[ad_1]
No Jets rookie has appeared in every game this season apart from punter Braden Mann. Five have spent time in the injured reserve, one on the reserve / non-football injury list and one will end the season on the reserve / COVID-19 list.
Nothing in their first season in the NFL was normal, whether it was a virtual offseason, playing in empty stadiums, or calling a trailer in their locker room.
But Joe Douglas might have something to work with. The Jets general manager’s first draft class showed signs of promise in Sunday’s season finale against the Patriots, offering hope she can help lay the groundwork for a turnaround in the years to come. come.
“It’s something we really hope to do,” rookie cornerback Bryce Hall said on Friday. “We still have a long way to go before we can say this comfortably, but it’s something that this young group of guys we’re proud of – just to be able to be a part of the change and have a positive impact on this organization. .
The Jets’ season will end in Week 17 for a 10th straight year and with it will come an offseason full of changes – starting with a planned change to head coach, lots of uncertainty at the quarterback and more knockdowns. from the upcoming list. But while the Jets rookies haven’t had many wins this year, coach Adam Gase believes they have benefited from learning from the veterans and seeing how they’ve handled a tough season.
“Our young players, I think, got better because they figured out how to train through this,” Gase said. “They understand how they have to present themselves and be ready for match day, and then when they have their opportunities they have to make the most of them. I think there are a lot of young guys who have had a lot of valuable playing time this year, but I also think they have had a lot of valuable training time as well.
“I’ve been on teams where things aren’t going well and guys are missing out on opportunities to improve because they’re like, ‘Ah, this season is a waste and I’m not getting anything out of it. ‘ When guys take that understanding, “Hey, I’m improving because of that as an individual player”, it’s huge. It’s so beneficial for a young player, because you only get a limited number of hits on this thing, you only get a limited number of reps. Every rep is so precious to all of these guys especially the rookies especially no offseason, no real training camp, no preseason games. Everything we do is essential for the development of these guys.
Hall, a fifth-round pick who has played every snapshot the last five games after returning from a serious ankle injury in Virginia, is one of nine rookies Douglas drafted in April. Seven of them have played this season, with Hall, left tackle Mekhi Becton and wide receiver Denzel Mims all getting started and Mann has plenty of action.
Safety Ashtyn Davis (foot) and running back La’Mical Perine (COVID-19) have already played their last game of the season and defensive end Jabari Zuniga has struggled to buy time after being delayed by a quad injury at training camp. But the Jets might have pieces to build with from their 2020 draft class as a crucial offseason approaches – one that might even feel a little closer to normal.
“This experience has really brought us closer together and I feel like it has allowed us to contribute, a lot of young people are doing that,” Hall said.
“I feel like the biggest jumps usually happen from year one to year two. … So it’s extremely exciting to be able to really attack, to know now what to expect and to prepare accordingly.
[ad_2]
Source link