It may have been more than 90 degrees in Florham Park for the first of two joint practices with the Eagles, but there may as well have been snow on the ground and a reindeer in the sky. Head coach Robert Saleh was elated as a handful of injured players returned to practice.
"It was kind of like Christmas," Saleh said. "We had a few guys back. We had Elijah Moore back, Alijah Vera-Tucker came back. Quinnen [Williams] got more reps, so it was good to get those guys back in the fold. [Jason] Pinnock made a return today, so we're getting some healthy bodies back."
Moore picked up where he left off even though he and Vera-Tucker both were on a pitch count, taking 10-12 reps as they ramp up for Week 1 at Carolina. Moore, who continually flashed before sustaining a quad injury, connected with QB Zach Wilson for a chunk gain on a post-corner route down the left sideline with Eagles CB Avonte Maddox in coverage.
"I'm really just selling my eyes and my hips and everything," Moore said of the play. "I have to make him believe that I'm running a post. As soon as he gave his eyes, he played a little inside, I knew I had room to go on the outside. Zach put a good ball, I kept my feet in and moved the chains."
Saleh said that the staff will determine whether Moore, Vera-Tucker and Williams, who received a heavier workload Tuesday, would play against the Eagles in Friday's preseason finale. Moore said he's day to day, but the plan is for him to make his preseason debut Friday.
"I love the fact how I get back out there and the whole time being inside and taking mental reps, it was like I was really out there," he said. "I really didn't feel like I was gone. Mental reps are just as important as being out there. Even when I was in Green Bay, I was learning so much. I look at everything as a positive and it definitely was."
On the negative side of the injury spectrum, LT Mekhi Becton exited practice with a head injury out of precaution after a collision with an Eagles defender. Last week in Green Bay, offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said that Becton (6-7, 363) wasn't playing his best football and working through "some things."
When asked about that comment, Saleh said, "One, he missed all of OTAs. Two, it's a completely different scheme that he's in. Not only run game, but from a protection standpoint. When he's used to just getting in front of people and mauling them, we're asking him to run off the ball and do things a little bit differently than he's used to. It's not just inside zone and maul the guy in front of you because you're just a big human. We're trying to extract the athleticism that he has, which he does.
"There's an adjustment that he has to go through. Obviously for him and everybody else. Quinnen is out there and these are his first reps, so he's rusty. But we like where Mekhi is going and we need to continue to build on the positive and keep showing him when he does do it right, harp on that and correct the times when it's not."
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"It was kind of like Christmas," Saleh said. "We had a few guys back. We had Elijah Moore back, Alijah Vera-Tucker came back. Quinnen [Williams] got more reps, so it was good to get those guys back in the fold. [Jason] Pinnock made a return today, so we're getting some healthy bodies back."
Moore picked up where he left off even though he and Vera-Tucker both were on a pitch count, taking 10-12 reps as they ramp up for Week 1 at Carolina. Moore, who continually flashed before sustaining a quad injury, connected with QB Zach Wilson for a chunk gain on a post-corner route down the left sideline with Eagles CB Avonte Maddox in coverage.
"I'm really just selling my eyes and my hips and everything," Moore said of the play. "I have to make him believe that I'm running a post. As soon as he gave his eyes, he played a little inside, I knew I had room to go on the outside. Zach put a good ball, I kept my feet in and moved the chains."
Saleh said that the staff will determine whether Moore, Vera-Tucker and Williams, who received a heavier workload Tuesday, would play against the Eagles in Friday's preseason finale. Moore said he's day to day, but the plan is for him to make his preseason debut Friday.
"I love the fact how I get back out there and the whole time being inside and taking mental reps, it was like I was really out there," he said. "I really didn't feel like I was gone. Mental reps are just as important as being out there. Even when I was in Green Bay, I was learning so much. I look at everything as a positive and it definitely was."
On the negative side of the injury spectrum, LT Mekhi Becton exited practice with a head injury out of precaution after a collision with an Eagles defender. Last week in Green Bay, offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said that Becton (6-7, 363) wasn't playing his best football and working through "some things."
When asked about that comment, Saleh said, "One, he missed all of OTAs. Two, it's a completely different scheme that he's in. Not only run game, but from a protection standpoint. When he's used to just getting in front of people and mauling them, we're asking him to run off the ball and do things a little bit differently than he's used to. It's not just inside zone and maul the guy in front of you because you're just a big human. We're trying to extract the athleticism that he has, which he does.
"There's an adjustment that he has to go through. Obviously for him and everybody else. Quinnen is out there and these are his first reps, so he's rusty. But we like where Mekhi is going and we need to continue to build on the positive and keep showing him when he does do it right, harp on that and correct the times when it's not."
Jets Joint Practice Report | Elijah Moore, Alijah Vera-Tucker Return in First Session With Eagles
Quinnen Williams’ Workload Increases; Mekhi Becton Exits Practice With Head Injury
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