's nothing I haven't previously done at Georgia. Nobody really saw the game film of me doing it. I did it in practice." That's because, even though he played the "will" (weak-side) outside linebacker spot, he also had to learn the "sam" (strong-side) spot played by Leonard Floyd, whom the Bears drafted ninth overall this year. 

The Jets are starting over at both outside linebacker spots. Mauldin was a rookie third-round pick last year who played mostly as a situational pass rusher. So a Mauldin-Jenkins outside linebacker tandem would be plenty green.But it looks like that tandem could happen. Jenkins did not expect to get every first-team rep early in camp.

"No, I expected just to maybe get some every now and then," he said. 

The Jets could also consider third-year pro Trevor Reilly (primarily a special teams player to date) or Canadian Football League import Freddie Bishop as starter candidates.Jenkins said the coaching staff has scripted the outside linebacker reps so that other players (like Reilly or Bishop) could get first-team reps in chunks later in camp. The coaches would rather divide the first-team reps like this, instead of rotating two or three players in with the starters during each individual practice.

Jenkins primarily played the "sam" outside linebacker spot during spring practices, but has worked at both spots during camp, because Jets coach Todd Bowles wants his outside linebackers to be interchangeable.As Jenkins scouts himself, he said he must work on his eye discipline before the snap — a typical issue for young defenders. 

"Keep my eyes where they're supposed to be, and not try to do somebody else's job," he said. "Just focus on what's in front of me, instead of looking in the backfield." 

He caught his eyes straying early in camp. "I made my job harder than it needed to be," he said. "I might have the edge set already. But if I peek in the backfield, I give the guy I'm going against a chance to recover, versus me just worrying about my gap and waiting for the ball to come to me, versus me jumping inside and the ball coming outside." 

Bottom line: Does Jenkins think he can be a productive starter ? 

"That's something I would hope to do," he said. "I've only been in the league maybe two or three months, so I have no idea what's the level that it needs to be. But I will do my damnedest to try to get as close as I can to that level." 

>      http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/08/jets_jordan_jenkins_thinks_he_has_the_skills_to_be.html#incart_river_index

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Darron Lee may have been the only person on the Jets happy Ryan Fitzpatrick's holdout lasted as long as it did. 

With everyone and their uncle focused on New York's unsigned quarterback, Lee's contract negotiation flew a bit under the radar. Despite the fact he had perfect attendance at OTAs and minicamp, Lee was on the field simply because he signed an injury waiver.

As the days inched closer and closer to the start of camp, Lee still didn't have his rookie contract signed. Well, that was until the night before the Jets reported."It's good to have that business side done," Lee told NJ Advance Media Friday. "Now I can just go play football."Four days into his first training camp as a pro, the No. 20 overall pick in this year's draft is starting to make a name for himself. Working primarily with the second unit, Lee has flashed time and time again ever since the Jets strapped on the pads. 

On Saturday, the Ohio State product smacked into running back Bernard Pierce and ripped the ball from his hands. On Sunday, he came shooting up the middle on a blitz for a would-be sack of Geno Smith. "As opposed to where I was during rookie minicamp, when I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off, now it's starting to slow down," Lee said. "It's just about picking up on those little clues that give you an edge on the play. It's a lot because it's something different every single time, but you just gotta keep repping it, asking questions and eventually it will fall into place."

As things stand right now, the Jets have their two starting middle linebackers set in stone -- strong side will be David Harris, and the weak side occupied by Erin Henderson. But while Lee may not start this year, that doesn't mean he isn't going to have a role. See, the rookie was brought to New York for a reason :

Speed.

Throughout the course of the 2015 season, it was overwhelmingly evident that the Jets lacked overall team speed up front. None of their linebackers -- interior or pass rushing -- had the ability to play sideline-to-sideline. Lee, and his 4.47 40-yard dash, bring that."I know game plan is going to dictate a lot of how much I play," Lee said, "But having the speed to blitz and rush, coming off that edge, that creates lanes for everyone else. 

"From what I was told, they didn't have the speed to make things happen a lot last year. So I think I'm going to bring that to the table to help everyone out. That will open up a lot of things."And that speed may not just be a factor at inside linebacker.At Ohio State, Lee played just about everywhere for head coach Urban Meyer. He started at inside linebacker, but would rush from the outside and even play nickel cornerback. While his days covering slot wideouts are likely over, Lee says he has no problem coming off the outside if that's what the team needs.

In fact, he'd like to do it.

"I'm very confident that I can do that," Lee said. "I'm learning the entire scheme and all the calls. I want to do everything, not one thing."I like playing football, how about that? So whether I'm in the middle, or outside, it doesn't matter. I love what I do."

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/08/jets_darron_lee_relieved_to_have_contract_done_foc.html#incart_river_index

 

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 When Ryan Clady was healthy with the Broncos, he rated as one of the NFL's best left tackles. 

The Jets traded for Clady this offseason, after D'Brickashaw Ferguson retired.

Clady had spent all eight of his NFL seasons with the Broncos. He was fully healthy for six of them. And in those six years, he made the Pro Bowl four times, and twice was a first-team All-Pro — with the exceptions being 2008 (his rookie year) and 2010. Clady said Saturday that he believes he can return to that level. 

"I think I definitely can," Clady said. "I've been feeling really good. I just want to improve from there and get a full grasp of the offense." Clady missed all of last season with a torn ACL. A foot injury limited him to two games in 2013. But in 2014, he made the Pro Bowl. Clady said he's feeling mostly healthy now, three practices into training camp with the Jets. 

"It's still a work in progress, but I feel like I'm doing pretty well," he said. 

Clady welcomed the news from offensive coordinator Chan Gailey that the Jets plan to do more zone blocking this season, compared to last year, Gailey's first with the organization. Clady is very familiar with zone blocking, from Denver. 

"Chan said the plan is to do more zone blocking, which I'm very comfortable with," Clady said. "I'm definitely comfortable with that and think I can do a good job." And the reason Gailey wants to zone block more? 

"Just to stretch the defense out," Clady said. "If you see those offenses, they get the defense stretched out, get them tired, and it opens things up."Clady has come to terms with being traded by the Broncos. During spring practices, he said the trade stung him a bit, but left him motivated, too. 

The Broncos saved $8.9 million in salary cap space by trading him. He was scheduled to carry a $10.1 million cap figure this year. His replacement, Russell Okung, has a $5.2 million cap number in 2016. "I think it was a situation where they paid me a lot of money, and they just kind of wanted something cheaper," Clady said. "It was definitely a cap move. It's part of the game. I kind of knew this was a possibility." 

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/07/jets_ryan_clady_thinks_he_definitely_can_return_to.html#incart_river_index

 

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As a fan I have an abstract desire for us to have the best units across the roster but as a rational fan I know not everything can receive focus in two offseasons and admittedly we had more serious problems (e.g. WR, last year, QB...always) that needed more immediate attention. It's not like Macc has completely ignored offensive blocking; nor is it the case where other positions cannot provide meaningful support. Our RBs, FB and TEs can all provide support to the weak points in the line. I'd rather not have six or seven guys blocking most downs but I'll accept that situation over having a sh*tty set of WRs and a sieve for a secondary just to have a top OL.

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 It is still early in Jets training camp, as they'll hold their fifth practice Tuesday. And while one outside linebacker spot is uncertain (with rookie Jordan Jenkins as the early favorite to start), the other job belongs to Lorenzo Mauldin, who was a pass rushing specialist as a rookie last season. 

Mauldin, a former third-round draft pick, did a couple things this offseason to make sure he'd be a solid run defender and edge setter in 2016, when the Jets start fresh at both outside linebacker spots. It remains to be seen how this preparation will pay off, but Mauldin feels confident after putting in the work.

First, he gained weight. He entered last season at 252 pounds, and was between 250 and 255 all year. The Jets' coaches wanted him to gain about 10 pounds in the winter, so he began spring practices at 265, which remains his current weight."Now, I feel like I'm more stout in the run game," he told NJ Advance Media. "I still feel the same with my speed, fast enough to cover a tight end, cover a running back, slot receiver." 

Even though Mauldin has minimal game experience dropping into pass coverage, he has no doubt that he'll be able to do it."I feel much more comfortable now," he said. "I know all the plays. It's second nature to me now. Being able to drop into coverage is easy. The coverage stuff is easy now." 

Last season, when he primarily played in second-and-long and third-down situations, he knew teams likely would pass the ball. So he just had to worry about rushing the quarterback. He finished the year with four sacks."I would come out and I would always have to just go straight," he said. "I only dropped probably once or twice." 

Something else he didn't have to do often — stop the run and set the edge. That involves reading pre-snap run/pass keys."One of the things I had to work on in the spring was to read run first, instead of just dropping back, because if I drop back, then the edge is gone," Mauldin said. "I worked hard on that. I've learned to do that."During the break between June minicamp and training camp, Mauldin said he focused his training on reading run/pass keys and setting the edge. He knew this was something he absolutely had to work on. 

Before the snap, an outside linebacker like Mauldin must watch how the backfield is set up, and also watch the offensive linemen in their stances (including right after the snap), in order to diagnose if a play is a run or pass.These are the split-second decisions — and the ability to physically react to them — that separate great outside linebackers from average ones. 

Mauldin's goals for 2016, as he debuts as a full-time starter ? 

"Just work my butt off and hope for a Pro Bowl," he said.

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/08/how_jets_lorenzo_mauldin_bulked_up_prepared_to_do.html#incart_river_index

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Ryan Fitzpatrick’s spring of discontent overshadowed a critical move that will surely impact the Jets’ chances of breaking a five-year playoff drought.As much “fun” as it’s been to document the quarterback’s contract drama and bold choice to cover nearly every inch of his body with hair amid this sweltering heat, the second most pivotal organizational decision in the offseason centers on a man paid to protect him.

Left tackle Ryan Clady is the Jets’ X-factor, the most important player not named Fitzpatrick, who could buoy or wreck a playoff berth. No matter how much bigger, stronger or faster players get, it’ll always be imperative to protect your quarterback’s blind side, especially in an increasingly pass-happy league. Signal callers rule the roost, but left tackles are the second most important position in the sport. (Yes, ahead of pass rushers).

Clady is the antithesis of his ironman predecessor even if he’s better at his best.D’Brickashaw Ferguson never missed a snap due to injury in his 10-year career. Clady started the first 83 games of his career (five seasons) before being wracked by injuries in his last three years, missing 19 of his final 55 games with the Broncos.

Mike Maccagnan traded for the four-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro after Ferguson’s retirement in April, which could be a brilliant move if, well, you know.“It puts a lot more pressure on me,” Clady told the Daily News about replacing Ferguson. “When my agent originally came to me about the Jets, I’m like, ‘What’s going on with D’Brickashaw?”… I got a lot of respect for him.”

The organization is cautiously optimistic that Clady, who missed all of last season after tearing his ACL in Organized Team Activities, will return to Pro Bowl form. (He bounced back from a LisFranc foot fracture that cost him 14 games in 2013 by making the Pro Bowl the following year). For all the stability that Ferguson provided for the franchise, the brain trust believed that his steady erosion turned him into a subpar player last season. Fitzpatrick, frankly, wasn’t scrambling because he wanted to feel the wind against his beard. He did it out of necessity when the pocket collapsed. A healthy Clady could be a pass-protecting elixir.

“He wants to get back to where he was,” Nick Mangold told The News. “I think the ’Brick era has moved on and now it’s Ryan Clady’s turn. I don’t think there’s ever been like a ‘I’m trying to live up to ’Brick’ or ‘I’m trying to be ’Brick.’ I think it’s ‘I’m my own man.’”Mangold likened Clady’s transition to that of perennial Pro Bowler Alan Faneca, who spent the first decade of his career with the Steelers before signing with the Jets in 2008. Mangold noticed an admirable quality in Clady when they were Pro Bowl teammates.

“The Pro Bowl is not as intense as regular football, but there’s still a certain way you go about your business and the way you go about your craft,” Mangold said. “Watching him there, you could tell that there was something special about him. So when we traded for him, I was excited about it and excited about the opportunity to work with another top caliber guy.”

Clady, who’ll turn 30 in September, will have no shortage of motivation. His re-worked contract is a one-year, $6 million deal (with incentives that could push it to $7.5 million) with a team option after the season. He’s no stranger to the business of football given that the Broncos offered a re-worked, take-it-or-leave-it deal before he was traded.“I had some optimism that possibly I could come back,” Clady said, “Then, the offer they gave me was no guarantee. Pretty much like, ‘Here… or leave.’”

The Broncos ultimately signed Seattle’s Russell Okung, who curiously chose not to hire an agent, to a fugazi five-year, $53 million deal with no guaranteed money at signing that was really a one-year deal with a team option for the rest of the contract. Either way, Clady was expendable.

“You can’t take it personal,” Clady said. “Obviously, Seattle didn’t want Okung. But obviously Denver wanted him. I don’t feel like he should have (gone) in there without an agent, maybe. It’s not exactly the greatest deal ever put together (for) a tackle. But, it is what it is. You got to move on. … I’m here now and I’m ready to prove myself.” He has the talent to thrive again, but can he be trusted? The Jets are paper-thin along the line. If Clady suffers another injury, the Jets are — how can I put this delicately? — screwed.

“It’s a rough sport…100 percent injury rate,” he said, “But I’m going to try to grind it out and hopefully get through the season.”

Maccagnan has made some terrific low-risk, high-reward trades in his first 18 months (see: Brandon Marshall and Fitzpatrick). A healthy Clady offers the kind of promise that could make the man in charge look even smarter in a few months.  

>       http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/ryan-clady-important-jets-player-not-named-ryan-fitzpatrick-article-1.2734229

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After being activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list, left guard  James Carpentericon-article-link.gif  was back in pads for the Green & White’s fifth training camp practice. The 6’5’’ 321-pounder had missed the first four practices and had been itching to get back on the gridiron with his teammates.

“It was crazy (missing training camp) and hard to watch them play. It’s been like six months since I put on pads, so it was pretty tough,” he said.  “It felt great to be with the guys. They’ve been working hard for four days, so it was pretty good today.”

Carpenter, who started in all 16 games for the Jets last season, took some first team reps after being sidelined with a hamstring injury.“It’s healed now. It’s 100 percent,” said the six-year veteran. “Today was the day to test it out and see how it was. Tomorrow, I should be able to go the whole practice.”

For the first time since the spring, the Alabama product was also able to line up next to his new neighbor, left tackle and four-time Pro Bowler,  Ryan Cladyicon-article-link.gif .“I love it. Clady is really good, really talented. I love playing next to him.  He is so athletic it’s crazy,” Carpenter said.

>     http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-7/-Carpenter-Feels-100-Percent-/c9cecb5a-2f13-42c1-aab9-1998b483bf11

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If this O-line stays healthy it will be fine. I really don't understand the major concern. At least in the short term (this season). 

Ivory rushed for the most yards in the AFC- had his first 1,000yrd season, Marshall and Fitz had career years, Decker had over 1,000yrds, Fitz had the lowest sack total in his career (apart from his rookie year where he played 4 games).   

I know Breno struggled and looked like a revolving door at times. I know Mangold is getting older (he's also still a Pro Bowl caliber C). I know Winters is not a dominant OG (although he improved considerably last season). I know we lost D'Brick and Clady is an injury concern (although when healthy he may even be an upgrade). But as a UNIT, this is a solid O-line and overall, played well last season. I'd much rather have the Jets O-line than many other NFL O-lines going into the 2016 season.  

As far as having backups ready to take over. Yes, we don't have great depth and young guys ready to step in. But who knows what will happen in FA and the draft next year. Who knows how some of the younger players we have will develop. With the older players they have right now, there is still time to transition.   

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