NFL

Jets’ Kerley: I’ll get it going

CORTLAND — Jeremy Kerley is ready to show he’s up for Rex Ryan’s challenge.

“The head coach wants me to step up, I’ll step up,” the Jets’ second-year receiver said after yesterday’s practice. “It’s as simple as that.”

Kerley, a fifth-round pick in 2011, became the team’s primary punt returner and slot receiver in his rookie season. But Ryan said Saturday Kerley needs to “step it up,” and indicated Kerley didn’t have as good of a grasp on new offensive coordinator Tony Sparano’s offense as Ryan would like.

But Kerley is confident he has gotten the offense down, and is ready to be the team’s go-to guy in the slot.

“It was a new offense to all of us,” he said. “Guys were fighting to learn it and learn it fast. Some guys pick it up quicker than other guys. I’ve definitely got it now, so I’m just waiting for my chance to get back on the field.”

Kerley has been on the sidelines the past two days after injuring his left hamstring early in Friday’s opening practice of camp. He’s hoping it won’t be long before he’s back on the field.

“I hope it’s shorter than [a week],” Kerley said. “I’m doing everything I can to get back. That’s all I can do … hopefully, it’s only a week.”

Kerley said Ryan relayed the message he sent Kerley through the media to him personally.

“We talked for a little bit,” Kerley said. “He kind of told me he was disappointed, as well. I said I was disappointed in myself. I felt like I let the team down a little bit … guys are out there working hard, so we definitely don’t want to be short on numbers.”

Ryan said, for his part, Ryan didn’t back down from his comments yesterday, saying that he expects Kerley to get back on the field and produce.

“With Jeremy, understand I’m disappointed because I expect so much from him,” Ryan said. “He had really taken off, and at the end of the year he was one of the premier punt returners in the league, and then he was doing a great job in the slot.

“That’s what we’ve got to get him back to. We’ve got to get him back on the practice field. When I saw him go down with the hamstring I was like, ‘Ugh.’ So, I expect him to step back up once he gets healthy to come back in and be the player we expect him to be.”