Jets Cut Down Recap: The Surprising and Not Surprising

Zach Kuntz. Photo Credit: Associated Press.

Not much surprises me anymore, but every year in the NFL when teams trim their respective rosters down to the mandatory 53 at the end of the preseason, most don't surprise me, but then there's a few moves that will take me aback--at least a little.

This brings me to the New York Jets cut down day, and after viewing who was waived/released, here are the moves that surprised me and the ones that didn't.

Surprising

Trey Dean III, S

Throughout camp and preseason, there was talk that Trey could not only make the final 53-man roster, but possibly be the starting safety opposite Jordan Whitehead. To see him on the list of final cuts was surprising. As a matter of fact, this one was the most surprising.

Zach Kuntz, TE

A 7th round pick from Old Dominion, he was one I really hoped made the team. I know there's more to the game than measurables, but with his freakish size (listed at 6-8, 251) and athleticism, I think he could've been a matchup nightmare for defenses--actually, that's still possible in the right situation.

Not Surprising

Zonovan Knight, HB

This one was the least surprising. Although he showed flashes last season, one, the signing of Dalvin Cook made the  running back room seriously crowded, two, he struggled in the preseason.

Travis Dye, HB

Like Zonovan, he struggled in the preseason. From what I saw, he looked as slow as his 40 time (4.82), and looked hesitant at times when hitting the hole.

Conclusion

The one consultation about these cuts is that there's a chance some of these players could make the practice squad. I'm thinking Trey Dean is one of their main targets, but from what I've heard and seen, signing him to the practice squad--the Jets are 13th on the waiver list--might be a long shot.

There's a possibility Zonovan could return with his experience on special teams, but the one I'm hoping they sign is Kuntz. I think there's a lot of potential there, if given the opportunity.

 

Why I Have Mixed Thoughts on the Jets Signing Dalvin Cook

 

Dalvin Cook. Photo Credit: Jeffrey Becker/USA Today Sports.

Of course, there's a lot of buzz going on--and the expectations just went up a few more octanes-- after the Jets announced the signing of Dalvin Cook about two weeks ago. The hoopla is understandable. He's, in my opinion, one of the top running backs in the league, and a four-time Pro Bowler.

I must admit, Dalvin being in a Jets uniform is almost surreal. I mean, there has been speculation about him possibly signing with the Jets for months, but (Jets GM) Joe Douglas made it happen.

Yet, with all of this, although it's a one-year deal, I have mixed thoughts on the signing. Talent wise, I love having Cook on the team, but there's Breece Hall, who was having an Offensive Rookie of the Year season before his injury last year, returning from the PUP after being put on the list a day earlier--that was fast--and I like the addition of 5th round pick Izzy Abanikanda. He was a monster at Pittsburgh, and I like what I've seen from him so far this preseason.

If Michael Carter can return to his rookie form or better, I don't know what happened to him last year, and with Zonovan Knight showing flashes, one, I wanted to see what these young guys can do--well, younger guys, Dalvin is 28--two, this makes the running back room is seriously crowded. There's not enough room for all of them.

At the end of the day, the deal is done, Dalvin Cook is on board, and it's a big-time addition. Let's make it happen!

 

Taking Flight, Part Two: Grading the Rest of the Class

Joe Tippman (75). Photo Credit: Charlie Neibergall/ Associated Press.

 Joe Tippmann, Center, Wisconsin

The Jets addressed the offensive line in the second round — which most thought they would select one in the first — selecting Joe Tippmann. He was considered one of the Top Two centers in the draft. Aaron Rodgers is going to need protection upfront, so I like this move in terms of need. Well, to me, the need is based more on depth than lack of talent because last year, the blocking was better than it had been in previous years. The problem was the line staying healthy.

From what I’ve seen and heard, he can come in play right away. The only problem I saw with him is sometimes his hands are too wide when setting up to block, and that can make him susceptible to a bull rush. There has been talk about him competing with recently re-signed Connor McGovern for the center position, but, if necessary, because of McGovern’s versatility, they could play McGovern at guard.

To me, he’s built like an offensive tackle, and he did play that position in high school. Another thing I found out about him was that he mentored by former Jet Jason Fabini. I like this pick to help bolster the offensive lineman. As I heard one guy allude to, people put so much emphasis on offensive tackles, when takes an entire line working in unison to make things work.

Grade: A

Photo Credit: Joe Robbins/ Icon Sportswire ia Getty Images.

Carter Warren, OT, Pittsburgh

I’ve heard mixed messages about this pick. Some think he can provide depth, which I definitely think he can, some think he’s good enough to start right away. We’ll see. From what I saw, I like that he’s able to maintain his blocks once engaged with a defender, but aside from dealing with injuries, the only problem I saw is, and it’s not a glaring issue, but I didn’t see enough of a mean streak in him, so to speak. 

What I mean is while he did a good job of maintaining his blocks and keeping everything in front of him, I didn’t see him dominate and impose his will on any of his blocks. That doesn’t mean that he didn’t do this at some point, I’m just going by what I saw.

I like this pick because like Tippmann, he bolsters and provides depth on the offensive line. 

Grade: B+

Photo Credit: si.com.

Israel “Izzy” Abanikanda, HB, Pittsburgh

In the fifth round, they selected Warren’s teammate, Israel Abanikanda. This was someone who I thought would at least go in the third round. It’s utterly ridiculous that this dude dropped this low, but I’m glad the Jets drafted him. This is one of those rare instances where I would go with the “best player available” logic. He was too good to pass up.

This guy rushed for 320 yards and six touchdowns (against Virginia Tech) in one game! He finished with over 1,400 yards and 21 total touchdowns (20 rushing). He was named First-Team All-American and First-Team All-ACC last season. I’ve seen him run with power at times, but I didn’t realize how fast he was. He ran a 4.45 in the 40. I’ve also seen him provide protection in the passing game, doing a good job of picking up blitzes.

Some might be concerned with the workload he received last season, but with fellow running back Breece Hall, who I thought would’ve been Offensive Rookie of the Year if wasn’t for his injury, returning to the fold, I think they will complement each other as far as reps. It will be less wear and tear on them and it will keep them fresh.

CBS Sports posted a video where the question was asked who was the Jets best pick and their biggest steal? To me, Izzy is their best pick and their biggest steal.

Grade: A

Photo Credit: Getty Images.

Zaire Barnes, LB, Western Michigan

I had trouble finding tape on him. Unless you really stand out, this can be one of the problems with going to a small school. This is not a slight on him, maybe it was the only school that offered him a scholarship or would allow him to play the position he wanted, or where he had an opportunity to start. It could’ve been anything. This is where professional scouts are very fortunate because they have access to film on players that most don’t.

From what I’ve gathered, I like his versatility, being able to play on the inside or outside, and his ability to play in coverage goes a long way. Those types of qualities will keep one on the field all three downs. I’m thinking he will be used mainly on special teams, but according to (Jets head coach) Robert Saleh, he will have an opportunity to compete for a starting position.

They did address the linebacker position, but I was hoping that would’ve done that earlier.

Grade: C

Photo courtesy of nfldraftdiamonds.com.

Jarrick Bernard-Converse, DB, LSU

I like his versatility; being able to play cornerback and safety. He can also contributed on special teams, which is where, like Barnes, some are expecting him to go. He has pretty good size for a corner (6–1, 197), he’s a willing tackler, and has good hands. The one thing I would like to see him improve on is being more consistent in locating the ball in coverage.

The Jets have a good core of corners, so his ability to play safety might help him get more snaps.

Grade: B

Zach Kuntz (80). Photo Credit: Keith Lucas/ Sideline Sports.

Zach Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion

He might be the most celebrated seventh round pick ever. From what I’ve seen, I can understand the what the fuss is about. He’s 6–7, some say 6–8, 251 pounds, and is fluid and athletic for a player his size. It has been said that he would’ve been at least a third round pick if it wasn’t for his injury, which some say is why fell in the draft. He reminds me of Jimmy Graham in terms of the athleticism for his size, looking and playing more like a king size receiver versus a tight end.

He’s a smooth route runner and has very good hands. My only thing is I wasn’t able to find anything on him as a blocker. I wanted to see how he fares as a blocker. Talent wise, I like the pick. I know this is a bold statement, but it wouldn’t surprise me if ends up being a starter — this year. The problem I have with this pick is you have two decent tight ends in CJ Uzomah and Tyler Conklin, and they drafted Jeremy Ruckert in the third round last year.

Grade: B

Overall, I have mixed thoughts on this draft. This is not to say that these guys won’t turn out to be anything, I hope they do, but this draft, I like a lot of the picks as far as talent, but I thought they could’ve went elsewhere instead some of the positions they drafted.

The defensive tackle position wasn’t addressed at all, which I thought was a problem. That’s probably going to bring down their final grade. I liked that they added some much-needed depth to the offensive line. I think Will McDonald, IV has the potential raise havoc on quarterbacks, but initially, I think their best pick was Izzy Abanikanda.

Overall Grade: C+

Mixed Thoughts: The Jets Draft Will McDonald IV

Will McDonald IV. Photo Credit: Mary Altaffer/ Associated Press.

It took me a few days for me to write a post on the Jets draft because I was deciding on what I would give them for their final grade. To start things off, I'll give my analysis and grade on their first round pick, Will McDonald IV.

Will McDonald IV, Edge, Iowa St.

Thursday night, with the 15th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the New York Jets selected Will McDonald, IV, an edge rusher from Iowa State. Honestly, when this pick was announced, I laughed. Not because of the talent, but I saw where he was listed at 239 pounds playing on the defensive line! When my initial thoughts subsided, and I looked at his tape, (former Indianapolis Colts defensive end) Robert Mathis came to mind, who was also an undersized pass rusher, but terrorized quarterbacks for years. However, Mathis was still bigger than McDonald in comparison. 

While my philosophy is you can never have enough pass rushers, which the Jets are loaded with, my thing is they could’ve addressed another area of need with this pick such as defensive tackle. They’re not lacking in that area talent wise, but they are thin, so to speak, at that position. They could’ve taken a linebacker—I’m hoping they re-sign Kwon Alexander, since they didn’t take one early.

Will McDonald (9). Photo Credit: Ben Queen/ USA Today Sports.

Overall, I have mixed thoughts about this pick. From what I saw, as I alluded to earlier, McDonald reminds me of Robert Mathis with Dwight Freeney’s—Mathis’ former pass rushing partner—spin move. So, there’s a lot to like about him, he was the co-Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2021, and he made the First-Team All-Big 12 three years in a row, but if they’re going to play him on the defensive line, he’s going to have to bulk up a little—around 245-250, at least—but bulk up without losing his speed and athleticism. This pick is getting this grade not because of the talent, but because I thought they were other areas where they could've went with this pick.

Grade: C+

Taking Flight, Part Two: Grading the Rest of the Class

Breece Hall. Photo Credit: Peter G. Aiken / Getty Images.

Following my exclusive coverage on the Jets three first round picks, here's my take and recap on the rest of the Jets 2022 draft class.

Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State

Most had Breece rated as the best running back, but I had Kenneth Walker, III rated as first, then Breece as a close second. An All Big 12 and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year two consecutive years, Breece was a touchdown machine at Iowa State, leading the nation in rushing in 2020 (1,572 yards) and 21 touchdowns, and was 7th last year with 1,472 yards and 21 touchdowns, which tied for third. He set an FBS record with 24 straight games with a touchdown.

His paced running style and versatility will be a perfect fit for the zone blocking scheme that the Jets use, and I think Hall with (Michael) Carter in the backfield will be a nightmare for defenses for years to come.

Grade: A+

Jeremy Ruckert (88). Photo Credit: Kyle Robertson/ Columbus Dispatch/ USA Today.

Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State

Getting back to that third round pick, he selected Jeremy Ruckert, a tight end from Ohio State. I found this one to be a head-scratcher, not because of the player himself because there's a lot to like about his game and attitude. Ruckert was considered the top TE in his class on some boards, he was on an offense that was - and still is - loaded with wide receivers, so not a lot of passes were thrown his way, but he made the most of the ones that came his way. He's a consummate teammate, willing to contribute in other areas, willing to sacrifice personal numbers for the sake of the team.

The problem I had with the pick is that they acquired two productive tight ends in free agency in CJ Uzomah and Tyler Conklin, who came off career years, plus, I was hoping that would've addressed the linebacker spot with that pick.

Grade: C

Max Mitchell (74). Photo Credit: John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images.

Max Mitchell, OL, Louisiana

I like the Max Mitchell pick, an offensive lineman from Louisiana University. Seen more as a project, he provides needed depth and versatility at the position - he can play both tackle spots and left guard - which I was hoping Douglas addressed given the constant injuries at the position last season.

Grade: B+

Micheal Clemons (2). Photo Credit: Stephen Lew/ USA Today.

Micheal Clemons, DE, Texas A&M

Last, but not least, he selected Micheal Clemons, defensive end from Texas A&M. From what I've seen from him, he's not the most athletic or agile player, but he's consistent, productive, and plays with a violent streak, which fits right in with the Jets defensive scheme. Some questioned this pick, and there was an off-field issue, which is understandably a concern, and hopefully he's learned from it, and it won't happen again, but outside of that, to me, you can never have enough pass rushers.

Grade: B

Although there were some other players I had in mind - no disrespect to the guys they selected - I think, for the most part, Joe nailed this draft. The only thing that kept me from giving this draft an A+ is picking a tight end when they have a more pressing need at linebacker. Overall, I think he picked a group of guys that will be a major part in turning this team around. Let's get it!

Overall Grade: A

Awesome Sauce: Grading the New York Jets' First Round Picks

Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner.

Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, CB, Cincinnati

With the 4th overall pick, the Jets selected cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, who was considered by most the best cornerback during the pre-draft process, but surprising to most, fellow cornerback Derek Stingley, Jr., one whose name started to rise on draft charts was taken one spot ahead of him by the Houston Texans.

At 6-2, weighing around 190 pounds, he has pretty good size for a cornerback, he’s physical, and thrives in man coverage. He never gave up a touchdown in his collegiate career, which is not an easy task. Some will argue that the conference his team played in wasn’t as competitive as say, the SEC—which I think is part of the reason why Stingley, Jr., who played at LSU (an SEC college) went before him—but to me, I think that argument is overblown sometimes. 

Gardner (1, in the white uniform). Photo Credit: Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images.

If a person can play, they can play, it doesn't (always) matter what conference they came from. To me, aside from quarterback, cornerback is the hardest position to play in football and to never give up a touchdown is an amazing feat, regardless of what level of football. 

Going back to the conference competition argument, Jerry Rice came from Mississippi Valley State, a small college, and he turned out to be a Hall-of-Famer, and in my opinion, the best receiver I’ve ever seen play. As I mentioned in the above paragraph, sometimes, if a person can play, they play, where they played doesn’t always matter.

Now, him being able to keep that streak of not giving up a touchdown in the pros will be a tall freaking task, but some of the best to ever play the position got beat at times. It happens. The thing is you don’t want it to happen often. However, he strikes me as the type who has the confidence to bounce back and won’t allow adversity to affect him. 

Overall, I think the Jets found a gem in Gardner. Honestly, I wanted Kayvon Thibodeaux (who was picked after Gardner 5th overall by the Giants), but I like the pick, nonetheless. The only glaring knock on him was he can be too aggressive, but time and discipline will remedy some of that. I don't want him to lose his aggressive edge altogether, but be smart about it at the same time. Of course, it’s too soon to determine, but I think the Jets might have drafted one of the greatest to ever play the position.

Grade: A

Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State

With the 10th overall pick, the Jets selected wide receiver Garrett Wilson from Ohio State. I honestly thought he would go to the Atlanta Falcons at No. 8, but when he didn’t, I knew exactly where he was going. I said his name before (NFL Commissioner) Roger Goodell officially announced it at the podium. This wasn’t the last time I said someone’s name before Goodell officially announced it.

I think the Jets could use another guy, particularly a playmaker, at that spot, but I don’t think they were “needy” at that spot as a lot of people claimed. There’s Corey Davis, an up-and-coming Elijah Moore, Braxton Berrios proved to be productive in the receiving and return game. So while one more guy doesn’t hurt, I don’t think they desperately needed someone at that position.

I was a bigger fan of Chris Olave (his former teammate who went to the New Orleans Saints at No. 11), however, most considered Wilson the best receiver in this year’s class. I think he has decent height at 6-1, a light frame, but he plays bigger than his size at times. Also known for his acrobatic-type athleticism, he has a penchant for the catching the ball away from his body in some of the most unusual ways. This drew one commentator to compare him to Hall-of-Famer Lynn Swann.

Overall, I like the pick. He’s a dynamic playmaker, and to an extent, you can never have enough playmakers. I think the chemistry between Garrett Wilson and (Jets quarterback) Zach Wilson will be fun to watch.

Grade: A

Jermaine Johnson, II. Photo courtesy of seminoles.com.

Jermaine Johnson, II, DE, Florida State

With their two picks selected, I thought they were done for the night, but after a while I left, came back and noticed the Jets were on the clock at No. 26. When I noticed that Jermaine was still on the board, I said his name before Goodell officially announced it.

What stands out to me with this move is the shrewdness of (Jets GM) Joe Douglas. In most cases, when you trade back into the first round, 9 times out of 10 you’re going to give up a first round pick for next year, but he didn’t. All he gave up was a second, a third, and a fifth, while getting a third in return. Who he picked with that third I’ll discuss in the next post.

Jermaine was someone the Jets coveted—obviously, they traded back into the first round to get him. From my understanding, he was between a top 5-10 prospect on some boards. He was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and was a First-Team All-ACC. Since Douglas didn’t draft Thibodeaux, I consider this a rebound move, a good rebound, by the way.

Jermaine’s speed, aggression, and ferocity will fit right in with (Jets head coach) Robert Saleh’s system that demands a lot of the defensive lineman.

Grade: A+

"Babyface" Wilson: Grading the Jets First Round Picks

 

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Last night, after the usual months of talk and speculation that goes on prior to the draft, all of the guessing and predicting came to an end. With the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, the New York Jets selected quarterback Zach Wilson from BYU, which is where a lot of people expected him to go--including myself after they traded Sam Darnold.

I was able to watch some of his games last year, and from what I saw, I liked the effortless way he quarterbacks the game. It's as if it comes naturally to him, he doesn't force the issue. He can make all the throws, he's accurate, he had great command of the huddle and the respect of his teammates--evidence of this is when a rumor came out about him being "entitled" and having "character issues"--which goes a long way.

Although I think Zach has more of a pocket presence, some of the things he did was Patrick Mahomes-like. I'm not saying he's on that level, but there were some plays he executed successfully that I've seen from Mahomes, and like Mahomes, they were done in an unconventional way that would make coaches livid if the average quarterback did that. I made this observation prior to reading an article where Wilson admits that he has studied Mahomes' game. On a side note, I'm not saying Mahomes doesn't have a good pocket presence, but I think he's more balanced and unconventional in the way he quarterbacks the game--and he does it effortlessly.

Zach's already connecting with the fans. Photo courtesy of AP.

There has been questions about the level of competition he played, and I'll admit, initially, I had questions about it, too because there were very few teams they played that were ranked or at least had winning records. Then I realized he didn't pick or make the schedule, so it was not his or the team's fault, they did what they were supposed to do: take care of business.

Speaking of critics, I find it odd how months prior to the draft, he was America's Sweetheart, now suddenly as of last week, you had folks saying they "didn't like the smell of him," so to speak, people questioning how well he will adjust to the league, to the New York fan base. Minor reasons, though they may be in this case, stuff like this are some of the reasons why I don't like the mainstream media. They flip flop like a fish out of water, and they put a magnifying glass on these players, just looking for something wrong. If they can't find anything glaring, they will create something, and focus on that.

I call him "babyface" because of his youthful look (which he is 21). Not judging his looks in and of itself because I don't judge dude's looks, just saying that he looks younger than 21. All-in-all, I think he has everything one is looking for in a quarterback--the measurables and intangibles. If you want to be nitpicky, he doesn't have great size. At 6-3, around 210, he has decent size, but he doesn't have that 6-5, 230-240 pound frame that most coaches covet.

Despite the likes of quarterbacks like Trevor Lawrence (drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars) and Justin Fields (drafted by the Chicago Bears) who played against stiffer competition in their respective divisions, as far as pure skillset, I think Zach is most NFL-ready out of all of them.

Grade: A+

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC

Later in the first round, the Jets traded up to draft offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker. Having two first round picks, they swapped the 23rd overall pick with the Minnesota Vikings, who had the 14th overall pick.

I'll admit, I didn't know a lot about him, so I had to do some research. Judging from analysts and experts, he was expected to go around this point in the draft.. He made the All-Pac 12 First Team and won the Morris Trophy, which is an award for the best offensive lineman in the conference.

From what I've gathered, I like his versatility (he played guard in 2019, and tackle last year). He has the grit and aggression one seeks in an offensive lineman, is good in both pass and run protection, adjusts his body well to pass rushers, takes the right angles in double team blocks, and is relentless when he gets to the next level. The only issues I see are occasional lapses in his overall technique and he sometimes has issues when taking on two-gap defensive lineman (typically nose tackles) which both are an easy fix.

Although I wanted (running back) Najee Harris, and he was available whether the Jets picked him at No. 14 or if they stood pact and drafted him 23rd overall because the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him at No. 24. So, I don't hate or dislike the pick, he does address a need because aside from Mehki Becton, the Jets need help upfront.

Grade: A

Conclusion

As far as the trade goes, I was okay with it--not thrilled, but okay. I realize it was a top-15 pick, but I still think giving up that second third round pick was a bit much. All-in-all, I like the picks from (general manager) Joe Douglas. Of course, it's going to take a few years before we get any concrete results, but so far, so good.

First Round Grade: A