Players & Position Battles to Watch in TC

We have a lot of exciting young talent on the team, both drafted and undrafted, and had some great FA additions to the roster this offseason. Competition in TC this summer should be intense and exciting. Here's to hoping that everyone gets healthy before TC and stays healthy so they each have the opportunity to play to their best potential and impress the CS. I want the decisions to very difficult for JD, Saleh & the staff.

 

Perhaps our weakest position group is the TE group. This is unfortunate as the TE is a key position in the Shanahan offense. As you know, the TEs on our roster are Chris Herndon, Tyler Kroft, Ryan Griffin, Trevon Wesco, Daniel Brown, and Kenny Yeboah. There's not a lot of talent there, so the competition here might come down to who's the lesser of the evils or if the players have one particular skill that might earn them a roster spot. I think they'll only keep 4 TEs, with one of those being Wesco who will also play FB.

With the exception of the time that Herndon was suspended or injured, he has been our starter at TE. This is a new day, however, with a new CS. While he possesses the speed to get down the seam and has good playmaking ability, he drops too many passes and his blocking is only average or slightly above average. I don't think our new CS will put up with his lack of focus and the dropped passes. Because of the overall lack of talent at the TE spot, I doubt his roster spot is in jeopardy this season, but it could be, and unless he has a good season, he probably won't be back next year. Kroft is our 2nd best blocking TE, but he has issues with staying healthy and with dropped passes. He dropped 3 passes in one OTA practice. Still, he was just signed as a FA and if he stays healthy will probably make the team. Griffin was very good for us 2 years ago, then suffered a serious injury. Last season, he was a shell of his former self, and many of us figured he'd be released for some cap savings. He appears healthy finally and looked pretty good in OTAs. He's a pretty reliable receiver, but not very fast and not much of a blocker. His receiving skills may safeguard a roster spot, but he still probably needs to have a good camp to ensure his spot on the team. Wesco is our best blocking TE, but not much of a receiver. He will be used at FB, so his roster spot is probably safe. Daniel Brown is not much of a receiver or blocker, but is one of our best STs players, so that could be what keeps him on the roster. Kenny Yeboah may have the most potential as a receiver in our TE group. He made some amazing very athletic catches at Ole Miss and has the speed to get down the seam. He has some problems with focus drops, however, and like Kroft dropped 3 passes in the last mini-camp practice. That's not a good way to make the team. He could make it onto the PS, but then again, due to his potential, some other team could scoop him up.

My hopes for the TE position are:

1) that Yeboah will put it together and win a spot on the roster and will make a good contribution this year;
2) that JD added enough talent in the draft this year, that we'll have a very good STs unit and won't need Brown there;
3) that Herndon and Kroft will get their acts together, stop dropping passes and solidify their places on the roster;
4) that Wesco's blocking will be even better and will show improvement as a receiver and will win the final TE spot on the roster.

Griffin could offera positive contribution this year, and I have nothing against him personally, but thinking long term, I think it would be better if Yeboah made the team over him and we could save Griffin's cap space. If that doesn't happen (and I don't expect it to, I think Griffin makes the team and Yeboah goes to the PS at best), I'll be fine with it, and hope that Griffin will return to being a productive TE receiver for us.

We have so much talent, especially young talent, on the team now that outside of Justin Hardee, I hope not many players make the team only because of their STs ability. I want players who can help us on offense or defense.

 

I basically agree, but think there could be battles at RG, WR2, RB, and probably 2 TEs will have to be cut, and sadly, it will probably be a war of attrition as we really don't have any great talent at that position.

I don't think Hall will be #1. He just doesn't have the foot speed to keep up with faster WRs. IMO that will be a battle between Austin, Dunn and Pinnock, and the Jets may wind up bringing in a vet.

I think it likely that Joyner will be the #2 safety at times and at other times it will be Davis.

I think the bigger roster battles for starting positions will be at DE opposite Lawson, CB #1, slot CB, WLB, and DT beside Q. Williams.

 

https://jetsxfactor.com/2021/06/17/udfa-tight-end-kenny-yeboah-possesses-tools-to-make-ny-jets-film/

UDFA TE Kenny Yeboah possesses tools to make NY Jets roster (Film)
By
Joe Blewett
-
06/17/2021

New York Jets undrafted free agent Kenny Yeboah possesses the necessary tools to make the roster as a tight end, as the film proves. (if you want to see the flim, you'll need to go to the link, as unfortunately their video clips won't copy)

Once the seventh round of the NFL draft concludes, that’s all she wrote. Right? Not exactly. It’s at this point when some of the most exhilarating fun begins: the time when undrafted free-agent scrambling arrives.

The argument can be made that it’s more beneficial to be the guy who goes undrafted—as opposed to the later rounds—as he actually has a decision in his next destination assuming there’s mutual interest. Whether it’s based on lack of competition at their position, proximity to their home, or where they went to college, the undrafted kids own a choice.

New York Jets fans had a few names in mind they desperately wanted their team to sign. Ole Miss tight end Kenny Yeboah was atop their list. Based on the team’s need at tight end and the belief that Yeboah could’ve gone as early in the fourth round of the draft, his name made all the sense in the world.

I agree with idea that the Jets are thin at tight end and needed (and probably still need) an infusion of young talent. Fourth-year pro Chris Herndon flashed his rookie year but missed his sophomore campaign due to injuries. His third year was disappointing, to say the least.

Both Tyler Kroft and Trevon Wesco are more impactful than most think, as blocking isn’t sexy but is obviously important and largely goes unnoticed. But beyond those names, there isn’t much depth or potential young talent that can emerge.

Daniel Brown is nothing but a JAG (just another guy) and Ryan Griffin had a few good years in the NFL—including one with the Jets in 2019—but he was invisible in 2020. The Jets could save $1.8 million of his $3.2 million owed in 2021, making him a prime candidate to be cut as the roster gets trimmed down.

In short, the Jets needed a young vertical threat at the position, and they may have acquired that in the Ole Miss product.

There are still many questions that remain, however. Where does he fit in? Does he actually have a chance to make the roster? Why did he fall in the draft?

Let’s take a look at some plays showcasing Kenny Yeboah’s major strengths and weaknesses. Below them, you will also find a full list of strengths and weaknesses in addition to an hour-plus episode of Blewett’s Blitz where I break down his collegiate tape.

Full List of Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths

• Long speed
• Solid YAC
• Willing blocker
• Lowers helmet into blocks
• Nimble
• Balance
• Stop/start as a runner
• Drives feet as a blocker
• Flashes off-hand usage in routes
• Some ability downfield on contested catches
• Used in slot/h-back/Y/FB/sifter/insert

Weaknesses

• Route running
• Doesn’t attack the ball
• Strength
• Narrow base when blocking
• Needs work pass blocking
• Needs to use hands in routes more consistently
• Can get locked up vs bad man coverage
• Can overrun landmarks as a blocker
• Schemed open more then “got open”
• Nervous in traffic/over the middle

 

My being down on Herndon is more all of his drops this past season (during the first 2/3 of the season), and his 2nd season being a complete waste, rather than a couple of drops in OTAs. I truly hope that he regains the form of his rookie season and builds upon it because we need him to. I'd love for Yeboah to develop, as he has talent, but I'm not holding my breath on him. Even if he does it might take a year or two. I'd rather not have to practically start from scratch at the TE position over the next couple of seasons.

 

Maybe 2.

 

They probably won't cut him until after TC. Our DBs need the practice catching the ball.