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Florham Park – As you all know by now, the Jets brought in two corners over the last couple of days – former Cleveland Brown Leon McFadden, and journeyman Phillip Adams.
Let’s start with McFadden.
I reached out to a source close to the Browns, who knows that scene like few do, and asked him about McFadden.
Me – “What do you think of McFadden?”
Source – “Not very good.”
Me – “What is the problem, what are his shortcomings?”
Source – “Talent.”
McFadden didn’t have a good summer. I’m not going to sugarcoat it.
But I think the source was being a little harsh.
I think he’s salvageable.
He’s only in his second season. How many corners have all these answers after one year, especially coming out of one of the worst conferences in the Division I, the Mountain West? It’s a huge step up in competition. It’s not like coming out of the SEC.
And keep in mind, McFadden wasn’t picked by the Mike Pettine-Ray Farmer combo. He was picked by Joe Banner-Mike Lombardi-Rob Chudzinsk, the old braintrust. Pettine had no allegiance to the guy.
Also, the Browns picked two corners in the 2014 draft, Justin Gilbert and Pierre Desir, who were basically locks to make the team.
One Browns insider said about McFadden’s preseason, “Although McFadden had tight coverage, he was repeatedly flagged by officials for penalties.”
That is actually a good sign.
What do I mean?
Remember, the NFL made their officials call the games tight this preseason. There were a ton of pass interference penalties. So McFadden’s rough summer of penalties came in the tightest called games probably in NFL history. Word has it the NFL will likely pull back, loosen up the calls a little, in the regular season.
I don’t think this guy is instant coffee. He will need some time. But he could be a possible heir apparent to Kyle Wilson. He’s best suited to play nickel with his size (5-9 5/8, 193 pounds), quick feet and lose hips.
As for Adams, who was a seventh round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2010, I’m a little more skeptical. Good corners don’t get bounced as many times Adams. Here is the resume . . .
Career history
• San Francisco 49ers (2010)
• New England Patriots (2011)
• Seattle Seahawks (2011)
• Oakland Raiders (2012–2013)
• Seattle Seahawks (2014)*
• New York Jets (2014–present)
In preparing for my Saturday show on Sirius NFL Radio, I watched some of the action from the Oakland Raiders-Seattle Seahawks preseason game from last Thursday. Adams played extensively.
In the first quarter, he gave up a touchdown. To be blunt – it was awful coverage.
He gave up 36-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Denarius Moore down the right sideline. It was similar to what LeQuan Lewis did on the Arrelious Benn touchdown in the Jets-Eagles game. For some strange reason, Adams stopped running with Moore in the middle of the route, leaving the receiver wide open down the right sideline for the touchdown.
To his credit, he had a terrific play in this game. In the second quarter, he tipped a quick slant to WR Greg Little, and the ball went right into the hands of CB DeShawn Snead, who returned it 54 yards for a touchdown.
We will see what happens, but cornerbacks like Adams and Lewis, that have been on some many teams, in a league with a dearth of talent at corner, to me, raises a red flag.
Perhaps Adams can help the Jets this week since he just faced the Raiders, and also played for them.
But to me, McFadden has more of an upside . . .
One other thing. The Jets claimed wide receiver Walt Powell off waivers from Arizona. Why? I think the answer is simple. He’s a good punt returner, and Jalen Saunders is no slam dunk to be the answer there, after a mercurial summer. Saunders had a very poor punt return against the Eagles where he danced too much and went backwards.
September 1, 2104
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