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Omar Cooper, who is on short-term IR with a severe ankle sprain, is wearing a compression sock or light brace under his right shoe and is walking fine.
I’m pointing this out only to note that the injury is clearly to his right ankle. Not sure that has been reported yet . . .
There are so few tough questions in press conferences now that when there is one, it stands out.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini practiced some old-school journalism on Wednesday in Geno Smith’s press conference.
First, he asked him why the Jets offense on Sunday was taking so many plays right down to the wire on the play clock before snapping the ball.
“Are you using that time to diagnose what’s going on on defense, or is it just because the operation needs to be a little quicker?” Cimini asked.
Then he asked him about the team not throwing an interception in the first two games (for the first time since 1971), and if he’s extra mindful of ball security after last year in Las Vegas (17 picks in 15 games).
Neither answer was that newsworthy, and it’s not the point of his note.
The point is tough questions are so rare that when they do happen, they create a stir, because it’s like a vernal equinox. Rare. And I’m guilty of this also.
Hat tip to Cimini for some “Capital J” journalism in a somewhat soft era . . .
Is Mason Taylor (thumb) out this week?
NFL Network employee Ian Rapoport announced Tuesday on X, Taylor will “likely miss this week vs the #Lions.”
Milk and Honey Sports represents Taylor.
But in Aaron Glenn’s press conference on Wednesday, he was asked about the seriousness of Taylor’s injury and said, “Mason has a thumb; he’ll be just fine. He’ll be just fine.”
There is no doubt he will be just fine eventually, but will he play this Sunday?
Nobody asked Glenn that question, so it’s unclear if Taylor will play on Sunday, but he hasn’t been seen at practice the last two days, and since Rapoport was told he will “likely miss this week,” it’s probably fair to assume he will.
Just saying, I didn’t exactly know what to make of Glenn’s answer – “He’ll be just fine.”
Fine, but when?
In Glenn’s defense, he wasn’t asked . . .
With Marcelino McCrary-Ball and Kiko Mauigoa injured, looking at a Jets linebacker drill today, I had to look up the names after seeing the numbers of their current backups at the position – 48, 49, and 50.
48 is practice squad linebacker, Jaden Keller. 49 is Trevin Wallace, who the Jets claimed off waivers from Carolina earlier this month, and 50 is Troy Reader, a 32-year-old linebacker who spent most of his NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams (six seasons), and has 38 career NFL starts. He played for the Los Angeles Chargers for one year.
Reader has been a very good special teams player over the years, so he should be able to help the Jets fill the void for McCrary-Ball and Mauigoa, who are core special teams players.
Wallace should help as well. He is built for special teams at 6-1, 237 pounds, with 4.51 speed . . .
Speaking of special teams, with WR Arian Smith out for the year with a knee injury, the Jets elevated WR Malik McClain from the practice squad.
A powerfully built 6-4, 205, he showed a lot of special teams potential in training camp. Some wide receivers, not used to tackling people or doling out the hits, can be a little “finessy” on special teams, but he’s not like that at all. The Daphne, Alabama native, who was a four-star recruit out of high school, who signed with Florida State, and then had stops at Penn State and Arizona State, will “stick his face in the fan” to use an old scouting line about very physical players . . .
While the Lions have a new offensive coordinator in Drew Petzing, who was the Arizona Cardinals’ OC the last three years, from what I hear, he did a really good job of keeping in a lot of concepts that veteran QB Jared Goff liked from the previous scheme.
So the Lions’ current offense is kind of a mix of the old Lions scheme and Petzing’s Arizona scheme . . .
If you were to cast a QB in a movie, he would look like Will Levis. A chiseled 6-4, 230 pounds with Hollywood looks.
One issue scouts have with him is the sophistication of his eyes when reading defenses and going through progressions.
But you know what, that is the same concern with Cade Klubnik.
Recently, I’ve changed my view on backup QBs.
So often I’m obsessed with a QB’s ability to read defenses, go through progressions, and throw with anticipation.
But you know what, NFL teams are having a hard enough time finding 32 guys who can do this to fill starting roles, so how are they going to find 32 backups who can do it?
So I will go back to what Daniel Jeremiah said after the Jets picked Klubnik.
“He does have the backup QB profile, someone who is athletic; if he has to get in for a game or two, he can run around and make some plays – RPOs, move him around,” Jeremiah said.
So the bottom line is – with most NFL backups, you are going to have to manufacture production with play-calling that takes advantage of their athletic gifts, like arm talent and running ability.
So maybe the Jets can do something with Levis or Klubnik.
NFL teams just need to deal with the hand they are dealt, and right now, there is a shortage of full field readers at the position.
September 24, 2026
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