Rex actually put it best about Coples on his draft night. "He causes production for others". Yes he has some motor issues & intensity is not his thing. But he's a long fluid athlete capable of covering a lot of ground in swift movements.Blocking schemes have to account for him which can open things up for others. He sets the edge relatively well against the run & gives you those glimpses of "wow".
I saw his comments about Coples in the article but I think Klecko also called him a beast earlier in the interview. He said the Jets have 5 beasts on he DL - it's pretty clear who the first 4 are Wilkerson, Richardson, Harrison and Williams and the only reasonable fifth he could be thinking of is Coples.
One of the reasons I keep hoping for Coples to elevate his game is that he does have the positives you note. I like the assessment that he's helping others in subtle ways. If he can improve his consistency, he can start to live up better to his draft status. He's not very far off, as you point out. So it is reasonable to hope he will in fact improve that consistency.
When Rex drafted Coples it was to play the interior line. Rex went on and on about how disruptive pressure up the middle was going to be. Then Richardson happened and Coples has been the odd man out ever since. And now Leonard Williams. Coples really has no future here. I was hoping he'd be traded to Tennessee for the top pick.....so we could get Williams hahaha
Imagine 2 days before the draft, the Jets trade up at the number 2 spot. Fans are thinking its to take Mariota, but they draft Williams instead. I'd love to be a fly on the wall to see the reactions of all the Mariota supporters.
Apparently, Winston and Mariota weren't on the top of the Jets draft board [doesn't surprise me 1 bit]. I think Dante Fowler was, along with Leonard Williams and Amari Cooper.
Speculation on the part of beat writers; but I believe it - Jets tried to like Mariota IMO, I think - but at the end of the day, the Spread QB stigma hurt his cause.
I suspect it may have been more of a character fit. Mariotta has a very soft personality not really a fit for the New York Market.
That's EXACTLY the problem with Coples. All he can do is penetrate the backfield. However, all he does when he is back there, is make tackles. RB's don't escape. He should have a breakout season this year With this DL, And Revis on the Qb's front side, Coples will be a factor in the defense
I see at least 2 players on defense getting 10+ sacks. Sheldon is out 4 games - could be Coples and Wilkerson. Coples can make a lot of plays in the back-field, I hope the Jets defense can generate more turnovers and score more points.
