Jets sign Cameron Clark

Discussion in 'New York Jets' started by BudJet, Jun 26, 2020.

  1. BudJet

    BudJet Well-Known Member

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    Slowly but surely the Jets are getting their rookie class under contract with offensive lineman Cameron Clark reportedly inking a 4-year $4 million deal.

    Jets fourth-round pick OL Cameron Clark will be signing his rookie contract today, according to a source. It is the standard 4-year deal worth just under $4 million. #nyj

    — Brian Costello (@BrianCoz) June 25, 2020



    A fourth-round pick (129th overall), Clark was a dominant player at Charlotte where he played offensive tackle but many believe he’ll kick inside to play guard in the NFL. Clark spends parts of his off-seasons working out with Jets first-round pick Mekhi Becton and the two could very well end up playing along side one another when all is said and done.

    After being taken by the Jets, NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said it would come as no surprise if Clark were to earn himself a starting job early in his career.
     
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  2. BudJet

    BudJet Well-Known Member

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    JD knows what is important. Signing Draft picks takes front stage over getting caught up in the Adams soga.
     
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  3. RochesterJet

    RochesterJet Well-Known Member

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    Imagine a left side with Mekhi and Clark for the next 10 years...some big boys with nasty in them.
     
  4. BrowningNagle

    BrowningNagle Well-Known Member

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    you gotta be pretty damn good to stand out playing offensive line at UNC-Charlotte. There has been small school linemen of course but they are usually workout warriors. This dude made a name for himself on the field, to do so as a linemen is difficult but especially when you are on a team thats overmatched like unc-charlotte was
     
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  5. BudJet

    BudJet Well-Known Member

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    imagine working out with your buddy before draft day & ending up being drafted by the same team. That's a story for hollywood.:)
     
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  6. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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    Exactly. This is even more true since UNC-Charlotte only began having a football team in 2013. Another thing that makes Clarke stand out is the way he played against Clemson and dominated to some extent.
     
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  7. Section 336

    Section 336 Well-Known Member

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    Enrollment at UNCC is over 30,000 undergrad. I wouldn’t call it a “small school” just not from a power 5 conference.

    Mississippi Valley State with under 2000 students where Jerry Rice went is a small school.


    But I get your point.
     
  8. Footballgod214

    Footballgod214 Well-Known Member

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    It's amazing what a good GM can do to fix a team.
     
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  9. MoWilkBeast

    MoWilkBeast Well-Known Member

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    Nah. Going on to pull a decisive block together against an all time great, whilst carrying a serious injury that delivers a Superbowl winning TD run in the dying seconds of the game. Now that's Hollywood. We can but hope.
     
  10. Noam

    Noam Well-Known Member

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    I am excited about Clark. Hopefully this guy will be getting a lot of snaps and by the end of the year be a starting guard. I love every article I read about this guy. He could be a fixture for the next 5 years. Fixing the OL will not happen in one year or even two years but If Clark can take over one of the guard spots then the line then we only have 2 spots of immediate need left. Add a FA RT next year and draft a center/guard of the future and we have the makings or beginnings of a decent OL for the next decade. They used to say that a team should draft a QB every year. I would love to change that and say the Jets should draft at least one OL every year.
     
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  11. CotcheryFan

    CotcheryFan 2018 ROTY Poster Award Winner

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    The Cowboys seem to be using that model. They now have multiple options to replace Frederick by having Biadasz, McGovern, Looney, and Williams. I'd love for us to have that problem when the time comes to replace someone.
     
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  12. FJF

    FJF 2018 MVP Joe Namath Award Winner

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    I looking for him to step in for winters at rg at some point this year or if winters stays healthy becoming the rg next year. Would be nice to have the answers at least 4 positions going in to next year with becton McGovern Clarke and edoga/fant.
     
  13. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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    I think you mean Van Roten. Winters is gonna get a shellacking in TC and be cut. ;):p
     
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  14. phill1c

    phill1c Member

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    I agree with most of what you said.

    BUT, I think you can fix the OL in a single offseason. Didn't the Jets do that when they drafted Mangold and Ferguson? The OL came on a little once they got rid of the dead weight. I think these news guys are bigger and better than what we had, especially inside. BUT, I realize I AM putting Becton into the "sure thing" category, thereby dooming him to some ungodly fate.

    Sorry...
     
  15. FJF

    FJF 2018 MVP Joe Namath Award Winner

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    Meh, if winters is healthy he’ll be the best option at rg
     
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  16. SOJAZ

    SOJAZ Well-Known Member

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    Winters at his best was average... Van is at leat that good if not better. So I think unless they cut and resign him on the cheap he is a gonner.... JD loves the guy but he is also practical.
     
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  17. NYJetsO12

    NYJetsO12 Well-Known Member

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    My Gut says JDs draft picks will all pan out..its a nice mix of young talent and Veteran players.

    Question is will A Gase call the right plays? if not its a waste tbh
     
  18. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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    I think they probably will as well. If Gase doesn't do a good job, they may be less effective than they otherwise would have been, but I don't think it will be a waste. If Gase doesn't do a good job of utilizing them, Gase will be gone by next season, or at the latest by the 2022 season.

    I don't think that Douglas is the type to tolerate being made to look bad with his draft picks by poor coaching.
     
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  19. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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    Brian Costello of the Post disagrees with you. He makes a couple of good points in his article today.

    https://nypost.com/2020/06/29/greg-van-roten-a-key-piece-of-jets-offensive-line-makeover/

    Greg Van Roten a key piece of Jets’ offensive line makeover
    By Brian Costello

    June 29, 2020 | 10:26am

    As the Jets get close to training camp, I am examining the roster and giving you my top 25 players. Each weekday, we will reveal another person on the list, leading right into camp. I am not including rookies on this list because I do not feel it is possible to fully evaluate them before they play a game.

    No. 20: Greg Van Roten
    Last year’s ranking: Unranked (not on team)

    Position: RG

    Age on Opening Day: 30

    How acquired: Signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract as an unrestricted free agent on April 2.

    Years left on contract: 3

    2020 Salary Cap figure: $3.3 million

    Looking back at 2019
    Van Roten started 11 games for the Panthers last year at left guard, missing the final five with a dislocated toe.

    He had a good year as a pass blocker, giving up just one sack and allowing only 17 pressures, four of those coming Week 1 against Aaron Donald and the Rams (the sack also came in that matchup). He did not allow another in his next 10 games.

    Van Roten is not as strong of a run blocker, but still did well opening holes for Chrisitian McCaffrey. He only had one accepted penalty last year.

    PFF graded him as the 25th best guard out of 82.


    Outlook for 2020
    Van Roten is part of the Jets’ offensive line makeover. General manager Joe Douglas set out to fix the line after a dismal 2019 when they allowed 52 sacks and finished 31st in rushing offense.

    The 6-foot-3, 305-pound Van Roten played left guard for the Panthers but probably will shift to the right side with New York. He is expected to battle incumbent Brian Winters for the starting job. Van Roten gets an edge because of logic — the Jets would not have signed him unless they felt he was an upgrade over Winters.

    He is known as a smart and determined player. He made it as an undrafted free agent out of Pennsylvania in 2012.

    While Van Roten is 30 years old, he does not have a lot of tread on the tires. He did not become an NFL starter until 2018 in Carolina.

    Van Roten has been durable in his career, rarely missing time to injury until last year’s dislocated toe.

    He figures to be a starter at right guard this year unless Winters blows him away in training camp. Douglas is counting on the Rockville Centre native to be part of an improved line.

    ****
    I think he has a point that the Jets probably wouldn't have signed Van Roten if they planned on starting Winters. They could have signed him as depth, but I think they signed him hoping that he will beat out Winters in TC, then they can force Winters to take a pay cut to stay on the team as a backup or release him.

    Van Roten has been durable in his career, and has missed little time. He only became a starter in 2018, but he still could have missed time as a backup and didn't. In one way, the fact that he didn't start until 2018, means that he is a "young" 30 and doesn't have a lot of wear on the tread of his tires (Costello said this wrong). We all know that Winters can't stay healthy. He may be tough and able to play through injuries but those injuries limit his effectiveness. Those injuries will have taken a toll on Winters as well.

    Has Winters ever been ranked as high as the 25th best guard in the NFL, or gone through a season giving up only one sack and committing one penalty? Articles said that Van Roten was still learning and improving last season. Could the same be said for Winters? I could be wrong, but I don't think so in this instance, or with regards to be ranked as high as the 25th best guard in the NFL. Do you see Winters as a better pass blocker or run blocker? Since protecting Sam is the more important of the two, I think it very likely that the better pass blocker of the two will be the starter, regardless how they fare as run blockers unless one of them sucks at it. The other factor that could determine who wins is who has the best chemistry with his OL mate on either side (McGovern and Fant?). With the difference in their cap hits, I think if it's even close, Van Roten gets the starting job and Winters gets the axe.
     
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  20. FJF

    FJF 2018 MVP Joe Namath Award Winner

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    It’s very possible this could happen. Also very possible GVR finds himself back on the left side and Alex Lewis goes back to the bench. He was serviceable but not good enough to pen in at left guard and only 6 mil guaranteed on his deal too so cuttable also.
     
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