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Russell Wilson has a new
offensive coordinator this year, Shane Waldron, a former Los Angeles Rams assistant.
“I think he’s a wizard,” Wilson said this week.
Why am I bringing this up in Jets Whispers? Because Waldron is installing the Shanahan system in Seattle, the same offense the Jets are now running.
It’s the hot system in the NFL, and so many teams are looking for a piece of the action, by hiring assistants from that coaching tree.
The Jets think they’ve hired “a wizard” in Mike LaFleur.
A word you heard out of Seattle this summer about the new offense is “tempo.” That is a word you hear a lot from LaFleur.
So expect more tempo from the Jets than last year with the Shanahan playbook coming to town . . .
It is kind of strange to have a player, who opted out last year, get named a captain, but that is what happened with Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley.
There is no question Mosley has the make-up and leadership skills to be a very good captain, but when you collect a $10 million bonus, and then opt out of a season, in some circles, that might hurt your chances of being a captain. Mosley made more money last year not playing then most Jets players did playing.
The Buffalo Bills named eight captains this week, and standout nose tackle Star Lutelelei wasn’t one of them. He opted out last year.
But, the Jets turned over the roster so much from last year, the opt-out is probably a moot point to most guys in the locker room.
However, there is no question an opt-out is something that could cost your votes with some teams when it comes time to vote for captains.
The only other opt-out that was named a captain, that we are aware of, is LB Dont’a Hightower in New England, but he has been with New England since 2012, and was part of three Super Bowl champions. Mosley opted out after one injury-plagued year with the Jets.
Not looking to cast aspersions on Mosley, who truly is a good guy and player, just keeping it real – in the worldview of some, this is could be considered an eclectic captain choice . . .
In Green Bay, Jets OC Mike LaFleur said about Mekhi Becton: “He’s not playing at his best, and he knows that. He’s a good dude and he’s going to work through all this stuff.”
Today Becton was asked about that quote.
“Not going to lie, I was a little confused about it,” Becton said on Friday. “But I mean, it is what it is. I’ve [overcome] it.”
Not sure what was confusing about LaFleur’s quote. This quote came after Becton struggled against Green Bay’s edge-rushers in joint practices, following his struggles early in camp against Carl Lawson. What was wrong with what LaFleur said?
The bottom line is this: Becton has to prove he is a system-fit the Jets’ new scheme, which usually calls for smaller, quicker linemen. He was picked to play in their old scheme. Generally teams playing the outside zone scheme don’t target linemen who weigh in the vicinity of 360-380. They just don’t.
I’m not hating Becton, who is a rare talent as he showed last year, in a different scheme – just keeping it real. I’m not going to blow smoke. We will see how this turns out.
September 10, 2021
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