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My biggest takeaway from the Jets first open practice of their OTA practices, is this . . .
Drum roll please . . .
This quarterback competition isn’t even close. Josh McCown is head-and-shoulder better than his two competitors right now. I emphasize the words “right now” because I’m not writing off either youngster. They are still developing. They have more chapter to right.
This quarterback competition is a Potemkin Village, a façade, as far as I’m concerned.
McCown today in practice was boom, boom, boom with his reads – one, two, three, check-down. He knows the system best and he goes through his reads best.
He’s also showed tremendous leadership throughout the whole practice – very vocal – pumping up teammates and coaching up teammates.
I’m sorry, I’m not going to play a childhood game of pretend here. To me, this QB competition is kabuki theatre.
Once again, I’m not dissing Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty. They are working hard and should improve.
We can play pretend over the next few months, but to me, this isn’t much of a competition . . .
A lot of stories today about how Sheldon Richardson sounded off on how much better the Jets’ locker room is without Brandon Marshall around.
“The locker room is a whole lot easier to get along with now,” Richardson said. “I’ve got 15 reasons why it’s better.”
15 was Marshall’s number with the Jets.
It’s well-documented those two can’t stand each other.
But I want to get into something else in relation to Richardson.
When I walked on the field today at the beginning of practice, I went by where the defensive line was working out, and I was very impressed with the type of shape Richardson is in. He lost weight, and looked to be in the best shape I’ve seen him in a while. He looked great.
And in shape Richardson is a rare talent – a defensive lineman with the movement skills of a linebacker.
Richardson is still in Florham Park, which is a surprise to many, who thought he’s be traded by now. But even with his off-the-field issues (a couple of suspensions and an arrest), from a talent standpoint, he’s a boon to the Jets. The dude is a very good player. The Jets made a big mistake last year playing him at OLB for a bunch of games. Big mistake! And to their credit, they have admitted it, and have moved on. Kacy Rodgers said today Richardson won’t be playing OLB anymore.
Richardson is a three-technique defensive lineman and that is where he should play. He’s Warren Sapp-like.
To me, the Jets should, at times, use Mo Wilkerson at nose tackle with Richardson and Leonard Williams at end. How good would that be? . . .
Tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins looked very good today – he was very active in the Jets’ passing game. Two things to take from this. First off, the Jets’ new offensive coordinator, John Morton, is going to use tight ends a lot more than Chan Gailey. Secondly, McCown and Seferian-Jenkins already have good chemistry. Remember, they played together one season in Tampa Bay . . .
Speaking of Morton, he was on the war path today on the practice field. He was ripping into players left and right.
He said to a player today who messed up, “You put a helmet on, and you forget how to think.”
He’s a take-no-prisoners kind of coach, perhaps what the Jets’ offense needs right now.
May 23, 2017
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