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In honor of the Jets starting OTA's tomorrow, I thought I'd wrap up everything that's gone down since off-season workouts began.
QUARTERBACK
Mark Sanchez:
After New York signed David Garr...
via www.gannett-cdn.com
In honor of the Jets starting OTA's tomorrow, I thought I'd wrap up everything that's gone down since off-season workouts began.
QUARTERBACK
Mark Sanchez:
After New York signed David Garrard, and used a second round draft pick on Geno Smith, the writing seemed to be on the wall for Sanchez. Previously, reports surfaced that the Jets might be content to cut Sanchez before the season, and let Smith and Garrard battle it out.
Fortunately for Sanchez, David Garrard has left the Jets, and will be forced to retire after a recent flare up involving his knee. Mark Sanchez went from potentially not making the Jets 52-man roster, to effectively sealing his place on the team.
Sanchez will still have to prove that he is better than Geno Smith in order to be the Jets Week one starter, but that’s a lot closer than he seemed to the job just a few weeks ago.
Geno Smith:
So far, the Jets seem to like what they have in Geno Smith. After watching him practice for just three days during Rookie camps, Rex Ryan has already praised Smith’s arm strength and feel for the offense.
Geno took a lot of heat for the way he acted during his slide in the draft, and many wondered if he could handle the spotlight of playing in New York. After Smith fired the agent who represented him through the draft, those criticisms grew louder. It now seems that Smith is considering signing with Roc Nation Sports, the sports agency owned by Jay-Z.
High profile New York athletes like Victor Cruz and Robinson Cano have already signed with the agency, so Geno’s interest in them should only be seen as a positive. Jay-Z is one of the Big Apple’s brightest stars, and to attach oneself to Jay-Z, means to attach oneself to New York. After a rocky start, Geno Smith appears ready to take on the spotlight.
RUNNING BACK
Chris Ivory:
After suffering through two seasons of the plodding Shonn Greene, Jets fans rejoiced when New York traded a fourth round pick to New Orleans for Chris Ivory. It seems that Jets fans aren’t the only ones excited by Ivory’s potential. Recently, CBS Sports Insider Jason La Confora mentioned Ivory as a breakout player to watch in 2013. Ivory hasn’t been handed the No. 1 running back job, but he is used to competition. In New Orleans, Ivory had to fend off the likes of Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram to get carries. The Jets are far less loaded at running back, and Ivory likes his chances to contribute.
"I think it does give me a better opportunity," Ivory said. "It was just a tough situation over there. We all had our roles. It's just tough to fit four backs in a system."
Joe McKnight:
During the 2012 offseason, Joe McKnight was given a chance to win the Jets staring running back job. He took that opportunity about as seriously as his first NFL training camp, where he infamously showed up so out of shape, that he was reduced to vomiting during workouts. McKnight had a reduced role during the 2012 season, and now it appears as if he’s a candidate to get cut.Even though McKnight has failed to improve as a player over three NFL seasons, he wants everyone to know that he plans on remaining a Jet.
"I don't care who they bring in. They're gonna have to kill me to take my spot," McKnight said after a recent team workout.
Mike Goodson:
When the Jets signed Mike Goodson on March 15, to a three year, $7 million contract, they hoped he could be a big contributor in 2013. However, after a recent arrest involving marijuana possession, Goodson might not even be a free man this season. Even if he avoids jail time, the Jets would be wise to sever ties with the troubled back. What a shame, this guy could have been at least, the Jets third down back this season.
WIDE RECEIVER
Marcus Davis/Antavious Wilson:
Marcus Davis was claimed off waivers by the Jets on May 14th. Davis played his college ball at Virgina Te