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New Jersey – Dan checks in with some early week Jets Whispers including notes on Salas, Cribbs, a Patriots vulnerability and more . . .
As you know by now, the Jets signed wide receivers Greg Salas and Josh Cribbs today, and put Clyde Gates and Mike Goodson on injured reserve.
Salas was signed off Philadelphia Eagles practice.
He should be able to give the Jets terrific insight on the New England Patriots. He was with the Patriots on-and-off from September-November last season.
The Patriots actually traded for Salas last September. They traded a late round pick to St. Louis for Salas right before the beginning of last season.
If you recall, Josh McDaniels was the Rams offensive coordinator in 2011, and that year, the Rams picked Salas in the fourth round out of Hawaii.
Salas was actually having a decent rookie year, catching 27 passes in six games for the Rams, before suffering a broken fibula, ending his season.
Salas doesn’t have great speed (4.53), but runs good routes, has solid hands, and is fearless over the middle. He’s very good playing in the slot. He is also good at getting open against zone coverage.
As for Cribbs, I don’t know how much he will play at wide receiver, but he should help the Jets’ kick return game a great deal. I don’t think this is overstating it – he’s one of the best kick returners in NFL history.
He is tied for the NFL career record with eight kickoff returns for touchdowns. He also owns the NFL record with two kickoffs of 100 yards in a single game.
Cribbs can also return punts, so he can spell Jeremy Kerley at times.
When he does play on offense, he can really help the Jets on plays like reverses and screens because he’s such a dynamic open field runner.
Also, he was a quarterback at Kent State, so he’s always a threat to throw on a halfback option.
If Cribbs’ knee is okay (it was bothering him this summer in Oakland), this could turn out to be a heck of a signing for the Jets. Their kick return game this year has been pedestrian.
And people can say that kick returns aren’t as important as they used to be with the new rules, but as the weather gets colder, the kickoffs don’t travel as far, and there are generally more returns . . .
Patriots standout insider linebacker Jarod Mayo had pectoral surgery today, so obviously he is out for the Jet game.
Rex Ryan has to get his pass-first coordinator Marty Mornhinweg to take a run-first approach against the Patriots.
The Patriots are very vulnerable up the middle. Nose tackle Vince Wilfork is out for the year, defensive tackle Tommy Kelly is out with a  knee injury, and now Mayo is sidelined. With these injuries, the Pats are weak up the middle.
Jets need to pound the football with Bilal Powell and Chris Ivory. They should be able to dominate on the ground, and take some pressure off Geno Smith . . .
I can’t tell you how impressed I am with Antonio Allen as an in-the-box safety. He makes SO many plays around the line.
He has a knack for weeding through the trash to make plays.
And when he gets there, he arrives with an attitude – there is no hesitation when he comes up to hit people. He’s tough as nails.
In the third quarter, he stopped wide receiver Antonio Brown on a bubble screen on the right side for no gain.
In the second quarter, running back Le’Veon Bell attempted to run up the middle, Allen was right there to stop him, so he headed to the right side, and Allen stopped him for no gain on the sideline.
I understand he still has some work to do in coverage, but in the box, this guy is excellent.
October 15, 2013
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