The Jets should buck tradition and utilize both Geno Smith and Michael Vick this season, writes George Willis of the New York Post. Used properly, Willis opines that Smith and Vick could be a valuable 1-2 punch the likes of which has seldom been seen at the quarterback position in the NFL. “Maybe at some point they will be,” Vick said of having his skills utilized. “The coaches are creative enough to put guys in position where they can help a football team score points and win games. If it happens, I’m all for it. If it doesn’t, then I’m not going to be upset. I’m just going to stay ready.” Here’s a glance at the AFC East..
- The Dolphins tried out defensive back Lowell Rose and wide receiver Tony Washington this week, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun. Former Ravens players Deji Olatoye and Gerrard Sheppard also auditioned for Miami, Wilson tweets.
- The magic number in New England is three, Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets. Randy Moss, Richard Seymour, and Logan Mankins were all dealt during or after year three of their extensions with the Patriots. Tom Brady, meanwhile, reworked his big contract after the third year.
- Patriots team president Jonathan Kraft defended the front office and said the Mankins trade isn’t about pocketing money, tweets Ben Volin of The Boston Globe. However, he didn’t give a full answer as to why it was done.
- In an appearance on CSNNE, former Patriots center Dan Koppen said that the loss of Mankins is a tough blow for the Patriots but at the same time, he understands the financial reasons behind the trade.
- After appearing in five of the Jets‘ six possessions in the first half, Stephen Hill was never seen again on Thursday night, as Darryl Slater of The Star-Ledger notes. Hill was targeted twice and caught one pass for 13 yards. It’s possible that the Jets didn’t want to risk Hill getting injured, but that could also be a sign that the former second-round pick won’t make the 53-man cut.