Jets Still Tight-Lipped on Terrell Pryor; Who Steps up if he Stays Down?

[JetNation]

With two completed OTA sessions with open access to the media, some of the big headlines thus far have included Sam Darnold’s increased work with the starters, Christian Hackenberg being dealt to Oakland, Trumaine Johnson picking off Josh McCown and Nathan Shepherd getting plenty of run with the starters.

However, there’s one story that isn’t being talked about at great length and that’s wide receiver Terrelle Pryor missing both sessions. Although it doesn’t seem to be the same injury that bothered him all of last season according to Todd Bowles, it’s clear that Pryor sustained an injury to his ankle.  What the injury is, how long he’ll be out and where he is in his recovery is all being kept under wraps.

It’s still only May, but right now it seems that Robby Anderson, Quincy Enunwa and Jermaine Kearse are all ahead of Pryor on the depth chart as we are approaching summer. But if Pryor goes down for an extended period of time, who will Todd Bowles be looking towards to step up?

Chad Hansen:

Hansen is entering his second season after being selected in the 4th round of the 2017 draft. Coming out of Cal he was expected to need some seasoning, particularly as a route runner. He was seen as a legitimate deep threat option but was never able to connect with either quarterback last season. While it did take some time for him to see some action, he was able to get some reps by the end of the season, lining up for just roughly 55% of the offensive snaps from week 8 onward. In his limited snaps, Hansen was targeted just 18 times, pulling in 9 receptions for 94 yards.

This off-season he will need to show improvement in creating separation with more crisp route running. He lacks the ideal quickness in and out of cuts to separate, so he will need to continue to make difficult catches in traffic and find other ways to create space. 

Thus far It seems that the coaching staff really likes Hansen’s development. With Pryor being seen as a big body and a threat both deep and in the red zone, one would tend to think that Hansen would be the logical choice to be the one to get the first opportunity. Also keep in mind that while he was cleared of any charges by the legal system, Robby Anderson could still be facing disciplinary action from the league due to multiple arrests.  However, anything more than one game at this point would come as a surprise.

While it’s only OTA’s, it is nice to see several Jets scribes raving about Hansen, including Dennis Waszak Jr. of the Associated Press:

Chad Hansen having another noticeably good OTA practice. #Jets

— Dennis Waszak Jr. (@DWAZ73) May 29, 2018

Ardarius Stewart:

Stewart was the first of their back-to-back wide receiver selections in last year’s draft, being taken in the third round. After Enunwa went down last year, many hoped Stewart would take over in the slot. He is a tough, physical runner when he gets the ball in his hands who can create some yards after the catch. However, throughout the season the coaching staff seemed to be more comfortable with Jeremy Kerley, limiting the playing time and looks for Stewart. Last season he only touched the ball 13 times, 7 of those being rushing attempts. His 6 receptions went for 82 yards and that includes one that went for 46 in week 17.

Both Steward and Hansen will need to show the ability to get open more consistently in the intermediate part of the field. Not only that, but he will need to show that he can actually provide what the Jets expected out of him, yards after the catch, only generating 8 total yards last year.

Looking at Stewart’s playing style, he may get an opportunity to be the 4th receiver with Pryor down but not necessarily taking Pryor’s role. These are two completely different players so it’s not a guarantee that this injury will open up more reps for the Alabama product. However, if Maccagnan has shown anything it’s that he will make sure his draft picks get their chances.

Devin Smith:

Devin Smith was the 37th pick in the 2015 draft and only has 10 career catches, yet still has a slim chance entering his fourth season. His first three years didn’t go according to plan to say the least. His rookie season he suffered broken ribs during the summer and then a torn ACL in week 14, causing him to miss the rest of the year and most of the 2016 season. Upon his return last summer, it was expected that he would battle for a prominent role in 2017. Unfortunately he suffered yet another ACL tear, causing him to miss the entirety of the 2017 season. Pretty sure it’s not a stretch to say luck has not been on his side.

Now in a contract year, he has everything on the line. Smith possessed great straight line speed to take the top off the defense and the ability to win contested balls deep despite a smaller stature.  Will that still be the case with a pair of torn ACL’s in the books? Some will say he never showed anything in 2015 but Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a very poor deep ball which never fit Smith’s strengths. With Josh McCown showing consistency with the deep ball with Anderson last year and Darnold showing the ability to make plays down the field as well, one should expect this to be a much better situation for Smith if he still has that fifth gear.

Obviously Smith has a lot riding on this summer and is looking up at quite a few receivers on the depth chart. In order to move up, he needs to prove his knees are no longer a concern and can stay healthy. Then show that he still has the skills that made them use a second round pick on him just a couple years ago and build off of that. It will still be tough given the number of receivers currently on the roster, but with Pryor missing time, he just may get the opportunity he so badly needed to prove his worth.

The post Jets Still Tight-Lipped on Terrell Pryor; Who Steps up if he Stays Down? appeared first on JetNation.com (NY Jets Blog & Forum).

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[Larz]

So how much has Smith earned per catch? 

 

[Gas2No99]

Is Pryor the early nominee for the Matthew Hatchette/Chaz Schillens award? 

[Philc1]

Why are we wasting time with this guy?  Try to sign Dez Bryant already 

[jetstream23]

Quote

However, if Maccagnan has shown anything it’s that he will make sure his draft picks get their chances.

 

[jgb]

7 hours ago, Larz said:

So how much has Smith earned per catch? 

 

Dividing by zero yields an undefined result 

[tfine]

However, if Maccagnan has shown anything it’s that he will make sure his draft picks get their chances.

 


Don’t really get this obsession with the Hackenberg pick. He was a bad pick and he didn’t play. We have our QB now. Move on.


Sent from my iPhone using JetNation.com mobile app

[Larz]

36 minutes ago, jgb said:

Dividing by zero yields an undefined result 

3 years of pay for a 2nd round pick is probably 6 million? 

Something like 600 grand per catch 

[Dcat]

8 hours ago, Gas2No99 said:

Is Pryor the early nominee for the Matthew Hatchette/Chaz Schillens award? 

Well he won that award last season easily in Washington.  

[Dcat]

Everyone here is disregarding #88, who I think makes the team and devin Smith doesn't.  Also, if Pryor can't do anything in upcoming minicamp, I wouldn't count on him making the roster.  Everybody is underestimating Johnson.  He will surprise us all...  just wait.

[Freemanm]

Huh? Pryor is a hit-or-miss experiment this season. If he returns to form, great. If he doesn't, we really didn't lose anything. 

Also, are you telling me that someone named Devin Smith is on the roster? Who the hell is he?

 

[JetFaninMI]

Well I'm still worried about the WR position. The Jets brought in quantity but no quality it seems. Anderson and Kearse are fine unless robbie implodes or gets suspended. Enunwa looks good lets hope he is healthy and can contribute. After that its anyones guess. TC will tell the tale and hopefully one of those above mentioned guys steps up. Pryor is a question mark and if not healthy I expect he won't make the final roster. I wish they has signed Hearns. Damned snowstorm!

[hmhertz]

He lacks the ideal quickness in and out of cuts to separate

 

Quickness is measured by the 3 cone & shuttles, Hansen's scores were fine

[roscoeword]

who is that number 88 - Richard Caster? seriously, asking.

[RVAJet815]

That would be charles johnson. I'm not as confident as dcat, but I am very intrigued by his skillset. This WR Corps is kind of shaping up as an island of misfit toys of sorts. Hopefully, Johnson or one of the other guys step up and help out Kearse and Anderson.

 

[#27TheDominator]

6 minutes ago, RVAJet815 said:

That would be charles johnson. I'm not as confident as dcat, but I am very intrigued by his skillset. This WR Corps is kind of shaping up as an island of misfit toys of sorts. Hopefully, Johnson or one of the other guys step up and help out Kearse and Anderson.

 

Johnson is an interesting guy. Big and fast with actual NFL production.  The main issues with him will be his age (29) and what he can contribute on special teams. These back end guys have to add something extra. 

[JETSfaninNE]

1 hour ago, roscoeword said:

who is that number 88 - Richard Caster? seriously, asking.

Jordan Leggett?

[#27TheDominator]

1 hour ago, roscoeword said:

who is that number 88 - Richard Caster? seriously, asking.

 

1 minute ago, JETSfaninNE said:

Jordan Leggett?

 

39 minutes ago, RVAJet815 said:

That would be charles johnson. I'm not as confident as dcat, but I am very intrigued by his skillset. This WR Corps is kind of shaping up as an island of misfit toys of sorts. Hopefully, Johnson or one of the other guys step up and help out Kearse and Anderson.

 

Guy caught some balls from Bridgewater in 2014-2015.  6'2" 215 4.29/11' broad jump.  He had a nice run at the end of 2014 for the Vikings, but never stepped up in 2015 or 2016.  In 2017 he was signed by the Panthers, but hurt his knee had surgery and missed the season.

[Villain The Foe]

He's new. It's not like we have to replace him in that regard. We have like 16 wrs on the team at the moment, if one can't seize this as an opportunity then we have a problem.

[flgreen]

With Terrelle Pryor sidelined, Jets WR Chad Hansen handed golden opportunity

 

By: Tyler Calvaruso | 25 minutes ago

 

 

 

 

 

Terrelle Pryor wasn't spotted at Jets OTAs on Tuesday after reportedly suffering an ankle injury On the flip side, Teddy Bridgewater was moving around freely and looked good in practice Two years removed from a gruesome knee injury, this is a great sign for Bridgewater as he continues his return

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes, all it takes is a lucky — or unlucky — break in order to move up in the pecking order.

This past offseason, the Jets brought in former Washington Redskins wide receiver Terrelle Pryor to complement the trio of Robby Anderson, Jermaine Kearse and Quincy Enunwa. Following an injury-plagued 2017 campaign where Pryor was hampered by his ankle, the quarterback turned wide receiver was viewed as a reliable No. 4 option in New York’s passing attack if he could find a way to stay on the field. The only Jet to record 1,000 receiving yards in a season during his career, his upside is far higher.

 

 

Unfortunately, the injury bug has bitten Pryor once again, as he re-injured his ankle this offseason. So far, he’s been forced to sit out OTAs. While bad news for him, the injury has been to the benefit of another.

With Pryor sidelined, second-year wide receiver Chad Hansen has assumed the No. 4 spot on Gang Green’s wide receiver depth chart. The California product has run with his golden opportunity thus far.

Throughout OTAs, Hansen has impressed the coaching staff with smooth route running skills and a knack for making plays. Most notably, Hansen left veteran cornerback Morris Claiborne in the dustwith a euro step in the open field last week. Generally speaking, the consensus is that Hansen is playing faster after a rookie year that often left him looking lost.

 

Andy Vasquez

 

✔@andy_vasquez

 

 

Sam Darnold to Chad Hansen. #Jets

11:05 AM - May 22, 2018

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Before Pryor’s injury, Hansen was buried on the depth chart. Moving up was near impossible due to the logjam at the top. With increased reps, however, Hansen is proving that he is indeed worthy of serving as New York’s No. 4 wide receiver. If the 2017 fourth-round pick continues to turn in strong performances throughout the offseason, Hansen could very well find himself a major weapon in Jeremy Bates’ offense in 2018.

In his rookie year, Hansen did not have much of a chance to make an impact. Even when he did take the field, the quarterback play was underwhelming — Hansen saw increased reps once starting quarterback Josh McCown went down with a season-ending injury — and as a result, the ball was either never thrown his way or wildly inaccurate.

Now, working with quarterbacks who can hit the broad side of a barn, Hansen is back in his element and showcasing his talent for all to see. The days of battling with fellow second-year wideout ArDarius Stewart for position on the depth chart are over, as Hansen has surpassed his sophomore counterpart.

Hansen now has bigger fish to fry. His standout OTA performances have put him in line to directly compete with Pryor once he returns to the field. Even if Pryor ends up winning the battle this summer, Hansen has done enough to stake a claim in this team’s future. Only 23 years old, Hansen’s best years are ahead of him. As he continues to progress, the Jets will have no choice but to get him involved.

[Joe Jets fan]

5 hours ago, tfine said:

 


Don’t really get this obsession with the Hackenberg pick. He was a bad pick and he didn’t play. We have our QB now. Move on.


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He was showing that the statement Macc gets his draft picks a chance to play was false.  Nothing was said that he should have played or anything else.  Just that the article had a false statement.   

 

[#27TheDominator]

15 minutes ago, Joe Jets fan said:

He was showing that the statement Macc gets his draft picks a chance to play was false.  Nothing was said that he should have played or anything else.  Just that the article had a false statement.   

 

The statement was:

Quote

However, if Maccagnan has shown anything it’s that he will make sure his draft picks get their chances.

I get the point, but it can certainly argued that Hackenberg got his chances. 

[RoadFan]

4 hours ago, Freemanm said:

Huh? Pryor is a hit-or-miss experiment this season. If he returns to form, great. If he doesn't, we really didn't lose anything. 

Also, are you telling me that someone named Devin Smith is on the roster? Who the hell is he?

 

This.

[Barkus]

14 hours ago, Larz said:

So how much has Smith earned per catch? 

 

more like he has earned 3 million per torn ACL

[RichardTodd27]

14 hours ago, Philc1 said:

Why are we wasting time with this guy?  Try to sign Dez Bryant already 

Dez is just a name at this point. Had problems getting seperation last year, dealt with some drops and has always been a head case.

I'm happy with what we have.

[redlichtie]

18 hours ago, #27TheDominator said:

Johnson is an interesting guy. Big and fast with actual NFL production.  The main issues with him will be his age (29) and what he can contribute on special teams. These back end guys have to add something extra. 

One reason Devin Smith shouldn’t be ruled out, he was one of the top ST gunners in college ...if the two knee injuries haven’t robbed him entirely of his physical skills( or courage for that matter) that might be a reason he sticks.

[j4jets]

21 hours ago, Larz said:

3 years of pay for a 2nd round pick is probably 6 million? 

Something like 600 grand per catch 

Damn. I’m pretty sure I can average better than that playing corner, as long as Hack is the QB. 

[BigO]

Why isn’t anyone mentioning Stewart. It’s eerie in the sense that if we don’t mention him it will be overlooked we spent a 3rd round pick on this guy - the forgotten man. How many WR’s are we going to carry anyways? Robbie, Kearse, Enunwa, Pryor, Hansen, Johnson, Roberts, (Smith eee gatz), and another FA sprinter I can’t remember.  Stewart will make the roster but it seems he was a miscalculated pick given his production, progress and lack of interest in his role. 

[#27TheDominator]

On 5/31/2018 at 6:59 AM, Larz said:

3 years of pay for a 2nd round pick is probably 6 million? 

Something like 600 grand per catch 

His contract was for $3.3M over 4 years.  He has over $1.8M left.  

On 5/31/2018 at 1:03 PM, Barkus said:

more like he has earned 3 million per torn ACL

I'd rather have my ACL, though that is a nice consolation.

8 minutes ago, BigO said:

Why isn’t anyone mentioning Stewart. It’s eerie in the sense that if we don’t mention him it will be overlooked we spent a 3rd round pick on this guy - the forgotten man. How many WR’s are we going to carry anyways? Robbie, Kearse, Enunwa, Pryor, Hansen, Johnson, Roberts, (Smith eee gatz), and another FA sprinter I can’t remember.  Stewart will make the roster but it seems he was a miscalculated pick given his production, progress and lack of interest in his role. 

People aren't mentioning Stewart because he has not looked good up until this point.  If he showed anything there would be plenty of chatter. I think you last sentence is completely accurate. Hopefully he turns into something more. 

[flgreen]

Think as it stands as of now, it looks like Anderson, Enunwa, (if his neck stays together) Hansen, and Kearse  will make the team.  More then likely Stewart, but not 100%.  He seemed to fall into Bowles doghouse last season.  Got a bunch of reps first 2 weeks, then almost nothing the rest of the way.  Guys built more like a RB then a WR.  Actually had more rushing attempts (7)  then receptions )6).  Looks like there will be a major shoot out for the remaining 1 or 2 spots.  Figure one of the speed returners will get a spot.  Cannon?

[Jetsplayer21]

On 5/31/2018 at 8:26 AM, JetFaninMI said:

Well I'm still worried about the WR position. The Jets brought in quantity but no quality it seems. Anderson and Kearse are fine unless robbie implodes or gets suspended. Enunwa looks good lets hope he is healthy and can contribute. After that its anyones guess. TC will tell the tale and hopefully one of those above mentioned guys steps up. Pryor is a question mark and if not healthy I expect he won't make the final roster. I wish they has signed Hearns. Damned snowstorm!

That is macs philosophy with entire offense. Just keeping throwing shhhit against a wall, sooner or later some of it is going to stick ??‍♂️

[T0mShane]

Melania Pryor.

[joewilly12]

On 5/30/2018 at 10:38 PM, Philc1 said:

Why are we wasting time with this guy?  Try to sign Dez Bryant already 

[Tony MaC]

Dez in 2018 wouldn't change anything about this teams WR situation. Either way its a lot of mid- to lower round talents looking to make the leap with some veteran flyers thrown in. (Although I don't think Kearse or Pryor would expect to be the center of the offense the way Bryant is probably used to)

This is a transitional unit, one looking for long term answers to step up and contributors who will stick around a while. I'm not sure Bryant (who may or may not be passed his prime) would add much of anything to this team at this time. 

One has obviously had a better career, but what could Dez give us that Kearse couldn't in 2018?

 

[#27TheDominator]

There are several WRs on the Jets that are already going to be on the roster.  The ones in competition will need to provide help on specials as return men, gunners, etc.  Dez Bryant does not exactly fit that mold.