Tag: Braden Mann

Only one Jets 2020 draft pick a lock to start in 2022

A few of the Jets’ 2020 draft picks could start in 2022, but only one is a lock atop his position’s depth chart.

A few of the Jets’ 2020 draft picks could start in 2022, but only one is a lock atop his position’s depth chart.

That would be sixth-round punter Braden Mann. The 24-year-old has been effective enough to keep his job when healthy, but that doesn’t exactly shine a positive light on Joe Douglas’ first draft class with the Jets.

Two members of that nine-man class are already gone: fourth-round QB James Morgan and fourth-round OL Cameron Clark, who recently retired due to risk of paralysis. Second-round WR Denzel Mims, third-round DL Jabari Zuniga and fourth-round RB La’Mical Perine could be the next ones out the door after disappointing starts to their careers.

Aside from Mann, first-round OT Mekhi Becton and fifth-round CB Bryce Hall have the best chance to start. Becton will have to fight George Fant for his old left tackle gig after essentially missing the entire 2021 season with a knee injury, but he has the talent to reclaim the job. Hall, meanwhile, showed a high ceiling while starting all 17 games in 2021, giving him an inside track on an outside corner job should the Jets bring in competition for him and 2021 pick Brandin Echols.

There is also 2020 third-rounder Ashtyn Davis. He has the benefit of playing a position at which the Jets currently have little depth, but they will surely add more talent to that part of the secondary.

Aside from Hall and Becton potentially starting, it’s hard to see the Jets getting much more out of their 2020 class next season. Douglas’ first draft has already earned him plenty of criticism, but his 2021 class looked much better this past season.

With nine more picks coming up in April, Douglas needs to hit on his 2022 draft like he did last year.

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Thomas Morstead asks to be notified if he’s claimed after Jets release punter

The Jets are parting with veteran punter Thomas Morstead. He’d appreciate some waiver wire updates.

The Jets are releasing Thomas Morstead, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Because the veteran punter is a post-trade deadline cut, Morstead will hit the waiver wire.

Morstead joined the Jets in mid-September after Braden Mann injured his left knee in Week 1. But with Mann designated to return to practice at the end of October, Morstead’s time filling in has come to an end.

Morstead, a 13-year veteran, has never been on waivers before. But he knows NFL transactions have a habit of hitting the internet before players find out themselves. The 35-year-old asked followers to notify him if any team claims him. He also thanked the Jets for the opportunity and made his case for being picked up.

As Morstead noted in his tweet, he performed well in Mann’s absence. Morstead played in seven games for the Jets and averaged 48.2 yards per punt on 23 tries.

Before joining Gang Green, Morstead had spent his entire career with the Saints. He won a Super Bowl during his 12 years in New Orleans.

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Jets sign P Thomas Morstead, LB B.J. Goodson, work out 7 others

Gang Green signed P Thomas Morstead & LB B.J. Goodson as injury replacements. Several others worked out for New York, including 3 ex-Jets.

The Jets found some replacements for their injured players on Tuesday.

New York signed former Saints punter Thomas Morstead to an undisclosed deal, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The Jets also added linebacker B.J. Goodson on a one-year, $2.1 million contract, per Pelissero.

Both should immediately step into prominent roles after the Jets were ravaged by injuries in Week 1. Morstead should become the team’s starting punter after Branden Man suffered a knee injury that will force him to miss 4-6 weeks. Goodson gives the Jets more depth at linebacker following injuries to Blake Cashman and Jamien Sherwood. New York previously lost Jarrad Davis to an ankle injury. He’s out until at least Week 6.

Morstead, 35, punted for 12 years in New Orleans before the Saints released him this past March. He finished the 2020 season first in fair catch rate, fifth in lowest return rate allowed, seventh in hang time and 13th in net punting. However, Morstead’s 43.1 yards-per-punt average was the worst of his career and ranked 32nd in the league.

Goodson, 28, started 14 games in a career year for the Browns in 2020. He finished 91 combined tackles, seven defended passes, two interceptions, one forced fumble and half a sack. The 6-foot-1, 241-pound outside linebacker had a 65.4 overall Pro Football Focus grade last season. Goodson also spent time with the Giants and Packers from 2016-2019 after being drafted in the fourth round by the Giants out of Clemson.

Before signing Morstead and Goodson, the Jets worked out a few other players, including some familiar faces.

Former Jets linebackers Avery Williamson and Noah Dawkins were among those in the team facility. Williamson played two-and-a-half seasons with the Jets before being traded to the Steelers midway through the 2020 season. Dawkins was among the Jets’ 2021 training camp cuts. Punter Lachlan Edwards also worked out for the team. Edwards punted for the Jets from 2016-2019.

Tackle Elijah Nkansah and punters Colby Wadman, Ryan Winslow, and Corliss Waitman also worked out for Gang Green.

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5 Jets out for multiple weeks after injury-riddled opener

The Jets will have to bring in some bodies after losing a handful of players to injury.

Injuries hit the Jets hard in the first week of the 2021 season.

The biggest loss was left tackle Mekhi Becton, who will miss a minimum of 4-6 weeks with a dislocated knee cap. But Gang Green will be without a few other starters for the foreseeable future as well.

Safety Lamarcus Joyner (tricep) is out for the season, punter Braden Mann (knee) is out 4-6 weeks, and linebackers Jamien Sherwood (sprained ankle) and Blake Cashman (hamstring) will miss “a couple of weeks.”

Robert Saleh said Becton’s timetable remains in flux while the team gets a second opinion. If Becton’s injury requires surgery, he could be out longer.

The injuries leave the Jets thin at some key positions on defense and special teams. Kicker Matt Ammendola stepped up admirably for Mann on Sunday, but it sounds like the Jets will bring in an actual punter while Mann is out. New York will certainly need to find some more linebackers and safeties.

“Joe [Douglas] and his staff are getting together and gathering names,” Saleh said Monday. “There are going to have to be some additions.”

In more positive news, receivers Jamison Crowder and Keelan Cole have a chance to play in Week 2 against the Panthers. Crowder missed the game after testing positive for COVID-19 last week, while Cole injured his knee days before Week 1. Crowder is on track to be activated this week and Cole is still day-to-day.

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4 reasons why Jets could improve on special teams in 2021

Between Braden Mann entering his second season and a healthy Sam Ficken returning, the Jets figure to be improved on special teams in 2021.

Just like the rest of the roster, Gang Green’s special teams unit left a lot to be desired in 2020.

Robert Saleh opted to retain Brant Boyer, though, giving him a chance to prove he can once again produce an elite special teams unit in 2021. Thanks to improvements made across the board throughout the offseason and some additional in-house help, there is a good chance Boyer achieves just that this upcoming season.

Here are four reasons why the Jets could look a lot better on special teams in 2021 than they did in Adam Gase’s final season at One Jets Drive.

Jets Wire Rookie Power Rankings: The final 2020 report card

Jets Wire breaks down the Jets’ rookie class for the final time this season with its final report card.

The regular season is in the books, which means it’s time to evaluate the overall body of work that each Jets rookie put together in 2020.

Almost all of New York’s rookie class endured an up-and-down first season in the NFL. Mekhi Becton, Denzel Mims and others occasionally starred, but also took their lumps throughout the year. There is still plenty of hope for the future with this class, though, as it is filled with talented players who have the potential to make an impact for the Jets as soon as next season.

So, where do New York’s neophytes stand with 2020 in the rearview? Let’s take a look in the final Jets Wire rookie power rankings of the year.

Jamison Crowder, Tarell Basham among Jets’ Studs & Duds in Week 16 win over Browns

Here are the Jets’ Studs and Duds in their Week 16 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

The Jets finally reclaimed their turf after losing their first seven home games of the season.

New York won its first game at MetLife Stadium this season with a 23-16 victory over the Cleveland Browns. It certainly wasn’t a pretty game, but Sam Darnold played well enough to give his team a chance to get the win. The Jets defense, meanwhile, made it difficult on the Browns offense all game, forcing two turnovers and stifling their running attack.

The win clinched the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft for the Jets. That means no Trevor Lawrence and a whole lot of questions about the quarterback position entering the offseason.

For now, though, let’s take a look at the Jets’ Studs and Duds from their Week 16 win.

Mekhi Becton, Braden Mann leading AFC Pro Bowl voting at their positions

Jets rookies Mekhi Becton and Braden Mann are leading the AFC at their positions in fan voting for the 2021 Pro Bowl after one week.

While there’s a huge difference between Mekhi Becton and Braden Mann, they both could be headed to the Pro Bowl in their first season in the league.

Becton leads all AFC tackles in fan voting with 41,193 votes, while Mann leads all AFC punters with 26,248 votes.

While Becton has played just seven of New York’s 10 games, he’s proven to be one of the best players at his position already. He has helped keep Joe Flacco and Sam Darnold’s blindside clean while being an immovable force in the run game for Gang Green.

As for Mann, the sixth-round pick out of Texas A&M is averaging 44.8 yards per punt. The rookie punter leads the NFL in punts, but of those 50, only three of them have gone for touchbacks. He also leads all NFL specialists in tackles.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Pro Bowl will be held virtually as a week-long event. The Pro Bowl rosters will be featured on Madden 21 as a part of an alternative event. The fan vote started on Nov. 17 and will end on Dec. 17.

In a lost season, the Jets don’t have a lot to hang their hats on, but the play of the rookies, specifically Becton and Mann, is something they can use as a building block for the future. Even though they’re winless, fans around the league have taken notice.

Jets Rookie Power Rankings: Denzel Mims showcases potential in loss to Chargers

Jets Wire evaluates New York’s rookie class following Gang Green’s loss to the Patriots on Sunday.

The Jets endured their 10th loss of 2020 against the Chargers in Week 11, but there are still plenty of positives to take away from the defeat thanks to New York’s budding rookie class.

Mekhi Becton, Ashtyn Davis, Braden Mann, Denzel Mims and La’Mical Perine all made numerous positive contributions against Los Angeles. Bryce Hall also made his first career start at cornerback and while he did not exactly lockdown Keenan Allen, he did not shy away from the challenge of covering one of football’s most dynamic wide receivers — a big reason why the Jets are so high on him.

It’s only up for Hall and the rest of New York’s rookie class from here. Let’s take a look at where they stand in Jets Wire’s latest rookie power rankings.

Instant Analysis: Third-down struggles, blown coverages cost Jets in loss to Dolphins

Jets Wire breaks down New York’s Week 6 loss to the Dolphins.

As is the case on a weekly basis, the Jets never had a chance to win on Sunday.

New York got down early and never came close to recovering against the Dolphins, as Miami handed the Jets their sixth loss of 2020 by a final score of 24-0. Adam Gase’s offense could not get anything going, while Gregg Williams’ defense turned in yet another undisciplined and underwhelming performance.

Don’t expect the Jets’ fortunes to change when the Bills roll into MetLife Stadium next weekend. If anything, things are about to get a whole lot worse for a New York team that has been no stranger to embarrassment this season.

Game Balls

Braden Mann: This is indicative of the Jets’ struggles in 2020, but Mann has been one of New York’s lone bright spots so far this season. The sixth-round pick had another busy day and used it to show he is the real deal at punter.

Brian Poole: Poole was one of the few players on New York’s defense that came to play on Sunday, making a touchdown-saving tackle and an interception in the second quarter.

Instant Analysis

-How can a team be expected to go out and compete when its head coach and defensive coordinator are publicly feuding? If the “adults” in the room can’t get their act together, it’s tough to expect the same out of the players.

-So much for the emphasis on eliminating penalties. Three personal fouls and seven total flags cost the Jets 80 yards against the Dolphins. You can say what you want about New York’s lack of talent and poor coaching, but its lack of discipline is a big reason why Gang Green has lost six consecutive games.

-It took the Jets 50 minutes and 13 attempts to convert on a third down. That perfectly encapsulates New York’s struggles in 2020.

-Gase’s unwillingness to use La’Mical Perine more than Frank Gore is astounding. Perine is the only running back the Jets have that can go for six on any given play, yet Gore is the featured back. Heck, Ty Johnson should be seeing more touches as well with the season already lost. Another example of Gase being stuck in his ways and the Jets suffering as a result.

-Speaking of a coach’s unwillingness to use a player, why is it that Williams did not start giving Avery Williamson the snaps he deserves until it was absolutely necessary? Williamson still has plenty left in the tank, yet Alec Ogletree was taking the bulk of his playing time for a while. The head-scratching decisions from this coaching staff keep piling up.

-Do the Jets have any idea how to cover tight ends? The number of busted coverages in New York’s secondary that allowed Miami’s tight ends to break loose was unacceptable.

-Six punts, four first downs for the Jets in the first half. At least Mann’s development has been fast-tracked so far this season?

-How does an NFL team nearly accumulate a negative amount of passing yards in a half of football? The Jets continue to accomplish the impossibly bad every time out.

-A positive note: At least Marcus Maye gave Jets fans something to smile about when he picked off Ryan Fitzpatrick in the fourth quarter. It was a meaningless play given the score and time remaining, but an impressive one nonetheless.

-If the Jets were ever going to defeat an AFC East opponent before their Week 10 bye, it was Sunday against the Dolphins. Then again, even Miami is worlds ahead of New York right now. Is there a win on Gang Green’s 2020 schedule? It’s tough to say at this point.