New York Jets: What We've Learned Through Week 1 of Preseason
There are still three weeks left before the regular-season opener, but we don't have to wait until then to start to get an idea of what the New York Jets will be all about in 2015.
A lot has changed since the onset of training camp: some players have been injured; others have adopted new roles; rookies have been trying to adapt to life in the NFL; and veterans have been trying to prove that they still have what it takes to be considered an elite player at their position.
These are all storylines that will evolve over the course of the regular season, but the story arc is beginning now.
Here are some of the things we've learned about the Jets to this point in the summer.
Antonio Cromartie's Struggles Are Not a Concern for the Jets
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The Jets had planned for Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie to reinvigorate their secondary and provide the shutdown duo of cornerbacks needed to execute head coach Todd Bowles' defensive scheme.
A few weeks into training camp, it appears Revis is holding up his end of the bargain. Cromartie, however, has struggled. It shouldn't come as a surprise; the 31-year-old cornerback is exhibiting many of the same issues he showed at the end of his last go-around with the Jets. He is physical at the line of scrimmage, but his speed and change-of-direction ability has taken a hit and leaves him susceptible to quicker receivers.
According to Darryl Slater of NJ Advance Media, no one within the organization seems all too concerned. Jets cornerback coach Joe Danna told Slater:
"I think Cro is having a good camp. He's a leader in the [meeting] room, very smart guy. He's been around the league a long time, so he's valuable to the room, from that standpoint. Playing the corner position, there's going to be times you get beat. Everybody does. It happens. We play an aggressive style of defense. But Cro is not a concern of ours. We like where he is. We know he's going to be a consistent, competitive guy for us.
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For his part, Cromartie himself does not seem overly concerned, either.
"It's practice," he said. "I'm not really worried about anything that's going on right now. I'm looking forward to when the lights turn on and you go play football."
Cromartie's presence isn't enough. In the Jets' scheme, he will be asked to man up on a team's No. 2 receiver on a consistent basis. The Jets can't afford another season like the one Cromartie had in 2013, when he was the 74th-ranked cornerback in the league out of 79 qualifying cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.
Eric Decker Could Be Seeing More Action in the Slot
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When the Jets signed Eric Decker away from the Denver Broncos last offseason, they were hoping to add a big-bodied deep threat to the boundary of their offense. As it turns out, Decker was everything the Jets had hoped for—even if their quarterback play wasn't.
But just because Decker excels in one role, doesn't mean the team is averse to trying him out in other roles. According to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey has been tinkering with different offensive formations and trying to find the combinations that will allow him to run his offense to the best of its abilities.
One of those modifications includes Decker lining up in the slot, which generates a good deal of flexibility for the passing game with multiple receivers who can line up in different spots. As Cimini notes, Decker's slot alignment "also could explain why Quincy Enunwa—not Jeremy Kerley—is the third receiver, joining Decker and Brandon Marshall in three-wide packages."
At 5'8" and 188 pounds, Kerley is far from what you'd want in a receiver lining up on the boundary. He has a niche. The other receivers are jacks of all trades; Kerley is a master of one. Decker, for his part, is fond of his fluid role in the offense. He explained to Cimini:
"I like the versatility. You're not always on the outside, running the same routes. Inside, it's a different game. There are a lot of zone coverages, finding the holes. Against man coverage, you've got more space to work. It's a different mentality as far as the releases, spacing and leverage. Conceptually, it's just different, but it's an advantage. You are interchangeable, depending on what the defense does.
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Decker's alignment over the middle could also result in more balls thrown his way; Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has an affinity for short passes over the middle.
Lorenzo Mauldin Still Has Much to Learn in Jets Defense
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Rome wasn't built in a day, and Lorenzo Mauldin won't become the Jets' starting outside linebacker overnight—as much as some Jets fans may be clamoring for change at outside linebacker.
Make no mistake; Mauldin's stock has been rising since the start of training camp, as the rookie has proved that he can make an immediate impact as a pass-rusher. That being said, it will take more than just one trick for this pony to become the prize the Jets envision. Mauldin had some learning moments in his preseason debut against the Detroit Lions; he missed a sure sack on one play and drew a roughing-the-passer penalty on another play.
"Made a couple of mistakes but that was my first game so I had to get the jitters out," Mauldin said, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. "I look forward to the next game against the [Atlanta] Falcons and doing better than I did that last game."
To his credit, Mauldin is taking the process in stride and is leaning on his elders for assistance in making the transition from college star to full-time pro.
"If I know what I am doing, I play a lot more," Mauldin added of his knowledge of the Jets' scheme. "But if I don't, I will be a situational pass-rusher, so I've heard. Just being able to understand what I am doing when I go out there, that will determine my playing time."
It may take a little time for Mauldin to fully grasp the Jets' defensive playbook and to learn his responsibilities in coverage, but when he does, he could be a force in the defense for years to come.
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The Jets Are Still Trying to Figure out the Depth Chart at Quarterback
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The Jets seemed to be on the right path to solidifying the depth chart at quarterback in 2011. Mark Sanchez had just finished his third season, and had improved in every key metric in his first three years: completion percentage, touchdown-interception ratio and passer rating.
That's when the Jets added Tim Tebow to the carousel. Eleven quarterbacks later, the Jets are still searching for answers. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com accurately called it a "virtual conga line of washed-up veterans, neophytes and hopes for the future."
On Wednesday, the Jets announced the signing of veteran Matt Flynn, who would most closely fall into the first of those three categories. The 30-year-old quarterback has played for six different teams, has started seven games and has made more than $18 million in the process, per Cimini.
He shouldn't be more than an emergency quarterback in the event of an injury to Ryan Fitzpatrick that leaves him unable to start. Basically, Flynn is here to prevent the Jets from being forced to shove rookie quarterback Bryce Petty into the lineup.
One thing is certain: It only took one haymaker to throw the Jets' entire quarterback situation into disarray.
Muhammad Wilkerson Is Making Progress, but Still Isn't Ready to Go
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All offseason, it's been written and said that the Jets have one of, if not the best defensive line in football.
One injury and one suspension later, the Jets' depth at the position could be tested. The Jets will be without star defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson until mid-October as the third-year pro sits out the first four games due to a violation of the league's substance-abuse policy. But at least he can practice.
Right now, the Jets are without fifth-year defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, who has been dealing with a nagging hamstring injury, according to Dom Cosentino of NJ Advance Media. Now, Darryl Slater of NJ Advance Media reports that Wilkerson will be held out of action in the team's next preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons:
"[Wilkerson] didn't practice Wednesday yet again, and so he won't play against the Falcons, according to Bowles. The hamstring injury—it's always been termed a "tweak" by Wilkerson and the Jets—continues to linger. 'I've seen progress,' [head coach Todd] Bowles said. 'He's still got some work to do. Initially, I thought, a tweak, to me, means you're out a day or two and you come back. But obviously, it's been bothering him longer than that.'
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It wouldn't make sense for Wilkerson to rush back onto the field, especially considering he's still embroiled in a contractual dispute with his team. Likewise, the Jets defensive line stands nothing to gain from Wilkerson playing in the preseason, and running the risk of aggravating the injury even further.
It's best to just keep him on the shelf until the regular season begins.
Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained via team news release.
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