This is great news Kenrick Ellis Is Hard at Work on His Craft Posted by Randy Lange on July 29, 2013 – 3:08 pm For a couple of periods in Sunday’s afternoon practice, Kenrick Ellis looked like the beast that ate Cortland, as the player the Jets envisioned him being when they took a chance on him in the third round in the 2011 draft. No. 93 was knifing past the first-string O-line, making tackles in the backfield and blowing up running plays like an unstoppable defensive tackle should. “Yesterday Kenrick Ellis decides to totally dominate the 9-on-7 period,” head coach Rex Ryan confirmed at this afternoon’s news conference. “Today we made sure we blocked him, I don’t think there was any doubt about that, whether we were doubling him or whatever it was.” Ellis noticed that as well. I asked him after this morning’s second padded practice at SUNY Cortland if he could recall a personal highlight from camp so far. He instead chose a lowlight from today’s session. “You know what? The highlight of my practice was when I got double-teamed and got my butt kicked by 66, Willie [Colon], and 77, Austin [Howard]. And that just showed me I have so much more to work on, man. That’s what stood out to me, not being able to dominate those guys.” I gently reminded Kenrick that it was in fact a double-team block, their 648 pounds against his 346. Maybe he was being a little hard on himself? “If you take your craft seriously, double-team or not, you’re still supposed to be able to impose your will,” he said. “They got the best of me.” That may sound like the Ellis who was fighting to keep his head above water his first two NFL seasons, but I detected just a little smile at the corner of his mouth, a sense that while he’s still talking a nose-to-the-grindstone approach, he knows he’s starting to make those big strides that many want to see. He gave a little hint of that when he was asked about the Sunday practice. “It’s a competition,” he said. “We have a bunch of guys on the D-line, so what you do every day is just try to stand out from the rest. You have to come in here with a mentality like ‘I want the job.’ Damon Harrison wants the job. Antonio Garay wants the job. Everybody wants the job. We’re just going to have a healthy competition, compete every day and battle and see who gets it.” It’s still too early to call the starting D-line, but Ellis, who got that Colon-Howard butt-whooping in line drills, came back in team drills to put a roaring pressure up the middle on Geno Smith, forcing either a hurried incompletion or a sack, depending on who’s scoring. But one thing is clear no matter who the scorer is. Kenrick is coming on.
If this guy ends up living up to what we wanted, our 4-man rush rotation whether it's 3 down linemen or four is going to be very hard to stop. So far we have already heard serious progress from Richardson and Coples. I can't help but be excited about the defense.
Offenses can't double team Wilkerson, Richardson, and Ellis at the same time. If this is true and Davis really is the best ILB on the field like I've heard, then the defense is crazy good and young.
In our 3-4 base set, we have: DL: Richardson, Ellis, Wilkerson OLBs: Coples, Barnes, Pace, Sapp ILBs: Davis, Harris CBs: Milliner, Cromartie, Wilson, Lankster S: Landry, Allen, Bush, Jarrett Depending on the play OLBs (Coples, Sapp) we may still need a speed rusher from the OLB position that can play every down. Ditto safety.
Sapp and Barnes are enough speed off the edge but we do need a young true 3-4 OLB As much as I want to continue to build up this explosive D our O needs a WR, TE, RB and back up QB
I'd put another O-lineman on your list as well. A team that's strong in the trenches will always be competitive. If the team is stacked around him McElroy would be a fine backup (if he wants to stay)
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/rex-milliner-revis-article-1.1411852 At the end of the article is a video (mostly rex talking) but with some good line action.
K. Ellis & D. Davis are the true wildcards of our successful in 2013. If each stays healthy & has a solid/good season, - I see no reason why we wouldnt be a top 5 Defense.
I love the potential of this defense, but I wouldn't go putting them in the top 5 just yet. Remember that a lot of the starters will be first time starters if it shakes out the way we want it to. I predict that the defense will start off a little shaky, but finish extremely strong.
I'm not as tentative. Rex took the 16th ranked defense from 2008, added a couple of guys that knew his scheme and ended up with the 1st ranked D in 2009. Add to that, I'm pretty sure that Rex Ryan defenses have only ranked outside the top five twice since he was elevated to DC.. I don't think it's unrealistic at all to expect them to be top 5.
I feel top 5 is a given. The real question is, will they be top 1 or 2? Last year the run defense held us back and we still finished as #7 or 8. That's the only reason we weren't top 5. We have addressed most of the issues leading to that deficiency and even added a pure pass rusher. That plus Rex calling the shots means top 3 to me. Granted nothing's a given considering the amount of 1st and 2nd year players on the team, but sky's the limit. Our D should be set for years to come. Next year's draft should be all offense, unless they grab an early safety or OLB. Much of that will depend on how this year's young safeties pan out and the success of Quinton Coples.
Jets D: 2009: Total: 1st, Pass D: 1st, Run D: 8th 2010: Total: 3rd, Pass D: 6th, Run D: 3rd 2011: Total: 5th, Pass D: 5th, Run D: 13th 2012: Total: 8th, Pass D: 2nd, Run D: 26th The first two years, Rex called the plays with Pettine giving input, the second 2 years, Pettine called 98% of the plays. Rex is back in control....and that is a very good thing. 2012 is skewed, our total D and pass D looks good because we weren't constantly losing games and couldn't stop the run. We've been a top 8 defense the past 4 years, and I truly believe, even with the loss of Revis, that this is the best defense we will field in the Rex era. A top 5 defense is given. As long as our offense doesn't turn the ball over and give 3 and outs constantly, our D can get some rest and will have less opportunities to give up yards. Prediction: 2013: Total: 1st, Pass D: 1st, Rush D: 6th
I am pulling for Ellis to get the job, but I don't think we lose much when Garay comes in - that guy is a beast when healthy. Also have to root for Snacks ... I haven't been this excited over a D-line since the mid 80's.
Still think Coples should play defensive end. The guy was getting into the backfield a lot last year. I guess in Rex's defense an OLB is kind of like a defensive end just standing up?
He is still playing DE ... just not full time. I believe it was tweeted that 3rd dwn pass rush package had Pace, Wilk, Coples, Barnes ... (i guess he is a DT there though eh)
I don't think that is a blanket determination. If there is any truth to the report that the Jets will run a 3-4 base on some/many passing downs, he'll be standing, have his hand in the dirt at 3-4 5T, or off the field. I'd guess one of the first two.
