NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS June 20, 2015 Table of Contents ESPN NEW YORK... 1 Jets WRs Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker an Odd Couple that just might click (Rich Cimini)... 1 Leonard Williams, Devin Smith could be big contributors for New York Jets (Rich Cimini)... 2 Did Buster Skrine say the Jets have a Dream Team on defense? (Rich Cimini)... 3 NJ ADVANCE MEDIA... 4 Jets Buster Skrine says Dream Team, freaks everyone out (Dom Cosentino)... 4 FRIDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS... 5 ESPN NEW YORK Jets WRs Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker an Odd Couple that just might click (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52099/jets-wrs-brandon-marshall-eric-decker-anodd-couple-that-just-might-click This was an exchange that occurred in front of Brandon Marshall's locker last week at the New York Jets' minicamp: Reporter: How is your relationship with Eric Decker? Marshall: "Alshon?" Reporter: No, Eric Decker. Marshall: "Jeffery?" Reporter: No, Decker. Marshall: "Oh, Alshon." Brandon Marshall could have a productive receiving sidekick in Eric Decker, who has a laid-back personality. Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY Sports No, Marshall doesn't have a hearing problem. He smiled, informing the assembled reporters his nickname for Decker is "Alshon" -- as in, Alshon Jeffery, his former sidekick with the Chicago Bears. In turn, Decker refers to Marshall as "Demaryius" -- as in, Demaryius Thomas, his former receiving partner with the Denver Broncos. Got that? "We have a good time, man," Marshall said. "Alshon is going to be good this year." The Jeffery comparison is interesting on a couple of levels. Obviously, the Jets would love the Marshall- Decker tandem to be as productive as the Marshall-Jeffery duo was in 2013, before injuries slowed Marshall last year. But there's more to it. Much like Jeffery, Decker has a laid-back personality. He's not your typical wide receiver in that he doesn't seek the spotlight and doesn't complain when the ball doesn't come his way. 1 P a g e
In other words, he might be the ideal complement to Marshall, who has a reputation for being a "diva." Nevertheless, he clicked with Jeffery, perhaps because Jeffery was deferential to him. The Marshall-Decker dynamic will be fascinating because, after a year of being The Guy in the Jets' offense, Decker will slide into the No. 2 role. That might chafe some players, but the early sense is that Decker will be cool with the arrangement. He sees it as a win-win, saying their presence on the field together "will create more stress for the defense." Marshall, too, sees positives. "When it's Decker's turn to get the ball, I have to be selfless and run through the seam and carry coverage, run some dummy routes in the seam," he said. "When you're on a team with selfish guys, it makes it hard. Guys won't run through the wall for you. "We get it," he said, bringing Decker back into the conversation. "We've been around the league. We've had success. All we want to do is win." Everything sounds good in June. The real test will be in September. One thing that bears watching: How will Marshall react when he's not getting 10 targets per game? That was his average over three seasons with the Bears. In fact, only three receivers had more targets than Marshall over that span -- Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson and the aforementioned Thomas. In case you're wondering, Decker is 12th on that list. Marshall was a high-volume receiver in the Bears' pass-happy offense, which produced 1,673 pass attempts from 2012 to 2014. The Jets threw only 1,471 times, and the rate doesn't figure to go much higher under new coach Todd Bowles, who is defensive-minded and wants to maintain balance on offense. So can Marshall find happiness in New York? Hey, what could go wrong? They have Demaryius Thomas and Alshon Jeffery. Leonard Williams, Devin Smith could be big contributors for New York Jets (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/51799/leonard-williams-devin-smith-could-be-bigcontributors-for-new-york-jets NFL Nation reporter Rich Cimini outlines which rookies on the New York Jets will have significant roles this season. The Jets will figure out a way to work talented defensive end Leonard Williams, No. 62, into the rotation. Why Leonard Williams could contribute: He could start for most teams, but he won't start for the Jets unless there's an injury or the disgruntled Muhammad Wilkerson gets traded (highly unlikely). That's OK. Even at full strength, the Jets will find a way to integrate Williams into their talented defensive line rotation. They lucked out when the former USC star, considered by many evaluators the top defensive player in the draft, slipped to the sixth pick. At 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, he has the ideal body type to be a 5- technique in the Jets' 3-4 base defense. Todd Bowles doesn't use many 4-3 fronts, but if he's smart, he'll find ways to get Williams, Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson on the field at the same time. Williams has scheme versatility, because he played in different systems at USC. It's an overcrowded defensive line, but it affords the Jets the luxury of not having to force feed their prized rookie. In minicamp, he impressed 2 P a g e
with his movement skills, particularly his first step. Off the field, he's a hard worker who understands that rookies should be seen and not heard. Why Devin Smith could contribute: The second-round pick won't be a starter, per se, unless the Jets use a four-receiver personnel package. In his previous coaching job, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey used more four-receiver packages than any team from 2010 to 2012 with the Buffalo Bills, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Obviously, it won't be the Jets' base offense, but Gailey likes to spread the field with targets. Right now, Smith projects as the No. 4 receiver, behind Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker and Jeremy Kerley. But his role could grow as he gets comfortable in the offense. Smith's skill set is different from the others, because he's a vertical threat. In his final season at Ohio State, he averaged an FBS-leading 28.2 yards per reception. The Jets desperately need that dimension in their offense. Smith isn't a world-class burner, but he's fast enough (4.42 at the scouting combine) and has the ability to maintain his speed when the ball is in the air. Chances are that he'll be a one-trick pony as a rookie, but that one trick will be huge if it results in a few home run plays. He also will have a role on special teams, especially punt coverage. He was a fantastic gunner in college. Why Lorenzo Mauldin could contribute: He probably won't unseat starting strong outside linebacker Calvin Pace, but Mauldin could easily carve out a role as a situational pass-rusher. The Jets have plenty of interior rushers -- Wilkerson, Richardson and Williams, among others -- but they could use a threat on the edge. That's where Mauldin, a third-round pick, can help right away. He didn't generate huge sack numbers at Louisville (6.5 sacks last season), but he has quick feet and a nice burst. He gained confidence as the offseason progressed, making a few attention-grabbing plays in minicamp. The Jets don't expect him to win a starting job right away, but it could be there for the taking if he demonstrates a grasp of Bowles' system. As with Williams and Smith, they have the luxury of bringing him along at his own pace. Did Buster Skrine say the Jets have a Dream Team on defense? (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52075/did-buster-skrine-say-the-jets-have-a-dreamteam-on-defense Oh, Buster. In an interview with SI.com's Don Banks, New York Jets cornerback Buster Skrine dropped a "Dream Team" reference when discussing the team's talent on defense. No, he didn't say they're a dream team, per se, but it's still dangerous territory, considering what happened to the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles, the last socalled "Dream Team." "I've never played on a defense with this much talent," Skrine said. "Our front seven has all-stars and then in the back end, we have all-stars. I've never seen anything like this. Everybody said the Philadelphia Eagles were going to be like the Dream Team, but we have chemistry on this defense already, and you can see it out in practice. I mean, we can match up however you want to match up. We can match up with any offense." Confidence and optimism are great things, and we all know they come in abundant quantities across the NFL in June. But sometimes you need to tap the brakes. Yes, the Jets have talent on defense, but if you want to get technical, they have only one all-star -- Darrelle Revis. Sheldon Richardson and Antonio Cromartie played in the Pro Bowl after last season, but they made it as alternates. 3 P a g e
I'm on record as saying the Jets have the ability to be a top-five defense. They have a nice mix of young, ascending players (Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson, Damon Harrison, Leonard Williams, Calvin Pryor and Demario Davis) and established veterans (Revis, Cromartie and David Harris). But can we let them play a down before we go crazy with the superlatives? I'm not picking on Skrine; others have done it, too, although he was the first to use the "Dream Team" reference in conversation. You don't want to end up like the '11 Eagles, that's for sure. After a free-agent spending spree, Vince Young -- the backup quarterback, for crying out loud -- infamously dubbed them, "The Dream Team." Didn't work out too well. They finished 8-8, needing a four-game winning streak at the end to make it to.500. NJ ADVANCE MEDIA Jets Buster Skrine says Dream Team, freaks everyone out (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/06/jets_buster_skrine_makes_dream_team_reference_frea.ht ml Say, have you heard? The Jets improved their defense this offseason! They brought back cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, added safety Marcus Gilchrist and cornerback Buster Skrine, selected arguably the draft's best player in defensive end Leonard Williams, and stocked up on all sorts of depth at just about every position. All that in addition to a front seven that was already considered to be pretty darn good. So, after missing the playoffs for four straight seasons and bottoming out with last year's 4-12 shipwreck, there's genuine excitement, even in some of the more jaded precincts of the Jets' fan base. And Skrine, in an interview with SI.com, said... wait, Buster... hold on... no, don't, please... don't do it!... No! Too late. The internet has already noticed. Over here, too. But this is what Skrine's exact words were to SI.com's Don Banks: "I've never played on a defense with this much talent. Our front seven has all-stars and then in the back end, we have all-stars. I've never seen anything like this. Everybody said the Philadelphia Eagles were going to be like the Dream Team, but we have chemistry on this defense already, and you can see it out in practice. I mean, we can match up however you want to match up. We can match up with any offense." OK, so Skrine didn't Totally Go There by calling the Jets the Dream Team in the way Vince Young once did about the 2011 Eagles, who finished 8-8 and greased the skids for head coach Andy Reid's firing after the next season. Which is a relief because the Eagles are never going to live down Young's words. And while the "never played on a defense with this much talent" line easily translates into 72-point type, consider that Skrine came from the Browns after playing his college ball at Tennessee-Chattanooga. Not exactly the highest bar for him to clear. Besides, as any clear-eyed realist understands, the potential nightmare for the Jets is still at quarterback, where Geno Smith has the wheel unless Ryan Fitzpatrick takes it from him this summer. And first-year head coach Todd Bowles already appears to have won the respect of the locker room and the fan base for projecting himself as something other than Rex Ryan's id. But the games that don't begin until September are where fans' dreams will become reality, unless the alarm clock suddenly goes off. Skrine's excitement 4 P a g e
is somewhat warranted; the Jets did what was necessary to improve as much as possible, as quickly as possible. But, for Namath's sake, they also haven't done anything yet. FRIDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS BASEBALL Atlanta Braves - Selected the contract of pitcher Matt Wisler from Gwinnett (IL); optioned pitcher Sugar Ray Marimon to Gwinnett. Cincinnati Reds - Activated outfielder Marlon Byrd from the 15-day disabled list; optioned pitcher Donovan Hand to Louisville (IL). Cleveland Indians - Signed pitcher Brady Aiken. Detroit Tigers - Activated designated hitter Victor Martinez from the 15-day disabled list; optioned outfielder Tyler Collins to Toledo (IL). Houston Astros - Signed outfielders Myles Straw, Justin Garcia and Aaron Mizell, catchers Kevin Martir and Christian Correa and pitcher Steve Naemark. Los Angeles Dodgers - Reduced the suspension of minor league shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena to 30 games. New York Yankees - Placed pitcher Sergio Santos on the 15-day disabled list; recalled pitchers Bryan Mitchell and Branden Pinder from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (IL); optioned pitcher Chris Martin to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Oakland Athletics - Activated pitcher Edward Mujica and first baseman Ike Davis from the 15-day disabled list; optioned pitcher Arnold Leon to Nashville (PCL); designated infielder Andy Parrino for assignment. Philadelphia Phillies - Optioned pitcher Hector Neris to Lehigh Valley (IL); selected the contract of pitcher Phillippe Aumont from Lehigh Valley. Pittsburgh Pirates - Signed pitchers Stephan Myer and Sean Keselica. San Diego Padres - Designated pitcher Eury De La Rosa for assignment; optioned pitcher Cory Mazzoni to El Paso (PCL); selected infielder Brett Wallace from El Paso. St. Louis Cardinals - Recalled infielder Greg Garcia and first baseman Xavier Scruggs from Memphis (PCL); optioned catcher Ed Easley and pitcher Mitch Harris to Memphis. Texas Rangers - Activated outfielder Ryan Rua from the 60-day disabled list; recalled pitcher Alex Claudio from Round Rock (PCL); optioned pitcher Anthony Ranaudo to Round Rock; designated outfielder Jake Smolinski for assignment. Toronto Blue Jays - Placed pitcher R.A. Dickey on the bereavement list; recalled infielder Munenori Kawasaki from Buffalo (IL). Washington Nationals - Placed pitcher Tanner Roark on the paternity list; recalled pitcher Taylor Hill from Syracuse (IL). BASKETBALL Orlando Magic - Promoted Charles Freeman to chief operating officer. 5 P a g e
Portland Trail Blazers - Announced guard Steve Blake has exercised his player option for the 2015-16 season. FOOTBALL Buffalo Bills - Named Rob Hanrahan director of pro personnel and Kevin Meganck director of football operations. Cleveland Browns - Claimed wide receiver Shane Wynn off waivers from Atlanta. New England Patriots - Signed defensive tackle Malcom Brown; released tight end Fred Davis. Oakland Raiders - Signed defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr. Tennessee Titans - Signed offensive tackle Jeremiah Poutasi. HOCKEY Florida Panthers - Acquired forward Greg McKegg from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for forward Zach Hyman and a conditional 2017 seventh-round pick. COLLEGE North Carolina - Agreed to terms with head men's basketball coach Roy Williams on a contract extension through the 2019-20 season; agreed to terms with head women's tennis coach Brian Kalbas and head women's lacrosse coach Jenny Levy on three-year contracts. South Carolina - Approved a two-year contract extension for head women's basketball coach Dawn Staley. 6 P a g e