News and notes from today's practice May 14, 2009 If Rex Ryan keeps it up, he'll start charging a $5 cover with a two-drink minimum. His news conferences have turned into stand-up routines, a dramatic departure from his predecessor. In between one liners, Ryan addressed a few serious topics today after the 90-minute practice in the field house: ? Ryan admitted he was a little surprised and somewhat disappointed that RB Leon Washington stopped attending voluntary workouts, but he didn't criticize Washington, invoking the time-tested line used by head coaches across the league - the workouts are voluntary. Ryan said he's confident that Washington and fellow no-show Thomas Jomes will be in uniform when the Jets open the season in Houston. He also said he expects both to attend next month's mandatory minicamp. ? Newly re-signed TE Bubba Franks didn't practice. Seems that Bubba has a lingering knee injury that will keep him out indefinitely. Ryan said it's not serious and that Franks will be ready by training camp. This adds more uncertainty to an already uncertain position. ? QB Kellen Clemens had an up and down practice. He was sharp in a 7-on-7 red zone drill, making a nice "touch" pass to Brad Smith on a corner route in the back of the end zone. He also hit Chanci Stuckey on a well-timed post route in the middle of the end zone. At the end of practice, in an 11-on-11 two-minute drill, Clemens and the entire offense was embarrassed by a blitzing-from-all-angles defense.Clemens made two brutal throws under pressure, two balls that should've been picked off. S Jim Leonhard dropped an easy pick on the latter throw. ? QB Erik Ainge was brutal. He was intercepted on consecutive throws in the 7-on-7 red zone drill. On the latter, he telegraphed a sideline route that was picked off by CB Drew Coleman. Clearly, Ainge's scholarship has expired; he's not going to be handed anything this season, he'll have to earn the third-string job. ? DE Shaun Ellis and RG Brandon Moore, both recovering from surgery, were limited in practice. They sat out team drills. ? Ryan was asked the statement he made at the rookie minicamp, when he said he had a pretty good idea how the QB competition between Clemens and rookie Mark Sanchez will play out. Naturally, it was a hint, but not a declaration, that Sanchez would emerge as the starter. Today, Ryan was asked about that statement and, to his credit, he didn't back down. He said he was just giving his opinion, that he, like all fans, has a hunch on how it will go. He quickly added that the winner "will have to earn it." He mocked coaches that are stiff in front of the camera, speak in monotone and deliver only cliched answers like, "It's an open competition."There were some chuckles in the press room because, for us grizzled vets, it sounded a lot like Eric Mangini."It's not a shot at anybody," Ryan quickly pointed out. ? David Clowney worked with Jerricho Cotchery as the starting wideouts, with Stuckey in the slot. Dustin Keller and Kareem Brown handled the tight-end duties. ? NT Kris Jenkins worked as the left end in some 3-4 fronts, with Sione Pouha on the nose. ? Vernon Gholston saw action as a down lineman in nickel and dime packages. ? CB Darrelle Revis is having a terrific offseason. Gushed Ryan, "(He's) ridiculous. He does things I've never seen before." By Rich Cimini on May 14, 2009 2:50 PM | Comments (15) > http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/jets/2009/05/news-and-notes-from-todays-pra.html#ixzz0FVjcG1MB&B
This should not come as a surprise. If someone emerges as a starting DE opposite Ellis, this defense is going to be sick.
Newly re-signed TE Bubba Franks didn't practice. Seems that Bubba has a lingering knee injury that will keep him out indefinitely. Ryan said it's not serious and that Franks will be ready by training camp. This adds more uncertainty to an already uncertain position. Re-signing this guy is the first move I really hated to see..
Douglas has a pretty decent shot, he wasn't bad for the ravens at all... he's no Pro-bowler, but he's solid and makes a lot of tackles... we'll see though obviously....
Douglas looks like a solid pick up, but I'm hoping to see Zach Potter make a splash. Can't believe the kid went undrafted.:shit:
New beat writer Rod Boone http://blogs.trb.com/sports/football/jets/blog/ Winding things down here in lovely Florham Park. There was an NFL Films crew here testing out a new camera. They shot practice trying to get a handle on their new technology. Apparently, the camera they were using shoots 1,000 frames per second in HD and uses a 1080p format. For those who are not HD freaks like me, that means it's being filmed in the best clarity that's on the market. Blueray disks utilize a 1080p format and the picture is stunning. So I can't wait to see how things turn out with NFL Films' new toy once they start using it for real. Ok, onto some football. Here's what we've got. --* Most of you want to know about Leon Washington and Thomas Jones. I banged out a story that should be up on our Web site soon detailing what Rex Ryan had to say about what's happening with the Jets' two disgruntled running backs. The gist of what Ryan said is he expects them both to be present when the mandatory mini-camp is held June 9-11. Also, he's confident both will be with the team when the season opens. "I think when we go to play our first game in Houston," Ryan said, "I believe both of them are going to be with us and ready to go. I definitely feel confident of that." --* Neither Kellen Clemens nor Erik Ainge were particularly sharp. Clemens had a few good throws, but he also was a bit erratic at other moments. Ainge seemed to struggle with his reads at the end of the 11-on-11s as the defense dialed up the intensity and started mixing up its coverages. Dwight Lowery sped through on a corner back blitz from the left side on one play that would've left Ainge plastered on the turf if it were a real game situation. Ainge threw a lofty pass off his back foot down the right side that was up for grabs more than anything. Luckily for him, it fell incomplete. -- * K Jay Feeley was banging field goals right down the middle. He was mostly kicking in between the 30- and 38-yard lines and every one I saw was true. Granted, they came in the climate-controlled indoor practice facility so take that for what it's worth. -- * P Eric Wilbur boomed his share. Punting from about the 20-yard line, he let loose on high-arching kicks of 45, 57, 60, and 50 yards. He did 'shank' one that went just 42 yards. Kid has a pretty good leg (or so it seems). -- * Ryan was lobbing passes to the defensive lineman during a tip drill at the beginning of practice. As a defensive-minded coach, he's already preparing the troops to improve on the giveaway-takeaway ratio. --* Which players caught my eyes? I would say definitely RB Danny Woodhead (we'll have more on him later just for you Mr. Green T). He is showing an ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and the generously-listed 5-foot-9 200-pounder has low center of gravity. The other was CB Donald Strickland. He picked off Clemens once and nearly reeled in another a few plays later. Obviously, this was my first time watching in action and he appears to have a knack for reading routes as well as making a play on the ball. We're exercising caution because this was only an OTA and no one was in pads, etc. But he looked pretty good. -- * And we'll end our first OTA blog post with a few great one-liners from Ryan. We'll make this a constant feature because the man provides plenty of material. On sitting in on Bill Callahan's offensive line meeting and hearing the verbiage being thrown around: "I?m like, 'What am I in French class or something?'" Then there was Ryan's choice of Jets' garb he wore today. He had a green hoodie and most of the front part of it was white, leading to my man J.P. from The Record to say "It looks like a bib." Picking which item to wear isn't hard for Ryan, who said: "Here?s what I normally go in and say, 'All right, which one has the four Xs on it? I?ll go ahead and wear that bad boy." Wait, he had more. "That?s like you go to these stores and it?s like, 'Uh excuse me, where's the men's section?' They're like, 'What are you talking about?' I'm like, 'There?s no four Xs here.' So it?s brutal. Short Hills Mall, I love you, but c?mon. Step up a little bit would you please?"
Agreed. I think at the very least that subbing Douglas in for Coleman leaves us breaking even, and I think he can be better too.
I realize your feathers were ruffled when we drafted Sanchez, but it's high time you come to terms with reality: Clemens is a career backup. Not that there's anything wrong with that - I'm just tired of people clinging to false hope and talking him up to a level that he will never reach.
Regardless of who our starting QB is come game day, its safe to assume that our defense will terrorize them more than any other they will have to face.
I'm starting to get worried about Ainge. He looked like crap in that video segment and I figured he just didn't do well in front of cameras. But now its starting to seem like another Cedric Houston situation to me. I think the Jets definetly need to draft another QB in the mid to late rounds next year.
I would love it if Clemens was a career backup. A great soldier, a seemingly good athlete, I think he'd be the ebst backup in the league. Off the top of my head.
