Maybe this hungry kid will do what it takes to stick around...but he's a long shot with Jolley, Baker, the 5th rounder and Dressen. Jets give SU tight end a chance Kowalewski doesn't plan on holding anything back in his attempt to land an NFL job. Thursday, May 18, 2006 By Donnie Webb Staff writer The grim reaper circled the locker room following the third and final day of the New York Jets minicamp last weekend. One by one, bags were packed, the door was shown. For a handful of players, invitations were extended to visit the man upstairs. Syracuse University tight end Joe Kowalewski got one of the rare green tickets. Within moments, he was offered a free agent contract to play for the National Football League team. "I didn't care what it was," Kowalewski said of the legal document for employment. "I just signed it." It was a wondrous event for the senior out of Solvay High School. Kowalewski played in eight games last season, barely. He reinjured his shoulder during a breakout performance against Virginia in game three and was never the same. After the season, Kowalewski had more surgery on his shoulder. That sidelined him from working out for NFL teams in the winter and spring. The draft came and went. The phone remained silent. Kowalewski wondered, feared - until the phone rang. The Jets offered an audition, not a contract. Kowalewski jumped. "Just to get the call to come down there and try out was a huge relief," Kowalewski said. "Yes, my football career isn't over. All the hard work I put in, coming back from my injury to prove myself and everyone else that I could play at the next level. That call was my next level and I would take it any way I could get it." The bigger issue for Kowalewski was jumping back onto the football field after a layoff and coming off surgery. He had prepped at Syracuse through conditioning and weight training with Will Hicks Jr. He had caught passes on the side from Joe Fields and done agility work with Ryan LaCasse. His shoulder was coming along fine, but stepping onto an NFL practice field cold was tough. "When I went on the field, I wasn't going to hold anything back," Kowalewski said. "I was going all out, hustle, let them know I'm here to play. It didn't matter. I was going to do whatever it took to get that contract." Kowalewski remains on Long Island, living out of a hotel near Hofstra University and the Jets training facility. He has no idea how long he'll be there. He does not care. At the moment, his dream survives the reaper.
he did pass up an offer from the fins.JC says he "has been slowed by several left shoulder and collar bone injuries".a lot of guys in front of him.JC also raves about pociask"top rated blocking te."
I watched this guy. He's big, hulking, and slow, but he's tough and drags guys around. Definitely a blocker, that description is accurate. -X-
I agree. Not with Baker, Jolley, and Dreesen on the roster. They also drafted Posciak (sp?) as a FB/TE. It is going to be very difficult for him to make the roster. But who knows, stranger things have happened.
I wouldn't bee too sure Ray Lucas was out at Rookie camp and said he was inpressed by 2 guys. Klemens and Kowalewski. He said that the kid caught everything and was impressive i his routes. Could be a sleeper.
I still think the sky is the limit for our TE's group. People love to rag on Jolley, but he is a very solid receiving TE. Baker has some decent potential to be a good all around TE. Dreesen too has skills that we can use. I doubt this guy makes the team.
People are quick to bash Jolley based upon last year's performance, but fail to realize that a big amount of the problem for him was that there was no qualified QB throwing him the ball- the system was a mess, the schemes were all over the place, and one hand didn't know what the other was doing. It's not like he had 45 passes thrown his way and he bobbled 44 of them- not even close. I am willing to give the guy a pass for last year, and am looking forward to seeing how the competition amongst our existing TE's pans out. I've got great hopes for Baker this year, and view Dressen as an unproven commodity.
i agree with this completely. I know alot of non-Jets fans who still consider Jolley a solid player. It's funny how people here give other offensive players a pass due to last yr but rule Jolley out. I do remember Jolley schooling our defense when we lost to the Raiders in Penny's worst game as a healthy player.
Ray Lucas is now on the Jets weekly show on the SNY (the Mets network). He is not a scoutt, but being a former QB in the NFL I am sure he knows talent...or at least more than you or I. Fitz
That's what they said about Chrebet, and look how that turned out. The TE position has underperformed on the Jets since Mickey Schuler. The great part about this new regime is that it seems like the best players will play, UFA or 1st round pick won't matter. So if Kowalewski can block and catch, play him. It's about time.
