The following is Jets special teams coordinator Chris Banjo responding to questions today about the Jets’ kicking competition between Blake Grupe and Jason Sanders:
Mark Cannizzaro, New York Post: Chris, with the kickers, what are you looking for this week? Because obviously you just made the signing; you’ve had (Jason) Sanders on board, what are you specifically looking at going into your decision?
Banjo: I would say confidence and consistency. Confidence and consistency. Obviously, they’re in a competition as we’ve already mentioned, but just the consistency aspect in everything that we’re asking them to do.
Rich Cimini, ESPN: What can you tell us about (Blake) Grupe? Obviously, he’s a guy we haven’t seen a lot of because he came so late. What are some of the scouting reports on him?
Banjo: Like you just said, in terms of a guy who came in late, we’re still actually learning a lot about him ourselves. But right now, what I can tell you is that he’s been very, very intentional. He’s done a great job of hitting the ground running since he’s been here, getting with the operation with Mac (Austin McNamara) and Henny (Thomas Hennessy), trying to shore up their technique and their approach of what they want to do, so I love how intentional he’s been so far, and he’s done a great job hitting the ground running.
Al Iannazzone, Newsday: How does Jason handle this? Obviously, he was your kicker and then a couple of days later, you know, he was released. What have you seen from him since all this went down?
Banjo: He’s been a true professional. He’s been a true professional. Again, we ask these guys to come to work, put their head down, and just go to work and compete and he’s continued to do that. He hasn’t blinked at all since our last preseason game, and he just comes to work and continues to perform.
Mark Cannizzaro, New York Post: Chris, what if they’re both confident and consistent all week when you come to Friday or Saturday, where do you go there?
Banjo: I guess time will tell. We’ll see. But right now, what I can tell you is those guys are doing a great job competing.
Dan Leberfeld, Jets Confidential: What happened from your perspective in terms of you guys picked (Jason) Sanders, but then you re-opened it up again? Why did that happen?
Banjo: So, in the moment, what we said in that moment was, ‘Hey, he won the kicking competition that we had at the moment, we’re just in another competition.’ And that’s all it is. Anytime in this league, we always embrace competition. You come to work every day as a player competing with obviously yourself, but everybody else around the league on a consistent basis. We embrace that in our room and that’s just where we are right now, is just another competition.
******
To subscribe to the one and only Jets Confidential Magazine, our Website Whispers (updated five days a week), or both, click below . . .
