'Pick Up Where Jarrad Davis Left Off'
Jets rookie LB Jamien Sherwood is set to take on a starting role as LB Jarrad Davis, who sustained an ankle injury in the team's 23-14 win over the Packers at Lambeau Field, is expected to be out until the team is off in Week 6 of the regular season.
"We really like our linebacker group," head coach Robert Saleh said. "We've got a combination of youth and experience. Sherwood has been doing a really nice job. We're expecting him to slide in and pick up where Jarrad left off. He's been having a really nice camp and it's an opportunity for him to step in and take on a bigger role. With regards to that linebacker group, we're really excited about that unit."
Sherwood (6-1, 216), a fifth-round pick, played safety at Auburn and is transitioning to linebacker with the Jets. He had 2 tackles, 1 tackle for loss and 1 fumble recovery against the Packers on 28 snaps, after 3 tackles on 22 snaps against the Giants.
"Sherwood has a tremendous mindset to him," Saleh said. "He's extremely smart, he's got great command of the playbook already, he's got respect of his peers, he is an unbelievable communicator. He doesn't look like Fred [Warner], but he's sitting there right around 220-225 [pounds], he's got tremendous length, tremendous instincts and he's got a great feel for the game. Again, for him, there's going to be some hiccups along the way but, we feel with reps he's only going to get better."
Sherwood reminds Saleh of Warner, the 49ers All-Pro LB who played under Saleh the last three seasons. Warner, a third-round pick out of BYU in 2018, had 124 tackles, 6 pass defenses, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery and 2 QB hits as a rookie.
"Sherwood is exactly what we thought," Saleh said. "When we drafted him -- I want to make sure I'm saying this properly -- I'm not comparing him to Fred yet, he's got a long way to go. Fred Warner played nickel in college and was maybe 220-225 his rookie year. Threw him in there at Mike linebacker, started Day 1 and he took off."
Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich added Sherwood "has a different level of communication than maybe I've ever seen in a rookie."
Robert Saleh Expects Jets LB Jamien Sherwood to ‘Pick Up Where Jarrad Davis Left Off’
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