NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

April 29, 2016

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Table of Contents

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

Jets select Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee at No. 20 (Dennis Waszak) ................................................................. 2

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

NFL Draft: Darron Lee goes 20th overall to Jets (Kimberley Martin) ........................................................................ 2

Will Jets’ Ryan Fitzpatrick sit out season? (Kimberley Martin) ................................................................................. 3

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

Jets go with defense, choose Ohio St. linebacker Darron Lee No. 1 (J.P. Pelzman) .................................................. 4

WALL STREET JOURNAL ......................................................................................................................................... 6

Giants, Jets Look to Ohio State in NFL Draft (Jim Chairusmi) .................................................................................... 6

NEW YORK TIMES .................................................................................................................................................. 6

Jets Take Darron Lee, the Latest in a Long Line of Defensive Picks (Ben Shpigel) ..................................................... 7

NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................... 7

Ignoring fans and 2015 record may have saved Jets’ draft (Mark Cannizzaro) ......................................................... 7

Jets pick linebacker Darron Lee ‘to make us a lot faster’ (Brian Costello) ................................................................ 9

Ryan Fitzpatrick’s Jets lowball response isn’t to sit out 2016 (Brian Costello) ........................................................ 10

NJ ADVANCE MEDIA ............................................................................................................................................ 11

How (and why) Jets see Darron Lee as a fit for their defense (Darryl Slater) ......................................................... 11

Jets' Mike Maccagnan hints he passed on Myles Jack due to knee (Darryl Slater) ................................................. 13

Jets will not trade Muhammad Wilkerson, per Mike Maccagnan (Dom Cosentino) .............................................. 14

Jets draft Ohio State Darron Lee at No. 20, slot him at ILB (Darryl Slater) .............................................................. 14

What Darron Lee brings to the Jets (Dom Cosentino) ............................................................................................. 15

Jets-Ryan Fitzpatrick standoff: Eric Decker 'trying to get him to spill something' (Darryl Slater) ........................... 16

Would Ryan Fitzpatrick retire? Jets' Eric Decker says no (Darryl Slater) ................................................................. 18

Jets' Brandon Marshall to testify before U.S. Senate committee (Dom Cosentino) ............................................... 19

NFL Draft 2016: Jersey guy Eli Apple's dream is to play across from Jets' Darrelle Revis (Matt Lombardo)........... 20

How well have Jets done in later rounds of NFL Draft? (Darryl Slater) ................................................................... 21

ESPN NEW YORK .................................................................................................................................................. 22

No trade of Jets DE Muhammad Wilkerson, GM says (Rich Cimini) ....................................................................... 22

Jets pick LB Darron Lee in first round (Rich Cimini) ................................................................................................. 23

Ryan Fitzpatrick would rather not play than take Jets' current offer ...................................................................... 24

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................... 24

Jets select Darron Lee with 20th overall pick in NFL Draft (Manish Mehta) .......................................................... 24

Daily Clips Cont.

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THURSDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS .................................................................................................................. 25

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jets select Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee at No. 20 (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press April 28, 2016

http://pro32.ap.org/article/jets-select-ohio-state-linebacker-darron-lee-no-20

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets have selected Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee with the 20th overall pick in the NFL draft.

Lee had 12 sacks in two seasons with the Buckeyes as a speedy playmaker at outside linebacker. Jets coach Todd Bowles and general manager Mike Maccagnan said throughout the offseason that a key was improving the overall speed for the team, and their selection of Lee on Thursday night addresses that need.

Lee is regarded as an aggressive and explosive player off the edge who can stop the run as well as get to the quarterback.

Lee became the fifth Ohio State player drafted in the first round this year, joining former teammates Joey Bosa (No. 3), Ezekiel Elliott (No. 4), Eli Apple (No. 10) and Taylor Decker (No. 16).

Back_to_Top

NEWSDAY

NFL Draft: Darron Lee goes 20th overall to Jets (Kimberley Martin) Newsday April 29, 2016

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/nfl-draft-darron-lee-goes-20th-overall-to-jets-1.11741759

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The quarterback was there for the taking. So were the dynamic outside linebacker with top-five talent and the blazing-fast wide receiver.

But the Jets opted for another choice: Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee.

At the point that general manager Mike Maccagnan and coach Todd Bowles were on the clock at No. 20, Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch, UCLA linebacker Myles Jack and Notre Dame wide receiver Will Fuller were available. So was Alabama inside linebacker Reggie Ragland.

But the Jets selected a player who not only is talented but versatile. Lee’s speed? Well, that’s just an added bonus.

“What intrigued us the most about him is, he’s a younger player but he’s very athletic,” Maccagnan said. “ . . . He brings the ability to improve our overall team speed.”

For the seventh straight year, the Jets took a defensive player in Round 1 of the NFL Draft.

The last time they drafted a linebacker from Ohio State? Vernon Gholston, the sixth overall pick in 2008. Jets fans hope Lee brings far more on-field production than his fellow Buckeye did.

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Though Lee was listed as an outside linebacker at Ohio State, Bowles was quick to point out that the 6-1, 232-pounder will be an inside linebacker. He’ll play behind Erin Henderson to start but has the ability to be a three-down player. Lee also can play outside, the Jets said.

With the free-agent departure of Demario Davis (who went to the Browns), Lee will bring athleticism and speed to a linebacking corps that includes Henderson (Davis’ replacement) and longtime veteran David Harris.

At first glance, Lee appears to be undersized for the position. But Bowles made it clear that the Jets aren’t looking for the 21-year-old to bulk up. “He doesn’t have to be a 240, 250 linebacker,” he said. “That’s not what we were looking for.”

Bowles said they took Lee because he can go “sideline-to-sideline” and has good pass-coverage ability. That versatility and speed will be an asset against NFL offenses that like to spread out their opponents.

Though only a sophomore, Lee was a starting linebacker in 28 of 30 games for the Buckeyes. He trailed only Joey Bosa (the third overall pick Thursday night) in tackles for loss with 27 1⁄2 and quarterback sacks (12). A second-team Associated Press All-American in 2015, Lee had 147 career tackles, five pass breakups, 10 quarterback hurries and three interceptions.

“You knew on tape that he was a very fast linebacker,” Maccagnan said.

Said Bowles: “He makes us a lot faster.”

Lee, the fifth Ohio State player to be drafted in the Top 20 Thursday night, said he didn’t know the Jets would draft him, but he was happy they did.

“Honestly, I’m in shock because I could not believe [it] and all my dreams are finally coming true. It was just a great moment for me,” said Lee, a former Buckeyes teammate of Jets 2015 second-rounder Devin Smith. “I didn’t know anything, honestly. I just knew that I had a great visit, I thought that I connected with the coaches, especially [assistant head coach/linebackers coach Mike Caldwell] and Coach Bowles. It was just kind of a wait and see.”

No Wilkerson trade imminent. Despite the Jets’ attempts to trade defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, Maccagnan confirmed that it likely won’t happen before the draft is over. Back_to_Top

Will Jets’ Ryan Fitzpatrick sit out season? (Kimberley Martin) Newsday April 28, 2016

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/will-jets-ryan-fitzpatrick-sit-out-season-1.11742477

The Ryan Fitzpatrick saga has taken another unexpected turn.

The quarterback, who has been engaged in a contract logjam with the Jets since free agency began, reportedly is threatening to sit out the 2016 season and beyond.

Latest Jets stories

“There’s a lot of chatter out there that he’d rather retire than come back and play for the offer that they have on the table,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on air Thursday afternoon, just hours before the NFL Draft.

Fitzpatrick’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, could not be reached for comment.

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Fitzpatrick, who will turn 34 in November, has been seeking a multiyear deal comparable to the going rate for starting quarterbacks — somewhere in the range of $14 million to $18 million. The Jets, however, have no interest in paying him that much.

Their initial offer, according to a source, was about $7 million. It’s unclear how many counter- offers the Jets have made since then.

Fitzpatrick remains their top choice, but the Jets also have had an eye on other quarterback options this offseason, wining and dining free agents Robert Griffin III and Brian Hoyer in the past month. Each quarterback met with members of the front office and coaches during a two-day visit but left the facility without an offer.

Griffin, who was released by the Redskins on March 7, signed with the Browns on March 24. Hoyer traveled to Denver after his meeting with the Jets, but the Broncos didn’t offer him a deal, either.

Regardless of what happens during the draft, the Jets’ top priority remains re-signing Fitzpatrick. Despite the rumors that he either will retire or sit out the upcoming season, they plan to resume contract talks with him after the draft.

“We like Ryan very much,” general manager Mike Maccagnan said at his pre-draft sit-down with reporters. “We feel like we have a very good situation for Ryan here. He’s a very good fit for us, too. So hopefully at some point in time, we can work out some kind of an agreement on a contract.

“ . . . This is going to be a fluid process,” he added. “We’re trying to do everything within our power to re-sign the players we’d like to re-sign . . . and try to do something that will hopefully facilitate a deal, but it may take some time.”

The Jets have backups Geno Smith (their 2013 and ’14 starter) and Bryce Petty on the roster, but it’s clear that they want an experienced veteran as a placeholder before they hand over the offense to a quarterback of the future (whoever he may be).

Fitzpatrick, who was traded from the Texans in March 2015, quickly became a locker-room favorite. He threw a franchise- record 31 touchdown passes and had a career-high 3,905 passing yards last season en route to leading the Jets to a 10-6 record, one win shy of the playoffs.

His reunion with offensive coordinator Chan Gailey made all the difference in Fitzpatrick’s career resurgence. But he also had a few forgettable games, including two-pick performances against Buffalo and Houston in back-to-back weeks and three fourth-quarter interceptions against the Bills in the Jets’ win-and-in game in the regular-season finale. Back_to_Top

THE RECORD

Jets go with defense, choose Ohio St. linebacker Darron Lee No. 1 (J.P. Pelzman) The Record April 28, 2016

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/jets-go-with-defense-choose-ohio-st-linebacker-darron-lee-no-1-1.1555142

FLORHAM PARK – The Jets entered Thursday having not selected an offensive player in the first round since 2009.

Well, there’s always next year, right?

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The Jets took Ohio State outside linebacker Darron Lee with the 20th pick in the 2016 NFL Draft in Chicago. Lee, who redshirted as a freshman in 2013, started for two years in Ohio State’s base 4-3 defense, and totaled 12 sacks.

The 6-foot-1, 232-pound Lee will have to adjust to playing inside in a 3-4 scheme, which is what coach Todd Bowles and defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers use most of the time.

Scouts consider Lee to be a sideline-to-sideline linebacker, but he may have to add some weight to play inside in a 3-4, although both he and Bowles believe he can play the position at his current weight.

“We’re quite excited about what he brings to the organization in terms of his ability as a player,” general manager Mike Maccagnan said, “and from a character standpoint, too.”

The Jets chose the 21-year-old Lee instead of UCLA linebacker Myles Jack, who fell completely out of the first round because of a major knee injury.

Bowles said after the 2015 season that the Jets wanted to get faster on both sides of the ball, and Lee certainly fits the bill. He ran a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis in February.

Bowles downplayed Lee’s speed, saying, “You want a good football player first,” but then admitted that Lee is a good football player with terrific speed.

When asked what his strengths are, Lee said on a conference call that he is “able to hunt the ball down … and make plays.”

Lee, who was named a second-team All-American by the Associated Press in 2015, isn’t worried about his ability to play against the run as an inside linebacker.

He said he won’t have trouble “stacking up against the run,” even at his present weight.

Lee said he had no inkling that the Jets would select him.

“He’s going to grow into a three-down ’backer as he goes forward,” Bowles said. “He makes us a lot faster and he can do a lot of different things.”

The Jets still have not drafted an offensive player in the first round since 2009, when they made a trade with Cleveland and moved up 12 spots to select USC quarterback Mark Sanchez with the fifth overall pick.

The question now becomes whether Lee, as a first-round defender selected by the Jets, will follow in the mold of standouts such as defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson (2011) and talented but mercurial defensive end Sheldon Richardson (2013), or be more like first-round busts cornerback Kyle Wilson (2010) and defensive end-turned-linebacker Quinton Coples (2012).

Not to mention fellow Ohio State linebacker Vernon Gholston (2008), a colossal bust.

Maccagnan refused to discuss what other players the Jets considered with the pick, but said they fielded calls from other teams about a potential trade when they were on the clock with the 20th pick.

The Jets also inquired about potentially moving up, but the GM declined to discuss specifics.

If Lee starts this season, the former Buckeye would play alongside longtime stalwart David Harris, a former Michigan star who was drafted in 2007.

Lee was asked jokingly if he could coexist with a former Wolverine and said, “That’s water under the bridge.”

BRIEFS: The evening ended with Wilkerson still not having been traded, and Maccagnan indicated that it’s unlikely he will be moved anytime soon, just because it would have been easier to trade him prior to the

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draft. Wilkerson and the front office are at odds because the Jets have refused to give him a long-term deal, and instead placed the franchise tag on him for the 2016 season. Wilkerson has yet to sign the tender.

Maccagnan also was asked Thursday night about the continuing contract stalemate between the team and free-agent QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, but indicated there was nothing new to report. Back_to_Top

WALL STREET JOURNAL

Giants, Jets Look to Ohio State in NFL Draft (Jim Chairusmi) Wall Street Journal April 28, 2016

http://www.wsj.com/articles/giants-jets-look-to-ohio-state-in-nfl-draft-1461901681

Both New York football teams pulled from the Ohio State talent pool in Thursday’s NFL Draft.

The Giants with the 10th overall pick, took cornerback Eli Apple, while the Jets selected linebacker Darron Lee, with the 20th pick. In total, five Buckeyes were taken in the first 20 picks of the draft.

At No. 10, the Giants made a decision that few experts saw coming but seemed to have a rationale for adding Apple to a secondary that includes cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and free-agent acquisition Janoris Jenkins.

“When you have two corners in this league, you’re short one because the offensive teams throw the ball so much and you’ve got to have three quality corners to really get out there and function at a high level,” Reese said.

“I’m excited to get with those guys and really get to work and try to build a great secondary and be legendary,” Apple said.

Reese said he liked that Apple is from the Ohio State machine. “You like to get kids who’ve played in big time programs,” he said. “Kids that come from big programs are usually more ready to jump in and play at this level.”

Apple doesn’t turn 21 until August but his maturity impressed Giants coach Ben McAdoo. “I thought he did an outstanding job at the interview,” McAdoo said. “He was very well read, he knew football, he got ball and that was important to us, and he seemed like a high character young man.”

For the seventh straight year, the Jets took a defensive player with their first pick.

Lee, the Jets’ top selection, clocked the fastest time for a linebacker at the combine, with a 4.77 in the 40.

Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan described Lee as an inside linebacker that has the ability to be a three-down player. There are questions about Lee’s size (6 foot 3/4 inches) for the NFL.

But speed was one of the key factors cited by Jets coach Todd Bowles as an area that the team needed to improve. “We need to get faster,” Bowles said in January. “That’s always a process for me, being a faster team.”

Maccagnan also said that a trade for defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, who hasn’t been able to reach a long-term deal with the club, was unlikely. Back_to_Top

NEW YORK TIMES

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Jets Take Darron Lee, the Latest in a Long Line of Defensive Picks (Ben Shpigel) New York Times April 28, 2016

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/29/sports/football/new-york-jets-take-darron-lee-the-latest-in-a-long-line-of-defensive-picks.html

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The Jets’ draft philosophy, as explained by General Manager Mike Maccagnan, is not to let decisions be swayed by needs. If he were to factor them into his evaluations, it could skew the process, and so, Maccagnan has said, he adheres to his board and does not deviate.

As a chaotic first round unfolded Thursday night, careening toward the Jets’ selection at No. 20, and Maccagnan surveyed the players available, it would have been difficult for him not to address a deficiency. Given his pick of positions, Maccagnan went with a versatile linebacker, selecting Darron Lee from Ohio State.

The Jets could have chosen an offensive lineman, a quarterback or a cornerback, and it would have seemed reasonable. As it was, they bypassed two intriguing options — quarterback Paxton Lynch, of Memphis, and linebacker Myles Jack, of U.C.L.A. — to snag Lee, who Coach Todd Bowles said will play inside but has the potential to move outside as well.

Bowles said that Lee’s emergence as a threedown linebacker appealed to the Jets and that his strengths — speed, athleticism, agility — would be critical in a league featuring so many spread offenses. The Jets’ linebacking corps has absorbed several departures this offseason, including Demario Davis (Cleveland) and Calvin Pace (unsigned) and has an aging stalwart, David Harris, up the middle. It also lacks an obvious choice to play outside linebacker opposite Lorenzo Mauldin, the team’s thirdround pick last season.

Lee is expected to slot in behind Erin Henderson, but if he develops as the Jets hope, he will help the defense transition from Harris.

Lee, 20, who is 6 feet 2 inches and, according to Bowles, 232 pounds, recorded 12 sacks across his two seasons with the Buckeyes and 27 ½ tackles for loss.

Lee continues a trend that has spanned coaches and regimes: He is the seventh consecutive defensive player the Jets have taken with their first overall pick, a streak that began in 2010, the year after they traded up to choose Mark Sanchez.

They could still take a quarterback, perhaps as early as Friday, in the second or third round. Among the possibilities then will be Connor Cook of Michigan State, Christian Hackenberg of Penn State, Jacoby Brissett of North Carolina State and Dak Prescott of Mississippi State. Back_to_Top

NEW YORK POST

Ignoring fans and 2015 record may have saved Jets’ draft (Mark Cannizzaro) New York Post April 29, 2016 http://nypost.com/2016/04/29/ignoring-fans-and-2015-record-may-have-saved-jets-draft/

Good for the Jets. They did not reach. They stayed disciplined and did not make a pick simply to appease their fan base starved for yet another potential answer at quarterback who may or may not work out.

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The Jets stayed in their lane and continued to build the team from the foundation up, picking Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee, who figures to immediately improve team speed, which has been a problem for a few years now. Paxton Lynch, the impressive physical specimen at quarterback from Memphis, was staring the Jets in the face when their first-round pick — 20th overall — arrived shortly before 10:30 Thursday night.

Neither Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan nor head coach Todd Bowles blinked. Lynch, despite having become the popular prediction as the Jets’ pick in the most recent mock drafts, was never an option.

Six picks after the Jets took Lee, the Broncos — who can afford to make a reach pick on a project quarterback who cannot help them for at least a year while they spit-shine the Lombardi Trophy that gleams in a case in their lobby — traded up to No. 26 from 31 to take Lynch.

The Jets?

As enticing as Lynch’s physical skills and potential are, they could not afford to use their first-round pick on a project quarterback who may or may not pan out when they need too much help right now.

Bowles has talked since the middle of last season about the need to improve team speed — particularly on defense. This was his chance to do so and he did it.

The 6-foot-1, 232-pound Lee is not the edge pass-rusher the Jets would have loved to land, but they describe him as a three-down linebacker who’s athletic enough to run sideline to sideline.

The 21-year-old Lee, who had 12 sacks the last two years at Ohio State, will play alongside veteran David Harris.

“He can play the nickel now, and he will grow into a three-down linebacker,’’ Bowles said. “He will make us a lot faster, is a good pressure guy and a good cover guy who runs sideline to sideline. We’re going to use him in lot of different places. We need a guy that can run around.’’

Lee is not a make-or-break player who will make a seismic difference in their 2016 season. He’s a building block in what Maccagnan and Bowles are trying to construct.

The most astute among Jets fans (and that hopefully begins with the most important one of all, team owner Woody Johnson) surely understand that just about everything that could break right for the Jets last season did break right and their 10-6 record is not an automatic precursor to 11-5 or 12-4 and a playoff berth in 2016.

A look back at 2015 will show you that Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was not even brought in to be the starting quarterback, became the starter because of an unforeseen right cross to the jaw of presumed starter Geno Smith and Fitzpatrick went on to have the best season of his career with a franchise and personal record 31 TD passes.

Fitzpatrick’s top receiver, Brandon Marshall, was on his best behavior after a tumultuous career and played magnificently. Marshall’s presence liberated fellow receiver Eric Decker, who looked like just another average receiver in his first year with the Jets, in 2014.

The Jets did not sustain any significant injuries that kept key players out of the lineup for any extended periods of time. And their schedule was as easy as any in the league, having feasted on weakling NFC East and AFC South.

With this season’s schedule, the Jets trade the mediocre likes of Jacksonville, Tennessee, Houston, Dallas, Washington, Philadelphia and the Giants for the NFC West and AFC North, with games against Seattle, Arizona, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Baltimore on the slate.

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Add that with the fact that Fitzpatrick remains in a contract impasse with the team and the team’s best defensive player, tackle Mo Wilkerson, is unhappy without a long-term contract, and what Maccagnan and Bowles face is a highly difficult task even matching what they produced in 2015.

The drafting of Lee was one step in that process. The Jets have five more picks to make in the next two days.

Lee said coming to the Jets represents “all my dreams finally coming true.’’ He vowed to “bring speed to the defense.’’

It’s a good start for the Jets. They’re a better team on Friday morning with Lee than they would have been had they reached for the project quarterback. Back_to_Top

Jets pick linebacker Darron Lee ‘to make us a lot faster’ (Brian Costello) New York Post April 28, 2016

http://nypost.com/2016/04/28/jets-pick-ohio-state-lineback-darron-lee/

The Jets passed on the quarterback to take someone who can frustrate quarterbacks.

Gang Green selected inside linebacker Darron Lee out of Ohio State with their first-round pick Thursday night, the 20th selection overall. Lee is a speed demon who ran a blistering 4.47 40-yard dash at the scouting combine in February and can give the Jets some much-needed team speed. Lee is skilled in pass coverage and also can rush the passer.

“We’re quite excited about what he brings to the organization in terms of his ability as a player, but we also like him from a character standpoint, too, in terms of the work we did on him,” Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan said.

The Jets like Lee’s skill set and the fact he is a young player. He left Ohio State after his redshirt sophomore season and is only 21 years old. Lee had 44 tackles and four sacks last season after notching 7.5 as a freshman.

The knock on Lee is that he is weak against the run because he is small at 6-foot-1 and 232 pounds. Jets coach Todd Bowles said he is not concerned about Lee’s run-stopping, though, and is comfortable with him at his current weight. Bowles said Lee initially would back up Erin Henderson and come in against the pass, but the Jets believe he eventually will play every down.

“He can play as a nickel [linebacker] right now,” Bowles said. “He can grow into a three-down backer as he goes forward. He’s going to make us a lot faster, and we can do a lot of things with him. He’s a very good pressure guy, he’s a very good cover guy, and he runs sideline to sideline.”

The Jets had some interesting choices available at 20. UCLA linebacker Myles Jack, considered by some the best player in the draft, was there, but the Jets passed on him. Maccagnan would not address Jack specifically, but said medical concerns factor in when the Jets are making a pick. Jack has a knee condition that reportedly could require microfracture surgery, which knocked him down the draft.

The Jets were connected to Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch in many mock drafts in recent weeks and he was there at 20. Lynch would have been a risky pick at 20 because no one believes he is ready to play immediately.

Alabama inside linebacker Reggie Ragland also had a lot of buzz connecting him to the Jets, but Maccagnan and company liked Lee more.

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“He’s very athletic,” Maccagnan said. “We have a good core of players already. I think he brings the ability to potentially improve our overall team speed. We felt his ability to be a three-down player for us, both run and passing downs.”

Lee said he did not know the Jets were going to draft him but said he clicked with linebackers coach Mike Caldwell on his visit to the Jets. Now, he will play alongside veteran David Harris, who went to Michigan. Can a Buckeye and a Wolverine coexist?

“That’s all water under the bridge,” Lee said.

Lee said he is confident in his ability against the run, something his critics have knocked him on.

“I’m not really worried whatsoever,” he said.

This is the seventh straight year the Jets have taken a defensive player in the first round. The last offensive player they took was Mark Sanchez in 2009. The Lee pick might bring back some bad memories for Jets fans. The team famously took Vernon Gholston out of Ohio State with their first pick in 2008. Gholston went down as one of the worst picks in team history.

Maccagnan is banking on Lee not coming close to that distinction. Back_to_Top

Ryan Fitzpatrick’s Jets lowball response isn’t to sit out 2016 (Brian Costello) New York Post April 28, 2016

http://nypost.com/2016/04/28/ryan-fitzpatricks-jets-lowball-response-isnt-to-sit-out-2016/

The Jets entered the NFL draft on Thursday with one of their major offseason issues somewhat resolved and the other one still up in the air.

Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson has not been traded, making it a near certainty he will be on the Jets in 2016 either playing under the franchise tag or with a long-term deal.

However, the situation with free-agent quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick remained unsettled and shows no signs of ending anytime soon. A report surfaced Thursday afternoon that Fitzpatrick would rather sit out this season than play for what the Jets are offering. A source told The Post that was not true, though, and Fitzpatrick still hopes to get a deal done with the Jets.

There may be some semantics at play here because it is clear Fitzpatrick does not want to play for what the Jets are offering, believed to have started in the $7 million-$8 million range and upped a little since then. Fitzpatrick is open to playing for another team, but no one has expressed interest in him at his asking price of around $16 million.

Fitzpatrick, 33, threw for a franchise-record 31 touchdowns last season after coming to the Jets in a trade with the Texans. He clicked with receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker and thrived under offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, his former coach in Buffalo. Both sides said at the end of the season they wanted to stay together in 2016, but the negotiations have gone nowhere since they began two months ago.

Wilkerson is in a similar situation to Fitzpatrick in that he is unhappy with what the Jets are offering him as a long-term contract. The difference is the Jets used the franchise tag on Wilkerson, 26, to keep him under team control for 2016. He will earn $15.7 million under the tag.

With a long-term contract unlikely, though, the Jets were open to trading Wilkerson, something they made clear to other teams in the weeks leading up to the draft. But no team was willing to give the Jets what they were looking for (a first-round pick for starters) and Wilkerson what he wants in a long-term

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contract (around $50 million guaranteed). A deal would have had to have been reached before the draft began because Wilkerson’s agent would need to negotiate with the team trading for him before a deal would be agreed to and the team getting Wilkerson would want to give him an extensive physical to check how the leg he broke in the season finale is healing.

There remains a minuscule chance the Jets could trade him after the draft, but player-for-player trades in the NFL are rare and the team acquiring Wilkerson would again have to be willing to give him a long-term contract.

While Wilkerson surely is unhappy that he was not moved because he has grown tired of the Jets dragging their feet on a contract, the Jets should be happy they have Wilkerson for another season. He is the team’s best defensive player and is coming off a Pro Bowl season.

The Wilkerson and Fitzpatrick situations have been the biggest story lines of the Jets’ offseason. The Wilkerson one will quiet for now. The team has until July 15 to work out a long-term deal with him, so tune back in then.

But the Fitzpatrick story drags on. It was unthinkable in February that Fitzpatrick would be unsigned at the draft. But as Roger Goodell opened the draft on Thursday, that was the case.

Marshall testified before a Senate Finance Committee hearing on mental health on Tuesday. Marshall was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder in 2011 and since has done work to increase awareness of mental health issues. He is the chairman of Project 375, which tries to reduce the stigmas surrounding mental illness. Back_to_Top

NJ ADVANCE MEDIA

How (and why) Jets see Darron Lee as a fit for their defense (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media April 29, 2016

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/04/how_and_why_jets_see_darron_lee_as_a_fit_for_their.html#incart_river_mobileshort_index

FLORHAM PARK — Years ago, you probably wouldn't have heard a 3-4 defense coach like Todd Bowles talk about playing a 6-foot-1, 232-pound player at inside linebacker. But that's exactly what Bowles did Thursday night, after hisJets drafted Ohio State's Darron Lee at No. 20 overall.

Lee is a smaller, faster linebacker, but Bowles believes he fits in today's NFL for precisely those reasons. Bowles believes Lee does not need to gain any weight in order to contribute on the Jets' defense.

"A lot of guys play smaller," Bowles said. "The game is more spread out now. It's not a big power game like it used to be, so you need a bunch of faster guys. We've got enough bigger guys down there, to where we need a guy that can run around.

"I'm happy with his weight right now. He doesn't have to be a 240- or 250-pound linebacker. That's not what we were looking for. We were looking for a more athletic guy that had some speed — and could play three downs and could go side to side and be versatile. So 232 is fine."

Then Bowles put on his scheming hat.

"In today's game, you're getting a lot more spread-out offenses and empty [backfield] sets," he said. "The fullback is almost non-existent right now. So you need a little more speed here and there."

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For instance, Bowles said, in likely passing situations, some defenses pull a bigger, slower linebacker off the field and replace him with a smaller, faster, fifth defensive back — a nickel defense.

The rub there is, offenses can just run the ball and take advantage of the defense's lack of power. But if the defense stays bigger, and keeps that linebacker on the field, the offense can pass, and exploit a coverage mismatch.

Bowles believes Lee can play on all three downs, which will limit how often the Jets need to use substitution packages, like the nickel.

We'll see just how well Lee holds up against the run, while playing at the inside linebacker spot next to longtime middle linebacker David Harris. Bowles said Lee will begin behind Erin Henderson, at a spot Bowles refers to as "mo" linebacker.

Mike Mayock, the NFL Network draft analyst, called Lee "today's NFL outside linebacker" and "a sideline-to-sideline, three-down linebacker." Here's the potential problem Mayock envisions: "His weakness is if you cover him up [with a block] against a big body, he will struggle."

For his part, Lee doesn't think he'll have trouble stopping the run in the NFL. (Which is what you'd expect him to say.)

"I feel that I'll be fine stacking up against the run," Lee said. "I'm not really worried. I do feel comfortable that I can play [at 232 pounds]."

He has owned the Jets since 2000.

Time and again Thursday, Bowles and Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan emphasized Lee's potential as a three-down linebacker who didn't need to come off the field. Last season, the Jets' "mo" inside linebacker, Demario Davis, struggled in coverage. So Bowles replaced him with Henderson on passing downs.

The Jets clearly didn't think too highly of Davis. They let him leave for the Browns in free agency. Now, they'll see how the Henderson-Lee tandem performs at Davis' former spot.

"I think what intrigued us the most about [Lee], from a scouting standpoint, was the fact that he is very athletic," Maccagnan said. "I think he brings the ability to potentially improve our overall team speed."

Lee ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine — the fastest time among all linebackers. But Maccagnan said he didn't need that 40 time to know Lee was fast. He could tell simply by watching film of him.

As for Lee's role with the Jets, Bowles said he is versatile enough to play inside or outside linebacker, but the coaches want to see him inside initially. Bowles said Lee is capable of subbing in as that nickel defender, too.

"He's going to grow into a three-down backer," Bowles said. "He makes us a lot faster, and you can do a lot of things with him. He's a very good pressure [rusher]. He's a very good cover guy. And he runs sideline-to-sideline.

"We're going to use him a lot of different places. But position-wise, he's a 'mo' linebacker. Schematically, he can be used quite a few ways. He'll move around in certain schemes. He's not a complete outside linebacker. He'll be inside. He can do some things outside, schematically, game plan-wise. But he's an inside guy."

It seems Lee could help the Jets upgrade their pass coverage at the linebacker level — an problematic area in recent years.

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"It wasn't so much a coverage-address pick," Bowles said. "It was more of having a potential three-down player that's coming with this pick. We've got a guy that can play three downs. We didn't want to get a specialty [pass rushing] guy.

"He covers very well. He needs a little bit of technique work [in coverage], but he's very athletic, he understands the game, and he's a very intelligent ball player." Back_to_Top

Jets' Mike Maccagnan hints he passed on Myles Jack due to knee (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media April 29, 2016

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/04/jets_mike_maccagnan_hints_he_passed_on_myles_jack.html#incart_river_mobileshort_index

FLORHAM PARK — The first round of the NFL Draft came and went Thursday night. And UCLA linebacker Myles Jack — once considered a potential top 10 pick — is still available.

The Jets had a chance to take him at No. 20, but they instead opted for Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee.

They also passed on Eastern Kentucky outside linebacker Noah Spence. He has a history of failed drug tests. Like Jack, he fell out of Round 1, despite his prodigious talent.

The issue for Jack, though, is his surgically repaired right knee, and how that might impact his football future. Teams are clearly wary about that.

After picking Lee, Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan danced around a question about why he passed on Jack. But if you read between the lines, it's fairly easy to see the Jets were not quite comfortable with Jack's medical report.

Here is Maccagnan's answer, in which he didn't specifically mention Jack:

"I would probably frame it this way: When you look at players, you look at them not only from their physical ability. And the other part of it you do take in [is] their physical health. We use that as part of our process, how we analyze players. I think that's what a lot of teams do. You have to weigh things accordingly. Because at the end of the day, you're making more or less investments. You're trying to think of not only what will give you the greatest yield. But the other aspect of it is how you think that player is going to develop or perform over a period of time."

So what's the deal with Jack's knee?

Well, it was described as a "time bomb" in the lead-up to the draft.

Which means what, exactly? Here is NFL Media's Ian Rapoport with more details:

The repair of the lateral meniscus that tore off the bone when he suffered the injury in September is not the issue, according to several sources with direct knowledge of Jack's situation. Instead, the cartilage and bone have begun to separate, creating what is referred to by medical professionals as an osteochondral defect.

If or when the bone and cartilage fully separate, Jack will need to undergo another procedure and it will keep him out for a prolonged period of time. One possibility is microfracture surgery, though there are other options that teams have discussed.

Microfracture surgery, in short, is a big deal. It can end careers, but not neccesarily always does. (Here's more about that type of surgery.)

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So you can understand why teams would be nervous — and why a linebacker-needy organization like the Jets would even steer clear of Jack. None of this, of course, means Jack will flame out in the NFL. But he's a risky pick right now. Back_to_Top

Jets will not trade Muhammad Wilkerson, per Mike Maccagnan (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media April 28, 2016

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/04/jets_will_not_trade_muhammad_wilkerson_per_mike_ma.html#incart_river_index

FLORHAM PARK — Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan late Thursday night confirmed what had been expected once the NFL Draft began: The Jets would not be trading defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, on whom they have placed the franchise tag.

NFL Draft 2016: Everything on table for Jets 4/26/16NJ Advance Media Jets beat reporter Dom Cosentino gives an overview of the team's options heading into the 2016 NFL Draft. 4/26/16 (Video by Dom Cosentino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

"I would not envision that happening," Maccagnan told reporters after the Jets selected Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee with the No. 20 pick in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Wilkerson seeks a long-term deal, and his camp and the Jets are far apart in their negotiations. The franchise tag binds Wilkerson to the Jets for 2016 at a guaranteed salary of $15.7 million.

The Jets had been trying to move Wilkerson in the hopes of getting some kind of compensation, possibly even a first-round pick. But they couldn't find any takers

Maccagnan explained that a tag-and-trade would be difficult to execute because Wilkerson has not yet signed his franchise tender. Any potential trade partner would also have had to work out a new contract with Wilkerson, and with the draft now underway—it continues into Friday and Saturday—it's all but impossible to move the picks that would be required to complete the deal.

The Jets get a fast linebacker

The Jets have until July 15 to work out a contract extension with Wilkerson, at which point he can either sign the franchise tender, play out the year, and become a free agent, or hold out.

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Jets draft Ohio State Darron Lee at No. 20, slot him at ILB (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media April 28, 2016

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/04/jets_draft_ohio_state_olb_darron_lee_at_no_20.html#incart_river_index

FLORHAM PARK — The Jets on Thursday night had their pick of edge-rushing outside linebackers when their turn in the NFL Draft came up, at No. 20 overall.

Eastern Kentucky's Noah Spence was there, with his history of failed drug tests. So was UCLA's Myles Jack, with the concerns about his surgically repaired knee.

Ultimately, the Jets passed on both players — and on Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch. They opted to select Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee, as they attempt to get faster and more athletic at linebacker. And Lee is plenty fast and athletic.

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Lee, the fifth Ohio State player taken in the first 20 picks Thursday, brings speed to the Jets' 3-4 defense. But is he too lean to contribute as a rookie? That's what the Jets will have to find out.

After the pick, Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan and coach Todd Bowles said they do not immediately envision Lee as an edge-rushing outside linebacker, but rather as an inside linebacker. Bowles said Lee can play outside, but the Jets' coaches initially want to see how he performs inside.

Bowles said Lee will be on the depth chart, behind Erin Henderson, at the inside linebacker spot vacated by Demario Davis, whom the Jets let sign with the Browns in free agency. David Harris will continue to man the middle linebacker spot.

Henderson, who turns 30 in July, hasn't started since 2013 with Minnesota. But he played well at times while replacing Davis in passing situations last season. Davis struggled mightily in coverage. Bowles said he hopes Lee can be a three-down linebacker whom the Jets don't need to replace on passing downs.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Lee ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds. But he also measured just 6-foot-1 and 232 pounds. Bowles said he is comfortable with Lee's current weight, and that the Jets weren't looking for a bulky linebacker with this pick, but rather an athletic, three-down player.

Lee, 21, played just two season at Ohio State, because he redshirted as a freshman in 2013. So he does not have a vast amount of playing experience.

But his speed his undeniable. And perhaps it will also allow him to play better pass coverage than the Jets' linebackers have in recent years.

Last year, the Jets drafted edge rusher Lorenzo Mauldin in the third round. He showed promise as a rookie pass rusher, but still must prove himself as an every-down outside linebacker.

The Jets, during last season, cut rush outside linebacker Quinton Coples (a bust former first-round pick). After the season, they let veteran strong-side linebacker Calvin Pace become a free agent.

And now, they welcome more youth to their linebacker group, with Lee, whom the Jets chose over a couple other talented, edge-rushing outside linebackers, Spence and Jack. Will that prove to be the right decision? (Neither Spence nor Jack was picked in the first round.)

At this point, the Jets still haven't officially filled Pace's spot in the starting lineup. The presumptive current depth chart has Mauldin at rush outside linebacker, with Henderson and Harris inside — and Lee backing up Henderson.

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What Darron Lee brings to the Jets (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media April 28, 2016

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http://www.nj.com/sports/nfldraft/index.ssf/2016/04/what_darron_lee_brings_to_the_1.html#incart_river_index

Here are five things to know about Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee, whom theJets drafted with the No. 20 pick in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night.

Lee is a hybrid inside or outside linebacker. The Jets plan to use him inside, but head coach Todd Bowles also said after the pick that he wouldn't rule out using him on the outside.

• Not a ton of experience: Lee played just two years of college football, but he was eligible for the draft because he redshirted as a freshman and, thus, had spent three years out of high school.

• He's fast: Not only did Lee run the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he also has a track and field history. In high school, he was a high jumper and sprinter. Lee also did a bit of everything as a high school football player — quarterback, wide receiver, safety, and punt/kickoff returns.

• He has media experience: Don't expect Lee to be unfamiliar with handling the media. His mother, Candice, works as a news anchor for a local NBC affiliate in Ohio. (Lee is from New Albany, Ohio, which is located just outside of Columbus.)

• He bulked up quite a bit in college: When Lee arrived at Ohio State in 2013, he weighed just 197 pounds. Lee is still considered light for an NFL outside linebacker, but he now checks in at 232 pounds — a testament to his hard work in the weight room.

• He was not a huge recruit: The Columbus Dispatch notes this about Lee's progression: "Only the persistence of defensive coordinator Luke Fickell got him an OSU scholarship offer. A high school quarterback, he had no obvious position in college." The special nature of his progress is not lost on Lee, who told The Dispatch, "That's probably one of the more bizarre things about all this. One of [the] lowest-rated recruits. Had no position. And now at a position that is becoming a need in the NFL. It's so funny. What are the odds of that happening?"

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Jets-Ryan Fitzpatrick standoff: Eric Decker 'trying to get him to spill something' (Darryl Slater) NJ advance Media April 28, 2016

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/04/eric_decker_ryan_fitzpatrick_jets_contract.html#incart_river_index

NEW YORK — Last Tuesday, Jets free agent quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick attended a Penguins-Rangers playoff game with (now technically former) teammates, including wide receiver Eric Decker.

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During the course of the evening, Decker tried to ask Fitzpatrick about his contract standoff with the Jets, which has now lasted about two months. But whenever Decker brought up the matter, Fitzpatrick cordially deflected, and changed the subject. Try as he might, Decker couldn't get any information out of Fitzpatrick.

"He'd make a joke," Decker said. "I tried [to find out information]. He keeps it pretty businesslike. We've been trying to get him to spill something."

It became clear to Decker that Fitzpatrick would rather enjoy the night out with his friends. (And yes, these guys are all still friends.)

"That's kind of where the conversation steered to," Decker said. "We kind of made jokes of the situation, and then it was just kind of hanging out, because I hadn't seen him in a couple months."

Decker spoke to NJ Advance Media on Wednesday night at a charity event in SoHo that honored and displayed artwork done by homeless and disabled people. The event was hosted by Leesa, an online mattress company, and AirLifting, an online art marketplace for homeless, disabled, and disadvantaged artists.

Decker does not believe Fitzpatrick, 33, will retire if he doesn't get the money he wants. (The 2016 season would be Fitzpatrick's 12th in the NFL.)

"No, he wants to play," Decker said. "I don't see him retiring. That's not his mentality. He's played a lot of years in the league, but I feel like he has so much fun, and had so much success [last year] that he wants to get a chance to play for the playoffs again."

He has owned the Jets since 2000.

Fitzpatrick has never reached the playoffs.

With the NFL Draft beginning Thursday night, the Jets still don't have a starting quarterback for 2016. Decker wants Fitzpatrick back.

"I just hope it works out," Decker said. "I think he's a great a guy and I really like him as a person, so I want to see him have success. Obviously, the camaraderie and success we started to have toward the end of the year, I would like to keep that going. But I know it's a business. Hopefully, we figure out something sooner than later."

Fitzpatrick, a journeyman, debuted with the Jets last season. He led them to a 10-6 record and the brink of the playoffs, while enjoying a career year — 3,905 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions.

Decker said he continues to try to lobby Fitzpatrick to re-sign.

"Of course," Decker said. "A lot of guys feel like he was obviously a leader and a guy that just can start relationships easy. Everyone loves having him around. We wish we could have him back, but that's kind of out of our control. We're obviously pushing [him] to come back, but he's got to make the best decision, and the front office has also got to make an agreement with him."

But the Jets haven't been willing to meet Fitzpatrick's asking price. Decker doesn't begrudge Fitzpatrick for wanting big money.

"I respect any person that sees a certain value in themselves, to try to obtain it," Decker said. "It is a business, and you've got to be selfish in that sense, because nothing is guaranteed, really, in a lot of contracts. You get maybe a couple years, and then you're free to be cut or to be traded.

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"I understand where he's at with that. Obviously, being under contract [myself] on the other side, I'd like him to be back as soon as possible. But I just wish the best for him, and that whatever decision [he makes] is going to be the best for him and his family."

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Would Ryan Fitzpatrick retire? Jets' Eric Decker says no (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media April 28, 2016

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/04/would_ryan_fitzpatrick_retire_jets_eric_decker_say.html#incart_river_index

FLORHAM PARK — Late Thursday afternoon, as the start of the NFL Draft drew closer, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Jets free agent quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick would rather not play than accept the team's contract offer, which Fitzpatrick believes is low.

NFL Draft 2016: Everything on table for Jets 4/26/16NJ Advance Media Jets beat reporter Dom Cosentino gives an overview of the team's options heading into the 2016 NFL Draft. 4/26/16 (Video by Dom Cosentino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

The Jets are reportedly offering Fitzpatrick around $8 million per year, about $7 million less than what he wants. No team has been willing to meet his asking price, so his standoff with the Jets drags on.

Would Fitzpatrick, 33, just opt to retire this offseason? He has played 11 seasons, after all.

Jets wide receiver Eric Decker, who recently hung out with Fitzpatrick at a Rangers playoff game, doesn't envision a retirement happening.

"No, he wants to play," Decker told NJ Advance Media on Wednesday. "I don't see him retiring. That's not his mentality. He's played a lot of years in the league, but I feel like he has so much fun, and had so much success [last year] that he wants to get a chance to play for the playoffs again."

He has owned the Jets since 2000.

Fitzpatrick is coming off the best season of his career, in his first year with the Jets — 3,905 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. He has never reached the playoffs. He obviously wants to maximize his value, with his last big contract.

You can understand why Fitzpatrick wants more than $8 million per year. This offseason, he saw the Eagles give Sam Bradford $22 million guaranteed ($18 million fully guaranteed), Washington's Kirk Cousins land a $20 million franchise tag, and the Texans give Brock Osweiler $37 million fully guaranteed.

(By the way, Fitzpatrick has made about $39 million total in his career, according to spotrac.com.)

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It seemed that the "Fitzpatrick would rather not play than take the Jets' current offer" sentiment was simply a negotiating tactic by Fitzpatrick's camp, using one of the only remaining methods of leverage Fitzpatrick has left right now.

Brian Costello of the New York Post also reported this, which essentially agrees with what Decker said Wednesday:

So Fitzpatrick wants to play, but he wants more money, except the Jets aren't willing to give him that money — at least not at this point. The standoff continues.

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Jets' Brandon Marshall to testify before U.S. Senate committee (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media April 28, 2016

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/04/jets_brandon_marshall_to_testify_before_us_senate.html#incart_river_index

The NFL world might be bracing for Thursday night's draft, but Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall will be in Washington, D.C., to testify before a U.S. Senate committee at a hearing about mental health issues.

At 2 p.m. Thursday, Marshall and three other witnesses are scheduled to address the Senate Finance Committee, which is examining "the various options on how to address mental health issues in our health care system," according to a statement issued by the committee's chairman, U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).

The Senate Finance Committee has some oversight over health programs including Medicare and Medicaid.

Marshall, who has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, is the executive chairman and co-founder of Project 375, a foundation committed to combating the stigma of mental illness and to improving the quality of care for victims of mental disorders.

One last look at the six possible picks. This is version 5.0.

Marshall has often said that his status as an NFL star gives him a platform to promote his foundation and his cause.

Earlier this month, the New York Chapter of the National Football Foundation honored Marshall by presenting him with its Ernie Accorsi Humanitarian Award, which recognized Marshall's work with Project 375.

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"To be honest, I really don't care about accolades and awards," Marshall told reporters that night. "But I would say that affirmation is vital for all of us. And it gives me fuel to continue to move forward because the work that we do is hard; not everyone makes it."

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NFL Draft 2016: Jersey guy Eli Apple's dream is to play across from Jets' Darrelle Revis (Matt Lombardo) NJ Advance Media April 27, 2016

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/04/nfl_draft_2016_jersey_guy_eli_apples_dream_is_to_p.html#incart_river_index

CHICAGO -- Voorhees native and Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple is on the precipice of beginning his NFL career with Thursday's NFL Draft. While his goal is to have fun and enjoy draft night with his family, landing spot might be more ideal than others.

Jared Goff and Carson Wentz talk about the Eagles on eve of NFL DraftNJ Advance Media Eagles contributor Matt Lombardo discusses what quarterbacks Jared Goff and Carson Wentz said about the Eagles on the day before the NFL Draft. 4/27/16 (Matt Lombardo | For NJ Advance Media)

"I visited with theJets pretty recently," Apple told NJ Advance Media on Wednesday at the NFL's Play 60 event. "They were my latest visit and I had a good time with them."

Apple only intercepted four passes in his two seasons at Ohio State, but is widely considered to be not only a first-round talent but one of the top cornerbacks in this year's draft class as well.

The allure of playing opposite Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis is exciting to Apple in more ways than one, who admitted that he'd be more than a little giddy to suit up on Sundays in his home state and opposite one of the best at the position in the NFL.

"Revis is probably my favorite football player of all time, honestly. That would definitely help me a lot. I'd be excited just to be around a great guy like him and learn a lot from him."

Besides playing with his favorite NFL player, Apple explained that he thinks that Todd Bowles defense would suit his skill-set perfectly.

"I know that they play a lot of man coverage," Apple said. "That fits me perfectly. I'd be very ecstatic."

In addition to the Jets, the 6-foot-1, 200 pound cornerback listed the Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers as his top suitors during the pre-draft process.

As for how he'll spend Thursday in Chicago?

"I just want to have a really fun time," Apple said. "I want to smile a lot. Be with my parents and make sure my mom doesn't cry, but I can't make any promises."

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How well have Jets done in later rounds of NFL Draft? (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media April 27, 2016

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/04/how_well_have_jets_done_in_later_rounds_of_nfl_dra.html#incart_river_index

Great drafting teams typically separate themselves from good drafting teams based on how well they handle the NFL Draft's later rounds.

With that in mind, how have the Jets done in Rounds 4-7?

ESPN's Sharon Katz recently tried to answer that question for all NFL teams. Here's how she explained her process:

Which teams are the best and worst at finding value in Rounds 4 to 7? To answer that question, we utilized Pro Football Reference's Approximate Value (AV) metric to break down every NFL draft pick over the past 10 seasons.

(Here's more on this study's methodology.)

Katz found that the NFL's best late-round drafters are (from No. 1 to No. 5) the Packers, Seahawks, Eagles, Colts, and Texans. And the worst late-round drafters are (from No. 28 to No. 32) the Browns, Rams, Cowboys, Chiefs, and Lions.

And the Jets check in at ... No. 25. They're behind the 49ers and Tampa Bay, and ahead of the Giants and Ravens.

As Katz mentioned, she studied the past 10 drafts, from 2006-15. The Jets during that time drafted the following players in Rounds 4-7.

(I have bolded the players who wound up being even somewhat productive contributors for the Jets, though the jury is still out on the bolded 2014 guys, and it's obviously too soon to judge the 2015 late-round picks.)

• 2006: QB Brad Smith, RB Leon Washington, TE Jason Pociask, DB Drew Coleman, DT Titus Adams

• 2007: OT Jacob Bender, WR Chansi Stuckey

• 2008: DB Dwight Lowery, QB Erik Ainge, WR Marcus Henry, OT Nate Garner

• 2009: OG Matt Slauson

• 2010: RB Joe McKnight, FB John Conner

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• 2011: RB Bilal Powell, WR Jeremy Kerley, QB Greg McElroy, WR Scotty McKnight

• 2012: S Josh Bush, RB Terrance Ganaway, OL Robert Griffin, S Antonio Allen, WR Jordan White

• 2013: OG Oday Aboushi, OL Will Campbell, FB Tommy Bohanon

• 2014: WR Jalen Saunders, WR Shaq Evans, OG Dakota Dozier, LB Jeremiah George, CB Brandon Dixon, WR Quincy Enunwa, LB IK Enemkpali, QB Tajh Boyd, LB Trevor Reilly

• 2015: QB Bryce Petty, OG Jarvis Harrison, NT Deon Simon

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ESPN NEW YORK

No trade of Jets DE Muhammad Wilkerson, GM says (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York April 29, 2016

http://espn.go.com/newyork/nfl/story/_/id/15424772/new-york-jets-see-trade-muhammad-wilkerson-happening

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The New York Jets are not planning to trade Pro Bowl defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson.

"I don't envision that happening," general manager Mike Maccagnan said late Thursday night after picking linebacker Darron Lee in the first round of the NFL draft.

Up until a week ago, Maccagnan was non-committal on whether he was trying to deal Wilkerson, who has the franchise tag. In reality, the Jets, unable to reach a long-term contract, have been open to trading him, source said.

But as the draft drew closer, it became increasingly apparent that no deal would happen. It's not easy to execute a tag-and-trade because the player has to sign his tender and agree to a long-term deal with the new team. There's also the matter of compensation between the two teams.

"It's a little more complicated" than a routine trade, Maccagnan said. The Jets reportedly fielded calls in recent weeks, but no serious suitors have emerged, sources said.

Wilkerson, 26, rehabbing a surgically repaired broken leg, is skipping voluntary workouts for the second straight offseason. It remains to be seen whether he shows up for the mandatory minicamp in June.

If the two sides can't agree to a new contract by July 15, Wilkerson will play in 2016 for the amount of his franchise tender, $15.7 million. He's thought to be seeking a deal that would pay him at least $50 million in guarantees.

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Jets pick LB Darron Lee in first round (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York April 28, 2016

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/60041/jets-pick-lb-darron-lee-in-first-round

Defense, defense, defense. It's always about defense with the New York Jets, who haven't used a first-round pick on offense since quarterback Mark Sanchez in 2009 -- the longest active streak in the NFL. They kept it alive Thursday night, selecting Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee with the 20th pick.

My take: This was a mild surprise because, frankly, Lee doesn't seem like a great scheme fit. At 6-foot-1, 232 pounds, he's smallish for a 3-4 inside linebacker, but he can run like a safety, evidenced by his blazing 40 at the combine -- 4.47 seconds. Improving the speed on defense is one of the Jets' objectives; Lee definitely helps. They picked him over high-profile linebackers Myles Jack and Reggie Ragland, and quarterback Paxton Lynch. General manager Mike Maccagnan hinted that Jack's knee condition may have been a factor. As for Ragland, he's a two-down thumper, and the Jets clearly wanted a linebacker who can cover and play on third down. They wisely avoided Lynch, a major project.

Under construction: Lee will play the "Mo" position in the Jets' linebacking corps -- the weak-inside slot, manned last season by Demario Davis. For now, he will back up Erin Henderson in the base defense. Lee will play immediately in the nickel, according to coach Todd Bowles, who said, "He's going to grow into a three-down role as he goes forward." The Jets picked Lee because of his sideline-to-sideline range, pass-coverage ability and versatility. Their once-formidable linebacking corps became old and slow; this marks the continuation of a major overhaul. It started last year with the drafting of outside linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin.

All about the speed: Lee represents the new-age linebacker in the NFL. With the increase in spread offenses, linebackers need to play in space -- an issue for the Jets in recent years. A few years ago, a linebacker with his size never would've been drafted by a 3-4 team. Times are changing. "The game is more about speed now," Bowles said. "It's not a big, power game like it used to be. You need a lot of faster guys. We've got enough bigger guys down there to where we need a guy who can run around." One AFC personnel director said about Lee, "He's small, but rangy. He's a run-and-hit linebacker. He's not a great tackler, but he's got speed and can play in coverage."

Buckeye factory: Lee became the fifth former Ohio State player to be drafted in the top 20. He compiled 27.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks over his final two seasons, adding three interceptions and two forced fumbles. He also scored three defensive touchdowns. He was a high school quarterback and weighed only 197 pounds when he arrived on campus. Lee blew up the combine, running the fastest 40 among linebackers. He played in a 3-4 scheme at Ohio State, but he wasn't always a "box" linebacker. This will be a scheme adjustment. Some scouts believe he can get pushed around because of his size, but he should

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be a nice complement to middle linebacker David Harris, a downhill player. Lee is known for a cocky attitude and turned off at least one team in pre-draft interviews. His mother, Candice Lee, is a weekend anchor at the NBC affiliate in Columbus.

What's next: The Jets have the 20th pick in the second round (51st overall) and the 20th in the third round (83rd overall). They still need an edge rusher, a tight end, an offensive tackle and a quarterback. If Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg is on the board at 51, the Jets might be tempted. Maccagnan has an affinity for Hackenberg.

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Ryan Fitzpatrick would rather not play than take Jets' current offer ESPN New York April 28, 2016

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/15421505/ryan-fitzpatrick-sit-new-york-jets-budge

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has told people he would "rather not play football" than play for the New York Jets at their contract offer, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Jets haven't budged from their initial offer that's reportedly in the range of $7 million to $8 million per season. Fitzpatrick, 33, reportedly is seeking twice that amount annually.

The sides have been engaged in the stalemate since February. Since then, the Jets have flirted with at least two free agents, Brian Hoyer and Robert Griffin III, with the latter eventually signing with the Cleveland Browns.

Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan reiterated last week that Fitzpatrick remains the team's priority, adding that "it may take some time" before it's resolved.

The Jets, who currently have quarterbacks Geno Smith and Bryce Petty on the roster, might also select a quarterback in this weekend's NFL draft.

After he was acquired in a trade from the Houston Texans in 2015, Fitzpatrick led the Jets to a 10-6 record, throwing 31 touchdowns (a team record) and 3,905 yards -- both career highs. He started every game, including the last nine with a torn tendon in his left (nonthrowing) thumb -- an injury that required in-season surgery.

Fitzpatrick's familiarity with offensive coordinator Chan Gailey's offense helped galvanize the offense, which finished 10th in total yards -- its highest ranking since 1998.

The feel-good story ended on a sour note, as Fitzpatrick threw three fourth-quarter interceptions in the season finale -- a crushing loss to the Buffalo Bills that cost the Jets a playoff spot. Fitzpatrick has yet to reach the postseason in 11 years.

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Jets select Darron Lee with 20th overall pick in NFL Draft (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News April 28, 2016

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-select-darron-lee-20th-pick-nfl-draft-article-1.2618307

The Jets went defense yet again.

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Gang Green took Ohio State inside linebacker Darron Lee with the 20th overall pick in the first round of Thursday’s NFL draft, giving Todd Bowles some of that speed the coach had craved. The Jets passed on big names like Memphis QB Paxton Lynch and UCLA LB Myles Jack, who were both on the board when they made their selection.

This was the seventh straight year the Jets took a defensive player in the first round.

Lee fills a need for the Jets, who are without three of the four linebackers that started for the team at the beginning of last season. Though he was classified in the draft process as an outside linebacker, Todd Bowles and Mike Maccagnan said Lee will play inside linebacker for Gang Green, who play a base 3-4 defense. Lee will begin on the depth chart behind Erin Henderson, Bowles said, in the spot that Demario Davis used to occupy.

“All my dreams are finally coming true,” Lee said a few minutes after being selected. “It was a great moment for me.”

At the end of last year, Bowles had said he wanted to add speed to his team, and Lee — who ran a 4.47 at the NFL Scouting Combine — fits the bill.

“He makes us a lot faster and you can do a lot of things with him,” Bowles said. “He’s a very good pressure guy, he’s a very good cover guy and he runs sideline to sideline.”

Those cover skills are just what the Jets’ linebacking corps need.

Lee, who was a redshirt sophomore and only played two seasons at Ohio State, is undersized for a traditional NFL linebacker at 6-1 and 232 pounds, but that smaller build allows him to have an impact defending against the pass. He was a high school quarterback and actually started his college career as a linebacker/safety who sometimes was used in the slot.

“We’re going to use him a lot of different places, too,” Bowles said.

The downside of Lee’s smaller size is that he could be vulnerable against the run. But Lee did not share that concern, and Bowles said he did not have any issue with the linebacker’s current weight.

“We have a heck of a defensive line in New York and the guys up there are hungry,” Lee said. “We have a whole defense that’s hungry so I feel that I’ll be fine stacking up against the run. I’m not really worried.”

Maccagnan also sees Lee’s age, 21, as a positive.

“He’s a very young player, when you find players from an age standpoint, kind of like (Leonard Williams) from last year,” Maccagnan said. “These guys not only are good players potentially now, but again, being younger, as they still continue to mature and develop, we do feel they have quite a bit of upside to develop into a much better player going forward.”

No doubt the Jets hope Lee’s career works out better than the last Ohio State linebacker they took in the first round: Vernon Gholston.

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THURSDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS

BASEBALL Major League Baseball

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF BASEBALL — Suspended Minnesota Twins OF Reynaldo Rodriguez (Rochester-IL) 80 games, without pay, following a positive test for metabolites of Stanozolol, a performance-enhancing substance in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

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American League

CHICAGO WHITE SOX — Placed RHP David Robertson on the bereavement list. Recalled INF Carlos Sanchez from Charlotte (IL).

DETROIT TIGERS — Placed RHP Shane Greene on the 15-day DL, retroactive to April 25.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Placed RHP Huston Street on the 15-day DL.

National League

CHICAGO CUBS — Placed C Miguel Montero on the 15-day DL, retroactive to April 25. Selected the contract of C Tim Federowicz from Iowa (PCL).

CINCINNATI REDS — Optioned RHP Layne Somsen to Louisville (IL). Activated RF Jay Bruce from the paternity list.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS — Selected the contract of INF Hernan Perez from Colorado Springs (PCL). Transferred RHP Matt Garza from the 15- to the 60-day DL. Placed 2B Scooter Gennett on the 15-day DL, retroactive to April 25.

American Association

SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS — Signed RHPs Graham Johnson and Jason Townsend.

Can-Am League

NEW JERSEY JACKALS — Signed RHP Lee Sosa.

ROCKLAND BOULDERS — Signed C Bryan DeLaRosa. Released RHP Chad Robinson.

TROIS-RIVIERES AIGLES — Signed LHP Ryan Bollinger. Released OF Craig Hertler.

Frontier League

EVANSVILLE OTTERS — Signed RHP Keith Patton and C T. J. Wharton.

GATEWAY GRIZZLIES — Signed LHP Brett Zawacki to a contract extension.

NORMAL CORNBELTERS — Signed RHP Braulio Ortiz, OF Chris Pagliarulo and LHP David Stagg.

SCHAUMBURG BOOMERS — Signed RHP Preston Jamison, C James Keller and OF Fernelys Sanchez.

BASKETBALL National Basketball Association

SACRAMENTO KINGS — Named Ken Catanella assistant general manager.

FOOTBALL National Football League

MIAMI DOLPHINS — Waived DB Damarr Aultman, WRs Tyler Davis and Robert Herron and DT Robert Thomas II. Released LB Terrell Manning.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS — Signed DE Tavaris Barnes and TE Brandon Williams.

Canadian Football League

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS — Signed DE Adrain Hubbard and DB Arthur Williams. Released DB Troy Stoudermire, WRs Jhomo Gordon and Spencer Davis and DLs Chase Vaughn and Leon Mackey.

HOCKEY National Hockey League

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING — Announced a six-year affiliation extension with Syracuse (AHL).

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American Hockey League

ALBANY DEVILS — Released Ds Ryan Rehill and Colton White and F Blake Speers from their ATOs.

SAN DIEGO GULLS — Announced Ds Marcus Pettersson and Shea Theodore, RW Nick Sorensen and C Chris Wagner have been assigned to the team by Anaheim (NHL). Signed D Jacob Larsson to an ATO.

COLLEGE

CALIFORNIA — Named Tim O'Toole men's assistant basketball coach.

CHATTANOOGA — Signed women's basketball coach Jim Foster to a one-year contract extension and men's basketball coach Matt McCall to a two-year contract extension.

IDAHO — Announced it will drop to the Football Championship Subdivision beginning in 2018 and will join the Big Sky Conference, pending approval from the Idaho State Board of Education.

LOYOLA NO — Named Nick Dodson men's and women's cross country/track and field coach.

TEXAS — Named Jamie Carey women's assistant basketball coach.

TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY — Named Kenya Crandell men's assistant basketball coach.

UTICA — Named Sean Coffey men's basketball coach.

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