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Who to watch in Jets-Atlanta game . . .
Here is what I wrote in a short blog on Thursday:
“The 2018 Jets make their preseason debut on Friday night against the Atlanta Falcons. Before preseason games, you often see stories like, ‘5 key players to watch.’ So who do I think are the key players to watch for the Jets against Atlanta? All 90 of them. Well actually, more like 80 since there are several injured players who won’t play. In my worldview, which is all about keeping the best 53 and starting the best 22, you should be focused like a laser on every Jets player on the field. Of course it’s important to see what Sam Darnold and Teddy Bridgewater do, but if you’re truly into open competition, every player on the roster is a “key player to watch” in the Jets-Atlanta game.”
So that is how I’m going to view the game and perhaps the owner will as well. He came up to me on Wednesday at practice and said he read my editorial in the last issue the magazine on the importance of keeping the best players and eschewing politics – not worrying about draft or free agent scorecards.
It was nice of him to come over and acknowledge the story.
I’m not saying they are going to listen to my broken record on keeping the best players. I’m just telling you he read it.
So while I’m going to be focused on all the players who take the field on Friday night, with that being said, I want to get into a few guys who are shining in camp, but not must take it to the preseason games.
*FIU rookie free agent linebacker Anthony Wint has been a force against the run in camp, in on myriad tackles. But remember, you can wrap guys up in camp, but you aren’t supposed to take them to the ground. Let’s see if he continues as a tackling machine in a real tackle football game.
*Ole Miss CB Derrick Jones might have the most defensed passes of any Jets corner in training camp. He’s a tremendous athlete with 4.4 speed, great leaping ability and length (he’s 6-2). I know he can run and jump with any receiver, but I want to see how diagnoses route combinations. I want to see how sophisticated his eyes are. There is more to the position than being a great athlete.
*Wide receiver Charles Johnson has had an excellent camp. He’s done nothing to “cut himself” so to speak. But the former Minnesota Viking and Carolina Panther needs a strong preseason to stick around.
*Running back Trenton Cannon flashed in the Jets’ scrimmage at Rutgers last Saturday, but there was no tackling. He’s 5-11, 185 with top-shelf speed and quickness. You would expect him to dominate in the “flag football” the Jets played last Saturday. Let’s see how he does in tackle football against an opponent with tons of defenders playing with their hair on fire trying to make the Falcons.
*People talk a lot about Bridgewater being possible trade bait this summer. Another guy who falls into that category is center Travis Swanson. The Jets currently have the best third-string center in football. There are teams that need a center like Arizona. Swanson could get the Jets a middle-round pick or player (maybe an edge-rusher) with a strong preseason.
August 9, 2018
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