Quinton Coples back at practice

The New York Jets pass rush could get a huge boost for their upcoming divisional rivalry game against the Buffalo Bills in Week 3, as the New York Posts’s Brian Costello reports that outside linebacker Quinton Coples has returned to practice today. Coples is one of the Jets best defensive players, and he’s an explosive playmaker who has the ability to get to the quarterback in a hurry. I’ve always been a fan of Coples’s physical tools and upside, and he could become a star at seemingly any moment now.

New York Jets defensive end Quinton Coples (98) looks on during training camp at SUNY Cortland. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Coples is expected to break out in his second season with the team, and it seems like his recovery from an ankle injury in the preseason is going well. I wonder how often we will see Coples playing on the defensive line, because the Jets seem to be wanting to go to more looks where a player shifts around the defense more often (they like to move Sheldon Richardson all across the defensive line).

To give you a glimpse at how important Quinton Coples is as a playmaker on the Jets defense, his 5.5 sacks last season led the team, and he didn’t even look close to being ready. We’ll see how good he is coming off of the injury, but Coples is a player whose impact could be huge as the season goes on. The Jets are expecting big things out of him, and we’ll see if he can start trying to deliver on those by playing in Week 3 against the Bills. The fact that he is practicing right now is certainly encouraging news, and this is a situation to monitor closely as the week progresses.

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