Brian Costello

Why Jets are so high on rookie receiver Elijah Moore

The Jets-Zach Wilson standoff is really, really dumb

Jets fans must separate the Robert Saleh-Zach Wilson hope from hype

Joe Douglas has to hit on this shot to fix Jets' offensive line

Knicks, Islanders show Jets their turnaround blueprint can work

The requests in my inbox from Utah radio stations to talk about Zach Wilson have been plentiful since April, when it became clear the Jets were drafting the BYU quarterback with the No. 2-overall pick.

I try to do most of them and they are always very nice people. On Tuesday, I was talking to two hosts on The Zone when one asked this doozy, “If you had to bet, will Wilson work out long term with the Jets?”

I felt like saying, “First, let me tell you how the stock market will look in five years, who will win the 2024 presidential election and when Jacob deGrom will actually pitch for the Mets again.”

Some of life’s mysteries are better off being unpredictable. But that does not stop everyone from trying to forecast the future.

That has been the case this week with Wilson. There has been a growing angst among a fan base that has scars from past savior quarterbacks. They have closets with Chad Pennington, Mark Sanchez and Sam Darnold jerseys hanging in them. They hear reports of Wilson throwing interceptions in practice in Florham Park. They see missives from Chicago about Justin Fields tearing up the practice field.

Jets fans are not panicking … yet, but you can feel the tension growing.

I’m here to do my best Aaron Rodgers impersonation: R-E-L-A-X.

Wilson has had 10 training camp practices. That’s it. Predicting his NFL future now would be like predicting a newborn’s career choice. He’s an NFL baby. Let him grow.

Patience has become a dirty word in a sports universe that features debate shows and Twitter. Everyone wants to be the first to pronounce someone the best … or the worst.

Here is the truth: You’re probably not going to know whether Wilson is a good quarterback for a long time. Between 2015-20, there were 20 quarterbacks drafted in the first round. How many of those have been good from the day they started and had very few hiccups? Patrick Mahomes fits the bill. Deshaun Watson has been that on the field but now has off-field issues.

The rest? It’s hard to make a definitive statement. Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Justin Herbert are all very promising players but are we 100 percent positive on these guys? I don’t think so.

There are also many examples of players we thought we knew what they were and then things changed. Players such as Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, Carson Wentz, Jared Goff and Mitch Trubisky all had moments or seasons that made you think they were The Guy. None of them are still with the team that drafted them.

Jets fans should know this better than anyone. Sanchez looked like the right guy after two trips to the AFC Championship game. Then, things fell apart. Darnold’s future is still being debated.

Let’s also talk about practice “stats,” since some of this angst arises from them. As one of the great Florham Park statisticians myself, let me let you in on a dirty, little secret: Practice stats are dumb. We don’t know the plays they’re running. We don’t know if receivers ran the wrong routes. We don’t know if the coach told the quarterback to be overly aggressive. We have no context.

“We’re not competing to win a game or anything in practice because there’s all different situations we plan for,” Wilson said Wednesday. “They throw us in tougher situations, they throw us in base downs where we got a lot of space where it’s maybe harder on the defense so we’re practicing repetition of all these different situations. You can’t really grade stats or how many touchdowns or how many yards because every play is really what we’re grading.”

Wilson’s first pass in team drills Wednesday was an example. Wilson admittedly tried to fit one into Elijah Moore when he wouldn’t have in a game. Linebacker C.J. Mosley got a hand on it. As he walked back to the huddle, he told his coaches that next time he would throw it to the check-down receiver.

“I can’t be afraid to make mistakes, especially in practice,” Wilson said. “This isn’t a game; this is where I’m learning what I can get away with and what I can’t.”

Another thing to consider is Wilson’s stock soared at BYU because of his ability to make plays “off schedule” or when things broke down around him. He is able to scramble, roll to his right and make a crazy throw to his left. That is not what training camp is. Training camp is the ultimate “on schedule” experience. The plays are supposed to look like they do in the playbook.

So, let’s give Wilson some time to grow and learn and fail and succeed before we declare we know how his career will go.

Now if someone could tell me when deGrom will pitch again …

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

Here are some thoughts and observations about the Jets through the first two weeks of training camp:

1. Second-year receiver Denzel Mims has gotten some attention for falling down the depth chart, but there are reasons for his reduced role early in camp that should be examined.

First off, it is premature to say Mims is on the roster bubble. Sources say the Jets still see Mims as a big part of the 2021 team and are not even close to considering moving on from him. Could that change in three weeks when rosters are cut to 53? Maybe, but I would still label it highly unlikely.

The 2020 second-round pick had a rough spring. He contracted food poisoning that caused him to lose 15 pounds after two weeks of vomiting. That led to him missing nearly all of the Jets spring program, setting him back in learning the new offense. While Mims was out, he was passed on the depth chart by rookie Elijah Moore and Keelan Cole, who both had outstanding springs.

Mims opened up training camp working mainly with the second and third teams, which raised some eyebrows. But he was on the field with Zach Wilson under center during Saturday’s Green and White scrimmage. He had a strong week of practice last week and should see more time with the starters this week. It did sound like offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur was trying to light a fire under Mims last week in his comments about Mims getting more opportunities when he shows he deserves them. In the next breath, LaFleur said he liked how Mims had responded last week.

Another thing to consider with Mims and his role on this team is his size. Mims is 6-foot-3, 207 pounds. If the Jets go with Corey Davis (6-3), Moore (5-10) and Jamison Crowder (5-9) as their starters, they are going to need size in some formations, particularly in the red zone. Mims is the best candidate to be that guy to team with Davis in those situations.

So, Mims is behind because of his spring absence, but don’t be surprised if he catches up in the next few weeks and has a big role this season.

2. The Jets’ plan with rookie QB Zach Wilson is clear. They are trying to put him in as many pressure situations as possible now to prepare him for the regular season.

The Jets barely do any seven-on-seven periods because they want Wilson to operate in game-like situations as much as possible. That means 11-on-11 sessions are the way to go with Wilson having to deal with pressure from the defensive line (even if they can’t hit him).

This is a unique situation in my time covering young QBs with the Jets. There is not even a hint of competition for Wilson. The Jets staged a phony competition for Mark Sanchez with Kellen Clemens in 2009. Geno Smith had to beat out Sanchez in 2013. Sam Darnold had to beat out Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater in 2018. The job is Wilson’s. There is no question. Without that threat of having to win the job, the Jets have had to come up with other ways to put the pressure on the rookie quarterback. Robert Saleh and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich are throwing a lot at him each day in practice.

Don’t get caught up in his bad outing Saturday night in the Green and White scrimmage. The Jets have liked what they’ve seen from Wilson so far. The biggest thing you hear is he does not make the same mistake twice and he shakes off mistakes quickly. Bigger tests are coming as the Jets see actual opponents soon, but Wilson has done fine so far.

3. One glaring weakness is the Jets’ tight ends. The combination of Tyler Kroft, Chris Herndon, Trevon Wesco, Ryan Griffin, Daniel Brown and Kenny Yeboah have not had a strong start to camp.

On Saturday, Kroft and Wesco each dropped passes from Wilson. A good tight end is sometimes the best friend of a young quarterback. Wilson needs one or two of these guys to pick it up.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

Brian Costello

The Jets-Zach Wilson standoff is really, really dumb

Jets fans must separate the Robert Saleh-Zach Wilson hope from hype

Joe Douglas has to hit on this shot to fix Jets' offensive line

Knicks, Islanders show Jets their turnaround blueprint can work

Franchise-altering Jets decision has never looked better

If you were to attend a Jets training camp practice with no knowledge of who was who on the field, no names on the jerseys, no idea which player is making $15 million a year and which ones are undrafted guys trying to make the team, there would be one player who jumped out at you no matter how little you knew about football. 

The question that you would ask would be, “Who is No. 8?”

That would be Elijah Moore, the Jets’ do-everything rookie wide receiver who makes plays every day in training camp and might end up being the franchise’s best draft choice in years. 

Is it premature to put him in Canton, as Bill Parcells might say? Yes, but it is hard not to think about the possibilities when you watch Moore make spectacular catches every day in practice. He catches everything thrown to him. If fellow rookie Zach Wilson puts the ball behind him, he adjusts. If it is out in front of him, he lays out to get it. 

His ability is obvious. You can feel his speed as he races by other NFL players. His route running is precise and his hands are sticky. It was these traits that made the Jets fall in love during the predraft process. Jets scout Alonzo Dotson called Moore’s pro day at Ole Miss one of the best he has ever been to.

But the Jets have learned there is more to love about Moore than just his raw talent. Since he has been with the team, the coaches have loved Moore’s work ethic and the way he carries himself. Moore acts more like a 10-year veteran than a player who has yet to play in an NFL game. 

“He really wants to get better, he wants all of it,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “He wants all the information, he wants everything he can get on the grass. I think that’s more of a testament to the character more than it is his play and what’s being asked of him, because they’re all being asked of the same thing. He’s special, in that regard.”

Moore will be on display on Saturday night at MetLife Stadium as the Jets conduct their annual Green & White Practice. It will be the first time for many fans to lay their eyes on Moore and see what all the hype is about. 

You can bet on he and Wilson connecting for at least one “wow” moment as they get used to their new home office.

The Jets drafted Moore with the No. 34 overall pick, shocked that he was still available. They considered taking him with their second first-round pick at 23 before trading up to grab guard Alijah Vera-Tucker. When Moore was available in the second round, there was jubilation in the draft room.

Jets general manager Joe Douglas told Moore that they were sweating it out, hoping the Jaguars would not take him with the first pick in the second round. When Saleh was handed the phone to talk to Moore, his jubilation poured out of him.

“Elijah, let’s go man,” Saleh screamed as he slapped the table in front of him.

“We were pretty darn excited when he dropped,” Saleh said this week. “He was a serious conversation at 23 if he had gotten there. Obviously, we had moved up to go get Vera-Tucker. If you would’ve said that we would of came away with those three plus Michael Carter in the fourth round, I would’ve asked you what you were smoking.”

The Moore selection could snap a streak of terrible draft choices at wide receiver for the Jets. You have to go back to Keyshawn Johnson in 1996 to find a receiver chosen by the Jets who made a Pro Bowl with the team.

They also have made a habit of whiffing on receviers in the second round. Reggie Rembert, Ryan Yarborough, Alex Van Dyke, Stephen Hill and Devin Smith all failed with the Jets (the jury is out on 2020 second-rounder Denzel Mims).  

During their predraft meeting discussing Moore, assistant general manager Rex Hogan said, “I think this kid is the total package for us.”

So far, that has been prophetic. 

It’s still early, but Jets fans deserve some hope and Moore has delivered some early in training camp. He now brings the show to East Rutherford for what could be the first of many shows he puts on there. 

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

The Jets had been rolling with three quarterbacks who had zero NFL snaps between them – first-round pick Zach Wilson, Mike White and James Morgan. This is Johnson’s second stint with the Jets. He was with the team for 10 days during the 2015 training camp.

The 35-year-old Johnson last played in a regular-season game in 2018 with Washington. The Jets coaching staff has familiarity with Johnson after he spent time in 2020 on the 49ers practice squad. Johnson has changed teams 17 times in the NFL and has also played in the XFL, AAF and UFL.

The Jets waived linebacker Brendon White to clear a roster spot.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

Wilson will get his $22.9 million signing bonus within the next 15 days. When asked Friday if he had a dream purchase to make with that new money, Wilson delivered a line to make Jets fans smile.

“You can’t buy a Super Bowl, so I guess I have to work for that,” the 21-year-old rookie quarterback said.

Wilson went through his first training camp practice Friday after missing the first two days of camp while his agent and the Jets haggled over his contract. With that behind him, now he can worry about football.

His first practice was a rough one, which was not a surprise considering it was his first time facing a defense in six weeks. Wilson completed 5-of-10 passes in team drills with one interception. There were some passes that sailed high and some that were behind receivers. The Jets gave him all of the first-team reps and even a few with the second team as he tries to catch up after missed time.

Jets coach Robert Saleh chalked his struggles up to the defense being ahead of the offense at this point in training camp and said this is all just part of his learning curve.

“For him, it’s getting caught up, finding a way to get better every day,” Saleh said. “I know sometimes we can get focused on results, but there’s process. He’s got a tremendous process. You can’t control certain things that happen play in and play out but you can control your process and how you approach things day in and day out.”

Wilson echoed his coach, saying he will learn from the mistakes he made.

“That’s what practice is for,” Wilson said. “Every day is going to have something frustrating. That’s why I’m out here. I’m just trying to learn each day, just knowing my plays better and the different looks the defense is throwing at us. It’s going to be a process.”

The Jets selected Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick out of BYU, moving on from Sam Darnold and tabbing Wilson to be their next would-be franchise savior. There was a hiccup this week as Wilson was the last draft pick to sign his contract as the two sides argued not over money, but contract language.

Wilson said he was anxious to get to camp as he trained in California with his personal coach, John Beck. On Wednesday night, Wilson took a red-eye flight to New Jersey and then signed his contract Thursday afternoon.

“There’s a part of you want to just get it done but you want to get it done the right way,” Wilson said. “It’s a rookie contract that you’re going to have to play with for four years. You’ve got to handle the business side of it where both sides of the party can agree. We just had to make sure we got that done.”

Saleh stopped short of saying Wilson is going to be the starting quarterback for Week 1 in Carolina, but it is clear that barring something crazy, Wilson is the guy.

“Call it the inside lane. It’s his to lose,” Saleh said. “I never want to make a promise I can’t keep. He took all the first team reps. It’s just a matter of him continuing to get better like we know he will.”

Wilson has already been hit with a difficult situation to deal with after the death of assistant coach Greg Knapp, who was the main coach working with Wilson in the spring. Knapp died last week after getting hit by a car while riding his bike.

“At first it was shock just because I had just been talking to him the day before the incident happened,” Wilson said. “It was almost like I didn’t believe it. I felt like I could have called him right then and he would have picked up the phone and answered. It really hit kind of later on. I was like, ‘this is rough.’ I was just praying for him and his family. It’s tough, man. Life is a precious thing.”

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

The rookie quarterback, taken No. 2 overall by the team, agreed to sign his contract, which will pay him $35.1 million over four years, including a $22.9 million signing bonus.

The two sides had been fighting over the contract and it cost Wilson the first two practices of training camp. The fight was over language in the contract, not over the amount he would be paid, which is predetermined.

Wilson and the Jets had disputes over two issues and reached a compromise with Wilson getting his signing bonus paid within 15 days and the Jets keeping offset language in the contract.

Wilson was the last draft pick to sign his contract. He is expected to be on the field for Friday’s practice.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

Brian Costello

Jets fans must separate the Robert Saleh-Zach Wilson hope from hype

Joe Douglas has to hit on this shot to fix Jets' offensive line

Knicks, Islanders show Jets their turnaround blueprint can work

Franchise-altering Jets decision has never looked better

Plenty of blame to go around in Jets-Sam Darnold divorce

The moment the Jets organization had been waiting on for months arrived at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday on Field 2 of the team’s training center. The stench of the 2-14 season in 2020 had lifted. New coach Robert Saleh was overseeing his team for the first true practice of 2021.

The offense lined up for the first snap …

A season of new hope starts here …

Then, you realized it was Mike White wearing a red No. 5 jersey under center and not Zach Wilson’s No. 2. You realized the Jets had found a way to halt the good feelings that have been flowing around the organization since January. You realized they were the only team in the NFL that failed to get their first-round pick under contract before its first practice.

Really, Jets? Really?

It brings to mind plenty of four-letter words, but none more than “dumb.”

The Jets have been riding high since hiring Saleh in January. They made what look like smart moves in free agency, and GM Joe Douglas made the move to trade Sam Darnold and draft Wilson then wisely draft pieces to help him, something the team failed to do for Darnold. The players and Saleh were shown on video screens at Knicks and Islanders games to cheers. The franchise had successfully hit the reset button.

Now this.

It makes you want to scream “same old Jets.” It makes you wonder if the organization has changed much or still struggles when it comes to getting out of its own way.

This is not to say Wilson’s agent is blameless. This is a stupid fight mainly over a hypothetical situation that likely will never happen. The fight is equally dumb from both sides, but here’s the thing: Wilson’s agent has leverage. When White lined up at quarterback on Wednesday and James Morgan followed him, that point was driven home. The Jets do not have a fallback plan from Wilson. He is the guy. They have made that clear.

The 49ers signed their first-round quarterback Trey Lance on Wednesday morning, leaving the Jets and Wilson as the lone remaining standoff. San Francisco did not need Lance in camp. They have said they are happy to roll with Jimmy Garoppolo, which may be a lie but it is more believable than the Jets saying they are happy to play White or Morgan.

The Jets need to prioritize getting Wilson into camp now. Everything should be geared toward putting Wilson in a position to succeed — from the players brought in around him to maximizing his practice repetitions. At the moment, this standoff is more about optics than hurting the football team. A few missed practices won’t do irreparable damage to Wilson. But the longer Wilson is out of camp, the more it shifts from bad optics to bad management.

The Jets and Wilson’s agent, Brian Ayrault, are believed to be fighting over two issues — offsets and the timing of his signing bonus payout. The contract is slotted and will be for $35.1 million with a $22.9 million signing bonus when Wilson signs it. The Jets want to defer some of that signing bonus into 2022. Wilson wants it quicker than that. Darnold received his signing bonus within 15 days of signing his contract in 2018. It is not my money, but this seems like a silly issue for billionaires to worry about. Pay him and get him into camp.

Offsets are protection for teams if they cut a player and he signs with another team. It allows them to reduce what they owe the player by the amount of his new salary.

So, let’s play this out. Worst case scenario: Wilson plays three years and is terrible. The Jets cut him after his third year of a four-year contract. Think about how bad he would have to play to be cut after three years. If another team signed him, it likely would not be for more than $2 million or $3 million. That is what they are arguing about — potentially saving a few million dollars in three years.

The Jets would argue that offset language is not unusual. The Jets are one of 30 teams in the NFL that include it in contracts — the Rams and Jaguars do not. Lance does have offsets in his deal. Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1-overall pick, does not have them in his deal with the Jaguars.

The Jets also are worried about setting a precedent if they don’t include them in Wilson’s contract. I think it is reasonable to say that they made an exception for a quarterback chosen No. 2 overall and his contract language is not applicable to a linebacker taken 15th overall in 2023 or a free agent.

Douglas needs to walk into the office of his chief negotiator Dave Socie and say, “Just get it done.” Douglas needs Wilson in camp. Saleh needs Wilson in camp. Wilson needs to be in camp.

The Jets have 20 practices in training camp. That’s it. Wilson has 20 chances to get better before the season starts. He has 20 chances to work with his new teammates, new coaches and work out the kinks.

He’s down to 19 after missing Wednesday’s practice.

Dumb.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

As of Tuesday afternoon, rookie quarterback Zach Wilson remained unsigned as the two sides fight over language in his contract. Wilson is one of two draft picks who have not signed their contracts — along with 49ers quarterback Trey Lance, who was taken one spot after Wilson this year with the No. 3-overall pick.

The holdup is believed to be over offset language in the contract. Offsets allow teams to recoup money if a player is cut before his contract is over and signs with another team. Most teams require offsets, but it has become a sticking point in rookie deals over the past decade. Wilson’s four-year contract will be worth about $35.1 million with a $22.9 million signing bonus once he signs it. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, the money is slotted, leaving very little to negotiate. Still, Wilson’s agent and the Jets have found something to argue about, and now Wilson may miss the start of camp.

Wilson was the only Jets player who did not report on Tuesday. A recent social media post suggested he was in California.

“From a rookie standpoint you need as many reps as you can,” coach Robert Saleh said. “Veterans always get off days here and there anyways, so they do miss. But it’s something he’ll have to navigate through. I’ve got a lot of faith in Zach, too. He is incredibly intelligent, he’s got a tremendous drive, so when he does get here, I know somehow, someway he’ll make up for it.”

The Jets only have two quarterbacks under contract at the moment — Mike White and James Morgan. Neither has ever taken a snap in an NFL game. It will be quite a letdown if one of them is under center when the Jets take the field on Wednesday.

Saleh left the door open for the Jets to sign a veteran quarterback. One became available on Tuesday when the Packers released Blake Bortles.

OT Mekhi Becton said the foot injury that kept him sidelined this spring is healed and he is ready to practice. As for his weight, Becton declined to say what it is, but said he hit his goal weight, and he and the staff are happy with where he is.

Becton had a strong rookie season in 2020, something he wants to build on this year.

“I’m trying to take it to another level,” Becton said. “I was good last year but I’m trying to be great this year. I added a few tricks to my repertoire. It’s going to be a really good year for me.”

Saleh declined to say how many Jets players and coaches have received the COVID-19 vaccine but said the Jets are above the league average.

Saleh spoke about adding RT Morgan Moses last month. Saleh said Moses will compete with George Fant for the starting right tackle spot.

“You can never have enough o-line and d-line in our opinion,” Saleh said. “I believe in that philosophy, same as Joe [Douglas, GM]. He’s been a tremendous player for many years in this league. Adding him is a tremendous asset. As far as naming him the starting right tackle, George Fant has had fantastic OTAs and did a really nice job during minicamp. He has all the tools necessary to be a successful right tackle also. There’s a lot of competition from that spot and it’s going to be fun to watch.”

Fant will have to wait to compete. He was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Tuesday.

The Jets signed DE Jeremiah Valoaga. … S Marcus Maye, DT Folorunso Fatukasi and DT Jonathan Marshall all passed their physicals Tuesday and can now practice.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

Saleh’s arrival as the Jets’ new head coach has rejuvenated an organization beaten down by years of losing. The low point was a dismal 2-14 record in 2020, a season that was played under COVID-19 restrictions.

“Last year was tough mentally,” guard Greg Van Roten said. “It was so stressful for a lot of guys, there were a lot of new players and so much uncertainty. We felt every day that we would get shut down, and that made it hard to go to work every day. You’re trying to do your job, coupled with losing a lot, losing your job, there’s turnover and a lot of new faces.

“They hire Saleh, and it just feels like a weight has been lifted and hope has come back into the building. All we ask for is a fresh start in this league, and no one is happier than the Jets. Now we’re on Page 1, so let’s write this year’s chapter.”

The Jets’ book features not only Saleh as a new main character, but also rookie quarterback Zach Wilson. The Jets decided to move on from Sam Darnold after three years and drafted Wilson out of BYU with the No. 2-overall pick. There is no phony quarterback competition or questions about whether Wilson will start Week 1. He is their guy and will be the starter, barring injury, when the Jets face the Panthers and Darnold on Sept. 12 to open the season.

Between now and then, the Jets will learn more about Wilson and their entire squad through a training camp that begins with their first practice Wednesday, and through three preseason games and two weeks of joint practices with the Packers and Eagles.

Saleh must rebuild the confidence of the returning players after five straight losing seasons and 10 without a playoff appearance. Then, he must weave in the new faces as the 2021 Jets begin to mesh. The Jets could have as many as 12 new starters and many more major contributors this season. They are going to need to coalesce quickly for the team to have early success.

“Our identity is not going to reveal itself until we see adversity,” Saleh said. “When things are good, everyone loves being part of winning, everyone loves being part of the good things. The whole disease of me, of course things are going to be good but, what’s going to happen when you hit adversity, when things aren’t going your way? How are you going to look, not only as an individual but as a team? Those moments have to reveal themselves.

“Like I’ve said a million times now, we’re going to have a lot of ebbs and flows. There’s going to be a lot of great moments, there’s going to be a lot of hair-pulling moments. At the end of the day, that’s what’s going to shape this football team.”

General manager Joe Douglas filled some of the holes on the roster through free agency with pass rusher Carl Lawson, wide receiver Corey Davis, defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins and others. Then, he had what looks like a strong draft on paper — with Wilson, guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, wide receiver Elijah Moore, running back Michael Carter and cornerback Michael Carter II all entering the season as potential starters or major contributors.

There are still major questions at cornerback, running back, linebacker and concerns about how quickly the offensive line can jell.

But the biggest focus in camp and all season will be on Wilson, who was fighting for the starting job at BYU a year ago. So far, the reviews have been positive. But things are about to get more real.

“Zach loves ball, that’s one thing that I’ve learned,” Saleh said. “He’s unflappable in the sense that he doesn’t care whether something went good or bad. He wants to know why it went good or bad, he wants to learn from it. He is wired exactly the way you want all players to be wired, so now it’s just a matter of him getting as many reps as possible, to go into as many situations as possible, to see how much he can get better.”

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

Brian Costello

Joe Douglas has to hit on this shot to fix Jets' offensive line

Knicks, Islanders show Jets their turnaround blueprint can work

Franchise-altering Jets decision has never looked better

Plenty of blame to go around in Jets-Sam Darnold divorce

Jets' Joe Douglas can't afford to be wrong about Zach Wilson

New Jets coach Robert Saleh has referred to this offseason as the “world’s greatest honeymoon” on several occasions.

That honeymoon hits the next phase Wednesday when the Jets will conduct their first training camp practice. In a few weeks, they will be on the field for preseason games and then the regular season will be here.

Although the tragic death of assistant coach Greg Knapp on Thursday casts a pall over the start of this Jets training camp, it is otherwise filled with optimism about what’s to come on the field. Saleh has breathed life into an organization after a 2-14 season. New quarterback Zach Wilson gives fans their favorite thing — hope.

But here is the challenge of the next six weeks: separating hope from hype. It is something that has been on my mind as I prepare to cover another training camp. We’ve been through this before with the Jets, with a highly drafted quarterback or with a new head coach. It presents a challenge for reporters covering the team.

During training camp, I will be asked about Wilson and Saleh all the time. Here is the truth: This training camp is like the first half inning of a nine-inning game. We’ll see a little, but not much. Still, that won’t stop people from breathlessly talking about a screen pass from Wilson or a motivational move by Saleh. We’ll get carried away (myself included).

That is why I’m trying to remind myself to enter this training camp with some perspective. Wilson is going to have some good days and some bad days, but most days will be nondescript. Nondescript is not all that interesting, so things will get blown out of proportion. With quarterbacks taken as high as Wilson (No. 2 overall), that is how it goes: any good things are viewed as a clue to how good he can be, and any negatives are cast aside as rookie mistakes. We are at the confirmation bias stage. We are all looking for signs that he is as good as the Jets’ evaluators thought he was in the draft.

I received some emails in the spring, after positive reports on Wilson, that reminded me Jets fans read the same things about Sam Darnold three years ago. It is a fair point. It felt as if, for much of Darnold’s tenure here, fans and the media were waiting for him to be as good as everyone thought he would be coming out of USC and excusing his poor play for various reasons. It was not until last season that people finally began admitting he just might not be that good. Even now, people believe he will thrive in Carolina with more weapons and different coaches.

It is a good reminder to take things in stride over the next six weeks. We won’t really start learning about Wilson until Sept. 12, when he lines up against Darnold and the Panthers.

Saleh is even tougher to evaluate in training camp. There is no questioning the impact he has already had on the organization from an energy standpoint. You can feel the rejuvenation. That’s swell in June and July, but no one will care if the Jets start 0-4.

During training camp, we can observe Saleh’s interactions with the players a bit and talk to them about Saleh, but we won’t see his decision-making until the regular season starts. Giants coach Joe Judge got a PR win last summer when video showed him getting muddy during a loose-ball drill in practice. The good vibes continued for Judge into the season, even though the Giants only went 6-10.

It feels as if Saleh will get the benefit of the doubt for a while, as Judge has, because he replaced the unpopular Adam Gase the same way Judge got a bump because he was not Pat Shurmur.

It is fine to be optimistic and excited about the Jets’ future. There is no doubt Jets fans deserve to have some reasons to believe. But nothing over the next six weeks is going to tell us for sure how Saleh and Wilson will work out.

Keep that in mind when reading Wilson’s throwing stats on Aug. 4 or hearing about Saleh making the team run sprints after a bad practice late next month.

Honeymoons are great, but they are no indication of how the marriage will ultimately work out.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

No. 2: Marcus Maye

Last year’s ranking: 7

Position: S

Age on Opening Day: 28

How acquired: Selected in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft

Years left on contract: 1

2021 Salary Cap figure: $10.6 million

Looking back at 2020

For the first three years of his career, Maye played “Robin” to Jamal Adams’ “Batman.” With Adams in Seattle last season, Maye got to show what he could do as the leading man – and it was impressive.

Maye moved between strong safety and free safety (where he mainly played in his first three years) last year and gave a strong performance at both spots. His Week 1 game against the Bills was the best single-game performance by a Jet all season. He had 10 tackles, two for a loss, two quarterback hits, two passes defensed and a forced fumble. He was all over the field, mainly lining up at strong safety.

Maye could not continue that pace and after a few shaky games by the secondary overall, the coaches moved Maye back to free safety. Maye regained his stride there and finished the season strong.

Maye started all 16 games for the third time in four years, quieting any questions people had about his durability, playing 100 percent of the snaps. He finished the year with 88 tackles (second on the team), two interceptions, 11 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, two sacks, four tackles for a loss and two quarterback hits. He is not as flashy or sudden as Adams, but Maye proved he is a very capable safety himself.

PFF graded Maye fifth out of 94 safeties and fourth in coverage.

Maye’s versatility is one of his greatest strengths. This was his positional breakdown, per PFF: 581 snaps at free safety, 280 in the box, 167 at slot corner, 85 on the defensive line and 24 at wide corner.

Maye was named the Jets’ team MVP by his teammates.

Outlook for 2021

The Jets took a hard line with Maye in free agency and used the franchise tag on him. The two sides did not reach an agreement on a long-term deal before the July 15 deadline, and now Maye will play on the tag and be a free agent again next year.

Maye is a tough valuation. He is a very good player, but he is not great. He has not earned accolades in his career and played in Adams’ shadow for three years. He is also older (28) and his tag number at safety is reasonable ($10.6 million), which makes it easier for the Jets to just let him play on that.

That being said, Maye has been a model citizen as a Jet. Unlike Adams, he has not caused issues with the team. He kept quiet this spring about his contract, even refusing to do an interview during minicamp, which is required by the league. His leadership was on display last year after the last-second loss to the Raiders. Maye pointed out the defensive call was atrocious without mentioning Gregg Williams by name. He took the heat off rookie cornerback Lamar Jackson by doing so.

The Jets could have sent a message to their locker room that they will reward players who are good for the team’s culture by extending Maye. Instead, they decided to play hardball and it will be interesting to see how things work out with Maye this season and next offseason.

On the field, the Jets expect big things from the combination of Maye and Lamarcus Joyner at safety this season. They have youth at cornerback, so they will need strong play from their safeties. It sounds like Maye will be in the box more and Joyner will play free safety in Robert Saleh’s defense.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

9News in Denver reported that Greg Knapp, a longtime NFL assistant who joined the Jets in January as their passing game coordinator, is fighting for his life in a California hospital after being struck by a motorist while riding his bike. The report said he suffered serious injuries.  

Knapp, 58, has been an NFL assistant coach since 1997, primarily working with quarterbacks. He has worked for the 49ers, Falcons, Raiders, Seahawks, Texans and Broncos before joining the Jets as part of Robert Saleh’s new staff.

Knapp spent the past three seasons as the Falcons quarterbacks coach. He won a Super Bowl with the Broncos in 2015 as Peyton Manning’s quarterbacks coach. 

Knapp had been the primary voice in rookie quarterback Zach Wilson’s ear during OTA practices and the minicamp in spring. 

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

No. 6: Jamison Crowder

Last year’s ranking: 5

Position: WR

Age on Opening Day: 28

How acquired: Signed a three-year, $28.5 million free agent contract on March 14, 2019

Years left on contract: 1

2021 Salary Cap figure: $6.4 million

Looking back at 2020

Crowder led the Jets in receiving for the second straight year. He was one of the few bright spots on the team’s dismal offense.

Crowder played in 12 games, starting seven. He missed four games with hamstring and groin injuries. He had 59 catches on 89 targets for 699 yards and six touchdowns. He also threw a touchdown pass.

Crowder started off the season strong. He had over 100 yards receiving in his first three games. Then, it seemed like defenses figured out that if they stopped Crowder, the Jets had no other answers. He did not have more than 50 yards in his next six games and did not top 100 again that season. He had nice games in the Jets two wins (6 catches, 66 yards at the Rams and 7-92-1 and the touchdown pass vs. the Browns).

PFF ranked Crowder 37^th out of 127 receivers. He only had two drops. 

Outlook for 2021

Crowder was rewarded for two productive seasons with a pay cut. The Jets did not want to pay Crowder the $10 million he was scheduled to earn this season on the contract he signed in 2019. They worked with Crowder and his agent and dropped his salary to $5 million. 

The contract dispute led to Crowder missing nearly the entire spring. He was at minicamp, but was only a spectator. He will need to catch up on the new offense early in training camp.

Crowder has been a productive player for the Jets when healthy. The trick is keeping him on the field, something they did successfully in 2019 but not as much last year. 

The biggest question about Crowder this season is how he and rookie Elijah Moore fit together. They fill a very similar role as slot receivers. Crowder played 436 snaps in the slot last year and just 152 wide. Moore is younger and faster than Crowder and is a second-round draft pick that the organization is going to want to see thrive. However, Crowder is more experienced and proven. It is going to be interesting to see how Mike LaFleur deploys his wide receivers. 

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

No. 7: C.J. Mosley

Last year’s ranking: 2

Position: LB

Age on Opening Day: 29

How acquired: Signed to a five-year, $85 million free agent contract on March 14, 2019

Years left on contract: 4

2021 Salary Cap figure: $7.5 million

Looking back at 2020

Mosley opted out of the 2020 season in August due to concerns over COVID-19.

It was a crushing blow for the Jets’ defense, which had said goodbye to Jamal Adams a week earlier. It’s unlikely that Mosley could have kept the Jets from being terrible, but his leadership and skills certainly would have made the team better.

Mosley was coming back from groin/core muscle injuries that limited him to two games in 2019 and required surgery. 

Outlook for 2021

It is impossible to project what the Jets might get from Mosley, who basically has not played since 2018. If he recaptures the form that made him a Pro Bowl player with the Ravens, he will be a huge piece of Robert Saleh’s defense. If two years of minimal football activity have diminished his skills, he will be an overpriced, older player that the Jets will have to get rid of after this year.

For what it is worth, Mosley looked good in the spring. He was around the ball constantly and moved well. It could be a different story when the pads come on. That will be the next test for the 29-year-old.

Unless Mosley has the greatest season an inside linebacker has ever had, he will never be able to live up to the crazy contract the Jets gave him in 2019. Former GM Mike Maccagnan had some doozies and Mosley is right up there. He has already made $29 million from that contract and has played in only two games.

Mosley’s cap number jumps to $17.5 million in 2022. There is no way the Jets will keep him at that number. They can ask him to take a pay cut and keep him around or just cut him. If they do that, it will carry a $12.5 million charge in dead cap money but give them $5 million in cap savings. So, in a way, this is a contract year for Mosley because it is very unlikely he will be playing on his current contract next year. 

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

No. 14: Lamarcus Joyner

Last year’s ranking: Unranked (not on team)

Position: S

Age on Opening Day: 30

How acquired: Signed a one-year, $3 million free agent contract on March 22

Years left on contract: 1

2021 Salary Cap figure: $2.9 million

Looking back at 2020

Joyner played slot corner for the Raiders primarily in 2020 and struggled. He only had five passes defended and allowed a 92.5 passer rating against, per PFF.

Joyner started six games and played in 14 for the Raiders. He missed two on the COVID-19 list. While Joyner struggled in coverage, he did have 66 tackles for Vegas. He had 12 in one game against the Chargers. 

Joyner had no interceptions in two years with the Raiders.  You have to go back to his final year with the Rams in 2018 for an interception. His best season was 2017 when he had three interceptions. 

In 2020, PFF graded Joyner 89th out of 121 cornerbacks. He played 572 snaps at slot corner and only 48 at safety, the position he played with the Rams. 

Outlook for 2021

The Jets are moving Joyner back to free safety, where he played with the Rams, and hoping that revives his career after two disappointing seasons with the Raiders. 

The Jets coaches were effusive in their praise of Joyner and you can tell they envision a big role and big things from him. The safety position is going to be critical for the Jets since they have such little experience at cornerback. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich recently spoke about how they plan on using Joyner in man-to-man coverage and taking advantage of his skills there, as well as playing deep safety.

Joyner and Marcus Maye could form a nice tandem as both can play deep or in the box. They should give Ulbrich and Robert Saleh some flexibility in their defensive looks because of their versatility.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

No. 18: Tevin Coleman

Last year’s ranking: Unranked (not on team)

Position: RB

Age on Opening Day: 28

How acquired: Signed a one-year, $1.1 million free agent contract on March 26.

Years left on contract: 1

2021 Salary Cap figure: $1.1 million

Looking back at 2020

There is not much to look back on for Coleman in 2020. He sprained his knee in Week 2 with the 49ers and ended up missing eight games. When he did play, he got lost in the shuffle of the San Francisco backfield. He wound up with a career-low 28 rushes for 53 yards and did not score a touchdown.

The Jets need to hope he can recapture his earlier form with the Falcons and 49ers. In 2019 with San Francisco, he had 544 yards rushing and six touchdowns on 137 carries along with 21 receptions for 180 yards and a touchdown.

Outlook for 2021

Robert Saleh did not sign many former 49ers in free agency, as some projected, but Coleman was one. The Jets are counting on a healthy Coleman to regain his form this season and help the younger running backs learn Mike LaFleur’s offense. Coleman has spent much of his career in the Kyle Shanahan system the Jets will employ. He was a 2015 third-round pick in Atlanta when Shanahan was the offensive coordinator there, and played for the Falcons for four seasons. He then followed Shanahan to San Francisco as a free agent in 2019.

When he is at his best, Coleman is a dual-threat out of the backfield. He could play a critical role for rookie quarterback Zach Wilson as a checkdown option.

The Jets don’t have one standout running back and will take a committee approach, similar to what Coleman was part of in San Francisco. But Coleman has a leg up in the experience category over his backfield mates. That experience should give him an early advantage when it comes to carries. The question then will become how long he can hold off the young backs, which include La’Mical Perine and rookie Michael Carter.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

No. 19: George Fant

Last year’s ranking: 18

Position: OT

Age on Opening Day: 29

How acquired: Signed a three-year, $27 million contract as a free agent on April 23, 2020.

Years left on contract: 2

2021 Salary Cap figure: $9.8 million

Looking back at 2020

Fant was part of the offensive line makeover by general manager Joe Douglas last year. When he was originally signed, he was viewed as a potential left tackle if the Jets decided not to draft one in the first round. They did end up doing that, with Mekhi Becton at No. 11, and Fant shifted to right tackle.

Fant started 14 games for the Jets and was a disappointment. It is hard to make a case that he was an upgrade over Brandon Shell, the previous year’s starter. Fant allowed three sacks during the season and was not able to get much of a push as a run blocker.

PFF graded Fant 64th out of 79 tackles. It is hard to find anything Fant did particularly well last year, but he was only penalized twice.

Outlook for 2021

This outlook changed greatly last week. Fant had been penciled in as the starting right tackle again until the Jets reached a deal with Morgan Moses. The Jets might try to sell this as a competition in training camp to soothe Fant’s ego and also avoid the embarrassing questions about paying a backup tackle an $8.5 million salary (unless it gets renegotiated). Even if the Jets tout this as a competition, Moses is the starting right tackle.

The Jets were content to stick with Fant this season until Washington cut Moses in May. Douglas saw an opportunity to upgrade at a reasonable price and took it. It is a smart move as Moses is a clear upgrade over Fant. Fant can now slide into the backup tackle spot on both sides. It is a critical position for the Jets, considering that Becton struggled to stay on the field as a rookie. Fant looks a lot better as a backup on this roster, but just not at his current price. Fant has $4.45 million of his salary guaranteed at the moment. The Jets surely will approach him about reducing his salary to a number closer to that.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

No. 20: Tyler Kroft

Last year’s ranking: Unranked (not on team)

Position: TE

Age on Opening Day: 28

How acquired: Signed a one-year, $2 million contract as a free agent on March 22.

Years left on contract: 1

2021 Salary Cap figure: $1.8 million

Looking back at 2020

Kroft started four games and played in 10 for the Bills last season. He had 12 catches for 119 yards and three touchdowns. 

Kroft slid down the depth chart in Buffalo and was inactive for all three of Buffalo’s playoff games last season with the Bills turning to other tight ends. 

PFF graded Kroft the 37th tight end out of 71 the site graded. Kroft was a disappointment in Buffalo as he struggled to stay healthy and on the field. 

Outlook for 2021

Kroft has been one of the bigger surprises of the spring. He has seen a lot of time with the starting unit and tight end is a position battle to watch in training camp. Kroft could beat out Chris Herndon for the job if Herndon does not shake out of the funk he was in last year. The 49ers showed how they value the tight end with what George Kittle has done there and now Mike LaFleur is bringing that same system to the Jets. 

The key with Kroft will be staying on the field. He played just 27 percent of the snaps last season, 23 percent in 2019 and 12 percent in 2018 as a member of the Bengals. The last time he played a full season was 2017 when he had 42 catches for 404 yards and seven touchdowns with Cincinnati. 

The Jets have an interesting tight end room with Kroft, Herndon, Ryan Griffin and Trevon Wesco. All of them can make a case for playing time (Wesco more at fullback). If Kroft can continue playing the way he did at the end of the spring this summer, he might end up with the starting job. 

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

No. 23: La’Mical Perine

Last year’s ranking: Unranked (rookie)

Position: RB

Age on Opening Day: 23

How acquired: Selected in the fourth round of the 2020 Draft

Years left on contract: 3

2021 Salary Cap figure: $966,336

Looking back at 2020

There were lofty expectations for Perine as a rookie after he flashed some breakaway ability in training camp. Those flashes did not translate into much during the regular season, though. 

Perine missed Week 1 with an ankle injury and he ended up playing in 10 games. He did not make any starts. He had 64 rushes for 232 yards and two touchdowns, as well as 11 receptions for 63 yards. Perine’s best game of the season came against the Bills in October when he had 40 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. 

Perine seemed to be gaining a bigger role with the Jets after they moved on from Le’Veon Bell and realized that Frank Gore was mainly a progress stopper after the season was lost. Then, Perine suffered a high-ankle sprain in November and went to injured reserve for four games. He returned in December, but again was sidelined in Week 17 when he went on the COVID-19 list.

Outlook for 2021

The Jets do not have a dominant running back that is the clearcut workhorse for the team. That gives Perine an opening. He is going to have to take advantage of his carries in training camp and particularly the preseason games to earn the trust of the new coaching staff.

That staff already knows Tevin Coleman from the 49ers and just drafted Michael Carter. That could leave Perine fighting for carries. Coach Robert Saleh recently referred to Perine as a big back capable of getting downhill in a hurry. That may mean the Jets are thinking of Perine as a short-yardage option. Perine will be one of the Jets with the most to prove when training camp arrives. 

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello

No. 25: Alex Lewis

Last year’s ranking: 17

Position: OG

Age on Opening Day: 29

How acquired: Traded by the Ravens on Aug. 5, 2019 in exchange for a 2020 seventh-round pick.

Years left on contract: 1

2021 Salary Cap figure: $4.9 million

Looking back at 2020

It is hard to think of a stranger season than the one Lewis had in 2020. When he was on the field, he performed decently. PFF ranked him 26^th out of the 80 guards they graded. He gave up zero sacks and only 16 hurries, per PFF. He started the first nine of the first 10 games for the Jets at left guard. Then, he was mysteriously inactive against the Dolphins at the end of November. It turned out that Lewis had clashed with coaches and teammates and the team placed him on the non-football injury list as he sought medical help for a non-football issue. Sources said that Lewis had a very difficult time with all of the losing the Jets were doing last year and felt that some coaches and teammates did not care as much as he did. This led to a few clashes in practice. Lewis actually returned to practice in Week 17, but again had an issue with a teammate in practice, according to sources.

Outlook for 2021

It looked like Lewis might be a salary-cap casualty this winter, but the Jets chose instead to restructure his contract. They cut Lewis’ salary from $5.8 million to $3 million and took off the last year of his three-year contract, making him a free agent in 2022. 

When the Jets drafted Alijah Vera-Tucker in the first round, the left guard spot was filled, but Lewis is expected to compete at right guard with Greg Van Roten, Dan Feeney and Cameron Clark. If you are judging just on ability, Lewis is the best of that group. But can the Jets trust him after last year? Will he break down if the team struggles again? He has been curiously absent during the OTAs this spring, which can’t be helping his cause with the coaches. He is a favorite of general manager Joe Douglas, but that may not be enough for him to make the team. 

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Brian Costello