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It was all over the sports news today . . .
Talking about Tom Brady organizing a workout with some of his new offensive teammates in Tampa Bay today in Florida.
What does that have to do with the Jets?
Nothing directly, especially since Brady is no longer in the Jets’ division, which is a positive development for Gang Green, giving them a much better chance to win the AFC East. The Patriots, led by Brady’s superb quarterbacking, won the AFC East 11 years in a row. That is somewhat astounding in a league like the NFL set up for competitive balance.
But I digress.
Brady organizing that work out today with players including wide receiver Mike Evans and tight end Cameron Brate, made me think about how it’s not ideal for the Jets’ young signal-caller, Sam Darnold, to miss spring workouts, that he could use to work on chemistry, with new receivers like Breshad Perriman and Denzel Mims.
Think about it. These are the two leading candidates to be Darnold’s two starting outside receivers, and he’s not getting to work with them in spring camps. Obviously Jamison Crowder, who had a terrific first year in green, will be the slot receiver.
Look, obviously, there is a darn good reason why there have been no spring practices in Florham Park this year. It’s due to the tragic Coronavirus pandemic.
So I’m not making light of this, just pointing out that the lack of spring practices could hurt Darnold’s maturation process this year.
Not only is Darnold not getting to work with two new key weapons, but not getting a chance to get to know, and work with his line, which could have five new starters this season.
There isn’t full-scale blocking in spring practices; it’s touch football per union rules. But keep in mind, at those Brady-driven workouts at a local Tampa high school, is also the quarterback’s new center, Ryan Jensen (a great late round find by Joe Douglas in Baltimore). So he got to work on exchanges with his new center. Darnold is going to have a new center in Connor McGovern, who he has a lot of things to go over with.
Remember, back in the day, the spring NFL camps used to be called “passing camps.” Because it’s the passing game that gets the most out of these camps, whether it’s the quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends and running backs, or the defenders of the pass like defensive backs and linebackers.
Darnold is just 22. He’s still a developing quarterback. And he’s entering his second season in Adam Gase’s offense, so this spring would have been huge for him, as he attempts to take the next step, and take true ownership of the offense. Last year, he was getting comfortable with the playbook throughout the season.
Brady is entering a new organization with a new offense (to him), so he was champing at the bit to start working with some new offensive teammates. In a way, you can say what Brady is doing is a competitive advantage of over other teams. Florida is much more open for business than many other states.
In New Jersey, Darnold and other player could get arrested if they had a practice on a field in Morris County, like some at the Atilis Gym in South Jersey.
And Darnold’s home state, California, isn’t an option for him to organize a work out. They are in a similar lock down to New Jersey.
But the bottom line, through no fault of his own, Darnold can’t work with his team new receivers, his five new offensive linemen, and so forth in “passing camps.”
Probably not ideal considering his age and all the new pieces around him.
May 19, 2020
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