http://nypost.com/2015/06/25/jets-wont-wait-another-year-for-jeff-cumberlands-breakout/
As the Jets get close to training camp, I am going to examine the roster and give you my top 25 players. Each weekday, we will reveal another person on the list, leading right into camp. I am not including rookies on this list because I do not feel it is possible to fully evaluate them before they play a game.
[h=3]No. 24: Jeff Cumberland[/h]Last year’s ranking: 20
Position: Tight end
Age: 28
How acquired: Signed as an undrafted free agent on April 30, 2010
Years left on contract: 2
2015 Salary Cap figure: $1.9 million
Looking back at 2014: Cumberland played 83 percent of the Jets’ offensive snaps last season, more than anyone other than the starting offensive linemen. His production was not great – 23 catches for 247 yards and three touchdowns. Cumberland remains one of those players you expect to break out because he shows flashes of real ability, but it never totally comes together for him.
Cumberland started the season with four catches against the Raiders and then never saw that number of receptions again. He disappears at times. There was a six-game period in the middle of the season during which totaled just one catch for five yards.
The website Pro Football Focus ranked him dead last out of 67 tight ends who played 25 percent of their team’s snaps. PFF bases that on grades they assign players from film review. Cumberland received only one positive grade out of the 16 games he played.
PFF also has a stat called yards per route, which divides how many yards a tight end accounts for by the number of times he runs a route. Cumberland ranked 37th out of 39 tight ends with 0.67 yards per route. By comparison, Rob Gronkowski’s number was 2.53.
I don’t think Cumberland had as bad a season as PFF makes it appear, but there is no doubt his 2014 was disappointing.
Outlook for 2015: Cumberland played a lot more than rookie Jace Amaro (34 percent of snaps) last season. Now, the question is: Will that continue? It’s hard to get a read on how Cumberland and the other tight ends will be used in new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey’s system. One interesting thing coach Todd Bowles said this spring is Cumberland is the starting tight end and Amaro is an H-back, indicating they may not be competing for the same snaps.
As Cumberland enters his sixth season, it’s time for him to either develop into an above-average tight end or the Jets will be searching for his replacement next year.
As the Jets get close to training camp, I am going to examine the roster and give you my top 25 players. Each weekday, we will reveal another person on the list, leading right into camp. I am not including rookies on this list because I do not feel it is possible to fully evaluate them before they play a game.
[h=3]No. 24: Jeff Cumberland[/h]Last year’s ranking: 20
Position: Tight end
Age: 28
How acquired: Signed as an undrafted free agent on April 30, 2010
Years left on contract: 2
2015 Salary Cap figure: $1.9 million
Looking back at 2014: Cumberland played 83 percent of the Jets’ offensive snaps last season, more than anyone other than the starting offensive linemen. His production was not great – 23 catches for 247 yards and three touchdowns. Cumberland remains one of those players you expect to break out because he shows flashes of real ability, but it never totally comes together for him.
Cumberland started the season with four catches against the Raiders and then never saw that number of receptions again. He disappears at times. There was a six-game period in the middle of the season during which totaled just one catch for five yards.
The website Pro Football Focus ranked him dead last out of 67 tight ends who played 25 percent of their team’s snaps. PFF bases that on grades they assign players from film review. Cumberland received only one positive grade out of the 16 games he played.
PFF also has a stat called yards per route, which divides how many yards a tight end accounts for by the number of times he runs a route. Cumberland ranked 37th out of 39 tight ends with 0.67 yards per route. By comparison, Rob Gronkowski’s number was 2.53.
I don’t think Cumberland had as bad a season as PFF makes it appear, but there is no doubt his 2014 was disappointing.
Outlook for 2015: Cumberland played a lot more than rookie Jace Amaro (34 percent of snaps) last season. Now, the question is: Will that continue? It’s hard to get a read on how Cumberland and the other tight ends will be used in new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey’s system. One interesting thing coach Todd Bowles said this spring is Cumberland is the starting tight end and Amaro is an H-back, indicating they may not be competing for the same snaps.
As Cumberland enters his sixth season, it’s time for him to either develop into an above-average tight end or the Jets will be searching for his replacement next year.
