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Mobile, AL – Checking in from rainy Hancock-Whitney Stadium . . .
A rainy day today at the Senior Bowl, but Robert Saleh, Joe Douglas and the man who runs the event, Jim Nagy, huddled on the field and decided to proceed with the practice outside.
The University of South Alabama has an indoor practice facility, but the media and fans would not have been able to attend the practice, so it was a nice gesture by the powers that be to keep it outside. Tomorrow might be a different story since rain and lightning are a possibility.
It also gave the Jets coaches a chance to see how these players dealt with inclement weather.
For instance, a tight end who is clearly on the Jets’ radar, Colorado State’s Trey McBride, caught the ball well in the rain, including a difficult grab down the right seam.
He also had a really good block on a sweep.
This guy has really helped himself in the first two practices, and don’t be shocked if he’s a consideration for the Jets in perhaps the second or third round. We will see how he works out at the Combine and his Pro Day, but on the field, he looks like a difference-maker at the tight end position . . .
There is a lot of talk about the hand size of Pitt QB Kenny Pickett, who is being coached by the Jets at the Senior Bowl. There has been speculation his hands might be under 9 inches, which is considered very small for an NFL QB. It can lead to ball security issues, especially in bad weather.
So that brings us to today’s practice when he fumbled a snap from the center in the rain. In fairness, this can happen to even a QB with big hands, but seeing a fumbled snap, by a QB with small hands, at a rainy practice, does make you wonder a little if this will be an issue . . .
Tight end coach Ron Middleton is coaching the Jets at the Senior Bowl, but the part that is a little confusing is why QB coach Rob Calabrese is serving as the offensive coordinator and LB coach Mike Rutenberg is the defensive coordinator. The regular offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur is here, as is DC Jeff Ulbrich, but they aren’t running the offense or defense.
Once again, get the Middleton move, but don’t totally understand the Calabrese/Rutenberg decisions. Is this ideal for the college players on the National Team, to have these guys running the offense and defense, and not the Jets’ regular coordinators? Couldn’t the regular coordinators, who aren’t long-time NFL coordinators, use the work? It’s not a big deal, but I just don’t understand it . . .
The Buffalo Bills hired Joe Brady as their new QB coach. The same Brady who was fired by Carolina’s David Tepper because of the struggles of the Panthers offense with Sam Darnold and Cam Newton.
Buffalo is going to entrust him with Josh Allen, but Carolina bounced him mid-season? Sean McDermott clearly feels that the issues in Carolina weren’t Brady’s fault, if you know what I’m saying . . .
There is a lot of other NFL business handled at the Senior Bowl aside from evaluating the college prospects. On Tuesday, saw the Rosenhaus Brothers – agents Drew and Jason – negotiating at a picnic table with Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane.
A lot of contract talks go on here between agents and general managers.
The fun part of being a GM is finding players, the tedious part is dealing with contracts, something that is no fun at all.
February 2, 2022
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