Saucy Nuggets from Jets Practice: 8/8/22

We were in attendence for the open practice today at the Jets practice facility in Florham Park. Here's what went down:

11-on-11 semi-live

Practice opened with an 11-on-11 scripted session which was done at about 50-75% effort and saw the offense complete a pass into the red zone, kill the clock and then try to score. On defense, the pass rushers were making no real effort to beat their man.

Wilson worked with the first team, completing a pass to Corey Davis in traffic, then rushing to the line to kill the clock. On two red zone tries nobody was open the first time so he just dirted it, then he almost got it to Davis in the end zone but he tried to one hand it and couldn't hang on. In a live drill he'd probably have laid out for that one. Jacob Martin and Sheldon Rankins were in with the ones on defense.

Flacco's team did the same thing, completing a deep out to Tarik Black versus Isaiah Dunn, two passes to CJ Uzomah on an out pattern and a side arm check down and then, having killed the clock, he hung one up and Jeff Smith made an uncontested catch in the end zone with Tony Adams the nearest defender.

Based on the rotations, Jason Pinnock and Will Parks are the third and fourth safety right now. Adams is in the mix with and maybe even ahead of Ashtyn Davis and Elijah Riley to be number five.

Individual Drills

The team's broke off into position groups for the next few periods. Of interest: Ahmed Gardner got some one on one coaching on press technique. The offense did a walkthrough against air before breaking off into smaller groups. Linebackers did a drill where you catch and toss back two medicine balls before moving laterally in the direction the coach sends you. The defensive line worked on getting off and then immediately dropping into coverage.

On a punt return drill, Braxton Berrios was the only return man who caught it every time, with Garrett Wilson, Rashard Davis and Elijah Moore taking their turn but misjudging the flight. There were no muffs, just players not getting over to catch it. Braden Mann was working on some techniques where he put reverse spin on the ball by kicking it with the outside of his foot, with mixed results. One went in the end zone and two went out of bounds. They did a couple of live reps with Justin Hardee back in practice and predictably in Davis' lap as he caught it.

Finally, the safeties did a drill where they range deep and judge if the throw is going right or left, then get over to pick it. The only one who failed was Riley who almost came up with a diving attempt. Parks had the most spectacular catch with a diving effort but the trick is presumably to make it look easy which most did.

11-on-11 round one

Wilson was up first and play number two was the one that saw Mekhi Becton hurt (as detailed earlier). John Franklin-Myers blew it up for a loss but it wasn't clear if he did that because Becton's knee buckled as he dropped or if he overpowered him to cause the injury.
Ace Carter had bounced a run outside for positive yardage on the first play. Notable defenders in with the ones were Solomon Thomas and Kwon Alexander.
Third play was a side arm strike over the middle to Elijah Moore, although Lawson was coming in hot off the edge. Nice leaping catch in traffic by Moore
Thomas blew up a run to end the set

Flacco was next but Alexander stuffed Breece Hall on his first play. Chuma Edoga false started anyway.
La'Mical Perine run stopped at the second level
Another run stuffed. They ran away from Micheal Clemons on the play but he got downhill well to get in on the stop
Play action to Wilson over the middle, deflected away by a dropping Hamsah Nasirildeen
Bam Knight outside run, stretched to the edge by Del'Shawn Phillips and Davis makes the stop with a hit at the sideline.

Mike White got his shot with Perine getting a good run on the first play
White then overthrew Denzel Mims with Luq Barcoo in coverage
The defense stopped Knight as Hamilcar Rashed set the edge and Rachad Wildgoose and Adams cleaned up, after which it got a bit chippy

11-on-11 round two

Wilson sacked. Martin got there first but Lawson may also have vultured a half-sack
Quinnen Williams with pressure so Wilson dumps to Moore for a short gain
Wilson downfield complete to Moore on a deep out against Hall. Pass protection held up with George Fant handling Lawson's upfield rush well. Quincy Williams got pressure late
Javelin Guidry read and blew up a screen pass to Berrios for an incompletion
Dump underneath to Uzomah, stopped by Quincy Williams

Flacco's first pass in this set saw Kenny Yeboah leaking downfield uncovered. Flacco hit him in stride and he raced for the pylon, although Pinnock may have prevented the score but it was a gain of about 50. The coverage error looked like it might be on Dunn.
Quick pass to Tyler Conklin down the seam
Positive yards from Carter as he caught a dump off outside against Alexander and turned it upfield. Bradley Anae nearly got to Flacco
Screen pass to Coleman for a decent gain but called back for an offensive penalty which may have been on Nate Herbig. He shoved Phillips down to create room for Coleman

White was up next and - after a delay because someone (possibly Black) didn't know the play - White hit Black over the middle but Harris forced a fumble and Riley got a big return and may have scored if it wasn't blown dead.
Early pressure from Jabari Zuniga and eventually White gets swallowed up with Tanzel Smart leading the charge
Pass through Nick Bawden hands but it was thrown behind him

Kicking Gauntlet

Each kicker kicked from 35, 39, 45 and 54 with Eddy Pineiro making all four for the second practice in a row. Greg Zuerlein is now five for his last eight after missing from 39 and 54. One of those was an offensive penalty anyway.

11-on-11 situational: Third downs

Wilson deep to Berrios who draws a flag from Deuce Carter
Conklin tough catch over the middle with Bryce Hall draped all over him. Also notable because it was a rare first team rep for Mims
Wilson extended the play and eventually threw a deep corner route to Black but Carter was in a good position and it was overthrown
Rankins flattened someone on a bull rush so Wilson tried to run and it was blown dead
On 3rd and 12 (the rest were mostly 5 or 7 to go) Wilson hit Uzomah underneath and there was a good collision with Pinnock and Jamien Sherwood as he tried and just failed to get to the marker

Flacco to Carter dumped outside for the first down with Anae covering
Jermaine Johnson coverage sack
Johnson with pressure again, Flacco rolls out but Black can't quite make the diving catch near the sideline
Johnson is in the backfield again and Flacco throws out of bounds
Guidry with physical coverage on a downfield incompletion to Black. He wanted a flag but there was actually an offensive penalty
Pocket collapsed but Flacco hits Lawrence Cager over the middle for a first down. Clemons got to Flacco first

White only got one attempt and Clemons was again the first one to get to him. Riley had good coverage on Irvin Charles on 3rd-and-12 downfield

Move the ball drill

Practice ended with a live 11-on-11 situational series, starting on first down at the 50 for both Wilson and Flacco, but not White.

The Jets defense opens up in base with Alexander, Williams and Mosley all in the game and Rankins alongside the other Williams up front
1st down at the 50, play action rollout (nice fake) for 15 to Conklin working against Alexander
1st down at the 35. Wilson has to drop way back to extend the play with Franklin-Myers in his face but checks down to Carter for five
2nd down, Martin combines with Quinnen Williams to stuff Hall
3rd down, six to go, Corey Davis with nice hands to snag a first down on a quick slant. There was a defensive penalty anyway
First down at the 22, Hall cuts back and takes it to the 15
Carter up the middle on an inside zone for five and a first down with Nathan Shepherd on the tackle
First and goal with quick pressure from Johnson. Zach tries to whip it to Berrios in the flat but Berrios makes no attempt to catch it because Carter was in position to light him up for a loss
Outside run by Hall on second down, gets it to the three before being bumped out
Wilson to Corey Davis on the instant quick slant in front of Sherwood for a touchdown

Flacco began his drive by rolling out and dumping to Smith for seven
Tim Ward penetrates and Smart cleans up to stuff Perine and set up third down with two to go
Quick pass to an open Perine in the flat for a conversion as Wildgoose and Harris got their wires crossed
Big play to Trevon Wesco, who was also open leaking downfield. Parks got over to deny him at the pylon, marked out at the three.
Knight scores to end practice, bouncing to the edge after good interior penetration and then juking Barcoo out of his socks to get in.