Tag: Sheldon Rankins

Look: 6 former Saints players meet up after Jets-Bengals game

A small crowd of former Saints players, ranging from Thomas Morstead to Sheldon Rankins and Eli Apple, met up after the Jets upset the Bengals:

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Here’s another entry for the “things we love to see” file folder. A small crowd of former New Orleans Saints players gathered for a group photo after the New York Jets’ upset victory over the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday, which Thomas Morstead shared from his official Twitter account.

And there’s a number of names very familiar to Saints fans among them: Morstead was joined by his Jets teammates Justin Hardee and Sheldon Rankins, all of whom signed with New York this offseason, as well as their Bengals opponents Trey Hendrickson, Vonn Bell, and Eli Apple.

Morstead’s Jets pulled off a 34-31 win (just their second victory of the year) thanks to a stunning performance from backup quarterback Mike White, who filled in for the injured Zach Wilson. But the Bengals have had an exciting year so far thanks to Hendrickson’s addition to their defensive line. Bell was voted a team captain for the second year since signing with Cincinnati.

It’s tough to see good players like them leave New Orleans, but at the same time it’s great that they’re still finding success. The Saints will get to catch up with their friends in New York when they visit the Jets on Dec. 12. They’ll have to wait another year to see their old teammates in Cincinnati until next year, when the Bengals are scheduled to play the Saints at the Caesars Superdome in 2022.

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How are 16 notable Jets free agent signings faring after 5 weeks?

The Jets signed a lot of free agents over the offseason. Some worked, some didn’t & some are hurt. Here’s how they’re faring:

Joe Douglas spent the seventh-most amount of money in free agency this past offseason in the hopes of patching up a few holes across the Jets roster.

He splurged on pass-rusher Carl Lawson and receiver Corey Davis while also adding a couple of low-risk, but notable, deals to shore up positions of need.

The jury is still out on these signings, but a few have certainly been impactful through the first five weeks of the season. A few key signings, including Lawson, won’t be realized until next season after injuries struck them early in their Jets careers, though.

Here’s a look at how 16 notable Jets signing have played so far.

Saints projected to earn 3 compensatory draft picks again in 2022

Saints projected to earn 3 compensatory draft picks again in 2022

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A year after the New Orleans Saints received three additional selections in the 2021 NFL draft, they’re predicted to do so again. The analysts at Over The Cap have come closest to cracking the NFL’s tightly-guarded code for determining comp picks, and after correctly forecasting the team would be awarded 2021 draft picks in the third round (for Teddy Bridgewater) and the sixth round (for A.J. Klein), they’re projecting a continued trend for the Saints in 2022.

Right now, OTC projects the Saints to receive a fourth rounder for Trey Hendrickson and a sixth rounder for Sheldon Rankins — in addition to the third round comp pick the Saints have already earned for Terry Fontenot in the NFL’s incentivized minority hiring policy. A handful of other teams are predicted to receive three comp picks each, while the Rams (five) and Chargers (four) pace the NFL.

In past years, Hendrickson’s $15 million per-year contract would have been a sure third round comp pick for the Saints. But that new incentives policy guarantees third-round compensation for teams who lose a minority candidate to a head coach or general manager role on another team, which pushes highly-valued contracts like Hendrickson’s down below the threshold and into the fourth round. It’s the difference between picking at No. 105 and waiting until No. 142 to make your selection.

Still, the Saints are direct beneficiaries of this policy so we can’t complain. And creating greater diversity in leadership roles across the league, better representing the population of players who are subject to their decisions, is a worthy cause deserving of those incentives. And, hey, remember: this is only a projection. Maybe the Saints end up getting a better pick for Hendrickson after all.

Last year, New Orleans used all of its compensatory draft picks to pad out trade packages while moving up the board to target specific players. They put the third rounders for Fontenot and Bridgewater together so they could leapfrog 22 spots and go get Paulson Adebo, who is competing to start Week 1.

The Saints then packaged the sixth rounder for Klein with a seventh round pick acquired from the Jaguars (for nose tackle Malcom Brown) so they could vault a dozen spots up the board, landing left tackle Landon Young — who was their highest-graded rookie in preseason, per Pro Football Focus. Even if the Saints didn’t remain in place and use all of their picks on different players, the draft-day versatility that extra ammo creates speaks for itself.

So is this signaling a philosophy shift in how the team approaches free agency and the draft? Or was this two-year trend more based in the logistics issues of struggling to keep a talented team together during a salary cap-shattering pandemic? Will the Saints get back to cooking the books once the cap recovers and goes to the moon in 2023, thanks to an influx of revenue from new broadcasting deals?

I’m guessing it’s a little of both. Even with the salary cap bouncing back two years from now, the Saints won’t be able to re-sign all of their priciest free agents — the 2022 class includes defensive cornerstones Marshon Lattimore and Marcus Williams, franchise left tackle Terron Armstead, and quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill. If any of them are signed by another team, the Saints should be poised to net another comp pick in 2023.

For the curious, here are the current list of Saints draft picks in 2022 (their initial sixth rounder was forfeited by the NFL for COVID-19 protocol violations last year):

  • Round 1
  • Round 2
  • Round 3
  • Round 3 comp (Fontenot)
  • Round 4
  • Round 4 comp (Hendrickson)
  • Round 5
  • Round 6 comp (Rankins)
  • Round 7

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Zane Lewis suffers major injuries as multiple Jets exit Thursday’s practice

Carl Lawson wasn’t the only Jets player to leave practice early with an injury on Thursday.

Several Jets departed Thursday’s joint practice with the Packers with injuries.

The biggest blow was to defensive end Carl Lawson. He left practice on a cart after a left leg injury. He’ll have an MRI on his Achilles tendon, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo added that he was told Lawson felt a pop before going down.

The severity of Lawson’s injury is currently unknown.

Zane Lewis, a second-year defensive back, also left practice on a cart. He suffered a torn patellar tendon and a sprained ACL, according to Rapoport. He will undergo more tests.

Receiver Denzel Mims and defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins left practice with injuries as well, according to The Athletic’s Connor Hughes. No updates were given on either player, but the Jets pulled Mims as a precaution and don’t consider his injury to be serious, according to the New York Post’s Brian Costello.

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Jets’ defensive front looks loaded after impressive preseason opener

From the starters to the bottom of the depth chart, the Jets’ defensive line made waves in the team’s preseason win over the Giants.

It’s only one preseason game, but the Jets’ defensive line showed tremendous promise — and depth — in Saturday’s 12-7 win over the Giants.

The unit wracked up five sacks, 10 quarterback hits, a few batted passes, a recovered fumble and a safety. Almost every player contributed in some way, as well. Carl Lawson, John Franklin-Myers and Sheldon Rankins added pressure against some of Big Blue’s starting linemen, while Gang Green’s reserves tallied the sacks. Bryce Huff led the team with two, while Hamilcar Rashed Jr., Jonathan Marshall and Michael Dwumfour all record at least half of a sack. 

“The defensive line, they were relentless,” Saleh said. “They missed some opportunities, especially on that touchdown. You’ve got to keep them pinned back in that situation. But it was awesome to see them come back and win the game with that safety.”

The passing touchdown Saleh referenced, which came midway through the fourth quarter, was the only major blemish on an otherwise stellar performance from the Jets’ D-line on Saturday night. The only other time the Giants sniffed the red zone, ​​linebacker Hamsah Nasirildeen popped the ball loose for a Jets fumble recovery.

The Giants passing offense totaled just 92 gross yards through the air on 8-23 attempts. The Jets didn’t allow a passing touchdown until the fourth quarter. After the sacks, the defense gave up just 58 net passing yards, the first time the Jets held a preseason opponent to less than 60 net passing yards since they held the Bills to just 51 yards in Week 1 of the 1970 preseason, per the team website.

This is exactly how Saleh needs his defense to perform every week. It’s not good enough to have one dominating player on the line; everyone needs to play their role effectively for the entire group to succeed. This is how the 49ers dominated offensive lines under Saleh’s leadership for years and it appears the Jets are headed in that direction as well. 

C.J. Mosley watched all of it unfold firsthand from his spot in the middle of the defense. The linebacker’s observations reflected what Saleh and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich hope to replicate in the regular season.

“We’re fast, that’s one thing I can say,” Mosley said after the game. “Our explosive D-line is going to get after it … We’re going to make you try to run the ball on us because if you don’t it’s going to be a long day for the quarterback.”

Don’t forget, this performance unfolded without defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, who is still recovering from offseason foot surgery. Williams is arguably the Jets’ most important defensive player, and his presence on the line will only make this unit more deadly at the point of attack.

There is still a lot of work to do for this Jets team to be competitive and win games consistently. But after one exhibition match, the line at least appears as good as advertised and deep enough to create chaos at the line of scrimmage.

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New Orleans Saints 2021 schedule: New York Jets preview

The New Orleans Saints will make a rare visit to see the New York Jets late in the 2021 season, facing former players like Sheldon Rankins and Justin Hardee:

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The New Orleans Saints will be visiting one of their least-common opponents late in the 2021 season: the New York Jets. It’s an opportunity for Saints fans in the Northeast to see the black and gold up close, but it’s also a potential cold-weather game in December for the team to navigate. Here’s everything you need to know in previewing this season’s matchup:

 

Brian Poole is the exact sort of player the Saints have lost this offseason

The New Orleans Saints depth chart took a series of gut punches this offseason, but adding players like Brian Poole can help them recover:

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At first glance, the New Orleans Saints picking up Brian Poole doesn’t make a lot of sense. He’s a career slot corner with little experience lining up outside — making for a potential conflict with C.J. Gardner-Johnson, one of the team’s up-and-comers in the secondary. But a closer look and some context helps clarify the situation.

Let’s roll back the clock. New Orleans took a series of gut punches this offseason, losing key players from the middle of their roster like Sheldon Rankins, Josh Hill, Alex Anzalone, and Justin Hardee. Few of those losses hit the starting lineup or fantasy football squads across the Internet, but they do show up on gameday. Every one of those players has to be replaced by someone previously serving as their backup. And those backups are filled in by reserves, meaning the talent level takes a dip across the board.

So while Poole probably won’t have the same impact as, say, Trey Hendrickson or Janoris Jenkins or Emmanuel Sanders or even Jared Cook, he could very well help the defense as much as Rankins did last year. He’s played well for a few years in New York and made some splash plays when his number was called.

It’s unclear just yet where the Saints could slot him in (I swear that pun wasn’t intentional), but that isn’t the point: at this stage in the offseason, New Orleans just needs to raise its talent level. Having a proven veteran like Poole who does several things really well helps achieve that. Even if he doesn’t crack the starting lineup, he’s likely a better dime back than, say, P.J. Williams.

And we shouldn’t write Poole off as a backup too quickly. He’s put in quality reps in a tough situation as one of the Jets’ only NFL-quality defensive backs the last two years. There’s absolutely a scenario where his arrival convinces the Saints to try out Gardner-Johnson at the No. 2 corner spot, putting Poole in the slot to compete for that job with Williams or Patrick Robinson, both of whom have played their best football in that role. But until the Saints take the field, we won’t know for sure what the plan is.

As I just said — that isn’t the point. Getting good players on the roster and restocking the middle of the depth chart is critical. When injuries inevitably strike, having them waiting in the wings rather than an undrafted rookie or inexperienced practice squad call-up is the way to go. Poole alone won’t get to the Saints back to the playoffs. But bringing him in is part of a big step towards that goal. Let’s see what New Orleans does next.

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Looking back on 2016 Saints draft picks and grades

The 2016 Saints draft picks included instant impacts like Michael Thomas, though it took longer for Vonn Bell and Sheldon Rankins to start.

Our 2021 NFL draft countdown continues with a recap of the 2015 Saints draft class, which was the first year Jeff Ireland really got to work with his own scouting department after rebuilding the group. It was also the last year Rob Ryan worked as defensive coordinator for the Saints, though he split responsibilities with his eventual replacement Dennis Allen. After another historically-worst defensive effort, the pressure was on for Sean Payton to make big changes, but it took time for that to happen. 

Joe Douglas banking on former first-round picks in 2021 free agency

The Jets signed three players – Corey Davis, Jarrad Davis and Sheldon Rankins – who haven’t fully lived up to their potential yet.

Joe Douglas prides himself on his ability to evaluate talent. It’s why he refuses to overspend in free agency and why he prioritizes the draft above all else.

But this offseason, Douglas took a very obvious approach with the majority of the top players he signed. He bet on potential and scheme fit more than past production. Three of the top five players Douglas signed this spring were former first-round picks: wide receiver Corey Davis (No. 5 pick in 2017), inside linebacker Jarrad Davis (No. 21 in 2017) and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (No. 16 in 2016).

All three are talented players, but none have lived up to their lofty draft expectations for a variety of reasons. However, all flashed ability at various stages of their career that drew the eye of Douglas and the Jets.

The Titans drafted Corey Davis to be their No. 1 wideout, but a hamstring injury plagued his rookie season. He caught just 34 balls for 375 yards and no touchdowns in 11 games. Davis rebounded over the next three years and averaged 57.5 receptions, 825.3 yards and 3.7 touchdowns per year, but he never turned into the true No. 1 receiving threat the Titans wanted him to become.

Douglas doesn’t need Davis to be the next Julio Jones, though. He needs Davis to be a phenomenal possession receiver on the outside in Mike LaFleur’s offense, as well as someone who can block and complement Denzel Mims and Jamison Crowder.

As for the other Davis, Douglas signed him because of his speed at linebacker. He’s a disruptive player who fell out of favor in Detroit after his sophomore season when the Lions switched to Matt Patricia’s defense. Davis won’t be tasked with taking over for C.J. Mosley in the middle of the defense – unless, of course, the Jets trade Mosely – but he will be a good role player who can pressure the quarterback and defend the run.

Rankins might have been the most interesting signing by Douglas so far this offseason. The former Saint has 17.5 career sacks, but only three in the past two seasons. Rankins looked great at times in New Orleans, but his injury history and liability against the run turned him into a role player more recently. He hasn’t produced much since 2018 thanks to Achilles and knee injuries and was forced to miss four games in 2020.

Douglas, however, saw an intriguing opportunity to fully fortify Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich’s pass rush. Rankins will play alongside Quinnen Williams, John Franklin-Myers and Carl Lawson on the defensive line, with Foley Fatukasi rotating in for running situations.

Douglas spent $60 million between the two Davis’s and Rankins. That’s a lot of money, but if any or all three live up to the potential they were drafted for, then Douglas paid bargain prices for first-round talent. It’s a risk worth taking considering the amount of money other teams dolled out for players coming off career years, too.

If Douglas is truly the adept talent evaluator he believes – and Saleh and his coaching staff are capable of developing and fostering talent – then these moves may have been the Jets’ smartest moves of the offseason.

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Robert Saleh sold Sheldon Rankins on his role in formidable Jets defense

Sheldon Rankins agreed to sign with the Jets because of Robert Saleh and the organization’s vision for him.

When Sheldon Rankins entered free agency, he was looking at three things: scheme fit, opportunity and vision.

The former Saints defensive lineman got all of that and more when he agreed to sign a two-year deal worth up to $17 million with the Jets over the weekend.

Robert Saleh played a big factor in that decision. New York’s first-year head coach won Rankins over with his recruiting pitch and sold him on joining forces with Quinnen Williams and Carl Lawson across Gang Green’s defensive front.

“When he called me and expressed his interest and how much he really wanted me to be a part of this and the vision he had for me and Quinnen inside and Carl out on the edge, it got me fired up,” Rankins said during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Monday. “It made me want to be a part of something special.”

Rankins showed flashes of brilliance during his time in New Orleans, where he began his career in 2016. But he has been unable to consistently stay on the field.

While Rankins fractured his fibula during his rookie campaign, he returned to the fold for an impressive sophomore season. He then recorded career-highs in sacks (8) and tackles (40) in 2018 but was dealt another blow, tearing his Achilles in the divisional round of the playoffs. Rankins has since dealt with more ankle and knee injuries over the past two seasons.

Rankins knows what he’s capable of when he can stay healthy and he believes that the Jets think of him similarly. While he’s been frustrated by the injuries, he seems to be quite optimistic about what lies ahead.

“I needed a team to see me as the player that I saw myself as and I think I got that with the Jets,” Rankins said. “So, when all those things lined up and I obviously spoke with everybody in the building and saw what we’re capable of building and saw what they’re already building, I jumped on board.”