CORTLAND — The Jets put the pads on for the first time this training camp Saturday, and there were some big hits delivered in practice.
Things got started with a 9-on-7 running drill in which cornerbacks and wide receivers are off the field. Safety Dawan Landry wasted no time, nailing running back Chris Ivory at the line of scrimmage with a hit that could be heard in the stands. Along the line nose tackle Damon Harrison had the loudest hit of the day when he collided with Ivory.
“You’ve got pads on now. Gotta be physical,” special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughhey shouted.
During the team period, safety Antonio Allen had a nice hit on Ivory (he delivers the hits as good as he takes them). Safety Jaiquawn Jarrett also nailed tight end Chris Pantale on a pass across the middle.
Coach Rex Ryan said second-year guard Oday Aboushi stood out to him during the drills. Ryan has praised Aboushi since the spring, saying he really has improved. Aboushi and Brian Winters are rotating between the right and left guard spots. It will be interesting to see how the guard reps are split up once Willie Colon (knee, biceps) is activated from the PUP list.
General manager John Idzik may want to pretend there is an actual competition for the Jets starting quarterback job, but Michael Vick won’t play along.
Vick was asked about how the first-team reps are being divided. Geno Smith has received 78 percent of the first-team reps through the first three practices.
“I’m cool with it,” Vick said. “I understood the situation coming in and I knew it was Geno’s job and my job was to push Geno.”
Vick was then asked about getting comfortable with the starting receivers.
“When I have an opportunity to go with those guys, I just try to make the most of it,” Vick said. “It’s very rare.
“I try to let Geno get as many reps as he can with those guys because he’s going to be out there with them the majority of the time.”
Idzik said Friday the first-team reps at quarterback would change throughout camp. Not yet. Geno Smith had 16 first-team reps Saturday to Michael Vick’s three.
Vick was impressive. He went 6-for-7 (including his reps with the second team) and his best pass of the day was a 50-yard touchdown strike to Clyde Gates, who beat Dee Milliner on the play.
Smith went 3-for-5 and was sacked by Quinton Coples. Smith appears to me to be holding onto the ball too long. I wonder if he is reluctant to let passes fly because he is worried about throwing interceptions after throwing 21 of them as a rookie. The coaches have also stressed running the ball more to him. But Smith is walking a fine line of getting sacked a ton if he does not learn to get rid of the ball.
Rookie Tajh Boyd had a nice deep pass to fellow rookie Shaq Evans. Boyd throws a great deep ball, but is struggling with the short an intermediate throws as he gets used to facing an NFL defense.
RB Chris Johnson and OLB Garrett McIntyre both were limited in practice. This was part of the plan by the trainers and coaches entering camp, as both players are coming off knee injuries. They took part in positional drills, but did not team work. The Jets have been cautious in camp with players in the past few years, notably LaRon Landry and Kellen Winslow Jr., hoping to get them through the season healthy.
Ryan said he believes LG Willie Colon is close to being ready to come off the PUP list and start practicing.
OLB Jason Babin again worked primarily with the second team, but is working in with the first-team sub defense.
The Jets forced just 15 turnovers last year (13 interceptions, two fumbles), the second-lowest total in the league. Only the dismal Texans were worse.
That is a number Ryan has pointed to having to improve this season for the Jets to have more success. To that end, the Jets defense went through turnover drills on Saturday.
They had three stations. One was stripping the ball from the quarterback. A coaching intern held a ball like a quarterback and players ran at him then slapped at the ball. Another station was the tip drill with players batting the ball in the air to each other. The final one was a fumble drill where coaches rolled the balls at them and they had to scoop it. The position groups rotated among the three stations.
“We need to create those turnovers on defense,” Ryan said Friday. “If we can do that, last year the number was so lopsided that we weren’t a playoff team. When the numbers are like that, you’re not a playoff team. We know that could be the biggest area where this football team can improve and it’s certainly one we talk about all the time. We obviously have to create turnovers and we’ve got to prevent them on offense.”
The offensive and defensive line did head-to-head pass protection/rush drills. The offensive line held their own with Breno Giacomini and D’Brickashaw Ferguson throwing the most impressive blocks of the session. Undrafted rookie defensive lineman Kerry Hyder continues to impress.
Ryan praised backup linebacker Troy Davis and backup safety Rontez Miles on Saturday. He said they both could be key special teams players.