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One Jets Drive – Dan Leberfeld checks in on Black Friday from the Jets Atlantic Health Training Center with some news and nuggets about Gang Green, as they prepare for their huge game against Buffalo . . .
At practice, they played gangster rap with the n-word and M-er, F-er references.
I find it offensive, but maybe I’m getting old . . .
There was a drill early in practice, and Mark Sanchez was throwing a quick out to Joe McKnight. Result? The pass was low, at McKnight’s feet, and incomplete.
I’m sorry, but to have accuracy issues on a simple pass like this, in the NFL, is unacceptable.
Next offseason is huge for Sanchez. He needs a lot of work on his mechanics and footwork to help improve his accuracy.
The lockout really hurt Sanchez and other young signalcallers like Josh Freeman and Sam Bradford. In the various spring camps, there is a ton of work on fundamentals, and that is huge for young quarterbacks.
To not have any of that can set them back . . .
LT and Jeremy Kerley were doing a lot of hopping on one leg with a trainer on the side of the field during Friday’s practice. In other words, neither is likely to play . . .
Sanchez completed a pass to Santonio Holmes in practice today. It was for a decent gain, but probably wouldn’t have been complete in the game. CB Ellis Lankster was in perfect coverage, but pulled his arms back when the ball got there, so the offense could get a quality rep . . .
Maybe this is what you do in practice, but most passes I saw Sanchez throw in the media part of practice were one read. Perhaps this works in practice, but in the real world, i.e. the games, it doesn’t always play out that way . . .
I really like the move the Jets made today, signing OT Austin Howard off the Baltimore Ravens practice squad. Remember, this is a kid who made the Philadelphia Eagles in 2010 as an undrafted free agent out of Northern Iowa. He didn’t make the practice squad – he made the 53-man roster! And he played in four games. But then the Eagles had a new offensive line coach come in this year, and Howard didn’t fit the scheme as well, so he was released and signed by the Baltimore practice squad.
The Davenport, IA-native is very good athlete for a 6-7, 330-pounder, and has a terrific upside.
This move improves the Jets depth on the offensive line. Before the arrival of Howard, the Jets had just two backups – Caleb Schauderaff and Vlad Ducasse.
And to be honest with you, I don’t even know what Ducasse’s position is now because they move him around so much. Rex said he wanted him to focus on tackle this summer, and then continually played him at guard, and did the same thing in Baltimore this year.
Howard could provide them with a quality backup swing tackle, much like Wayne Hunter, before he was promoted to the starting lineup this year . . .
With Kerley out, and practice squad player Scotty McKnight on IR, the Jets have no slot receiver right now, in games or practice, and that hurts them.
Patrick Turner is a solid player, but he’s 6-5, 220, and Burress like in his skillset. It hurts the Jets not having that mighty-mite type guy working the middle of the field . . .
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