FLORHAM PARK
White LaDainian Tomlinson Jerseys , N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets will spend the next few weeks sorting through their intriguing quarterback situation,
with Sam Darnold, Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater the clear focus of
attention.But the tight ends are in perhaps the most tightly contested
competition of camp.New York has a group of five mostly unheralded players
trying to win roster spots and be among the guys catching passes from whoever
ends up under center this season.“It’s tough,” coach Todd Bowles said. “We’ve
got a lot of competition there. Those guys work hard every day. From top to
bottom, it’s probably the deepest we’ve had since I’ve been here.”Clive Walford
and Neal Sterling are the most experienced of the bunch, with both entering
their fourth NFL season — but are hardly household names. Eric Tomlinson has
established himself as a solid pass-blocking tight end since entering the league
in 2015.Jordan Leggett was a fifth-round draft pick last year, but spent most of
the season on injured reserve and is again dealing with an undisclosed injury
that has sidelined him the last few practices.The Jets also drafted Chris
Herndon this year in the fourth round, and has an opportunity to win the
starting job.New York actually opened camp with six tight ends, but waived Bucky
Hodges after just two practices.“I think they are all doing a decent job and I
think that’s going to be a tough call and that will be one of the tougher
position battles that we are going to have to judge going in,” Bowles said.
“We’ll continue to monitor it, but I think all of those guys are doing well.”The
tight end position had been mostly an afterthought in the Jets’ offense in
recent seasons until Austin Seferian-Jenkins caught a career-high 50 passes to
rank third on the team in receptions. But he signed with Jacksonville in March
after New York allowed him to leave as a free agent.“All of them have good
hands,” tight ends coach Jimmie Johnson said during minicamp in June. “I can’t
sit here and say one of them catches the ball better than the other.”Here’s a
look at the five tight ends competing for roster spots:CHRIS HERNDON6-foot-4,
253 pounds, 22 years old, rookie, Miami.Herndon had four catches in team drills
during the Jets’ scrimmage at Rutgers on Saturday night, continuing a strong
camp.“He’s had good practices,” Bowles said. “When the lights come on next
Friday night when we play our first preseason game (vs. Atlanta) those guys will
get a real chance to play.”Herndon had 86 catches for 1,048 yards and seven
touchdowns in four seasons with the Hurricanes, and was regarded as a mostly
solid blocker. He injured a knee late last season and was limited in spring
workouts
LaDainian Tomlinson Jerseys 2019 , but is now healthy.It’s uncertain, however, if he’ll be available at the start of the regular season. Herndon was
arrested in May for driving while intoxicated in New Jersey and is facing
possible discipline from the NFL.JORDAN LEGGETT6-5, 258, 23, second season,
Clemson.Leggett might be the biggest wild-card in the bunch because he hasn’t
been able to stay healthy, but has displayed solid pass-catching skills when
he’s been on the field.Leggett actually entered camp last year expected to be
the starter on opening day because Seferian-Jenkins had to serve a two-game
suspension for a DUI. But Leggett injured a knee early in the preseason and had
his season officially end in October when he was placed on IR.NEAL STERLING6-4,
257, 26, fourth season, Monmouth.Sterling has shown good hands this summer after
limited action with the Jets last season.He was a seventh-round pick of
Jacksonville in 2015 and had no catches in nine games. Sterling caught 12 passes
for 110 yards in his second season with the Jaguars, but was waived last
September as one of the team’s camp cuts.The Jets signed him and waived him a
month later, but then plucked him from Kansas City’s practice squad last
October.ERIC TOMLINSON6-6, 263, 26, third season, UTEP.Tomlinson came to the
Jets in 2016 with a reputation for being a good blocker during stints in camps
with Philadelphia and Houston.He played in seven games with New York two years
ago, including five starts, but didn’t flash much pass-catching ability until
last season when he had eight receptions for 121 yards and his first NFL
touchdown. Tomlinson is also a solid special teamer.“Tomlinson played well for
us last year
White Curtis Martin Jerseys ,” Bowles said. “He is kind of our rock, and he’s solid this year. He’s really our unsung ‘Steady Eddy’ guy.”CLIVE WALFORD6-4,
250, 26, fourth season, Miami.Walford was a third-round pick by Oakland in 2015
and showed promise in the Raiders’ offense while catching three TD passes in
each of his first two seasons.A switch in offensive coordinators last season led
to a reduced role for Walford, who was third on the depth chart behind Jared
Cook and Lee Smith to start the year. Walford had just three catches through the
first 12 games, and finished with nine receptions and no TDs after a concussion
sidelined him the final three weeks.He was released by Oakland in March, and
claimed off waivers by New York. NEW YORK (AP) — Sam Darnold had a tough time
sitting through film of the game. New York Jets fans certainly know the
feeling.After throwing four interceptions in an ugly 13-6 loss at Miami on
Sunday , the rookie quarterback shouldered the blame and was looking for
answers.“For me, it’s just not playing to the best of my ability and, quite
frankly, just playing stupid,” Darnold said Monday. “I thought I played stupid
football yesterday and I’ve just got to be better. I know that, the coaches know
that and everyone knows that.”Well, yeah.But Darnold isn’t alone. Not by any
stretch.Most of the venom from frustrated fans on social media and sports talk
radio was directed at coach Todd Bowles, whose hold on his job has become
increasingly tenuous as the Jets (3-6) head toward another year — it would be
eight straight — without making the playoffs.“I’m sick of losing,” second-year
safety Jamal Adams said after the game. “I’m not a loser. I want to get back on
the winning track. We’ve lost three straight? Come on, man.”This is now a
franchise staring at a crossroads.The Jets have a home game Sunday against the
bumbling Buffalo Bills (2-7), who somehow look even more inept than their AFC
East counterparts.“I think it’s huge
Curtis Martin Jerseys 2019 ,” Bowles acknowledged. “It’s our next game. It’s a division rivalry. … Winning takes care of a lot problems and a lot of issues.
It’s important for us to win the next ballgame.”A loss at MetLife Stadium will
raise the heat under Bowles’ seat to scorching levels. And, it could force owner
Christopher Johnson to seriously re-evaluate things — especially with the team
heading into a bye-week break.“People are obviously a little upset, a little
disappointed, coming off three straight losses,” defensive lineman Leonard
Williams said. “We definitely needed this one. It was a division game and we
talked all week about how important it was for us to get this win.”And, they
still lost.But there are enough culprits to share the blame.“It’s not just Sam,
it’s the team, period,” Bowles said. “Yesterday, it was mainly the offense. It
was tweaks here and there, but we just have to play better and execute as a
whole.”Darnold, of course, had his worst game to date. Center Spencer Long had
several wayward shotgun snaps because of a reinjured right middle finger before
Bowles finally pulled him from the game. Jeremy Bates’ offense seemed stuck in
neutral, and wide receivers rarely gave Darnold a target. And, even the normally
sure-handed Jermaine Kearse had a few drops and capped a bad day by forgetting
where he was on the field before catching a pass late in the game while standing
out of bounds.“I’m very concerned because we didn’t score a bunch of points the
last three weeks,” Bowles said. “We’ve got to find a way to execute better and
get it right.”Darnold’s OK with pointing the finger at himself. But it has
raised the thought he might be best served sitting for a week just to clear his
head while 39-year-old backup Josh McCown takes the field.A quarterback change,
however, doesn’t appear to be in the plans.“Not at this time,” Bowles said,
“no.”Darnold
White Joe Klecko Jerseys , the No. 3 overall draft pick, leads the NFL with 14 interceptions and has struggled during the last three games. He said “I thought
I played bad” on Sunday and added he thought the offensive line “blocked their
butts off.”Still, the Jets scored six points and have 33 in their last three
games combined.“I’ve just got to play smarter, play better,” he said. “Yeah, I
definitely feel like I forced some things (Sunday), but at the same time, I feel
like there were some throws where I was second-guessing myself and I could’ve
pulled the trigger.”The last thing the Jets want is for their still-developing
franchise QB is to become increasingly gun-shy.“I think it’s just me at some
moments in the game getting in my own head,” Darnold said. “I’ve just got to
stay true to my progressions, stay true to the confidence that I normally have,
and just go out there and sling it.”The defense was mostly solid, allowing just
168 total yards, the second fewest under Bowles. That included 104 yards
passing, the lowest under Bowles.Yet, the Jets still came up short in a game
they all acknowledged they should have won.“I think the biggest consensus
overall, for the players and for the coaches and as an organization, we all know
that sticking together is what’s going to help us continue the season,” Williams
said. “If we start dividing now, if coaches start dividing from players and
players from players and coaches from coaches — any type of division in this
organization — is only going to hinder us.”
