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Let’s take a closer look at some of Mr. Coffee’s first wave of moves as the Jets continue to whittle down their numbers. Here are some thoughts on some of the guys who gave it their best shot . . .
Deion Barnes (LB/6-4/255/Penn State/Philadelphia, PA)
Didn’t get a lot of reps in training camp or the preseason. Hard to get better that way. With Lorenzo Mauldin and Jordan Jenkins getting so many reps this summer, it definitely made reps few and far between for others. It seemed like the Jets wanted Mauldin/Jenkins to the be the starters, so camp wasn’t so much about competition, but getting them ready.
Barnes was a college defensive end the Jets made a linebacker last year. He was on practice squad in 2015.
He just didn’t show the coaches enough in his limited reps. Who knows what he would have done with a lot of reps.
Jesse Davis (T/6-6/309/Idaho/Asotin, WA)
Played defensive tackle for most of his career at Idaho before switching to OT late. Was an OT in Seattle’s camp last summer, and was signed as an offensive tackle by the Jets after last season. In the spring, they moved him to guard because the Jets supposedly had a glut at OT. This was odd because right after the Jets moved Davis to guard, they moved guard Jarvis Harrison to offensive tackle. Why not just leave Davis at tackle, and leave Harrison at guard?
Davis has potential, but he just didn’t get enough reps to really get comfortable at guard, and now he’s gone.
Imagine if he had a chance to go to NFL Europe for two years like Brandon Moore, play in games, and truly learn to guard (or OT).
Kyle Friend (C/6-2/305/Temple/Carlisle, PA)
Tough SOB, and gives you everything he’s got, but when you are a tad over 6-0 and you have short arms, it’s very, very tough to play offensive line in the NFL.
Shelby Harris (DL/6-2/290/Illinois State/Milwaukee, WI)
He flashed as a pass rusher this summer, but honestly, he’s more of a 4-3 defensive tackle. I know the Jets are going to play some 4-3 this year, but he’d be a better fit in a Carolina or Tampa Bay-type defense at the three-technique position.
However, with that being said, even though he’s not an ideal fit for the Jets defense, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on the Jets’ practice squad. He does have a knack for getting to the QB, and the Jets could use more of that.
Sometimes these teams release guys they kind of like early in the cuts to make other teams think they don’t like them, if that makes any sense.
Jarvis Harrison (G/6-4/330/Texas A&M/Navasota, TX)
I don’t think the Jets handled this guy ideally.
As I mentioned in the Davis’ analysis, Harrison was moved to offensive tackle this spring, even though he was drafted as a guard.
And with Ryan Clady, Ben Ijalana, Brent Qvale and 2016 draft pick Brandon Shell on board, he had basically had no shot of sticking as an OT – none – barring injury.
To me, it almost looked like they were playing him at tackle until the first cuts, and then intended to move on. This Harrison-to-tackle move was dead in the water from the get-go.
If another team brings him in (I think he will get a practice squad gig), they need to keep him at guard, and let him grow there. He’s not a tackle.
We will have Part II of this series on Tuesday.
August 29, 2016
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