Jets
Jets GM Darren Mougey believes the team has a well-balanced receiver room and said that WR Xavier Gipson and rookie WR Arian Smith can stretch the field.
“[They’re] bigger bodies, you can move them around, they can block in the run game,” Mougey said, via ESPN, adding that Gipson and Smith provide “the speed piece.”
New York is counting on Smith to be a key contributor early on in his career, even as early as his first year.
“We’re really, really excited about this player,” director of player personnel Robbie Paton said. “From OTAs to training camp and into the preseason, you’ve seen him just get better and better and better. He’s really going to feel like a guy that’s going to make an impact early in the season for us at receiver, giving us that explosive, take-the-top-off element on offense.”
Jets
Jets RB Braelon Allen fell to the fourth round in last year’s draft but showed some flashes as a secondary piece during the 2024 season. Heading into year two, Allen is plenty motivated as he feels he has more to prove.
“I felt like I was the best running back in that (2024) draft, and I still do,” Allen said, via New York Post’s Steve Serby. “I have a lot left to prove, not even to the outside world but still people in this locker room and people in this building and to myself. Last year, I kind of gotta flush it, forget about it, but that still drives me.”
Patriots
New England was rumored to be checking in on disgruntled stars this offseason, but never ended up making a big swing. Patriots HC Mike Vrabel talked about their interest in trading for Packers DE Micah Parsons, and why they didn’t pursue the star pass rusher too heavily.
“We continue to have conversations about all players that are available,” Vrabel said, via Mike Reiss. “Great player. But that wasn’t something that we really invested a lot of time or resources in. I think when you just try to look at what we feel like is best for us right now, that wasn’t entertaining that specific transaction.”
Vrabel was asked if the recent draft classes that are considered weaker stopped them from trading future first-round picks. He shot that idea down but reaffirmed their intentions of building through the draft.
“No, no. I would just say when we build this thing, and moving forward, we want to build it and make sure that we’re building through the draft. And then again, like I said, retaining the players that we feel like have developed and earned contracts. While Micah Parsons is a great player, it probably wasn’t the best fit or the right time, I think, for us.”
- Vrabel gave an update on CB Christian Gonzalez: “Yesterday I said he’s working hard to come back. When he’s ready to get back out and practice, hopefully that’s this week, and then we can decide and go from there.” (Doug Kyed)
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