New York Jets

There's plenty being said (and written) about the wide receiver class of 2021 and with good reason. This year's crop of wideouts was as deep and talented as any in recent memory. Beginning with LSU's Ja'Marr Chase at No. 5 overall, there were three wide receivers taken inside of the top 10: Chase and Alabama teammates Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith.

Two more pass-catchers came off the board before the end of the draft's first day: Florida's Kadarius Toney at No. 20 and Minnesota's Rashod Bateman at No. 27.

As we saw last year with Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings (fifth receiver off the board), the first wideout taken doesn't necessarily have the biggest rookie season. In fact, as we saw two years ago with A.J. Brown of the Tennessee Titans and DK Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks, sometimes the kings of a class aren't selected in the first round at all.

It's a scenario we could see play out yet again in 2021—with yet another Ole Miss product, no less. Elijah Moore has the perfect mix of talent and the scenario necessary to take the league by storm.

He might not have dominated the conversation about wide receivers before and just after the 2021 draft. But don't be surprised if come January a few NFL teams aren't kicking themselves for failing to see what the New York Jets did.

Mind you, it's not like Moore flew under the radar. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com ranked him as a borderline first-round prospect, comparing the 5'9½", 178-pounder with 4.35 40-yard-dash speed to Tampa's Antonio Brown.

"Ultra-competitive slot target with the talent and mindset to handle a heavy amount of targets and shine in the process. He's not very big, but he's stronger than his measurables might suggest and he's shown a fearlessness to make the catch despite impending punishment. Moore has the short-area quickness to snap off crisp routes underneath for separation and the play speed to challenge over the top as well as work the deep middle. He has soft, sure hands and above-average ball skills with a great feel for spatial awareness to hit the sweet spots when working against zone."

Moore slid out of the first round but just barely. The Jets took him with the second pick of Round 2. All he's done since is impress his new coaches and teammates, seemingly making a big play every day at OTAs.

He has been so impressive that ESPN's Rich Cimini went so far as to write that the Jets "have been waiting two decades" for a prospect like Moore.

It's not just Moore's athletic ability that has been on display. Per Cimini, new Jets head coach Robert Saleh praised his versatility and ability to line up all over the formation:

"He can line up wherever you want, and he's going to execute it at a very high level, even though the routes might be a little bit different, the stems might be different, the releases might be a little bit different. He's showcasing his ability to be as versatile as possible in terms of being at different parts of the field, being at different positions, understanding what needs to get done, so when the ball gets to his hands he can still do what he does best -- and that's run after catch."

As Randy Lange reported for the team's official website, offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur continued the love-fest, talking up Moore's work ethic and desire for greatness.

"This guy wants to be really, really good in this league. He wants to make a name for himself. He's so internally motivated and driven. It's always the next play, what can I do better? ... You can see it with some rookies that come into this league — 'Give me a year and I'll figure this game out.' He doesn't want to wait a year. He wants it now.

[...]

"The cool part about Elijah is that this guy just works. I know a lot of people say that, but he puts in a lot of time, whether it be 7 in the morning, on the JUGS in the indoor, taking it to the meetings or being prepared with the scripted plays. [...] Elijah's a fun dude to coach. And whatever success he has he's going to earn it."

For his part, Moore said he's just doing whatever it takes to succeed.

"Football is football," Moore said. "At the end of the day, I know that obviously it's going to be played at a higher level here, but you've got to adjust. You know, I'm here for a reason."

Rookie quarterback Zach Wilson has also noticed Moore's natural ability and his attention to detail.

"Elijah wants to be great," Wilson said, per Lange. "I spend a lot of time with him. He's someone I want to be around because he wants to be great. He's definitely a motivating person, and we're going to have a good time doing this thing together because he's going to be a good player."

That last comment is the most important of the lot. Moore isn't the team's No. 1 receiver yet. Or even necessarily the No. 3 receiver. The Jets signed Corey Davis to a three-year, $37.5 million contract in free agency and already had second-year pro Denzel Mims and veteran Jamison Crowder in town.

But Davis has yet to notch a 1,000-yard season since being drafted fifth overall in 2017 by the Titans. Mims' first season in the pros wasn't especially impressive (23 receptions for 357 yards over nine games). Crowder's career high in receiving yards is 847, and he has missed at least four games in two of the past three seasons.

If he continues to impress in practices, Moore could earn not only a spot in the starting lineup but also the trust of the No. 2 overall pick out of BYU.

And if that's the case, look out.

Chase may be a generational talent with a built-in rapport with Joe Burrow from their time together at LSU. But he's competing with Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins for targets with the Cincinnati Bengals.

No. 6 overall pick Waddle not only has to compete with Will Fuller and DeVante Parker on the Miami Dolphins, but he's also playing with a quarterback (Tua Tagovailoa) who was 30th in the NFL in yards per attempt (6.3) last year.

Smith faces a similar dilemma. The No. 10 overall pick should get targets in Philadelphia, but Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts completed just 52 percent of his passes as a rookie and had a passer rating south of 80.

Toney of the Giants is a raw prospect who's buried at the bottom of a deep receiver room. Bateman will start his NFL career on a Baltimore Ravens team that checked in dead last in pass attempts in 2020.

Is Moore's situation ideal? No. There's a rookie quarterback. Davis will get his share of targets. And Moore would need to displace either Crowder or Mims for a full-time role.

But that can be done, especially if Moore continues to build a rapport with the Jets signal-caller who could be playing from behind quite a bit.

This doesn't mean that three years from now we'll look back at Moore as the best player at his position from the class of 2021. Or that the Bengals, Dolphins and Eagles will ultimately regret taking Chase, Waddle and Smith.

But early indications are that the Jets chose well when they used their second-round pick on Moore.

And there's a real chance he'll outproduce every other rookie receiver in 2021.      

The New York Jets and veteran offensive tackle Morgan Moses are "making progress on a potential multiyear deal," according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. 

While the deal isn't completed and other teams are involved, the Jets are considered the "favorite" and "have made a compelling push" to sign Moses, per Fowler.

Washington released Moses in May after giving him permission to seek a trade, which never materialized. The move saved the team $7.8 million in cap space.

Moses had been a staple for Washington, starting every game since 2015, almost exclusively at right tackle. His reliability and durability would make him an upgrade on the right side for the Jets.

One of the primary goals for the Jets is keeping rookie quarterback Zach Wilson upright, and building a sturdy offensive line is key. 

The team added guard Dan Feeney in free agency and drafted Alijah Vera-Tucker in the first round this year. Signing Moses would give the Jets their best offensive line in years. 

They had their struggles surrounding Sam Darnold with talent. They can't afford to make the same mistake with Wilson.

New York Jets offensive tackle Mekhi Becton has been working hard to stay in shape this offseason after a foot injury derailed his ability maintain his weight toward the end of last year. 

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the No. 11 overall pick in 2020 said he's "doing everything in my power to keep it down," including working with a chef to eat better along with extra activities to help him achieve his fitness goals.

“I’ve just been doing extra conditioning,” Becton said, “biking on my own, running on my own, jogging on my own, walking on my own, just doing the little things that matter like abs and everything. Just doing the extra stuff that I need to do.”

The Louisville standout was listed at 363 pounds last year and reportedly had many around the organization frustrated after finishing the year closer to 380. 

Now tasked with protecting No. 2 overall pick quarterback Zach Wilson, the Jets are working on finding the right range for Becton's weight, though injuries aren't helping that process. Becton was diagnosed plantar fasciitis in his foot during OTAs and has remained sidelined during minicamp. 

Head coach Robert Saleh isn't worried about the lineman's status for training camp, noting they feel the nagging injury won't impact his availability by August. For Becton, who played 14 games as a rookie, it's more aggravating to not be on the field than to deal with the pain in his foot. 

“It’s been a little frustrating but, at the end of the day, I’m just trying to get myself right, get myself ready,” Becton said. “So, I know I’m going to be ready by the season. It’s been a little frustrating, but I’ve been getting the mental reps, been getting the plays mentally down, so that’s the good part.”

In the meantime, he said he's sticking to a diet of fish and vegetables as he prepares for his sophomore season in the NFL. 

New York Jets wide receiver Jamison Crowder will spend the 2021 season with the team after agreeing to a restructured contract Monday.

According to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY, the 28-year-old took a "significant" cut to what was a $10 million base salary in order to remain with the team. 

Amid contract negotiations—with general manger Joe Douglas pushing for the pay cut—Crowder didn't attend any voluntary activities this offseason. He is expected to be in attendance when mandatory minicamp starts Tuesday, according to Darryl Slater of NJ Advance Media. 

ESPN's Rich Cimini reported Sunday the Jets were looking for him to take "at least" a 50 percent cut on his non-guaranteed salary.

It's a sudden turnaround for Crowder, who led the team in receiving yards and overall touchdowns in 2020, with six scores on 699 yards through 12 games. He also led the group in 2019, his first with the team after four years in Washington. 

Last season, the Jets' wide receiver room had its own issues, with Chris Hogan—who now plays professional lacrosse for the Premier Lacrosse League's Cannons Lacrosse Club—seeing time behind Breshad Perriman, Braxton Berrios and a slew of others.

But things have improved entering 2021. With rookie Zach Wilson ready to take over for the departed Sam Darnold, who was a disappointment through his three seasons in the Meadowlands, the new-look Jets have offseason signees Corey Davis and Keelan Cole alongside standout draft pick Elijah Moore, who will challenge Crowder in the slot. 

With free agency on the line in 2022, Crowder will have to hope to see enough time to bolster his resume moving forward. 

All eyes will be on Zach Wilson after the New York Jets made the quarterback the second overall pick in April's draft, but another rookie in the team's backfield could steal some of the spotlight. 

The Jets chose Michael Carter 105 picks after Wilson, yet the rookie running back is already working with the first team and has a chance to start alongside his classmate. 

The Athletic's Connor Hughes reported that Carter rotated with veterans Tevin Coleman and Ty Johnson during OTAs as the coaching staff looks for its lead back. 

"Carter, the rookie, is sneaky twitchy. You can tell he's the most elusive of the group," Hughes added after seeing the rookie take his first reps at the professional level. "The key for him will be determining when to dance and when not to. Sometimes he needs to be decisive."

The final point shouldn't come as a surprise as the young player gets acclimated to his new surroundings. Once he gains his footing, the other backs on the roster will likely find themselves behind Carter on the depth chart with the potential for a breakout rookie season despite being a mid-round selection. 

The fourth-round pick is an ideal fit in the Jets' new offensive scheme, displays tremendous vision and his cutting ability ranked among the best in this year's draft class.

Although, Carter had been overlooked to a degree during the evaluation process despite top production at a Power Five program. Over the last two seasons, the first- and third-team All-ACC honoree at North Carolina rushed for 2,248 yards while sharing the backfield with fellow draftee Javonte Williams. The Denver Broncos drafted Williams two full rounds higher than Carter despite the latter producing at a greater level. 

Najee Harris and Travis Etienne heard their names called in the first round. Harris is a prototypical workhorse back with the size (6'1", 232 pounds) and ability to become the focal point of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense. Etienne is different in that the Jacksonville Jaguars view him as an offensive weapon that will be used in a variety of manners. 

Like Harris, Williams is a bigger back compared to Carter with a better athletic profile. The San Francisco 49ers chose Trey Sermon in the third round after he flashed immense potential at both Oklahoma and Ohio State. 

Really, the stacking of those ball-carriers came down to preference because they're all capable of becoming lead backs with their respective squads. Looking through a very specific lens of the best pure runner in the class, Carter can make a strong argument despite having some perceived limitations. 

The idea of a mid- to late-round running back turning into a top threat isn't anything new. The New Orleans Saints' Alvin Kamara, Chicago Bears' David Montgomery, Cleveland Browns' Kareem Hunt, Green Bay Packers' Aaron Jones, New England Patriots' Damien Harris, Washington Football Team's Antonio Gibson and Seattle Seahawks' Chris Carson all came off the board between the third and seventh rounds. Others like the Jacksonville Jaguars' James Robinson, Houston Texans' Phillip Lindsay and San Francisco 49ers' Raheem Mostert weren't even drafted. 

Because quality production can be found later in the process, some view the position as devalued. At the same time, the evaluation of certain individuals should be brought into question as to why they fell where they did. 

In Carter's case, size, or lack thereof, became an issue. He's 5'8" and 201 pounds. For some, those measurements automatically mean he can't be a feature back. Comparatively, Carter is similar in build to Jones, Mostert, the Buffalo Bills' Devin Singletary and Kansas City Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire. While they're on the smaller end of the spectrum, each is more than capable of being RB1. 

Prototypical size and speed aren't everything. Vision, footwork, decisiveness, explosiveness and elusivity are far better indicators of who will exceed expectations as an NFL running back. For Carter, he has all of the traits necessary, especially in Mike LaFleur's new scheme. 

From a traditional standpoint, Carter ranked fourth last season with 1,245 rushing yards and first among collegiate backs with 100 or more carries with an average of 8.0 yards per carry. Those are solid numbers unto themselves, but they only tell part of the story. 

Carter led major college football over the past two seasons with 29 carries of 20 or more yards, per Pro Football Focus. He also tied for fourth with 32 runs with 10 or more yards after initial contact. 

The back may not present true top-end speed with a 4.50-second 40-yard dash, but his short-area burst combined with the excellent vision to exploit cutback lanes and contact balance through arm tackles allowed him to create chunk play after chunk play. His change-of-direction quickness is a big reason why.

According to Mockdraftable's Marcus Armstrong, Carter finished among the 97th percentile in the short shuttle and 85th percentile in the three-cone drill. He can stop and start more quickly than any runner in the class. 

"Michael's got tremendous vision, he's got tremendous speed, burst. He's got the ability to make people miss," Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters after the draft. "He's good on third down coming out of the backfield in the passing game, and he's pretty stout in protection."

The runner's skill set is extremely important. Saleh and LaFleur, who previously served on the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff, bring Kyle Shanahan's vaunted outside zone to New Jersey. Carter is a cutback runner with a strong feel for zone-blocking schemes. 

"I think my change of direction and my stop-start ability, I think it compliments this system well," Carter said. "I've been running pretty much wide zone since I was born. So it's something that really comes naturally to me. We read a lot of it in college, even in high school I did, even in youth football I did. So I’m very familiar with it. I’m just excited to get in the system."

The running back is a natural fit, which should ultimately make his transition far easier while providing ample opportunity to excel early in his career. 

From the Jets' perspective, Coleman would be the safe choice to start. After all, the Atlanta Falcons originally chose Coleman in the third round of the 2015 draft for the singular purpose of playing in Shanahan's scheme. But the 28-year-old veteran has never eclipsed 800 rushing yards in a season. Carter presents so much more potential in the run game to take some pressure off Wilson and lean on the team's massive offensive line. 

"Back at SC, in Graham Harrell's offense, we ran a lot of outside zone," Alijah Vera-Tucker, whom the Jets drafted with this year's 14th overall draft pick, told reporters. "On top of that, for how big I am, I'm just an athletic guy who can get to a specific angle point with a defensive lineman and cut him off. I can do what I need to do and get my block and just create holes for the running backs."

A left side of Vera-Tucker and Mehki Becton should be a dominant pairing. Thus, the Jets running game could quickly turn into a strength, especially with the right pieces in place.

An effective run game will take pressure off of Wilson. In turn, Carter has the potential to emerge as a star like other unheralded backs before him. 

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.

Robert Saleh received a warm reception from the crowd at Madison Square Garden when he attended the New York Knicks' playoff game Wednesday, but there's a controversy about the New York Jets head coach's police escort.

Per Craig McCarthy of the New York Post, the New Jersey State Police said the officer who escorted Saleh to the game wasn't authorized to do so. 

"The escort of New York Jets Coach Robert Saleh by a New Jersey State Police marked car was not authorized," NJSP Lt. Jeff Flynn said in a statement Friday.

Flynn added the situation has "been referred to the Office of Professional Standards for an internal investigation."

Oli Coleman, Larry Celona and Bruce Golding of the Post obtained video of Saleh and three of his sons arriving at Madison Square Garden's VIP entrance.

Saleh's black SUV was being "followed closely by a marked NJSP vehicle with its lights flashing."

McCarthy noted the situation violated protocol for police escorts from New Jersey to New York City, which are typically reserved for when New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy travels into the city with a NJSP security team.

Saleh is in his first year with the Jets. Their facilities, where organized team activities were held this week, are located in Florham Park, New Jersey.

Free-agent running back Le'Veon Bell said Thursday he's still planning to play during the 2021 NFL season and blamed the New York Jets for his drop in production in recent years.

"I'll sign somewhere when I'm ready...ain't no more finessing me with lies and s--t just to get me to sign with they team," Bell wrote on Twitter. "No more rushed decisions on my end, period."

The three-time Pro Bowl selection, who finished last season with the Kansas City Chiefs after getting released by the Jets in October, noted his lack of touches with New York during a back-and-forth conversation with fans about his play since leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"I had more touches in 2017 for the Steelers than I had my entire time with the Jets...that's what I mean by 'opportunity,'" Bell wrote in response to one comment.

The 29-year-old Michigan State product, who added the Steelers "should've paid me what I wanted when they had the chance," remains confident in his ability.

"2021 will be the year y'all reminded," he said.

Bell averaged 129 yards from scrimmage and scored 48 touchdowns in 62 appearances across six years with the Steelers, who selected him in the second round of the 2013 draft.

The two-time First-Team All-Pro sat out the 2018 campaign after refusing to sign the one-year contract tender associated with the franchise tag, and he left to sign with the Jets as a free agent in 2019.

He averaged 83.3 yards from scrimmage in 15 games during his first year in New York and suffered a hamstring injury during Week 1 of the 2020 season, which landed him on injured reserve. He appeared in just one more game with the franchise before getting released.

Bell played a limited role for the star-studded Chiefs during the stretch run of last season, including just two carries during the team's playoff run to the Super Bowl.

He recorded 4.3 yards per carry during his time with the Steelers and 3.4 YPC since leaving Pittsburgh.

Bell was one of the NFL's most dynamic playmakers at his peak, but it's rare for a running back to maintain that level of performance as they approach and surpass the age of 30.

His track record could earn him another opportunity in 2021, but he'll likely be restricted to a one-year, prove-it deal given the downward trend in his statistical performance of late.

New York Jets wide receiver Corey Davis reportedly suffered a shoulder strain during Thursday's organized team activities, but the club is hopeful he avoided a serious injury.

Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network provided an update on Davis, who signed with the Jets in March after spending the last four years with the Tennessee Titans:

New York overhauled its offense during the offseason. Most notably, it traded quarterback Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers, which opened the door for second overall pick Zach Wilson to immediately take over the reins of the unit.

Along with signing Davis, the Jets also selected Ole Miss wide receiver Elijah Moore in the second round to continue the upgrade of Wilson's targets.

The team's passing attack carries plenty of potential with Wilson surrounded by Davis, Moore, Jamison Crowder, Denzel Mims and Chris Herndon. There are more questions with the ground game, but the coaching staff will hope a committee approach led by Tevin Coleman can at least keep defenses honest.

Davis is coming off a 2020 season with the Titans where he matched his career high in catches (65) and set new career bests in receiving yards (984) and touchdowns (five) despite missing two games while on the NFL's COVID-19 list.

The 2017 No. 5 overall draft pick is confident he can excel as the Jets' top target.

"I do consider myself a wide receiver [No.] 1, in my ability to get open, my speed, separation, releases," the Western Michigan product told reporters in March. "I feel like I can do it all. I feel like I'm a 1,000-yard receiver."

The Jets are hopeful the wideout can live up to his own expectations after they signed him to a three-year, $37.5 million contract.

New York will likely play it safe with their marquee free-agent signing for the remainder of OTAs, but so far there's nothing to suggest his availability for the start of training camp is in danger.

The Jets kick off the regular season Sept. 12 when they visit Darnold and the Panthers.

Zach Wilson is expecting to need some time to adjust to the NFL.

The New York Jets' new quarterback told reporters on Thursday that he was focused on learning the team's playbook so he would be able to run those plays without thinking about the fundamentals behind them. 

"So for me, it’s working [this spring] on understanding the formations, so it’s super quick, understanding the alignment of where receivers should be," Wilson said. "And then you start to pick up certain things—certain coverages, how guys run certain routes. It’s going to be a process." 

Wilson was drafted by the Jets with the No. 2 overall pick as the heir to the Jets quarterback position after the team dealt Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers. If all fails, the Jets can look to James Morgan, who they drafted in the fourth round in 2020, or 26-year-old Mike White. Neither has taken a snap in the NFL. 

But the Jets drafted the Brigham Young product to lead the show after Darnold failed to live up to the expectations that came with his No. 3 overall selection in 2018. He threw for 8,097 yards and 45 touchdowns with 39 picks in 38 starts. 

Wilson starred last year as a junior, with 3,692 yards, 33 touchdowns and three picks. He ended his three-year run at BYU with 7,652 yards, 56 touchdowns and 15 picks. But he doesn't think success at that level will naturally translate to the pros. 

"I think the speed of the game is going to be faster,” he said. "Processing needs to be faster."

While Wilson is aware of the adjustment period to the NFL, he apparently is doing just fine.

Darryl Slater of NJ Advance Media said Wilson "managed to keep things steady" for much of Thursday's practice, which was the first one open to the media.