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A lot of good stuff to get into today from Florham Park . . .
Look, I understand that the Jets have yet to play a game, but the Jets fourth-round pick looks like a major steal.
Tight end Chris Herndon looks like the real deal and had another strong practice today.
He consistently gets open and catches basically every catchable ball. He seems to be on top of his assignments and looks like he belongs.
I hear Jets tight end coach Jimmie Johnson is very happy with Herndon.
He looks a lot better than a fourth-round pick . . .
Second-year safety Doug Middleton is another guy having a great camp. He was superb today, but he’s dangerous to his fellow Jets.
On one Jets offensive series, he laid vicious hits on a pair of key Jets starters – RB Isaiah Crowell and then a few plays later Robby Anderson.
On the Crowell hit, the running back seemed to hurt his right left hand. He ran off the field shaking it. He eventually came back.
Then Middleton slammed Anderson pretty hard – the kind of hit you see stars. It was totally legal and didn’t tackle him. Surely, some Jets coaches/officials weren’t thrilled with seeing their #1 receiver hit like this by a backup safety, but it was within the practice rules.
Middleton is like Calvin Pryor with better instincts . . .
The Jets claimed offensive tackle Antonio Garcia off waivers in the spring from New England, where he was a third-round pick last year.
How’s he doing?
He’s very athletic but also very inconsistent and needs a lot of work, especially in pass protection.
I’d put him on the practice squad, and if somebody steals him, so be it, it’s not the end of the world . . .
In the Jets’ scrimmage on Saturday, in a little bit of a surprise move, rookie free agent Frankie Luvu started at outside linebacker.
That has continued the last two days of practice.
I think the Jets think they have found a diamond in the rough.
He usually rushes over the right tackle and he’s driving Brandon Shell crazy – he’s got a great motor, good first step quickness and the flexibility to dip under blocks.
He went undrafted out of Washington State because I think teams were unclear on where to play him. He played inside linebacker most of his career for the Cougars, but then as a senior, they moved him outside. He was okay at OLB, but there were some growing pains since it was new to him. I think he’s now taking that next step as an OLB in his second year at the position.
Look, a lot can change between now on the final cuts, but we all know how bad the Jets need a guy to create havoc off the edge, and perhaps Luvu can help.
I think the Jets are genuinely excited with his potential . . .
While I think he needs time, Sam Darnold exudes the “it” factor in some many ways.
One former NFL player, now in broadcasting, watching practice, put it this way watching him today – “He goes to the line with a plan, a lot of young guys don’t.”
August 7, 2018
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