Wayne Hunter started like 6 or 7 games for the Jets last season. ...never officially been a starter, the hell are you talking about?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't he not activated for almost all of the games? I would've thought a 2nd rounder would at least dress.
If Ducasse is not ready by this season, understandable. If Ducasse still can't start by next year, he may be a wasted pick. I'm not jumping that gun yet because I don't think that will be the case.
I'm hoping Ducasse is ready to contribute before the end of this season. Hunter will keep the position warm till he's ready.
when you have one backup lineman who can play every position and are doing weird shit like dressing two FB's and four TE's someone gets the short end of the stick.
Wayne Hunter and Robert Turner are the Jets go to rotational OL Ducasse had alot of problems reading blitz pickups, got Sanchez crushed in a preseason game. when you have two veteran options ahead of him, theres no point in throwing a body out there just to try to justify draft status in year 1.
My point is that he only got those starts because Woody was out with an injury. He's never won a starting job outright.
The third season is the biggest year for all prospects. That's when most players step up. 2012 is when we can judge that pick.
I think there are two ways to look at this, obviously the lack of any offseason program essentially hurt the chances Vlad had at winning the job but on the flip side while it hurt a young OL it's going to help a young DL as there is much less communication and skill that go into being a pass rushing DT or DE. Yeah you learn the system but while this is bad news for Ducasse it's good news for Wilkerson and Ellis.
He was only active in 2 games so you are correct. The problem is that back up lineman that are active for a game usually have to know a couple of different positions in case of injury, which he just does not have the grasp right now. No off season killed the kids chances at starting this year.
He actually won the starting job outright when Rex named him the starter earlier today. Hunter has experience as a starter and he did well in those games (two of his starts were in the playoffs). It's a bullshit reason to use against a re-signed, experienced VETERAN that's been in the system for a while.
I also think at one point last year Ryan referred to Hunter as the best backup OL in the league. Obviously big difference but it's not like Hunter has never played or started. He held his own in that Pats playoff game against a pretty good player. Plus Hunter appears to have a mean streak and I like that. He's just got to watch his penalties as that looked like it may have been an issue early last year.
Hunter better be ready to block Ware in game one. You know Rob Ryan is gonna move him around to test the new guy.
