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Is it a big deal?
The Jets have some injuries in the secondary, and some will lead you to believe they’re in a heap of trouble.
Cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson and Buster Skrine will be sidelined, along with safety Marcus Maye.
Is this a big deal?
Did we all see the Jacksonville game?
Those three guys played, and Blake Bortles looked like an elite quarterback. Myriad blown coverages in that game and the quarterback looked like Aaron Rodgers.
The two games since, Bortles was really bad, with five picks in a couple of blow out losses, first to Kansas City, and then to Dallas.
Look, I’m not saying it’s ideal to have three guys out, but the Jets’ secondary was struggling with those guys in the line-up, so why go all Chicken Little with them out?
The Jets should be fine at safety with the combination of Doug Middleton and Terrence Brooks filling in for Maye. Look, Maye has a lot of potential, but he’s replaceable at this point.
Right now Skrine to Nickerson is a push. Skrine has more experience, but gives up a lot of plays and is penalty-prone. Nickerson has some things to clean up, but his problems are more related to being raw. Nickerson’s issues now are more related to getting comfortable in the NFL, and he should improve with more playing time. Skrine is what he is at this point.
Trumaine Johnson has been underwhelming so far. He pedestrian speed has been more of problem then I thought it would be. Honestly, the Jets moving Morris Claiborne over to #1 cornerback, and going with Daryll Roberts at the #2 spot, isn’t a scenario where there is a drop-off from having Johnson.
Look, I’m just being honest.
So in closing, I’m not saying the Jets’ secondary situation is great with all the injuries. I just don’t think there is a big drop-off from what they had with those three guys in the lineup, to what they’re going with sans those players . . .
I mentioned the other day that I didn’t even see Terrelle Pryor on the practice field the last two days. Now we know why – his groin injury got worse, and he’s not going to play this week.
They could call up Deontay Burnett from the practice squad.
Burnett has talented guy, but very skinny.
They could go with four receivers – Robby Anderson, Jermaine Kearse, Andre Roberts and Charone Peake. They could do this, and go with a lot of multiple tight end packages. Remember, they have four tight ends on the roster, including Neal Sterling who used to be a wide receiver.
Also they could use rookie running back Trenton Cannon at receiver. He’s built like a receiver, has 4.4 speed, and has good hands.
Keep in mind with the Jets’ roster gymnastics – they also might need to re-sign safety J.J. Wilcox with Maye out. Wilcox locker was intact this week, even though he had been released last week, which is often a sign somebody is coming back.
October 19, 2018
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