SAFETY IN NUMBERS
Jets hoping rookie duo can solidify ‘D’ position for years
Marcus Maye figured the Jets were not picking him when he saw fellow safety Jamal Adams go to Gang Green in the first round of the draft last month.
So, the safety from Florida was a bit surprised when Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan called during the second round to tell him the Jets were taking him, too.
“I really didn’t think that they were going to call,” Maye said Friday, “but once they did I realized what they were trying to do to get the both of us.” And what was that? “I feel like they tried to get the best two safeties in the draft and they did that,” Maye said.
The two new Jets were on display Friday as the team opened rookie minicamp. Adams flew around the field, making plays, while Maye was sidelined from team drills because he is still recovering from a broken left arm that ended his 2016 season at Florida.
The two could be side-byside for a long time if the Jets drafted correctly. The safety position has been a weak one for the Jets for years. The Jets now hope they found a solution at the position for years to come with not just one player, but two.
Coach Todd Bowles said Adams and Maye could both be starters this year. The team released veteran Marcus Gilchrist this week. Calvin Pryor remains on the roster, but his spot seems tenuous at best. Bowles made it clear Pryor is going to have to fight for his job.
“There’s competition everywhere,” Bowles said. “You draft somebody every year at certain positions. Somebody’s going to have competition. If you’re afraid of competition, you don’t need to be here.”
The duo of Adams and Maye is an intriguing one. The players competed against each other in the SEC for three years. At one point, Adams planned on attending Florida to play with Maye, who said he tried recruiting Adams to Gainesville. Ultimately, Adams decided to go to LSU. Now, they debate which school is the true “DB University.”
The Jets took Adams with the sixth overall pick, shocked that he landed in their lap. One night later, Adams watched as his buddy from Florida was taken.
“I loved it,” Adams said. “Me and Marcus, we’ve always been close. We always wanted to play with each other. At one point, I was going to Florida. Now, we’re a part of the Jets organization. We’re definitely looking forward to it.”
Maye said he was still on the phone with the Jets on draft night when he got a message from Adams. The two spent the week talking about their new partnership.
The Jets feel that Adams and Maye are interchangeable, so they are not designating one as a free safety and the other as the strong. You have to figure they will be starting when the Jets open the season on Sept. 10 in Buffalo, but Bowles is not handing them jobs yet.
“It’s feasible [they both could start],” Bowles said. “They’re good football players. Obviously, if they learn and they earn it, they’re the starting safeties. I’ve seen it happen before.”
Bowles was then asked about Maye saying he and Adams were the best two players in the draft.
“That’s young guys talking,” Bowles said. “I’d rather them play than talk, but I’m excited that he’s excited and he has to put in the work.”