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Tyrod Taylor had a couple of scrambling touchdowns in a red zone drill today.
Not a fan of this.
Nothing against Taylor who is a solid player, but when quarterbacks scramble too much in training camp practices, it takes away from valuable reps for other players like receivers and defensive backs.
Zach Wilson used to do this all the time.
During a red zone drill, why not experiment on fade routes, or throws in the back of the end zone. Don’t worry about the Mensa candidates doing media QB practice stats.
Experiment, take some chances. If you throw a pick, so be it – give a guy a chance to go up and get the ball.
Scrambling in minicamp or training camp practices means very little, especially since the defenders are instructed not to touch the QB in these sessions – that is why they wear the red jerseys . . .
One of the better throws in practice today was reserve QB Andrew Peasley throwing a deep crossing route to tight end Kenny Yeboah.
Peasley has some things to work on, but it’s pretty clear watching him the first week of practices that he’s a full-field reader, something a lot of young quarterbacks who tend to lock on their first reads, struggle with . . .
Speaking of young quarterbacks, while he’s not getting a lot of reps, former UFL MVP Adrian Martinez clearly has talent.
The value of him playing last year in the UFL is pretty clear. He looks more polished than he did at Nebraska and Kansas State.
Working under Birmingham Stallions head coach Skip Holtz, a long-time QB coach who also coaches the QBs in Birmingham, absolutely benefitted Martinez, and this is a perfect example of the value of having a secondary pro football league in the United States to develop players . . .
In a move that kind of went under the radar, Jets general counsel and president Jill Kelley recently left the team, and they are looking for a new general counsel.
Quite a few changes this off-season on the Jets staff with the departures of football executives Rex Hogan and Chad Alexander, along with three members of the team’s sports science department and now Kelley . . .
Not to get into the specifics of the plays, but it’s pretty clear, that with a full-field reader like Rodgers under center, he will be able to take advantage of all the bracket coverages Garrett Wilson will attract, to find other players wide-open.
You saw that a couple of times today . . .
Breece Hall caught a touchdown pass in the back of the end zone from Rodgers in a red zone drill.
He seemed to get behind Quincy Williams on this play
Williams is outstanding against the run and as a blitzer, and he did improve a little in coverage last year, but still needs to improve the sophistication of his eyes in diagnosing route combinations at times . . .
Edge-rusher Takk McKinley has some kind of injury and was held out today. He might have been injured on that play the other day when Olu Fashanu held him and took him to the ground. Also not practicing was wide receiver Hamse El-Fayat, who has a leg contusion . . .
Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was asked about holdout edge-rusher Haason Reddick on Tuesday, and here is part of what he said:
“He’s a guy that I have not been around a whole lot personally, but I know a lot of people that have, and coaches rave about not just the player. We know who the player is, but the human being that he is and the work that he’ll put in,,” Ulbrich said.
Ulbrich is a great guy and a very positive individual, but some might argue that praising the character of a man who refuses to honor his contract is a tad Pollyanna.
And remember what Reddick said to the New York media in a press briefing after the Jets acquired him in a trade from Philadelphia.
“Contractual stuff, I’m leaving that up to my agent and Joe to figure out,” Reddick said on April 1. “Whatever happens, I’m gonna be happy. I’m gonna give my all no matter what, that’s just who I am as a person.”
Well he’s not giving them anything right now and just creating a distraction.
July 31 2024
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