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New Jersey – Would Margus Hunt be a good fit for the Jets – Rex was down in Dallas to try and find out. We also have a note on a quarterback be dangled as trade bait . . .
Rex Ryan was at SMU’s Pro Day today in Dallas.
DE Margus Hunt was the main attraction.
Ryan worked him out.
Hunt is 6-8, 277 and runs a 4.6 forty.
He came to SMU from his native Estonia (part of the old Soviet Union) to join their track team (he throws the discus and shot put). Shortly after he got there, SMU disbanded their track program.
Hunt didn’t know where to turn, and somebody in the athletic department suggested he try football.
He played in earnest for the last three years, but he’s still raw and a work-in-progress. As a senior, he had eight sacks and 11.5 tackles for losses.
He will be very appealing to special team’s coaches, like Ben Kotwika, because he has a knack for blocking kicks.
The problem is he’s already 26, so that creates a quandary – do you pick a developmental player who is already over-aged?
Reportedly, Rex worked him out as an outside linebacker. He’s a great athlete, so he might be able to do something as a 3-4 OLB at 6-8, 277. Not start, but do some things as he continues to learn the game. He could help in obvious passing situations – he’s got a quick first step, and is also very good at blocking passes, and disrupting passing lanes.
Another option is to have him gain some weight and play 3-4 defensive end at 290-295.
In the fourth round (maybe the third if the Jets have extra picks), he would make sense for the Jets.
I had a chance to interview him at the combine, and found him extremely bright, mature and focused. And one thing you have to admire about him – even if he doesn’t always know what he’s doing out there, he always plays very hard . . .
When GM John Idzik took over the Jets, some people thought the Jets would make a run at Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback Matt Flynn. Idzik came to the Jets from the Seahawks’ front office.
But it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.
According to a published report, the three teams interested at making a trade for Flynn are the Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills and Oakland Raiders.
The Jaguars new head coach, Gus Bradley, came to Jacksonville from Seattle, where he was the defensive coordinator.
One thing that might be making the Jets disinterested in Flynn is his $5.25 million salary for this year.
Remember, Mark Sanchez is guaranteed $8.25 million for 2013.
The Jets already added David Gerrard for $1.1 million this year.
And they have Greg McElroy, who makes the league minimum, so his money isn’t an issue.
And Flynn is basically tantamount to McElroy in talent. There are so many similarities here – both around 6-2, both are very bright, both were highly successful SEC quarterbacks, both were seventh round picks, and both have so-so arms.
I’m not going to say their exactly the same, but pretty darn close.
So why add Flynn and pay him $5.25 million, when they have McElroy in the mix at the third year minimum? It would make little sense.
The Jets are smart to take a pass on Flynn . . .
Pictured above is an interesting limo I saw parked a couple of miles from Jets Camp . . .
