NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS August 12, 2014 Table of Contents ASSOCIATED PRESS... 2 Jets' Milliner has ankle sprain; no panic for Ryan (Dennis Waszak)... 2 V-O-T-E! Jets giving fans choice on chant leader (Dennis Waszak)... 3 NEWSDAY... 4 Dee Milliner says ankle too swollen for MRI (Kimberley Martin)... 4 Jets GM John Idzik has no regrets over free-agent spending (Kimberley Martin)... 5 Rex Ryan gushes about moving safety Antonio Allen to cornerback (Kimberley Martin)... 6 THE RECORD... 7 Injuries force Jets to move safety Antonio Allen to cornerback (J.P. Pelzman)... 7 Jets: Who's at cornerback? (J.P. Pelzman)... 8 Jets notes: Cornerback Dee Milliner talks about his injured ankle (J.P. Pelzman)... 8 STAR-LEDGER... 9 Jets work safety Antonio Allen at cornerback with Dee Milliner sidelined by sprained ankle (Darryl Slater)... 9 Dee Milliner ankle injury: Jets not sure if it is high or low sprain. What makes a high sprain more severe? (Darryl Slater) To be considered as Dee Milliner's replacement, Jets' Darrin Walls must come down with interceptions (Darryl Slater) How much will Kyle Wilson factor into Jets' plans to perhaps replace Dee Milliner? (Darryl Slater) With Dee Milliner out, Jets' Rex Ryan confident Dimitri Patterson will 'be ready to roll soon' (Darryl Slater) Jets safety Antonio Allen has coverage experience, but is he ready to play cornerback? (Darryl Slater) Michael Vick vs. Geno Smith: Day 15 breakdown, as quarterbacks' arms get a workout (Darryl Slater) things to look for on Day 16 of Jets camp Tuesday (Darryl Slater) Antonio Allen's college position coach explains what he told Jets' Rex Ryan about his ideal NFL role (Darryl Slater) NJ.COM John Idzik still has 'no regrets' about failing to get Jets a top-shelf cornerback (Dom Cosentino) Rex Ryan: 'I never said I need the best corner in football. My defenses work. Period.' (Dom Cosentino) NEW YORK POST Extra practice portion means trouble for Jets QBs (Brian Costello) The Jets desperate move to patch up cornerback position (Bart Hubbach) With more bravado, Rex Ryan bets dangerously on himself (Brian Costello) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS NY Jets searching for next Fireman Ed to lead J-E-T-S chant (Seth Walder) P a g e

2 NY Jets Dee Milliner could miss Week 1 of season with high ankle sprain (Seth Walder) Rex Ryan's NY Jets defense will suffer because of John Idzik's lack of action with defensive backs (Manish Mehta) NEW YORK TIMES Hampered by Injuries, Jets Get Creative at Cornerback (Ben Shpigel) WALL STREET JOURNAL Jets Paint Themselves Into a Corner (Stu Woo) ESPN NEW YORK Rex Ryan: Jets not in panic mode (Rich Cimini) Jets in damage control on CB situation (Rich Cimini) NEWYORKJETS.COM Rex: Not a Panic Situation, an Opportunity (Randy Lange) Dee Milliner Talks About His Ankle Injury (TJ Brennan) Jeremiah George Brings the Fire (Dom Cosentino) MONDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ASSOCIATED PRESS Jets' Milliner has ankle sprain; no panic for Ryan (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press CORTLAND, N.Y. (AP) Dee Milliner is out for a few weeks, Dexter McDougle is done for the year and the New York Jets have a huge question mark at cornerback. Rex Ryan still isn't sweating it. "It's not a panic situation," the coach said Monday. "It's an opportunity. Still, it's not quite ideal. Milliner, the Jets' top cornerback, has a sprained left ankle that could sideline him for a few weeks, jeopardizing his availability for the opener. "I never said I had to have the best corner in football," Ryan said. "That's not it. My defenses work, period. I don't care what it is. We take what we have, and then we work around it." Milliner was injured during practice Sunday, about a half-hour after McDougle tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, ending his season. He went down after defending wide receiver Quincy Enunwa on a long pass and writhed in pain on the sideline at SUNY Cortland. "I was in a lot of pain," Milliner said. "I didn't know what was happening, what was going on. I just knew my ankle and leg were hurting." He had an X-ray and a high ankle sprain hasn't been ruled out. The team is waiting for the swelling to subside before giving him an MRI, which should clarify how long he will be out. Milliner was at practice wearing a walking boot on his left foot. 2 P a g e

3 "You don't want to get out there and rush things and mess it up even more, or get out there and you're not 100 percent and give up plays," Milliner said. "I'm just going to be cautious about it and do what the trainers and doctors say." Milliner made headlines earlier in camp when he declared that he has the confidence to believe he's the No. 1 cornerback in the NFL. Some teammates half-jokingly dubbed him "Franchise," but also recognized how vital his improvement in his second season would be to the success of the defense. Ryan, however, downplayed that notion. "He's just one of 11 guys," Ryan said. "Dee's a heck of a football player, there's no doubt. I believe that. But again, it's the unit. It's not the individual." Ryan acknowledged that a shutdown cornerback such as Darrelle Revis allows a defense to play different schemes, but that it isn't always necessary for a top-notch unit. "We're not a one-trick pony thing," he said. "We're not a team that tries to stick a square peg into a round hole. We'll take what we have and we'll make it work." Dimitri Patterson, another possible starter, has missed the last few days with injuries to his quadriceps and ankle. That injury, along with those to Milliner, McDougle and backup Jeremy Reeves (knee), leave the Jets shaky in the secondary. Kyle Wilson, Darrin Walls, Ellis Lankster, Johnny Patrick, Ras-I Dowling and Brandon Dixon are the only remaining healthy cornerbacks and none is considered of starting caliber, although Wilson works regularly in the slot. That's why the Jets shifted safety Antonio Allen to cornerback at practice, trying to see how the former college linebacker would fare. So far, so good. Allen had two interceptions Monday and could be an option for Ryan. "He's kind of been in our back pocket," Ryan said. "We can talk about how he's got Pro Bowl ability as a safety, but he can also play corner." The move could smack of desperation to those who criticized general manager John Idzik for failing to land a top free-agent cornerback in the offseason after cutting Antonio Cromartie. The Jets were said to have had interest in players such as Vontae Davis and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, but they signed elsewhere. They also reportedly had no interest in a reunion with Revis, who signed with rival New England. "We have no regrets whatsoever," Idzik said. Idzik acknowledged that the Jets are "always searching" for players who can help, and that remains the case at cornerback. But the market is thin, and the Jets might have to wait for teams to cut high-salaried veterans. "We'll search," Idzik said. "I think the first order of business is seeing what our guys can do, and now they have the stage to do it. Let's see how they react." V-O-T-E! Jets giving fans choice on chant leader (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press 3 P a g e

4 CORTLAND, N.Y. (AP) The J-E-T-S chant is in the hands of the F-A-N-S. The New York Jets are holding an online contest to pick eight season ticket holders one for each home game to lead the team's familiar rallying cry this year. Season ticket holders will be able to submit a video of 15 seconds or less of themselves leading the chant. Fans will then choose their favorite entries on the team's website, and the eight top vote-getters will get the crowds at MetLife Stadium fired up. "I don't want to put a number out there, but if people go nuts for it and really embrace it, wonderful," said Seth Rabinowitz, the Jets' senior vice president of marketing and fan engagement. "We'll be ready and we'll look at every single video. The more the merrier." Ed Anzalone aka "Fireman Ed" used to lead the cheer, but stepped away from the role in recent seasons. "It's probably the most popular chant in all of the four major sports," Anzalone said. "I'm happy they're doing something because I want to see it go on." Last year, the Jets had fans in each of the stadium's four sections one for each letter shout out the J-E-T-S chant in the season opener, and the team's drumline ensemble The Aviators did it for the other seven games. "This idea was really borne out of feedback from season ticket holders," Rabinowitz said Monday. "We've been, through a variety of different forums, approached by season ticket holders over the past year or so and there was a variance of the same theme: 'What can you do to help us keep the chant going?'" The Jets examined various options and came up with the video contest, which runs Aug , with winners announced no later than Sept. 2 five days before the season opener against Oakland. Fans can enter themselves or nominate somebody else, but the entrant must be a confirmed season ticket holder. They also must include a few sentences on why they're an ideal candidate. "It takes a special someone to get 80,000 people to quiet down and then have them go crazy," Rabinowitz said. The Jets recently spoke about their plans with Anzalone, who became a bit of an icon with his firefighter helmet and emphatic style of cheer. "He was obviously a huge part in keeping the chant alive and came to embody it in many ways," Rabinowitz said. "Somebody passed the torch to him and, now, I think his preference at this stage is to kind of remain in the background." Anzalone, a retired firefighter who led the chant for 27 years, still attends games but no longer as Fireman Ed because confrontations between him and other fans became more frequent. So, he hung up his helmet during the 2012 season. "I love the Jets and I loved the chant," he said. "Hopefully, one of the fans does it and the fans latch on to them and it continues through the years." NEWSDAY Dee Milliner says ankle too swollen for MRI (Kimberley Martin) Newsday 4 P a g e

5 CORTLAND, N.Y. - Dee Milliner hobbled to the interview tent, each step labored by the large gray boot on his left foot. After finally getting a taste of the fast-paced speed of training camp, Milliner's maturation has been halted by an ankle sprain - and there's no telling when he'll return. The Jets starting cornerback, who suffered the injury Sunday after contesting a sideline completion to Quincy Enunwa, said he hopes to be back in time for Sept. 7 season opener against the Oakland Raiders. "But, like I said, I'm just going to do what the doctors and trainers tell me to do," he said. "I'm going to keep working at it, doing my rehab and training. Hours after Milliner went down, Rex Ryan told reporters the former first-rounder had undergone an MRI. But on Monday, Milliner said he was only able to get an X-ray because his left ankle is severely swollen. Though it's believed he suffered a high ankle sprain, the trainers won't know the severity of the sprain, or whether or not he broke a bone, until he gets an MRI. "I don't know. I was in a lot of pain. I didn't know what was happening, what was going on," Milliner said. "I just knew my ankle and leg was hurting." Injuries have been a recurring theme for the former Alabama star. Milliner missed most of the Jets' offseason conditioning program in 2013 while recovering from shoulder surgery. He was a no-show during the first four practices of training camp that year because of stalled contract negotiations and then was sidelined during the season with various injuries. Despite those setbacks -- and three separate benchings -- he responded and ended the season as the AFC's Defensive Rookie of the Month. Milliner said he finally felt like he was on the right track. And now, he's a bystander. "I felt great," he said. "I was doing well for the most part, practicing well, did well in the first game. I was working toward getting better each day. Something like this is frustrating to me because, like I said, I want to be out there. I want to be involved." Jets GM John Idzik has no regrets over free-agent spending (Kimberley Martin) Newsday CORTLAND, N.Y. - While Jets fans may have already pushed the panic button on the season, general manager John Idzik remains optimistic about his plan and the state of his injury plagued secondary. A day after second-year cornerback Dee Milliner (ankle sprain) and rookie cornerback Dexter McDougle (ACL) went down with injuries in practice, the Jets general manager defended his patient approach in free agency and tried to alleviate concerns about the way he structured his offseason roster. "We have no regrets whatsoever," Idzik said when asked about the Jets' failure to sign free-agent targets such as Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who struck a deal with the rival Giants the same weekend he visited the Jets. 5 P a g e

6 The Jets -- who refused to re-sign Antonio Cromartie on the during in March -- also chose not to spend big money on top-tier free-agent defensive backs. Instead, they entered camp with 10 cornerbacks - and each one of them was a question mark because of either experience, skill level or injury history. Corners Johnny Patrick, Jeremy Reeves and Dimitri Patterson, one of the few defensive free-agent moves the Jets made this offseason, have been sidelined for various injuries. And now that Milliner, a starter and last year's No. 9 overall pick, is expected to miss several weeks and McDougle (a rookie third-rounder with potential) is done for the season, the unit is an even bigger issue heading into their second preseason game Saturday in Cincinnati. But Idzik isn't worried. Instead, he's excited to see which of his players will step up. "We're going to take advantage of this time and watch everybody," he said, just hours after third-year safety Antonio Allen had two picks playing at cornerback. "We've always been about giving our guys the stage, giving them the forum, let them out on the field and see what they can do. And that's precisely what we're going to do with the corners." Nevertheless, both he and Rex Ryan said the team will work out free-agent corners. The Jets entered the offseason with plenty of cap space -- and to the dismay of some fans, the organization still has plenty of money left. According to ESPN Stats & Info, the Jets currently have $21.7 million in cap room. But Idzik said public financial figures aren't always accurate. Regardless of cap room, the team has roster needs and the Jets have the flexibility to spend. The question is: Will they? "We're always searching. That's not isolated to this case, this position," Idzik said. But, he added, "the first order of business is seeing what our guys can do. Now they have the stage to do it. Let's see how they react.... We'll get the Ras-I Dowlings out there, the Brandon Dixons, the Johnny Patricks, Jeremy Reeves. See what they can do. "I don't think immediate spending translates into winning. I think responsible spending translates into sustainable winning. That's what we're about." Rex Ryan gushes about moving safety Antonio Allen to cornerback (Kimberley Martin) Newsday CORTLAND, N.Y. - No cornerbacks? No problem, said Rex Ryan. To offset the mounting injuries within his secondary, the Jets' coach moved third-year safety Antonio Allen to the outside corner position Monday. The decision came 24 hours after Dee Milliner and Dexter McDougle went down with injuries, but Ryan said the position switch wasn't done completely out of necessity. "He's just a baller," Ryan said of Allen, who played opposite Ellis Lankster while Kyle Wilson worked in the slot. "When he was in college, the kid made a zillion plays." The move yielded positive results as Allen made two interceptions in team drills, but Ryan isn't sure it's a permanent solution to the Jets' cornerback woes. 6 P a g e

7 "We'll see," he said. "The experiment is going to be like anything else, it's to find any combination of your best players on the field... So for us, he has kind of been in our back pocket. He has Pro Bowl ability, but he can also play corner." Ryan laid it on pretty thick while talking about Allen. He said Allen, who was used as a hybrid linebacker/safety at South Carolina, "might have been the best player" on a defense that featured Jadeveon Clowney, Melvin Ingram and Stephon Gilmore. "One thing you can't take away from him is, he's coachable and he's a football player," Ryan said of Allen, adding that the 2012 seventh-rounder was "a steal." "He's got great instincts and all that,'' Ryan said, "so we're like: 'Let's just put him out there some [at corner].' " Ryan initially tried to downplay the idea that Allen's position change was a result of losing Milliner and McDougle. "No, we knew it was on the back burner," he said. "Was it driven through the three cornerbacks being out? Probably." Dimitri Patterson, Jeremy Reeves and Johnny Patrick also are nursing injuries. And as a result, the coaching staff is trying out different packages for different players, cornerback Darrin Walls said. Asked about Allen playing a new position, secondary coach Tim McDonald said: "It's not something that's permanent, but it's something we're taking a look at... He's talented." Allen's playing time took a huge hit when Ed Reed first arrived as a free agent last season, but Ryan credited Allen with doing a solid job against tight ends Jimmy Graham of New Orleans and Rob Gronkowski of New England. Allen even picked off Tom Brady to help the Jets earn a win in Week 7. THE RECORD Injuries force Jets to move safety Antonio Allen to cornerback (J.P. Pelzman) The Record CORTLAND, N.Y. - The injury-depleted Jets are moving safety Antonio Allen to cornerback, at least temporarily, as they look for solutions to their rash of injuries at corner. Allen, a seventh-round draft pick from South Carolina in 2012, worked at cornerback during the Jets practice Monday at SUNY Cortland. Two of the Jets cornerbacks were injured Sunday during about a 35-minute span in practice. First, thirdround draft pick Dexter McDougle suffered a torn ACL in his left knee. He will miss the entire season. Then, second-year pro Dee Milliner, whom the Jets are counting on to be their No. 1 corner this season, sprained his left ankle. Coach Rex Ryan indicated Monday that the team hasn t been able to determine the severity of the sprain because Milliner s ankle still is too swollen for an MRI to be performed. Also, ninth-year veteran Dimitri Patterson, projected to be the starting cornerback opposite Milliner, sat out practice for a third consecutive day because of numerous leg woes. It is unclear exactly when he will return, although the Jets don t believe it s a long-term problem. 7 P a g e

8 So on Monday, fifth-year pro Ellis Lankster and Allen were the starting corners. Allen primarily was a box safety during his college career, when he was used mostly in run support and as an extra linebacker. His coverage skills were considered to be a weakness coming out of college, but he has improved greatly as a pro. He did a creditable job against New England superstar tight end Rob Gronkowski during the Jets win over the Patriots last October, and even had a pick-six against quarterback Tom Brady that turned the momentum in that game. It s not a panic situation. It s an opportunity, said Ryan, who lauded Allen s coverage skills, athletic ability and knowledge of the defense. He noted that on the legendary 1985 Chicago Bears, defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, his father, used two converted college safeties as cornerbacks. They were Leslie Frazier and Mike Richardson. I never said I had to have the best corner in football, said Ryan, who used to have just that in Darrelle Revis, now with rival New England. My defenses work. Period.... We'll take what we have and make it work. Jets: Who's at cornerback? (J.P. Pelzman) The Record Backed into a corner? A look at some options as the injury-plagued Jets try to decide on starting cornerbacks: 1. For the moment, they are going with safety Antonio Allen and special-teams stalwart Ellis Lankster. Allen will try to make a difficult transition in a short time. Lankster has yet to prove himself as an everydown corner. 2. The plan is for veteran Dimitri Patterson to start once he returns from nagging leg woes. But he has been injury-prone in recent years and one wonders whether he can make it through the season. 3. Then there is Darrin Walls, who briefly replaced Dee Milliner in the starting lineup last season, and New England castoff Ras-I Dowling. Both will get looks. The Jets also figure to seek out veteran cornerbacks who get cut on Labor Day weekend. Jets notes: Cornerback Dee Milliner talks about his injured ankle (J.P. Pelzman) The Record Milliner's ankle Jets cornerback Dee Milliner said Monday he sprained his left ankle Sunday in practice when he and rookie wide receiver Quincy Enunwa, a sixth-round pick from Nebraska, got tangled up while competing for a deep pass. 8 P a g e

9 "I was in a lot of pain at the time," said Milliner, who was speaking to reporters for the first time since the injury. "The player [Enunwa] came down on my leg there and I was caught up on his body." Milliner's ankle still is so swollen that the Jets are waiting for the inflammation to subside so he can get an MRI exam. Milliner said he hopes to be ready for the regular-season opener against Oakland on Sept. 7. But he also realizes he can't come back too soon and perhaps make the injury worse. "You have to be very cautious," said Milliner, whose left foot was in a walking boot. "You don't want to get out there and rush things and mess it up even more, or get out there and you're not 100 percent and give up plays. Like I said, I'm just going to be cautious about it and do what the trainers and doctors say." Play of the day Veteran Jason Babin, known for his pass-rushing abilities, notched an interception when he picked off a Michael Vick pass that was tipped at the line of scrimmage by defensive end Tevita Finau. Briefs WR Eric Decker (quadriceps) and RB Chris Ivory (ribs) missed practice for the third consecutive day. RB Chris Johnson and OLB Garrett McIntyre both sat out practice for scheduled rest days. Coach Rex Ryan extended some of the 11-on-11 drills to 14 or 15 plays to simulate long drives during a game. "I think that's where you get your best conditioning," Ryan said. "You're constantly out there. You have to fight [through it] and that's tough to do." STAR-LEDGER Jets work safety Antonio Allen at cornerback with Dee Milliner sidelined by sprained ankle (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger milliner_sidelined_by_sprained_ankle.html CORTLAND, N.Y. The Jets on Monday offered an intriguing response to Sunday s cornerback injuries, as they played safety Antonio Allen at cornerback. Allen responded to the challenge by intercepting two passes in Monday s practice. On Sunday, the Jets lost backup cornerback Dexter McDougle to a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. They also lost starting corner Dee Milliner to a sprained left ankle that will sideline him for an uncertain amount of time, though the Jets do not expect him back at practice any time soon. His status for the Jets' Sept. 7 opener against Oakland is in question. The Jets other starting corner, Dimitri Patterson, is nursing a calf/ankle injury that he and coach Rex Ryan have said is not serious. Patterson again sat out Monday s practice. Ryan added Monday that Patterson is also nursing a quadriceps injury. During the 11-on-11 team periods with the starters Monday, the Jets went with Ellis Lankster and Allen as their cornerbacks, and Dawan Landry and Jaiquawn Jarrett as their safeties. Allen demonstrated man-toman coverage skills last season while teaming with Landry as the starting safeties, at least until the Jets signed Ed Reed. Jarrett was the third safety before Reed s arrival. 9 P a g e

10 Allen, a third-year pro, played an outside linebacker/safety hybrid position in college at South Carolina. He was mostly a run-stopping player who lined up close to the line, rather than a coverage player. He has developed his coverage skills since the Jets drafted him in the seventh round in Jets general manager John Idzik said Monday that the Jets would also give other cornerbacks an opportunity to work with the starters in coming practices. That includes Darrin Walls, who was the Jets top backup corner last year, but worked with the second team Monday, opposite Ras-I Dowling. Before McDougle's injury, he was considered one of the top three backup corners, along with Lankster and Walls. Allen won t meet with reporters until after Tuesday s practice. Dee Milliner ankle injury: Jets not sure if it is high or low sprain. What makes a high sprain more severe? (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger ow_sprain_so_what_are_the_specific_differe.html CORTLAND, N.Y. The Jets know starting cornerback Dee Milliner does not have a broken left ankle. That much was determined by an X-ray Milliner received after getting hurt in Sunday s practice. Milliner s ankle is sprained, which seems like a more promising diagnosis than a break, except that the Jets don t yet know what type of sprain it is. Milliner s ankle is still too swollen for him to have an MRI examination, according to coach Rex Ryan. Once the swelling subsides, the MRI will presumably determine if Milliner has a traditional lateral low ankle sprain, or a more serious high ankle sprain, which generally sidelines players for longer. The diagnosis of the variety of ankle sprain could determine Milliner s availability for the Jets Sept. 7 opener against the Oakland. Moreover, from Weeks 2 through 7, the Jets face a string of successful quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler, Matthew Stafford, Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady who will test their secondary, especially if Milliner is not in it So what is the difference between a lateral low ankle sprain and the more serious high ankle sprain? According to athletic trainers, a lateral sprain happens when you roll your ankle, stretching the ligaments on the side of it. A high sprain happens when the ankle and leg rotate in opposite directions, stretching or tearing the ligaments that hold together the tibia and fibula, the two bones in the leg. Recovering from a high sprain is difficult because, unlike with a lateral sprain, any pressure on the ankle further aggravates the injured ligaments. Trainers can use aggressive rehab techniques with a lateral sprain, rotating the ankle to increase range of motion. Not so with a high sprain. Even stepping causes the talus joint, just beneath the tibia and fibula, to push on the tibiofibular ligaments, causing soreness in the front or back of the ankle. Ten to 20 percent of all ankle sprains are high sprains. Studies show the average recovery time to be a month. Treatments range from using a removable protective boot to placing the ankle in a cast. Holding the tibia and fibula together can be critical, because whenever the bones separate, new bone can calcify between them, increasing recovery time by up to two weeks. 10 P a g e

11 Fourteen years ago, when Jets backup quarterback Michael Vick played at Virginia Tech, the team s trainer, Mike Goforth, borrowed a trick from the Minnesota Vikings and devised a brace using the clasp from the top of a ski boot. It helped hold the two leg bones together during games something the ligaments would normally do but Goforth had to release the clasp every four plays because it cut off blood circulation. For Milliner, Ryan said his return date is really up in the air, because we don t know if it s a high ankle (sprain), a low ankle. Milliner spent Monday s practice wearing a walking boot on his left foot, and pedaling slowly on a stationary bike. Milliner s injury occurred Sunday when he jumped to defend a pass for rookie receiver Quincy Enunwa. When Milliner fell to the ground, he was not sure what had happened to his ankle a break or a sprain. I know it just hurt and I was in a lot of pain at the time, Milliner said. The player came down on my leg. It was caught up under his body. Milliner said he last hurt his ankle as a freshman at Alabama, though it was not as severe as his current injury. He is an important piece in the Jets defense, since he is now their No. 1 cornerback, after the Jets cut Antonio Cromartie in the offseason, and replaced him with journeyman Dimitri Patterson. Milliner s rookie season last year was hampered by injuries. He missed spring workouts because of shoulder surgery. Then he missed chunks of training camp because of a calf injury. During the season, he was sidelined for three games by a hamstring injury. After Milliner was benched three times, his late-season progress three interceptions in the final two games left teammates encouraged about his potential for this year. In the Jets preseason opener against the Colts last Thursday, Milliner performed well. He broke up two passes, including one in the end zone that he probably should have intercepted, Ryan said. Weak-side linebacker Demario Davis has taken to calling Milliner Franchise, Davis said. That s how much better the Jets expected Milliner to be this season, as compared to his rookie year. The Jets drafted him ninth overall last year, so they clearly have high hopes for his role in their defense in the coming years. Milliner said it was most definitely frustrating to be sidelined by another injury. I want to be out here with my teammates in training camp, he said. Unfortunately, things like this happen all the time. It s just a minor setback. I felt great (before the injury). I was doing good for the most part, practicing good, did good in the first game. I was working toward getting better each day. For something like this (to happen), it s frustrating to me, because I want to be out there. I want to be involved. Milliner is also cautious about returning too quickly from this injury. You ve got to be very cautious, he said. You don t want to get out there and rush things and mess it up even more, get out there and you re not 100 percent and give up plays. So I m just going to be cautious with it and do what the trainers tell me. On Monday, the Jets paired safety Antonio Allen with Ellis Lankster as the starting cornerbacks. Allen made two interceptions. After practice, Ryan said he felt confident that his defense could succeed, no matter who was playing in it. Milliner was in the rehabilitation area, so he didn t get a chance to witness the picks up close. Has Milliner given Allen any tips about playing corner? 11 P a g e

12 Nah, not yet, Milliner said. I ve got to see (on film) how he looks the first day, see how it is. To be considered as Dee Milliner's replacement, Jets' Darrin Walls must come down with interceptions (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger in_walls_must_come_down_with_interceptions.html CORTLAND, N.Y. Last year, Darrin Walls was the Jets top backup cornerback. When Dee Milliner missed three games with a hamstring injury, the Jets turned to Walls to start opposite Antonio Cromartie. When coach Rex Ryan benched Milliner for the second time, in Cincinnati, he turned to Walls to replace the sputtering rookie. Milliner, scheduled to be the team s No. 1 corner this year, was absent again at Monday s practice, having sustained a sprained left ankle in Sunday s practice. An MRI examination should determine the severity of Milliner s injury. He had yet to undergo that exam, as of Monday afternoon, because of swelling. So the Jets are making contingency plans in case he is not available for the Sept. 7 opener against the Raiders. Their first step, on Monday, involved moving safety Antonio Allen to cornerback, and playing him opposite Ellis Lankster, a backup corner last year who did not start. Remember, the Jets are also without new starting corner Dimitri Patterson, who is dealing with injuries to his quadriceps, ankle and calf that are not considered serious. A lot is left to be determined in the secondary. How quickly can Milliner return? What cornerback deployment will the Jets use when Patterson comes back? Patterson and Allen? Patterson and Lankster? And where does Walls fit in? Jets secondary coach Tim McDonald said nothing was permanent about Allen playing cornerback. He said the Jets would try a bunch of different personnel options at the cornerback spots. Ryan and general manager John Idzik echoed this. I wouldn t classify anyone as a starter today, Idzik said. It ll come out in the wash. Said McDonald: We re going to take a look at a lot of guys and see how this thing plays out. Walls could certainly get an opportunity to play with the first team. But at least for Day 1 of life after Milliner, the Jets opted to give Allen and Lankster and not Walls a shot with the starters. Walls played with the second team, opposite Ras-I Dowling. Walls entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in He has been with the Jets since They initially signed him to their practice squad. He has one career interception, in 2011 with Atlanta, and four career starts. Like Lankster, he is far from proven as a starting NFL corner. Lankster is primarily a special teams player. The Jets current corner situation, even if Patterson s injuries don t linger, underscores the fact that they did not land a more elite, higher-priced free agent cornerback in the offseason. Perhaps most notably, they hosted Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on a visit, but he signed with the Giants, whom he visited while on that trip to New Jersey. 12 P a g e

13 Allen performed well at corner on his first day, when he made two interceptions. But it was just one day. Between Allen, Lankster, Walls and Dowling, the Jets don t exactly have a lot of top-line, proven options to replace Milliner if he is out for an extended period of time. Ryan and Idzik both left the door open Monday for the Jets to look outside the organization for another corner. A side effect of Allen s move is that it stresses the safety spot. Dawan Landry remained with the first team Monday, but Jaiquawn Jarrett slid up to take Allen s place with the starters. Calvin Pryor, the Jets firstround pick who presumably will get some first-team reps soon, mainly teamed with Josh Bush on the second-string defense. A Landry-Pryor pairing could certainly satisfy the Jets safety needs, presuming Pryor catches up mentally. Again, the Allen-to-corner move is not permanent just yet. The Jets have their most pressing concerns right now at corner, given how uncertain Milliner s status is. Allen could alleviate some of those concerns, if he keeps playing like he did Monday which is by no means a guarantee. Walls, should he be given a chance to practice with the starters, could also ease the Jets worries. But he must do a better job of coming down with contested balls. Ryan mentioned Sunday that Walls has missed far too many opportunities for interceptions. I think last year, I dropped a few that I should ve had, Walls said. In camp, I probably should have had a lot more that I dropped. So I think the biggest thing for (Ryan) is just seeing me catch the ball when the opportunity presents itself. This camp as well, I think my biggest problem was or is catching interceptions. I think I ve dropped a few. Walls has been working with former Jets safety Eric Smith, now a coaching intern for the team. He acts as a quarterback and he stays with me after (practice) and we re doing different breaks, coming out of different positions, Walls said. Most of the time, as a DB, the ball is coming up on you quick. You don t really get a chance to zero in on it. That s a lot of the things we work on, catching the ball as soon as possible, as soon as it gets up on you. Walls sounded gracious while saying he was not disappointed about not getting a shot with the starters Monday. He said he felt happy for Allen, and added that he was not surprised the Jets coaches decided to give Allen a chance at corner. Double A is pretty good at the line of scrimmage, Walls said. (The coaches) just said we re going to use different packages with different players. I think if you look at AA, he s a pretty tall guy (6-1). He has long arms. A lot of guys with long arms can get their hands on receivers at the line of scrimmage. I think that s one thing that he does. You see him covering tight ends. He does that all the time. If he does that with tight ends, I m pretty sure he can do it with receivers. If you watched practice today, he did that pretty well. As Walls considered Milliner s situation, he said it is really tough to play corner while recovering from an ankle sprain, because of the nature of the position. That is why the Jets are tinkering with their defense as they prepare for Milliner s potential absence. That s all we do (at cornerback) is plant and break, and we re running non-stop all game, Walls said. You definitely need your ankles and your feet to maneuver to be at 100 percent. How much will Kyle Wilson factor into Jets' plans to perhaps replace Dee Milliner? (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger 13 P a g e

14 haps_replace_dee_milliner.html CORTLAND, N.Y. The Jets began rolling out their plan Monday for what they might do if cornerback Dee Milliner can t play in the Sept. 7 opener against the Raiders. Milliner is dealing with some sort of sprained ankle. It involved safety Antonio Allen and special teams ace Ellis Lankster working with the first team at cornerback, while Darrin Walls and Ras-I Dowling practiced with the second team. Lankster is a corner by name. Allen isn t at least not yet. This is not an ideal situation, obviously. Rex Ryan would feel better if Dimitri Patterson, his other starting corner, can return from nagging (but allegedly non-serious) injuries to his quadriceps, ankle and calf. But Milliner is the Jets No. 1 corner for a reason. So there should be a significant level of concern with maybe losing him for an extended stretch. One notable player was not in the mix at any of the outside corner spots Monday former first-round draft pick Kyle Wilson. Ryan said he is not locked in with using Allen and Lankster as the starting corners. Walls could certainly get a look and perhaps Dowling, too. What about Wilson? That s a possibility, but I like what we re doing now, Ryan said. What the Jets are doing and have been doing with Wilson is playing him at the slot/nickel cornerback spot. When the Jets go to their nickel package (five defensive backs) in likely passing situations, Wilson is the additional defensive back. Since passing is such a big part of the NFL now, nickel corner is a fairly prominent role. I like how Kyle s playing (in) nickel, Ryan said. Really, guys, that s a starter. Nickel is a starter in today s game. He s basically a starter. So that s kind of how I feel about it. I think he s coming on. I think Kyle s playing extremely well. In last Thursday s preseason opener against the Colts, the Jets worked Patterson at the nickel cornerback spot when the second stringers played in the second half. Defensive backs coach Tim McDonald said the coaches want Patterson to learn both the outside and slot corner spots. But as of right now, Wilson is set at that starting nickel job, as it were. Last season, starting cornerback Antonio Cromartie played in every game and was in for 1,095 snaps. By comparison, Wilson was in for 480 snaps. So he saw a lot of action, even though he was not technically a starter. The Jets have tried using Wilson as an outside corner, with mixed results. When Milliner did not start last season in Week 3 against the Bills, Wilson started in his place. Ryan later turned to Walls as the starting replacement for Milliner at one of the outside corner spots. After Darrelle Revis suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2012, Wilson played solidly as his replacement on the outside. Still, the Jets went out and drafted Milliner the following spring in the first round. Wilson has three career interceptions two in 2011 and one in Wilson is in the final year of his five-year, $9.905 million contract. He is almost certainly going to make every penny of that deal, even though he has not quite panned out. The Jets drafted him 29th overall, so he was a fringe first rounder. None of this is to say he cannot have a productive 2014 season. Just don t expect him to factor into the Jets plans to perhaps replace Milliner at outside corner. 14 P a g e

15 With Dee Milliner out, Jets' Rex Ryan confident Dimitri Patterson will 'be ready to roll soon' (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger on_will_be_ready_to_roll_soon.html CORTLAND, N.Y. Dimitri Patterson is clearly the Jets No. 2 cornerback, behind Dee Milliner. The Jets signed Patterson, a 31-year-old journeyman, in free agency during the offseason, as a low-profile replacement for Antonio Cromartie. But with Milliner out for a to-be-determined amount of time with a sprained ankle, Patterson has become an even more important piece in the Jets defense. On Monday, the Jets went with safety Antonio Allen and Ellis Lankster as their starting cornerbacks, and Darrin Walls and Ras-I Dowling with the second team. That arrangement is by no means set in stone, said Jets coach Rex Ryan. Meanwhile, Patterson missed his third straight practice. He has been dealing with calf and ankle injuries. On Monday, Ryan added quadriceps to the list of Patterson s injuries. All parties from Ryan to Patterson have insisted the injuries are not serious. But Ryan did say Monday that he thought they contributed to Patterson s struggles in the Jets preseason opener last Thursday against the Colts. Ryan and Patterson both said that Patterson tried, probably too hard, to push through the injuries in the game. Patterson was beaten for two third-down passes and was flagged for a holding call in the second half, while playing the slot corner spot with the second stringers. While Ryan said it is really questionable when Milliner might be able to return, he feels better about Patterson soon participating in practice. Patterson s return would add another element to the Jets secondary, as the coaches try to determine how they will handle Milliner s absence, however long it might be. I think it s just a matter of time, Ryan said of Patterson s return to practice. Hopefully he ll be back soon. I want him to be smart and lean on our trainers. What happens is you ll overcompensate for something and then you ll start fouling. You re not representing yourself the way you could possibly play. I think that s literally, really what happened in that game. I think suddenly, he started grabbing. It s like, Get healthy and let s play. We know you can play, but get healthy. And when he s ready and the trainers say he s ready, we ll put him back out there. But I m confident he ll be ready to roll soon. Jets safety Antonio Allen has coverage experience, but is he ready to play cornerback? (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger _he_ready_to_play_cornerback.html CORTLAND, N.Y. The ball spiraled through the air, clearly underthrown by Michael Vick, as Antonio Allen ran down the sideline with wide receiver Stephen Hill. Allen turned, his back facing Hill, and located the ball. Allen reached up and secured the interception his second Monday at Jets training camp practice. 15 P a g e

16 Earlier in practice, during the first 11-on-11 periods of the morning, Allen stepped in front of Geno Smith s pass intended for receiver Jeremy Kerley. From the get-go Monday, Allen looked comfortable while playing a new position, one that remains among the Jets biggest uncertainties cornerback. On Sunday, the Jets top corner, second-year pro Dee Milliner, sprained his left ankle during practice. The severity of the sprain and how much time Milliner will miss both remain uncertain. The Jets season opener, Sept. 7 against the Raiders, is less than a month away. The Jets must now prepare for the possibility that Milliner won t be available to play in it. Those preparations began Monday by pairing Allen, a starting safety, with Ellis Lankster, a corner who mostly plays special teams. Their placement as the first-team corners is by no means permanent, said Jets coach Rex Ryan. Other corners, including Darrin Walls and Ras-I Dowling, could get opportunities with the starters. But none of these players not Allen, Lankster, Walls or Dowling are proven NFL corners. Nor was rookie third-round draft pick Dexter McDougle, a likely second-stringer who suffered a season-ending knee injury Sunday. Ryan and general manager John Idzik both also left open the possibility of acquiring a corner. In the offseason, the Jets did not sign a high-priced corner, but instead opted for 31-year-old journeyman Dimitri Patterson. He is currently nursing non-serious leg injuries that sidelined him Monday for the third straight day. The Jets are currently $ million under the salary cap. Idzik insisted Monday that he has no regrets whatsoever about not landing a more elite corner in free agency. Allen, who will speak to reporters Tuesday, is not the Jets preferred option to start at corner. In college at South Carolina, he played spur linebacker a hybrid outside linebacker/safety position. He played some pass coverage, but not often. His coverage duties increased when the Jets drafted him as a safety, in the seventh round in He developed into a solid man-to-man coverage player, and demonstrated his progress in last year s win over the Patriots. Allen matched up with tight end Rob Gronkowski. Tom Brady targeted Gronkowski 13 times when Allen covered him, according to Pro Football Focus. Gronkowski caught five passes for 77 yards. One of the incomplete passes was an Allen interception. But defending tight ends differs greatly from defending wide receivers on the perimeter. And while Allen looked good Monday, it was just one day. Shortly after Allen picked off Vick s deep ball, Hill caught a Smith pass over the middle, with Allen in coverage. Ryan, as he usually does, spun positive Monday. Ryan raved about Allen s college film. Ryan recalled seeing Allen have the worst pro day ever, because he worked out as a defensive back an unfamiliar position. Ryan relished saying how he and defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman told each other, after the pro day, We re going to steal this guy in the later rounds of the draft. After Ryan finished reminiscing about Allen, he held up a planning sheet for Monday s practice. It showed that Allen was initially scheduled to just play in a substitute package, Ryan said. But the more you put him out the, the more you realize: Just run anything and he ll figure it out, Ryan said. The young man has come a million miles. You move him out at corner, and he already knows the communication from the safeties and what it means. So he was able to play naturally. 16 P a g e

17 Ryan said he actually played Allen often last year at the nickel cornerback spot, when the Jets inserted a fifth defensive back in likely passing situations. Allen, who is 6-1 and 210 pounds, has long enough arms to play in coverage. His athleticism and range help, too. He plays a lot of man (coverage), said secondary coach Tim McDonald. He s pretty good at it. There are some times out there right now that he s playing a corner position even though he s a safety. It s not a whole new position for him. It s not something that s permanent right now. We just want to take a look while we have time here in training camp. It is worth remembering that the Jets are still very early in the process of determining if Allen might be able to consistently cover receivers on the perimeter. He unquestionably has some assets and experience working in his favor. And it was easy for Ryan to play those up after Allen s two-interception debut at corner. But nobody can definitively say, at any point in the immediate future, that an Allen-Patterson cornerback pairing would fix the Jets pass defense, which ranked 22nd in the NFL last year. Michael Vick vs. Geno Smith: Day 15 breakdown, as quarterbacks' arms get a workout (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger erbacks_arms_get_a_workout.html CORTLAND, N.Y. -- The Jets' quarterback competition is neither an open competition nor a controversy, no matter what the team's brass might still be might saying publicly. Head coach Rex Ryan can keep calling it a competition, and general manager John Idzik can say all he wants that the situation isn't "tilted" toward Geno Smith, but the reality is obvious: Smith has the advantage over Michael Vick. It's Smith's job to lose, and it's been that way since organized team activities and minicamp. Vick, of all people, has had no problem making that clear. But since neither quarterback has officially been named a starter, we're going to chart their progress until that happens. Sunday was a light day for both quarterbacks in team drills. Monday was a much heavier one. Here is what happened: Geno Smith Analysis: The Jets had more 11-on-11 team period action than in any of their 13 previous training camp practices. Smith had a couple coverage throw-aways in the first segment of team periods. He also underthrew a ball to Clyde Gates that Darrin Walls broke up. And then Smith was picked off by Antonio Allen on a pass for Jeremy Kerley. Not a good start for Smith. He followed the pick with a low throw for Tommy Bohanon -- another incomplete pass. Rough stuff. Then he rebounded on the next play, with a quick decision, and quick throw to Jace Amaro just as Calvin Pace came off the edge on a blitz and was in Smith's face. A good read here by Smith. On the next play, Smith was victimized by a Stephen Hill drop. Smith's final throw of the day was a good one -- over the middle in a red-zone period -- to David Nelson for a touchdown. It was a day of mixed results for Smith. Stats (team drills): 10-for-17, interception, two sacks on Monday. Overall, Smith is 60-for-104, 11 sacks, four interceptions. Number of first-team reps: 23 on Monday (85.2 percent); 170 to date (81.3 percent) 17 P a g e