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The good stuff from minicamp . . .
One guy who has really helped himself in the spring is DE/LB Bronson Kaufusi.
He is getting prime-time reps.
When the Jets starting defense goes to their nickel package, he’s brought on the field as an edge-rusher. He’s been getting into the backfield a lot this spring. The former third-round pick of Baltimore out of BYU is a long (6-6, 270) and athletic player with a great motor . . .
Trumaine Johnson addressed the media today.
These sessions have turned a little cold after his struggles last year, Week 17 deactivation and the media asking a lot of questions about his rough season.
He was asked about maybe looking to bounce back after a rough 2018 season.
“I’m not even thinking about that,” Johnson said.
He was asked about Gregg Williams defense, which he played when they both worked for the St. Louis Rams.
“He likes blitzing so he leaves corners on an island,” Johnson said.
I’m not sure how that is ideal for him. Johnson isn’t a bad player – his ball skills are solid and has good instincts, but he has average speed.
At the 2012 NFL Combine, Johnson ran the 40-yard dash of 4.61 seconds, and that was eight years ago, and he’s 29 now, so he might not even be that fast now. Bill Polian told me once at the combine that his cut-off time for corners is 4.55.
So not sure leaving Johnson at an island at this point is the best way to go.
Unless the Jets’ pass rush improves this year.
Johnson is much better with a good pass rush like he had with the Rams. If the rushers get their quickly, he can hold up fine, but the longer he’s left on an island his speed is exposed . . .
Quincy Enunwa had a rough practice today with issues holding on to contested passes, something he’s usually very good at.
Watching up close, you wonder if the serious high ankle sprain he suffered last year is still a little bit of an issue. He looks like he’s hobbling just a bit out there right now . . .
It’s no secret the Jets could use another corner to emerge to strengthen that room – two names to keep an eye on – Derrick Jones and Kyron Brown.
Jones had broken up passes on back-to-back plays in the red zone today.
Brown had his second strong day in a row at minicamp. He’s very instinctive and is consistently in the right place at the right time. The Boynton Beach-native is extremely bright and played his senior year at Akron as a grad student working on his masters . . .
Ira Axselrad was at Jets practice today, and walked off the field with owner Christopher Johnson when practice concluded.
Axselrad is president of the Johnson Company and is pictured with Christopher on the cover posted with the article.
You have to wonder what role he will have in picking the team’s new GM.
Yes, Christopher will absolutely have the final say, but this is his right-hand man, so to act like his opinion won’t matter might be a tad naive.
And the fact that Axselrad was see at practice today, and walking off the field with Christopher (just the two of them), at such a key time in the GM search process, with all the interviews complete, makes you wonder about Axselrad’s role.
Some people around the Jets get mad when you write about Axselrad because he’s not listed as a team executive.
But I don’t understand why. Seemingly every powerful person has a right-hand man or woman they lean on. This man serves that role with Johnson brothers. What’s wrong with pointing this out?
This isn’t a case where we’re passing judgement – just dealing with reality of this man’s power . . .
June 5, 2019
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