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A few things to get into today
As you know by now, there was a skirmish at the Jets’ Sunday practice.
Numerous reports stated guard Alex Lewis went at it with linebackers Neville Hewitt, Blake Cashman and Jordan Jenkins.
That is true, but it didn’t start with all four of them involved.
I had a great view of the beginning of the tiff. Where I was standing was closer to where the fight started then other reporters. It was just luck. I’m not judging anybody.
The fight started with Lewis blocking Cashman, and they stayed entangled after the play concluded, and then this turned into a shoving match between the two, and then it escalated.
So to be clear, it started with just Lewis and Cashman . . .
Avery Williamson was back in action on Sunday, and had a nice run stop, shooting into at gap to stop RB La’Mical Perine around the line. He’s very instinctive against the run.
He returned after a year on the shelf dealing with an ACL tear suffered last August.
People are debating who should start at middle linebacker for the Jets after C.J. Mosley deciding not to play this season.
It probably should be Williamson. He has the most experience, and has a pretty good resume, going back to his days in Tennessee.
Cashman is a candidate, but what hurts him a little is his arm length (30 inches), which makes it tough for him to stack and shed linemen. It’s not his fault. He is probably best served as a sub-package linebacker with a big focus on pass coverage, an area he very solid, and special teams.
Williamson is a very good run defender and blitzer, and his return should actually help fill the void of Jamal Adams departure. You might think – well, they play different positions. True. But Marcus Maye will now take over for Adams as strong safety, playing a lot in the box. Maye is better in coverage than Adams (and this will help with matchups on the line), but perhaps not on his level as a run defender. So having a superb run stuffer like Williamson now back in the box at the MIKE linebacker spot, can help the Jets run defense post-Adams . . .
The Jets are going to have a tough decision to make about who’s going to be the #2 QB in their opener at Buffalo. Joe Flacco, signed to be the primary backup, is still rehabbing his neck after off-season surgery, and won’t be ready for the opener.
Entering camp, David Fales was perhaps the leading candidate since he has the most experience in Adam Gase’s offense, going back to their days together in Miami.
But one issue with having Fales on the opening day roster is that as a veteran, if he is on the opening day roster, they would have to guarantee his salary for the entire season. They might not want to do that, especially with Flacco coming back likely in mid-late September to man the #2 job.
So Mike White and James Morgan are the cheaper options for the #2 job in Week One, and it comes down to those two, White is clearly ahead of Morgan, not just in camp, but in experience. Let’s not forget, White was a fifth-round pick of Dallas in 2018, and was on their active roster that season. Then he was on the Jets’ practice squad most of last year, so he has two years of NFL practice experience, and actually played in preseason games in 2018-19. The rookie Morgan won’t get that chance this year. Preseason game action is huge for young quarterbacks.
And if they go with White as the #2 to start the season, what do they do with Morgan? Do they try move him to the practice squad and risk losing him to a waiver claim? Morgan has potential, but is a project at this point.
August 24, 2020
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