Content available exclusively for subscribers
New Jersey – It’s time for a heaping helping of Dan’s Website Whispers. Let’s get it started.
A big story today, aside from Mark Sanchez speaking, was Quinton Coples confirming a report that he’s moving to outside linebacker.
I’m not totally buying this, especially since he doesn’t plan to lose much weight. C’mon, a 6-5, 280 pound 3-4 OLB?
Reading the tea leaves, I think what is going on is this – he will lineup out there at times, but he will still also lineup as a 3-4 end. Rex is going to move him around.
It really doesn’t make much sense to play him as a 3-4 OLB full time. You know darn well that when teams see him out there, they will try to get him matched up with a running back or tight end, and attempt to take advantage of him in coverage.
So I think we will see a mixed bag from Coples this year. Now that he’s comfortable with the playbook, Rex can toy around with this gifted athlete, and move him around like a chess piece.
But Quinton as a full-time 3-4 OLB, I just can’t see it, especially because he doesn’t plan on losing much weight.
If he had said he was going to get down to 260-265, that would change the conversation.
The bottom line is expect him to move around a lot.
And remember, the Jets mix in a lot of 4-3 fronts, so when they do that this year, Quinton will essentially be lining up at 4-3 end, his best position at the University of North Carolina . . .
I can’t tell you how impressed I am with David Garrard, after interviewing him in person today.
I’ve only covered him from afar over the years, so didn’t have a great feel for the person.
A few words to describe him would be “intelligent, savvy, and genuine.”
He’s the kind of guy who is going to do great things when his career over. He just gets it.
Obviously the bottom line is he has to stay healthy after having his last two seasons end in the summer with back and knee injuries.
He says he feels good.
Garrard thinks Marty M’s offense is a good fit for him because it’s all about getting rid of the ball fast. Garrard said he generally like to unload the ball by the fifth step in his drop.
Garrard said one thing he did during his two years away from the NFL is study quarterbacks. He watched a ton of games, and did his own study on the good and bad things quarterbacks do.
One thing he noticed – quarterbacks who are struggling, when falling behind in games, tend to force passes down field, or into bad spots, and this leads to turnover, and make matters worse. The force the issue, and start pressing.
On the other hand, he noticed that when the great quarterbacks fall behind, and their team is struggling, they tend to throw more check downs, and work their way up to longer passes.
Not that any of us know what is going to happen in this QB competition, but the one thing I kept hearing over and over, from people covering the team, “If Garrard is healthy, he’s the Week One starter.” Not that beat writers know what is going to happen, but this seems to be a common thought.
I do think Greg McElroy will give Garrard a run for his money. I’m not so sure Sanchez will still be here when the season starts; the karma is bad. For goodness sake, his freaking bandana was a big story today. I like Mark personally, but I just think he needs a fresh start somewhere else.
I heard one TV reporter saying during his stand-up, “It’s Geno Smith’s job to lose.”
I respectfully disagree. He needs a red-shirt year. He really does. Unreal natural talent, but raw as molasses.
Honestly, it’s probably Garrard’s job to lose.
May 2, 2103
Premium will return by 9:30 pm on Friday.