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There is some concern about the Jets’ depth at linebacker
. . . with Avery Williamson suffering a hamstring injury on Wednesday.
However, they do have four players at the position right now.
The starters will likely be Blake Cashman and Neville Hewitt, with Harvey Langi in reserve.
However, they do have another player who can play there who’s not being discussed, and that is Frankie Luvu.
While he is working mostly at defensive end now, he played inside linebacker at Washington State, and Gregg Williams lines him up at inside linebacker at times.
So they really have four players.
They just signed Alex Ogletree to the practice squad, but to expect him to be ready for Sunday might be a stretch. He needs to get comfortable with the system and get in better shape . . .
Jets linebackers are getting some great individual tutoring again this year with two coaches – Frank Bush and Joe Vitt. Today. four players (Hewitt, Cashman, Langi and Ogletree) were being coached by two guys. When Vitt first arrived, he was coaching the outside linebackers, and Bush, the inside linebackers, but now the OLB’s are kind of mixed in with the defensive ends, so Bush and Vitt are essentially coaching the same position . . .
George Fant has not talked to the media since his introductory press conference. He didn’t talk the entire training camp.
I personally don’t care if guys talk, but you have to wonder if something is bothering him.
If I were to guess what’s bothering him a little, is signing to be the left tackle, and now having to play right tackle. He made it clear in his opening press conference, which was before the draft, that he wanted to play left tackle.
That has to be sticking in his craw. Think about it. If he went out this year for the Jets, and had a top-shelf season as a left tackle, he could be in line for a huge payday next off-season, with the Jets, or some other team.
No doubt some right tackles get paid good money, but the left tackle position is still consistently more lucrative . . .
Brant Boyer on why he hasn’t been using punter Braden Mann as a kickoff specialist, something he did in college:
“I think it messes with your swing a little bit.”
Boyer clearly wants the kid to just focus on punting and holding for now . . .
Jets left guard Alex Lewis is listed as “questionable” with a shoulder injury, but it would be a shock if he doesn’t play. Lewis is tough as boot leather and always plays hurt. He’s old-school. He’s been in full uniform, and on the field, for the portion of practice the media attends. Expect him to play. Having Lewis in the line-up in the opener is huge for the Jets, not just because he’s pretty good, but because he’s been a big help for Mekhi Becton, his partner on the left side, with instructions on the field, whether it’s play calls or defensive alignments . . .
Buffalo creates a huge challenge for a new line playing together for the first time, because as Jets OC Dowell Loggains said today: “They know how to attack protections.” . . .
Who the Jets’ kick returner is going to be on Sunday is a mystery. I asked Boyer to name the group of candidates and he wouldn’t do it. He said he didn’t want to tip off Buffalo.
My guess Braxton Berrios is a possibility, as is Nate Hairston, or they could elevate Josh Malone from the practice squad in the next few days.
September 10, 2020
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