Content available exclusively for subscribers
A heaping helping of Jets Training Camp Whispers . . .
Kyron Brown chance of a lifetime didn’t last very long, at least right now.
At the beginning of the team part of practice (11-on-11), undrafted free agent cornerback Kyron Brown, who was starting for Trumaine Johnson (hamstring), was covering Robby Anderson on a crossing route, and Brown was in pretty tight coverage on Anderson, but Sam Darnold completed the pass.
After the play, Brown came off holding the back of his left leg, and went to talk to a trainer. Shortly after that, he headed to the locker room.
What a bad break for the Akron-product and Boynton Beach-native. He gets a chance to start in his first training camp, and he didn’t even make it through his first practice with the starters.
With Brown out, the Jets did two different things at the cornerback spot opposite Darryl Roberts; nickel back Brian Poole went out there, and also, Arthur Maulet got some reps.
Maulet is a third-year player out of the University of Memphis, who had short stings with the Indianapolis Colts and his hometown New Orleans Saints. He’s very, very physical, but the big question is about his speed which isn’t great for the CB position …
There was a royal rumble today at Jets’ practice which seemed to start with a tiff between DT Nathan Shepherd and G Alex Lewis. This was the biggest brawl of camp, with some other battles spinning off from the Shepherd/Lewis brouhaha.
Here is the what the problem was in a nutshell:
You have young defensive linemen like Shepherd and Foley Fatukasi, who are trying to make the team, consistently bull rushing veteran lineman who are just trying to get ready for the season. Kelechi Osemele was pretty pissed about the bull rushing. So the problem was related to different agendas. You have young guys fighting for jobs against veterans, who are not fighting for jobs, but just trying to get ready for the season and not get hurt. The irony is that Osemele did get hurt (pec) shortly after the scrum. It doesn’t seem to be a torn pec.
This is a common problem in training camps – different tempos for different players with different job security . . .
Speaking of Fatukasi, he has certainly caught the attention of Gregg Williams and Adam Gase. He was getting some starting reps today. True, Leonard Williams is hurt (not serious), so they needed a replacement, but it’s clear the lightbulb is starting to come on from the Far Rockaway-native. He really flashed against the Giants playing with a tremendous motor.
I give Fatukasi a slight edge on Shepherd in the interior D-Line pecking order. Why? He is more athletic and is better at changing directions. Shepherd gives you everything he’s got and is super-tough, but is a little stiff athletically, which obviously not his fault. It’s the way he is built . . .
There was a national NFL writer here the other day, and he was asking me about the team, and I was raving about Chris Herndon. I don’t think national people realize how good he is. I see him as a rising star.
At the beginning of the team part of practice, Darnold completed a deep cross to Herndon with Brandon Copeland in coverage.
Jets linebackers and safeties have had a hard time covering Herndon in practice.
This guy is really good, and the Jets are going to miss him during his four-game suspension at the beginning of the season . . .
August 12, 2019
Premium will return by 9:30 pm on Tuesday.