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Who is this coming from?
ESPN Headline – “Jets WRs tired of catching flak, ready to surprise critics.”
Catching flak from whom?
Not sure, but supposedly these critics are out there. Maybe they’re from the fantasy football experts who are almost never right with their suggestions.
The ESPN writer surmised, “Surely you’re aware of the narrative: They don’t have a true No. 1 receiver. There aren’t enough weapons to help Sam Darnold develop.”
No, I wasn’t aware of the narrative, but it certainly makes good material to go around the locker room and ask the receivers how they feel about being disrespected.
Bingo!
That is what the story did.
“And we have no talent,” Quincy Enunwa told ESPN. “Everybody says, ‘Oh, the Jets don’t have the weapons’ or whatever. I’m excited to show them we have the guys who can make plays. I think it’ll be a good season for us if we’re all healthy and doing what we’re supposed to do.”
The Jets are receivers are pissed over this, even though we don’t know where it came from.
The Jets have plenty of talent at wide receiver. In fact, I think they are going to have some tough decisions to make on the final cutdown.
First off, I consider Robby Anderson a number one receiver. He has world class speed, good hands, and aside from catching several deep balls last year, his 4.34 scared defensive backs so much, they often played a mile off him, and this led to a ton of production for Anderson on shorter passes.
Enunwa and Kearse are good #2 and #3 receivers.
Chad Hansen looked terrific all spring.
If Terrelle Pryor can get healthy, he’s a legit #2, with #1 potential. He’s a tremendous athlete, who made the transition from QB to WR a couple of years ago and is now comfortable as a wideout. It took time.
They have some veteran journeyman who can play in Charles Johnson, Tre McBride and Andre Roberts.
Who knows what is going to happen with Charone Peake and Devin Smith who are rehabbing now, and not short talent when healthy.
Ar’Darius Stewart is also in the mix, and seems more comfortable this spring than last year.
So while that narrative makes for good quotes for a story, I’m not sure of it’s veracity.
Also, I don’t get “there aren’t enough weapons to help Sam Darnold develop.”
Is he starting? Did I miss that announcement? Jets need to make the playoffs this year, so if Darnold is the best guy to do that this year, go for it.
But here is the deal – Quarterbacks make receivers, receivers don’t make quarterbacks.
The idea that weapons make a QB better is flawed.
Hey, of course you don’t want of bunch of guys who can’t run, catch or run routes well.
But if you have a bunch of pro receivers in the WR room, it’s usually on the QB to bring out the best in them.
Why do you think the Patriots are always turning over their receiver room? Because they know if they know that Thomas E. Brady will bring out the best in that room, as long as guys “do their job” as Bill Belichick likes to say.
I can’t tell you how many teams over the years, run by delusional individuals, think that if you load up on great WR talent, it will elevate a struggling QB. It doesn’t work that way – no matter who you have a receiver, it doesn’t make a QB improve his field vision, ability to read defenses, accuracy and pocket presence.
It doesn’t work that way.
If Darnold is going to be great, it’s not going to be because of the weapons, it’s going to be that he brings out of the best in his weapons.
And as far as WR weapons, the Jets are just fine.
June 14, 2018
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