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Jets Linebacker Looking to Bounce Back From Disappointing Rookie Campaign


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Nasirildeen-scaled.jpg

It’s not very often one might consider a day three draft pick a huge disappointment after their inaugural NFL season.  After all, few players taken that late in the draft pan out at the pro level.  The second their name is called that late, the clock is ticking and expectations are low.  Any contribution is considered by many to be icing on the proverbial cake.  But for Jets linebacker Hamsah Nasirildeen, things were a bit different in 2021.

A college safety who excelled at Florida State, Nasirildeen fell in the draft due to injury concerns.  The Jets scooped him up in the sixth-round as he recovered from the torn ACL he suffered in his final collegiate season.  Nasirildeen did generate some buzz at the senior bowl, but it wasn’t enough to get him picked in the early rounds.

I feel comfortable saying Hamsah Nasirildeen has been the best player in Mobile this week. pic.twitter.com/VKwy24gQXk

— Cory (@realcorykinnan) January 29, 2021

Following his selection, the Jets let it be known that Nasirildeen would make the transition from safety to linebacker for Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich.  When training camp kicked off, it was Nasirildeen getting the starters reps at outside linebacker.  This, after getting the bulk of the reps during the team’s rookie camp.  Come pre-season, it was still Nasirildeen running with the starters.  It looked as if the Jets had themselves a steal.  A sixth-round draft choice who locked up a starting spot in a hurry.

When the team opened the 2021 season, there was Nasirildeen, starting on defense to make his NFL debut.  He would finish the day with 3 tackles, none of the solo variety.  One week later, he would start his second NFL game.  Only this time, he wouldn’t finish it.  Nasirildeen would find himself on the bench after just 18 snaps.  And those were the last snaps he would play on defense until weeks 17 and 18 when he would play 5 and 6 snaps respectively.

With training camp getting ready to kick off in just over a month, it’ll be up to Nasirildeen to get back in the good graces of the coaching staff to work his way back on to the field.

The post Jets Linebacker Looking to Bounce Back From Disappointing Rookie Campaign appeared first on JetNation.com (NY Jets Blog & Forum).

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19 minutes ago, The Crusher said:

I also think it’s fascinating of how Difficult it must be for a rookie to change positions once in the NFL. Kid needs some time. Rooting for him,

Oh most definitly. We are living in a strange age where if a rookie doesnt produce immediatly or gets injured they are considered a bust and to be traded or cut. (See Becton/Mims/Zach/ am I missing anyone?)

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11 minutes ago, Copernicus said:

Oh most definitly. We are living in a strange age where if a rookie doesnt produce immediatly or gets injured they are considered a bust and to be traded or cut. (See Becton/Mims/Zach/ am I missing anyone?)

Think the player list is pretty complete, but you could have tossed Covid-19, Mono and food poising into your malady list if you cared to. 

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LB is jets worst position group this year!!! Who is the Mike even gonna be and whose backing up Sam and will if Quincy/ CJ go down.  

Putting faith in some guy who played it for 60 snaps and was relegated to specials teams for bad play seems suspect to me. 

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6 minutes ago, Drums said:

Oh, thought he got injured and was out (while also not looking great when he did play). Didn’t realize he just got benched. With that said, I admit to confusing both dudes we drafted to play LB

Think he did both.  Think ithe progression was LB, special teams, IR

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Am I the only one who thinks it's really dumb that our plan for LB is trotting out a group of former safeties learning new positions as our only depth behind CJ and Quincy?

We can't stop the run for sh*t to begin with, now we're gonna challenge guards and tackles with safeties? It's the one thing that makes zero sense to me in Saleh's defense. 

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Wasn't he another of DWC's superstar obsessions? I can just picture a post comparing Nas to Luke Kuechly with some obscure stat like, both of them recorded 11 tackles in the 3rd game of their sophmore season. Therefore (8 pages later) in conclusion, Nas will be better than Luke Kuechly. 

Followed swiftly by an autistic child-like tantrum when someone disagreed. 

Ahh. Ngl, I kinda miss those posts/entertainment this offseason. 

Edit: To be fair, I was really excited about Nas last year. On the plus side (I think) he was relatively healthy so maybe the injury concerns didn't follow to the NFL. Hopefully he gets more up to speed on NFL linebacker this year. 

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4 minutes ago, ElBarrioJets said:

Am I the only one who thinks it's really dumb that our plan for LB is trotting out a group of former safeties learning new positions as our only depth behind CJ and Quincy?

We can't stop the run for sh*t to begin with, now we're gonna challenge guards and tackles with safeties? It's the one thing that makes zero sense to me in Saleh's defense. 

Nope you're not,  I posted similar sentiment right before you. 

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I get being worried about planning for guys to start that are switching from college safety to LB, but this guy started from day 1 and started weeks 1 and 2.  Whatever happened, the issue was not him switching positions.  If he knew enough weeks 1 and 2, I doubt the reason he couldn't even get on for sub-packages from weeks 3-16 related to switching positions.  

I don't see the switching positions that big a deal.  The switch from college to NFL is already huge, but I am not sure that a college LB would be playing more of what they are concerned with than a college S.  They are worried about zone D.  Safeties should have a leg up on college LBs in that transition.  Relying on a 5th/6th round rookies to start at LB is not a great plan, but I don't think the fact these guys were switching positions is any worse than kids that played college LB.

IIRC he got dinged up and Quincy Williams probably needed some time to learn the scheme before he took over.  Then Jarrad Davis came back taking more snaps, but I do not know when or how Sherwood leapfrogged him for snaps.  I'm not sure what this kid's issue.  At least he was a core special teamer.  So was Sherwood.

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15 minutes ago, #27TheDominator said:

I get being worried about planning for guys to start that are switching from college safety to LB, but this guy started from day 1 and started weeks 1 and 2.  Whatever happened, the issue was not him switching positions.  If he knew enough weeks 1 and 2, I doubt the reason he couldn't even get on for sub-packages from weeks 3-16 related to switching positions.  

I don't see the switching positions that big a deal.  The switch from college to NFL is already huge, but I am not sure that a college LB would be playing more of what they are concerned with than a college S.  They are worried about zone D.  Safeties should have a leg up on college LBs in that transition.  Relying on a 5th/6th round rookies to start at LB is not a great plan, but I don't think the fact these guys were switching positions is any worse than kids that played college LB.

IIRC he got dinged up and Quincy Williams probably needed some time to learn the scheme before he took over.  Then Jarrad Davis came back taking more snaps, but I do not know when or how Sherwood leapfrogged him for snaps.  I'm not sure what this kid's issue.  At least he was a core special teamer.  So was Sherwood.

Idk man.  I kinda think in this case it was the position switch. 

LBs have a lot more to do in the run game than safety and I am pretty sure when he got moved to special teams i read it was because his run game play was so bad. 

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42 minutes ago, PorP said:

Idk man.  I kinda think in this case it was the position switch. 

LBs have a lot more to do in the run game than safety and I am pretty sure when he got moved to special teams i read it was because his run game play was so bad. 

If it was the position switch then why was he the best/starter through camp and then not on the field from week 3 on?  Seems if the problem was learning the position he'd be better at the end of the year than the start.  A college S sees I higher percentage of run plays than in the NFL.  I don't think a single NFL team ran more than passed, where most of the ACC did.  I don't think the run assignments are generally as complicated as the pass sets, but I agree that it is not that easy. 

I also agree his run D sucking seemed the problem.  Maybe the issue with the switch is more physical than learning the position.  These kids were not big to begin with and moving them forward a rung on D probably means they are getting thumped.  Bottom line is that expecting these kids to be able to play starter minutes at LB does not seem as aspirational a goal as expecting a QB to come in from BYU and excel or any of what they trotted out there at CB last season.  Yes, we knew these kids would take their lumps at LB, but we had that going on all over the field. 

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16 minutes ago, #27TheDominator said:

If it was the position switch then why was he the best/starter through camp and then not on the field from week 3 on?  Seems if the problem was learning the position he'd be better at the end of the year than the start.  A college S sees I higher percentage of run plays than in the NFL.  I don't think a single NFL team ran more than passed, where most of the ACC did.  I don't think the run assignments are generally as complicated as the pass sets, but I agree that it is not that easy. 

I also agree his run D sucking seemed the problem.  Maybe the issue with the switch is more physical than learning the position.  These kids were not big to begin with and moving them forward a rung on D probably means they are getting thumped.  Bottom line is that expecting these kids to be able to play starter minutes at LB does not seem as aspirational a goal as expecting a QB to come in from BYU and excel or any of what they trotted out there at CB last season.  Yes, we knew these kids would take their lumps at LB, but we had that going on all over the field. 

To answer the first part,  our LB room Sucked worse last year.

I know you know this so just saying for effect.... we were so bad last year we claimed someone off the waiver wire and designated him as a starter (I love Quincy so no knock on him), that is exactly how bad that position was last year.  

I suspect Joe D will do something FA or similar to fill the Mike this year. 

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JD’s master plan has been to build gradually.  He has some stumbles but has been building the OL, WR, TE, QB, RB, CB and DE.  He can’t do it all at once.  At this point he is short DT, LB and S.  He has a roster now that will allow ZW to show what he has, as well as support a replacement QB.   Next year is the year he finishes it up and tries to make the playoffs on a hopefully weaker schedule.  

My biggest concern is that teams will run all over us and never allow ZW to actually play, and when he does play, he will be playing from behind with only one decent T (and Becton on IR).  Possible.  I think S actually ends up adequate.  Sign Kwon and Sheldon and give the Jets at least a fighting chance.  

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2 hours ago, PorP said:

To answer the first part,  our LB room Sucked worse last year.

I know you know this so just saying for effect.... we were so bad last year we claimed someone off the waiver wire and designated him as a starter (I love Quincy so no knock on him), that is exactly how bad that position was last year.  

I suspect Joe D will do something FA or similar to fill the Mike this year. 

Mosely is the Mike

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24 minutes ago, Snook said:

Mosely is the Mike

Is he?  I thought they were lining him up at will

Maybe I moistened though

Edit: nevermind man,  I looked it up and they have him listed as ILB, not sure if I caught a couple plays where he was out or what. 

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I'm hoping that the level of play across the defense improves because the overall level of talent has (hopefully) gone up. It's hard to do your own job when you are worried that the guys all around you aren't up to it, and you're trying to compensate for their shortcomings. I think the improvement in the secondary (four new starters and increased depth) will ripple through the other two levels. The LBs were either scrambling to cover gaping holes in the DL, or turn around and tackle WR's behind them.

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Hamsah has a greater chance at success than Sherwood who is not much of a talent. 

ideally the Jets want to play Mosley at Sam and put someone with more range at Mike but I don’t think that’s gonna happen this year. I think best case scenario this year is that the Lbs can play the run well enough to force 3rd and longs and our CB depth can get those stops. I don’t have much faith.

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56 minutes ago, Bungaman said:

I'm hoping that the level of play across the defense improves because the overall level of talent has (hopefully) gone up. It's hard to do your own job when you are worried that the guys all around you aren't up to it, and you're trying to compensate for their shortcomings. I think the improvement in the secondary (four new starters and increased depth) will ripple through the other two levels. The LBs were either scrambling to cover gaping holes in the DL, or turn around and tackle WR's behind them.

Yes.  This is a good hope to have.  So good that it's almost legitimate!  The pass rush should be better than last season and they added two CBs and get Joyner back.  There is every reason to believe that the secondary will do much better.  Think of 2021.  Everybody thought the CBs were doing well.  People thought that Hall was a #1 CB.   Yet we had a truly bottom rung pass D.  How does that happen without the DBs sucking?  I am praying they were being protected a bit via scheme and that we can dial things up a bit this year.  I have no evidence that this will/can happen, but I share your hope.

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3 hours ago, Bungaman said:

I'm hoping that the level of play across the defense improves because the overall level of talent has (hopefully) gone up. It's hard to do your own job when you are worried that the guys all around you aren't up to it, and you're trying to compensate for their shortcomings. I think the improvement in the secondary (four new starters and increased depth) will ripple through the other two levels. The LBs were either scrambling to cover gaping holes in the DL, or turn around and tackle WR's behind them.

Exactly. The LBs will be better because the DL and secondary will be better. They work in unison 

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Those 2 S to LB picks were attempts at homeruns that fell through.  The plan last year was for Jarrad Davis to live up to his draft pick for once and he never did, then both of the kids were too small to actually play inside for real and their bodies broke pretty quickly.  Grabbing Quincy and plugging him in solved so many problems that it allowed them to redshirt the kids the bulk of the season and just roll with 2 old school LB's instead of the new hybrid style.  Now they're hoping these kids have bulked up so they can handle the inside better and build themselves a role.  If not, lost low picks.  If either hit, Boomsauce.  Interested to see what Camp looks like.

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On 7/7/2022 at 11:10 AM, The Crusher said:

I also think it’s fascinating of how Difficult it must be for a rookie to change positions once in the NFL. Kid needs some time. Rooting for him,

Jmo I think the guy you poached off the Raiders practice squad ( Javin White)  will surpass this lb( both are really safety’s) on the depth chart .   J White was very impressive last preseason for the Raiders in coverage.    Raiders were just paying Cory Littleton a lot of money ( javin white was more impressive than), and they had better Lb/ safety Devine Deablo 6’3 230( cam chancellor)   who going to be superstar.      Really was pissed off when Jets stole him off the Raiders practice squad.

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