Zuniga, Onwuasor Back to Practice; Phillips to IR

[JetNation]

The Jets made several roster moves this week.

Roster moves:

– Activated DE Jabari Zuniga off IR
– Designated LB Patrick Onwuasor to return to practice
– Placed DE Kyle Phillips on IR
– Restored WR Lawrence Cager to the practice squad
– Released QB David Fales from the practice squad

https://t.co/g6C8dwYzgt pic.twitter.com/BbGyEt97wD

— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 28, 2020

Here is more on each player from the Jets website.

Zuniga (6-3, 264) was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 7 after missing training camp with a quad injury. He was designated to return to practice on Oct. 7. He was drafted in the third round out of Florida and totaled 118 tackles, 34.5 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks in 42 games (27 starts) for the Gators.

Phillips (6-4, 277) sustained an ankle injury in Sunday’s game against the Bills and will miss the remainder of the season. He was scheduled to undergo surgery on Tuesday and is expected to make a full recovery. Phillips had 11 tackles, 3 tackles for loss and 1 QB hit in seven games (three starts) this year. He signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and led the Green & White with 18 tackles for loss (according to coach’s statistics) and made 52 tackles and had 1.5 sacks as a rookie.

Onwuasor (6-0, 227) was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 7 after sustaining a non-contact knee injury in training camp. Nicknamed Peanut, he signed with the Jets in the offseason after four seasons with Baltimore where he totaled 234 tackles — 17 tackles for loss –, 9.5 sacks and 19 quarterback hits. He also had 15 special-team tackles. In 2019, Onwuasor had 48 tackles, 5 TFLs, 3 sacks and 6 QBH.

Cager (6-5, 220) hurt his hamstring while running a route against the Broncos in Week 4 and was placed on practice squad injured reserve on Oct. 7. He was called up for Week 3 action against the Colts and had 2 receptions for 37 yards. Cager signed as an undrafted free agent on May 6 and was cut before being signed the next day to the Jets’ practice squad.

Fales (6-2, 213) signed with the Green & White in the offseason and played in two games for the Jets in 2019. He spent the summer with the team before he was cut and signed to the PS the next day. He’s completed 64.6% of his passes for 287 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT in 5 career games.

The post Zuniga, Onwuasor Back to Practice; Phillips to IR appeared first on JetNation.com (NY Jets Blog & Forum).

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[Jetsfan80]

Glad to see Zuniga is back.  I believe it was noted in another thread that if he didn't come off IR this week he would have ended up on season-ending IR.  

[pointman]

I forgot all about Zuniga until you guys posted about him recently. Lets hope he is a nice compliment to our DL and turns into a Abraham 2.0. 

[jetstream23]

8 minutes ago, pointman said:

I forgot all about Zuniga until you guys posted about him recently. Lets hope he is a nice compliment to our DL and turns into a Abraham 2.0. 

I'd take 80% of what Abraham was.  He certainly can't be Polite 2.0 but we'll only know once he gets on the field.  Hopefully we see something like a solid 6 or 7 games played so we get a sense for what we have.

[jetstream23]

1 hour ago, JetNation said:

 

 

Did you really have to lead with a photo of a guy dropping a ball in practice?  Sheesh.  Tough times here for sure when that's the best we got!

 

[sirlancemehlot]

16 hours ago, jetstream23 said:

 

Did you really have to lead with a photo of a guy dropping a ball in practice?  Sheesh.  Tough times here for sure when that's the best we got!

 

[UnknownJetFan]

20 hours ago, jetstream23 said:

I'd take 80% of what Abraham was.  He certainly can't be Polite 2.0 but we'll only know once he gets on the field.  Hopefully we see something like a solid 6 or 7 games played so we get a sense for what we have.

The aggravation I get always from this D and whoever is running it is oh you are responsible for coverage, setting the edge, and then edge rushing. You know what maybe guys like Luvu and Huff and now Zuniga can affect a QB if you put them in there and 95% of the time just say go get the passer, that's your job. Forget making them have from the start the responsibility of all 3 phases I mentioned. Even if you say now for Zuniga put him on every 3rd down play, most of which are passing downs, let him pin his ears back and disrupt the QB with pressures, knockdowns, sacks, and batting down passes. That's it that's all he should be doing. Then you know if they are a good edge rusher and you can let them work on setting the edge for the run and pass coverage after they establish edge rushing capability first.  Even GW should know enough to let this happen but maybe he is less affective without having a bounty program.

[jetstream23]

9 minutes ago, UnknownJetFan said:

The aggravation I get always from this D and whoever is running it is oh you are responsible for coverage, setting the edge, and then edge rushing. You know what maybe guys like Luvu and Huff and now Zuniga can affect a QB if you put them in there and 95% of the time just say go get the passer, that's your job. Forget making them have from the start the responsibility of all 3 phases I mentioned. Even if you say now for Zuniga put him on every 3rd down play, most of which are passing downs, let him pin his ears back and disrupt the QB with pressures, knockdowns, sacks, and batting down passes. That's it that's all he should be doing. Then you know if they are a good edge rusher and you can let them work on setting the edge for the run and pass coverage after they establish edge rushing capability first.  Even GW should know enough to let this happen but maybe he is less affective without having a bounty program.

The analogy I'd use is the one-cut RB.  Design a play to go somewhere (ex. outside, the A gap, the B gap, etc.).  The RB takes the ball and heads where the play is supposed to go and makes one move to hit the hole.  It should get 4 yards minimum if it's blocked well, everything after that is gravy.  Same thing with the OLB's as you stated, don't give them a dozen things to worry about.  Make one quick diagnosis at the snap....is it run or pass?  Then go with your assignment to either pass rush, cover, fill a gap or set an edge.  If you ask players other than the QB to think too much then you slow them down, they hesitate and they become ineffective.

[nycdan]

21 hours ago, JetNation said:

 

Cager (6-5, 220) hurt his hamstring while running a route against the Broncos in Week 4 and was placed on practice squad injured reserve on Oct. 7. He was called up for Week 3 action against the Colts and had 2 receptions for 37 yards. Cager signed as an undrafted free agent on May 6 and was cut before being signed the next day to the Jets’ practice squad.

 

Why can't Cager make the active roster on this team?

[jetstream23]

4 minutes ago, nycdan said:

Why can't Cager make the active roster on this team?

Not sure what you mean.  He was a UDFA, made the team, went from PS to the Active Roster in Week 3 and had some catches.  Then he got hurt in Week 4.  Not sure if he's recovered yet but Mims moving to the Active Roster, Perriman playing last week along with Berrios, Smith, etc. makes me think that even if Cager was healthy he'd be in the mix around WR5 right now.

[Jetsfan80]

55 minutes ago, jetstream23 said:

Not sure what you mean.  He was a UDFA, made the team, went from PS to the Active Roster in Week 3 and had some catches.  Then he got hurt in Week 4.  Not sure if he's recovered yet but Mims moving to the Active Roster, Perriman playing last week along with Berrios, Smith, etc. makes me think that even if Cager was healthy he'd be in the mix around WR5 right now.

 

And since he can't contribute on specials, he can't be activated as the WR5.  You need your WR5 to contribute on specials to be on the active roster.  He only makes sense as a WR4.