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JC publisher Dan Leberfeld breaks down the Jets’ final cuts, player-by-player, with a comment on each. Let’s get it started . . . .
Royce Adams (DB/6-0/190/Purdue) – Former WR who really made great strides at CB this summer. Very athletic. I would put him on the practice squad.
Junior Aumavae (DT/6-2/310/Minnesota State) – With Damon Harrison having a terrific camp, and Rex’s loyalty to the point of defiance with Kenrick Ellis, guy didn’t have much of a chance.
Michael Campbell (WR/6-2/205/Temple) – He’s not bad, but doesn’t have any standout qualities that make him jump out at you.
Dan Carpenter (K/6-2/228/Montana) – Jets like to keep heat on Nick Folk. They think he reacts better than way, so they briefly passed the Folk competition baton from Billy Cundiff to Carpenter. I really like Folk as a kicker. I think they made the right call.
Lanier Coleman (DT/6-4/322/Louisiana-Lafayette) – Once again, Harrison was excellent this summer, and Rex only has eyes for Ellis.
Erik Cook (C/6-6/308/New Mexico) – Caleb Schlauderaff made a late push to keep his job as backup center.
Troy Davis (LB/6-2/251/Central Florida) – I think he’s a practice squad lock. Great motor and pass rush moves. He had a very nice summer.
JoJo Dickson (LB/6-1/245/Idaho) – Has the ability to play on NFL level, but got caught in numbers game. Danny Lansanah was outstanding this summer and beat JoJo out of the last ILB spot. If there is an injury, I’d bring him back. Could go back to practice squad where he was last year.
Mike Edwards (CB/5-10/186/Hawaii) – After the release of Joe McKnight, Mike was the most talented kick returner on the roster. But didn’t show enough at CB, and they wouldn’t keep him for just kick returns.
Tevita Finau (DT/6-5/288/Utah) – Had a solid summer. Could have easily made it, but got beat out by Leger Douzable for last spot. They are similar players, but Douzable has much more NFL experience, so that was the tie-breaker.
Antonio Garay (DT/6-4/320/Boston College) – Rex’s love affair with Ellis hurt him, and also his age (34). Could re-emerge after Week One, or at some point. I don’t think the Jets wanted to guarantee his whole salary (by him being on roster in Week One).
Mohamed Massaquoi (WR/6-2/207/Georgia) – Your guess is as good as mine. For the life of me, I don’t understand not playing him against Philadelphia. Let him show his wares. That made little sense. One thing that hurts him is that he doesn’t have great speed.
Mossis Madu (RB/6-0/197/Oklahoma) – Got concussed against Philly and sent packing.
Rontez Miles (S/6-0/203/California, PA) – A big-time hitter at safety, but has stiff hips which hurts him in coverage.
Ben Obomanu (WR/6-1/204/Auburn) – Had a drop against Philly. These kind of guys need to be perfect. Stephen Hill has carte blanche on drops, but not long shots. I’m not trying to be flip, just keeping it real.
Chris Pantale (TE/6-5/254/Boston College/Wayne, NJ) – Perfect practice squad candidate.
Zach Rogers (WR/6-0/172/Tennessee/Nashville, TN) – Dropped punt and pass in Philly game hurt him, but honestly, I don’t think he was going to make it anyway. When you are a small receiver with so-so speed, you better catch everything in site, and he didn’t do that.
Jacquies Smith (LB/6-2/260/Missouri/Dallas, TX) – Just didn’t show enough as a pass rusher.
Jason Smith (T/6-5/305/Baylor/Dallas, TX) – Terrible performance against Philly doomed him.
J.B. Shugarts (T/6-6/299/Ohio State/Klein, TX) – Was better than Aboushi in the summer, but the draft pick got the nod.
Released with an Injury:
Greg McElroy (QB/6-2/225/Alabama/Southlake, TX) – I don’t understand sports medicine when it comes to NFL teams. He hurt his knee against Detroit, and then re-injured it in practice a few days after the game, and then re-injured it again last week. How about shutting him down for a week or two?
The NFL injury culture stinks. Do you think a guy like McElroy feels he can take one practice off when battling for a roster spot? Of course not, so he kept making it worse.
McElroy isn’t healthy right now. That is the bottom line. Graham Harrell is a similar player – cerebral, West Coast QB who makes good decisions.
So as much as I like McElroy, it’s hard to argue with keeping a healthy Harrell over him.
But for the life of me, I don’t understand why McElroy got no time off after suffering a knee injury.
August 31, 2013
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