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New Jersey – Here are my thoughts on what went down today in Florham Park today as the Jets cut down to 78.
Let’s look at each name, and I will give a quick comment.
Javier Arenas (CB/5-9/197/Alabama/Tampa, FL)
With the season-ending injury to Antonio Allen, he was added for safety depth. I know he’s listed as a cornerback, but he was playing safety with the Jets.
Rontez Miles looks like he’s locked up with fourth safety spot, so that made Arenas expendable. He will be on a short list if the Jets lose a safety since he knows Todd Bowles system from Arizona.
James Brewer (OL/6-6/330/Indiana/Indianapolis, IN)
He really didn’t have much a chance. It was pretty clear coming out of the spring, that Ben Ijalana and Brent Qvale were ahead him at the backup tackle spots, and nothing changed this summer, especially since Brewer missed time with a back injury.
Curtis Brown (CB/6-0/185/Texas/Longview, TX)
The Jets took a flyer on the former third round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers who was out of football last year due to a knee injury. But he ran into two problems. One, he got hurt again, some kind of pulled muscle. Secondly, the Jets are loaded at corner so barring a few injuries, he had very little chance.
Dalton Freeman (C/6-5/291/Clemson/Pelion, SC)
This one we saw coming. Yes, the former first-team All-American at Clemson was the Jets’ backup interior swing man last year, but pretty early in camp, Wesley Johnson leapfrogged him, and that was all she wrote. Freeman is a little undersized and has short arms (which makes it tough on an NFL offensive lineman with all the long-armed defensive lineman). Johnson has a bigger lineman with longer arms. Johnson had a good camp. He’s a very good pulling center.
T.J. Graham (WR/5-11/188/North Carolina State/Raleigh, NC)
He did nothing to get cut. He had a very good camp. Any team in need of a receiver, should jump on this guy. He has world class speed, runs good routes and is smart and tough. He’s also a good special team’s player.
Once the Jets picked Devin Smith, Graham was in a lot of trouble. They are similar players who can blow the top off a defense, but Smith was a lock to make it once the card was turned in.
Saalim Hakim (WR/5-11/188/Palomar College/Atlanta, GA)
This one surprised me a little. Perhaps the fastest players in the league, he’s so good on kick and punt coverage, I thought the Jets would keep him around as a specialist. I thought wrong.
Austin Hill (WR/6-3/212/Arizona/Corona, CA)
Had a very good camp. I think he gets brought back to the practice squad.
Bryan Johnson (LB/6-4/250/West Texas A&M/Bellport, NY)
While he was with the Jets for a week, you could see ability here. He’s an explosive athlete with a powerful, thick build and good speed. He had an impressive special team’s tackle in his only preseason game. I think he also comes back to the practice squad.
Matt LaCosse (TE/6-6/245/Illinois/Naperville, IL)
With the Jace Amaro shoulder injury, the Jets brought in two tight ends, Arthur Lynch and LaCosse, and kicked the tires. Lynch, who is much further along in his development, showed more, so they kept him around. Lynch is a better blocker.
Keith Lewis (CB/6-1/190/Virginia-Lynchburg/Chicago, IL)
An experiment from a small school undertaken by the former regime that the new regime didn’t want to continue. Very raw.
DeVier Posey (WR/6-1/210/Ohio State/Cincinnati, OH)
He was in a near impossible spot with just too many people in front of him. He did the best he could, hauling in a touchdown pass last week, and then leading the team in catches this week with four. Didn’t cut himself. Needed to walk on water to make it.
Jonathon Rumph (WR/6-5/218/Georgia/Cayce, SC)
The kid had a good camp, but I think we all realized he was a practice squad candidate all along.
August 30, 2015
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