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Let’s dive into the weeds on this Jets cut to 53. A couple of surprises, a couple of guys got screwed and most moves were expected . . .
TE Jace Amaro – This isn’t a big surprise. He’s had his moments this summer, but needs to improve the consistency of his hands. I think one part of the problems are his small hands which certainly doesn’t help with ball security.
The bottom line is Kellen Davis was always going to be the starting tight end because he’s a superb blocker, and that is the #1 job of the Jets’ tight end in Chan Gailey’s offense. So Amaro was fighting Brandon Bostick for the #2 job, and Bostick outperformed him. That is the bottom line. It was just a matter of whether they kept three tight ends. They didn’t. That could change.
A change of scenery would be good for Amaro.
CB Dee Milliner – This wasn’t a surprise either. Not only did he get hurt, again, a couple of times this summer, but he was too inconsistent in the preseason and in camp.
As reported in Jets Confidential two years ago, when the Jets picked Milliner, the team doctors didn’t check off on the pick medically, but the GM picked him anyway.
Obviously the doctors were right.
RB Antone Smith – He was brought in because the Jets were thin at running back early in camp with Matt Forte nursing a hamstring, Khiry Robinson on PUP, and then on a pitch count, and injuries to Romar Morris and Dominique Williams.
Now with Forte, Robinson and Williams back, along with Bilal Powell, there was no room for Smith. The Williams’ situation is intriguing. He missed most of camp with a concussion, but still made the team. He is out of Wagner.
TE Zach Sudfeld – I’m not sure the new regime knew how good Sudfeld was on special teams two years ago. He was one of the Jets’ best cover guys. He was out last year with a knee. I kind of like having a #3 tight end who is a force on special teams.
As a tight end he had an average summer, and I think that did him in.
If they were only going to keep two, Bostick is a better tight end than Sudfeld – more athletic and faster.
TE Wes Saxton – He looked really good early in camp, but then hurt his knee on a long catch. He missed a couple of weeks, came back, and wasn’t 100 percent, but realized his time was running out, so he got back on the field, but he wasn’t himself.
I’m not sure he’s done here. If he’s not claimed, he could end up on the practice squad, which will allow him to get back to 100 percent.
G Craig Watts – Got screwed. Had a good camp and preseason, but was the victim of politics. He was better than Dakota Dozier. I understand they don’t play the same position, but Watts was much better this summer than Brandon Shell.
This was a really unfair cut.
G Michael Liedtke – Good player. Will likely come back to the Jets practice squad. Scrappy, smart, brawler.
September 3, 2016
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