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The receiver was asked the question
many players have been asked:
“How has Zach Wilson improved in year two?”
Elijah Moore said some nice things about Wilson, but added: “We didn’t play no games yet.”
Moore’s only 22, but he’s a wise man.
Wilson might improve a lot in his second year, but let’s wait until the games before we determine that . . .
Robert Saleh was asked about the timetable on when George Fant (pictured above) would return to practicing full.
He said, “I’m not going to put a number on it.”
This answer is certainly noteworthy, even though it is vague.
The reason it’s noteworthy is it sounds like Saleh is out of the timetable business.
Remember last year, when he said Mekhi Becton might have a 4-8 week injury after he hurt his knee in the 2021 opener, and then he missed the season?
While Saleh was just trying to help the media, Becton’s camp wasn’t thrilled with this timetable, because it might have made the offensive tackle look bad, since he didn’t meet it.
So Saleh is probably going to avoid timetable stuff, as he showed in this answer today . . .
Speaking of Becton, he had what seemed to be a much smoother practice today compared to Thursday. He seemed to be in the lineup more today, and didn’t seem to be struggling as much physically, like he did, at times, on Thursday, perhaps due to the heat. It was cooler today.
A reporter tweeted on Thursday, “Becton labored through the early part of practice.”
Becton took exception to this, and responded, “Make sure you say the part when I still grinded through practice you weirdo”
I have been doing this a long time, and I’ve never heard a player call a writer a “weirdo.”
The bottom line is he struggled a little bit physically, on Thursday, at times, on the first day of practice, and took a knee quite a bit.
But it was the first day of camp, very hot, and he’s a massive guy, and hasn’t played football since Week One of the 2021 season.
If he’s laboring in late August, and early September, leading up to the season, then it’s a big deal . . .
Somebody asked Saleh if linebacker Kwon Alexander was a “depth signing.”
I might be in the minority, but I don’t look at it that way.
This guy is a potential starter. He’s started 74 games in the NFL, with Tampa Bay, San Francisco and New Orleans.
The Jets linebacker play last year, on their 32nd-ranked defenses, was a little uneven.
And one issue with the linebacker play last year was pass coverage, which was substandard at times. They had no picks from the linebacker position.
Alexander is a good coverage linebacker with 8 career interceptions.
So if Alexander comes into practice and preseason games, and looks good coverage, he could move up the depth chart rather quickly and maybe into the starting lineup.
He just needs to stay healthy, something he’s struggled with over the years.
It’s the injuries, not talent, that had him still on the street in late July, and not getting any big money offers . . .
Speaking of improving their coverage on defense, it certainly looks like safety Jordan Whitehead is going to help them do this. Just like in the spring, he has shown good instincts in pass coverage in training camp, like today when he picked off Zach Wilson in the red zone.
Whitehead looks like a guy who is going to help the Jets deep patrol a great deal.
Not only will he upgrade their pass coverage, but he’s an unflinching hitter, and had a hit today on receiver Corey Davis that knocked the receiver’s helmet off . . .
C.J. Uzomah looks like he’s going to be a boon to the Jets’ running game. He had a really nice block on linebacker/safety Kai Nacua springing Zonovan “Bam” Knight for a nice run off right tackle . . .
July 29, 2022
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