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Morris Country – Time for some Friday Night Whispers . . .
It might be time for the Jets to take kick returner JoJo Natson for a test drive.
Let’s be honest, the Jets’ kick return game has been underwhelming.
First of all, ArDarius Stewart is hurt. He suffered a groin injury in a practice this week and is questionable with a groin.
And honestly, he’s not a great kick returner, but I refuse to criticize him for that. He never did it before he got to the Jets, and he really doesn’t really have an ideal skillset for the job – he doesn’t have great speed.
Eli McGuire was a little better, but now with Matt Forte out with a knee injury, the Jets are thin at running back, so they probably don’t want to risk him back there.
Natson is a mighty-mite at 5-7, 160 pounds with great speed and “quicks.” The Fort Lauderdale-native is a threat to take it all the way every time he touches the ball. Watching him in practice, he has an electrifying in the open field. He had a good summer in Colts camp this summer.
“JoJo is fearless and he’s a home-run hitter,” Chuck Pagano said during Colts camp. “He’s tougher than damn nails and they can’t get a clean hit on him. His nickname is ‘The Flea.’ You can’t touch ‘The Flea.'”
Aside from his return skills, another reason it might be time for the Jets to call up Natson is he is a receiver, and the Jets only have four healthy players at the position right now with Stewart hurt, and Jeremy Kerley suspended.
Natson is a good slot receiver. He had 10 receiving touchdowns as a senior at Akron.
If the Jets don’t call up Natson, they could bring up rookie running back Akeem Judd. Jets only have two healthy running backs right now. Matt Forte is out with a knee issue, so all they have are Bilal Powell and Eli McGuire. Considering what an injury-laden position running back is, it’s very risky to only have two rookie running backs. Judd, out of Ole Miss, is 6-0, 225 and runs 4.54.
So don’t be shocked if one of these two is called up . . .
With the Jets bye-week coming up, they have some tough decision to make with injured players. If they hold them out this week, they have two solid weeks to get them truly healthy.
That two-week window coming up is awfully enticing to the Jets medical staff
Like for instance with guard Brian Winters who is questionable with a groin injury. I saw him doing some extra stretching with a trainer before practice. Do you put him out there at less than 100 percent, or do you take advantage of the two-week window coming up to get him truly healthy? The have a capable backup at the position in the Dakota Dozier.
Watching Mo Claiborne during the media part of practice (the first half-hour), to me, he looked like a guy who was going to play. He was doing a ton of cutting on the foot, and not hesitating.
But once again, do you just error on the side of caution and give a player with a long injury history an extra two weeks?
They really, really need him. He’s their best cornerback, and their #2 cornerback is really struggling, though they seem to be in a little denial about that.
Jets don’t want to drop to 4-6.
They need Claiborne.
I’m not a doctor, but he looked like a guy who is going to play.
And man do they need him to cover DeSean Watson.
November 10, 2017
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