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Florham Park – It’s time for a heaping helping of Saturday Training Camp Whispers from bucolic Florham Park. Check it out. Sign up now . . .
Mike Maccagnan addressed the media today, before practice, and hit it out of the park.
“He was great,” said one writer from a prominent New York daily paper.
Not only did he address the press in a pretty forthright fashion about some of the hot issues, like Sheldon Richardson’s troubles and Mo Wilkerson’s contract, but then was hanging with reporters during and after practice, schmoozing, as Steve Somers likes to say.
John Idzik got ripped for not being accessible, and clearly somebody got the message to Maccagnan – play ball with these guys and gals, and they will cut you more slack.
I don’t like that this is how it works, but this is how it works.
I think we should judge general managers, coaches and players strictly by performance, not based on relationships.
But I wasn’t born yesterday. That isn’t how it works.
So Maccagnan’s approach today was very smart . . .
Perhaps the toughness of some of the Jets’ defensive backs will come in handy during the season, but some of the hitting going on is becoming hazardous to the health of Jets offensive players.
As you all know by now, Jets rookie wide receiver Devin Smith suffered cracked ribs and a punctured lung in Friday’s practice.
I was pretty close to where it happened.
Basically, Smith made a great catch on a tipped ball, and while he was hauling it in, Jaiquawn Jarrett came flying up from his safety spot, and kneed the receiver in the back/ribs area. I don’t think he did it on purpose, but it was pretty nasty.
Today, Jets nickel back Buster Skrine came up and slammed Bilal Powell on a running play, and the tailback was slow to get up and hobbled back to the huddle.
In the spring, Calvin Pryor (pictured above) was overzealous hitting Zach Sudfeld, and it ended his season with a torn knee ligament.
You are supposed to protect your teammates in these sort of limited-contact, limited-pad practices.
Joe Danna needs to get his defensive backs to chill out a little.
Like I said, this will be good for the Jets during the season, but not now . . .
By the way, Jarrett is having a very good camp. I wouldn’t totally rule out him challenging Calvin Pryor for a starting job.
I know it’s early in camp, but still seeing too many blown coverages from Pryor.
Pryor is a big-time hitter and intimidator, but he needs to be more assignment-savvy in coverage.
He’s too often a tick late coming over to cover somebody who is his responsibility . . .
How is Leonard Williams doing so far?
Mixed reviews.
He did show his enormous potential and quickness today when he shot into a gap and stopped Chris Ivory for a loss in the backfield.
Even with Sheldon Richardson out for the first four games due to suspension, Todd Bowles isn’t going to hand the starting job to Williams before he’s ready. He’s going to make him earn it. So Williams is still with the second-string. This is the right approach. The old regime handed too many rookies starting jobs before they were ready . . .
I think most people assume Ryan Quigley is going to win the punting job, but don’t count out Jacob Schum who had a 60-yard punt today. He’s got quite a leg . . .
August 1, 2015
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