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Cortland – Jets got back to work today, and Dan Leberfeld checks in with a heaping helping of practice nuggets . . .
Jets continue this “Potemkin Village’ competition at left guard between Brian Winters and Oday Aboushi. Aboushi started today.
To me, this is window dressing.
Aboushi is a project at guard, and one worth undertaking, but to act like he’s ready to start, is a reach at this point. Winters is clearly the better player right now . . .
In a short period of time. Stephen Hill (who is having a terrific camp) and Eric Decker beat Dee Milliner on crossing routes.
Corners are going to give up plays, so I don’t want to nitpick, but I just see a corner who consistently gives the receivers too much cushion, like he’s trying to avoid getting beat deep . . .
Some people might be wondering what is going on with guard project Will Campbell.
This is what I see.
He’s definitely making progress in his move from college defensive tackle to NFL guard.
He gets a lot of push in the running game, often moving defenders backwards.
But he’s still got a lot of work to do.
Like today, he got pushed back by DE Tevita Finau and lost his balance. Finau is a good player, but he’s not a powerhouse, at 6-4, 290. This was clearly a technique mistake.
Campbell is a good practice squad candidate, probably where he should have been last year.
With a transition like this, you can’t expect the light bulb to go on after one year.
I think in another year, the Jets could have something here.
He’s got the size, temperament and intelligence to make this work . . .
Marcus Zusevics has a left leg injury, and was held out of practice today.
It’s quite possible, they are waiting for him to get healthy enough to give an injury settlement.
That is what happened with safety Brandon Hardin.
The Jets waived Hardin on Friday, so I was surprised to see him on Saturday night, learning over a fence, watching the scrimmage.
From what I hear, there was some kind if dispute over the injury settlement.
What usually happens with a fringe player is when they get hurt in practice, the team will attempt to rehab them for a few days, so they can get them healthy enough to avoid the injury settlement.
Clearly in Hardin’s mind, his foot wasn’t healthy enough to leave town without a settlement.
One thing that might keep Zusevics around, if he can heal quickly, is that another tackle Brett Qvale, left the field with a trainer today . . .
Another pedestrian day for Geno Smith and the Jets’ passing offense, with a deep out to Stephen Hill that was way off-target, being a perfect example of the dysfunction. Smith also had a mid-range pass to Jeremy Kerley on the right side that was late and behind him. There was a completion to Eric Decker on the short left side that wasn’t realistic. As you know, there are no sacks or tackling of quarterbacks in practice, and this completion would have likely been long after the play was over, in real football.
The two plays I mentioned before completed against Millner were the highlights, but not much else.
The Jets passing offense is still looking to get into a rhythm.
They better get going because this sort of passing attack likely isn’t going to cut it against early season opponents like Green Bay, Denver, Chicago, San Diego and New England, teams you might have to put up significant points to beat . . .
August 4, 2014
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