Ed Reed disagrees with anyone who thinks he is finished. In fact, the Jets safety thinks he’s far from it.
“I’ve probably got two more years,” Reed said. “We’ll see, though. We’ll see how it goes.”
That seems hard to believe after watching Reed play for the Jets in the last three weeks. He looks slow, shy from contact and ineffective since joining the Jets following his release by the Texans in midseason.
Reed said the criticism directed his way does not bother him.
“I don’t worry about it,” he said Thursday. “I’ve been criticized since I was in [college at] Miami, since I came into the league. I understand that the blessings and the talents came down from God that I’ve been given. I have created a standard for myself. That standard hasn’t been created by no fan or no person in the media. It’s been created by me. The criticism coming from you guys or whoever, I don’t worry about it.”
Reed does not feel his play has slipped.
“I just had my second hip surgery,” he said. “I’m not a year out from that. I don’t think I have played much different than I have in the past if you go back and look at tape. Outside of not being challenged as much, I don’t think there’s really been too much of a difference outside of having a second hip surgery and maybe not moving as fast.”
Both coach Rex Ryan and defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman praised Reed’s contributions. Both said Reed has helped the secondary’s communication and he is helping in the meeting room. **
Cornerback Antonio Cromartie was loud in the locker room Thursday until the media approached him. Cromartie entered the room and began yelling at fellow cornerback Dee Milliner “Alabama sucks” and taunting him about the Crimson Tide’s loss to Auburn last week. Cromartie, who played at Florida State, then yelled “Jameis Winston is free!”
But when reporters approached him, Cromartie refused to talk. He challenged reporters to report him to the NFL for violating the league’s media policy and scoffed at the idea he could be fined.
“It’s nothing but $5,000,” he said.
Cromartie is one of three of the 53 players on the Jets permitted by the team to only speak to the media once a week. **
Ryan was asked about the reaction he received when he said Wednesday this year’s Jets draft class was one of the best he has ever seen and has performed at an A+ level.
“It seemed like everyone agreed with me, from what it sounded like,” Ryan joked. “That’s what I get for throwing a grade out there. My thing is, you have five starters in a draft class. I would assume that would be pretty good and probably more than anybody else. I wonder if anybody has more than three starters in a rookie class.”