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New Jersey – The Jets’ veteran mandatory minicamp got underway today, and here are some of my observations . . .
One big concern about Christian Hackenberg coming out of Penn State was about his accuracy, especially his last two seasons.
Watching him in the OTA’s and the first day of minicamp, his accuracy still isn’t where it needs to be, but who cares?
To think was going to fixed in a month is irrational, so those ripping him, are being pretty unfair.
This is a two or three-year project. He needs a ton of work on his footwork and mechanics. This is going to take some time, and the Jets know that.
So what is going on right now is irrelevant . . .
Jets starting tight end Kellen Davis has a brace on his right thumb.
He suffered a thumb injury a few weeks ago in a spring practice.
He’s an important player for the Jets because he’s an outstanding blocker, almost like having another OT at times. He’s 6-6, 270 and carries it so well.
Also, he’s got a GREAT feel for how to block for Matt Forte, his former Chicago teammate.
He is a key player for the Jets this year. And I know it’s not sexy to have a tight end who mainly blocks, but this guy is a top-shelf blocker, and had a lot of key blocks for Chris Ivory last year.
Jets need to give this injury quality time to heal – that right thumb area is a big part of his blocking technique, and they don’t want this to linger into the season.
He sat out most of today’s pracice . . .
Backup center Wesley Johnson hasn’t been practicing the last few weeks, and I found out why today. Suffered a right hand injury in practice. Pretty hard for a righty center to snap with his right hand all wrapped up.
This might be hurting him a little for the backup center job to Nick Mangold because Dakota Dozier is getting most of his reps and progressing . . .
Todd Bowles said today the Darrelle Revis was the same player last year he was his entire career.
What do you expect him to say?
And I’m not saying this to slight Bowles at all. He has no choice but to say that, especially around here.
If he “show any ankle” to uses a really old expression, and said anything else, it would have been a national story, and would have turned into a feeding frenzy.
Of course Revis was the same player last year as he was in the past. Last year he was good, not great. In the past he was great.
But Bowles said the right thing. It’s the only thing he could have said . . .
I think one thing that gets obscured by all the injuries – Dee Milliner is a very talented player. You could see that in the OTA’s and in today’s minicamp.
He’s a nice-sized cornerback, who has good speed and his very physical contesting passes.
Hey, I understand staying healthy is a big part of being successful in the NFL, and we will see if he can.
I’m just making the point that when healthy, there is no shortage of talent here. He was a first-round pick for a reason.
He looks good out there. He had a nice PD today on a pass over the middle from Geno Smith to Quincy Enunwa.
If he can finally stay healthy, he will be a boon to the Jets secondary . . .
Trevor Reilly put on 12 pounds of muscle this off-season, going from 240 to 252 . . .
A sleeper to keep an eye on – Zach Sudfeld. He’s looking good out there – catching everything thrown to him and is much improved as a blocker. At 6-7, he’s got quite a catching radius. Sudfeld missed last year due to a knee injury suffered in a spring practice. He’s now a year removed from the injury and 100 percent healthy.
June 14, 2016
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