Kalen Ballage fails Jets physical, heads back to Miami

Kalen Ballage failed his physical with the Jets because of a hamstring issue and is now heading back to the Dolphins.

Even the players that Jets trade for are injured.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, newly acquired running back Kalen Ballage failed his physical with the Jets because of a hamstring injury. Ballage will now head back to Miami and New York will get its conditional 2021 seventh-round pick back.

The Jets are down to two healthy running backs (Le’Veon Bell and Frank Gore) with Ballage going back to Miami and rookie La’Mical Perine now hurt. Perine injured his ankle in practice on Sunday and had to be carted off. He’ll have an MRI.

Safety Marcus Maye is dealing with a calf issue that forced him to leave practice early. Maye wanted to keep practicing, but Adam Gase held him out as a precaution.

Wide receiver Jeff Smith is out a couple of weeks with a shoulder injury.

Jonotthan Harrison: Jets have not discussed sitting out regular season games

According to Jonotthan Harrison, the Jets have not discussed sitting out regular-season games in protest of social and racial injustice.

The Jets canceled practice on Thursday to discuss social and racial injustices in America in wake of the Jacob Blake shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin. That dialogue will continue throughout the season, but not at the expense of any regular season games.

According to Jonotthan Harrison, New York’s conversation did not center around sitting out any regular season contests. The decision to cancel practice was not a protest, either, as the day was used to engage in respectful discussion and debate before returning to the field on Saturday after an already scheduled day off.

“I’m very, very hopeful and very confident that something will come of this,” Harrison said, per the New York Post. “Some change will be made and not just in the Jets organization, but you are seeing other organizations that are realizing what’s going on as well and that they’re buying into this.

“We have too powerful of a platform to not use it. We’re being extra cautious that we’re not misconstrued as trying to attack anybody or anything. We just would like to see some change.”

The Jets’ decision to not practice came after Wednesday’s postponement of all NBA and WNBA games, as well as a few MLB games, as a form of protesting the Blake shooting and racial and social injustice in the United States. The Indianapolis Colts and Washington Football Team were among the teams that also canceled practice, while the Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears delayed their practices to discuss social change and issues.

Prior to Thursday, CEO and acting owner Christopher Johnson spoke during a virtual team meeting on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Bradley McDougald and Jamison Crowder shared their hopes for potential action with reporters, as did Marcus Maye earlier in the week.

“At the end of the day, you have to think about it,” Harrison said. “Literally, there are men in that locker room and men and women in this organization, in this building, that have children at home that could be in that situation. So this just hits home. It hits so deep for a lot of people and so I’m thankful to be part of an organization that’s just willing to bind together and help find a way to make some change.”

What Budda Baker’s new contract could mean for Marcus Maye

The Jets will have an important decision with what to do with safety Marcus Maye next offseason.

The Jets will have to make a big decision with another safety next offseason.

Marcus Maye, who’s poised to take over the role left behind by Jamal Adams, will be an unrestricted free agent in 2021 and could command a sizable new contract from the Jets, especially after Cardinals’ safety Budda Baker reset the market for the position.

Baker reportedly signed a four-year, $59 million contract this week. It will pay him $14.75 million annually – the most for any safety in the league. Maye, meanwhile, ranks 62nd with the final year of his rookie contract worth $1,638,510.

“Big ups to Budda,” Maye told reporters Tuesday after the deal was announced, “but we’re all in different situations. I know my talent.”

Baker and Maye were drafted three picks apart in 2017 (Baker was taken 36th and Maye was taken 39th) and play the same position, but that’s where the similarities end. They’re not the same player and have had very different careers thus far. That may change in 2020 if Gregg Williams adjusts Maye’s role in his defense, but for now, it’s hard to compare the two for the purposes of contract negotiations.

Baker has a leg up on Maye in four crucial aspects: durability, production, pass-rush ability and run-stopping. Baker’s played in eight more games than Maye and tallied 113 more total tackles. He also has seven quarterback hits, 3.5 sacks and leads safeties in quarterback pressures since 2017 with 33. Finally, Baker ranks third at his position with 68 run stops since 2017.

Maye missed a lot of time in 2018 with foot and shoulder injuries but is a much more traditional defensive back in that he’s overperformed Baker in coverage. The Jets safety’s Pro Football Focus coverage grade eclipsed 70.0 the past two seasons, including a 77.4 grade in 2018, which ranked 23rd out of 100 safeties. Baker’s coverage skills have improved every year since he entered the league, but he finished 2019 with a 64.8 grade.

As for what this all means with Maye’s future on the Jets, it’s hard to say. He’s a talented safety, but unless Williams unlocks a new version of Maye in 2020 it would be hard for Joe Douglas to justify paying him more than Baker – which would essentially be what Adams wanted if the Jets hadn’t traded him to Seattle.

If we compare Maye’s career to that of the top-five highest-paid safeties (Baker, Eddie Jackson, Tyrann Mathieu, Kevin Byard and Landon Collins) over the three-year span before they received their extensions, Maye ranks last in every category except forced fumbles and interceptions – where he ranks second-to-last. It’s an inexact science considering they all play in different defenses with different skillsets, but it paints the picture that Maye won’t – or shouldn’t – command a top-five contract, and that will play a big role in Joe Douglas’ decision with Maye.

Everything could change if Maye has a career year in 2020. The Jets already insinuated he could assume Adams’ role on defense as a hybrid safety/pass-rusher. If Maye proves he can play multiple defensive positions this season, his case for a top contract gets better. A lot is riding on the 2020 season when it comes to Maye’s future on the team.

There are other considerations at play for the Jets as well.

For one, they could look at extending Sam Darnold a year early if he takes a big leap in his third season (much like the Rams and Eagles did with their quarterbacks). The safety free- class could also include solid players like Justin Simmons, Anthony Harris and Jaquiski Tartt. The Jets may see them as better options in their secondary than Maye after this season. Of course, the ultimate kicker is the 2021 salary cap, which is entirely dependent on how the coronavirus pandemic affects this season’s revenue stream. If the cap drops too low, Douglas may want to invest money elsewhere and find a cheaper option to fill out his safety group with Ashtyn Davis leading the way.

Baker’s contract will have an effect on Maye’s negotiations, but not to the same extent it could have if this was Adams. Maye is good enough to get a second contract and would be only the third second-round pick by the Jets since 1984 to make it to his fifth season (David Harris and Kellen Clemens were the other two), but it’s hard to know where he stands on the Jets’ list of priorities until he sees the field this season.

More Jets, including Jamison Crowder & Le’Veon, react to Jacob Blake shooting

Jamison Crowder, Bradley McDougald and assistant HC Frank Bush discussed the Jacob Blake’ shooting after practice on Wednesday.

One day after Marcus Maye offered his thoughts on the shooting of Jacob Blake, more Jets players and coaches followed suit and addressed the incident after practice on Wednesday.

Wide receiver Jamison Crowder and safety Bradley McDougald both discussed the team’s reaction to Blake’s shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin over the weekend. On Sunday, Blake, 29 was shot multiple times in the back by police in front of his children. He survived the shooting but is reportedly paralyzed from the waist down.

“You know, it was definitely an unfortunate event. I’ve seen it on social media like everybody else,” McDougald said. “And then we get to work yesterday and Adam Gase gives us an opportunity to talk about it as a team, but I feel like the real conversation was when we separated into individual rooms as far as defensive backs and quarterbacks and everybody’s position. Everybody had the opportunity to share their two cents and speak on it. Like I said, it was unfortunate, it was very unfortunate. My heart goes out to the family.”

McDougald went on to say that he and his teammates were “sick and tired of being sick and tired,” calling for actual change as opposed to recycled conversations about potential reform.

“It seems like all we can do right now is just talk and formulate ideas and guys are getting tired of talking,” he said. “Guys are getting tired of forming these ideas. Whatever solution we’re supposed to come up with as a community, or as these athletes with these platforms, but guys are just getting sick and tired of being sick and tired. Yesterday was the first time I’ve seen guys really as affected as they were. Some guys shed tears and it’s unfortunate.”

The shooting hit Crowder especially hard, as he felt he could relate to the position Blake found himself in before being shot. As a student at Duke, Crowder was pulled over multiple times by police and feared that he would be profiled.

“It’s definitely tough, man,” Crowder said. “Like I said, it’s not necessarily just seeing that, but like I said, it’s a reminder of me and my situation that I’ve been in, you know what I’m saying?” Crowder said. “I was in college, trying to be a student-athlete, doing the right things and to be stereotyped and to be targeted because of the car I was driving, it’s definitely hurtful.”

Two Jets running backs joined the conversation on Twitter Thursday. Le’Veon Bell wrote, “we’ve been protecting the shield…it’s time for the shield to protect us.” Rookie La’Mical Perine, meanwhile, tweeted, “Without a Helmet I’m A Target …”

Assistant head coach and linebackers coach Frank Bush, one of seven black coaches on New York’s coaching staff, also offered his thoughts on the shooting Wednesday. The Jets are in the “infant stages” of formulating their action plan for social justice, but Bush is pleased with how the organization has approached the situation.

“When you look at racism and justice and whatnot, it’s pervasive,” Bush said. “I mean there’s no particular kind of place we can go to kind of end it. There’s no spot to go on the map or any country to say, ‘Oh, go here and we can fix it here.’ It’s pervasive, it’s like trying to plug a bunch of holes. Fortunately, I’m in a situation where ownership gets it. We have team talks about it all the time. The head coach gets it, so they’ve been out in front of it in the sense of having team meetings and trying to get players to come up with an action plan.”

It remains to be seen whether or not kneeling during the national anthem will be part of New York’s social justice action plan. Maye said on Tuesday that “a few guys have certain plans,” and Gase has stated that he would support his players if they kneeled during the anthem. Regardless, it is clear that the Jets are not going to sit on the sideline and idly watch as police brutality and racial and social injustices run rampant in America.

They have had enough of doing that.

“It’s just definitely something that I don’t want — and a lot of my brothers in the locker room — swept under the rug,” McDougald said. “This is not just a one-day topic or when it happens, we need to talk about it. This is something real in our community that we’re dealing with. And I’m going to deal with it for the rest of my life and my kids are going to deal with it. When we put street clothes on, when we walk out these doors, it’s real.”

Jets S Ashtyn Davis soaking everything up like a ‘sponge’

Jets DB coach Dennard Wilson has been impressed so far with rookie safety Ashtyn Davis’ ability to soak in information so far.

Ashtyn Davis may be a rookie, but any learning curve facing the Jets safety appears to be minimal based on the reviews he’s gotten from his coaches.

Davis has impressed with his play in his first NFL training camp, but what has really turned heads thus far is his eagerness to learn. Between each play, Davis is usually seen holding court with New York’s defensive backs coach, Dennard Wilson, according to The Athletic’s Connor Hughes.

“This young man is a sponge,” Wilson told reporters Saturday. “He soaks up everything.

“I love coaching this young man,” Wilson added.

Without offseason activities, rookie minicamp, a regular training camp and preseason games, rookies like Davis should be at a disadvantage. However, that doesn’t appear to be the case for the Jets’ third-round pick out of Cal, who has taken every opportunity to make his presence felt during Gang Green’s limited training camp.

When the Jets originally drafted Davis, it was a curious pick at the time. The Jets had been publically stating their intentions to keep Jamal Adams, but Marcus Maye was entering a contract year. Safety wasn’t an immediate need, but the thought was that the Jets were looking at Davis as Maye’s potential successor.

That changed rather quickly when Adams forced his way out of the organization. Now, Davis will be thrown into the fire of Gang Green’s versatile safety rotation, which includes himself, Maye and Bradley McDougald.

Nothing has ever been handed to Davis. The Cal product was originally a walk-on, eventually earning a scholarship and paving out a path to the NFL. He continues to carry that same chip on his shoulder that got him drafted, doing everything he can to learn on the fly by leaning on coaches like Wilson.

“That’s become part of my identity,” Davis told reporters last week. “I work the same way that I did when I was a walk-on. I keep that same mentality and hopefully, it’ll take me places.”

6 Jets who should be considered for the protected practice squad

The Jets will be allowed to keep six players on their practice squad from signing with other teams this season.

The practice squad is a lot more important in 2020.

Because of the uncertain ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic, any player could be knocked out for a considerable amount of time, meaning teams would have to scramble to find replacements. Typically, teams look to free agency or trades to fill gaps, but they can also sign players off another team’s practice squad if they deem him talented enough for their roster.

But with the uncertainty of how, when or whom the virus will affect, the NFL and NFLPA agreed that teams can protect up to four practice squad players each week from poaching, according to The Washington Post’s Mark Maske. Not only that, but teams can also now add 16 players to the practice squad – up from 10 this past season – and six players can have an unlimited number of accrued seasons, according to The Athletic’s Lindsay Jones.

So when the Jets look at their protected players, they’ll need to identify two attributes: Which players are the most talented/have the most potential and which players play a position the Jets may need a contingency plan for injuries strike. Ideally, all four players would accomplish both goals for the Jets, but that’s a tall order to fill with a limited number of protected spots.

With these new rules in mind, let’s take a look at six candidates for the protected practice squad status.

QB David Fales

We’ve already talked about how Fales is the Jets’ best quarantine quarterback option, so it only makes sense he should be considered for the protected player slot. If anything happens to Sam Darnold this season, the Jets need an immediate quarterback available to play. Currently, they don’t have that behind Darnold. Joe Flacco won’t be ready for the start of the season as he recovers from injury and rookie James Morgan is still a work in progress.

While Fales isn’t a great option as an emergency quarterback, he does have experience in Adam Gase’s system and would be able to start in a pinch if the Jets lose Darnold for whatever reason. It wouldn’t be pretty, but it would be better than nothing.

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Jamal Adams wishes Bradley McDougald the best after trade to Jets

Jamal Adams wants nothing but the best for Bradley McDougald after he was traded to the Jets.

Jamal Adams had some kind words for his replacement after being dealt to the Seahawks on Saturday.

Bradley McDougald was sent over to the Jets in addition to a 2021 first-round pick, a 2022 first-round pick and a 2021 third-round pick in exchange for Adams and a 2022 fourth-round pick. After McDougald shared his excitement over becoming a Jet, Adams made sure to congratulate him and let him know that he’ll enjoy his time in New York.

I wish you nothing but the best bro! Amazing city, you will love it! https://t.co/jrLWZlBtbi

— Jamal Adams (@Prez) July 25, 2020

McDougald should slide into Adams’ position right away. He’s a versatile safety who can play both strong and free. But with Marcus Maye locked in as the strong safety already, McDougald should see the majority of his snaps at free safety.

As for Adams, his time in New York ended bittersweetly. After becoming the face of the defense for the last three seasons, Adams wasn’t happy with the Jets anymore. On top of three straight losing seasons, Adams lost trust in Joe Douglas after contract talks crumbled this offseason. Adams claims Douglas never even sent him an offer. He also didn’t like playing for Adam Gase, who he said is not the right leader for the organization.

Both the Jets and Adams appear to be happy with the end result, though. The Jets got a major haul and a serviceable player in the trade with Seattle and Adams gets to play for a winning organization.

2020 New York Jets Position Preview: Safety

Jets Wire breaks down New York’s safety 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.

After trading away Jamal Adams in a blockbuster deal to Seattle on Saturday, the Jets are left with a trio of safeties who can all contribute immediately. Marcus Maye is coming off one of the best seasons of his career after an injury-plagued 2018 left him with just six games. The newly acquired Bradley McDougald was a leader in Seattle’s secondary, making his mark as a sure tackler and box safety for the Seahawks. As for Ashtyn Davis, the versatile chess piece figures to play himself into the equation.

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 safety room at One Jets Drive.

The Starters

With Adams’ departure, Maye is the team’s longest-tenured safety and figures to maintain his position as Gregg Williams’ centerfielder playing deep.

Maye finished his 2019 campaign with 65 combined tackles, a career-high seven passes defended, one interception and one tackle for a loss. Pro Football Focus graded Maye 17th among the 85 safeties who qualified. He ranked 18th in coverage.

The Jets’ fourth-year safety made his money as the team’s last line of defense. Maye was responsible for some big-time plays in the Jets’ wins over the Cowboys and Steelers. In the Jets’ Week 16 victory over Pittsburgh, Maye made a game-saving play in coverage, breaking up a game-winning touchdown catch from James Washington with less than a minute remaining.

McDougald, meanwhile, figure to replace Adams. He is another player, who Williams can move all around the field, but he figures to be New York’s best complement to Maye.

Over the past two seasons, McDougald has quietly been one of the best man-coverage safeties in the NFL. According to Pro Football Focus, since 2018, McDougald’s 85.4 man coverage grade ranks fourth among safeties who have played at least 100 snaps of man coverage. Additionally, per PFF, McDougald’s 62.7 passer rating allowed in man coverage ranks fifth among safeties who have been targeted at least 20 times.

Depth

Davis, the Jets’ third-round pick out of Cal, should see plenty of action this season as the Jets groom him to become an eventual starter.

Davis is a versatile speedster with great instincts. While Davis’ home may be as a true centerfielder, he certainly has the speed, range and physical capabilities to play wherever Gang Green needs him to be in 2020 and beyond. He’s the perfect piece of clay for Williams to mold.

Matthias Farley is currently New York’s backup at the strong safety position, but he’s primarily viewed as a special teams player. Among the other players competing for jobs in the secondary are Bennett Jackson and Anthony Cioffi, who are both likely bubble players.

Outlook

In both Maye and McDougald, New York should have two sure-fire tacklers who can be blankets in coverage, assisting a weak cornerback group. Adams is a huge loss, but New York isn’t downgrading too much when considering what McDougald can bring to the table from a coverage standpoint.

Maye, McDougald and Davis have dealt with injuries between their pro and collegiate careers, so it’s good to have three safeties who should all eventually be capable starters.

See more from Jets Wire’s Position Previews series:

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

The complete timeline of Jamal Adams’ Jets career

Jamal Adams had a lot of good moments with the Jets before he was traded to the Seahawks.

The Jamal Adams era in New York is over.

After three successful seasons and one chaotic offseason, the Jets traded their All-Pro safety to the Seattle Seahawks for a package of draft picks and a quality starting defensive back.

Adams quickly became a fan and team favorite when he joined the Jets in 2017. A field general and vocal leader from the start, Adams was the perfect player for a New York market and proved to be one of the most passionate players in recent Jets history. Would it have been nice for Adams to finish his career with the Jets? Sure. But Joe Douglas made the prudent move by trading a player in his prime for top value before shelling out loads of money.

Jets fans will always remember the good times, though. With that, here’s a timeline of Adams’ career with the Jets.

Rookie season

The Jets drafted Adams sixth overall in the 2017 draft to be the face of their defense. Then-coach Todd Bowles named Adams the starting strong safety alongside 2017 second-rounder Marcus Maye, and he started all 16 games during his rookie season.

Adams made an immediate impact his rookie year with the third-most combined tackles on the team (83). He added nine tackles for a loss, two sacks, one forced fumble and six pass breakups.

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With Jamal Adams gone, Marcus Maye is only Jet left from 2017 draft class

With Jamal Adams headed for Seattle, Marcus Maye is the only New York Jet left from Mike Maccagnan’s 2017 draft class.

Marcus Maye is the last man standing.

Now that Jamal Adams has been traded to Seattle, Maye is the only remaining member of the Jets’ 2017 draft class, which was run by former general manager Mike Maccagnan.

While there’s no question that Adams was a home run pick by Maccagnan, his drafts have left a lot to be desired. Adams joins ArDarius Stewart, Chad Hansen, Jordan Leggett, Dylan Donahue, Elijah McGuire, Jeremy Clark and Derrick Jones as 2017 picks who have since moved on from New York. Maye, meanwhile, is now one of just 12 players left from Maccagnan’s draft classes between 2015 and 2019.

The Jets’ 2015 draft class no longer has a footprint on the team’s roster, while Jordan Jenkins and Maye are the team’s lone representatives from 2016 and 2017 draft classes, respectively.

Adams was certainly one of Maccagnan’s better draft picks as the team’s general manager. New York attempted to fix its woes in the 2017 draft by taking Adams and Maye in back to back rounds. While the plan was sound and the Jets saw a resurgence in their secondary, they were never going to be able to pay both safeties down the road.

At one point, Maye appeared to be the odd man out of the Jets’ future plans, especially when the Jets took Ashtyn Davis in the 2020 draft. At the time of the draft, a new deal with Adams still seemed possible.

With Adams’ wish granted and the All-Pro safety headed to Seattle, there’s an opportunity for Maye to step up and be New York’s go-to guy in the secondary. If he does so, he could be the one who ends up getting an extension from Douglas.