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Dan checks in with some more Website Whispers with a potpourri of notes on a myriad of players . . .
It was a very, very sloppy afternoon practice, and I’m not just talking about the rain.
There were a lot of off-sides penalties, including flags on wide receiver Patrick Turner and offensive tackle Jeff Wills (from Laurelton, NY).
These practices look a lot more like mini-camp practices than training camp practices. Obviously there were no mini-camp practices due to the lockout, and that explains a lot of the sloppiness . . .
Case-in-point on what kind of guy Jerricho Cotchery is. We all know the Jets have been dangling him in trade talks to help clear some cap space. But that doesn’t stop the classy Cotchery from tutoring his possible replacement, Jeremy Kerley, on the practice field.
Like I tweeted before, if the Jets want to do the right thing by Cotchery, trade him to San Diego, and let him finish his career with his close friend Phillip Rivers. Those two shatter all the NC State passing records together, and are like brothers.
I’m trying to stay emotionally out of this story, but it amazes me that Tannenbaum would consider trading a man who has done SO much on and off the field for the Jets. Cotchery might be the classiest player I’ve ever covered. I’m not friends with him (I’m not friends with any players I cover), but that doesn’t mean I can’t have an opinion. This guy is just too good to be true – just an amazing guy, and he deserves better . . .
Greg McElroy had a couple of nice quick outs to Dan DePalma and Kerley. The reason I bring these plays up is that people have questioned McElroy’s arm strength, and both these passes had a lot of mustard on them. These are the kind of passes that could easily go for a Pick Six if not thrown well.
I have said this before, and I will say it again, the way McElroy come up to the line, barks out plays, and moves guys around, you would think he’s been here for five years. The kid is extremely bright . . .
The Jets are using Kerley on a lot of kick returns this far. I have to admit, I don’t love him in this role. He’s only 5-9, 188, perhaps a little small for NFL kick returner. He really could take a beating. Leon Washington and Brad Smith had much sturdier builds than this guy, and could withstand the punishment better.
Kerley as a punt returner – that is a different story. That seems like a much better role for him, and he handled that quite a bit at TCU. The collision on punt returns aren’t as fierce because it’s a shorter field, and his short area quickness would come in handy in this role. . . .
The Jets have been pretty fortunate on the injury front thus far. The only guy I saw being looked at today by trainer John “Unchained” Mellody was cornerback Richard Taylor. I’m not sure what it was because the treatment area was blocked off from where the media was standing.