The Jets yesterday parted ways with defensive line coach Kerry Locklin, citing “personal reasons” and said it was a “mutual decision” between the team and Locklin.
Defensive assistants Jeff Weeks and pass rushing instructor Chuck Smith will take over Locklin’s duties, according to head coach Rex Ryan, who coached with Locklin when the two were at Morehead State from 1990-93.
“It was a mutual decision that Kerry is no longer going to be with us,” Ryan said. “This is a real sensitive issue and unfortunate timing. It was in both our best interests that we mutually agreed upon this.”
Asked if there were philosophical issues, Ryan said: “It’s never just one thing. There were some disagreements. There are some personal issues that are behind us.”
Ryan wouldn’t say this, but it’s believed that the Jets’ in-game substitution issues that have cost the team some crucial timeouts were a problem contributed to by Locklin.
The Jets were forced to burn a timeout early in the third quarter of Sunday’s 24-22 loss to the Jaguars when there was confusion about whether Jamaal Westerman or Mike DeVito was supposed to be in the game and the Jets had too many men on the field.
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Safety Jim Leonhard, who broke his right thumb against the Jaguars, is having surgery, according to Ryan. “We don’t know how long he’ll be out for,” Ryan said.
Leonhard injured the thumb while missing a tackle on Jacksonville RB Maurice Jones-Drew on a touchdown run in the first quarter. He had a cast put on and continued to play.
It’s uncertain how much time Leonhard will miss until the doctors go in for the surgery, according to Ryan.
“When they say surgery,” Ryan said, “that doesn’t sound very good.”
If Leonhard, a vital player on the defense because he calls signals, cannot play this week at New England, Eric Smith will start.
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The Jets waived DB Ahmad Carroll, one of their core special teams players. Ryan said that Marquice Cole has essentially taken over Carroll’s role, making Carroll expendable. They filled the roster spot by signing LB Kenwin Cummings off the practice squad.
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Ryan said he fell asleep Sunday night when the Patriots led the Colts 31-21 and didn’t find out about the final result and Bill Belichick‘s ill-fated decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 from his own 28 until yesterday morning when he arrived to the complex.
“Sounds like he put it in his offense’s hands instead of the defense’s hand,” Ryan said. “He’s won a hell of a lot more games than I have. I’m not going to criticize the guy one way or another.”