The Takeaway

So the Jets are now 1-1 on this preseason after a 27-7 victory against the Bengals. Cincinnati has been outscored 61-10 in two games. Though it’s only the preseason, it looks like it is going to be a long year in the Queen City.

Mark Sanchez completed 12 of 20 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. His first touchdown pass was to Santonio Holmes on, what else, a slant pattern. Plaxico Burress playing in his first game had three catches for 66 yards and an over-the-shoulder grab for a touchdown. Again, it’s the preseason, and the Bengals aren’t very good. However, for a guy who hasn’t played in more than two years, his stat line was impressive.

Will the real Nick Folk please stand up? He missed from 43 yards, made it from 50 and had an out-of-bounds penalty on a kickoff. Nick Novak made his only field goal attempt from 30 yards.

Andy Dalton did not have a good game finishing 8 of 19 with two interceptions. It didn’t matter what defense was out there for the Jets, they played well. Even Aaron Maybin got into the action with a sack and forced fumble. I could be wrong, but I don’t ever recall Vernon Gholston doing any of that in a preseason game. 

Off The Presses

With Shonn Greene out, Jets turn to LaDainian Tomlinson. (NY Daily News)

Injuries keeping Derrick Mason and Mark Brunell out of practice. (NY Post)

Jeff Cumberland joining Dustin Keller in double tight-end formation. (Star-Ledger)

Mark Sanchez is maturing as a leader. (ESPN)

Off The Presses

Shonn Greene's sore foot. (Sporting News)

John Connor as the new starting fullback. (Star-Ledger)

New Meadowlands Stadium will be known as MetLife Stadium. (NY Post)

The Jets' pipeline of punters. (NY Times)

Off The Presses

Concerns mounting for Rex Ryan. (NY Daily News)

Jets to sign Aaron Maybin. (NY Daily News)

Patriots ready for a rematch with Jets. (NY Post)

Ravens owner explained why he didn't pick Rex Ryan as head coach. (NFL News)

Robert Turner Out 8-10 Weeks, Joe McKnight Suffers Concussion

Robert Turner, the Jets versatile offensive lineman has suffered a broken leg and will require surgery, reports the New York Daily News. He will be out an estimated eight to ten weeks. It's also being reported that Joe McKnight suffered a concussion.

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Jets are $9.4 million under the cap. If the Jets feel they have to go out and get some help, it looks like they have the resources to do so.

Off The Presses

Greg McElroy shows some toughness. (Star-Ledger)

Winners & Losers (NY Post)

Rex v. Sanchez grabs headlines. (FOX Sports Houston)

The Takeaway: Week 1 Preseason

1)      Losing Robert Turner for any length of time will hurt this team.

He is the jack-of-all-trades on the offensive line. He can fill in at either position and for a team already struggling with O-Line depth, his loss could prove devastating. Vlad Ducasse did not look ready for prime time as Greg McElroy got hit a few times in the second corner, eventually fumbling the football on a sack and setting up a Texan touchdown. Robby Felix did a solid job, but he’s the third-string center. Do you really trust him to protect Mark Sanchez?

       2)      Mark Sanchez looked OK for the one quarter he played.

Coming into the game, there was talk about how the offense would look considering their struggles in practice. Sanchez would finish with six completions in seven attempts for 43 yards and threw a nice pass to Santonio Holmes running the slant route. He didn’t really air it out, but he was efficient in his passes.

       3)      Ignoring touchbacks, the Jets brought out the ball.

Coming into the final preseason game of Week 1 much had been made about the NFL’s new rule that kickoffs will take place from the 35 yard line. There had been a much higher rate of touchbacks in the preseason this year as compared to last year. That didn’t seem to stop the Jets from bringing the ball out.  It didn’t matter if it was Jeremy Kerley, Joe McKnight or Dan DePalma, they were going to run it. Will this continue into the regular season?

       4)      The kicking battle continues.

Nick Folk was 2 of 2 in field goals, making them from 33 and 40 yards out respectively. Nick Novak made his only attempt from 35. Novak has had a great camp, but I like Folk. I know he was shaky at times last year, but he did come through in the playoffs against Indianapolis.

      5)      I do not envy Rex Ryan’s headset.

The last image I have of the 2010 season is Rex Ryan smashing his headset on the field in Pittsburgh. It almost seems fitting that my first image of 2011 should be Ryan smashing his headset on the field for having 12 men on the field in a preseason game. Ah yes, football is officially back.

Know Your Enemy

When the Texans played the Jets in Week 11, they were ranked 31^st in total defense and 32^nd in pass defense. These were two statistics that would prove fateful as Mark Sanchez drove the Jets down the field in the final minute, culminating in a Santonio Holmes touchdown with 10 seconds left to give New York a 30-27 victory.

Houston finished 6-10 and went into the offseason looking to make changes to the defense.  They would go across state lines by signing former Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips as coordinator. They also signed talented cornerback Jonathan Joseph from Cincinnati and brought in safety Daneal Manning from Chicago and All-Pro defensive end Mario Williams was moved from to outside linebacker in Houston’s new 3-4 alignment.

Houston’s strength lies in their offense which finished third in total yards. Signed as an undrafted free agent, running back Arian Foster would go from the practice squad to the Pro Bowl leading the NFL in rushing yards. In addition to a great running game, the Texans boasted the fourth best passing offense in football. Matt Schaub threw for over 4000 yards, 1200 of which went to Andre Johnson.

For the game tonight, head coach Gary Kubiak said the starters on defense would play only 10-12 plays. Also, look for running backs Derrick Ward and Chris Ogbonnaya to get the carries on offense as the rest of Houston’s running backs are battling injuries.

Two years ago, Houston finished 9-7 and was seen by many to be a team on the rise. They regressed last season and are looking to bounce back this year but their schedule presents a tough challenge. Three of their first four games are against teams with prolific passing attacks: Indianapolis, New Orleans and Pittsburgh. These games will be a barometer as to how improved the defense, especially the pass defense, really is.  

Off The Presses

Mike Devito and Sione Pouha are now leaders on the defensive line.  (Star-Ledger)

Jerricho Cotchery didn't fit in with the Jets. (Star-Ledger)

Mark Sanchez wanted to fight Rex Ryan. (NY Post)

Watch the rookies in tonight's game. (Wall Street Journal)

Is Mike Tannebaum planning another move. (ESPN NY)

Jeremy Kerley Profile in Star-Ledger

Great story about Jeremy Kerley in today's Star-Ledger. I think this exchange between Kerley and Mike Westhoff sums up why everybody is excited about this guy.

“Is your picture ever going to be up there?” Westhoff demanded, pointing at enlarged prints of his most dangerous special-teams aces in 10 seasons with the Jets. “We’ve had seven return guys here that finished in the top one, two or three in the NFL.” “I can be No. 8,” the rookie coolly responded.

Off The Presses

Santonio Holmes named one of five captains. (NY Daily News)

Jets' offense continues to have its struggles. (NY Post)

Scotty McKnight becoming a Twitter target (NY Post)

Are the Jets becoming a more aggressive offense? (NY Times)

Off The Presses

Nick Mangold to play Monday night. (NY Daily News)

Jets' offense looks sloppy in practice. (NY Post)

Three things learned on Friday. (ESPN NY)

Chris Stewart: Lawyer. Lineman.

Here's an article I found on Chris Stewart. He's currently in Jets camp looking to make the team as an offensive lineman but also attending Notre Dame Law School.

Thoughts On The Week That Was

I have never been happier to watch a preseason game as I was last night. OK it was just the Broncos and Cowboys, but for the first time in a long while, the only battle fans had to concern themselves with was the one on the field and not in the courtroom. It was also a reminder that the best football is yet to come.

To me, the real preseason debut is seeing the Jets play Houston next Monday night. It’ll be Jets fans' first look at the team since the AFC Championship Game. I’m geared up to see how Wilkerson and Ellis look on the defense, but I’m especially excited to see what if any impact Tom Moore has already had on the offense. One thing I wasn’t looking forward to was seeing Plaxico Burress on the field.

Since he rolled his ankle last week, the Jets haven’t been using him much in practice. However, Rex Ryan continued to say that the plan was to have him in the preseason opener. I disagreed with this because if he wasn’t practice ready, he’s most certainly not game ready. The last thing you want during preseason is an injury to your number 2 receiver. Along with getting the team acclimated, the number one goal of preseason is to come out of it with your top players injury-free.

That’s why I was glad to learn today that Burress will not play in the game. There’s plenty of time between now and Week 1 to get healthy and ready to go. There’s no need to risk it. I’m sure Burress wants to get on the field as badly as anybody. Fortunately, it’s only one game in a season of many.

Off The Presses

Plaxico Burress again limited during practice. (NY Daily News)

Dustin Keller can be the Jets' Dallas Clark. (NY Post)

Mike Westhoff dealing with personnel changes on special teams. (Star-Ledger)

Jets games to be broadcast on radio in Los Angeles. (Sacramento Bee)

The key to the Jets' pass rush is Rex Ryan. (ESPN NY)

Chris Bryan looking to make the team. (ESPN NY)

Scary Moment At Practice

Jets' All-Pro Center Nick Mangold was down for several moments after Shonn Greene dove over a pile. Mangold did get up and walk off the field with trainers beside him.

UPDATE 5:53 PM: Nick Mangold is OK after suffering a burner during practice reports Jenny Vrentas. X-Rays were negative.

Cotchery To Sign With Pittsburgh

Adam Schefter is reporting that the Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to a one-year contract with Jerricho Cotchery. More information can be found in the article here.

Off The Presses

Sean Gilbert is working as a Jets coaching intern. (NY Daily News)

Vlad Ducasse is on the verge of breaking out. (Star-Ledger)

What to expect today in camp. (ESPN NY)

Jets Release Depth Chart

Here's the Depth Chart for the first preseason game against the Houston Texans. Courtesy of The Star-Ledger.

Off The Presses

Kyle Wilson looking to bounce back in his second season. (Metro)

Plaxico Burress not yet cleared for full practice. (ESPN NY)

The next step for the Jets is to win the division and get a home game in the playoffs. (NY Daily News)

Jets looking to replace Brad Smith in the Wildcat formation. (NY Post)

Mike Pettine still haunted by last year's AFC Championship Game. (NY Post)

Highlights From Today's Jets' Practice

Mark Sanchez begins the practice by connecting on a 35-yd TD to Derrick Mason. It wasn't a full practice, but any encouraging sign is appreciated.

Sanchez connects with Scotty McKnight on a nice grab.

Mr. DPR himself Jamaal Westerman made a nice play.

Eric Smith didn't make a pick but he got a good workout in anyway.

There's a bit of a scare as Antonio Cromartie tries to break up a pass and comes up limp but he's OK.

Sanchez connects with Mason on a long reception.

Nick Novak continues to show he has a leg and knows how to use it.

Brodney Pool picks Sanchez off.

Is Jerricho Cotchery Officially A Raven?

Bears Cancel Practice Over Field Conditions

Scott Van Pelt was talking about this today on his show. The Chicago Bears cancelled a practice at Soldier Field because the field wasn't in playing condition. Here's the article from Pro Football Talk.
If anybody thinks the Jets are inept, they should read this.

A Look Inside Jets' Indoor Practice Field



Krisitan Dyer with the photo

Jets Have $9 Million In Cap Room

Bart Hubbach of the NY Post tweeted this 40 minutes ago:

If they wouldn't spend the money on Ellis, what could or should they be using it for?

Off The Presses

Mark Sanchez and his receivers are rushing to develop chemistry before the season starts. (ESPN NY)

Sanchez surrounded by age and wisdom in Derrick Mason and Tom Moore. (NY Daily News)

Coaches wish Jerricho Cotchery well. (Star-Ledger)

Why Shaun Ellis Isn't a Jet

Jenny Vrentas just tweeted this article about a conference call with Shaun Ellis in which he explains why he left the Jets for the Patriots.

I felt the Jets lowballed him and should have offered him more, but definitely not $4 million. I understand why Ellis did what he did and no one can fault him. The Pats made him a much better offer than the Jets. He's 34 years old and nearing the end of his career. This is probably the last big paycheck he'll see. He had to do what was right for him and his family.

Highlights from Today's Jets Practice

During a drill, Plaxico Burress made a one-handed grab and stayed inbounds.

Derrick Mason made the first grab in 11-on-11 drills.

Jeremy Kerley continues to impress.

Darrelle Revis had a pick against Mark Sanchez. Sanchez would go 7-of-19 with an INT in drills.

On a side note, Mason was wearing pink cleats in honor of his mother who is going through a second bout with breast cancer. He plans to wear them for the remainder of the season.

Ellis Received Higher Offer from Patriots.

It was reported that Shaun Ellis received an offer in the neighborhood of four to five million dollars to sign with the New England Patriots, far exceeding the veteran's minimum offer the Jets made of $910K. Bart Scott admitted that "With a hard cap we could only do so much. We have a lot of needs that we needed to address."

Shaun Ellis was a big part of this team for many years. He deserved a higher offer for his years of service. I would have offered $2 million for one year out of respect for what he's done here.

Off The Presses

Plaxico Burress stepped onto the field in pads. (NY Daily News)

Derrick Mason saw the Jets as his best chance to win a Super Bowl. (Star-Ledger)

Jets sign Keith Zinger. (Star-Ledger)

Nick Folk vs. Nick Novak. (Star-Ledger)

Jets receving corps getting acquainted with the offense. (Star-Ledger)

Did the Jets do the right thing in allowing Shaun Ellis to go to New England? (ESPN NY)

Shannon Sharpe's Hall Of Fame Speech

This is an amazing speech.

A Sight for Sore Eyes

Plaxico Burress is in pads during practice! Thanks to Conor Orr for this picture.

Ellis To Sign With Patriots

Longtime Jet Shaun Ellis will sign with the New England Patriots reports Adam Schefter. Muhammad Wilkerson's job just got a lot tougher.

Off The Presses

Mark Sanchez is getting to know his receivers. (NY Daily News)

How Plaxico Burress became a Jet. (NY Post)

Q&A with Muhammad Wilkerson. (NY Post)

Calvin Pace's role in the pass rush. (Star-Ledger)

Measuring the financial impact of Jets & Giants holding camp in NJ, not NY. (Star-Ledger)

The impact of the NFL's new kickoff rule on kick returns. (NY Times)

Jim Leonhard's return to the field. (NY Times)

Derrick Mason Is Now A Jet

Adam Schefter reported on Saturday that WR Derrick Mason will be a member of the New York Jets. Mason took to Twitter to announce that he was joining the team. UPDATED: Here's the article from the NY Daily News.

Thoughts On the Week That Was

If there would be a theme of this week, it would be a changing of the guard. As camp begins for the New York Jets, this team faces a lot of questions. Perhaps the biggest question is whether they will be able to make up for the loss of such fan favorites and key cogs like Shaun Ellis, Jerricho Cotchery and Damien Woody.

This is not the first time the Jets have been faced with such a task. Last year, the departures of Alan Faneca and Thomas Jones brought the same concern. The Jets responded with an 11-5 record and a second consecutive appearance in the AFC Title Game. However, one can only wonder how long a team can go parting ways with strong locker room presences in favor of more talented but troubled individuals.

This is not to say all is bleak. While there may be a change in leadership, training camp also brings a sense of optimism. Many have been impressed with Jeremy Kerley, the fifth round pick out of TCU. Rex Ryan has had positive things to say about first-round draft choice Muhammad Wilkerson.  While these two may not be asked to carry the team, it looks as if they will have an integral role in the success or failure of this season.

Many columnists have come out this week and said that Ryan has to do a better job of coaching and getting his team ready, something that was lacking in the first half of last year’s AFC Championship against Pittsburgh. I believe no one knows that more than the man himself. He has certainly painted quite a target on his team’s back and he knows what the stakes are. The success he has had these past two seasons have earned him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his bluster.

If the Jets are to go anywhere this season, Mark Sanchez will be the key. In his past two postseason appearances, he has defeated Carson Palmer, Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Jet fans are now looking to see if he can do that during the regular season. He’s shown flashes of brilliance, but it is time to be more consistent.

As the first week of training camp concludes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Whoever suits up for the Green and White this season, the expectations remain what they have been these past two seasons. Fortunately, there has been no change in that philosophy.

Off The Presses

LaDainian Tomlinson says he wants to play football beyond this season. (NY Daily News)

Damien Woody announces his retirement. (NY Daily News)

Steve Serby says Mark Sanchez must embrace his new leadership role. (NY Post)

Mark Sanchez expected to break out this year. (NFL Website)

Rex Ryan is looking to Santonio Holmes as well as other players to lead. (Star-Ledger)

Jeremy Kerley continues to impress. (ESPN New York)

Jerricho Cotchery Contacted by Tennessee

There is no word yet on whether Derrick Mason has accepted the Jets offer. Pro Football Talk is reporting that the Titans have reached out to Free Agent WR Jerricho Cotchery.

Pats Sign A Defensive Lineman Not Named Shaun Ellis

Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston.com is reporting that the New England Patriots have signed former Bears and Texans defensive end Mark Anderson. Anderson's best season was in 2006 with Chicago when he was credited with 12 sacks.

Roster Moves Announced By Jets

Off The Presses

Gary Myers has a column in today's NY Daily News in which he ponders if the Jets did the right thing by bringing in Plaxico Burress at the expense of Jerricho Cotchery. Burress was supposed to make his debut yesterday but instead rolled his ankle. Manish Mehta has more on Cotchery's release and Bob Raissman has a piece about the detractors of Rex Ryan.

Steve Politi has a piece in The Star-Ledger about Jerricho Cotchery. Jenny Vrentas also has a piece about the absence of Cotchery and the sudden concern over the receiving corps.

George Vecsey has a piece in the NY Times about Burress.

Steve Serby has a story in the NY Post in which he speaks of the Jets' high expectations.

Moving away from the receivers, Clark Judge of CBS Sports.com writes that for the Jets to have a successful season, Mark Sanchez will have to shoulder more of the offensive responsibility.

Braylon Edwards Is Moving On

Adam Schefter is reporting that Braylon Edwards has reached an agreement with the San Francisco 49ers on a one-year contract.

Jerricho Cotchery Asked For Trade or Release

Jenny Vrentas tweeted that Jerricho Cotchery asked for trade or release. Rex Ryan said that he tried to convince Cotchery to stay.

Ellis Worked Out By Patriots

Defensive Lineman Shaun Ellis was worked out by the New England Patriots today, reports ESPN Boston.

Players With New Contracts Beginning to Practice

Jerricho Cotchery Released

Derrick Mason Passes Physical

The Terminator Strikes

Jets Vote To Ratify CBA

The league year can officially begin for the Jets as the players have voted to ratify the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Here's the tweet from Mark Brunell.

Jerricho Cotchery Expects to Be Released

The title says it all. In a report from the Star-Ledger, WR Jerricho Cotchery says he expects to be released and says that a change of scenery would be a good thing for him.
               
"No question, yeah," Cotchery told The Star-Ledger. "I don’t want to get into specific details, but I have. I have. I have, to be honest. I don’t know how to say it."

Off The Presses

Braylon Edwards looks to be in trouble again. (NY Daily News)

Shonn Greene will see his workload increase. (NY Daily News)

Steve Serby writes about Jim Leonhard's return to action. (NY Post)

Brodney Pool Returns to Jets

While Jets fans await word on the possible return of Shaun Ellis, The Star-Ledger is reporting that the team will re-sign Brodney Pool, adding more depth at the safety position.

Jenny Vrentas and Conor Orr Talk Jets

The Star-Ledger's Jets beat reporters discuss the events surrounding Day 3 of Jets Training Camp.

Derrick Mason In? Jerricho Cotchery Out?

In a move that could spell the end of Jerricho Cotchery's time with the Jets,and all but assures Braylon Edwards won't be back, it was reported late Wednesday that the Jets are bringing Derrick Mason in for a physical and could be signed by the end of the week.

Jets Offer Veteran's Minimum To Shaun Ellis

It was reported by ESPN New York that the Jets have reached out to Shaun Ellis and offered him a one-year contract for the veteran's minimum at $910,000. There is no word yet as to whether Ellis has accepted the offer. According to Ellis's agent Mitch Frankel, Ellis "wants nothing more" to finish his career as a Jet.

Greene Ready For Bigger Role In Offense

The-Star Ledger has an article featuring Shonn Greene expecting to carry more responsibility on the running game this season. From all reports, it sounds like Greene is ready to go.

Hunter Is Starting Tackle, Pace Is On Pace, Braylon Returning?

Multiple tweets went out today confirming that Wayne Hunter is Ryan's choice to start at Right Tackle this season. Vlad Ducasse will be backup to Hunter.

It was also reported that Calvin Pace's foot was only 20% healthy by the end of last season. Ryan expects a healthy Pace to have a double-digit sack year. Manish Mehta quotes Ryan as saying Pace has "potential 10-sack ability."

Jenny Vrentas tweeted that Ryan said of Braylon Edwards "If Braylon wants to come back for what we can pay him, come on back." Ryan also didn't rule out the possibility of James Ihedigbo and Brodney Pool returning.

Off The Presses

Mike Vaccaro echoes the sentiments of Ian O'Connor that Rex Ryan has to do a better job as coach this season. (NY Post)

Ben Shpigel has a story in the NY Times about Defensive Coordinator Mike Pettine's challenge to make the Jets a more dominant defense. There's an interesting stat in the article. "According to game charting by Football Outsiders, the Jets’ third-down defense was the worst in the NFL last season — after being the best in 2009. Their downfall was not preventing conversions so much as preventing explosive plays; they allowed 22 plays of at least 20 yards on third down, three more than any other team." 

   

Training Camp: Day 2

Congratulations to David Harris. The linebacker has signed a four-year, $36 million contract with $29.5 million guaranteed according to Manish Mehta of the NY Daily News.

The Jets have signed safety DaJuan Morgan. Jenny Vrentas of the Star-Ledger writes that Morgan will provide depth at the position as Jim Leonhard comes back from injury and Eric Smith waits till August 4th to practice.

Rex Says Wilkerson To Start, Westerman's Role To Increase

According to an article published on NJ.com, Rex Ryan says that Muhammad Wilkerson will start at defensive end this season. Also, expect to see more of Jamaal Westerman as a pass rusher.

Off The Presses

Gary Myers writes in the NY Daily News that the Jets roster as it's currently constructed isn't the best roster Rex Ryan has had to work with.

Plaxico Burress says that when he steps onto the field, he will look like he was 25 years old. (NY Daily News)

Rex Ryan is challenging the rest of the league to beat the New England Patriots. (NY Post)

Mike Vaccaro writes of the expectations the Jets and Mark Sanchez have for themselves. (NY Post)

Antonio Cromartie is playing to prove to people he is a number one cornerback. (NY Post) (Star-Ledger)

Ryan is already thinking about the Christmas Eve matchup with the Giants. (NY Post)

Mike Tannenbaum says the Jets aren't done putting the pieces together. (NY Post)

Off The Presses:

Ian O'Connor of ESPN New York has just published an article saying that Rex Ryan has to do a better coaching job this season if the Jets are to reach the Super Bowl.

Summing Up The 2011 Free Agency Period

This free agent period reminds of a Saved By The Bell episode in which Zack falls for the new student nurse and dumps Kelly. When he's turned off by the student nurse (who's onto his scheme), he tries to run back to Kelly but she is dating another guy. In this case, Nnamdi Asomugha is the new object of affection and Antonio Cromartie is the jilted lover. Luckily, Cromartie has forgiven the Jets by signing a 4-year, $32 million dollar contract as reported by the NY Post.

Asomugha is a shutdown cornerback, while Cromartie is a very good cornerback. But by pursuing Asomugha vigorously and not getting him, the Jets ran the risk of also losing Cromartie, leaving them with what would have been a gaping hole in the secondary. I don't think Kyle Wilson was ready to step up and start based on what I saw of him last year.

In the end, the Jets did not get the most-coveted free agent but retained two of their top four free agents(Cromartie, Santonio Holmes) and brought in Plaxico Burress to give Mark Sanchez a bigger target to throw to in the end zone. They couldn't re-sign Brad Smith and Braylon Edwards appears to be headed elsewhere. I'm sorry to see both go, but I'm relieved that the Jets kept their biggest stars. It remains to be seen the impact of Smith's absence on the wildcat and special teams, but Cromartie can at least spell Smith on punt returns.