Jets reveal numbers for 5 new players, including Frank Gore

Frank Gore, Bryce Hall, Quincy Wilson, Javelin Guidry and Shyheim Carter all received their jersey numbers.

Five new Jets players have their numbers for the 2020 season.

The Jets released numbers for newcomers Frank Gore, Bryce Hall, Quincy Wilson, Javelin Guidry and Shyheim Carter on Monday. Gore will wear No. 25 for his 16th season in the NFL. He’s worn No. 21 for the majority of his career, but has also occupied Nos. 20 and 23 before. The 37-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Jets worth $1.05 million and is expected to be the No. 2 back behind Le’Veon Bell.

Hall, drafted in the fifth round out of Virginia by the Jets in this past draft, will wear No. 37. He wore No. 34 at Virginia, but that is owned by Brian Poole.

As for Wilson, he was acquired in a trade from the Colts in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He’ll wear No. 27 after wearing No. 31 for the Colts. Bless Austin occupies No. 31 for New York.

Guidry will wear No. 40 for the Jets. The Jets signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Utah this year. Carter is on the Jets’ Reserve/COVID-19 list but will wear No. 40 after being signed as an undrafted free agent out of Alabama.

The Jets’ 4 most overlooked offseason moves

A look at a few Jets moves that went under the radar this offseason.

The Jets were able to upgrade on both sides of the ball this offseason despite mostly handing out one-year and low-risk deals.

Joe Douglas added a bunch of players with something to prove, though some moves have gone under the radar more than others. After all, not everyone has the resumes that Joe Flacco or Frank Gore do. Nor have some players received the spotlight that top draft picks Mekhi Becton and Denzel Mims have received.

With that said, let’s take a look at four of the Jets’ most overlooked offseason moves.

WR Josh Doctson

A former first-round pick out of TCU, Doctson flamed out in Washington and played just seven snaps in Minnesota before he was released. The potential with Doctson has always been there. However, he’s never been able to put it together, mostly due to suffering multiple injuries since he entered the league in 2016.

In February, Joe Douglas gave the 27-year-old wideout a one-year deal. Doctson is the type of low-risk, high-reward player that has an opportunity to make an impact, especially when considering the lack of talent and depth at wide receiver.

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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.

As rumors heat up, Logan Ryan is still a great fit for Jets

According to reports, the Jets are in contact with free-agent cornerback Logan Ryan.

Could the Jets be close to adding a veteran cornerback to their secondary?

According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, the Jets have had contract discussions with representatives for free-agent cornerback Logan Ryan. However, no formal offer has been made to Ryan and there is no strong feeling within the organization about whether he will actually sign with the team.

After the Jets drafted Ashtyn Davis, who could potentially line up at cornerback, Bryce Hall and traded for Colts cornerback Quincy Wilson, it remained to be seen if general manager Joe Douglas and company would have any interest in adding Ryan given New York’s newfound depth at the position. Now, it seems like the Jets are exploring the possibility.

Ryan, 29, 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 a Tennessee Titans defense that reached the AFC Championship Game.

Despite his strong showing throughout 2019, there is a major blemish on Ryan’s resume. He allowed the most yards (967) of any cornerback in football, per Michael Nania. However, Ryan also saw the most targets (114) at his position and played the third-most coverage snaps (623), causing his yardage allowed total to become somewhat inflated. Ryan gave up only 41 first downs on those 114 targets, which limited opposing wide receivers below the league average of 40.1 percent first downs per target.

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

If the Jets are serious about their pursuit of Ryan, there may be some financial hurdles that need to be cleared before a deal can come to fruition, as New York only has $14.2 million remaining in salary cap space. This could mean 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.

If all financial hurdles are cleared and Ryan, who grew up in New Jersey and played his college football at Rutgers, is interested in a homecoming, adding him to the secondary could be exactly what the doctor ordered for the Jets. At the very least, it looks like the wheels for such a move to occur are now in motion.

6 best moves made by Colts this offseason

Which moves were the best by the Colts?

The Indianapolis Colts had a busy offseason upgrading at multiple positions and making some big moves over the last few months. Seeing an opportunity to win now, general manager Chris Ballard deviated from his typically conservative mindset.

The Colts had a busy offseason adding big-name players, signing veterans to one-year deals and even letting go of a few necessary parts. By most accounts, the offseason should be considered a success for Ballard. Of course, we don’t know how these moves will pan out in the future, but they project well.

Here are the six best moves Ballard made this offseason:

Trading for DeForest Buckner

We know how much Ballard likes them picks. Giving away the No. 13 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft could not have been easy but at the same time, both Ballard and head coach Frank Reich have said it was a no-brainer to acquire a talent like Buckner.

The Colts desperately needed an upgrade at the three-technique. They didn’t get any production from the spot during the 2019 season, which was one of the reasons the defense couldn’t take that next step as a pass-rushing unit. Buckner doesn’t cure all of the pass-rushing woes, but his arrival will be something of a catalyst for the unit.

An All-Pro caliber talent at the three-technique, Buckner will be impacting the game in more ways than one. For starters, he’s a great pass rusher in his own right. His size, speed, strength and length are all elite while his plan as a pass rusher has evolved throughout his career. Making an impact simply by collapsing the top of the pocket will happen often.

But even more so, Buckner is likely to see his share of double teams on the interior. After all, he is the big dog on the defensive line—the one offenses will have to game plan around. Buckner will see a high percentage of double teams, which will free up the gaps for the edge players and the linebackers who might be blitzing through the interior.

There are many moves the Colts made that deserve praise, but the addition of Buckner could very well be the most impactful.

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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.

The Florida Jets? Gang Green is swamped with ex-Gators

The Jets have six players on the roster that went to the University of Florida.

The New York Jets sure do love their Florida Gators.

New York will have six former Gators on its roster following the 2020 NFL Draft, including safety Marcus Maye, cornerbacks Brian Poole and Quincy Wilson, defensive end Jabari Zuniga, running back La’Mical Perine and offensive lineman Jonotthan Harrison.

The Jets have taken four Gators in the last four drafts. Prior to that, they had not picked a Gainesville product since 1992 when they used a fifth-round selection on center Cal Dixon.

Zuniga and Perine became the latest Gators to join the Jets after Joe Douglas used consecutive picks on the two in the third and fourth rounds, respectively. In doing so, they became the first players from the same school taken by the Jets with back to back picks since 2012. Back then, New York used pick Nos. 202 and 203 to select two Baylor prospects — running back Terrance Ganaway and guard Robert Griffin — in the sixth round.

One veteran Jet and Florida alumnus was certainly happy with the latest picks:

The More Gators The Better 🐊🛩

— Brian Poole (@poolioo) April 25, 2020

Many of the Jets’ Florida products were college teammates. Harrison was teammates with Poole in 2012. Then Maye joined Poole in Florida’s secondary in 2013.

By 2014, Maye, Poole and Wilson were all teammates. Zuniga joined that group as a redshirt freshman in 2015. By 2016, Poole went on to the NFL, but Perine joined the group. Maye, Perine, Wilson and Zuniga were all teammates in 2016. After the 2016 season, Maye and Wilson were both drafted in the second round, leaving Perine and Zuniga through the 2019 season.

“I’m [going to] feel at home when I get up there,” Perine said after the draft, referring to all the familiar faces in New York. “So I’ll be alright.”

Now, the band is back together again. Based on Poole’s tweet and Perine’s comments, chemistry between these ex-Gators shouldn’t be an issue in New York.

4 things to know about new Jets CB Quincy Wilson

Here are four things to know about new Jets cornerback Quincy Wilson, who New York traded the No. 211 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft for.

Instead of making a selection with the 211th pick, the Jets dealt the choice back to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for CB Quincy Wilson.

New York originally traded the 211th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft in exchange for CB Nate Hairston. That pick was returned to Gang Green after the compensation conditions were not met. Wilson now joins his former Colts teammates, Hairston and Pierre Desir, as well as his former Florida teammates, Marcus Maye and Brian Poole, in New York’s secondary.

Not only did the Jets acquire an established veteran in Wilson — he has three-years playing experience under his belt — but he’s also just 23 years old. He has a lot of raw talent and the potential to play a pivotal role in Gregg Williams’ defensive scheme, which better fits his playing style.

With that said, let’s get to know the Jets’ newest addition to their secondary.

Scheme Change

Quincy Wilson played exceptionally well in the Colts’ press-man system in 2017 and 2018 when he received a Pro Football Focus grades of 71.1 and 69.9, respectively. In those two seasons, Wilson served primarily as the Colts’ No. 3 cornerback, recording two interceptions and 50 tackles.

Once the Colts switched to a zone-scheme to accommodate their personnel, Temple cornerback Rock Ya-Sin leaped Wilson on the depth chart. Wilson’s play immediately hit a wall. In 2019, Wilson received a PFF overall grade of 30.2.

The Jets are now hoping that a change in scenery and a return to a press-man coverage system under Gregg Williams will revitalize Wilson’s career.

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Jets shore up their CB depth with trade for Quincy Wilson

Former 2017 second-round pick Quincy Wilson adds another level of depth to the Jets’ secondary after falling out of favor with the Colts.

The Jets added another cornerback with their 211th pick, but not through the draft.

New York traded the pick to the Colts for Quincy Wilson, who now joins former Indy teammates Pierre Desir and Nate Hairston and former Florida teammates Brian Poole and Marcus Maye in the Jets secondary.

Wilson was the Colts’ second-round pick in 2017 but failed to earn a consistent role in Indianapolis. He only started 10 games in three seasons, all of which were between 2017-2018. He saw action in only nine games this past season and failed to record any interceptions or pass breakups. He also only played in 11 percent of the Colts’ snaps in 2019 – the third-fewest snaps of any defensive back.

Joe Douglas took a flier on Wilson because of his potential and fit in Gregg Williams’ defense. Wilson played well in the Colts’ press-man coverage system in 2017 and 2018, where he recorded a 68.3 and 67.8 Pro Football Focus grade, respectively, during those two seasons and combined for two interceptions and 50 combined tackles. But once the Colts switched to a zone scheme, Wilson saw his production dip considerably.

The Jets now have considerable depth in the secondary, something they lacked in 2019. Wilson can play both cornerback and safety but likely won’t compete for a starting role on the outside despite his 6-foot-2, 194-pound frame. He may not even make the 53-man roster, but his NFL experience already makes him more valuable than any player the Jets would have picked in the sixth round.