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Florham Park – A few different things to get into . . .
One thing I noticed on the practice field was some of the new players getting one-on-one tutorials from assistant coaches on the side. Like Jets assistant secondary coach Steve Jackson working with new cornerback Nate Hairston, acquired a couple of weeks ago from Indy. There was also an assistant I didn’t recognize huddling with new safety Matthias Farley.
This is a big challenge for assistant coaches when you acquire players in the 11th hour; getting them ready if they’re called into action early. Best case scenario for new players like this is that they aren’t needed for a while, so they are given ample time to truly get comfortable in the playbook. In other words like in October or November, not the first few weeks. There is a reason you have mini-camps and training camp – a ton of playbook teaching goes on . . .
Something way off the beaten path.
Remember Adam Gase’s introductory press conference where his eyes became a big story?
People wondered if he was okay. Was there something wrong?
For some strange reason, while attending today’s press conference, I started to monitor his eye movement under his hat brim for a minutes. This wasn’t premeditated. Just something that popped into my mind to do.
And I noticed the same kind of eye stuff going on today as on the opening day. It’s just obscured now by his hat brim.
I know this sounds like an odd thing to bring up, but I’m just trying to make a point that he wasn’t messed up in some way at his opening presser. It’s who he is. It’s not a big deal . . .
One of the better undrafted free agents signed by the Jets was Appalachian State RB Jalin Moore, who led the Sun Belt Conference in rushing as both in 2016 and 2017. But shortly after signing him, the Jets put Moore on the non-football injury list.
Not sure what the non-football injury is, and the team isn’t obligated to tell us, perhaps due to HIPAA laws.
I finally saw Moore at his locker today. It’s the first time during the media open locker room session I’ve seen him. I didn’t go over because it’s against media rules to talk to players on NFI, like Bless Austin who is on that list. A reporter recently went over to Austin, and was told he’s not allowed to talk while on NFI.
But my educated guess on what is going on with Moore is, that he suffered a very serious ankle injury (fracture and dislocation) as a senior in college, and it’s still not 100 percent. I know that is a football injury, but since it didn’t happen with the Jets, he can be put on the NFI list. It’s also a good way to stash Moore in 2019 without having to burn a roster or practice squad spot.
This guy could be valuable to the Jets down the road. He’s different than all the other runners they have – 5-10, 211 powerhouse (27 reps of 225). They have a lot of talented backs, but nobody with his body-type and running style . . .
Adam Gase feels it is good for Ryan Kalil and Sam Darnold that the first two Jets are at home. As they learn to communicate with each other in a game atmosphere, they won’t have to deal with deafening crowd noise like visiting offenses often do on the road.
One interesting angle to Kalil’s first game with the Jets. He often will be lining up over his long-time Carolina Panthers teammate, defensive tackle Star Lotulelei. They played together from 2013-17 and often faced each other in practice . . .
The Jets continue to look for cornerbacks giving former Tennessee State star Terrell Bonds a tryout yesterday. This could be a Phil Savage initiative. Bonds played for Memphis in the Alliance of American football, and Savage was a GM in that league.
September 5, 2019
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