NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS Table of Contents ASSOCIATED PRESS... 2 Revis heads back to MetLife Stadium as Jets' enemy (Dennis Waszak)... 2 Jets' Harvin sits, rests severely sprained ankle... 3 Banner season: Another flyover at Jets practice (Dennis Waszak)... 4 NEWSDAY... 4 Darrelle Revis sad for Rex Ryan (Kimberley Martin)... 4 Second plane flies over Jets practice with message to fire John Idzik (Kimberley Martin)... 5 Rex Ryan: Percy Harvin has severe ankle sprain (Kimberley Martin)... 6 After constantly coming up short against Bill Belichick, swagger no longer there for Rex Ryan (Bob Glauber)... 7 THE RECORD... 8 Darrelle Revis to face Rex Ryan, Jets for first time as a Patriot (J.P. Pelzman)... 8 Jets notes: Muhammad Wilkerson may face Patriots (J.P. Pelzman) Flying banner jeers the Jets (J.P. Pelzman) NJ ADVANCE MEDIA NFL Mock Draft 2015: ESPN's Todd McShay has Jets taking Alabama receiver Amari Cooper (Dom Cosentino) Another 'Fire John Idzik' plane flies over Jets practice with message for the front office (PHOTOS) (Darryl Slater) Former Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis shows sympathy for Rex Ryan's 'sad' situation (Darryl Slater) Jets' Michael Vick has paid back nearly all of his $17.8 million in debt, per report (Darryl Slater) Rex Ryan still doesn't intend to kiss Bill Belichick's rings: 'Hell no' (Dom Cosentino) Jets' Rex Ryan takes a shot at New England Patriots' Tom Brady for his sideline cursing (Darryl Slater) Michael Vick tried to lure DeSean Jackson to Jets; says playing for Washington would be 'dream come true,' per report (Dom Cosentino) Percy Harvin says he is 'licking my chops' to face Darrelle Revis in Jets-New England Patriots game (Dom Cosentino) Jets injuries: Will Mo Wilkerson (toe) return this year? Can Percy Harvin (ankle) recover for Sunday? (Darryl Slater) Will Darrelle Revis return to the New England Patriots next season? (Dom Cosentino) NEW YORK POST Rex Ryan shares his heartfelt message for the Jets faithful (Steve Serby) Fire John Idzik crew flies new banner at Jets practice (Brian Costello) Michael Vick close to paying off full $18M debt: report (Brian Costello) Darrelle Revis joins Rex Ryan pity party: It s kind of sad (Brian Costello) P a g e

2 NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Woody Johnson apologizes after Jets owner favorites tweet calling for team to fire GM John Idzik (Bernie Augustine) NY Jets coach Rex Ryan pokes fun at Tom Brady's cursing on sidelines (Seth Walder) On second thought, Rex Ryan may give Bill Belichick a ring (Seth Walder) NY Jets coach Rex Ryan and Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis on different paths (Seth Walder) WALL STREET JOURNAL Ryan Ponders What May Be Last Chance to Beat Belichick, Patriots (Alex Raskin) ESPN NEW YORK Darrelle Revis feels 'sad' for Rex Ryan (Rich Cimini) 'Fire Idzik' banner returns for Jets (Rich Cimini) Michael Vick pays down his debt (Darren Rovell) METRO NEW YORK Darrelle Revis returns to MetLife to face Jets, this time with Patriots (Kristian Dyer) Yet another plane calling for John Idzik firing shows up at Jets practice (Kristian Dyer) WEDNESDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ASSOCIATED PRESS Revis heads back to MetLife Stadium as Jets' enemy (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) Darrelle Revis has been back before, as an opposing player taking on the New York Jets. Not this way, though. This time around, he's an enemy. He's a member of the playoff-bound New England Patriots now, and walking into MetLife Stadium on Sunday with the Jets' AFC East rivals likely won't be the same experience he's used to. "You know what, I don't really know," Revis said during a conference call Wednesday. "I'll probably just approach it like I did when I played with Tampa last year, just treat it like another game." But the star cornerback is hardly just another big-name player making his way back to the town where he began his NFL career, as he was in the opening game of last season with the Buccaneers. Revis was once considered to be on his way to becoming one of the Jets' greatest players, a shutdown cornerback who was the face of Rex Ryan's defense that helped the franchise to consecutive AFC title game appearance in 2009 and The contract-related issues that marked his six seasons with the Jets came to a head when new general manager John Idzik traded him to Tampa Bay before last season. Revis, who bounced back from a severe knee injury, was on the move again a few months later when the Buccaneers tried to trade him last winter because of his huge salary scheduled for this season, but then released him. 2 P a g e

3 He was a free agent and chose Bill Belichick and the Patriots, a team he had learned to despise while in New York. Meanwhile, the Jets were never truly in the mix for the cornerback a sore spot in New York's 3-11 season. It's a predicament that could cost Ryan his job, among others. "They have a lot on their plate over there in that situation this year," Revis said. "It's kind of sad for the position that Rex is in right now, but at the same time (the record is) something that they've got to change." Revis was then asked whether he thought he could have helped if he were in New York. "I'm over here," he said. "That ship has sailed. I missed that boat. I caught the New England Patriots boat." Having Revis in his secondary allowed Ryan to run his ideal scheme that uses a cornerback who locks down opponents' best receivers. And that aspect has been sorely missed by Ryan and the defense, especially this season. "Revis?" a smiling Ryan said when asked about not having the cornerback. "Ah, no. You know." Ryan did his best to tout the players on his current roster, but it has been clear that removing Revis from his defense has taken a toll. Consider this: The Jets starting cornerbacks last week at Tennessee were Marcus Williams and Phillip Adams, neither of whom was on the roster in training camp. "Guys, I think we've addressed all of this before," Ryan said. "You go back to our notes from the first time we played New England (in October) or even when Revis was in Tampa. You make decisions based on things. A lot of them work out, and some maybe don't work out as well as others. But I don't think it's fair to sit back and say this or that." Revis still talks to some of his former Jets teammates, and he's aware of what's going on with the franchise he called home since being a first-round pick in the 2007 draft. "I'm really not trying to pay attention to that, I'm really not," Revis said. "Me and Rex have a lot of history and we all know that. Some of those guys are dear to my heart and everything, but like I said, I've got to focus on the things that I am doing here and I wish Rex the best." Revis is playing at a Pro Bowl-level again, with 45 tackles, two interceptions and 14 passes defensed in the Patriots' mixture of man-to-man and zone coverages. "Oh, he's had a great season," Ryan said. "He's playing well. There's no question about that." Revis' future, though, is uncertain with the Patriots. He has a two-year contract with New England, but is scheduled to count $25 million against the team's salary cap next season. That means there's a strong possibility Revis could be available again if the Jets with or without Ryan want to bring him back home. "Right now, my focus is playing against the Jets," Revis said. "I'm not really thinking about the offseason right now. I'm thinking about focusing on the next game and the rest of the season." Jets' Harvin sits, rests severely sprained ankle Associated Press 3 P a g e

4 FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) New York Jets wide receiver Percy Harvin has sat out practice while resting his severely sprained left ankle, which he played through Sunday at Tennessee. Coach Rex Ryan said Wednesday that Harvin suffered a third-degree sprain two weeks ago at Minnesota, meaning the ligament is completely torn. Despite the injury, Harvin played against the Vikings, something Ryan says "very few guys will play off of." He had no catches, but had a 10-yard run and returned a kickoff 33 yards. Harvin's availability Sunday against New England is uncertain, but he says the ankle feels "a lot better" than it did a week ago. He adds that he hopes to practice Thursday. Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson (turf toe), right guard Willie Colon (knee) and safety Jaiquawn Jarrett (shoulder) were all limited. Banner season: Another flyover at Jets practice (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) Frustrated fans have again taken to the air against the Jets. Another banner-toting plane calling for the ouster of embattled New York general manager John Idzik circled the field during practice for several minutes Wednesday. The banner, which appeared during the early portion of practice, read: "PENALTY FLAG DAY 12/21 FIREJOHNIDZIK.COM" in 5-foot capital red letters. The message was a reminder that the fan site has been issuing about 10,000 yellow towels deemed "penalty flags" at New York- and New Jersey-area bars, urging owner Woody Johnson to "clean house" by firing Idzik, team president Neil Glat and senior personnel executive Terry Bradway. Fans are expected to bring the towels to the Jets' home finale Sunday against New England at MetLife Stadium. None of the men mentioned on the towels appeared to be at practice while reporters watched the plane. Idzik has received the majority of criticism for his personnel decisions during his two years as general manager. Bradway has been heavily involved with personnel for the Jets since 2001, when he was hired as the team's GM before being reassigned in Glat has been the team president since 2012, dealing with the business operations and not player moves or personnel. Johnson added to the situation Tuesday night by accidentally pressing "favorite" on a tweet by a fan, who wrote on Twitter that the Jets need to fire Idzik. The Jets owner later tweeted: "Have to be more careful when scrolling through my Twitter feed. The tweet I most recently favorited was inadvertent." On Nov. 5, a plane with a banner paid for by a fan that read "FIRE JOHN IDZIK" circled Jets practice for 20 minutes. The team playfully responded the next day when coach Rex Ryan sent up a toy helicopter at the beginning of practice at the indoor facility with a small banner that read: "Go Jets." NEWSDAY Darrelle Revis sad for Rex Ryan (Kimberley Martin) Newsday 4 P a g e

5 FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Darrelle Revis is focused on life in New England, but that doesn't stop the ex-jets cornerback from feeling some type of sympathy for his former head coach Rex Ryan. While discussing the state of the 3-11 Jets on a Wednesday conference call, Revis said: "It's kind of sad the position that Rex is in right now." Sounding every bit the clone of his Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, Revis tried his best to distance himself from his former club, whom he and the Patriots will face Sunday at MetLife Stadium. But his affection for Ryan is still evident, despite being on his second team in two seasons. "Me and Rex, we've got a lot of history. We all know that," Revis said. "Some of those guys are dear to my heart and everything. But like I said, I've got to focus on the things that I'm doing here and I wish Rex the best." Asked for his best memory playing for Ryan, Revis said: "We had some good runs up there. We had some great runs.... So I don't even know where to start." Revis, who was traded to the Tampa Bay Bucaneers in April 2013 by Jets' first-year general manager John Idzik, has landed on his feet in New England. The Patriots (11-3) won their sixth straight AFC East title with a blowout win over the Dolphins last Sunday. Meanwhile, the Jets are in disarray. Ryan appears to be on his way out as head coach following a fourth straight season without a playoff appearance, and Idzik has drawn the ire of much of the fan base. Shortly before Revis addressed Jets beat writers on a conference call, a second plane flew over practice calling for Idzik's dismissal. Though poor quarterback play has been an issue for much of the season, the Jets' weaknesses at the cornerback position have been just as glaring. Asked if his old team could have used his services this season, Revis replied: "I'm over here. That ship has sailed. I missed that boat. I caught the New England Patriots boat." So is the former Jet hoping to stay in New England next season? "I don't know what my future holds," Revis said. "Right now it's focusing on this week." Is there a chance he'd consider reuniting with Ryan elsewhere? "I don't know what my future holds, man," Revis repeated with a chuckle. "Like I said, I'm focusing on this week. We'll see, the future will take care of itself." Second plane flies over Jets practice with message to fire John Idzik (Kimberley Martin) Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Disgruntled Jets fans haven't given up trying to get rid of general manager John Idzik. 5 P a g e

6 For the second time this season, a plane flew over practice, with Wednesday's banner reading: "Penalty Flag Day 12/21. FireJohnIdzik.com." The creators of the website, whose main mission is to see owner Woody Johnson hand Idzik a pink slip at season end, plan to distribute 10,000 "penalty flags" at MetLife Stadium Sunday for the Jets' final home game against the rival New England Patriots. But the yellow and green towels don't only take aim at Idzik. Team president Neil Glat and longtime Jets executive Terry Bradway are also caught in the group's crosshairs. The towels read: "Attention Woody... Clean house!" Jets 'Fire John Idzik' plane flies at Jets practice The yellow and green towels take aim at not only Idzik, the team's general manager, but also team president Neil Glat and longtime Jets executive Terry Bradway. In a statement, the website creators said "Penalty Flag Day" is a joint effort between them, the anonymous group of fans who commissioned the "Fire John Idzik" plane above practice last month and sports bars in "the New York City Metro area." Rex Ryan, who likely is in the final weeks of his head-coaching tenure with the Jets, said last month that he was dismayed by the shots taken at Idzik because "this isn't about one man falling short. We're 1-8 collectively." The Jets are now 3-11, and there are sure to be major changes in the offseason. But Sheldon Richardson said Wednesday that he's confident Johnson won't be taking cues from a subsection of frustrated fans. The second-year defensive tackle didn't notice the recent plane flying over practice, nor has he seen the billboards commissioned by the FireJohnIdzik.com creators. But Richardson shrugged off fan's attempts for attention. "The past couple homes games, there have been more opponents' fans than our fans. So it is what it is," he told Newsday. "They're not here to come cheer us on [against the Patriots], they're here to boo and throw penalty flags. It's OK. That doesn't bother me at all. I've got to make my plays regardless." Richardson, the lone bright spot in Idzik's two draft classes, said he's no stranger to negative feedback from fans. He vividly recalls getting booed when his name was called at Radio City Music Hall during the 2013 NFL draft. "I got booed when I got here -- a big boo," said Richardson, the 13th overall pick. "So like I said, it doesn't matter what people think. It's their opinion. It's up to you to prove them wrong." Rex Ryan: Percy Harvin has severe ankle sprain (Kimberley Martin) Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - According to Rex Ryan, Jets receiver Percy Harvin recently suffered a "third-degree'' ankle sprain, the most severe type because it involves a complete ligament tear. 6 P a g e

7 Harvin played through the injury in Sunday's win at Tennessee, rushing once for 10 yards. He did not practice Wednesday, although Ryan said "he's doing well.'' Harvin said Wednesday he had no doubts about playing last week, and plans to play Sunday against the Patriots. "It's feeling real good,'' he said of the ankle. "Definitely a lot better than I felt last week. I think I should be able to get out there tomorrow and be full go.'' Harvin expects Darrelle Revis to cover him. "He's, if not one of the best corners, he's definitely in the top three,'' he said. "So any time there's a matchup like that, I'm licking my chops.'' Woody's big whoops Woody Johnson accidentally favorited the following tweet calling for general manager John Idzik's firing: "@woodyjohnson you really need to #FireIdzik at this point. The roster is garbagio.'' It took a while before Johnson noticed his social-media slip-up, and he immediately took to Twitter. "Have to be more careful when scrolling through my Twitter feed,'' he wrote Tuesday at 10:49 p.m. "The tweet I most recently favorited was inadvertent.'' Jet streams Muhammad Wilkerson (turf toe) had a setback last week when someone stepped on the toe. He was limited in practice, as were Willie Colon (knee) and Jaiquawn Jarrett (shoulder). Antonio Allen (hand) and Nick Folk (hip) were full... Told that Ryan called him a "first-ballot Hall of Famer,'' Bill Belichick said: "It sounds like Rex is buttering me up.'' After constantly coming up short against Bill Belichick, swagger no longer there for Rex Ryan (Bob Glauber) Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - How fitting that the final home game of the season -- and likely the last time Rex Ryan will roam the Jets' sideline -- is against the team that the coach always has measured himself against. It is Jets-Patriots one more time for Ryan. One last time, actually. One final time for Ryan to show -- no matter how pathetic it might seem now, as his woefully underachieving team staggers to the finish line -- the passion he still feels for his biggest rivals. With the Jets' sixth-year coach expected to be fired after the season, the final home chapter of his journey comes against the coach that Ryan aimed to conquer from Day One. It will be another sad reminder of that futile chase. Bill Belichick always has been Ryan's white whale, and while there have been some memorable wins, Ryan's body of work never lived up to the hope. Or the hype. Even the words that once stoked back-page headlines now are tinged with a feeling of resignation. As Ryan's 3-11 Jets face Belichick's 11-3 Patriots, Ryan is like the boxer who has been pelted to the floor time after time. He still wants to fight, no matter how often he's lost. 7 P a g e

8 "We're approaching it as if we're 11-3, also," Ryan said. "We know they're not looking at us as a 3-11 team." Hardly the fighting words to which we've grown accustomed from Ryan. These days, Ryan is a virtual recluse by comparison. The coach was asked if he'd like a do-over about his comments from the early days of his run in New York, when he said he didn't come here to kiss Belichick's Super Bowl rings. Rex wasn't interested in rewriting his comments. "I never came here to do that," he said of kissing the rings. "I came here to kick his butt. Obviously, I haven't been very successful at it, but that list [of coaches] is long. I might be the only one with the guts to say something about it." The vibe this week is far different from the last time Ryan used similar words to describe his intense desire to beat Belichick. This was a few days before a Dec. 6, 2010 Monday night game in New England, when Ryan shared his feelings. "I came here to win," Ryan told me that day. "As much as I respect and admire Bill Belichick, I came here to kick his [butt], and that's the truth. That's just the way it is. I came here to beat him, and I'm never going to backtrack on that." Ryan's Jets, who had been to the AFC Championship Game in the 2009 season, were 9-3, just a game behind the Patriots. With a chance to move into a first-place tie, the intensity was palpable. The result was one of Ryan's biggest embarrassments, as the Jets were walloped, 45-3, at Gillette Stadium. But a few weeks later in the divisional playoffs at the same stadium, Ryan enjoyed perhaps his greatest triumph -- a upset and a visit to his second straight AFC title game. Ryan never has gotten closer than that to winning a Super Bowl, and with time likely running down on his run in New York, this almost certainly will be his last shot at Belichick with the Jets. With all the sound and fury that accompanied Ryan's early days in New York, he will go out with a whimper. Even his old cornerback, Darrelle Revis, who now plays for Ryan's mortal enemy, called it "sad" to see Ryan's team near the end of such a disappointing season. The sadder part came when Ryan had only this to offer as a response. "The 3-11 year or whatever wasn't what any of us thought, so I appreciate his concerns," Ryan said. "But we're going to do our darnedest to get our fourth win this week." A sad way to end what had once been such a breathtaking rivalry between a future Hall of Fame coach and the guy who tried so, so hard to get the best of him. Only to show up for the last fight a beaten man. THE RECORD Darrelle Revis to face Rex Ryan, Jets for first time as a Patriot (J.P. Pelzman) The Record December 18, FLORHAM PARK For the first three-plus years of his tenure as Jets head coach, Rex Ryan enjoyed the benefits of anchoring his defense at Revis Island. 8 P a g e

9 But all of that began to change in September 2012, when Darrelle Revis suffered a season-ending knee injury and subsequently was traded to Tampa Bay in April 2013 mainly because the Jets were unwilling to meet the superstar cornerback s salary demands. The Jets could have re-signed Revis in March after he was released by the Buccaneers, but chose not to. Instead, he went to archrival New England, and his first appearance at MetLife Stadium as a Patriot on Sunday will coincide, in a strange twist, with what could be the embattled Ryan s last home game as Jets coach. It s kind of sad, Revis said Wednesday on a conference call, the position that Rex is in right now. But Revis sentimentality pretty much ends there, apparently. I m really not trying to pay attention to that, Revis said of Ryan s shaky job security. I m really not. Like I said, me and Rex have a lot of history and we all know that. Some of those guys [on the Jets] are dear to my heart and everything, but like I said, I ve got to focus on the things that I m doing here and I wish Rex the best. When asked if the cornerback-needy Jets could have used him this season, he replied, I m over here. That ship has sailed. I missed that boat. I caught the New England Patriots boat. But how long that vessel will remain docked on Revis Island is unclear. Yes, Revis signed a two-year contract with the Patriots, but it stipulates that New England has a club option to pick up the second season at a cost of $20 million. That s a price tag the Pats likely won t be willing to pay, even for a player of Revis caliber. I don t know what my future holds, Revis replied when asked if he believes he will be with New England next season. Right now, [I m] just focusing on this week. How about a reunion with Rex, maybe with a team other than the Jets? I don t know what my future holds, Revis answered. Like I said, my focus is this week. We ll see. The future will take care of itself. Ryan, whose fondness for Revis as a player was well-documented during their tenure together, also didn t want to address the subject very much. When Revis comment about Ryan s situation being kind of sad was relayed to the coach, he replied, The 3-11 year wasn t what any of us thought [would happen]. So, I appreciate his concern or whatever. Shoot, we re going to do our darndest to get our fourth win this week. Revis has played well for New England, and certainly has been a factor in the Patriots 9-1 run over their last 10 games. New England s rout of Miami on Sunday clinched the Pats sixth consecutive AFC East title. If the Patriots beat the Jets on Sunday and Buffalo in their regular-season finale, they will lock up homefield advantage throughout the conference playoffs. I can see why we win as an organization, Revis said, and why we re always winning the division year in and year out is because we work. We work hard, man. Even though we work hard, we do have to earn it. He s had a great season, Ryan said of Revis. He s playing well, there s no question about that. 9 P a g e

10 Quarterback Geno Smith called Revis always a guy you have to be aware of. As Ryan knows all too well, both as a friend and as a foe Jets notes: Muhammad Wilkerson may face Patriots (J.P. Pelzman) The Record December 18, Star defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson practiced on a limited basis Wednesday, but it still is unclear if he will able to play Sunday in the Jets home finale against New England. Wilkerson has missed the past three games with a painful turf toe injury. Jets Muhammad Wilkerson, who has a toe injury, was able to take a few reps at practice and wants to play Sunday. Jets Muhammad Wilkerson, who has a toe injury, was able to take a few reps at practice and wants to play Sunday. "It s the competitive spirit in me," said Wilkerson, who again stressed he isn t ready to shut himself down for the rest of the season. "If I can give it a go, I m going to give it a go. If I can t, I can t go. We ll make that decision later on in the week." Coach Rex Ryan said of Wilkerson, "he s not shutting it down. I don t like the way that sounds, because it s almost like, Well, he can play, but he s not going to do that. I know he s trying so hard to get back." HARVIN SITS: Wide receiver Percy Harvin missed practice as the Jets try to manage his sprained left ankle. Harvin, who was hurt at Minnesota on Dec. 7, played on a limited basis Sunday at Tennessee despite the injury. Ryan characterized it as a "third-degree" ankle sprain, which is defined as a complete tear of a ligament. Harvin is expected to play Sunday against New England. BRIEFS: Ryan was asked about CB Josh Thomas, who was waived Tuesday, a day after tweeting that his playbook and passport had been stolen. "The timing of it probably doesn t look real good," Ryan admitted, although he said the decision had more to do with giving former practice-squad safety Rontez Miles a chance at some playing time. Miles was promoted to take Thomas roster spot. New England signed TE Steve Maneri, a Saddle Brook native, to its 53-man roster. Maneri, who also has played on the offensive line during his NFL career, has appeared in 23 games as a pro and has six career receptions for 52 yards. He was with the Patriots in training camp this summer before being cut. Flying banner jeers the Jets (J.P. Pelzman) The Record December 18, Maybe the Jets should move their practices to the Morristown Municipal Airport, considering they once again found themselves squarely in the middle of a flight pattern Wednesday. For the second time this season, a plane circled overhead during practice urging the firing of embattled general manager John Idzik. The banner read "PENALTY FLAG DAY 12/21 FIREJOHNIDZIK.COM" in 5-foot 10 P a g e

11 capital red letters. It was a reference to a fan protest scheduled to take place during Sunday s home finale against New England. Spectators are being urged to bring towels, called "penalty flags" by the organizers of the protest, to the game. The group behind the firejohnidzik.com website has joined forces with other disgruntled Jets supporters to produce yellow towels urging owner Woody Johnson to clean house by firing Idzik, team president Neil Glat and senior personnel executive Terry Bradway. A banner suggesting the firing of Idzik flew overhead during practice Nov. 5. None of the Jets executives referenced on the towels appeared to be in attendance at practice while the plane circled overhead. Johnson inadvertently Tuesday favorited a tweet by a fan calling for Idzik s ouster, but later removed his accidental endorsement. NJ ADVANCE MEDIA NFL Mock Draft 2015: ESPN's Todd McShay has Jets taking Alabama receiver Amari Cooper (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advanced Media _alabama_receiver_amari_cooper.html The Jets still have to play the Patriots and the Dolphins these last two weeks, but come on: If you're a Jets fan a real Jets fan, even you're already looking ahead to how they can get this thing fixed in And even though no one yet knows who will be the Jets' general manager or head coach after this season, you're already curious about those mock drafts that are starting to bubble to the surface. Because even though you know mock drafts are indicative of nothing, they are indicative of something, and that something is some kind of hope for the future. The Jets no longer have a shot at the No. 1 pick in 2015, but they are almost assured of picking no lower than sixth, and a loss to the Pats on Sunday would sew up a top-six selection. They have primary needs at quarterback, offensive line, cornerback, linebacker, and safety, and depth needs just about everywhere. Last month, Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net had them going with Alabama wideout Amari Cooper. More recently, NFLDraftScout.com's Dan Brugler had them taking Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory, which would give them a much-needed edge rusher. Brugler even stuck with that prediction in an updated mock draft this week. And now it's ESPN's Todd McShay's turn. McShay's got the top two quarterbacks Oregon's Marcus Mariota and Florida State's Jameis Winston going 1-2 to the Bucs and Titans, respectively. And with Michigan State's Connor Cook having decided to stay in school, that leaves the Jets to look to fill some other position. And McShay's got them grabbing Cooper. His take: In this scenario, Mariota and Winston are already off the board. The Jets are desperate enough to find a franchise quarterback that they could trade up a few spots to draft either player if they fall in love with one, but if they're stuck at this spot, I think they should take the best player available in Cooper. They need O-line help, but the top-rated prospect on my board, Brandon Scherff from Iowa, is best-suited to play guard at the next level. He'll be a great one for a long time, but the No. 6 overall pick is a steep price 11 P a g e

12 to pay for a great guard. Percy Harvin provides no guarantees, and Cooper would be an upgrade over Eric Decker, who is really best-suited to be a No. 3 WR. He'd provide a great target for whenever the Jets find their guy at QB. The need to draft to wide receiver at No. 6 might depend on whether the Jets decide to bring back Percy Harvin, and at what price. Harvin's contract, signed last year when he was with the Seahawks, calls for him to earn a base salary of $10 million next season, though no a penny of it is guaranteed. Another 'Fire John Idzik' plane flies over Jets practice with message for the front office (PHOTOS) (Darryl Slater) NJ Advanced Media ing_ouster_of_general_manager.html FLORHAM PARK -- For the second time this season, an airplane flew over Jets practice Wednesday trailing a banner urging owner Woody Johnson to fire general manager John Idzik. Just like last time, the plane circled for about 20 minutes during the portion of practice that was open to reporters. The banner behind Wednesday's plane read: "PENALTY FLAG DAY 12/21 FIREJOHNIDZIK.COM." The initial banner, which flew over practice Nov. 5, read: "FIRE JOHN IDZIK." Unlike last time, neither Idzik nor Johnson was present Wednesday when the plane circled the practice field. Both were present for the first banner flyover. Idzik, the Jets' second-year general manager, has taken much of the heat for the team's 3-11 season. Will Johnson decide to get rid of Idzik and start with a totally clean slate in 2015, as the Jets approach the offseason likely preparing to find a new head coach? A fan-created website, FireJohnIdzik.com, raised money to put up billboards near MetLife Stadium, bearing that same message. Fans holding banners bearing the message showed up to the Dec. 1 home game against Miami. The Jets have been on the road since then. Their home finale is Sunday against the Patriots. Another Idzik protest is planned for that day, as Wednesday's banner mentioned. The fans who launched FireJohnIdzik.com are calling it "Penalty Flag Day." They are freely distributing (and also selling) yellow towels that urge Johnson to fire not only Idzik, but also senior director of college scouting Terry Bradway (the Jets' former general manager) and team president Neil Glat, though Glat's inclusion is curious because he is not involved in day-to-day football decisions. This will mark the third straight Jets home game with a visible fan protest. Four days after the first "Fire Idzik" banner, a plane flew over MetLife Stadium before the Steelers-Jets game on Nov. 9, pulling a banner that read: "JETS REBUILDING SINCE 1969." It will be interesting to see how Jets coach Rex Ryan, who almost certainly will be fired after the season, responds to Wednesday's second "Fire Idzik" banner at a practice. After the first one, Ryan arranged for a toy helicopter to fly over the Jets' indoor practice, pulling a small "GO JETS" banner. What a season. By the way, if you're scoring at home, the first "Fire Idzik" banner at practice, back in November, was not affiliated with FireJohnIdzik.com. But Wednesday's banner clearly was. 12 P a g e

13 Moreover, one of the website's billboards told Johnson to sell the Jets if he doesn't fire Idzik. The Idzik website folks even demanded an audience with Johnson via Twitter. Fun times at One Jets Drive. Former Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis shows sympathy for Rex Ryan's 'sad' situation (Darryl Slater) NJ Advanced Media or_rex_ryans_dire_situation.html FLORHAM PARK -- Rex Ryan is approaching the end of his six-year tenure with the Jets. It has been a miserable finish, as the Jets are 3-11 this season. But there were a lot of good times in 2009 and 2010, when the Jets made the AFC Championship Game both years. Cornerback Darrelle Revis starred for the Jets back then, as a first-team All-Pro from He is now in his first season with the Patriots, after a year in Tampa Bay, where the Jets traded him to. Revis, who will return to MetLife Stadium on Sunday with New England, showed some sympathy for Ryan's situation Wednesday. Revis was asked during a teleconference with Jets reporters if he is shocked that his former team is "Am I shocked?" Revis said. "I don't know. They've got a lot on their plate over there in that situation this year. It's kind of sad, the position that Rex is in right now. At the same time, it's something that they've got to change. "Me and Rex, we've got a lot of history. Some of those guys (on the Jets) are dear to my heart, but I've got to focus on the things that I'm doing here. I wish Rex the best. We had some good runs up there. We had some great runs." The Jets' cornerback situation has been a mess this season, after they decided not to pursue Revis in free agency this past offseason. Revis declined to say if he thinks the Jets could have used him this season, for a second stint with the organization. "That shipped has sailed," Revis said. "I missed that boat. I'm over here. I caught the New England Patriots' boat." He also declined to say if he wanted to return to the Jets during the offseason. "Right now, the focus is playing against the Jets," he said, sounding every bit like his robotic new coach, Bill Belichick. The Jets drafted Revis 14th overall in 2007, and watched him blossom into one of the NFL's elite players during his six seasons with them. But his contract demands grew tiresome for owner Woody Johnson, which led to the trade to Tampa Bay after the 2012 season. The Jets used the 2013 first-round pick they acquired in the trade to draft defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, last year's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Still, Revis is having an impressive 2014 season. Pro Football Focus rates him the second-best cornerback in the league, and third in coverage ratings. Last year, Revis ranked first overall and fourth in coverage. Quarterbacks throw in his direction at their own risk. 13 P a g e

14 Sunday will mark the third time Ryan has coached against Revis since he trade. In last year's opener, Tampa Bay played at MetLife Stadium, and the Jets won. Earlier this season, the Jets visited New England and lost. Revis said he did not get a chance to catch up with Ryan during pregame warmups before that game in New England. Ryan still thinks fondly of Revis, and based on Revis's comments Wednesday, it is clear he feels similarly. Jets' Michael Vick has paid back nearly all of his $17.8 million in debt, per report (Darryl Slater) NJ Advanced Media illion_in_debt_per_report.html FLORHAM PARK -- Michael Vick didn't get a full-time starting job out of his first (and probably only) season with the Jets. But the veteran quarterback did make $4 million, on a one-year contract, that helped him dig out from under a massive pile of debt. Now, Vick has paid back almost all of the $17.8 million he owed creditors, according to a report from ESPN's Darren Rovell. Vick filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July 2008, while he was spending 548 days in federal prison on dog-fighting charges. Vick has paid back more than $15 million of that $17.8 million. He did it while going on what Rovell terms a "restrictive" budget from , part of Vick's repayment agreement. During that period, Vick also earned about $49 million in pay from the Eagles and Jets. The Eagles signed him in 2009 after he got out of prison. Vick missed the 2007 and 2008 NFL seasons, after accumulating (and spending) millions of dollars while playing for the Falcons from Later in Rovell's story, he specifies that Vick's budget was $300,000 a year, since he had to pay so much to creditors and legal fees. That figure is not "restrictive" for a normal person. But when you're making NFL money, you don't usually live like a normal person. In 2011, the Eagles gave Vick a contract with $36 million guaranteed. Though Vick hasn't paid back all of his $17.8 million in debt, a pending real estate sale could help him get closer to that number, according to Rovell's story. Rovell also spoke to Joseph Luzinski, a senior vice president at Development Specialists Inc., a management consultancy firm and the liquidating trustee in Vick's bankruptcy. Luzinski revealed something interesting about Vick paying back his creditors: He didn't legally have to do it. From Rovell's report "What Michael did was the exception, not the rule," Luzinski said. "He didn't have to do this. The law allows you to skate by and pay your creditors 10 or 20 cents on the dollar, but he thought this was the right thing to do." Vick said he could have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy instead of Chapter 11, which he ultimately chose. The former would have meant most of his debts would have been forgiven. "I didn't want to stiff people who never stiffed me," Vick said. Which seems the ethical way of approaching $17.8 million in debt, if you have the means to pay it back, as Vick did, once he reestablished himself in the NFL. 14 P a g e

15 At the end of this year, Vick will no longer have to stick to his $300,000 yearly budget, as he did for the past five years while repaying his debt. That five-year budgeted repayment plan concludes Dec. 31. But Vick told Rovell he plans to be smarter with his money than he was as a younger man. Vick, 34, likely won't be back next year with the Jets. He started three games and threw three touchdowns and two interceptions. He wants to continue playing. If he does keep earning NFL paychecks past this year, he will now be able to keep his salary for himself. Rex Ryan still doesn't intend to kiss Bill Belichick's rings: 'Hell no' (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advanced Media hell_no.html FLORHAM PARK Rex Ryan is 3-11 this season as the Jets' head coach. In six years, he's failed to dethrone Bill Belichick, his counterpart with the Patriots, even once as champions of the AFC East. And Ryan is likely going to be fired in the next week-and-a-half. There's something sad about that, if only because Ryan has always injected Jets-Patriots with such genuine verve. The Jets play the Patriots at home on Sunday, and it feels like the end to the Ryan-Belichick chapter of a long-simmering rivalry that dates back to Bill Parcells, to the Curtis Martin trade, to "I resign as HC of the NYJ." The Pats have dominated the head-to-head matchup Ryan's Jets are just 4-8 against Belichick's Pats, including 1-6 in the last four seasons, all of which have coincided with the Jets missing the playoffs. But don't think for a moment Ryan has any regrets. Famously, Ryan came strutting into Jets HQ in 2009 barking statements like, "I never came here to kiss Bill Belichick's, you know, rings." Yet even now, even as he's been humbled by the reality of his current circumstances, Ryan would take none of that familiar bluster back. "Hell no, because I never came here to do that," Ryan said Wednesday. "I came here to kick his butt. Obviously, I haven't been very successful at it, but that list is long; I'm not just the only name on that list. I might be the only one that had the guts to say something about it. But that's how I am; that's how I feel this week, too. No different than any other time I've been here." Darrelle Revis, the gifted cornerback, had once played a starring role in this drama as a member of the Jets. But now that he's with the Patriots, Revis can only lament Ryan's situation from afar. "It's kind of sad, the position that Rex is in right now," Revis said. New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan didn't answer directly when asked if he misses having Darrelle Revis on his team. (Video by John Munson Munson) Told of Revis's remark, Ryan seemed touched, even as he still made the effort to cast Revis as One Of Them now. "Kind of appreciate him, those concerns or whatever," Ryan said. "But, shoot, we're going to do our darnedest to get our fourth win this week." Naturally, Ryan was peppered with questions about Revis's return to MetLife Stadium, about whether he missed Revis, and about whether he sees himself being reunited with Revis sometime in the future. Ryan responded as only Ryan can. 15 P a g e

16 "Revis? Nah, you know," Ryan said, smiling. "See, I think it's a better question for, like, [whether] Belichick and I [will get together]. Hang out and drink a beer or two. I think he's actually a pretty good guy. So I just changed that question. Yeah, I think I'd hang out with Belichick." To be clear: Ryan has plenty of respect for Belichick. On Wednesday, he referred to him and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady as "first-ballot" Hall of Famers, repeating a phrase he had uttered about Belichick earlier this week. "It's a very flattering comment," Belichick said. "But it sounds like Rex is just buttering me up." That true, Rex? "Oh, yeah. No question," Ryan said before doling out another heaping helping of his trademark sarcasm. "Because clearly he doesn't have the resume to go into the Hall of Fame. Now, look, I think we're both Hall of Famers already in our colleges. We're very similar that way." Does any other NFL head coach take such joy in the pursuit of his biggest adversary? Rex Ryan is a reminder that football is still a game, and that it's a game best enjoyed as an entertaining spectacle. Jets- Patriots will live on after Sunday. But it's going to be a hell of a lot less fun without him. Jets' Rex Ryan takes a shot at New England Patriots' Tom Brady for his sideline cursing (Darryl Slater) NJ Advanced Media html FLORHAM PARK -- Rex Ryan's Wednesday press conference was rolling along, with all the expected questions about Darrelle Revis and Bill Belichick, when Ryan decided to go off on a tangent, and offer a few wise cracks here during Patriots week, just for old time's sake. The Jets are 3-11, but Ryan seems as loose as ever, still himself to the end. Ryan almost certainly will be fired after the season. He knows this. So this seems to be his final meeting with the Patriots as Jets head coach. He reminded everyone what they'll be missing Wednesday, at least in entertainment value, when he launched into a bit tweaking Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for his foulmouthed sideline language. "I'm surprised I haven't been asked about doing all the (film) preparation on New England," Ryan said, winding up his joke. "You go back and you do all the games, and all that. I even (watch) the TV copies of the games." Then his tone shifted, and he feigned being appalled. New York Jets coach Rex Ryan famously said before his first year with the team, "I never came here to kiss Bill Belichick's rings." As the Jets and Patriots prepare to play each other this Sunday, Ryan still feels the same way, saying, "I came here to kick his butt." (Video by John Munson NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) "But to be honest with you, I couldn't watch all of the game," Ryan said. "I was offended by the language I saw. I was like, 'Wow.' I'm thinking, 'Boy, that fine's got to really be hefty, because that's one, two, three, four, five of those bad boys, I think.' So I'm not sure what that was. But I couldn't even get through the game." Of course, cursing never happens on Ryan's sideline, right? "I don't think so," Ryan responded quickly, laying the sarcasm on thick. 16 P a g e

17 Here was one of the NFL's last coaches who still acts like a human being -- and not someone with batteries inserted into his neck -- at his very best, working the room. Ryan might not have won as many games as Jets fans would've liked, but give him this: He has rarely been boring. In case you're not sure what Ryan was referring to, regarding Brady's language, here's a quick recap: Brady was caught on camera repeatedly yelling an obvious expletive on the sideline during the Patriots' Nov. 30 loss at Green Bay. It is New England's only loss in its past 10 games. Brady didn't scream the curse word at anybody in particular. He was just venting his frustration. He was not fined for the incident. Brady was mostly unapologetic for his on-field and sideline language, which drew three complaints to the Federal Communications Commission. "Blame CBS and NBC for putting it on TV," Brady told WEEI radio in Boston. "Don't blame me." Ryan has twice been fined for the NFL for cursing. Three years ago, he got a $75,000 fine for shouting "shut the (bleep) up!" to a fan as the Jets left the field. Earlier this season, immediately after the Jets upset the Steelers on Nov. 9, Ryan yelled "bleep (you)!" It was apparently directed at somebody on the field, either the officials or the Steelers. Ryan declined to say whom he was yelling at. Ryan got a $100,000 fine from the NFL for his "(bleep) you!" Again, it was largely different from Brady's sideline curse word, because Ryan was cursing at someone. Ryan punted on a question Wednesday about whether he thinks it's fair that he was fined for cursing and Brady wasn't. "Well, quite honestly, we don't know," Ryan said. "He might very well have had to cut a check or two. We're not sure. But hey, we all know I shouldn't have done it. I recognize that." Michael Vick tried to lure DeSean Jackson to Jets; says playing for Washington would be 'dream come true,' per report (Dom Cosentino) NJ advanced Media playing_for_washington_would_be_dream_come_tr.html FLORHAM PARK Back in November, when Michael Vick was still (briefly) the Jets' starting quarterback, a source put out a flare indicating Vick wanted to stay with the team next season. Vick has since been benched in favor of Geno Smith, even if Vick would rather not call it a benching. And with the Jets facing so much uncertainty from the front office on down heading into next year, it's looking less and less likely Vick will remain with the team once his contract expires in March. So where might he go? Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday floated Washington where the Robert Griffin III melodrama is a daily soap opera as a possibility. And Vick happened to get just a little excited. From Newsday: "That's home,'' the Virginia native said, beaming like a child. "That's home for me. Don't get me excited. Don't get me excited.'' [...] 17 P a g e

18 "I'm open to playing for anybody that wants to win,'' Vick said. "But obviously, going back home, I mean, that'll be a dream come true,'' he said, smiling again. "But I would hate to get my hopes up for something that wouldn't happen. So I can't even think about it right now.'' Um, whoa? OK, so maybe Vick, who turns 35 next June, is more than just a little excited by the prospect of maybe playing in Washington. Vick also told Newsday that after Jackson was released by the Eagles in March, shortly after NJ.com published a story detailing his alleged gang affiliations, the two had talked about Jackson coming to the Jets, too. Jackson later signed with Washington. But he and Vick were teammates with the Eagles for five seasons, and Vick told Newsday Jackson was like "a little brother" to him. "I know his speed, I know his acceleration path, I know when he's coming out of his breaks. There's nobody that knows DeSean Jackson better than me. I think he knows that, and we were just trying to position ourselves to be together again, but it didn't work out.' Percy Harvin says he is 'licking my chops' to face Darrelle Revis in Jets-New England Patriots game (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advanced Media e_revis_in_jets-new_england_patriots_game.html FLORHAM PARK -- Percy Harvin thinks Darrelle Revis will match up with him in Sunday's game between the Jets and Patriots at MetLife Stadium. Or at least that is the Jets' "first guess" right now about who Revis, one of the NFL's elite cornerbacks, will cover. Harvin is just fine with Revis covering him. In fact, Harvin wants it to happen. "I just look forward to it," said Harvin, the Jets' deep-threat wide receiver. "He's, if not one of the best corners, definitely in the top three. So any time a matchup like that (happens), I'm licking my chops. It'll be good to test myself, to see where I measure up at. So I'm looking forward to it." Revis, who starred for the Jets from , is thriving in his first year with the Patriots. "He's looking like Revis," Harvin said. "It should be a good matchup." Be careful what you wish for. Harvin is still recovering from a sprained ankle sustained two games ago in Minnesota. He excelled in that game before getting hurt: six catches, 124 yards and one touchdown. But he was a non-factor last week in Tennessee while playing hurt. He had zero catches on three targets. How effective will Harvin be on Sunday? If he plays well against Revis, it could bode well for his chances of having the Jets pick up his contract for next season, when he is due to earn a $10.5 million base salary -- none of which is currently guaranteed money. Revis is known for shadowing his receiver, rather than remaining on one side of the field for the entire game. Though Harvin acknowledged he can't be sure if Revis will shadow him, Harvin said the Jets believe New England will put cornerback Brandon Browner on their other outside receiver, Eric Decker, and go with a Revis-Harvin matchup. 18 P a g e