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A few different observations from the Jets’ Rookie Orientation . . .
First off, it needs to be pointed out, that there was no practice, so I can’t tell you how certain guys looked. This was more of a mental camp – class room stuff.
So there wasn’t a chance for any undrafted free agents to come in on a tryout basis which usually the case in rookie camp. Last year linebacker Anthony Wint earned a contract based on a mini-camp tryout.
But you know what, I think these tryouts are a little overrated. You are evaluating tackle football players, with no tackling and little contact, so what are you really seeing?
So to me, not having rookie mini-camp tryouts isn’t a big deal.
The Jets brought each draft pick into the press room, and they each addressed the media.
A few thoughts on seeing these guys address the media:
*Quinnen Williams is amazingly humble, down to earth and with very little ego.
“I’m a person of character,” he said.
He certainly comes across that way.
*Jachai Polite continued to get hammered with questions about his rough spring, but handled things well, never losing his composure and repeatedly said, “I’m happy to be a Jet.”
It’s time to move on. Let’s not make this kid into Charles Manson. He had a bad combine. He has some maturing to do. A lot of people do at 21. All these questions are getting to be a bit much.
He did say something that makes it clear he’s already being mentored and groomed by people in the building.
“You have to watch what you put on social media,” Polite said. . .
The released Rashard Robinson today. Trading a fifth-round pick for Robinson in 2017 was clearly mistake for Mr. Coffee, and perhaps the plug should have been pulled when he got suspended following his arrest in late 2017. But Mr. Coffee is sometimes slow to pull the plug on players, and this is something he will have to so some self-scouting on, because Gase s the opposite, like when he sent Jay Ajayi packing for running consistently running the wrong plays.
There is something missing with Robinson. He is a world class athlete with great speed, loose hips and good leaping ability, but has suspect instincts and is too often a tick late reacting. It was odd that he wasn’t at the two practices open to the media last week. Not a great career move. He seems like a nice guy, but he makes some bad decisions, like his behavior that got him thrown out of LSU, and then traded by San Francisco . . .
Gase was asked about the report that he and Mr. Coffee weren’t getting along.
“It’s good that I don’t read much because a lot of it is crap,” Gase said.
He might be right, but how does he know it’s crap if he doesn’t read it?
I think he reads more than he leads on. I heard he had a burner account on twitter in the past. Burner accounts allow you to follow people, but nobody knows it’s you.
As for Le’Veon Bell’s eclectic decision to miss most of the spring workouts with his new team, Gase gave the perfect answer.
“If anyone doesn’t like it, they can talk to the NFLPA,” Gase said.
Exactly right. They’re the ones who demanded the spring workouts be voluntary, and the NFL league office agreed to it. There is nothing Gase can do about it.
May 10, 2019
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