MIAMI — In a bit of a surprising move, the Jets released veteran linebacker Bryan Thomas yesterday.
Thomas, the team’s first-round draft pick in 2002, was the longest-tenured player on the team. The team re-signed him in the offseason to a one-year, $990,000 contract.
Thomas suffered a hamstring injury in the opener against the Bills and missed last week’s game in Pittsburgh. The hamstring also kept him out of practice leading up to today’s game with the Dolphins.
The Jets used the empty roster spot to sign cornerback Donnie Fletcher, an undrafted rookie, off the practice squad. That likely means cornerback Ellis Lankster’s back injury is more serious than originally thought, and they needed depth at the position for today’s game.
Because Thomas is a vested veteran, he does not have to clear waivers, meaning he is now a free agent any team can sign. It is possible the Jets will bring him back at a later date. The unproven Garrett McIntyre is starting in Thomas’ place. Though McIntyre is a solid pass rusher, he is not the run defender Thomas is.
* Tight end Dustin Keller (hamstring) and fullback John Conner (knee) were declared out yesterday. That leaves the Jets with a challenge on offense, using the rest of their tight ends to fill both spots because they have no other fullbacks on the roster.
* Jets practice had a different tempo this past week as the team’s defense prepared for a Dolphins offense that likes to keep things moving.
The Dolphins do not huddle, instead gathering around the ball and getting the play from quarterback Ryan Tannehill. This up-tempo offense in the South Florida heat (today’s forecast: 86 degrees) can wear teams out. The Dolphins have outscored their first two opponents 35-9 in the second half, with one of those games coming on the road.
To simulate the Dolphins offense, the Jets did something different with the “scout” team offense, which portrays each week’s opponent in practice against the Jets defense. Usually the scout team would get the Miami plays off diagrams on cards that a coach holds up. This week, the Jets translated the Dolphins plays into Jets terminology, so the scout team could run the plays quicker.
“We’re just trying to play fast, trying to give the defensive players a better look as far as a no-huddle offense,” said scout-team quarterback Greg McElroy. “We definitely tried to pick up the pace and tempo to try to simulate what they do. Obviously, we can’t do it to the precision they do. But I think having us run our plays makes it easier for us to play faster.”
McElroy said on running plays he would just shout out signals in Jets terminology to the offensive line and coaches would help the wide receivers line up. On passing plays, he would give the line a protection call in Jets terms and coaches would show the receivers what patterns to run.
“We’ve been very proactive in coming out here and practicing very up-tempo, a lot of no-huddle stuff in practice, too,” cornerback Darrelle Revis said. “It’s going to be hot. I remember last year in the game, our last game, it was very hot. I remember needing to come out some times because it was so hot and I wasn’t feeling well. We understand that, and I think guys have been doing extra conditioning and certain things so it won’t be [an issue].”
* Today marks what should be the final game in Miami for Jets special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff, who spent 15 years as a Dolphins assistant under coaches Don Shula and Jimmy Johnson. Westhoff is retiring after this season. He said today’s trip will be special.
“I know exactly something I will think of,” Westhoff said. “I can still look in the stands and see the exact seats that my family sat in. I’m sure that will have a certain feel to it. It certainly will have a special feeling.”