Tag: Arthur Maulet

Steelers sign former Jets S Arthur Maulet

The Steelers are starting to round out their offseason roster with the addition of Arthur Maulet.

On Friday, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced the signing of safety Arthur Maulet to a one-year deal.

Maulet, who played collegiate ball at Memphis, bounced around the league since going undrafted in 2017. He’s played with the Saints, Colts and Jets and recorded 83 tackles, two sacks, seven defended passes, two interceptions and a recovered fumble in 34 games (12 starts).

Heading into training camp this summer, Maulet will join rookie safety Tre Norwood at the bottom of the defensive backs depth chart.

[vertical-gallery id=489547]

[listicle id=489582]

11 notable Jets who could be playing their last game with New York in Week 17

Jets Wire takes a look at 11 notable Jets players who could be playing their last game with New York on Sunday in New England.

As the Jets enter their 2020 season finale, several notable players could be playing their final game for the team.

Nothing is a given, but it’s likely that the team with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft is headed toward another roster overhaul. While some players’ futures seem more certain than others, there is still a lot of decision making to be made between now and the beginning of March.

With that said, let’s take a look at some notable active players who might be playing their last game with New York in Week 17 against the New England Patriots.

Jets injury report: Sam Darnold out for Week 6, Denzel Mims back at practice

As for Wednesday’s Jets injury updates, Adam Gase ruled out QB Sam Darnold for Week 6, while rookie WR Denzel Mims returned to practice.

As the Jets get ready to take on the Dolphins in Week 6, they will again be without their starting quarterback. On Wedneday, Adam Gase ruled out Sam Darnold (right shoulder) for Sunday’s game and named Joe Flacco the starter again.

On the other hand, Denzel Mims (hamstring) returned to practice. Gase was non-committal on whether the rookie wide receiver will come off injured reserve for Sunday. Still, Mims has been itching at getting back on the field and has an outside chance at playing vs. the Dolphins, according to The Athletic’s Connor Hughes.

Both of the Jets’ starters on the left side of the offensive line — Mekhi Becton and Alex Lewis — will not practice Wednesday, as both are dealing with shoulder injuries. Lewis will be limited going forward but should be good to go for Sunday. As for Becton, the Jets haven’t provided much of an update, but it was reported on CBS’s Broadcast in Week 5 that he was dealing with a capsule injury in his shoulder.

CB Bless Austin, WR Breshad Perriman and DL Quinnen Williams were all limited during practice.

The Jets designated Mims, CB Arthur Maulet (groin) and OL Cameron Clark (shoulder/knee) to return to practice; they will have 21 days to activate these three players from injured reserve. New York also signed DL Tanzel Smart and K/P Sergio Castillo to its practice squad and released WR Donte Moncrief from the practice squad.

Jets sign WR Josh Malone to active roster, place CB Arthur Maulet on IR

The Jets have signed Josh Malone to the active roster and placed Arthur Maulet on injured reserve.

After being called up from the practice squad twice, the Jets officially signed Josh Malone to the active roster.

New York announced on Tuesday that it has signed Malone to the 53-man roster and placed CB Arthur Maulet on injured reserve. In addition, the Jets released Paul Worrilow from their practice squad.

Under the new practice squad rules, the Jets were allowed to bring Malone up to the gameday roster twice and then send him back down to the practice squad without him being subject to waivers. Since Malone has played two games though, he was subject to waivers.

The Jets now have three healthy wide receivers on the active roster. Along with Malone, the Jets have Chris Hogan and Braxton Berrios. Jamison Crowder is still a question mark for this week with a hamstring injury, while Breshad Perriman is week-to-week with an ankle injury.

As for Maulet, he has to miss at least the next three games under the new injured reserve rules. So the Jets are down to four healthy cornerbacks with Quincy Wilson having a concussion.

The Jets could promote a cornerback from the practice squad to take Maulet’s spot. Javelin Guidry, Lamar Jackson and Zane Lewis are the three cornerbacks on the Jets’ practice squad.

Jets DB coach jokingly calls cornerback room ‘a bunch of outcasts’

New York Jets DBs coach Dennard Wilson has jokingly referred to his cornerbacks as ‘outcasts,” but it’s a rallying cry for an underdog unit.

There aren’t a lot of well-known names in the Jets cornerback room, but that’s what the unit prides itself on. In fact, New York’s defensive backs coach, Dennard Wilson, jokingly refers to his group as “a bunch of outcasts,” he said earlier this week.

Even if Wilson is technically joking or using that as a motivational tool, his message rings true. Rather than going down the path of paying a premium for a No. 1 cornerback, which has significantly hindered New York in the past, Joe Douglas elected to put together a group of rotational cornerbacks who provide depth for Gang Green.

New York’s cornerback room starts with Pierre Desir, who is already on his fifth team and was a cap casualty after flaming out in Indianapolis. Quincy Wilson, who had become an afterthought with the Colts, was just thrilled to be given an opportunity to prove himself. Like Desir and Wilson, Nate Hairston is another cornerback who fell down Indianapolis’ depth chart. He found himself shipped away for a Day 3 pick last year.

As for Brian Poole, his free agent market never took off, even after he was one of the best nickel corners in the NFL in 2019. Players like Bless Austin and Bryce Hall dealt with lower-body injuries during their senior seasons of collegiate play and subsequently were Day 3 picks.

Then there’s Arthur Maulet. He bounced around between Indianapolis and New Orleans before going back and forth between New York’s active roster and practice squad.

These aren’t names that jump off the page, but they’re certainly ones that embody the culture that Wilson has tried to bring into the cornerback room. These are players that other teams have given up, but the Jets are hoping a group with a collective chip on its shoulder can improve what was a weak position in 2019. Last year, a makeshift unit had to make up for the failures of Trumaine Johnson and Darryl Roberts.

Even without a lockdown No. 1 cornerback, New York is entering another season in Gregg Williams’ system, one that adapts to the strengths of its players. While Douglas may have constructed a positional group of relative no-names, they’re each coming in with something to prove.

2020 New York Jets Position Preview: Cornerback

Jets Wire breaks down New York’s cornerback room with training camp and the 2020 season approaching.

With the NFLPA player reps officially approving the NFL’s proposal and training camp just a short ways away, it’s time to take a closer look at the makeup of the Jets’ roster entering the 2020 season.

Cornerback was one of the Jets’ worst units in 2019. Gregg Williams and Dennard Wilson got the most they could out of the team’s ragtag group, but when teams were beating the Jets last season they were doing it through the air. With the addition of Pierre Desir and the re-signing of Brian Poole, New York’s cornerback room should improve in 2020. However, a lot remains uncertain.

As training camp and the beginning of the regular season inch closer, Jets Wire will provide a look at each of New York’s position groups and what could be in store for the unit in 2020. Let’s break down the cornerback room at One Jets Drive.

The Starters

The Jets brought in Desir to stabilize the team’s secondary and provide the consistency that neither Trumaine Johnson nor Darryl Roberts could supply during their time in New York.

Desir’s 2019 season was met with a drop in production, as he allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 64.9 percent of their passes with a 96.5 passer rating against him. At the same, Desir brings a veteran presence to the unit, starting 23 games in Indianapolis over the past two seasons. As he returns from a nagging hamstring injury that cost him four games during the 2019 campaign, Desir figures to be Gregg Williams’ go-to cornerback on the outside.

Returning in the slot is Poole, who was one of the best nickel cornerbacks in the NFL last season. In his first season in green and white, Poole recorded 62 tackles, four tackles for loss, six pass defenses and a pick-six. Poole allowed the fewest yards per cover snap out of the slot last season, according to Michael Nania. Overall, Poole allowed just 0.526 yards per cover snap, which ranked second-best among cornerbacks, behind only Richard Sherman.

Not only is Poole dependable in coverage, but he also isn’t afraid to stick his nose out at the line of scrimmage. Poole had the second-most tackles for loss (4) among qualified cornerbacks and the third most pressures (11), per Nania.

Depth

The Jets’ No. 2 cornerback spot is up for grabs. Entering his second year in the NFL, Bless Austin has the inside track at starting opposite of Desir, but the additions of Bryce Hall and Quincy Wilson will create competition.

Austin finished his rookie season with 25 tackles, four passes defended and a forced fumble in seven games. He ended the season in Williams’ doghouse after getting beaten for a touchdown in the Jets’ Week 16 win over the Steelers, but he should find himself back into the equation once training camp gets underway.

After suffering a gruesome ankle injury that prematurely ended his senior season at the University of Virginia, Hall is making steady progress as he continues his recovery. He has spent a lot of time soaking up knowledge from Williams, so he’ll be ready when his number is called.

As for Wilson, a change of scenery was much needed for the former second-round pick. The Jets took a flier on him after he fell out of favor in Indianapolis. Standing at 6-foot-2, Wilson has the size, length, ball skills and versatility to make an impact in Gang Green’s secondary.

Among the other players competing to be a depth piece in the secondary are Arthur Maulet, Nate Hairston, Lamar Jackson, Javelin Guidry and Shyheim Carter.

Outlook

The Jets’ cornerback room leaves a lot to be desired. New York is far removed from having a No. 1 shutdown cornerback but has the capable pieces to keep opposing teams in check, much like the unit did down the stretch last season.

With the position group’s depth decimated by injuries in 2019, the Jets were able to bounce back and finish 17th in the NFL against the pass, allowing 236.2 yards per game. That has a chance to improve in 2020, especially with the new additions.

See more from Jets Wire’s Position Previews series:

QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | MLB | OLB | S

Jets CB Bless Austin: I ‘didn’t play up to my capabilities’ as a rookie

Jets second-year cornerback Bless Austin feels he “didn’t play up to his capabilities” during rookie campaign, vows to be better in 2020.

Bless Austin isn’t one to grow complacent.

The Jets’ second-year cornerback out of Rutgers feels he left a lot of plays on the field during his rookie campaign. With a chance to start in 2020, he’s vowed to become a more consistent presence in the Jets’ secondary for the 2020 season.

“Definitely a learning process,” Austin said when asked to evaluate his rookie season by Jets team reporter Olivia Landis. “Cause honestly I feel like I definitely didn’t play up to my capabilities. A lot of plays, I left out there. Getting in the classroom, working out and getting together with my coaches and teammates, it’ll only get better from there, no doubt.”

Rehabbing from an ACL injury he suffered in college, Austin started the season on the PUP list. Austin was activated in November and was immediately thrown into the fire with Darryl Roberts injured and Nate Hairston benched. The Jets weren’t looking for a savior at the cornerback position, but Austin provided a steady hand that Trumaine Johnson, Roberts and Hairston never provided.

Austin got off to a hot start with his consistent and aggressive play, but he eventually found himself in Gregg Williams’ doghouse. He was benched in the second half of a Week 16 showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers after allowing Dionate Johnson to beat him for a 29-yard touchdown with four seconds to go before the half. That was the last time Austin saw the field in 2019.

He finished the season with 25 tackles, four passes defended and a forced fumble in seven games.

Even though he was benched last year, Austin appears to be in the mix for the Jets’ No. 2 cornerback position. He’ll face competition from Arthur Maulet, Quincy Wilson, Bryce Hall and Hairston.

The Jets did a lot of remodeling to the cornerback room this offseason, but with past success and knowledge of the defense, Austin may be able to play himself back into the starting position he once held.

Jets roster serving as a stable for ex-Colts

The Jets have 11 former Colts players on their roster.

You might as well call the Jets the New York Colts with the amount of former Indianapolis players on the roster.

The Jets have 11 former Colts players under contract. That includes Thomas Hennessy, Matthias Farley, Nate Hairston, Arthur Maulet, Quincy Wilson, Ross Travis, Henry Anderson, Tarell Basham, Pierre Desir, Jonotthan Harrison and Josh Andrews.

Of these 11 players, six of them were acquired under Joe Douglas and five under Mike Maccagnan. Farley, Hairston, Wilson, Travis, Desir and Andrews are Douglas guys while Hennessy, Maulet, Anderson, Basham and Harrison are Maccagnan’s doing.

Not many of the former Colts have made a huge impact with the Jets. Hennessy has been the most consistent player as the Jets’ long snapper for the past few years. Anderson had a good first season with the Jets with seven sacks but followed that up with a lousy 2019 season. Basham started to come on last season.

Harrison, meanwhile, has been in and out as a starter on the offensive line. Hairston was a major disappointment last year and Farley barely stepped foot on the field. Maulet was a solid depth piece at cornerback and made some good plays on special teams. Desir, Wilson, Andrews and Travis have yet to put on a Jets uniform.

New York seems to have a good relationship with the folks over in Indianapolis. Not only did the two teams pull off a couple of trades this past season, but Maccagnan traded with the Colts before the 2018 draft to move up to the third overall pick. That pick, of course, turned into Sam Darnold.

Jets enter 2020 NFL Draft with $18.8 million in cap space

The Jets unofficially have $18.8 million in cap space entering the 2020 NFL Draft.

As the New York Jets enter the 2020 NFL Draft, they are in the top 10 in the league in available cap space.

According to Overthecap.com, the Jets have $18.8 million in cap space left after they signed a plethora of free agents this offseason. That’s good for 10th in the NFL.

However, this number is not entirely accurate because the Jets haven’t officially announced the contracts of three players that have been signed. They include quarterback David Fales, cornerback Arthur Maulet and outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Jenkins signed a one-year deal worth $5 million, which would bring the Jets down to $13.8 million in cap space. New York will also clear $8 million in cap space after June 1 thanks to Trumaine Johnson’s departure and the NFL’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Joe Douglas could still make some changes to the roster, too. Brian Winters could be cut at any moment, especially if the Jets add more linemen in the draft. Another interesting player to keep an eye out for is Avery Williamson. Coming off an ACL injury, the Jets could look to trade him or outright cut him and save $6.5 million.

At the moment, the Jets have eight draft picks on hand, so a good chunk of that remaining cap will go to rookies. New York could also accumulate more draft picks by trading down from the 11th overall pick, which would mean even more money toward the cap.

However, with Douglas likely interested in a few free agents after the draft, expect New York to free up some funds.

Signing Logan Ryan would do wonders for Jets secondary

Jets Wire breaks down why signing free agent cornerback Logan Ryan would be a big-time move to upgrade the secondary.

Joe Douglas has done a nice job addressing the Jets secondary this offseason by signing Pierre Desir and bringing back Brian Poole, but there is still plenty of work to be done for the unit to become a solid one before Week 1 of the 2020 season rolls around.

Beyond Desir and Poole, there is not much on New York’s cornerback depth chart. Bless Austin is penciled in as the No. 2 cornerback opposite Desir, but his inexperience makes him a less than ideal option for the job. Arthur Maulet is a nice backup, but should not be in the running for a starting job. The same goes for Kyron Brown and Nate Hairston.

Fortunately for the Jets, there is a New Jersey native and former AFC East division rival still available for the taking in free agency who could come in and alleviate any cornerback concerns.

The Daily News’ Manish Mehta reported that the Jets are looking into signing former Patriots and Titans cornerback Logan Ryan. The 29-year-old is coming off arguably the best season of his career, setting new highs in tackles (113), pass deflections (18), sacks (4.5) and forced fumbles (four). Ryan also added four interceptions as a member of one of the better defenses in the NFL last season.

Ryan is not an elite corner, but he is exactly what the Jets need at this point in time. A duo of Desir and Ryan would be an immediate upgrade over what New York had at cornerback last season and would give defensive coordinator Gregg Williams two established defensive backs to insert into his scheme.

Before the Jets can realistically entertain any pursuit of the Rutgers product, there are financial hurdles that need to be cleared with only $18.8 million remaining in salary cap space. That could spell the end for Brian Winters’ tenure with the team, as releasing him would free up $7.28 million — likely enough to sign Ryan. It could also mean Avery Williamson’s time with the Jets is up, as New York would clear $6.5 million in cap space by releasing him.

Considering the depth the Jets have on the offensive line and at linebacker, they can absorb the loss of Winters or Williamson in order to improve their secondary. New York needs to do what it can in order to take advantage of a player of Ryan’s caliber lingering in free agency.

If all financial hurdles are cleared and Ryan is interested in a homecoming, adding him to the mix would do wonders for a Jets secondary in desperate need of some experienced talent.