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Cortland – Dan checks in from SUNY-Cortland in Central New York with some notes and Whispers from today’s proceedings. Let’s get this underway . . .
Oday Aboushi was starting for Brian Winters today at left guard.
To me, this makes little sense.
The Jets finally get back Willie Colon, so they have their line intact, and now they are going to toy with the left side, and mess with the continuity?
Do any of you really believe that Aboushi is going to start at left guard in the Jets opener against Oakland?
He’s a project at guard, after spending most of his football life as a tackle.
To me, this is a case of window-dressing competition, for two possible reasons.
To prop up a draft pick.
Or secondly, to show detractors who feel there really isn’t much competition at this camp, that there really is.
To me, this the Jets playing games, and it’s no necessary.
Hey, I’m not giving up on the Aboushi guard project, but it’s in it’s infancy, and he’s not starting material right now.
Just put the darn starting lineup out there and let them work with each other.
Stop playing political games.
And quite honestly, Caleb Schlauderaff and Dalton Freeman are just as good (or better) as guard prospects as Aboushi, so if you going to have a “competition” why aren’t they in the mix?
Politics . . .
The demotion, at least for a day, definitely got under Winters’ skin, and he wasn’t in a good mood out there. First he got into a verbal confrontation with Kenrick Ellis in a line drill (I think Ellis believes he was holding him, but there was no flag) and then Winters got into a fight with Sheldon Richardson . . .
You get the sense the Jets are going to throw a lot of screens this year, with Chris Johnson being a big part of that plan. Also, Chris Ivory clearly worked his tail off this off-season to improve his hands, which were suspect last year, and in New Orleans. He’s catching the ball much better this year, and will also be part of the screen game . . .
Jace Amaro isn’t in a good spot right now.
He dropped a quick slant from Geno Smith, and there was an Antonio Allen interception today down the deep middle that was precipitated by Amaro falling down.
John Idzik walked off the practice field with him. It looked like a pep talk.
Why the rush?
He’s got a bad knee, and is transitioning from a college spread offense to an NFL West Coast offense. Take it slow. No need to rush the draft pick. We saw that last year with a few guys, and it led to some very sloppy play, and contributed to some Jets losses.
I agree with Pat Kirwan – bring him a long slow with a limited role. With Jeff Cumberland and Zach Sudfeld, Idzik and company don’t need to rush this guy . . .
Michael Vick was head-and-shoulders the better quarterback today. As many have you have heard by now, Geno Smith threw a Pick Six to DeMario Davis, and almost threw a second.
Vick threw three touchdown passes in a red zone drill.
To me, this quarterback competition is a joke.
Vick clearly gives them the better chance to win.
Other reporters can go along with this charade, I won’t . . .
Greg Salas continues to have a superb camp . . .
While Brandon Dixon had a pick today, it’s important to point out, the key to this play was a tip by nickel back Jeremy Reeves, who gets his hands on a lot of balls. He seemed to hurt himself on a play later in practice, some kind of leg injury, but hobbled to the next drill. He’s a long-shot and he knows he can’t afford to get hurt.
Kyle Wilson continues as the team’s starting nickel back. He seems to be a Rex Ryan-favorite.
July 30, 2014
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