NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

August 1, 2014

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Table of Contents

ASSOCIATED PRESS ................................................................................................................................................ 2

Jets' 1st-rounder Pryor back, but limited (Dennis Waszak)....................................................................................... 2

Mornhinweg tasked with making Jets offense better (Dennis Waszak) ................................................................... 2

NEWSDAY .............................................................................................................................................................. 2

Calvin Pryor cleared for physical activity but doesn't practice fully (Kimberley Martin) .......................................... 2

Michael Vick calls a QB scramble after not liking question from media (Kimberley Martin) .................................... 3

THE RECORD .......................................................................................................................................................... 4

Jets: Still noncommittal on quarterback (J.P. Pelzman) ............................................................................................ 4

Jets notes: Dennis Thurman's warning (J.P. Pelzman)............................................................................................... 6

THE STAR LEDGER .................................................................................................................................................. 6

Jets' Geno Smith says he is reaping benefits of getting vast majority of first-team snaps (Darryl Slater) ................ 6

Calvin Pryor returns to Jets practice on limited, non-contact basis (Darryl Slater)................................................... 8

Jets' Marty Mornhinweg expects Jace Amaro to get comfortable sometime next week (Darryl Slater) .................. 9

Michael Vick vs. Geno Smith: Day 8 breakdown; Vick with no first-team snaps for first time in camp (Darryl Slater) ........................................................................................................................................................................ 9

NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................. 11

Mangold and Ferguson have ‘unbreakable’ bond (Brian Costello) ......................................................................... 11

The ultimate insiders’ view of some memorable Jets characters (Brian Costello) .................................................. 13

Jets mates grumble about tight end Jace Amaro: ‘Can’t catch a cold’ (Brian Costello) .......................................... 14

‘Too fancy’ Geno drawing ire of Jets’ offensive coordinator (George Willis) .......................................................... 15

Jets find way to give Geno even bigger advantage over Vick (Brian Costello) ........................................................ 17

Who got the better of Jets’ first physical confrontations (Brian Costello) .............................................................. 17

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................... 18

Marty Mornhinweg feels better about Geno Smith and NY Jets offense, but still plenty work to do (Seth Walder_ ................................................................................................................................................................................. 18

Michael Vick knows he is Geno Smith's backup with NY Jets, but has faith he will get a chance (Manish Mehta) 19

At least NY Jets' defense at goal line is good; offense not so much (Seth Walder) ................................................ 21

NJ.COM ................................................................................................................................................................ 22

10 observations from Day 8 of Jets camp, where the offense woke up a little (Dom Cosentino) .......................... 22

Chris Johnson: LeSean McCoy great last year, but Adrian Peterson and me are best (Dom Cosentino) ................ 24

4 things to look for on Day 8 of Jets camp (Dom Cosentino)) ................................................................................. 24

WEDNESDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS............................................................................................................... 25

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jets' 1st-rounder Pryor back, but limited (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press July 31, 2014

http://pro32.ap.org/article/jets-1st-rounder-pryor-back-limited

CORTLAND, N.Y. (AP) — New York Jets safety Calvin Pryor, the team's first-round draft pick, has returned to practice on a limited basis as he recovers from a concussion.

Pryor wore a red, no-contact jersey Thursday during positional drills after being cleared for physical activity by team doctors. He still has yet to be cleared for physical contact as he goes through the NFL's protocol for head injuries.

Once Pryor is cleared for contact, he will be able to take part in team drills.

The No. 18 overall pick out of Louisville was injured Saturday during a kickoff and sat out the past three practices.

Cornerback Dexter McDougle, a third-round pick, left practice early with a strained groin.

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Mornhinweg tasked with making Jets offense better (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press July 31, 2014

http://pro32.ap.org/article/mornhinweg-tasked-making-jets-offense-better

CORTLAND, N.Y. (AP) — Marty Mornhinweg's offense has had a rough start to training camp for the New York Jets.

The offensive coordinator, in his second season with the Jets, is trying to get a group that appears much-improved from last year with the additions of Eric Decker and Chris Johnson through some early growing pains.

Mornhinweg is also trying to balance a quarterback situation in which Geno Smith is trying to retain his starting job in his second season, while Michael Vick understands he'll likely be the backup despite believing he can still play at a high level.

Rex Ryan says that since he is more involved in the defense, Mornhinweg is "the right guy" — and a guy he trusts — to make sure the offense continues to get better.

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NEWSDAY

Calvin Pryor cleared for physical activity but doesn't practice fully (Kimberley Martin) Newsday July 31, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/calvin-pryor-cleared-for-physical-activity-but-doesn-t-practice-fully-1.8938429

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CORTLAND, N.Y. - Calvin Pryor was cleared for physical activities but spent much of Thursday's practice playing spectator. The Jets' first-round draft pick warmed up with his green jersey and helmet on but was forced to don a red non-contact pinnie as he watched from the sideline.

Rex Ryan said Wednesday that he had "no idea" when the safety, who suffered a head injury during last Saturday's practice, will return to action. But the sight of Pryor in pads could mean his health is headed in the right direction.

The time away from the field has slowed his growth somewhat, defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman said. "He's a little ways behind, but he has time to catch up," he said of the former standout defensive back at Louisville. "He was doing well prior to, before we got the pads on. We expect him to come back. He's been paying attention in meetings, but it has to transfer to the field, but we expect him to be a pretty integral part of the defense."

Even with Pryor sidelined, Ryan said he's pleased with his current crop of young safeties: Josh Bush, Jaiquawn Jarrett and Rontez Miles. Said Ryan, "It's an outstanding group."

Thurman: Talk is cheap

Thurman is a man of few words, and he isn't one for hyperbole. So when the former Super Bowl champ was asked about Dee Milliner's assertion that he's the NFL's best cornerback, Thurman offered a rather frank assessment.

"Dee has got to do what he has got to do in terms of getting better, working at his craft," said Thurman, who helped shape the careers of Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott and former Jet Darrelle Revis. "As far as what he said, that doesn't bother me because it doesn't mean anything. You have to go out and play. Nobody goes out and talks their way through the National Football League. You have to perform your way through this league."

Jet streams

Bilal Powell and Johnny Patrick (hamstrings), Garrett McIntyre (rest day), Alex Agreed (chest), Antwan Barnes (PUP), Brandon Hardin (foot), Quincy Enunwa (hip) and Zach Thomson (shoulder) did not practice. Third-round CB Dexter McDougle was pulled out of a drill because of a groin injury and David Nelson (groin) also was limited . . . Asked which player has surprised him thus far, Ryan said DL Kerry Hyder has "popped out of nowhere" and been "a pleasant surprise."

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Michael Vick calls a QB scramble after not liking question from media (Kimberley Martin) Newsday July 31, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/nothing-but-jets-1.1279166/michael-vick-cuts-off-interview-over-starting-qb-question-1.8936066

CORTLAND, N.Y. - For the first time in training camp, Michael Vick wasn't given any first-team reps. That, he said, didn't bother him.

But a question about the Jets' so-called quarterback competition seemed to be more than he could tolerate. Vick abruptly ended a group session with the media Thursday upon hearing the final interview question.

"Do you think the coaches have already made their decision?" a reporter asked.

Looking somewhat confused, he said, "Decision about what?"

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"The quarterback job," the reporter responded.

And with that, Vick left.

"I'm outta here," he said with a smile. "Y'all have a good one."

As Vick walked past members of the media, the reporter said to him: "It's a fair question."

And, surprisingly, the quarterback agreed.

"It's a fair question," Vick acknowledged, flashing another smile before heading to the locker room.

The truth is, that question was answered long ago -- by none other than Vick himself. And the answer became more evident as practice went on. The highlight of the day was 10 goal-line/short-yardage plays (which, by the way, were dominated by the defense), but the other story line was Geno Smith getting all of the starting reps (16).

And Vick expects that trend to continue. "Yeah, I mean, pretty much it's been that way," he said of the discrepancy in reps.

Vick repeatedly has said this is not an "open" competition, but the Jets organization has gone out of its way not to name Smith their Week 1 starter. Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg wouldn't even concede Smith is expected to start next week's preseason opener against the Colts.

"We'll see," Mornhinweg said. "We are not even concerned about that. [It] hasn't even been discussed."

But regardless of what the Jets say publicly, Vick has already assured Mornhinweg in private that he is on board with their plans for Smith.

"Marty understands that, look, we have a certain mission to accomplish and we've got to get things going and we've got to get on the right track, and I understand that," Vick said. "I won't stand in the way of that."

Mornhinweg raved about Vick being "all in," reiterating that he is here "to push Geno, to compete with Geno, to make Geno the best quarterback he can be. And then he's got to be ready when called upon to play."

Vick, meanwhile, didn't seem bothered by his lack of first-team reps. "I know how to approach practice in a professional manner. I take advantage of every rep I get," he said. "I come to work every day to get better. I feel like I'm getting better each and every day and that's a great feeling at the age of 34 . . . pushing the young guys and still pushing myself and still watching the film, feeling like I'm getting good results."

But if all goes according to the Jets' plan, Vick won't get the chance to start over Smith.

Though it's still early in the process, Mornhinweg seems particularly pleased with Smith's progress thus far. Asked about Smith's issues with turnovers and ball security, the coordinator said: "He's got that thing fixed. And we'll see if it stays fixed. That's the challenge."

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THE RECORD

Jets: Still noncommittal on quarterback (J.P. Pelzman) The Record August 1, 2014

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/jets-remain-noncommittal-1.1060908

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CORTLAND, N.Y. – Marty Mornhinweg was hemmed in, encircled by cameras and reporters in the press box of the SUNY-Cortland football stadium Thursday.

Although he couldn't escape the throng physically, the offensive coordinator nonetheless displayed some fancy footwork verbally, dodging and weaving the questions the Jets still decline to answer.

Who's atop the depth chart at quarterback? Who has the inside track to start the regular-season opener against Oakland on Sept. 7?

Logic would say Geno Smith will be the opening-day starter, given the fact he has taken the bulk of the first-team snaps in practice during spring and summer, despite the presence of still-dynamic Michael Vick.

Yet Mornhinweg wouldn't commit to Smith being the starter in the preseason opener against visiting Indianapolis, despite the overwhelming evidence in terms of practice reps for the two combatants in this alleged competition.

"Oh, we'll see," Mornhinweg said when asked if Smith will start versus the Colts. "We're not even concerned about that. [It] hasn't even been discussed, because all we're focusing on is the next installation [of plays], getting better every day, our preparation and our hard work, because there are no substitutes for those things. So that's all we have been conscious of."

Mornhinweg repeated almost verbatim some of his talking points from the spring, including that Vick "is here to push Geno, to compete with Geno, to make Geno the best quarterback he can be. And then, and this is much of my responsibility too, he's got to be ready when called upon to play at that high level."

The Jets want Smith to get the bulk of the practice time with the starters because they believe it will aid his development, and Smith feels the same way.

"As many reps as you can get will help out," Smith said, "and I'm a living testament to that."

But even though Vick is a veteran who played in Mornhinweg's system for four years with Philadelphia, he also needs time with the first team to establish a rapport with the starting receivers.

"Yeah, that's a good point," Mornhinweg said when asked about that. "I'm trying to get him a little more than a handful [of reps] with the first team because that's an important part there. So yeah, that's a good point and I'm very aware of it. Communication is important, too. Mike is feeling pretty good about himself and what he can do with the first team."

Smith, who threw 21 interceptions as a rookie, cut down on his miscues in the final four games of the 2013 season, with only two picks in that span. He also has been taking better care of the ball in practice this summer.

"The ball security thing, I think you've got to give him some credit there," Mornhinweg said. "He got that thing fixed and we'll see if it stays fixed. That's the challenge."

Vick has said repeatedly that it's not an "open competition," but he knew what he signed on for. Still, he abruptly ended a group interview session Thursday on what was supposed to be the last question anyway.

He was asked if his lack of first-team reps means the Jets have made their decision.

"Decision about what?" Vick said. "The quarterback job," the reporter answered. "I'm outta here," Vick said, then he smiled.

Vick then walked past the reporter, who said, "That's a fair question."

Vick patted him on the rear end as he went by and said with a smile, "It's a fair question, man."

And one the Jets actually will have to answer sometime soon.

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Jets notes: Dennis Thurman's warning (J.P. Pelzman) The Record August 1, 2014

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/jets-notes-dennis-thurman-s-warning-1.1060906

Thurman’s warning

In his first media session of training camp, defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman said he didn’t have a problem with second-year pro Dee Milliner recently proclaiming himself to be the best cornerback in the NFL.

Still, he warned of the dangers of not backing up such talk.

"That doesn’t bother me because it doesn’t mean anything," Thurman said of Milliner’s boast. "You have to go out and play. Nobody goes out and talks their way through the National Football League. You have to perform your way through this league. … If you’re going to talk, you have to back it up."

Thurman also was asked about two of the team’s prized rookies: first-round safety Calvin Pryor and third-round cornerback Dexter McDougle. Both are dealing with injuries. Pryor (concussion) has been cleared for physical activity, but not for contact, and thus wore a red non-contact jersey during practice.

McDougle has a groin injury and left practice early.

"He’s a little ways behind, but he has time to catch up," Thurman said of Pryor. "He was doing well [before the injury], before we got the pads on. We expect him to come back. He’s been paying attention in meetings, but it has to transfer to the field. We expect him to be a pretty integral part of the defense."

About McDougle, Thurman said, "I like him. [He’s] young, talented. But he is a little bit nicked right now. … He’s not playing as well as he can play, but the expectation is that he will continue to work to get better."

Play of the day

Michael Vick beat a blitz and hit a wide-open tight end Zach Sudfeld for an 80-yard touchdown during an 11-on-11 drill. Sudfeld, claimed off waivers from New England during the 2013 season, is having a fine camp

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THE STAR LEDGER

Jets' Geno Smith says he is reaping benefits of getting vast majority of first-team snaps (Darryl Slater) The Star Ledger July 31, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/jets_geno_smith_reaping_benefits_of_getting_vast_majority_of_first-team_snaps.html

CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Jets on Thursday held their seventh practice of training camp. As they worked on short-yardage and goal-line situations, one sight remained constant for an offense that looked so inconsistent last year.

Snap after snap, second-year quarterback Geno Smith lined up with the starters in team periods. In the Jets’ first six camp practices, Michael Vick got at least some reps with the first team. But not Thursday, when Smith received all 16 reps in team periods.

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The Jets, for what it is worth, have yet to officially name Smith their starter. But as has been the case since before organized team activities even began, they are giving him every opportunity to become their Week 1 starter for the second straight season.

For Smith, this training camp bears little resemblance to last year, when he competed with Mark Sanchez and won the job by default, because Sanchez suffered a season-ending shoulder injury when the Jets played him in the fourth quarter of a preseason game, behind an offensive line of backups.

No longer is Smith a rookie trying to grasp a West Coast offense that operates nothing like the spread system he ran at West Virginia. No longer is Smith splitting first-team reps with the Jets’ other primary quarterback. Now, teammates see Smith “knowing it’s his team” and “taking ownership” over the offense, as receiver David Nelson said when camp opened last Thursday.

Smith is looking steady, for the most part, in this camp. He has taken 79 percent of the reps with the starters in team periods. He has completed 38 of 61 passes, with two interceptions. Vick is 31 of 47, and also has two picks.

Vick is performing fine, plenty capable of being one of the NFL’s more reliable backup quarterbacks. Still, Smith is not surrendering his grip on the job, with the preseason opener against the Colts looming next Thursday. Vick accepts this. For the most part, he has not chafed at never being given a true chance to challenge Smith.

“I understand that look, we have a certain mission to accomplish,” Vick said. “I won’t stand in the way of that.”

Five weeks from Sunday, the Jets open the season at home against the Raiders. Then, and only then, will the true assessment of Smith begin. What Smith will show up in the first seven games, when the Jets also face stern tests against the Packers, Bears, Lions, Chargers, Broncos and Patriots?

Smith last season threw 12 touchdowns, 21 interceptions and four lost fumbles. He completed 55.8 percent of his passes – 35th in the league. He also got little help from a thin and oft-injured group of skill position players, particularly his receivers.

But in the final two games, both wins, Smith threw two touchdowns, ran for two, and never gave up the ball. And the Jets upgraded their offense in the offseason, signing receiver Eric Decker and running back Chris Johnson.

“I thought he did a heck of a job down the stretch last year,” said offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. “The ball security thing, I think you’ve got to give him some credit there. He got that thing fixed. And we’ll see if it stays fixed. That’s the challenge there.”

Throughout the season, Smith also improved his footwork (which differed great from what West Virginia required) and his vision while scanning the field for open receivers. Mornhinweg said Smith’s vision is so advanced now that, in Wednesday’s practice, he tried to look off a defensive back not once, but twice on a play.

“Just got a little too fancy,” Mornhinweg said. “We were just trying to do too much.”

Wednesday was Smith’s only “subpar” day of this camp, said Mornhinweg. Smith completed 7 of 15 passes and was picked off once, when he stared down a receiver on a screen pass. But the extensive action Smith gets with the starters allows him to rebound from such mistakes.

“As many reps as you can get will help out, and I’m a living testament to that,” Smith said. “I can just see the growth in myself and in the guys around me due to that.”

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All along, Mornhinweg has preached the value of game experience for Smith. He got plenty of it last season, good and bad. There was the game-winning drive he led on a Monday night in Atlanta, his best game. Then there was his performance over the next seven games – one touchdown, 11 interceptions and completion percentage of 49.7, as the Jets went 2-5 and sunk their playoff chances.

Mornhinweg insisted Smith getting every first-team snap Thursday was not indicative of his plan for splitting reps in the coming days. Mornhinweg would not even say Smith will start the preseason opener – again, for what that is worth.

“I’m trying to get (Vick) a little bit more than a handful (of reps) with the first team, because that is an important part there,” Mornhinweg said. “I’m very aware of it. I’m fine with it right now. If I see something occur, I’ll certainly get him a little bit more.”

Vick was asked Thursday if he thought the reps split in camp’s first week showed the coaches had already chosen a starting quarterback. Vick responded by abruptly walking out of the group interview – a rare public display of frustration for him in recent months.

“I’m outta here,” he said as he left.

He knows that, for now, Smith isn’t going anywhere.

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Calvin Pryor returns to Jets practice on limited, non-contact basis (Darryl Slater) The Star Ledger July 31, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/calvin_pryor_returns_to_jets_practice_on_limited_non-contact_basis.html

CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Jets’ first-round draft pick, safety Calvin Pryor, continued to work his way back from a concussion Thursday, when he practiced on a limited basis and wore a red (non-contact) jersey.

Pryor sustained the concussion Saturday and entered the NFL’s post-concussion protocol, for which he has to pass a series of cognitive tests and be cleared by an independent neurologist before he is allowed to fully return to practice. Pryor did not practice Sunday, Tuesday or Wednesday. The Jets were off Monday from practice.

"He’s a little ways behind, but he has time to catch up," said defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman. "He was doing well prior, too, before we got the pads on. We expect him to come back. He’s been paying attention in meetings, but it has to transfer to the field. We expect him to be a pretty integral part of the defense."

The assessment of Pryor's head trauma levels, as spelled out by the protocol, is continuing now that he is back at practice on a limited basis. The protocol states that a player has "a gradual return to practice and play." Dom Cosentino described the situation quite well in this post, in which he wrote ...

In a nutshell, once Pryor's head trauma analysis returns to normal—both at rest and with exertion—after repeated testing by the Jets' neuropsychologist, and once he's been examined and cleared by both the Jets' team physician and an independent neuropsychologist, he'll be good to go.

Pryor did not participate in team periods Thursday, so he has yet to participate in offense/defense team periods since the Jets began full-pads practices Saturday. Pryor was injured in a kickoff return drill. Because Pryor is still in the protocol, he is not allowed to speak with reporters.

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Pryor’s action Thursday was limited to position drills. He broke up a pass in a drill pitting wide receivers against defensive backs.

Jets coach Rex Ryan said after practice that Pryor has been cleared for physical activity, but not yet for contact.

If you want to check out the the NFL's concussion protocol, you can read the entire thing here.

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Jets' Marty Mornhinweg expects Jace Amaro to get comfortable sometime next week (Darryl Slater) The Star Ledger July 31, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/jets_marty_mornhinweg_expects_jace_amaro_to_get_comfortable_sometime_next_week.html

CORTLAND, N.Y. – Jace Amaro, the Jets’ rookie tight end, did not have a particularly strong day Wednesday, on a pretty brutal afternoon for the team’s offense.

After practice, he acknowledged the obvious, that he is “still figuring it out,” while transitioning from Texas Tech’s simple spread offense to the Jets’ vastly more complex, West Coast system. Amaro is also dealing with nagging knee tendonitis that limited him in Tuesday's practice, though he fully returned Wednesday.

Marty Mornhinweg, the Jets’ offensive coordinator, said Thursday that it won’t be long before Amaro, a second-round draft pick, begins to show progress.

“He’s coming,” Mornhinweg said. “He’s making mistakes and then doing some great things, making some mistakes, doing some great things. But the thing that Jace is doing is he’s getting his mistakes corrected fast and he’s moving on. We ask an awful lot out of that tight end position. His expectations are high, and so are ours for Jace. He’s going to be a fine player. How quick he can get that thing done – that’s his challenge.”

On Thursday, Amaro looked a little better. He made a nice catch of Geno Smith’s throw during team periods. Later, in a 7-on-7 period, Smith flung him a tough pass, a little behind him. Amaro got two hands on the ball, but couldn’t secure it. Maybe he should have had it, but it was nothing compared to his terrible drop Wednesday of an easy catch.

Amaro does indeed have high goals. He said he would like to eventually catch 100 passes in a season "on a consistent basis." In NFL history, just three tight ends have ever accomplished the feat.

First, Amaro must master the Jets’ offense. Mornhinweg said tight ends coach Steve Hagen is working with Amaro on “very basic things – terminology and first two steps and all the different routes.” Because Amaro’s college offense differs so much from what the Jets use, a lot of this stuff is new for him.

“I would expect him to start feeling comfortable right about the middle of training camp,” Mornhinweg said. “Let’s say after the Green and White (scrimmage on Saturday night), get a couple more (practices) in. Somewhere next week, starting to feel real comfortable about what he’s doing. You’ve seen Jace. When he knows what he’s doing, he’s played at a really high level. That’s his challenge, to play at that high level on a consistent basis.”

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Michael Vick vs. Geno Smith: Day 8 breakdown; Vick with no first-team snaps for first time in camp (Darryl Slater) The Star Ledger

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July 31, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/michael_vick_vs_geno_smith_day_8_breakdown_vick_with_no_first-team_snaps_for_first_time.html

CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Jets' quarterback competition is neither an open competition nor a controversy, no matter what the team's brass might still be might saying publicly.

Head coach Rex Ryan can keep calling it a competition, and general manager John Idzik can say all he wants that the situation isn't "tilted" toward Geno Smith, but the reality is obvious: Smith has the advantage over Michael Vick. It's Smith's job to lose, and it's been that way since organized team activities and minicamp. Vick, of all people, has had no problem making that clear.

But since neither quarterback has officially been named a starter, we're going to chart their progress until that happens. Here's how things looked on Day 8 of training camp on Thursday, the seventh day of practice, when nobody other than Smith led the first-team offense in team periods.

Geno Smith

Analysis: The Jets' offense struggled against the defense on Tuesday and Wednesday, as the defense threw all manner of blitzes at Smith, Vick and Co. On Wednesday, the Jets worked on short-yardage and goal-line situations (and Smith got all the first-team snaps for the first time in this camp). Because of the situations the Jets worked on, the quarterbacks did not get a lot of action throwing the ball. In a drill pitting wide receivers against defensive backs, Smith threw an interception to Dee Milliner (reminder: our quarterback stats take only team periods into account), but it appeared rookie receiver Jalen Saunders might have botched his route. Still, Smith looked spotty in this drill, making a couple errant throws, to Eric Decker and Michael Campbell. In 7-on-7 drills, Smith was victimized by a Chris Johnson drop and a debatable drop by Jace Amaro, since the throw was a little behind. Decker, in this drill, made Smith look good on a deep, high pass over the middle. Decker tipped the ball to himself and came down with it while falling. In goal-line drills, Smith scrambled for a touchdown -- one of just two touchdowns for the offense on eight goal-line tries in this drill. In a later team period, away from the goal line, Smith threw a nice spiral and connected with David Nelson for a 40-yard completion, against Dimitri Patterson. Smith's only incomplete pass of the day was somewhat forced over the middle in that team period, for Jeff Cumberland, and broken up by Jaiquawn Jarrett.

Stats (team drills): 2-for-3 on Thursday. Overall, Smith is 38-for-61, seven sacks, two interceptions.

Number of first-team reps: 16 on Thursday (100 percent), 104 to date (79.4 percent)

Quote from Smith: "Well, I don’t think there’s a secret (to building offensive consistency). You just have to keep working hard. You’re going to have some off days. As offensive players, we try to be perfectionists, but we understand that we have a long way to go. We’ve got to continue to work hard at it and stay disciplined in every single thing that we do, every aspect of this offense and really just continue to gel. Everything is going to get better with time. As long as we work at it and stay grounded, I think things will get better."

Quote from Ryan: "I think he's got a great grasp of our system, and you just see that confidence in him."

Michael Vick

Analysis: For the first time, Vick received no snaps with the first team, though offensive coordinator Marty Morhinweg said that was not an indication of how the coaches would handle the reps split going forward. In on a 7-on-7 drill, Vick almost had his pass to Michael Campbell picked by Ellis Lankster, who jumped the route. The ball bounced off Lankster's hands. Not a highlight for Vick. In goal-line, he had to throw the ball

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away when Jason Babin surged off the edge and was going to "sack" him. That was the only pass Vick threw in goal-line. He got three reps in that situation, compared to four for Smith. Vick did have the day's longest completion, in a later team drill. Zach Sudfeld delayed nicely in rolling off the line, and took advantage of the open field created by a heavy blitz. Vick spotted Sudfeld wide open over the middle, just beyond the line of scrimmage. Sudfeld caught the ball and ran about 75 yards for a touchdown.

Stats (team drills): 3-for-4, sack on Thursday. Overall, Vick is 31-for-47, five sacks, two interceptions.

Number of first-team reps: 0 on Thursday (0 percent), 27 to date (20.6 percent)

Quote from Vick: "The defense has their day some days and we come out to be consistent and to be efficient, but (Wednesday) we had guys falling, balls being tipped. It was just a rough day, but we bounced back today, came back strong and that’s what it’s all about, the resolve that you have."

Quote from Ryan: "The value of having a guy like Mike Vick, that he's been in the system, a veteran player (that has) been in the system, so he doesn't need that type of, maybe the work, that Geno Smith will need."

If the season started today ...

Based on the fact that Smith got every single first-team snap Thursday, he remains The Guy.

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NEW YORK POST

Mangold and Ferguson have ‘unbreakable’ bond (Brian Costello) New York Post July 31, 2014

CORTLAND — Nick Mangold’s first memory of D’Brickashaw Ferguson came in Indianapolis during the 2006 NFL Scouting Combine.

At night, the players go from hotel room to hotel room interviewing with the different teams. Mangold was dressed in a polo shirt and jeans.

“Probably ripped,” he says.

Then he spotted Ferguson, whom he had met briefly at the Senior Bowl, in a three-piece suit.

“It’s a job interview,” Ferguson told Mangold.

“I was like, ‘oh no,’ ” Mangold said.

Fortunately for them, the Jets did not discriminate between formal wear and casual. They drafted both players in the first round that spring, forming a partnership that is entering its ninth season and a bond that both players say is unbreakable.

The two players are as different as their wardrobe choices that day. Mangold is a jokester; Ferguson is quiet. Mangold looks unkempt with his bushy beard and, until recently, his long hair; Ferguson always looks ready for a photo shoot.

But the pairing has worked. Every year the Jets enter the season with question marks, but Mangold and Ferguson are always the constants at center and left tackle, respectively. They have played in 126 regular-season games together, the most among every-down players since 2006, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Ferguson has never missed a snap. Mangold has missed two games.

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There are a few things you can count on with the Jets year in and year out. They’ll wear green and white. There will be some issue at quarterback. And Mangold and Ferguson will show up for work.

Along the way, the two have become close friends. Ferguson was in Mangold’s wedding. They ate Christmas dinner together at Mangold’s house last year with their families. Ferguson’s parents cheered for Mangold’s sister, Holly, when she competed in the Olympics.

“When you do those things for eight years, the relationship grows from teammates to hey, this guy is somebody I can really count on,” Ferguson said.

The two sat down with The Post this week after a training camp practice and reflected on their time with the Jets and each other.

The Jets took Ferguson with the fourth overall pick in 2006, hoping he would protect the quarterback for years to come. They selected Mangold 25 picks later, hoping he could replace Kevin Mawae.

Mission accomplished. They have gone to a combined eight Pro Bowls and Mangold has been named All-Pro three times.

“It’s amazing,” Mangold said. “It’s been a whirlwind since Brick and I met each other at the Senior Bowl way back in ’06. It seems like forever ago that we were there down in Mobile. It’s weird because it seems like forever ago, but then at the same time it’s gone so fast.”

During their time with the Jets, they have seen three playoff runs, Brett Favre, Tim Tebow, the Buttfumble, two AFC title games, the firing of Eric Mangini and the hiring of Rex Ryan. They are the longest-tenured Jets and two of only four players left on the team from the Mangini years.

They have gone from being the young guys in the locker room to the veteran leaders.

“We sound like old men,” Ferguson said before going into his best old- guy voice. “ ‘I remember when I was a rookie. We used to have two-a-days. My pads would still be dripping.’ People just look at us like, ‘What are they talking about?’ You kind of find like you’re the old guy in the barber shop talking about how the good, old days used to be.”

They started their first 82 games together, making them the first two players who entered the league together to start their team’s first 75 regular-season games on the same offensive line since 1970.

The streak was snapped in 2011, when Mangold missed two games because of a high-ankle sprain. He calls it one of his greatest disappointments and remembers an empty feeling as he watched his teammates leave for a trip to Oakland while he stayed behind.

“It was so disappointing, not just because I didn’t get to play and I didn’t get to help the team, but in the back of my mind I knew that Brick and I had been through so much together,” Mangold said. “I felt like I was letting him down by not being out there personally.”

The Jets lost both games Mangold missed, suffering massive communication problems along the offensive line .

“When you have a guy like Nick that is such a high-level, high-caliber player, All-Pro center,” Ferguson said, “you can tell the difference when you have the guy that is still an NFL-caliber player but doesn’t have that elite status that Nick brings to the table. Those games, I don’t know if it was by coincidence, happened to not be our very best games. It just shows the value of the center is really key.”

Both speak with great admiration for the other. Mangold said he thinks Ferguson’s toughness is underappreciated. Mangold said Ferguson’s preparation is something to behold.

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“[The thing] I respect most about his game how he’s a technician,” Mangold said. “The way he focuses in on the guy he’s going against and how he needs to defeat him and the time and preparation it takes. You see him out on the field and you can almost see him visualizing this guy that he’s going against. The preparation he puts in to going out there on Sunday and protecting the blind side and being that guy is amazing.”

Ferguson is amazed at Mangold’s ability to process the game. Mangold can come to the line, see the defense and call the protection for the line.

“He understands [defenses], but it’s not just that he understands that, it’s a split-second reaction,” Ferguson said. “He comes to the line, makes the Mike point and we’re going to turn the protection a certain way because I’ve seen this and I know how these guys will react. I know the formation. A lot of his thinking is like a computer where you might be pressing a button, but so many things have happened and all this code has already been written and it happens instantaneously.”

The two said going to back-to-back AFC Championship games in 2009 and 2010 are their best memories as Jets and their worst because of the outcome. Both are now 30 years old and they know the window is closing, but they still dream of bringing a Super Bowl win to the Jets.

“For me it drives everything that I do,” Mangold said. “I’m at the point in my career where I’m chasing that ring. You look at it and you get so many chances. Early in your career you think you have a gazillion of them. As you move along, you see guys retire around your age and you realize these guys are done and it could happen to me at any point. It’s been my driving force. I want to get back there and have an opportunity to win one, especially for this team and this organization.”

Neither player is thinking about retirement yet. They know when they do, though, they will remain close.

“I think we’ll always have a relationship,” Ferguson said. “I think when you sacrifice so much for the game, you’ll always be connected to the people you sacrifice with. … When you’ve been through the times we’ve been through, grinding out as rookies or playing big games or coming over and supporting one another’s family I think when you have all those experiences you’ll always be connected. I don’t think because we’re not working in the same area that connection will be severed.”

Mangold smiled: “Yep, you’re stuck with me, Brick.”

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The ultimate insiders’ view of some memorable Jets characters (Brian Costello) New York Post August 1, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/08/01/the-ultimate-insiders-view-of-some-memorable-jets-characters/

CORTLAND – Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson have seen a lot in their time together with the Jets. Since both player were drafted in 2006, the team has been through some wild times. They sat down with The Post this week and reflected on some of the memorable characters:

From Mangold

On Chad Pennington: “We were playing Miami in Miami in ’06 and we’re in the huddle and bullets are flying, it’s crazy and Pete Kendall is sitting there and he was chirping about something, the play clock or something and he’s yelling at Chad. Chad yells, ‘Pete, this isn’t my first rodeo. I’ve got this.’ I’m sitting there and this is the NFL and I’m sitting in this huddle thinking, ‘This really goes on. It’s crazy.’ Chad was confident in what he could do. He knew his stuff in and out. He was one of the smartest people I’ve known.”

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On Eric Mangini: “He was one of the smartest coaches I’ve been around. He knew his defense in and out. It was crazy to watch him. You know Rex knows his defense in and out but for some reason Mangini … it’s like Rex is street smart where Mangini is book smart. Coming from Ohio State to that it was like, ‘Wow, he really knows what he’s talking about.’ ”

On Mark Sanchez: “My first experience with a rookie quarterback. It was interesting to have to deal with not only O-line stuff, but also what was going on behind us. We played together four years. We came real close. He’s one of those guys you want to be around. He’s got that personality. He remembers everything. He’ll call my wife on her birthday and things like that. That’s the kind of guy he is. He’s one of those guys you want to be around.”

On Tim Tebow: “It was interesting to have him come here and the way that season unfolded. You just wish him all the best.”

From Ferguson

On Brett Favre: “His presence affected everybody in the building. He had done so much in this league. We all saw him as that Hall of Fame guy. The way he played, how he interacted, we were a little bit in awe. We had our run with Favre. That was a fun time. Some players who come in this locker room just really change how things are done. I think he was one of them.”

On Rex Ryan: “Rex is one of the few coaches that I’ve seen that isn’t scared to say anything to anyone at any time. I think he was really one of the motivations why we thought, ‘You know what? We can win a Super Bowl.’ Because he said we could. His passion and his belief in us as a team it was genuine. We felt it. That was something we hadn’t felt in a while where we had somebody that was so passionate that it was almost as if he was contagious and everybody caught it.”

On Darrelle Revis: “Revis Island. He is a very impressive player. He was one guy that everyone knew that when he is on the field you have to watch out for. There’s always guys on the field that people say if we let this guy get loose or we let this guy do something, he’s going to wreck the game for us. Revis was our player where people had to know where he was. People wouldn’t throw to his side. People feared what he could do because every week he showed it. It was great to have him on our team. He was a quiet guy. He was a polished player who worked on his craft and really inspired players to up their game.”

On Geno Smith: “He came in here, and the one thing I was very impressed with him is he took his opportunity and made the most of it. He picked up the system very well. A lot of people put pressure on the QB position because they touch everything we do. I feel like, as a younger player, he did his best. He didn’t let our team down. I feel like he had a great attitude and led by his spirit. I never really saw him down even in the game when Simms came in or they tried to make changes. He didn’t change as a person. He was able to weather the storm. I feel that given the opportunity he will continue to improve and become a very good quarterback. He’s a good quarterback now. I think he’ll be even better.“

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Jets mates grumble about tight end Jace Amaro: ‘Can’t catch a cold’ (Brian Costello) New York Post July 31, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/07/31/heres-why-jets-tight-end-jace-amaro-cant-catch-a-cold/

CORTLAND — The ball hit the ground and the barking at Jets rookie tight end Jace Amaro began.

On one side, defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson taunted Amaro for letting a ball bounce off his hands. On another side, quarterback Geno Smith yelled and used hand gestures to demonstrate how Amaro

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should have run the route. A player jeered, “Can’t catch a cold,” and as Amaro walked back to the huddle, it was offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg’s turn to give Amaro an earful.

The second-round pick from Texas Tech is getting his introduction to life in the NFL. On Wednesday, he returned to practice after injuring his knee Sunday — and he may wish he hadn’t. He had a terrible drop, ran some wrong routes and slipped on a play, allowing his defender to intercept the ball.

“I felt like I went through a similar transition in college,” Amaro said. “I struggled a lot my freshman year. It’s a process. It takes a little bit and I ended up doing what I did at Texas Tech. I kind of play it the way I did back then. I wasn’t All-America my freshman year. It takes some time.

“But I feel like I’m more advanced than I was coming into college. That’s a plus. I feel like it’s going to come a lot quicker than a lot later. But I’m not worried about it. I just have to get better every day. I feel like I did some good things today. I won almost every one-on-one route I run. It’s just finishing the play and making sure I’m doing the little things right.”

For Amaro, the learning curve is a steep one as he goes from a relatively simple offense at Texas Tech to Mornhinweg’s system. He is transitioning from a number-based play-calling system to the Jets’ system that uses words.

“It’s like speaking Chinese to English, numbers to crazy lingo,” he said. “It took me a while and I’m still figuring it out. I don’t feel like I’m getting there. But eventually it will start clicking and once it does, I feel like I’ll be able to showcase what I can really do.”

The Jets took Amaro in May’s draft, hoping he would create matchup problems for opponents and give Gang Green a stud tight end like the ones they have had trouble defending in recent years. Amaro set an FBS record in 2013 for receiving yards by a tight end with 1,352, catching a whopping 106 passes in his junior year before turning pro.

So far, though, Amaro has been underwhelming in practice. Drops were a problem in the spring and have been again in training camp. The coaches chalk up the drops to him being bogged down by thinking too much about his assignments.

“Guys, he caught 106 balls,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “Did he drop some balls? Yeah. But we know he’s got the physical skills to do it. He’s got to focus. Sometimes if your head’s in other places and you’re thinking and all that, it’s hard to be at your best.”

The drops should not get Amaro down. He does not lack confidence. In the spring, he said he wanted to catch 100 passes and be like Tony Gonzalez.

“I have big expectations for myself,” Amaro said. “I know what I can do. I’m making a lot of things a lot more difficult than what they really should be because I’m not completely comfortable yet with this entire organization from the playbook and knowing how the coaches coach. It took me a little while to get [Texas Tech coach Kliff] Kingsbury’s offense down and once I did, I felt like I really took off. We’ll see if it can play the same situation.”

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‘Too fancy’ Geno drawing ire of Jets’ offensive coordinator (George Willis) New York Post July 31, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/07/31/too-fancy-geno-drawing-ire-of-jets-offensive-coordinator/

CORTLAND — Apparently, Geno Smith is getting too “fancy” for his own good, something the Jets quarterback will have to monitor or incur the wrath of offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg.

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A day after the worst offensive showing of training camp, Mornhinweg blamed Smith in part for the unit’s turnover-plagued showing against the Jets defense, saying the quarterback’s comfort level with the offense is giving him a false sense of security.

“He’s to the point where on occasion, he’s double looking off [defenders] and these kinds of fancy things and we just got a little too fancy [Wednesday],” Mornhinweg said Thursday. “It’s just that simple. We were just trying to do too much and too fancy.”

Hmmm.

“Fancy” would not have been the word most would have used to describe Smith’s performance Wednesday, when the entire offense was mistake-prone no matter who was under center. Smith and Michael Vick each threw an interception, while rookie Tajh Boyd was picked off three times. Interceptions, dropped passes, fumbles, missed assignments and penalties created what head coach Rex Ryan called a “feeding frenzy” for the defense.

Wednesday’s practice was the one “sub-par” day Smith has had in camp, Mornhinweg said.

“The whole offensive football team was sub-par on that particular day,” he said.

Thursday offered a day for redemption. The offense rebounded by winning a few battles during the goal-line drills and generally not making the same mistakes that were made Wednesday.

“I liked the way we competed,” said Smith, who continues to take the bulk of the reps with the first team while Vick remains content as the backup. “We battled hard and we got better. Guys were getting low and hitting. We’ll go back to the film, and figure out what we need to get better at and move on from there.”

The goal-line plays didn’t offer much time for “fancy” footwork, though Mornhinweg likely whispered in Smith’s ear to keep things simple. Otherwise, Mornhinweg seems happy with the progress Smith has shown in his second training camp. His footwork along with his ability to recognize defenses and find receivers has continued to build on the baby steps of a year ago. But Mornhinweg doesn’t want Smith to stray from the basics.

“We’ve got to keep it simple in our mind,” Mornhinweg said. “He’s at the level right now … his eyes and feet … he’s really progressed that way. I thought he did a heck of a job down the stretch last year. The ball security thing, I think you have to give him some credit there. He got that thing fixed. We’ll see if it stays fixed.”

For whatever reason, the Jets aren’t ready to officially name Smith the starting quarterback for the first preseason game Thursday against the Colts, much less the season opener. In one breath, Mornhinweg says he wants all four quarterbacks to compete with each other. In the next breath, it’s easy to figure out the depth chart currently stands with Smith starting, Vick as the backup and Matt Simms as the third quarterback. The rookie Boyd is a bit overwhelmed.

“We’ll see. We’re not even concerned about that,” Mornhinweg said. “It hasn’t been discussed.”

Any notion this is a true quarterback competition between Smith and Vick is folly, considering Smith is getting the preponderance of reps with the first team. But the Jets remain enamored with Vick’s experience and dynamic skills.

“Mike is all in,” Mornhinweg said. “He’s here to push Geno, to compete with Geno and make Geno the best quarterback he can be. And he’s got to be ready when called upon to play at that high level. Mike’s got the awe factor.”

The Jets hope Smith has an awe factor, too, as long as it’s not too fancy.

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Jets find way to give Geno even bigger advantage over Vick (Brian Costello) New York Post July 31, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/07/31/jets-find-way-to-give-geno-even-bigger-advantage-over-vick/

CORTLAND – Jets general manager John Idzik promised “ebb and flow” in the way first-team reps would be divided among the quarterbacks. Consider this a big ebb.

Geno Smith took all 16 of the first-team reps Thursday with Michael Vick being relegated to the second team. It was a departure from the previous days in camp when Smith took about 75 percent of the first-team snaps.

Vick did not seem bothered by the development.

“It’s pretty much been that way,” Vick said, “so like I said, I told Marty (Mornhinweg) and Marty knows I understand that look, we have a certain mission to accomplish and we’ve got to get things going, we’ve got to get on the right track and I understand that. I won’t stand in the way of that.”

Vick has maintained all along that there is no competition for the starting job despite Idzik and coach Rex Ryan pretending there is one.

“It doesn’t affect me at all,” Vick said of working almost exclusively with the second team. “I know how to approach practice in a professional manner, so that I take advantage of every rep that I get. I come to work every day to get better. I feel like I’m getting better each and every day and that’s a great feeling at the age of 34 when you feel like you’re coming to work and you’re getting better. (I’m) pushing the young guys and still pushing myself and still watching the film feeling like I’m getting good results.”

The final question of Vick’s meeting with the media Thursday was whether he thought the coaches had already made a decision on Smith being the starter.

“I’m outta here. Have a good one,” Vick said, walking away and then patting the reporter who asked the question on the butt.

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Who got the better of Jets’ first physical confrontations (Brian Costello) New York Post July 31, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/07/31/who-got-the-better-of-jets-first-physical-confrontations/

CORTLAND – Finally, some hitting.

After months of no contact or little contact, the Jets had a practice that featured actual, live tackling on Thursday. The Jets were practicing short yardage and goal line and coach Rex Ryan believes the only way to do that is to go live.

“Let’s go. Let’s see what you got,” one coach yelled at the beginning of the team period.

The goal line drill was the highlight of the day. It was a pretty even matchup when the starting offense squared off with the starting defense. But the matchup of the second and third teams were dominated by the defense.

In all they ran 10 plays and the defense won 8 of them.

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Here’s the breakdown of the first-team reps:

- FB Tommy Bohanon stuffed by NT Damon Harrison and S Dawan Landry.

- RB Chris Ivory goes up the middle for a touchdown. It looked like guard Willie Colon led the way.

- QB Geno Smith rolled out on a bootleg, looked to throw but then tucked it under his arm and ran it in for a touchdown.

- Ivory then got stuffed by a host of Jets defenders.

There was only one minor scuffle during the goal line period with defensive end Sheldon Richardson and tight end Jeff Cumberland getting into it.

When the second team was on the field, outside linebacker Jason Babin made a nice play on a rollout by QB Michael Vick. He got in Vick’s face and forced him to throw it away.

RB Daryl Richardson has had some good moments in training camp, but he clearly is not a short-yardage back. He was stuffed three times at the goal line.

Rookie S Calvin Pryor, who suffered a concussion last Saturday, returned to the field Thursday but was not allowed any contact. He wore a red jersey so no teammates touched him. He has been cleared for physical activity, but no contact.

S Brandon Hardin (foot), CB Johnny Patrick (hamstring), RB Bilal Powell (hamstring), WR Quincy Enunwa (hip) and DL Zach Thompson (shoulder) did not practice. OLB Garrett McIntyre (scheduled rest) and WR David Nelson (groin) were limited.

Rookie CB Dex McDougle (groin) left practice.

RB Chris Johnson did not do any team drills, as part of the team’s plan to rest him.

Rookie TE Jace Amaro made a nice catch early in practice one day after having his worst practice. … The first collision of the day was a good one with S Antonio Allen running up to meet Ivory in the hole. … DL Tevita Finau had a sack. … WR Eric Decker made the catch of the day during 7-on-7 drills. Smith threw a deep ball across the middle too high and Decker went up and got it, making a fingertip catch. … CB Kyle Wilson got singled out by Ryan for great coverage on Jeremy Kerley during 7-on-7 drills. … CB Ellis Lankster nearly picked off Vick on a throw to Michael Campbell, but dropped it. … QB Matt Simms made a pretty throw to Campbell on a hard, sideline route. … Smith and Nelson connected on a 40-yard pass down the sideline. … Vick found TE Zach Sudfeld on a seam pass and he took off for an 80-yard touchdown.

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Marty Mornhinweg feels better about Geno Smith and NY Jets offense, but still plenty work to do (Seth Walder_ New York Daily News August 1, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/doubt-geno-smith-mart-mornhinweg-guy-jets-qb-article-1.1887888

CORTLAND — For the first time in training camp, Jets offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg spoke about his offense.

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Unlike Rex Ryan and members of the defense, there were no boasts, no guarantees of greatness. Rather, Mornhinweg was extremely cautious talking about his group.

“My feeling is we’re much further along but let’s not let that trick us,” Mornhinweg said Thursday. “That doesn’t mean we’re any better at all.”

Actually, the Jets can’t get much worse. Gang Green ranked 25th in total offense last season and 29th in points scored behind rookie Geno Smith and one of the worst receiving corps in the league.

It’s why the Jets signed wide receiver Eric Decker and running back Chris Johnson. Add them to what the Jets certainly hope is an improved Smith, and there is reason for optimism.

“A year of experience alone makes it much, much different,” Mornhinweg said of Smith, who threw 21 interceptions last year and fumbled eight times. “The ball-security thing: I think you’ve got to give him some credit there now. He got that thing fixed. And we’ll see if it stays fixed. That’s the challenge there.”

Smith, at least according to GM John Idzik, is in an even quarterback competition with Michael Vick. No one has been buying that talk for months, and on Thursday he took all 16 of the first-team reps in practice, a deviation from the roughly 75-25 split he held through training camp with Vick before Thursday.

Still, the Jets have yet to name a starter for their first preseason game on Thursday at home against the Colts. Mornhinweg said the subject “hasn’t even been discussed.”

The change in reps didn’t seem to surprise Vick, who has repeatedly said he thinks the job belongs to Smith.

“I mean pretty much it’s been that way,” Vick said. “Marty knows I understand that we have a certain mission to accomplish and we’ve got to get things going, we’ve got to get on the right track and I understand that. I won’t stand in the way of that.”

Mornhinweg indicated he still wants to get Vick “more than a handful” of first-team reps so that he can build a rapport with the receivers. Ryan said after practice that he didn’t even know that Smith had gotten every first-team snap.

When he met with reporters after practice, Vick was asked if he thought the team had made up its mind on the starting quarterback job.

“I’m outta here. Have a good one,” Vick replied, immediately walking out of the interview area and patting the reporter who asked the question on the butt. The quarterback seemed good-natured about it — he was smiling as he walked away and said it was a “fair” question — but nonetheless did not answer it.

He didn’t have to.

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Michael Vick knows he is Geno Smith's backup with NY Jets, but has faith he will get a chance (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News August 1, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mehta-jets-backup-qb-michael-vick-giving-hope-article-1.1887905

CORTLAND — He can deal with the flecks of gray in his hair staring back him in the mirror, but he won’t concede much else. Age has not robbed Mike Vick of his jaw-dropping skills, if you ask him.

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He lives in the moment, prays for another chance to show off his gifts and knows that, even at age 34, the end is not near.

“I want to play until I’m 40,” Vick told the Daily News after practice on Thursday.

Vick has done a masterful job handling his new role with the Jets, mentoring the man with the job that he would love to have, rising each day believing that his time will come again ... here or someplace else down the road. He is a changed man, a humbled man and a man who knows exactly how to defuse a potentially combustible situation.

Vick has made it so easy for everyone around him. This is Geno Smith’s team, he says. He is here to help, he says, but don’t get it twisted. He can still play.

“You never envision yourself being in this role (when you’re younger),” Vick said. “But as you grow older, you start to (realize) it’s inevitable. You know it’s going to happen. At the same time, I just try to keep myself in shape and keep trying to be the best that I can be, because you never know what can happen.”

You never know what can happen.

The Jets are not in the middle of a quarterback competition. Vick understood that long ago, while some people in the organization suggested otherwise. He took no reps with the starters in team drills on Thursday.

Although offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said Thursday that the brain trust hasn’t even discussed which quarterback will start the first preseason game against the Colts next week, Smith will be the Week 1 starter against the Raiders, barring injury or an epic flop in the preseason.

Vick isn’t losing sleep over any announcements. He knows the deal.

He has found perspective and peace in his life, never losing sight of the bigger picture: He wants to start in the NFL again.

“I’m hoping and praying that it can happen at some point,” Vick said. “As of right now, I got to live in the moment. I’m a Jet and I got to make sure that I’m ready to go when there’s an opportunity if I’m needed.”

The organization has its fingers crossed that Smith can pick up where he left off last December and grow in his second season. However, Vick is the best Plan B that Rex Ryan has ever had at the position. If Smith stumbles early, don’t be surprised if Ryan & Co. turn to Vick, who has been savvy enough not to rock the boat this spring and summer.

“He’s got to be the youngest 34-year-old there is,” Ryan told The News. “God touched him. He’s got so much natural ability. It’s amazing. ... He’s instinctive. He’s still got unbelievable (ability to) escape and he’s still got a bazooka for an arm.”

Ryan knows he has one of the best insurance policies in the league. Vick still has highlight-reel talent entering his 12th season. On Thursday, he quickly recognized a busted coverage on a blitz, turned to his blind side and flicked a pass to tight end Zach Sudfeld that went for an 80-yard touchdown.

He plays with an enviable effortlessness, a smooth style on the practice field that makes you wonder how the Jets would do this season if he was the starter.

A few days ago, wide receivers watched in awe as Vick did a patented spin to get around the edge.

“That’s Vick being Vick,” David Nelson said. “That’s his element. He’s still got it. I’m excited to see what he can do. Hopefully we can utilize his abilities and gifts.”

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Vick, who beat speedy former teammate LeSean McCoy in a foot race in Philly last year, says he’s lost a couple tenths off his 40-yard dash time, but he still can clock a 4.4.

“I’ll be running a 4.4 when I’m 39,” he says matter-of-factly before my incredulous laugh prompted him to double down. “When I’m 39, you come find me . . . and bring some money.”

Mornhinweg used Vick as a change-of-pace/Wildcat quarterback with the Eagles in 2009, raising an intriguing possibility that the veteran could do what Tim Tebow couldn’t for Ryan’s team.

“I just don’t want to go in and screw up the rhythm of the game,” Vick said of playing Wildcat packages. “I think it’s important to keep the rhythm going, keep the momentum going and to not be in the way. It has to be right when it’s time to do that.

“It’s not something that you want to continue to do throughout the course of a game like 15 or 20 times. Yeah, as a changeup, I’m cool with that. I’m a football player. I’m an athlete, baby.”

He’s also become a beloved figure among the younger generation of players, a role model who grew and matured as a man after 18 months in prison for his role in a federal dogfighting ring. His exploits on the field resonate.

“They grew up watching me,” Vick said. “I was the most dynamic player in this league years ago. Still, in the last couple years. I did things that people didn’t see ... and haven’t been done since. And I still can do it. It was a cool era. It was the Mike Vick Experience.”

The fire still burns bright in the twilight of his career.

“Did I want to be a Week 1 starter? Absolutely,” Vick said of his mind-set after the Eagles didn’t re-sign him. “You just have to be patient.”

Vick may not be the Jets’ starter right now, but he’s smart enough to know the reality of the NFL.

It’s a very long season.

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At least NY Jets' defense at goal line is good; offense not so much (Seth Walder) New York Daily News August 1, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-insider-goal-line-good-offense-article-1.1887886

Training camp football is a much gentler game, but on Thursday the Jets practiced the real thing on the goal line. Rex Ryan believes the only way to run goal-line drills is by allowing full tackles to the ground — except for the quarterback.

To almost no one’s surprise, the defense carried the day, stopping the offense on eight of 10 attempts to score from at or inside the two-yard line.

The first-team offense fared decently: On four attempts it scored twice as Chris Ivory powered into the end zone once and Geno Smith ran inside the right pylon for another.

Though Ivory excelled in short-yardage work — which was also live — the defense gobbled up Daryl Richardson at the goal line after each first team had made way for the backups.

Despite effectively winning, 8-2, defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman didn’t sound completely satisfied. “They scored some, we stopped some, they scored some,” Thurman said. “Maybe one too many.”

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Chris Johnson did not participate in the live drills as Thursday was his regularly scheduled day off from team drills. Bilal Powell continued to be sidelined by a hamstring injury.

NOW WALK THE WALK

Thurman said he doesn’t think Dee Milliner’s declaration that he is the best cornerback in the league means anything until the second-year corner hits the field.

“You have to go out and play,” Thurman said. “Nobody goes out and talks their way through the National Football League, you have to perform your way through this league.”

NO CONTACT

Calvin Pryor returned to practice Thursday after being cleared for physical activity, although he hasn’t been cleared for contact. The safety wore a red non-contact jersey at practice. WR David Nelson (groin) also returned to action, but rookie WR Quincy Enunwa (hip) and RB Alex Green (chest) were out. Rookie CB Dexter McDougle was pulled from practice with a groin injury.

ABOUT FACE

Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg acknowledged the struggles of rookie tight end Jace Amaro, but predicted a quick turnaround.

“His expectations are high and so are ours for Jace. His challenge is, (and) he’s going to be a fine player, how quick he can get that thing done,” Mornhinweg said. “Somewhere next week (he should be) starting to feel real comfortable about what he’s doing.”

HILL WOWS ’EM

Mornhinweg went out of his way to praise wide receiver Stephen Hill, who has disappointed in his first two seasons.

“Stephen Hill (has been) outstanding,” Mornhinweg said.

But the Jets have showered Hill with compliments before, and he hasn’t produced. Mornhinweg was insistent this time the third-year wideout is getting better.

“Man alive, this offseason and into training camp, wow, he’s taken a huge jump and you see that in many cases where receivers in this league, that between the second and third year, they make a big jump, so he certainly has done that,” he said.

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NJ.COM

10 observations from Day 8 of Jets camp, where the offense woke up a little (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com July 31, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/10_observations_from_day_8_of_jets_camp_where_the_offense_woke_up_a_little.html

CORTLAND, N.Y. -- The question that hung over the proceedings at Jets camp on Thursday was whether the offense would still be as woefully poor as it was a day earlier, which was somehow worse than the unit had performed the day before that.

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Survey says: The offense bounced back. Here's what we noticed at SUNY Cortland on Thursday, the first full-contact, tackle-guys-to-the-ground practice of the summer. Somehow the rain stayed away for just about as long as the Jets were on the field. Off we go:

1. The offense showed some fight. Unlike Tuesday, which was marred by penalties, and Wednesday, which saw the offense do next to nothing right, the O managed to scrape itself off the canvas on Thursday to punch back at the defense. The highlights were Michael Vick reading a blitz to check down and find Zach Sudfeld, who easily raced for a long touchdown; Geno Smith connecting deep down the sideline for David Nelson before safety Antonio Allen could catch up; and a Smith lateral to running back Chris Ivory that went for a long gain.

2. Geno Smith gets all the QB reps. Darryl Slater has your full QB update over here, but Smith got 16 with the first-team, and Mike Vick got zero. Also, don't ask Vick about whether a starter's been named. He might smack your rear.

3. Goal-line drills were a draw. Well they were a draw for the first-teamers, anyway. In four first-team snaps from the two-yard line or closer, the offense scored twice and the defense held twice. Safety Dawan Landry stopped fullback Tommy Bohanan, running back Ivory punched it in, Smith scored after rolling to his right, and Ivory got stood up at the line of scrimmage, after which defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson and tight end Jeff Cumberland briefly got into a skirmish. The fifth snap for the first team resulted in a pass interference call against the defense. But after that the backup defense held the backup offense six straight times, with running back Daryl Richardson getting stuffed four times.

4. Offensive line fared well in drills with the D-line. The defensive line is the unit that often gets talke about, but in one-on-one drills, Willie Colon got pushed backwards a little but stood up Sheldon Richardson, and you could hear their collision as far away as Ithaca; Nick Mangold held Kenrick Ellis up; Muhammad Wilkerson got inside against Brian Winters but Winters got his hands up and didn't let him past; and Jason Babin tried going outside then inside against D'Brickashaw Ferguson, but Ferguson deftly moved his feet to keep Babin in front of him.

5. Antonio Allen digs in. Head coach Rex Ryan said after practice that he really likes the depth the Jets have at safety. And Calvin Pryor's continues absence meant more reps with the first team for Allen, who wasn't afraid to show off his tackling skills against the contact-welcoming Ivory. Allen stopped Ivory on one occasion and got run over by him another time, though he slowed him down enough that Ivory didn't advance the ball much further.

6. The daily guard rotation update. Brian Winters and Oday Aboushi had been switching sides at guard depending on the day, but Willie Colon mostly played on the right side with the first unit on Thursday, while Winters was on the left. Now that Colon seems to be fully recovered and back in the lineup to stay, will Winters and Aboushi begin rotating on the left side come Friday?

7. Ryan praises Kerry Hyder. An 6-foot-2, 280-pound defensive lineman, Hyder is an undrafted free agent out of Texas Tech, where he teamed with fellow rookie Jace Amaro. "I think that Kerry Hyder has popped out of nowhere. ... I think he’s been a pleasant surprise."

8. The Saunders block. On that Vick-to-Sudfeld long TD, rookie receiver Jalen Saunders stayed with cornerback Jeremy Reeves all the way downfield, blocking him so Sudfeld could switch directions as he neared the goal line before scoring. Saunders may have gotten away with a hold, but it wasn't called.

9. Defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman on talking. "You can talk all you want to, but this game is not about talking, it’s about actions," Thurman said. "So if you’re going to talk you have to back it up."

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10. Injury stuff. Linebacker Antwan Barnes (knee), safety Brandon Hardin (foot), Garrett McIntyre (standard occasional day off), cornerback Johnny Patrick (hamstring), running back Bilal Powell (hamstring), defensive end Zach Thompson (shoulder), receiver Quincy Enunwa (hip), and running back Alex Green (chest) all sat out. Cornerback Dexter McDougle tweaked his groin, but Ryan said he'd be OK. Safety Calvin Pryor (concussion) was limited, as was Nelson (groin). Chris Johnson did not partake in team drills, which is regularly scheduled maintenance for him.

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Chris Johnson: LeSean McCoy great last year, but Adrian Peterson and me are best (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com July 31, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/chris_johnson_lesean_mccoy_great_last_year_but_adrian_peterson_and_me_are_best.html

CORTLAND, N.Y. -- The Eagles' LeSean McCoy had his say earlier this week, when he suggested he was a better running back than the Jets' Chris Johnson.

And since there apparently can't be a day at Jets camp without a player being asked who's the best in the league, we put the question to Johnson, who was willing to concede some ground to McCoy as a superior running back—but only to a point.

"He's a pretty good back," Johnson said of McCoy, who won the NFL rushing title last year with 1,607 yards.

"If you put everybody's career and body of work up against each other, I wouldn't say he's had the best career. But he had the best year last year."

So who's had the best career?

"You've got to go either me or Adrian Peterson," Johnson said, referring to the Vikings star who's the only other active back in the league to rush for 2.000 yards in a season.

"Adrian Peterson started the year before me, so he has more yards than me. You have to put either me or him up there once you put the body of work together as far as rushing yards, touchdowns, receiving yards, all those types of things. I don't know think there's another back that you can put up there with us."

The Falcons' Steven Jackson is actually the NFL's active rushing leader (10.678 yards), but he only has about 500 yards more than Peterson (10,115), who has played three fewer seasons.

Peterson is second, and Johnson is sixth, behind Frank Gore (9,967), Willie McGahee (8,474), and Maurice Jones-Drew (8,071), all of whom have also been in the longer than Johnson.

McCoy is 13th among active backs (5,473), but he's played one less season than Johnson. That said, McCoy has as many catches as Johnson does, and more receiving yards.

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4 things to look for on Day 8 of Jets camp (Dom Cosentino)) NJ.com July 31, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/4_things_to_look_for_on_day_8_of_jets_camp.html

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CORTLAND, N.Y. -- The Jets are officially into their second full week of training camp here. We've broken all previous practices down for you on a daily basis as follows:

• Day 2

• Day 3

• Day 4

• Day 5

• Day 6

• Day 7

Now here's what we'll have an eye on Thursday:

• Can the offense bounce back? The defense has pretty much owned the O the last two days by throwing a grab-bag of blitzes and coverages at them that resulted in a number of turnovers, sacks, and passes defensed. Is this an indication the offense is sputtering, or that the D is really that good? We should get a better indication Thursday because ...

• Goal-line drills. The Jets are scheduled to do full-team goal-line drills Thursday, and as head coach Rex Ryan explained on Wednesday, there's no way to do them other than full-bore, with tackling to the ground and linemen going at each other. It promises to be eventful.

• Rain. It's raining as I type this now, and I also just heard some thunder. There could be some delays Thursday, but even if there aren't, conditions will be slick.

• Calvin Pryor's injury. The Jets rookie safety has not practiced since Saturday because of a concussion, and any decision on when he can return is entirely up to the the league protocol. Will he be back with a helmet on Thursday, at least in a limited, no-contact role? We'll find out within the hour.

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WEDNESDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS Associated Press August 1, 2014

http://www.chron.com/sports/article/Thursday-s-Sports-Transactions-5661270.php

BASEBALL

American League

BOSTON RED SOX — Traded LHP Jon Lester, OF Jonny Gomes and cash considerations to Oakland for OF Yoenis Cespedes and a 2015 competitive balance draft pick. Traded RHP John Lackey, LHP Corey Littrell and cash considerations to St. Louis for OF/1B Allen Craig and RHP Joe Kelly. Traded LHP Andrew Miller to Baltimore for LHP Eduardo Rodriguez. Traded SS Stephen Drew and cash considerations to the N.Y. Yankees for INF Kelly Johnson.

HOUSTON ASTROS — Traded RHP Jarred Cosart, INF/OF Kiki Hernandez and OF Austin Wates to Miami for 3B Colin Moran, OF Jake Marisnick, RHP Francis Martes and a 2015 compensatory draft pick.

MINNESOTA TWINS — Traded OF Sam Fuld to Oakland for LHP Tommy Milone and optioned Milone to Rochester (IL). Recalled 1B Kennys Vargas from New Britain (EL). Agreed to terms with C Kurt Suzuki on a two-year contract.

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NEW YORK YANKEES — Released INF Scott Sizemore unconditionally. Claimed RHP Esmil Rogers off waivers from Toronto.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS — Designated SS Jake Elmore for assignment. Optioned OF Billy Burns to Sacramento (PCL)

TAMPA BAY RAYS — Traded LHP David Price to Detroit, who sent LHP Drew Smyly and INF Willy Adames to Tampa Bay and OF Austin Jackson to Seattle. Seattle sent INF Nick Franklin to Tampa Bay.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Placed 1B Dan Johnson on the 15-day DL. Recalled RHP Chad Jenkins from Buffalo (IL).

National League

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Traded OF Gerardo Parra to Milwaukee for OF Mitch Haniger and LHP Anthony Banda. Traded INF Martin Prado to the N.Y. Yankees for C Pete O'Brien and cash considerations or a player to be named. Selected the contract of INF Andy Marte from Reno (PCL). Recalleed OF Roger Kieschnick from Reno.

CHICAGO CUBS — Traded INF/OF Emilio Bonifacio and LHP James Russell and cash to Atlanta for C Victor Caratini. Optioned RHP Blake Parker to Iowa (PCL). Recalled LHP Chris Rusin from Iowa.

COLORADO ROCKIES — Optioned INF Cristhian Adames and RHP Rob Scahill to Colorado Springs (PCL). Designated 3B Ryan Wheeler for assignment. Selected the contract of LHP Pedro Hernandez from Colorado Springs. Sent RHP Jordan Lyles to Colorado Springs for a rehab assignment.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS — Transferred RHP Tyler Thornburg to the 60-day DL. Optioned OF Logan Schafer to Nashville (PCL).

PITTSBURGH PIRATES — Designated RHP Josh Wall for assignment. Claimed RHP Angel Sanchez off waivers from the Chicago White Sox and optioned him to Altoona (EL).

SAN DIEGO PADRES — Traded OF Chris Denorfia to Seattle for RHP Stephen Kohlscheen and OF Abraham Almonte.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS — Optioned OF Tyler Colvin to Fresno (PCL).

WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Traded SS Zach Walters to Cleveland for INF Asdrubal Cabrera and cash considerations. Recalled RHP Blake Treinen from Syracuse (IL)

Frontier League

NORMAL CORNBELTERS — Signed INF Jorge Chavarria.

RIVER CITY RASCALS — Signed RHP Ethan Bader. Released OF Ryan Deitrich and RHP Chase Doremus.

BASKETBALL

National Basketball Association

DENVER NUGGETS — Signed C Jusuf Nurkic and G Gary Harris.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES — Named Jeff Bzdelik assistant coach, John Townsend director of player development and Trevor Moawad mental endurance coach. Promoted Jason March to assistant coach/advance scout and Drew Graham to trainer and vice president of player care.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS — Signed G Jerryd Bayless.

FOOTBALL

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National Football League

ATLANTA FALCONS — Announced the retirement of DT Peria Jerry.

CHICAGO BEARS — Signed OL Graham Pocic and T Dennis Roland to one-year contracts. Released WR Terrence Toliver with an injury settlement. Waived T Cody Booth.

DENVER BRONCOS — Signed DT Cody Larsen and DE Will Pericak.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS — Waived C David Snow from injured reserve.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS — Signed CB Kip Edwards.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS — Signed DE Jake McDonough.

American Association

AMARILLO SOX — Signed 1B Andres Rodriguez.

KANSAS CITY T-BONES — Signed RHP Joe Van Meter.

Can-Am League

NEW JERSEY JACKALS — Signed RHP Brady Adamek. Released C Yaniel Cabezas.

TROIS-RIVIERES AIGLES — Released RHP Evan Kirsch.

FOOTBALL

National Football League

ATLANTA FALCONS — Announced the retirement of DT Peria Jerry.

HOCKEY

National Hockey League

BOSTON BRUINS — Renewed their affiliation agreement with South Carolina (ECHL).

DALLAS STARS — Re-signed F Scott Glennie to a one-year, two-way contract.

OTTAWA SENATORS — Signed G Robin Lehner to a three-year contract extension.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS — Agreed to terms with F Nick Spaling on a two-year contract.

ECHL

IDAHO STEELHEADS — Agreed to terms with D Eamonn McDermott.

UTAH GRIZZLIES — Re-signed F Mathieu Aubin to a one-year contract.

LACROSSE

National Lacrosse League

BUFFALO BANDITS — Re-signed G Anthony Cosmo to a one-year contract.

COLLEGE

AUSTIN PEAY — Announced the resignation of Kirk Kayden golf coach.

CHESTNUT HILL — Named Michael Gospodarek softball coach.

CLEMSON — Named Kyle Shields premium seats coordinator/major gifts officer for IPTAY.

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JACKSON STATE — Named Maurice Johnson defensive line coach.

LA SALLE — Announced the resignation of men's and women's cross country and track and field coach Dan Ireland, to become director of cross country and track and field at Columbia. Promoted men's and women's assistant cross country and track and field coach Tom Peterson to head coach.

LIMESTONE — Named Holli Dawson assistant trainer.

LOYOLA (NO) — Named Jeff Lorio men's and women's golf coach.

MILES — Named Leon Douglas men's basketball coach.

NJIT — Named Danny Goncalves men's volleyball coach.

TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI — Named Kolby Banker women's assistant soccer coach.

WAKE FOREST — Suspended RB Dominique Gibson from the football team.