Jets signed WR Vyncint Smith off Texans' practice squad

[C Mart]

3 hours ago, mrcoops said:

David Fales was the guy cut to open the roster spot.

Looks like the Jets are fairly confident that Darnold will be back healthy after the bye.

Doubt Fales won’t be available should Darnold not be ready. 

This gets a WR they liked and needed on the roster

[C Mart]

3 hours ago, More Cowbell said:

This must be because they don't  expect Thomas to be ready after the Bye 

Possibly but they still need big WRs w/speed that can play on the outside. 

At this point in his career I don’t think speed falls into Thomas game? 

[The Voice of Reason]

14 hours ago, rammagen said:

if the coach has been coaching this group for the off and preseason and they are still having issues how do you think he is going to take a raw receiver and show him how to run routes?

Who on the team is raw? WTF are you talking about... Hines Ward is coaching the WRs... 

[rangerous]

21 hours ago, johnnysd said:

Not true in the slightest. Burnett is NOT a slot receiver. He is a smaller outside receiver. Not a slot. Not his skill set.

didn't they used to be possession receivers?  you know the guys with the sure hands who always find away to get free.

[joewilly12]

Perfect WR 

Size 6' 1" - 6" 3" 

Excellent route runner

Speed 

Can seperate

Great hands 

Physical strength will go up and battle for the ball 

[rammagen]

5 hours ago, The Voice of Reason said:

Who on the team is raw? WTF are you talking about... Hines Ward is coaching the WRs... 

reading is everything...you glossed over the quote and did try to read into what I was saying..... the receiver is a raw as far as skills. And this is Hines Ward first job does not mean he is bad as coach  but just food for thought

[The Voice of Reason]

28 minutes ago, rammagen said:

reading is everything...you glossed over the quote and did tried to read into what I was saying the receiver is a raw as far as skills. And this is Hines Ward first job does not mean he is bad as coach  but just food for thought

I read the quote and now re-read the quote and still stand by what I said... 

[BroadwayJoe12]

5 hours ago, joewilly12 said:

Perfect WR 

Size 6' 1" - 6" 3" 

Excellent route runner

Speed 

Can seperate

Great hands 

Physical strength will go up and battle for the ball 

False. The perfect WR is 7’ 300lb. Acceleration of a cheetah. Agility of a jack rabbit. Leaping ability of a white tailed deer. And hands like Spider-Man.  Good ole possession burner. 

[Miss Lonelyhearts]

6 minutes ago, BroadwayJoe12 said:

False. The perfect WR is 7’ 300lb. Acceleration of a cheetah. Agility of a jack rabbit. Leaping ability of a white tailed deer. And hands like Spider-Man.  Good ole possession burner. 

And still draws all the fanboys' ire when Kobe sails passes.

[HessStation]

This could NOT be any less exciting!!!!

[Larz]

So if they have a gentleman’s agreement with fales that they will bring him back if darnold isn’t ready Next Wednesday they will have to waive someone that may have seen the game plan for philly?

this all really just screams out that they are going to rush Darnold back and put him behind the 3 stooges 

[Spoot-Face]

12 minutes ago, HessStation said:

This could NOT be any less exciting!!!!

I can barely contain my excytmint.

[HessStation]

7 minutes ago, Spoot-Face said:

I can barely contain my excytmint.

Clever*

[freestater]

21 minutes ago, HessStation said:

This could NOT be any less exciting!!!!

Sure...for a Titans fan...?

[#27TheDominator]

On 9/24/2019 at 9:54 AM, The Voice of Reason said:

Who on the team is raw? WTF are you talking about... Hines Ward is coaching the WRs... 

Shawn Jefferson is coaching the WRs.  Hines Ward is an offensive assistant.  I think he is basically an intern, or a small step above.

[Spoot-Face]

3 hours ago, freestater said:

Sure...for a Tytins fan...?

ftfy

[DJF71]

On 9/23/2019 at 12:13 PM, Wonderboy said:

Move the team to Alaska. 

Alaska would be way better than Jersey

[rammagen]

20 hours ago, The Voice of Reason said:

I read the quote and now re-read the quote and still stand by what I said... 

this is what I wrote so understanding on your part is flawed.... because it is pretty clear what I wrote and the intentions even better just ignore me as I am going to ignore you because if you cant understand the the below and just want to argue I am not into that.  It seems that you are reluctant to accept anyone else's opinion and you are trying to start an argument

 

What I wrote.....clearly talking about the issue with the coach coaching and the raw receiver how you can take that any other way is beyond me unless you are trying to start a argument

if the coach has been coaching this group for the off and preseason and they are still having issues how do you think he is going to take a raw receiver and show him how to run routes?

[shuler82]

On 9/23/2019 at 2:57 PM, Jet Nut said:

Given our backup QBs can’t throw it more than 5 yards with any chance of a completion, yeah

Darnold can. What was the excuse week 1? Or last year in Miami? I’m not confident we’ve already seen who Gase is.

[Jet Nut]

15 minutes ago, shuler82 said:

Darnold can. What was the excuse week 1? Or last year in Miami? I’m not confident we’ve already seen who Gase is.

You do realize that he had mono?  Not only did he have the symptoms; tiredness, lethargy, sore throat, muscle and body aches, foggy head etc but we were playing the NFLs number two D.

i would like to see who Gase is with an entire team, including our QB.  Because after all is said and done we should have had 20 points in that game and a win going away.

[joewilly12]

Problem is we sign guys like this and they never see the field always inactive. 

[shuler82]

17 minutes ago, Jet Nut said:

You do realize that he had mono?  Not only did he have the symptoms; tiredness, lethargy, sore throat, muscle and body aches, foggy head etc but we were playing the NFLs number two D.

i would like to see who Gase is with an entire team, including our QB.  Because after all is said and done we should have had 20 points in that game and a win going away.

I agree. I’d like to see that too. But assuming the play calling was scaled back due to mono very well may be wishful thinking. He’s ran the same offense  everywhere he’s gone.

[Jet Nut]

On 9/26/2019 at 1:14 PM, shuler82 said:

I agree. I’d like to see that too. But assuming the play calling was scaled back due to mono very well may be wishful thinking. He’s ran the same offense  everywhere he’s gone.

Unfortunately he had similar circumstances in Miami.

He did lead a record setting O in Denver.  PM was on the downside and had his all time best season.  Setting records for PM and the NFL.  So who knows

[DonCorleone]

On 9/23/2019 at 12:20 PM, C Mart said:

6'3" 4.40  40

By Lance Zierlein  NFL Analyst

Draft Projection  Rounds 6-7

NFL Comparison  Laurent Robinson

Overview

Traits-based prospect with outstanding combination of size, speed, and explosiveness to make a team, but lacking in the fundamentals to contribute early on. Smith should be able to improve his route-work quickly, but improving ball skills and instincts will be a more difficult challenge for whoever takes him on the third day of the draft. Smith's traits could lead him to a role of field-stretcher with underneath routes to complement that role. He's a better athlete than receiver at this point and could take a couple of years to develop.

Strengths

Impressive combination of size, speed, and explosive traits. Ran a 4.36 forty with a 39.5-inch vertical leap at his pro day. Feet are light and bouncy when side-stepping press and accelerating up the field

Timed speed matches tape speed with ability to climb past cornerbacks quickly. Showed ability to create separation and long touchdown opportunities with deep speed. Used as catch-and-run option. Juicy with ability to split defenders and hit the chunk play on slants. Has wiggle to make first responders miss after the catch. Works for positioning and sustain when asked to run block

Weaknesses

Excessive choppy steps to get into his breaks gives away route intentions. Doesn't always impose his speed on cornerback and force the early retreat for comeback routes. Will need time to fine-tune his routes and acclimate to additional branches on the route tree. Not a natural hands catcher and allows throws to crowd his frame. Ball skills are below average. Takes too long to adjust to off-target deep throws when tracking. Needs to improve win percentage on contested catches down the field

Sources Tell Us

"You take him and develop him. Hell, I just watched a couple of plays on him today because (the College Director of Scouting) asked me to. I can work with fast and athletic. I can't work with slow and stiff." - NFC WR coach

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/vyncint-smith?id=3219534d-4978-1011-ecc9-47e1c07540e5&akmobile=android&akcarrier=other

 

Scouts like Smith’s 6-foot-3 frame and speed, which he has been working on at Velocity in Charlotte. At USC's Pro Day, he also displayed his 39.5-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-10 broad jump. The biggest question mark on Smith is the competition level he went up against in college, but he is eager to prove he belongs in the NFL.

"My ceiling is really high. I'm not raw but I'm not polished. Me being from a small school, I have a lot more to learn to take my game to the next level."

Smith got his start in the sport playing flag football in the sixth grade on a military base in Leavenworth, Kan., where his dad was stationed. Vernon Smith was a drill sergeant, and the family moved frequently. Vyncint was born in Germany and lived in Kansas, Georgia and two stints in South Carolina growing up.

Smith didn’t get a ton of interest coming out of high school. His dream was to play at South Carolina, which wanted him as a walk-on. He had interest from FCS programs and offers from Division II schools Tusculum and Limestone, which was starting a program.

“Sometimes they overlook guys. But it got him motivated,” Summers said. “He is going to prove to people he could go make it at a smaller school. That is what is driving him.”

Smith said getting passed over by bigger schools was motivation for him, and he proved that during his time at Limestone.

Smith got on the field right away for the Saints and played his final two seasons under Mike Furrey, who played in the NFL for three teams. He credits Furrey, who became the receivers coach for the Bears in January, with helping his development on the field and also reading various coverages.

At Limestone, he caught 153 passes for 2,371 yards and 11 TDs. This season, he set career highs in receptions (49) and yards (849) and was a second-team all-conference selection.

“He wanted us to be like any Division I receiver out there and challenged us,” Smith said. “He helped me tremendously, breaking down film and defenses. He went through all the defenses so we would see those coverages in the game we would be able to change our routes out there.

“That definitely impresses the scouts when I can explain all that in a play.”

Let me just say that I love the signing. I think that he found himself the odd man out between an incredible trio of wideouts. Tough luck on him for that. But, he could actually be perfect for us and my logic is this. From what I have been reading about the guy, he has always been somewhat of an underdog. Yet, here he is. He is incredibly dangerous when teams bring up the 8 men fronts, he is too fast to ignore or take a chance with 1 on 1s.

If Darnold can extend a play (given the sorry state of our line) chances are that Smith will be running somewhere downfield.

Smith in my opinion, can be a fascinating story to follow. 

May be wishful thinking on my part, yet I get good vibes on this one. 

[14 in Green]

On 9/23/2019 at 3:44 PM, sec101row23 said:

I believe they left out the other U.  Should read USuC.  At least that’s what they taught us in Clemson.  

So my GF is a die hard "Ass kicken chickens" fan, as she puts it.

[Fantasy Island]

I want to see the Darnold -Burnett show.  Our offense needs a shot in the arm.

[C Mart]

via Athletic 

How Demaryius Thomas’ recommendation helped land speedy wideout Vyncint Smith with the Jets

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Vyncint Smith owes Demaryius Thomas dinner. He figures it’s the least he can do for his fellow Jets receiver.

The 23-year-old Smith began this season on Houston’s practice squad. He had a good training camp, but, according to the Texans coaching staff, he wasn’t good enough. They needed his roster spot elsewhere. If someone went down, though, he’d get the call-up.

And for the first three weeks of the season, that’s where Smith stayed. He practiced. He ran scout. He did everything he could to make sure, when he got his opportunity with Houston, he’d be ready.

Until his phone rang on September 23rd.

“It was my agent,” Smith said. “He asked if I was ready to get on a 53-man roster. He said the Jets called and they wanted to bring me in. I was like, ‘Really?’

“He goes, ‘Yeah. Demaryius gave you quite the shout out.'”

The 31-year-old Thomas, now in his tenth NFL season, has accomplished quite a bit. He’s a former first-round pick. A two-time second-team all-pro. A five-time Pro Bowler. A Super Bowl Champion. Impressive accolades, along with a career total 693 catches, 9,376 yards and 62 touchdowns.

There hasn’t been much Thomas hasn’t accomplished in his career, but the 2018 season presented a challenge unlike one he’d faced up until that point.

Thomas spent his first eight and a half seasons with the Broncos. But midway through last year — and with Denver gearing up for a full-on rebuild — management decided to deal him to Houston for draft compensation. Denver got back a fourth-round pick. The Texans got someone they believed was a missing piece on their offense.

Learning a new scheme wasn’t anything novel for Thomas. He played for five different coordinators and seven quarterbacks during his time with the Broncos. But he always had the entirety of an offseason to learn the scheme and develop a rhythm with the passer. In Houston, he was thrust into the lineup and asked to make an immediate impact. He was fine with weekly game-planning. That’s no different wherever you go. But the playbook and its terminology were entirely new. Learning in days what others had in months wasn’t going to be easy.

Then Smith, an undrafted free agent who made the Texans’ 53-man roster last year, took the seat next to Thomas in a team meeting. He introduced himself.

“He offered to help me with the playbook,” Thomas said. “In return, I helped him on the field.”

Smith played college ball at Limestone, a Division II school in South Carolina. He finished his four-year career with 153 catches for 2,371 yards and 11 touchdowns, highlighted by a 49-849-2 line as a senior. After going undrafted, the Texans signed him as a priority free agent. They gave him $35,000 guaranteed — a sizable amount for a UDFA — which included a $10,000 signing bonus and a $25,000 guaranteed portion of his base salary.

Texans coach Bill O’Brien loved his size (6-3, 203), speed (4.36 40-yard dash), and hands. Smith was raw. But in Houston, they don’t require route technicians at receiver. They want guys who can get open.  The staff believed Smith could do that.

To an extent, he did. He caught four passes for 94 yards and a touchdown in the preseason to earn his roster spot. When Thomas arrived, though, Smith saw an opportunity to take his game to the next level.

Thomas played his college ball at Georgia Tech. While he played in a pro-style offense his freshman year under Chan Gailey, the offense converted to a triple-option the next season. Thomas ran “basically three routes” over the next three years, he said. He entered the NFL raw, much like Smith. He had to learn how to run routes, read coverages, and adjust based on what a defensive back gave him. Thomas prided himself on becoming a true student of the game, not someone who got by on his athletic gifts. Those were traits Smith desperately wanted to add to his own game.

So Thomas helped him.

Smith says it would take him hours to list the number of ways Thomas impacted his game and the little tidbits he passed down. But the one he always goes back to, and the one he’s still working to perfect to this day, is the way he breaks on his routes. Throughout his high school and college career, and into training camp with Houston, Smith ran patterns on his toes. So when it was time to break, he did so the same way. Thomas was the first to tell him to stop. He advised Smith to use his entire foot, not a portion.

“The way he described it,” Smith said, emulating a route in front of his locker, “was that it was basically like using half of your brake pad.”

The two men forged a friendship that lasted throughout the year. Even when Thomas tore his Achilles in December, he still helped Smith. Their lessons started to pay off. Smith caught just one pass the first 15 weeks of the season.

He caught four for 63 and a touchdown the final two.

“He wants to know the how and the why,” Thomas said. “That’s super beneficial. When you have someone like him that wants to work? Those are the guys who end up being the greats. They’re the ones who are in this league 10-plus years.

“We never had a problem with Vyncint. He was reliable, dependable and accountable. I praise him so much because he was always on time. He did everything right. We never had to ask him to do anything. He would work in with the No. 1 offense or scout team. He jumped in and did it the same way. He reminds me of myself. I would do those things.”

In late September, there’s only so much you can do to infuse your roster without trading away draft assets. Considering the dire state of the Jets’ offensive line and cornerbacks, dealing those picks wasn’t an option. So general manager Joe Douglas had to get creative to supplement the team’s underwhelming receiving corps after Quincy Enunwa went down for the year.

The team’s pro scouting department came across Smith. They watched his film last year and made calls on his play this summer. They were surprised this kid was still on a practice squad. Not so much that Houston hadn’t elevated him to its 53. That was understandable with DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller and Kenny Stills healthy. But why hadn’t another team scooped him up?

Douglas took his findings and knocked on Adam Gase’s door. The Jets coach watched the film. He saw the same thing Douglas did — speed. The type of speed that can cripple a defense. But then he grabbed his phone. Talent is one thing. He needed to know what Smith was like as a person.

And he knew just the guy to call.

“I couldn’t tell (Gase) enough about him,” Thomas said. “I told him how he’s the guy who, when you tell him something, he listens. He then instantly takes it to the field. He has raw talent. He can run, catch, run with the ball in his hands. But he listens. He listens and applies. That’s hard for young guys to do. But with Vyncint, you tell him, he’ll practice it a couple of times, then he does it.

“I’d been around him most of last year. So I knew how hard he works. I told (Gase) how, when we were in Houston, he ran the most routes out of anyone. Sometimes (Hopkins) would be out, or Fuller. Vyncint would fill in wherever they needed him. He ran everything. Never complained. He just did his job. Kept his head down.”

Gase told Thomas the Jets were thinking about signing Smith.

“And I told him I loved him,” Thomas said. “I told him he would come in here and do whatever we asked him to do. I knew, with our locker room, we needed someone like that.”

The Jets made the formal request to sign Smith the day before they played the Patriots. Adam Seifer, Smith’s agent, called his client. He had a decision to make. The Texans, after hearing of the Jets’ intentions, offered to promote him to their 53-man roster, too. They didn’t want to lose him.

Smith already knew Houston’s playbook. He was comfortable with their staff. Staying with the Texans made sense. But, Seifer said, there was a bigger picture to consider.

If Smith signed on the Texans’ 53, they could release him the next week and put him right back on the practice squad. With Hopkins, Fuller and Stills still healthy, they didn’t need Smith. They were just signing him to prevent him from going to New York. If Smith signed with the Jets, they had to keep him on the 53 for a minimum of three weeks — a league policy. Smith would have a chance to prove himself. Plus, considering the state of the Jets’ receivers, he had an opportunity to work himself into the lineup.

“This was a better situation for me,” Smith said. “Plus, I feel like the future is brighter here.”

Smith chuckles a little recalling the series of events that led to his first touchdown with the Jets last week.

First, the Jets recovered a muffed punt by the Eagles’ Corey Clement at the 19 yard line. Then, he heard receivers coach Shawn Jefferson call out his personnel grouping. That was cool, he said, because he knew he’d be on the field. Finally, Luke Falk called the play in the huddle.

“That’s when I really got excited,” Smith said.

The Jets dialed up a wide receiver reverse. The play called for Falk to fake a handoff to Le’Veon Bell, then run an option-type play with Ty Montgomery to the right side. At the same time, though, Smith would loop around and take the toss instead. The play was designed to get the defense all going right, before Smith darted around the left with Bell out as his lead blocker.

After Falk finished the call, Smith’s eyes must have grown quite a bit because Montgomery reminded the 23-year-old to breathe, secure the ball, then run like hell.

And Smith did. Everything worked perfectly for a 19-yard touchdown.

“I got around, and there was no one there,” Smith said. “I didn’t even have to run too hard. It was one of the easier touchdowns I’ve had.”

The touchdown run provided fans just a snippet of what Smith can do. In his short time with the Jets, he’s put more than enough on film at practice to have his role expanding. The Jets knew they were getting a decent player with speed to stretch the field. Gase didn’t quite realize just how good his hands were or how much progress he’s made with his route running.

The Jets have run a conservative offensive attack ever since Sam Darnold’s mono diagnosis and Trevor Siemian’s ankle injury. While the team likes Falk, they’re aware of his limitations. They simplified the offense not to overwhelm him. They deployed an abundance of two tight-end sets to keep the defense in base, which would be easier for Falk to read.

But in an attempt to ease Falk’s acclimation, the Jets offense became predictable, lacked excitement, and failed to keep the team in games. The Jets scored just one offensive touchdown after Darnold’s injury.

“It didn’t work,” said Gase.

This week against the Cowboys should be different. Darnold received medical clearance on Tuesday and will start. The offense will open up. And when it does, Smith will receive even more opportunities.

He’s finally getting a chance to play.

He owes a portion of that to Thomas.

So maybe it’s time they set that dinner date?

“No,” Thomas said, laughing. “He doesn’t have to do that. I just want him to come out here, have fun, and help us win. That’s repayment enough.”

[joewilly12]

I hope this kid turns out to be good WR for us we desperately need something at WR its been dismal here for awhile. 

[chrisfaceoff]

That was a great read.  Thanks for sharing.

[bitonti]

here's an idea  let Smith have all of Thomas' reps after that atrocious drop last week 

mentorship is BS

"Promote" demarius to WR coach he's done as a player 

[shuler82]

3 minutes ago, bitonti said:

here's an idea  let Smith have all of Thomas' reps after that atrocious drop last week 

mentorship is BS

"Promote" demarius to WR coach he's done as a player 

This Bit 2.0 is one crotchety motherfunker. I kind of like it.

[joewilly12]

8 minutes ago, bitonti said:

here's an idea  let Smith have all of Thomas' reps after that atrocious drop last week 

mentorship is BS

"Promote" demarius to WR coach he's done as a player 

Robby reps would be better. 

[bitonti]

18 minutes ago, shuler82 said:

This Bit 2.0 is one crotchety motherfunker. I kind of like it.

 

[Darnold Schwarzenegger]

Athletic is great. Well worth the 35 $ bucks a year I paid.  All there stuff is really well written, with information that your not getting anywhere else. Also love the live chats with there beat writers. 

[TheClashFan]

Good story.  He's probably still a long shot, but if he could pan out as a good starter, that would really allow the Jets to focus extra on OL in the upcoming draft.  Draft four OL, and at least two in the first three rounds...maybe all three.