Miscellaneous articles on Jets around the web

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/ot...r&cvid=734e5638a7bb45598959009781241b32&ei=35

Jets punter dedicates season to helping friend's ALS battle
Story by Victor Barbosa, Yardbarker

New York Jets punter Thomas Morstead is looking to capitalize on his career 2023 campaign by raising money and awareness for ALS as one of his best friends battles Lou Gehrig's disease.

Defensive back Steve Gleason spent his entire seven-year career with the New Orleans Saints from 2000-2006, before retiring in 2008. Morstead was drafted by the Saints in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft and helped them win a Super Bowl during his rookie year.

Gleason revealed his ALS diagnosis in 2011 and was surprised by then-head coach Sean Payton with a Super Bowl ring. The 47-year-old received a Congressional Gold Medal in 2019 and the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in 2024 for his contributions to ALS awareness.

Morstead spent the first 12 years of his career with the Saints from 2009-2020, earning one Pro Bowl honor, and then split the 2021 campaign between the Atlanta Falcons and Jets. Morstead played the 2022 season with the Miami Dolphins before signing a $1.3 million contract with New York last April.

Thanks in part to the team's atrocious offense, he led the NFL in both punts (99) and total punt yardage (4,831) in 2023. The number of punts was 25 more than he had ever recorded in a season, the yardage was 1,124 more than his previous career high and his 48.8 yards per punt were the second-most of his career.

Over one-third of Morstead's punts from 2023 landed inside the 20-yard line, giving him an excellent shot at raising thousands in 2024.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nf...r&cvid=f98d74ae974548d0a0f48eb445637d6c&ei=12

New York Jets shutdown cornerback wants Tyreek Hill money in second contract
Story by Ralph Ventre

It was a good week for Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and New York Jets All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner has taken notice.

Hill was announced as the No. 1 overall player on the 2024 NFL Top 100 list one day before the Dolphins awarded him a three-year contract extension reportedly worth $90 million.

During an appearance on NFL Network's Good Morning Football, Gardner, who has the task of frequently defending Hill as an AFC East rival, spoke about the wide receiver's No. 1 overall standing as well as the huge payday.

"There's really a lot to people saying that he don't deserve to be the No. 1 player," said Gardner on camera in Florham Park. "I think it's well deserved. You got guys who gotta change their whole defense because of him. He's a guy that's hard to guard. He's going to present a challenge every time."

Since being drafted at No. 4 overall in 2022, Gardner has taken the NFL by storm. The lockdown cornerback has earned back-to-back All-Pro First Team honors and was rated as the No. 1 player at his position by Pro Football Focus, which uses an analytics-based grading system.

When it's time to hit free agency, Gardner may be able to command a record-setting contract. He's entering Year 3 on his rookie deal that features a fifth-year club option for the Jets to exercise. Right now, there are eight NFL cornerbacks being paid at least $19 million in average annual value according to Spotrac.

"I see he [Hill] changed his contract up a little bit. I couldn't believe that. That's a lot of money. That's a lot of money. I was lost for words when I seen that," said Gardner. "I think, what was it, like 30 a year?"

While GMFB co-host Peter Schrager tried moving onto a new topic of conversation, Gardner was seemingly still thinking about Hill's astronomical wide receiver salary.

"Tyreek, 30 million," said Schrager.

"Hey, I'm trying to get that in a few years," said Gardner.

If he's shutting down the opposing receiver making $30 million per year, why shouldn't he be making as much? As long as he stays healthy, he eventually will.

https://x.com/nflnetwork/status/1820439010709266744

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nf...r&cvid=965777e46a334d80b4e75468c709e0a5&ei=42

Jets 'Bruiser' Braelon Allen 'Ready to Impose Will' In Rookie Season
Story by Adam Schultz

Make no mistake, New York Jets running back Braelon Allen is ready to bring the fire in his rookie campaign.

Taken in the fourth round of the draft, Allen has been working hard at his craft in training camp, both as a runner and pass catcher in Nathaniel Hackett's offense.

Allen's running ability is evident, as he averaged a cool 5.9 yards per carry in his college career for Wisconsin and had 11+ touchdowns in each season. And so, too, is his brutal running style, which he plans to take to the NFL and make players submit to his physicality.

"The expectation for me is to be that bruiser and run with more power and low pads and just impose my will on people," Allen said. "As I've grown over the years, that's become more, more of the emphasis."

Allen is expected to play behind Breece Hall and will also compete for snaps with Israel Abanikanda and Isaiah Davis. However, Allen is confident in his ability to contribute consistently to the offense.

Aaron Rodgers, a 40-year-old quarterback coming off an Achilles injury, and an established run game will help relieve the pressure of throwing the Jets to a win each week.

With Hall, Allen, Davis, and Abanikanda, New York has a quartet of players who can rotate through and provide fresh legs. While it is unknown if the Jets will go into the season with four running backs, we will get a better idea when the preseason games begin and see who separates themselves from the pack.

But for Allen, he's ready for all the smoke in year one and seems intent on dishing out as much punishment as possible.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nf...r&cvid=965777e46a334d80b4e75468c709e0a5&ei=87

NFL Analysts Tab Jets' Garrett Wilson For Major Award
Story by Richie Whitt

As the New York Jets begin a season with Super Bowl aspirations, all eyes are on quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But, in the end, could all of the awards go to receiver Garrett Wilson?

After winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2022, Wilson had an understandably down season last year after Rodgers went down with a season-ending injury and the Jets cycled through a barrage of inferior quarterbacks. But if Rodgers is back and a revamped offensive line can protect him, some analysts believe Wilson will soar above even his rookie season.

On ESPN's Mina Kimes Show this week, they labeled Wilson as a "dark horse" to win NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

“He’s so quarterback-friendly with his style of play," Kimes said. "The way he finds spaces in zone, he beats man coverage. If Rodgers is healthy is going to put up astronomical numbers in this offense.”

Added analyst Ben Solak, "It’s so tempting. He’s so good. Rodgers loves to funnel wide receiver ones. Davante Adams had, like, 170 targets in 2021. If he has a guy and you trust that guy, he will funnel him targets. And that’s if there are other good receivers. Look at the Jets’ depth chart. If Mike Williams gets here, he’s the only one! He perfectly fits what you are looking for.”

Rodgers and Wilson had a celebrated spat at training camp last week. But if they get on the same page in an improved Jets' offense, Wilson could flirt with a Davante Adams-type season.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nf...&cvid=965777e46a334d80b4e75468c709e0a5&ei=106

A strong mindset is fueling Jets edge rusher Jermaine Johnson
Story by Kristian Dyer

Jermaine Johnson has raised the bar this offseason, the New York Jets edge rusher showing a maturity that has impressed head coach Robert Saleh.

Entering his third season in the NFL, Johnson was a first-round pick of the Jets. He has shown progress and development as a bonafide presence off the edge with the upside to pull in double-digit sacks annually.

In his first two seasons in the league, he has a combined 10 sacks (7.5 sacks in 2023) and brings All-Pro potential off the edge for the Jets. For Saleh, Johnson's continued growth is being shown not just on the field but in the way he approaches the game.

"Expectations for him to continue working in the mindset he has - last year, I thought he really took a jump because of his mindset, the way he attacked every day and the way he played every play like it was going to be his last," Saleh told reporters on Monday.

"If he maintains that same mindset, he'll naturally get better just because his skill level will increase, but he's a guy that everybody looks to for leadership. He's a tremendous presence on this football team. I just love his mindset, the way he tries to get better every day."

 

https://jetsxfactor.com/2024/08/07/ny-jets-commanders-joint-practice-matchups/

Top matchups to watch in Jets-Commanders joint practice
By Michael Nania

In many ways, joint practices are more valuable than preseason games.

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn had an interesting perspective about this topic while speaking ahead of his team’s upcoming joint practice with the New York Jets.

Contrary to preseason games, which play out in an unpredictable fashion, opposing coaching staffs work together on orchestrating joint practices to play out however they’d like. These joint practices are not merely scrimmages; rather, they are largely built around choreographed events designed to evaluate specific players and scenarios.

Another benefit is having the entire roster included in the action. Most teams will only use their first-team units for no more than a couple of drives in the third preseason game. In joint practices, though, everyone participates. It’s in these practices where veterans like Aaron Rodgers and stars like Sauce Gardner will get the majority of their “game-like” preparation ahead of the season opener.

The Commanders are a team in transition, but Washington’s roster does have a good deal of high-end talent at certain spots. Here are a few of the most interesting head-to-head matchups we will see during Thursday’s joint practice in Florham Park.


Sauce Gardner vs. Terry McLaurin

The beauty of the Jets’ talent-stocked roster is that just about everybody enjoys the luxury of facing a star-caliber player in practice on a daily basis. For Sauce Gardner, there aren’t many players who would provide a tougher daily challenge than Garrett Wilson.

Still, it’s great to shake things up and see a different face across the line of scrimmage. Gardner will get to pivot from Wilson to another upper-echelon receiver in Terry McLaurin. These reps will be valuable for Gardner, as he will likely play no more than a couple of drives in this year’s preseason. With the Panthers and Giants up next, McLaurin is likely the best wide receiver Gardner will see before the regular season (perhaps Malik Nabers will have something to say about that, but the rookie needs to prove it first).

Whereas Wilson primarily challenges Gardner using quickness and route-running finesse, McLaurin will provide a tougher challenge in the physicality and contested catching departments. McLaurin is listed as 18 pounds heavier than Wilson (210 vs. 192) and is much more proven at securing 50-50 balls, boasting a career contested catch rate of 54.5% versus Wilson’s 32.9%.


Jets interior offensive line vs. Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen

The Commanders’ interior defensive line has been one of their few beacons of consistency over the past few seasons. Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen anchor the unit.

This matchup would be interesting enough if we were solely talking about the blocking aspect of it, but all eyes will be on Joe Tippmann’s snapping as he faces a different opponent for the first time. After Tippmann launched a killer snap in the red zone during the Jets’ recent Green and White Scrimmage, it will be interesting to see how he responds to another high-pressure situation. With two talented defensive tackles in front of him, Tippmann will have enough to worry about after the ball is snapped. Hopefully, he does not let it affect the snap itself.

The snap debacle should not distract us from Tippmann’s actual post-snap performance. Tippmann has the potential to become one of the league’s best centers. While he needs to nail down the snapping first and foremost, we should give him credit where it’s due if he can win his matchups with Payne and Allen.

In addition to Tippmann, I am fascinated to see how Alijah Vera-Tucker performs. Vera-Tucker’s presence has been transformative for the Jets’ offense over the past two years. We know he has the ability to be one of the best guards in football, but will he be the same player after an Achilles tear?

Jets edge rushers vs. Commanders tackles

Washington’s starting tackle duo should be viewed as a delicious meal for a defensive front that holds itself to as high of a standard as the Jets do.

At right tackle is Andrew Wylie. In 2023, he allowed the 13th-most pressures (42) and fourth-most sacks (9) among tackles.

At left tackle is a competition between rookie third-round pick Brandon Coleman and long-time journeyman backup Cornelius Lucas.

We don’t have to dive too deep into this one. The entire Jets’ edge-rusher unit has a chance to feast. It’s a perfect time for players like Will McDonald, Takk McKinley, and Eric Watts to make statements. Jermaine Johnson also has a chance to assert his dominance and prove he’s capable of another leap in Year 3.


Aaron Rodgers vs. Bobby Wagner

We’ve heard a lot about Rodgers’ pre-snap duels with C.J. Mosley during Jets practices. By now, these guys probably know each others’ cadences and tendencies inside-and-out, so they’re certainly ready to hear a different voice across the field.

In his first action against a different team since he tore his Achilles last September, Rodgers will enjoy the challenge of going up against nine-time Pro Bowl linebacker Bobby Wagner. A second-team All-Pro in 2023, Wagner still has plenty left in the tank at 34 years old. Regardless of his physical ability, it’s Wagner’s experience that makes him a perfect opponent for Rodgers in this situation.

Rodgers holds himself and his teammates to an extremely high standard. On the quest to achieve that standard, he seeks the toughest of challenges. Toying with a young or shoddy linebacker wouldn’t do the four-time MVP much good. But he should take a lot from a full practice of mental chess battles with one of the best linebackers in NFL history.

 

https://jetsxfactor.com/2024/08/01/new-york-jets-cj-mosley-reveals-drastic-change-role/

New York Jets LB C.J. Mosley reveals drastic change in his role
By Rivka Boord

The New York Jets’ defense is supposedly all about rules. With how elite it’s been in recent seasons, no one talks much about the downsides to those rules. However, in 2021 and the early part of 2022, the uncomplicated defensive looks the Jets presented to opponents drew scrutiny.

Linebacker C.J. Mosley, the captain of the defense, shed some light on what may have changed for the defense from Year 1. Kay Adams of the “Up & Adams Show” asked Mosley about the freedom he has in the Jets’ defense. His response was eye-opening.

This may not seem earth-shattering, as most middle linebackers are defensive captains and can make checks. However, it was clear in the first year-plus under Robert Saleh and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich that this was not the case for Mosley. The incident most clearly illustrating this limitation came during the Jets’ 27-24 overtime win over the Titans in 2021. It was Saleh’s first victory as the Jets’ head coach. Jets X-Factor’s Andrew Golden explained that Mosley made a defensive check from Cover 1 to Cover 3 in recognition of a play the Titans had run earlier in the game.


Golden wrote, “After the game, Saleh explained that players in their system aren’t allowed to check into new plays at the line and that Mosley had done something no other player he had coached had ever done before by doing it anyway.”

Saleh said, “He got us into another defense and the entire sideline, all of us coaches were like, ‘What is he doing? What is he doing?’ We’re just yelling at the linebacker coach and he got us into the perfect play call and we got a sack because the quarterback hitched. I was like, ‘Well, that’s why he’s an All-Pro.'”

Golden further demonstrated a check Mosley did not make in Week 4 of the 2022 season.



Golden lamented, “Sadly, Mosley likely didn’t even notice Burrow’s lack of audible himself. He knows he isn’t allowed to change the play even if he is tipped off to what’s coming, so why bother? Instead, he likely focused on timing his drop and being ready to pick up Boyd over the middle, since that’s all was required of him on that particular play.”

This clearly elucidates the fact that Mosley was not allowed to make checks to the Jets’ defense. Therefore, Mosley’s assertion that he has free rein to do so represents a paradigm shift in defensive philosophy.

One wonders if this is truly the case. After all, Mosley did hesitate a bit when Adams initially phrased the question slightly differently. “Does Saleh sort of give you the rein to switch things up and do what you want out there?” Adams asked. Mosley’s response was, “Uh… in a quick answer, yes.”

However, his elaboration inspires confidence that he does, indeed, have the freedom to make significant changes. “[It’s] Year 3 and 4 of pretty much all our defense being together. So we kind of understand the basic of our defense, and so now we’re trying to find every next step, every little inch, cheating one little gap to try to make us better to win that play,” he said.

“That’s where we’re at now. My biggest goal that the coaches gave me this year is just being more demonstrative in calling out what I see. The coaches are giving me a lot of confidence to do that.”

That was the context of his answer about having free rein. This shows maturity on Saleh’s and Ulbrich’s part in being able to trust their five-time second-team All-Pro veteran linebacker to set up the defense in the best position to succeed.

Furthermore, depending on when the coaches took the training wheels off Mosley (which is funny to even say), this may be one of the biggest reasons the Jets’ coverage has improved so vastly. Sure, bringing in Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed will do that for a defense. Still, the team has dealt with consistently below-average safety play and still succeeded mightily as a unit.

One of the main assets of the Jets’ defense is their back-end communication. They don’t blow many coverages relative to other teams. Mosley’s captaincy may well promote this seamless performance.

Even though Mosley’s physical skills have declined from his peak, his football mind remains as sharp as ever. His discipline filters down to the rest of the defense, making the unit stronger as a whole. It’s encouraging to hear that Saleh and Ulbrich recognize this, possibly leading the defense to even greater heights in 2024.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nf...r&cvid=0e66cbaad7294dcf978cda677d0c20c2&ei=74


Five Jets winners from their preseason victory over the Carolina Panthers
Story by John B

I somewhat jokingly thought of listing Jets fans as one of my winners after the less than pretty 15-12 preseason victory over the Carolina Panthers in Week 2 of the exhibition schedule. This fanbase deserves some sort of recognition for watching that game.

At times like this, I think it is worth remembering what preseason is really for. These days the bulk of the action is to decide the battle for the last few roster spots and practice squad slots. It is also to give low level players real game reps, which will be few and far between once the real games start.

Of course, when you are dealing with third and fourth string quarterbacks, you have offenses run by guys who struggle to execute NFL concepts, even against low level competition. It doesn’t make for a very exciting product to watch.

Still, there were some Jets players who did well for themselves in this game. Let’s talk about some of them.

Brandon Codrington: If there was a player who came from completely off the radar who made a strong case for a roster spot, it was Codrington. We speak frequently about how key the role of special teams is for the last few guys on the roster. The Jets have also stated they have an open competition for their return spots, and the return game is impossible to evaluate in practice. Codrington ripped off a 63 yard kickoff return and punt returns of 31 and 15 yards. At the very least, this is the type of thing that will likely merit strong practice squad consideration.

Qwan’tez Stiggers: I thought the rookie from the CFL looked pretty good in coverage and tackling in space when he had a couple of opportunities. The latter could be significant because I’m not entirely sure the Jets know what they want Stiggers to be. He has been getting looks at outside corner, slot corner, and safety. The plays in space happened with him aligned outside, but tackling is a critical component at the latter two spots. We will see what all of this means, but I thought it was a productive day.

Will McDonald: Much of the talk this week has been about Haason Reddick and rightly so. It is a major story. In Reddick’s absence, McDonald’s play has become much more important. What did we talk about during the week? Speed rush and spin move. What did we get in this game? A sack off a spin move. Keep it up.

Isaiah Davis: I’m sure some people are looking at the box score right now and saying, “SERIOUSLY? FOUR RUSHES FOR FOURTEEN YARDS AND HE’S A WINNER?!?!?!?!?” Yes, and please stop box score scouting.
All joking aside, I thought Davis looked really good. He frequently flashed the ability he showed in college making people miss. He broke off a 9 yard run and grinded out a 3 yard gain to move the chains. There was also a 10 yard run that was called back from a penalty that would have made that box score look a lot better. And while he was no Codrington, he forced a couple of missed tackles on punt returns.

Davis got into the game before Braelon Allen in this one. Does this mean he is ahead of Allen on the depth chart right now? I doubt it, but I still liked what I saw from him.

Anthony Firkser: I tend to doubt Firkser is a lock to make the roster at the moment, which is why his 21 yard reception probably helps his cause. Firkser’s experience handling the fullback role sets him apart from some of the tight ends he is competing with for a roster spot. And I would surmise one of the reasons the Jets signed Firkser and cut Nick Bawden is Firkser’s ability to help receiving from the fullback spot. That catch didn’t come out of the fullback alignment. He was playing a conventional tight end spot at the time, but this all still seems relevant to me.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nf...&cvid=21a60f742e1a437f9e9dd349dd6bf6de&ei=151

Is Xavier Gipson Still Safe on Jets Roster?
Story by Nick Faria

Xavier Gipson was a special teams hero for the New York Jets in 2023. His game-winning punt return in the season opener catapulted him from an undrafted free agent to a key member of the organization.

That same effect might not be there for the 2024 season, though.

Due to the preseason heroics of Brandon Codrington Saturday night in Carolina, the Jets have an interesting conundrum regarding their kick and punt return duties - both previously owned by Gipson to this point.

Codrington recorded over 100 total yards of return yardage on punts and kickoffs - a 63-yard kick return being the catalyst for New York's 15-12 win.

The Jets are still very high on Gipson as a returner and receiver in their offense. His role, though may not be conducive to keeping a roster spot open for him - especially if Codrington has earned the opportunity to show what he can do on gameday as well.

Making matters even more interesting is the North Carolina Central prospect is an undrafted free agent this year like Gipson was last season.

Codrington's strong preseason performance Saturday put him on the map to potentially have a role on the roster going forward. The more he produces in practice and in next week's preseason finale could go a long way to determining if Gipson is as safe as previously thought.

***
In my opinion, this is a stretch. Codrington has a long way to go to make the roster, and Gipson is still a very good return man, and has shown much improvement as a WR in TC. I would be absolutely shocked if Gipson didn't make the team. Codrington could still make the team, even with Gipson, if for no other reason than he is a DB not a WR, and a team needs depth, even at the Returner job. I think this is a matter of Faria having to produce somethine for Athlon Sports, so he is stirring the pot.