By Tom Rock
Sorry for the dry spell. I was having some Internet problems in Philly and was unable to get online to update the blog. I was MIA so long I think Glauber was about to start a contest to see when I would crack.
Anyway, we’re back from Philadelphia and back online. Just in time to post some roster speculation. The big questions seem to be whether C.J. Mosley made enough of an impression (mostly on the facemask of A.J. Feeley) to get on the team; if Tuiasosopo showed his merits with a good second half (or if the Brad Smith Quarterback Experiement should be shut down); and if the Jets will be comfortable with Bender, Clarke, Smith or Jones at left guard.
The roster is decided at 5 p.m. Saturday. The REAL roster is decided about a week later, when the Jets have their final meetings before the Pats game.
You’ve seen the preseason games. You’ve dropped by camp at Hofstra. You’ve read, listened to and watched all of the analysis. Which bubble players do you think deserve a shot on the 53? Will someone start a Schlegel bandwagon? Is there a Kimo Defense Fund?
Shout it out here. We’ll post the Jets’ decisions ASAP.
Comments (14)
Schlegel will be cut. I wish it wasnt true, but it is clear from the preseason that Mangini has chosen Kassell to fill the least important position on the field -- Jonathan Vilma's backup. Why when the Jets spent a 3rd rounder on Schlegel they wouldnt at least give him a chance to play last season and this preseason I'll never understand. From day one they've acted like they accidentally said the wrong name on draft day. Even if Schlegel wasnt all they were expecting wouldnt you at least give the guy an equal shot to earn a backups job. From everything I've read Schlegel was relegated to the 3rd string from day one of OTAs (which btw means he got almost no reps)and stayed there.
I think another team will pick him up, actually give him a chance to play, and find out that he can be a productive NFL linebacker.
This will be one of this administrations first mistakes, but not for the reason most Jet fans think.
Stuckey should definitely make the team and so should Ventrone. He's a special-teams maniac and has been flying all over the field wreaking havoc.
I don't know whether it's a fair reason, but I think Schlegel will be cut because, you know, he has no athletic talent.
That was really my soncern from day one.
I agree with Jimmy. I didn't think Schlegel was a good pick when they took him. It was a reach in the 3rd round, and he doesn't have the physical talent to do much. He had the fortune of playing behind a stout d-line and being flanked by A.J. Hawk and Bobby Carpenter at OSU, but he was never a standout. I know 40 time isn't everything, but he ran a 4.88/40. That's good for a DT. In fact, his 3-cone drill (agility) time was worse than several defensive tackles'.
"Bubble" players I hope make it to the roster:
Spencer, Mosley, Ventrone, Frisman, Wright, Hicks, Tui, Ware
Players I hope get cut:
Kimo, Haynes, Schlegel, Banks, Cavka, Ryan, Adrian and Adrien.
Furthermore:
I hope Revis is not used on punt returns - he's not that fast or sudden and it's too dangerous. Use Stuckey instead.
Bender will be fine in time but hopefully we pick up someone on waivers.
After this preseason we can see why Brad Smith is considered a good college QB and a possible NFL receiver.
Maybe Schlegel can play guard...
FYI: Rodney Harrison busted for HGH, to miss Jet game.
Scumbag.
Sweet.
Actually Schlegel's three cone drill times were comparable to LBs who went much earlier in the draft.
As for the tOSU argument, your just wrong. Schlegel was second on the team in tackles in 05 and led the team in tackles with 10 on the road in the 05 win over Michigan. He was third on the team in tacklesin 04, but actually had the second most on the team after he became the full time starter in 04. He led the team in TFL that year and was second in sacks by a half a sack. His best statistical year was his soph. year at airforce where he registered 18 both the Vtech bowl game and the game against ND and finished the year by being named All Conference.
The guy was big time in college. If anything, his decision to play at Ohio State guaranteed that he would be overshadowed. Not just by his teamates but by the presence within the conference of other LBs like Pozluzny and David Harris.
TRock
WOW, Belicheck says Kerry Rhodes wouldn't make his team IN PRINT. Nice quote. Bill has been incredibly blatantly antagonistic with the Green & White since Herm left. I like it, I like to dislike him. Anyway, a couple items: Bender -If he explodes off the ball like they say, shoot he's probably our best nose tackle and no one even knows it. Stuckey looks great, 'nother Chrebet in the making, and I still say Justin Miller would make a great running back. Out.
Cuts...
Schlegel, Von Oelhoffen, Wadsworth, Haynes,
Keepers...
Mosley, Stuckey, Spencer, Ware, Ventrone, Collins...
Rich, that was not a quote by Bellishit, it was a quote by Peter King from SI speaking AS Bellashit in an article defending Kings pick of KR in his top 100. Cimini got it way wrong in that article. If it fires up the Jets, so be it as long as it doesn't backfire.
Patrick, Schlegel's cone drill time (7.41) was worse than every linebacker who went ahead of him.
#5 - A.J. Hawk: 6.82
#9 - Ernie Sims: 7.32
#13 - Kamerion Wimbley, a 'tweener DE/LB: 6.98
#17 - Chad Greenway: 7.01
#22 - Manny Lawson: 6.90
#32 - Matthias Kiwanuka, who was a DE then: 7.29
#33 - DeMeco Ryans: 7.19
#34 - D'Qwell Jackson: 7.05
#67 - Adbul Hodge - 7.11
#71 - Chris Gocong, LB/DE 'tweener - 7.06
Thomas Howard, Rocky McIntosh and Bobby Carpenter's times aren't listed (they might not have run it), but all three are more athletic than Schlegel.
I know that he was productive in college. But college numbers don't always translate to the NFL. If it did, Jason White would've been starting in the Pro Bowl. And tackles, which can be a misleading stat, aren't the end-all for linebackers. Schlegel compiled a lot of tackles at OSU because his job was to stuff the run, which was made easier because they had a good defensive line that kept the OGs off him. He wasn't good in coverage, didn't show much range laterally and would often get caught in the fray on outside runs. Carpenter and Hawk, who were much more talented, compensated for his deficiencies. Schlegel = a poor man's Jeremiah Trotter. A guy who's very limited and needs to be in the right system with the right supporting cast in order to succeed. And with the Jets, in the 3-4 (which might not even be a fit for the rest of their personnel), he doesn't/didn't have that.
He wouldn't have been overshadowed by those guys if he was more talented or had outshone them on the field. He didn't.
There has to be a reason why the coaching staff hasn't given him much of a chance and aren't that attached to him. They've seen more of him and know him better than we do.
Bring back LaMont Jordan!
Internet problems in Philly? Isn't that a little like my dog ate my homework?