Offensive guard Kelechi Osemele said he couldn’t play with a shoulder injury. The Jets’ medical staff and GM Joe Douglas believed he could. Osemele played the first three games of the regular season with the injury, but then refused to any longer. This became a nasty battle culminating with Osemele having surgery, Oct. 25, without the team’s approval. On Oct. 26, Osemele was released by the Jets. The following is one of the more interesting interviews we have ever encountered in our quarter-century covering the team, when Osemele was questioned by reporters at his locker, Oct. 23:
Q: What was your reaction when you were fined for not practicing Saturday?
A: I kind of expected it. They told me if I didn’t practice they were going to fine me. I can’t go, so that is out of my control.
Q: Have you filed a grievance?
A: Yes.
Q: How often are they fining you?
A: Pretty much every day they are going to be fining me.
Q: Are you confident you are going to get that money back?
A: Pretty confident considering that legally, if I can’t practice, and I’m injured, then they have to pay me. That is how it works. I’m having surgery on Friday.
Q: Have the Jets authorized the surgery or are you just getting it done yourself?
A: I’m just getting it done myself. I got a third opinion yesterday. I was in Boston and saw Dr. Glenn Ross. He informed me it’s pretty bad. It’s torn off the bone.
Q: Can you repeat that?
A: Yeah. My labrum is torn off the bone. There is a cyst on my humerus. It’s pretty bad.
Q: Have the Jets’ doctors weighed in after you got that third opinion?
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FIRST DOWN- A lot of potential, but a lot to learn
There is a lyric in an old song by the rock group Chicago that sums up where Zach Wilson is right now:
IN HIS OWN WORDS WITH DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JEFF ULBRICH - Ulbrich breaks down Jets' defensive personnel
(Marcus Maye) can do it all. I would feel comfortable with him (at free or strong safety). He’s a guy that, to me, he can play deep, he can play the half field, he can play the middle third, he can do that and you feel comfortable with it. I think he’s got range, speed and athleticism. I think he’s got ball skills and instincts to be a deep safety. But I think he’s got enough size and girth and want-to and courage to play in the box. It’ll be fun to utilize all the things that he does. He can cover tight ends; he can cover some of the wide receivers in this league.
Dan's Minicamp Diary
Becton bombarded with weighty questions
Saleh calls Wilson ‘relentless' as a worker
QUESTION SESSION WITH QB ZACH WILSON
Jets hope initiatives will increase winning edge
Aside from adding as many good players as possible to help the Jets improve, coach Robert Saleh and GM Joe Douglas are trying to turn over every stone to find extra ways to give their team a winning edge, and two examples of this were announced over the course of the offseason, with the additions of a game management coach (Matt Burke) and the installation of an Athletic Care and Performance Department. Let’s take a closer look at these two moves and how they might help the Jets:
Dan's Spring Camp Diary
This time of year for learning, experimenting, not stats
AUDIBLES-Saleh doesn't cave on offseason work
Tom Brady might be wrong about this one.
SAFETIES
Justin Simmons, Broncos 6-2 • 202 pounds • 27 years old
OFFENSIVE TACKLES
Trent Williams, 49ers 6-5 • 320 pounds • 32 years old
LINEBACKERS
Lavonte David, Buccaneers 6-0 • 226 pounds • 26 years old
