Who wins the New York Jets 2017 training camp battle at the tight end position?
Let’s face it, the New York Jets have a lot of position battles coming up during their 2017 training camp. Todd Bowles has a lot of decisions to make before week one arrives. It starts with the quarterback position, but it doesn’t stop there. When the team is rebuilding there aren’t a lot of guarantees on the roster. There is going to be plenty of competition.
This year is going to be a little bit different from the last two. With Chan Gailey as the offensive coordinator, the Jets went away from using the tight end position. For example, the tight end position posted 18 of the team’s 311 pass receptions, good for 5.7 percent. It would be an understatement to say that the position was non-existent.
However, John Morton arrives on the scene from New Orleans to take over the coordinator job. The Saints have always used a tight end — ask Jimmy Graham, among others. He brings his experience with him to create his system in New York, and that means the tight end returns as part of the plan. That means the Jets have to find one.
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So, who is it going to be? The Jets have an interesting battle brewing at this position. The principle combatants are a reclamation project and a mid-round rookie. It will come down to performance in preseason as both of these guys have the potential to get the job done. Let’s break down the battle.
In one corner, we have the reclamation project, Austin Seferian-Jenkins. New York claimed him off of waivers last September after the Buccaneers released him. He had a DUI arrest and the Bucs were finished with him, but the Jets decided to give him a shot.
Seferian-Jenkins entered the league as a second-round draft pick in 2014 with a lot of expectations. His NFL.com draft profile indicated that he had all of the tools to be a number one tight end. At 6-5, 262 pounds, he certainly looks like a tight end.
21 touchdowns in three years of college will bring those expectations along. He did flash a bit in Tampa Bay, but an injury derailed his first season, and off the field problems ran him out of Tampa. He was released the same day he was arrested for a DUI. In limited time with the Jets, he posted 10 receptions for 110 yards.
Seferian-Jenkins is motivated to get things right in New York. He has lost weight and stopped drinking. He believes that the Jets are going to get rewarded for taking a chance on him, per Pro Football Talk. If he does have his head on straight and can remain focused, Todd Bowles might have a steal on his hands. He makes just $1.1 million in 2017 (per Spotrac) and has the potential to far outperform that number.
In the other corner we have the rookie from Clemson, Jordan Leggett. The Jets selected Leggett in round five of this year’s draft. A four-year player at Clemson, here are his stats while with the Tigers:
Leggett also stands at 6-5, a perfect explanation for his 18 touchdowns during his college days. He is blazing fast, with a 4.33-second 40-yard dash time at the Combine. His draft profile compares him to Kellen Davis, but also says he doesn’t have a high motor. Will he put in the effort to earn the starting role?
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Ultimately, both of these guys should see a fair share of action. But if all things are equal, coach Bowles will go with the guy that has experience and start Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Do you agree?