Jets TC Report Card

Hey Now!

So, another training camp has concluded, and now we start to get ready for the real thing in a couple of weeks. The actual grades I gave out here aren?t that important, nor are they written in stone; this is just one last opportunity to write about training camp, and give you all another read about the team we dig and the summer days at Hofstra that these guys go through to make the team.

It is very interesting to watch the Jets put the team together each summer, making some obvious, and some surprising cuts along the way. I root for every guy who comes to camp to do well, and that also has made watching the pre-season games a lot more interesting for me.

So, don?t spend too much energy dissecting the grades, and wondering if a B+ should have been an A- it?s not that important. Just enjoy the read!


QB- Pennington has had some ups and downs; he has looked sharp during most of the practices, but also has been kept under wraps during camp. His throws have been mostly on target in the short game and the mid-range passes, but there has been a conspicuous absence of downfield throws by him. It remains to be seen if this is to prevent New England from seeing him air it out before Week 1, or is it because he just can?t make the long throws. He did start to let it loose a little on the last day of open practice. At least he is throwing the out pattern this year- something he didn?t even attempt last summer. There is a stable of terrific WRs on the team, but they haven?t been as highlighted in camp as they could have been, due to CP not making the long throws. B-

Clemens has made a lot of progress this summer. He has solidified his position as the current Jets backup QB just as convincingly as Chad won the QB battle last summer. Clemens? comfort level running the offense has increased tenfold, his passing has been mostly accurate, though he has had off days and hasn?t thrown spirals consistently. He looks more comfortable moving around the pocket, his footwork is improving, and he is closing the gap on Pennington as he moves through the learning curve. He has already reached the point where if he had to take over at QB, he could do it with just a few hiccups along the way- something he wasn?t remotely close to last year. B.

Ratliff is the rookie out of Utah who has done a nice job picking up the responsibilities and nuances of quarterbacking the scout team the past two weeks. I think they may try to find a spot for him on the practice squad, since someone is needed to run the scout team, and he is affordable and moldable. He?s my dark horse sleeper to stick. C+

RB- Thomas Jones was looking very good in camp until he injured his leg. He was on his way to a solid B+,-A- but has to settle for an Incomplete.

Leon W. has emerged as one of the most popular and exciting players on the team. He has been sterling throughout camp. A.

Danny Ware has done well running with the second and scout teams, but has he done well enough to prevent the CS from looking elsewhere for a RB? That remains to be seen, but I am predicting he sticks and makes a contribution this season. B-

Alvin Banks started camp like gangbusters, but then fell back to the pack. He has done alright, though not great, on special teams. C-.

Darian Barnes has certainly made an impression, and most likely his impressions have been left on the guys he blocked to open holes for the RBs. B

Stacy Tutt has been injured and riding the bike but he got a lot of work in the 11s on the last day of camp, catching several passes over the middle and looked quick for a FB. Incomplete

WR- Coles and Cotchery have both looked fine in tc, and have largely remained under the radar as they prepare for the long haul of the regular season. Coles has looked sharp as Chad?s go-to guy, and Cotch has been uncoverable. They don?t have to put up numbers in tc- just get ready for the regular season. B+ for Coles, A- for Cotch.

Wallace Wright has had an impressive camp, both as a WR and a STer. A-

McCairens has had an outstanding camp, no two ways about it. A+

Stuckey has been a pleasant surprise this summer, and I expect he will make a couple of plays this season that have us jumping out of our seats. He needs to stay healthy B+

Brad Smith has looked good when he is in as a WR. He has also returned punts and KOs, and taken some snaps as QB. He has been a busy guy this summer. B+

TE- Like many of the other starters, Chris Baker has had a low key camp, getting the rust off and preparing for the haul of the regular season. B.

Sean Ryan has had a high profile camp lately, making a bunch of receptions, and seeing the field in tc quite a bit after a slow start. B+

Joe Kowalewski was looking very good until he pulled up with an injury. Incomplete.

Pociask has stepped it up in the latter part of camp and is running some nice patterns. B



OL- One of the more enigmatic units on the team, it has suffered from the uncertainty of who will be the starting left guard on opening day. Mangold gets an A for his consistently high level of play, and Moore has been quietly consistent, though worrisome on his pass protection. C+. Clement has had his hands full with Shaun Ellis and has been spotty: C.

Brick has largely done aight, though still less than the lofty expectations that go with being the 4th overall pick. C+

Clarke looks the part, but has he performed up to the CS?s expectations? He could be a solid backup once a reliable starter is in place, or he could be the starter until someone better comes along. C.

Bender has been on a crash course learning RT and LG, and is a rookie who seems to have potential: C+ at guard and C at RT.

Too much has already been written about Kendall. He clearly dogged in in Jets camp, which is what these grades reflect. He?s gone now, but I saw his pouting, miserable puss more than I would have liked, so he?s getting his TC grade, whether he likes it or not: F.

DL- Another unit which suffers from inconsistent play and uncertainty over who can step in and be a reliable RDE. Ellis has been the only DL who has played consistently well, and he gets an A-.

Pouha and Mosley have played well enough to make the team and be in the rotation, but whether they will be very good NTs remains to be seen. C.

D-Rob has shown flashes, but is far from dominant. C+
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Haynes, Hicks, and Kimo have been nondescript. Bowens and Hamilton haven?t shown a lot in camp either, but they all are wily vets who know the regular season is where it counts. Right now they all remain at C level. (I?ll add a + to Haynes? grade since he gave me a good interview, LOL)

LB- Eric Barton has shown great energy in camp and continues to hustle and be an inspiration to his teammates. A-.

The addition of Harris looks to be a good one. He looks like he will be a force stopping the run and I like this kid. Westhoff has given him a pretty hard ride in TC on STs but I think he likes him after all. B+.

Spencer and Costanzo have had very good camps and have both played physical football to the max of their abilities. B+.

Bryan Thomas and Jon Vilma continue to hone their skills in the 3-4 and both look to be making improvements adapting to the scheme. B.

Kassel, Wadsworth and Schlegal have all been way under the radar to make an impact on defense. Whether any of them stick may come down to whether Westhoff wants them on his STs. D+

DB- Dyson spent a good part of tc running with the second team while Miller and Barrett ran with the first team, until Miller got hurt. Then Dyson re-injured his already tweaked leg. Drew Coleman also spent a lot of time in the bike section. Incomplete.

Barrett has had his hands full covering the potent WRs the Jets have on the roster, and has for the most part done well against Coles, who has been laying low. B.

D.Revis looks to have a ton of potential, but has only participated in a couple of days of practices. Incomplete.

Eric Smith was gangbusters until his hamstring injury. Incomplete.

Rhodes, R.Washington, and E.Coleman have also had their hands full guarding the Jets WRs, but since a lot of deep balls weren?t thrown, they weren?t tested as much as they could have been. B

Ray Ventrone has had an active camp and is becoming a fan favorite. He is still somewhat raw by NFL standards. B.


Special Teams- The special teams have clearly been the best unit in camp. Westhoff is The Man, and it has been a privilege watching him coach these guys up. It has also been amusing to watch Westhoff rake Harris over the coals during his rookie initiation.

Graham is the same as he ever was, Nugent?s kickoffs have had some increased distance, Dearth is the best long snapper in the game, and Wallace Wright is a terrific gunner. The emergence of Ray Ventrone has been exciting to watch. The key to the Jets ST lies in the no-name, unheralded guys who do the dirty work, and that is where Westhoff?s coaching shines. A+.

Did I forget anybody? There are over 80 players in camp. If there?s someone in particular you want to read a summary for, lemme know.

!

 

PERKS

Thanks to Slomin Shield for handing out Jets seat cushions, which made sitting on the bleachers all those hours more tolerable for me. Turkey Hill’s Jets Sundae Blitz is delicious, and thanks for the freebies. The best freebie this year was the insulated Jets lunch bag handed out by 4C. I’m going to miss the great staff at the Starbucks on Hempstead Tpke, where I got the caffeine needed to drive home and type the tc reports.



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Well, it’s time to pack up my tent, and clean up the stray tc rosters, empty water bottles, and sunscreen that are lying around in my car. I’ll pack up the binoculars until I head out to the first game. It’s been fun as always reporting what I see at training camp, and I hope that Jets fans on this board are as informed about the development of the 2007 Jets as anyone could be. I think it may time for me to step away from the computer for a little while, and work on some other matters after being a Training Camp Freak for the past month.

Soon enough, the massive tailgate on September 9 will be here, and it won't be too long before we put away the shorts and T-shirts and break out the sweaters and sweatshirts, followed by the parkas and green wool caps. Before we know it, we will be watching the Jets hosting the Iggles on Columbus Day weekend in horrid throwback uniforms, and we will wake up on Turkey Day to watch the Jets in Dallas. The home finale against the B-B-Q Chefs is sure to be an interesting watch, and then it will be time to root for as many games in January as this team is capable of giving us.

Then, we can argue about whom to draft, and look forward to mini-camp, before the next and last training camp at Hofstra gets underway in ‘08, and the cycle starts all over again.

See ya next summer.

Have a great season

 

Thanks guys.

I'll be back online in a few hours.

 

Yep, the biggest thing about observing tc is that most of the reps are not "live".

westhoff occasionally has the KO team do a play at full speed, but for the most part, it is obvious that the reps in tc are much softer than the plays in a real game.

They do pick up the pace now that the practices are closed, but we wont get a peek at that until the hitting starts fo real in September.

It's right about this time that I start getting the shakes when I realize i wont be able to watch them practice anymore. kinda sucks.

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. It is much appreciated.

 

So how come none of you picked up on the fact that I omitted Kenyon from the report card? You better not be slipping!!

Anyways, not including Kenyon was an oversight, and I dont know, if you want to read something into that, go right ahead.

I mentioned early on that he seemed to be getting the first team reps, and about halfway thru camp, i believed he had solidified himself as the starter, which he probably is. The OL and DL dont have "live" reps against each other, so it is hard to really judge how they are doing. Best thing to do is to keep an eye on him tomorrow night and see how he does against the Gnats' OL.

He has not been outstanding or dominant in tc, and i think he is learning the system as he goes along, understanding his assignments in certain situations, and has been concentrating on that more than high profile bull-rushes in tc.

He has been working with different LBs behind him, and getting to know what he is supposed to do in different formations. So, we will have to see how he does in live action to see how well he is executing what he has learned in tc. I will give him a C+ for his tc grade.