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One of the better defensive plays in Jets OTA practice on Tuesday was linebacker Kiko Mauigoa breaking up a pass down the left seam to tight end Mason Taylor.
Mauigoa was a little inconsistent in coverage last season during his rookie year, so a play like has to be viewed as a positive by the Jets brass. Excellent coverage play by a linebacker way down field . . .
Rookie QB Cade Klubnik broke what I’m going to call “The Todd Monken Rule” moving forward – threw a pick in a 7-on-7 drill.
“We threw interceptions in seven-on-seven, for God’s sake. I mean, who does that? There’s no pass rush,” Monken, the Cleveland Browns coach said, a couple of weeks ago after an OTA practice.
Klubnik was picked off by safety Jarius Monroe.
Klubnik was also picked off in the scrimmage part of practice (11 on 11) by CB Tre Brown, and was also had a nearly picked by rookie CB Mory Bamba (BYU) on an out-route on the right sideline.
Klubnik, has a lot of potential, but has a lot of work to do. The concept that he should be the team’s #2 QB to start the season might be a little Pollyanna. . .
There was a play in practice today that was illustrative of why the Jets traded for massive nose tackle T’Vondre Sweat.
On a Breece Hall run attempt up the middle, Sweat shed a blocker and stopped the running back on the line.
Sweat should be a real boon to the Jets interior run defense . . .
David Bailey had a nice QB pressure beating right tackle Chuks Okorafor with an inside move . . .
Garrett Wilson is an enormously talented player, but they need to stop forcing him the ball in traffic.
Today, a force by Geno Smith to Wilson, into heavy traffic, was picked off by linebacker Demario Davis.
Just throw to the open guy – whoever that might be.
Sometimes teams try to force the ball to their highly-paid #1 receiver. That is fine if he’s open. Wilson was not open on this play.
This is the second OTA practice in a row, open to the media that is, that we saw the ball being forced to Wilson . . .
Speaking of receivers, new free agent addition Tim Patrick, was held out of practice today, and they ease him into things.
Second-year receiver Quinton Skinner was at practice, but not practicing, clearly overcoming some kind of injury. Skinner, a Kansas product, is an underrated 6-4 receiver who is very good at high-pointing the ball over defensive backs . . .
Not making any excuses, just painting a picture – the Jets kickers weren’t great today, but it was very windy . . .
One of the better passing plays today was second-year QB Brady Cook, hitting rookie free agent tight end Chase Curtis (TCU) down the deep middle . . .
The Jets desperately need a standout coverage linebacker to complement Demario Davis, and perhaps one candidate for the Jets could be Marcelo McCrary-Ball, who had an impressive PD on swing pass to RB Kene Nwangwu.
People assume that Davis’ partner is going to be Jamien Sherwood.
Davis seems to think that, saying last week, “Playing with someone like Sherwood, besides me, a guy that has that explosiveness, able to go sideline-to-sideline, and matchup with guys in coverage.”
Sherwood didn’t match up that well in coverage last year. And don’t kill the messenger on this one, he told a network production crew late last season he needs to get better in coverage.
For whatever reason, and it’s not a lack of effort, you just don’t see enough plays from Sherwood in coverage. Really didn’t notice much today, once again, with the top linebacker coverage plays coming from Mauigoa and McCrary-Ball.
Sherwood needs to take his game to the next level in coverage, or they might need to open up the spot next to Davis to competition. It’s early in the spring, and Sherwood is learning a new defense, so let’s see what he does this summer. It’s a big camp for Sherwood in terms of the need to flash more in coverage. When you have a former safety now playing linebacker, you need to see him get his hands on more passes in coverage.
It is what it is. Nothing personal. He’s a really good guy . . .
Pictured above is rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq watching practice from the sideline, fresh off groin surgery.
June 2, 2026
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