Brother, can you spare me all Dee draft bust jokes?
Dee Milliner has heard the “bust” label that’s been placed on him by so many. In fact, he’s heard it from his own family. Milliner said his brothers often chide him by calling him a bust, knowing it will motivate him.
“They bring it up, because they know that...I take pride in myself. I might be at home, doing something, my brothers might call me a bust,” Milliner said Saturday. “He knows that I’m going to pop (off) the couch and probably go work or something. They take it as a joking matter, but at the same time I take it serious and I want to be out there and be able to play.” The cornerback, whose three-year career has been marred by injuries, says he’s able to take it in stride most of the time. “My brothers or someone in my family will just bring it up as a joke, I just laugh at it,” Milliner said. “I know it’s part of it. You’ve got to take criticism, you’ve got to take the hard knocks of the game.”
There’s no questioning that Milliner has been a massive disappointment for the Jets after the team took him with the No. 9 overall pick in 2013. But would he call himself a bust to this point?
“No, I won’t say a bust,” he said. “I ain’t been on the field.”
Milliner has been given a chance to play with the starters early in training camp and Todd Bowles has said he’ll be competing for a starting job, despite his previous struggles. Realistically, that will be a long shot for Milliner, with Darrelle Revis, Buster Skrine and Marcus Williams all likely ahead of him on the depth chart at this point. However, Milliner said he thinks he’s got a real shot.
Remarkably, Milliner hasn’t played a defensive snap since October 12, 2014, when he tore his Achilles. He played last season but only on special teams. Needless to say, he’s anxious to get back out there.
“Most definitely,” he said. “I want to be back out there and get a chance to be on defense and play.”
Milliner actually made an impressive play in Saturday’s practice. The cornerback knocked the ball loose just as it arrived to Kenbrell Thompkins on a pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick, then snagged it for an interception while keeping his toes in bounds.
PICK FOR FITZ
Though Ryan Fitzpatrick’s contract with the Jets is technically a twoyear deal that voids five days after the Super Bowl, the Jets will still be eligible to receive a compensatory pick for the quarterback if he signs with another team in 2017. Gang Green may be thankful for that in 2018 if Fitzpatrick has a good year and cashes in elsewhere next offseason.
Though Saturday’s practice started outside, the weather forced the team to move indoors quickly. It was a tough break for fans who showed up to watch, as only VIPs were allowed indoors to watch practice due to space constraints.
INJURY REPORTS
Darrelle Revis (wrist) and Matt Forte (hamstring) both did not practice again on Saturday...Todd Bowles said he isn’t concerned “at this point” that Breno Giacomini (back) might miss the beginning of the regular season, but he didn’t completely dismiss the possibility...the head coach said RB Khiry Robinson (leg) isn’t as close as some of the other injured players to returning...Bowles revealed Saturday that he sometimes offers inspirational quotes to his players, including from the likes of Socrates and Albert Einstein.
@SethWalderNYDN