Tag: Isaiah Dunn

7 Jets in need of a big game against the Eagles

Position battles will rage on in the Jets’ preseason finale against the Eagles.

Preseason play is deemed mostly insignificant for players locked into roster spots. Other than taking some repetitions against competition as a tune-up, preseason games are no more than a formality before the beginning of the regular season for starters and key reserves.

The same cannot be said for players squarely on the roster bubble. In fact, the preseason is the most important time of the year for any player fighting to make a team. The Jets’ starters will play a half at the most and go through the motions in their preseason finale against the Eagles, but it becomes survival of the fittest once the reserves enter.

Here are seven Jets who are looking to make the most of their playing time against the Eagles to either get back to top form, help their standing on the depth chart, or do enough to improve their chances of avoiding the ax before cutdown day, which is just around the corner.

Studs and Duds from Jets’ preseason Week 2 win over Packers

The best and worst performances from the Jets’ preseason Week 2 win over the Packers.

It’s just the preseason, but the Jets have themselves a winning streak.

New York notched its second win of the preseason against the Packers on Saturday, defeating Green Bay, 23-14. Zach Wilson led the Jets to a 17-14 halftime lead with two touchdowns and New York’s reserve defense pitched a shutout in the second half to keep the Kurt Benkert-led Packers’ offense at bay.

Here are the studs and duds from Gang Green’s preseason Week 2 triumph.

Jets are serious about giving young cornerbacks a shot

Robert Saleh reiterated his commitment to the Jets’ cornerback group just as veterans like Brian Poole and Steven Nelson signed elsewhere.

Robert Saleh wasn’t kidding when he said the Jets weren’t going to bring in an experienced cornerback before training camp.

Two veteran free agents – Brian Poole and Steven Nelson – signed elsewhere just days before the Jets opened camp. That leaves the Jets with few quality options if they aren’t satisfied with their current collection of cornerbacks.

It sounds as if they are, though, as Robert Saleh recently reiterated his commitment to the Jets’ young defensive backs. He told the New York Post’s Steve Serby that he didn’t have any concerns about his secondary, which has a combined 35 starts between its five non-rookies.

“It’s a very young group,” Saleh said. Someone’s gonna come to fruition. Bryce Hall had a really nice OTA, Bless [Austin] was having a nice OTA, then he had a minor setback with an injury that kept him out. He’s good to go. Some of the rookies had a chance to showcase their skills.”

Rolling with such an inexperienced group is a major risk for a Jets defense that looks solid at every other position. Joe Douglas beefed up the defensive line with Carl Lawson, Vinny Curry and Sheldon Rankins, the linebackers are led by C.J. Mosley, and Marcus Maye and Lamarcus Joyner will patrol the deep secondary.

But Saleh will rely on his youthful corners to hold down the rest. Hall and Austin have limited experience, while second-year undrafted free agent Javelin Guidry is expected to take over in the nickel with Poole now in New Orleans. Lamar Jackson and Corey Ballentine could assume reserve roles similar to the ones they filled in 2020, but Saleh and Douglas are hoping at least one rookie overperforms this season.

Douglas drafted Jason Pinnock, Michael Carter II, and Brandin Echols and picked up Isaiah Dunn as an undrafted free agent. One of those four could earn a starting role in the secondary and all four of them could earn snaps if they have great camps.

Regardless, the Jets will enter the 2021 season with an incredibly inexperienced cornerback class. The hope is that they will develop nicely over the rest of the summer before taking on their former quarterback – Sam Darnold – in Week 1 when the Jets face the Panthers.

“We’ve got a really good young nucleus of guys that are gonna compete,” Saleh added, “and we’ll see how it goes.”

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Jets hand out big contracts to UDFAs Isaiah Dunn, Kenny Yeboah

Dunn and Yeboah give the Jets some great training camp competition for the rest of of the cornerbacks and tight ends.

The Jets made sure to land two priority undrafted free agents after the 2021 NFL draft.

New York signed Oregon State cornerback Isaiah Dunn to a $185,000 deal, according to Aaron Wilson, and Ole Miss tight end Kenny Yeboah to a $200,000 deal, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Dunn’s contract is the biggest ever for a UDFA cornerback, per Wilson, and includes a $160,000 fully guaranteed base salary and a $25,000 signing bonus. Yeboah’s contract has a fully guaranteed $180,000 base salary with a $20,000 signing bonus. The money is important because it reinforces the Jets’ commitment to Dunn and Yeboah, who joined crowded cornerback and tight end rooms, respectively.

Dunn had a solid career in four years at Oregon State, but didn’t record an interception in 29 games. He did break up 18 passes, though, with 115 combined tackles. At 6-foot, 193 pounds, Dunn could be an outside or slot cornerback. The Jets had success in the UDFA cornerback pool last year with Lamar Jackson and Javelin Guidry, but Dunn will have to compete with a cavalcade of young prospects – both returning and recently drafted.

Yeboah, meanwhile, has a chance to take on a bigger role in the Jets offense if he can push his way up the depth chart. Tight end is an underrated need for the Jets, who really only have Chris Herndon as a bonafide pass-catcher. Tyler Kroft and Daniel Brown are primarily blockers or special teamers, Trevon Wesco figures to move to fullback and Ryan Griffin could be a cap casualty.

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