NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

Transcription

1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS August 26, 2014 Table of Contents ASSOCIATED PRESS... 2 Jets' Vick will always be grateful toward Eagles (Dennis Waszak)... 2 Jets' Saunders practices, cleared after seizure (Dennis Waszak)... 3 Jets suspend CB Dimitri Patterson 'indefinitely' (Dennis Waszak)... 3 NEWSDAY... 4 Michael Vick loved his Philadelphia experiment (Kimberley Martin)... 4 Jalen Saunders cleared to play following seizure, crash (Kimberley Martin)... 5 Dimitri Patterson suspended by Jets after going AWOL (Kimberley Martin)... 6 THE RECORD... 6 Jets notes: Vick's Philly return... 6 Jets suspend cornerback Dimitri Patterson 'indefinitely' (J.P. Pelzman)... 7 STAR-LEDGER... 8 Jets' Demario Davis: 'I think we have one of the most underrated secondaries in the league'(darryl Slater)... 8 Mike Vick was initially 'angry' about going to Eagles, but ended up cherishing their fans (Darryl Slater) Willie Colon on Dimitri Patterson absence: If player bails on Jets, 'maybe they just need to be left behind' (Darryl Slater) Jalen Saunders medical incident was a seizure, says Rex Ryan, as Jets rookie WR practices fully again (Darryl Slater) Dimitri Patterson suspended indefinitely by Jets after going AWOL [UPDATED] (Darryl Slater) Jets teammates rave about how Geno Smith's composure has increased from last year (Darryl Slater) NEW YORK POST Saunders back after seizure, crash (Bart Hubbuch) Hey, Geno: Michael Vick certain he can be a No. 1 QB (George Willis) Jets suspend Dimitri Patterson indefinitely following absence (George Willis) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Jets suspend Dimitri Patterson indefinitely after CB goes AWOL for 48 hours NEW YORK TIMES Jets Suspend Cornerback Amid Inquiry Into Absence (Tom Pedulla) ESPN NEW YORK Jalen Saunders back to full practice (Rich Cimini) Dimitri Patterson suspended by Jets (Rich Cimini) NJ.COM P a g e

2 Rex Ryan 'hopeful' Jets cornerback Dee Milliner can be ready for season opener (Dom Cosentino) Dimitri Patterson, who was AWOL, blames media for saying he was AWOL, per report (Dom Cosentino) METRO NEW YORK Jalen Saunders returns to practice after suffering seizure (Kristian Dyer) Dimitri Patterson suspended by Jets after going missing last week (Kristian Dyer) MONDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ASSOCIATED PRESS Jets' Vick will always be grateful toward Eagles (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) Michael Vick remembers taking the drive to Philadelphia to restart his NFL career and loathing every minute of the ride. He was getting a second chance after serving nearly two years in prison for his role in a dogfighting ring. But Vick wasn't sure if the Eagles were the right fit. What if, he thought, after all this time away from football, he was making a huge mistake? "I'll never forget," Vick recalled Monday. "It was a place I didn't want to be. I wanted to go to a team and start, but I knew I was going to sit behind Donovan (McNabb) and Kevin Kolb. I just remember being angry the whole trip and kind of upset almost a disgruntled employee before I could even get there." Once Vick arrived on that August day in 2009, he sat down with McNabb, then-coach Andy Reid and thenoffensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, and everything changed. "I said, 'OK,'" said Vick, now with the New York Jets and reunited with Mornhinweg. "I didn't know how long it would be, but I was like, 'OK, this can be my home for a year,' and it ended up being home for five years. That's how God works." Because of that, Vick says, Philadelphia will hold a special place in his heart, despite the rocky start. "There will always be the sense of gratitude," he said. "That'll never change." Vick, now the backup to Geno Smith with the Jets, is expected to take a few snaps Thursday night when he returns to Philadelphia in the teams' preseason finale. With the Eagles, Vick rehabilitated his image and re-established himself as one of the NFL's most dynamic players. He dealt with injuries, too, but there was no doubt that the player whose eye-popping athletic ability was often compared to a video game was still there. Even last season, Vick was looking good in Chip Kelly's up-tempo offense until he injured a hamstring in the fifth game. He returned three games later, but was ineffective. Nick Foles replaced him during that game and Vick never started again. Despite how his five seasons ended in Philadelphia, Vick insisted he's "absolutely" OK with it. "I never want to play second fiddle to anybody," he said, "but I just felt like that team was in such a groove that I didn't want to try to become a distraction even though I could have fought for my position and fought for the job. "But I just felt like that team was just in a good place and didn't want to interrupt that." 2 P a g e

3 He became a free agent and signed with the Jets in March, fully aware that the team was going to give Smith every opportunity to be the starter in his second season. After the Jets' preseason loss to the Giants last Friday, Rex Ryan announced that Smith would be under center in Week 1. Meanwhile, Vick will be counted on to mentor Smith and be able to step in if the young quarterback falters a role he accepted last season in Philadelphia. "Yeah, I think it helped me for this situation that I'm in now and what's taking place here in this point in my life," Vick said. "You always envision yourself being a starter. You always want to be the guy behind the center, but times change and things change and we change as individuals, our feelings and emotions. I think I've changed over the years and I still have the same attitude, winning attitude, but now I kind of see things from a different perspective. "It's very humbling to be in the position that I'm in now because I get to see things from a different angle. That's just as important as being a starter, if you ask me." Even at 34, Vick sees himself on film and knows he can play at a high level. That might have some wondering if Vick might still have signed with the Jets rather than a place he could immediately start if he had a chance to do it over again. "Yeah, absolutely," he said. "The worst thing I could do is tell you, 'No.' The worst thing I could do is say, 'I would have done it differently.'... I'm just happy to be in this position. I think from the beginning I wouldn't have made the decision if I didn't think it was the right one. "I can honestly and candidly say right now that I'm very thankful and grateful to be here as a Jet and excited about what we can accomplish this year." Jets' Saunders practices, cleared after seizure (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) New York Jets rookie wide receiver Jalen Saunders was a full participant at practice for the first time in over a week after suffering a seizure that hospitalized him for two days. Coach Rex Ryan confirmed Monday that Saunders, a fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma, had a seizure when he drove his car off the road on Aug. 15 on his way to the team's facility. Saunders had been awaiting results of tests before being cleared to return to the field. Saunders practiced Sunday in a red no-contact jersey, but shed that Monday and participated fully. Ryan expects Saunders to play a lot in the Jets' preseason finale at Philadelphia on Thursday night. Saunders says he's still unsure what caused the seizure, but is "blessed to be alive." Jets suspend CB Dimitri Patterson 'indefinitely' (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) The New York Jets have "indefinitely" suspended cornerback Dimitri Patterson after he left the team for 48 hours without contacting the organization. 3 P a g e

4 General manager John Idzik said Monday that Patterson spoke to him and coach Rex Ryan on Sunday night. Idzik would not discuss the reason for the absence. Idzik adds that the suspension will be "brief," but the 31-year-old veteran will face further discipline once the team has gathered all the facts. Patterson wasn't on the practice field Monday. Patterson was with the team last Thursday night at a walkthrough practice at Hofstra University. Idzik said he was also at meetings, a walkthrough and the pregame meal Friday, but didn't show for the game at MetLife Stadium that night. NEWSDAY Michael Vick loved his Philadelphia experiment (Kimberley Martin) Newsday Philadelphia is the place where Eagles fans once booed Santa Claus. But when Jets backup quarterback Michael Vick makes his expected cameo start in the final exhibition game Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field, he likely will be greeted warmly as a former Eagle who provided many thrilling moments over the past five seasons before leaving as a free agent. Vick was a social pariah when the Eagles took a chance on signing him in 2009 when he was released from prison after serving 18 months for his role in a dogfighting operation, but that's where the former Atlanta star revived his career. As Vick recalled Monday, Philadelphia was not a desired destination. "Just going to Philadelphia for the first time and taking the drive up there, I'll never forget it was a place I didn't want to be," Vick said. "I wanted to go to a team and start, and I knew I was going to sit behind Donovan [McNabb] and Kevin Kolb. "I remember being angry the whole trip and kind of upset, almost a disgruntled employee before I could even get there." That all changed as soon as Vick met former Eagles coach Andy Reid, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, now with the Jets, and had a chance to talk with McNabb. "I was like, 'This could be my home for a year,' " Vick said. "It ended up being my home for five years. That's how God worked." Vick succeeded McNabb as the starter in 2010 and led the Eagles to the NFC East title. He lost the starting job last season to Nick Foles in the Eagles' first season under coach Chip Kelly, but Vick parted on great terms with the entire Eagles organization when he signed with the Jets to back up Geno Smith. "The chemistry I had with the organization was uncanny," Vick said. "The relationships I developed with the people in the front office were awesome, and I had a great relationship with Howie Roseman, the general manager. I had a great relationship with Chip. I had a great appreciation for my teammates, and I think vice-versa. We had a great time. "It will always be a sense of gratitude. That will never change. I have friends from that team that I will have for a lifetime, and that means more than anything." 4 P a g e

5 Vick was gracious about his demotion last season and said he didn't want to become a distraction by fighting to regain his job because the team was playing well with Foles at quarterback. The experience helped prepare Vick to serve as the Jets' backup and as a mentor to Geno Smith. "You always envision yourself being a starter," Vick said. "You always want to be the guy behind the center, but times change and things change and we change as individuals, our feelings and emotions." Some expected Vick to put up more of a battle for the Jets' starting job, but coach Rex Ryan officially named Smith the starter after he played well against the Giants last week. Still, he has shown flashes in his limited preseason action of the young, exciting Michael Vick, who was a multidimensional threat every time he touched the ball. When he watches game film, Vick is confident he's still got it if called upon. "Yeah, I watch myself on film, and I appreciate what I see," Vick said. "At the age of 34, to still be able to play at a high level means a lot. I want it to carry over throughout the season and the next couple years, and I'll be grateful." No doubt, it's the thrill-a-minute quarterback that Eagles fans will remember. Vick isn't sure how many snaps he'll take Thursday, but he appreciates the opportunity to appear in Philadelphia one more time. "I don't know what's going to happen," Vick said. "I'm just looking forward to going back to Philadelphia and just enjoying that day and helping the young guys." Jalen Saunders cleared to play following seizure, crash (Kimberley Martin) Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Rookie wide receiver Jalen Saunders on Monday was cleared for contact and will play in the final exhibition game Thursday night in Philadelphia after suffering what Jets coach Rex Ryan acknowledged was a seizure in his one-vehicle auto accident Aug. 15. "For somebody to go through something like that and get back to where he is cleared to play, I think that's really big for him," Ryan said of Saunders, a fourth-round draft pick. "He looked good today, I thought." Saunders crashed his 2014 Toyota Corolla less than a mile from the Jets' practice facility after what was termed a "medical event." "He had a seizure," Ryan said, "and that is the extent of what we know. When the doctors were confident that he would be cleared, he was." Saunders said he has no family history of seizures and said he felt fine in practice. "It was something very, very scary in my life," Saunders said. "Other than that, I'm just blessed to be here... I don't know the cause for it, so I really can't give you an answer for it." Saunders said his only goal Thursday is to "play football stress-free." He has been cleared to drive again but hadn't done so as of Monday. Jets streams Ryan said S/CB Antonio Allen (concussion) is doing well with his concussion protocol and expects to be cleared for the season opener. CB Dee Milliner (knee) is not running full yet, and his status for the opener remains in doubt... CBs Darrin Walls and Kyle Wilson, S Calvin Pryor and LBs Calvin Pace and David Harris will not play to make sure they are healthy for the opener... WRs Stephen Hill and Clyde Gates left practice with illnesses, but both are expected to play in Philly... Backup QBs Matt Simms and Tajh Boyd 5 P a g e

6 will "take 99 percent" of the snaps, Ryan said, hinting that former Eagle Michael Vick will see token action to be recognized by the Eagles' crowd. Dimitri Patterson suspended by Jets after going AWOL (Kimberley Martin) Newsday Jets cornerback Dimitri Patterson has been suspended indefinitely. General manager John Idzik made the impromptu announcement Monday morning during practice. Idzik reiterated that he and head coach Rex Ryan spoke face-to-face Sunday evening with Patterson, who had been missing for two days. "It's good to finally speak to Dimitri and hear his side," Idzik said. "What we're going to do now is, he's going to be suspended indefinitely and that'll give us a little time to gather more information around what led to his behavior. And I think that way, we'll feel like we'll make a very informed decision what discipline will be forthcoming." Idzik said the current suspension "will be brief" and that "it just allows us some time to gather information and make a decision that we feel is best for the team." The GM said Patterson's conversation with him and Ryan would remain private, adding that their Sunday night chat was merely "a listening session." Patterson was not present on the practice field Monday but did say he was fine in a text message to ESPN's Josina Anderson. "Yes, I'm OK and I'm not going AWOL either. Comical," Patterson reportedly wrote. Idzik told reporters on a conference call Sunday afternoon that the cornerback did not show up for Friday night's preseason game against the Giants and that the team hadn't heard from him since. Later that night, the Jets announced that Patterson sat down with Idzik and Ryan. Asked if Patterson's "unexcused absence" was due to an emergency, Idzik said "I rather not characterize it" at all. "Obviously, Dimitri felt he acted appropriately. But until we discussed it last night, you don't understand. And to be honest, we're still trying to understand all that went behind it. So I would rather not characterize it." So are the Jets convinced that Patterson is 100-percent committed to the team? "That's what we're going to try to decipher," said Idzik. THE RECORD Jets notes: Vick's Philly return The Record August 26, Vick s Philly return 6 P a g e

7 Backup quarterback Michael Vick will start Thursday s preseason finale at Philadelphia, but don t expect him to play very long. Coach Rex Ryan said Monday that No. 3 quarterback Matt Simms of Franklin Lakes and rookie Tajh Boyd will get "99 percent of the reps" against the Eagles. It s quite possible Ryan might use Vick for only one play, maybe a kneel down or a handoff, before removing him so as not to risk injury. Ryan apparently wants to give the Eagles fans a chance to acknowledge Vick, who played for Philadelphia from Vick still is grateful to the Eagles for allowing him to resurrect his career after serving prison time for his part in a dog-fighting ring. "There will always be the sense of gratitude," Vick said Monday. "That ll never change." He s also happy where he is. "I can honestly and candidly say right now that I m very thankful and grateful to be here as a Jet," he said, adding he is "excited about what we can accomplish this year." Saunders practices Rookie wide receiver Jalen Saunders practiced in full for the first time since suffering a seizure Aug. 15 while driving his car to the team s Florham Park complex. Saunders practiced Sunday wearing a red "nocontact" jersey, but was a full go Monday. "I m blessed to be alive," Saunders said, adding he still doesn t know what caused the seizure. He said there is no history of seizures in his family. He has been cleared to drive, but said he has been given no assurances by doctors that he won t suffer another seizure. Still, he is not worried. "I m not God, so I can t just sit here and plan out my life and whatnot," Saunders said. "I don t know the causes for it, so I can t really give a straight answer for that." Jets suspend cornerback Dimitri Patterson 'indefinitely' (J.P. Pelzman) The Record FLORHAM PARK - The Jets on Monday "indefinitely" suspended cornerback Dimitri Patterson, who was absent from the team for over 48 hours this weekend without contacting the organization. General manager John Idzik, who announced the suspension, confirmed that he and coach Rex Ryan met with Patterson late Sunday night. However, Idzik would not discuss with reporters the reason for Patterson s absence. Idzik said the suspension will be "brief," but added that it "will allow us to gather more information" about what led to Patterson's two-day disappearance. Idzik indicated there will be further discipline for Patterson, but wouldn t speculate on what that might entail. Patterson, who has been bothered by calf, ankle and quadriceps injuries, was with the team earlier in the day Friday but never reported to MetLife Stadium for that night's preseason game against the Giants. 7 P a g e

8 Ryan said the plan was for Patterson to participate in pre-game warmups that day and perhaps play against the Giants. The 31-year-old journeyman had been penciled in as a starter for the Jets since signing a one-year, $3 million deal in April. But he has been injury-prone in recent seasons, and that trend continued this summer. He missed the second preseason game at Cincinnati on Aug. 16 because of various leg woes. "Obviously, Dimitri felt he acted appropriately, but until we discussed it last night, you don't understand." Idzik said. "And, to be honest, we're still trying to understand all that went behind it. So, I would rather not characterize it. "The conversations we had with Dimitri will remain private," Idzik added. "He presented what led up to that, and basically last night was a listening session for Rex and for me, to understand what went into it. Ryan also would not reveal what was said in that meeting. I ll just leave that between [Patterson] and I, Ryan said. It s a serious situation, the coach added. It s safe to say I ve never been in a situation where a player has not shown up for a game. I will say that obviously I m happy that he s OK. Cornerback Darrin Walls was surprised by Patterson s absence. Dimitri s a great person, Walls said. I never expected him to not show up for a game. Patterson told ESPN s Josina Anderson in a text message that he was OK, and said reports of him being AWOL were comical. When asked about that, Idzik responded, "I'll just say he left and we didn't hear from him until we saw him yesterday evening." It's possible the Jets are looking to see if Patterson's unexcused absence could void his contract, and thus allow them to move on from him. Still, they have a big hole at corner. Three players at the position currently are out with injuries, including No. 1 corner Dee Milliner (high ankle sprain) and Antonio Allen, who moved over from safety on Aug. 11 but suffered a concussion against the Giants. Also, third-round pick Dexter McDougle is on injured reserve after having knee surgery last week. Ryan said he s unsure if Milliner will be ready for the season opener against Oakland on Sept. 7. The coach also announced Walls will sit out the preseason finale at Philadelphia on Thursday. That is a privilege reserved for starters, so it s safe to assume Walls could start on opening day. STAR-LEDGER Jets' Demario Davis: 'I think we have one of the most underrated secondaries in the league'(darryl Slater) Star Ledger nderrated_secondaries_in_the_league.html FLORHAM PARK From an outside perspective, there seems to be a ton of uncertainty right now about the Jets cornerback situation. 8 P a g e

9 One starting corner, Dee Milliner, is sidelined with a high ankle sprain. It remains unclear if he will be able to play in the Sept. 7 season opener against the Raiders. Another starter, Dimitri Patterson, has been indefinitely suspended after leaving the team without notification before Friday s game against the Giants. A top backup, rookie Dexter McDougle, is done for the year because of a knee injury. And against the Giants, converted safety Antonio Allen sustained a concussion. He moved to corner after Milliner and McDougle got hurt. The Jets most experienced healthy corners are Darrin Walls, Ellis Lankster, LeQuan Lewis and Kyle Wilson. Walls and Lankster have never started consistently. Lewis is recent free agent pickup who went undrafted in 2011 and has been with eight NFL teams. Wilson, a first-round draft pick in 2010, is entrenched as the Jets slot corner. It would seem that the Jets cornerback situation and secondary as a whole is in rough shape. But weak-side linebacker Demario Davis does not see it that way. The media says it s uncertainty, he said. We re fine. I think they make a big deal about it, but we haven t even played our first game. When it comes time to make plays, our defense will be ready, all 11 of us. I think we have one of the most underrated secondaries in the league. I think people just want to have something to talk about, because it s not a lot of big-name guys back there. It s not guys who are perennial Pro Bowlers or anything like that. But everybody out there is Year 1 through 3, except for (safety) Dawan Landry, and the guy has played nine years in the league. That speaks for itself. The rest of those guys are Year 1, 2, 3, so they haven t had a chance to prove themselves. As the year goes on, I m pretty sure all of them will rise to the occasion, whoever is out there. I think the media makes a big emphasis about it, but you ve got to remember that everybody back there is Year 1 through 3, and a lot of those guys haven t had a chance to start. But that doesn t mean he s not ready to go out and perform. When the game is on the line and we need those guys to make plays, I m more confident in the guys I practice with every day. To Davis s point, Milliner is in his second season in the NFL. Safety Calvin Pryor is a rookie. Allen is a thirdyear pro. Landry is indeed in his ninth season. Walls is in his fourth year. Lankster initially entered the NFL in 2009, but he is currently in his fifth season, because he spent 2010 in the Canadian Football League. So Davis was right when he pointed out that the Jets secondary is relatively young. What does he see that gives him so much confidence that the Jets second-string corners, guys like Lankster and Walls, are capable of performing well? I can tell you two things that most people don t see, Davis said. First, Ellis is a game-time player. He might not have the biggest name or he may not have the greatest practices, or you may not see him always doing extra. But when the lights come on, he s a performer. You can search all his film. Any time he s been out there in the game, he s made plays on special teams. He s making plays every week. When he gets his opportunity in the game, he goes out there, and in Cincinnati, they don t complete a pass on his side. What (more) can you ask for out of a cornerback than a game where (the quarterback) doesn t complete a pass (against him)? When he gets his opportunity, he s going to shine. Darrin Walls wasn t even a starter last year, but he could have led the league in interceptions, if he just caught the ball. He dropped nine interceptions. So think about if he catches all those balls, he leads the league. Those two stats speak for themselves. I ll take my guys over anybody. 9 P a g e

10 It s not a loyalty thing. It s the truth. I m going by what I see. It ain t just about me being loyal to my teammates. I m going by what I see. I ll take my guys over anybody. What Davis said about Lankster is true. According to Pro Football Focus, Lankster was thrown at twice in Jets-Bengals, for zero completions. Lankster played 29 snaps in the game. As for Walls almost having nine interceptions last year, coach Rex Ryan has mentioned that he wants to see Walls do a better job of coming down with balls that he gets his hands on. But nine near-picks in 2013? It s tough to gauge the accuracy of that statement without watching all of Walls s film from last year. Walls did not have any picks last year, but was credited with six passes defended, according to the Jets official statistics. Pro Football Focus had him for three passes defended. He was thrown at 32 times and 19 balls were completed in those 32 attempts, according to PFF. With the Jets opener looming, Davis s confidence in the backup cornerbacks and secondary as a whole -- will be put to the test very soon. Mike Vick was initially 'angry' about going to Eagles, but ended up cherishing their fans (Darryl Slater) Star Ledger _ended_up_cherishing_the_experience.html FLORHAM PARK Michael Vick resurrected his NFL career and more importantly, his life during the five seasons he spent with the Philadelphia Eagles. He will forever carry with him dozens of fond memories from that experience. His fondest came when he was perhaps most anxious and least secure an unfamiliar feeling for one of this generation s most gifted athletes. It was the summer of Vick was about to play in a preseason game in Philadelphia. He hadn t played in an NFL game since He had forever tarnished his reputation by running a dog-fighting ring that resulted in him spending 548 days in federal prison. Now, he was trotting onto the field in Philadelphia for his first game with the Eagles. He will never forget what happened next. It is a moment in the forefront of his mind as he prepares to return to Philadelphia for the Jets preseason finale on Thursday night. What epitomized everything was the first time I ever stepped on the field as an Eagle, in preseason, Vick said. The standing ovation that I got, the welcome, the reception, it kind of made me feel so comfortable at that point in my life because of what I was going through, and the anxiety of playing in your first game in two years and not knowing what to expect from the crowd. That was a warm welcome. That s my fondest memory. Out of all the games that I won, all the great things I accomplished, I think that was probably the best moment I had as an Eagle. Vick, 34, is in his first season with the Jets and will back up quarterback Geno Smith, at least to begin the season. Vick lost his starting job to Nick Foles last season in Philadelphia. But he still cherishes his time there. Vick played in 54 games for the Eagles and started 42 of them. He threw 57 touchdown passes and 33 interceptions, and ran for 15 more touchdowns. He also got a contract from the Eagles in 2011 that contained $35.5 million in guaranteed pay. 10 P a g e

11 Vick will start on Thursday, but won t play for long, said Jets coach Rex Ryan. It seems likely that Vick will hand off a couple times, and then come out of the game. He almost certainly will get a loud and large ovation. Vick said he didn t lobby Ryan for the ceremonial start, but he is clearly looking forward to reuniting with Philadelphia s fans. I ve got a great deal of appreciation for the fans there, he said. After being with them for five years, you develop a great deal of appreciation for them. I m just looking forward to going back to Philadelphia and just enjoying that day. Things didn t start off so smoothly for Vick with the Eagles. He still remembers driving to Philadelphia for the first time after signing with the team. It was a place I didn t want to be, he said. I wanted to go to a team and start, but I knew I was going to sit behind Donovan (McNabb) and Kevin Kolb. I just remember being angry the whole trip and kind of upset, almost (a) disgruntled employee before I could even get there. Then he met with McNabb, head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, who now runs the Jets offense. The comfort level and candidness around the organization made Vick feel much better, he said. I didn t know how long it would be, but I was like, OK, this can be my home for a year, and it ended up being home for five years, Vick said. That s how God works. Vick said he is fine with how things turned out last year in Philadelphia, when the Eagles turned to Foles. I think what happened can happen to anybody, he said. I never want to play second fiddle to anybody, but I just felt like that team was in such a groove that I didn t want to try to become a distraction, even though I could have fought for my position and fought for the job. I had a great run there with a lot of great memories and accomplished some things that can never be taken away from me. I m ecstatic about that, thankful and very grateful. The chemistry that I had with the organization was uncanny. The relationships that I developed with the people in the front office were awesome. There will always be the sense of gratitude. That ll never change. I have friends on that team that I have for a lifetime. That means more than anything. Vick has moved on from Philadelphia, literally. He no longer has a home in the area. Now, he finds himself again not in a preferable role as the Jets backup quarterback but one he is embracing in the twilight of his career. Last year s experience with becoming a backup helped me for this situation that I m in now and what s taking place here in this point in my life, Vick said. You always envision yourself being a starter. You always want to be the guy behind the center, but times change and things change and we change as individuals, our feelings and emotions. I think I ve changed over the years and I still have the same attitude, winning attitude, but now I kind of see things from a different perspective. It s very humbling to be in the position that I m in now because I get to see things from a different angle. That s just as important as being a starter, if you ask me. So would he have signed with the Jets, if he had to do it all over again? Yeah, absolutely, he said. The worst thing I could do is tell you, No. The worst thing I could do is say I would have done it differently, and then it would have been a totally different (series of) little questions. I m just happy to be in this position. I think from the beginning, I wouldn t have made the decision if I didn t think it was the right one. I can honestly and candidly say right now that I m very thankful and 11 P a g e

12 grateful to be here as a Jet and (am) excited about what we can accomplish this year. I m looking forward to everything that s about to happen. But before whatever happens this season whether Vick rides the pine all year, or replaces Smith, for whatever reason Vick will get another ovation in Philadelphia on Thursday. Willie Colon on Dimitri Patterson absence: If player bails on Jets, 'maybe they just need to be left behind' (Darryl Slater) Star Ledger y_is_not_willing_to_be_on_the_train_with_us_t.html FLORHAM PARK The general emotion in the Jets locker room Monday hung somewhere between confusion and patience. Players said they still do not know why cornerback Dimitri Patterson, a presumptive starter, no-showed without an excuse for Friday s preseason game against the Giants. Some Jets like defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson and wide receiver David Nelson were not even aware Patterson skipped the game until Sunday, when general manager John Idzik informed reporters. Patterson had been dealing with nagging leg injuries, so his not playing in the game raised no red flags to those players. As the Jets players try to process what happened over the weekend, they are willing to wait on Patterson s explanation before judging his decision. Anger has not yet set in, though the Jets understand they have precious little time to sort through this soap opera before the Sept. 7 season opener against the Raiders. I think it s more of his issue, said right guard Willie Colon. I think the team is in good spirits right now. We re excited about getting ready to start the season. I think right now, we understand that we have a good thing with us, and if somebody is not willing to be on the train with us, then maybe they just need to be left behind and we move on. "I don t know enough about him or his situation to really speculate about it. It s weird, but it s his situation. We ve got bigger fish to fry right now." The Jets began dealing with Patterson s situation Sunday night, when he came to the team s facility to meet with general manager John Idzik and head coach Rex Ryan. They had not spoken to him since he went AWOL on Friday. Idzik said Patterson explained what led up to his absence. Idzik declined to characterize the explanation. Nor would he say if he and Ryan consider it a legitimate one. Idzik said he decided to indefinitely suspend Patterson, so the Jets can gather more information around what led to his behavior. The suspension will be brief and likely will be followed by additional discipline, Idzik said. Patterson, who also skipped Sunday s practice, broke his public silence Monday, but offered little insight into what happened Friday. "There's no need for concern," Patterson told USA Today. I have my reason for missing those days. I'm not going to go into specifics, but I've discussed those reasons with the people I need to discuss them with. I can't really go into details about that. But just know that I've been in the league for 10 years, and 12 P a g e

13 no one's just going to up and leave and just not tell anybody. My mind frame is in a great place, always has been and always will be. Patterson s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, declined to comment on the reason his client skipped Friday s game. Patterson, 31, is on his seventh team in 10 seasons. He has been around long enough to know how rare it is for a player to simply not show up to a game, without notifying the team. Colon, a ninth-year veteran, said he has never experienced something like this. Nor has Ryan, whose coaching career began in It is safe to say I have never been in a situation where a player has not shown up for a game, Ryan said, though he declined to offer further information about Patterson. Ryan said Sunday that he felt shocked when he realized Patterson wasn t at the Jets-Giants game. Cornerback Darrin Walls, who could end up starting in Week 1, experienced the same feeling, he said Monday. I've never known him to miss anything, Walls said. He's always on time. It remains unclear when or if Patterson will return to the Jets, who signed him to a one-year, $3 million contract in the offseason. Idzik was non-committal when asked Monday about Patterson's potential return. Nor would he say if he believes Patterson is fully committed to his team. That s what we re going to try to decipher, Idzik said. The Jets are now mired in a fiasco that could result in them opening the season without either starting corner, since Dee Milliner is nursing a high ankle sprain and hasn t practiced since he got hurt Aug. 10. Richardson said it ll be tough for even the Jets formidable pass rush to atone for such significant holes in the secondary. Still, Richardson is not ready to write off Patterson, or even hold a grudge. He s a grown man, said Richardson, a second-year pro. He does what he does. If he comes back, I m not going to sit here and ask a grown man to apologize to me for something that s going on in his life. But if he comes back and he has the courage to do that, or he wants to do it, most definitely we ll accept him back. There s no love lost at all. It s a preseason game. I just have a different feeling about it. Most people might take it harder than me. In the other corner of the locker room, on the opposite end of the NFL experience spectrum, Colon said he agrees that Patterson could be welcomed back. But Colon wants Patterson to explain himself. I think if there is something where it s: Hey, man, I was having a moment or a bad day or I was going through something, say that, Colon said. Every teammate who puts their hand in the pile deserves an explanation to some degree. You don t have to go into detail, but there s a level of accountability we have to answer to. Receiver David Nelson said he just wants to wait and see what Patterson s rationale was. If there was something that was a personal reason, then I don t think he has any explaining to do, Nelson said. If it s something that has to do with our team, and has to do with something that we need to fix and could develop into something poisonous and dangerous moving forward, then that stuff needs to be addressed. If it was a situation where he was like, forget those guys, I don t want to be there, then that may need some explaining and guys may need some apologies. If it was something that he was just battling himself, internally, then that s something he needs to deal with internally and then come back when he s ready to go. I tend to err on giving people the benefit of the doubt. 13 P a g e

14 Jalen Saunders medical incident was a seizure, says Rex Ryan, as Jets rookie WR practices fully again (Darryl Slater) Star Ledger _ryan_as_saunders_practices_fully_again.html FLORHAM PARK Jets rookie wide receiver Jalen Saunders was back fully participating in practice Monday, having removed the red (non-contact) jersey he wore Sunday, when he practiced for the first time since having a seizure Aug. 15. On Monday, Jets coach Rex Ryan said Saunders had a seizure that Friday morning in his car, while on his way to the Jets facility. Before Monday, neither the Jets nor Saunders had specified the nature of the medical incident that resulted in him spending two nights in the hospital. Saunders will play a lot in Thursday s preseason finale at the Eagles, both as a receiver and returner, according to Ryan. A fourth-round draft pick out of Oklahoma, Saunders was listed as the Jets No. 1 punt returner before his medical incident. It forced him to miss the Jets second preseason game, Aug. 16 at the Bengals, as well as their third game, last Friday against the Giants. On Sunday, Ryan said Saunders had been cleared by doctors for full participation in practices and games, and he would remove his red jersey Monday. Sure enough, he did. He looked good today, Ryan said. I think everybody is excited to see him. I m sure all the Jet fans are excited. I know I m excited to see him play. But just for the young man, just for somebody to go through something like that, and now to get back to where he s cleared to play football, I think is really big for him. We were sitting back, just waiting for the young man to be cleared. He had a seizure and that s the extent of what we know. We let the professionals handle it. When the doctors were confident that he d be cleared, then he was. That s where he s at now. Saunders s return Monday sort of got lost in the shuffle of cornerback Dimitri Patterson s recent unexplained absence and subsequent indefinite suspension. Moreover, Saunders rejoined the team last Monday, as he watched practice from the sideline before behind cleared. So it wasn t like he was totally gone from Aug. 15 until his return to practice. There s so much going on right now, said receiver David Nelson. Honestly, I don t think there was a whole lot of hoopla with him coming back. Guys were excited to see him out there, and obviously it was a scary situation with him. Everybody was concerned for him back when we were in Cincinnati. There were a lot of questions, not many answers. Especially when it was a health issue, we started worrying about him. We got back and everybody was texting him. He texted us back that day and said it was fine. So he s been around. We ve been able to see him for the past week. It was good to have him back out there today full speed, and be able to see him do what he loves to do. He had a big smile on his face today. He had a rough past couple of weeks. So I think today, he was able to put all that behind him and move forward. It s a good step in the right direction for him. Dimitri Patterson suspended indefinitely by Jets after going AWOL [UPDATED] (Darryl Slater) Star Ledger 14 P a g e

15 ing_awol.html FLORHAM PARK The Jets have indefinitely suspended cornerback Dimitri Patterson, after he was absent without an excuse for Friday night s preseason game against the Giants. Jets general manager John Idzik and head coach Rex Ryan met with Patterson on Sunday night at the team s facility, following practice. They talked with him about what happened Friday. Idzik declined to detail the conversation, though he indicated that Patterson did offer an explanation for Friday's absence. It wasn t until Saturday that the Jets were able to ascertain -- by talking to Patterson's agent, Drew Rosenhaus -- that Patterson was unharmed. Patterson, a presumptive starter whom the Jets signed in the offseason, was not present at Sunday s practice. He was also not present Monday, since he is suspended. Rosenhaus declined to comment Monday. Idzik would not say if there is a route for Patterson to rejoin the Jets, because "we re still sifting through everything." When asked if he has questions about whether Patterson is 100 percent committed to the Jets, Idzik said, "That s what we re going to try to decipher. You really want to get down to the bottom of it." The Jets' opener is less than two weeks away, Sept. 7 at home against the Raiders. There are legitimate doubts now about how the Jets could rely on Patterson going forward, most immediately in Week 1. "I think you have to let that kind of unfold, and we re still going through that," Idzik said. "Trust is earned over time, and we ll give it some time and we ll see how we ll respond." Idzik's initial response, which he revealed to reporters during Monday afternoon's practice, was to indefinitely suspend Patterson and launch a fact-finding mission about what occurred Friday. He did come in and talk with Rex and me last night, Idzik said. It s always good to speak directly, so that there s nothing lost in translation or there s nothing presumed. So it s good to finally speak to Dimitri and hear his side. I think what we re going to do now is he will be suspended indefinitely. That will give us a little time to gather more information around what led to his behavior. I think that way, we feel like we ll make a very well-informed decision as to what discipline will be forthcoming. And there will be discipline involved. Idzik said he expects Patterson's indefinite suspension to be "brief," and that there could be more discipline on top of this suspension. "It just allows us some time to gather information and make a decision that we feel is best for the team," Idzik said of the indefinite suspension. Idzik said he "wouldn t jump to any conclusions" about the suspension meaning that the Jets were not satisfied with Patterson's explanation for his absence Friday. The meeting Sunday evening between Patterson, Ryan and Idzik was the first time the Jets' brass had heard from Patterson since he went AWOL. "This is merely just hearing everybody out," Idzik said. "This is the first time we had a chance to talk to Dimitri. Now, let s talk to some other folks and let s just gather all the information that we can, so we feel like we act appropriately. We ve been trying to initiate contact with Dimitri since his absence. Eventually, he did, through his agent, call me and said he would be in that evening to see Rex and myself." Idzik declined to specify which "other folks" he wanted to speak to about the situation. "I don t know whether it s an investigation," Idzik said. "We re just researching and just gathering all the information that surrounded the events that led up to Friday." 15 P a g e

16 Patterson had yet to comment publicly on the situation until Monday afternoon, when he sent a text message to ESPN s Josina Anderson. Patterson said he was OK and that he was not going AWOL, even though he technically already had gone AWOL. Patterson also spoke to USA Today and said this: "There's no need for concern. The reports about me going AWOL are totally false. I have my reason for missing those days. I'm not going to go into specifics, but I've discussed those reasons with the people I need to discuss them with. But as far as going AWOL, no, that's totally false." Idzik declined to specify the nature of the conversation he and Ryan had Sunday night with Patterson, a 31-year-old journeyman who is on his seventh team in 10 NFL seasons, and has battled injuries to his calf, ankle and quadriceps in recent weeks. Patterson had not previously expressed discontent about his role with the Jets, who gave him a one-year, $3 million contract in the offseason, with $1 million guaranteed. The Jets' planned, in Friday's game, to play Patterson, and ease him back into action as he recovered from his injuries, according to Idzik. The conversations that we had with Dimitri will remain private, Idzik said. But he presented what led up to that (absence), and basically last night was a listening session for Rex and for me, to understand what went into it. Now that the lines of communication are open, there will be two-way discourse now, which I think will be healthy. "I wouldn t want to characterize (Sunday's conversation) any way. Obviously, Dimitri felt that he acted appropriately. Until we discussed it last night, you don t understand. To be honest, we re still trying to understand all that went behind it. So I would rather not characterize it. It was an opportunity just to kind of break the ice and talk and open up the lines of communication, and hear what was going through his mind in the last couple days. That s what it was about." Jets teammates rave about how Geno Smith's composure has increased from last year (Darryl Slater) Star Ledger osure_compared_to_last_year.html A couple noteworthy things happened to the Jets over the weekend. One was entirely unexpected: cornerback Dimitri Patterson no-showing for Friday s game against the Giants, and not returning to the team until Sunday. The other, which obviously got lost in the shuffle a bit, had long been expected: Jets coach Rex Ryan naming Geno Smith his Week 1 starting quarterback. On Sunday afternoon, before Jets general manager John Idzik jumped on a teleconference with reporters and informed everyone that Patterson had gone AWOL, three Jets players weighed in on a less-shocking, but certainly important issue for this team Smith s confidence level. Now, a player can be supremely confident, and it really does not matter unless he performs. Smith struggled last season as a rookie, like most rookies do. He threw 12 touchdowns and 21 interceptions and ranked 35th in the NFL with a completion percentage of Smith has looked better this summer, as he received far more first-team snaps in training camp than he did last year, when he competed against Mark Sanchez for the starting job. This year, there was never really a doubt that Smith would be the starter and Michael Vick would be the backup. 16 P a g e

17 Teammates have talked about Smith s confidence since Day 1 of training camp, and they continued to hammer that point Sunday, two days after he was officially and unsurprisingly named the Week 1 starter. The biggest difference between Smith last year and this year? Just a lot of confidence, said strong-side linebacker Calvin Pace. To me, everything he s done, he looks confident in doing it. I think last year, with him being a rookie, it was a little indecision here and there. Said Smith: I think my confidence has always been high. The biggest thing for me was being more confident in what I was doing on the field, having confidence in my decision making. Everybody knows that every quarterback, if you second guess your decision making, nine times out of the 10, you re wrong. I caught myself second guessing myself last year for a lot of reasons. It wasn t because I didn t think I could play. There was a lot of things that happened, and I have to fight through a bunch of different things, and I had to learn as well. So I got better with just understanding the offense, and the more I repped the plays, the more comfortable I felt with them, the better I felt with getting through the (route) progressions, and seeing the defense and making the decision. For Smith, sharpening his decision making hasn t just meant making the right reads on passing plays, but also picking the correct times when to tuck the ball and run something that can be an asset for the Jets offense, since Smith is plenty athletic. It is in these moments, with the pocket collapsing and all his receivers covered downfield, when Smith can perhaps best showcase his steadier on-field demeanor in Year 2. I think definitely his composure under pressure is definitely showing up this year, said receiver Jeremy Kerley He s showing (that he won t be) rattled in pressure situations. Just his learning ability has taken over. He s definitely picking up on things quicker. And he s been a more vocal guy out there and getting guys lined up and getting guys in the right positions. That s definitely changed this year (from) last year. What will it mean for Smith s production? The Jets will find out in less than two weeks, when they open the season Sept. 7 at home against the Raiders. NEW YORK POST Saunders back after seizure, crash (Bart Hubbuch) New York Post Rookie Jalen Saunders wasn t eager Monday to recount the seizure he suffered earlier this month that still has the wide receiver perplexed about the cause and unwilling to drive. A fourth-round pick from Oklahoma who could end up being Gang Green s punt returner this season, Saunders has been cleared to play and is expected to get plenty of snaps in Thursday s preseason finale at the Eagles. But Saunders said doctors have warned he could still suffer more seizures like the one that resulted in him being hospitalized after a single-car accident Aug. 15 on his way to the team s Florham Park facility. I m not too sure it can t happen again, Saunders said. I don t know the causes for it, so I don t have any straight answers to give. Speaking for the first time since the accident, Saunders said a battery of medical tests show him to be in good health but were inconclusive about the cause of the seizure. 17 P a g e