Dolphins
Former Dolphins QB Ryan Fitzpatrick said last year he stopped getting reps in practice so QB Tua Tagovailoa and QB Reid Sinnett could get them all.
“I stayed mentally sharp and ready and was still running, but I did not really throw football during practice, especially during like a practice setting against the defense,” Fitzpatrick said on the ESPN Daily podcast, via Pro Football Talk.“I was fully in to helping Tua. And at the same time, I wanted this young guy, who otherwise would get zero reps throughout the year {as a third-string quarterback], to have an opportunity because I was in his shoes once. I sat there as a third- and fourth-string guy and just watched and watched and watched and never had any opportunity to get better. I saw it as a way to help Reid [Sinnett]. I saw it as a way for me to give extra help to Tua. And I also saw it as a way to prove to myself that I could come out of the stands five years from now and still play this game.”
Jets
Obviously a spring in shorts and helmets will be far from the determining factor one way or another when we look back on Jets first-round QB Zach Wilson‘s career. But the No. 2 overall pick has gotten off to just about as good of a start as you can ask for if you ask new HC Robert Saleh for his impressions.
“He’s a relentless worker. And I mean this, there’s guys who watch film, and then there’s guys that watch film almost religiously, and he’s one of those guys,” Saleh said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “He’s constantly trying to find ways to absorb information and learn. He’s wearing out the quarterback coach with film study. He’s relentless in that regard. His mental horsepower is off the charts. And he has a tremendous opportunity to go out there and be a good football player, because of that — because of his want to learn, because of his want to get better, because of his desire to ask questions that, frankly, he shouldn’t be asking yet. He’s looking at tells already through OTAs. The way he goes about it, he’s interesting mentally. And I’m excited to get a chance, when we go to Philadelphia and Green Bay, for him to see different defenses. It’s gonna be cool to see him react, and see how he asks questions, and see how he responds in Day 2 of those practices, it’s gonna be cool.”
- The Jets have hired former Steelers football analyst Jay Whitmire as manager of football analytics. (Seth Walder)
Patriots
Patriots CB J.C. Jackson believes he is a top corner in the NFL.
“Of course I am,” Jackson said, via NFL.com’s Mike Giardi. “I would never settle for less. I would never say I’m No. 2, No. 3. I’m No. 1.”
Jackson added he was motivated by going undrafted in 2018.
“Yeah, of course it motivated me, man,” Jackson said. “I mean, I came in with … I came in, I felt like I was just a nobody, so I had to earn my respect. I had to believe in the process, believe in myself. I had to bet on myself.”
Jackson also mentioned that he isn’t thinking about his contract status.
“I didn’t get no extension. So what? Who cares? I know it’s coming. I just love the game, man. The money going to come. I just love playing football.”
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