Gang fired up by Kalil signing
Ryan Kalil was not at practice with the Jets on Friday, but his presence could be felt. Players and coaches were excited about adding the five-time Pro Bowl center to their team and energized by the first big move by general manager Joe Douglas. “For us, it’s a great thing that we can add to that group a guy who has played at a very high level for a long time,” coach Adam Gase said. “It will be helpful for the offense, for the quarterback, for our locker room. I think we’re bringing in the right kind of guy for us. We’re fired up.” Douglas pulled a rabbit out of his hat when he reached a deal with the 34-year-old Kalil to come out of retirement. The Jets needed an upgrade at center, where Jonotthan Harrison was penciled in to start, but it is not easy finding starting-caliber players in August. Douglas approached Gase and told him about Kalil a few weeks ago and the coach was all for it. The two sides hammered out a one-year, $8.4 million contract and the Jets have a new center. Gase said Kalil lost some weight this offseason after he retired, but the former Panthers lineman has regained the weight. Gase made it sound as if Kalil has been preparing to return for a bit. “I don’t know if he didn’t think he was playing football,” Gase said when asked if there was any concern about Kalil’s conditioning following his retired. “I wouldn’t put those words in his mouth. You can ask him when he gets here. We’ve done our research. We feel good about where we’re at with him.” Gase said Kalil will not practice Saturday. The Jets are going to take a cautious approach and make sure they don’t rush him onto the field.
The biggest beneficiary of Kalil’s arrival is second-year quarterback Sam Darnold. A veteran center can help young quarterbacks with pre-snap reads and by managing the protections to keep the quarterback upright.
“I’ve heard great things,” Darnold said. “Obviously, he’s done great things in the NFL, he’s been an All-Pro, been a Pro Bowler, all that stuff so we’re excited to have him. We’re excited to have him here and see what he can do for us and obviously, he has to learn the offense and progress as he would just coming in and starting, but I haven’t gotten too many opportunities to talk to him, but I heard he’s a smart dude so I’m sure he’s going to pick it up and we’ll start rolling once he gets here.”
Kalil spent 12 seasons with Carolina and worked with Cam Newton from 2011 through last season. That experience with Newton as a young quarterback should help Kalil with Darnold.
“He had a lot on his plate when he was there,” Gase said. “He has for the entire time Cam’s been there. That’s always a good thing for a quarterback when you have a center that can handle a lot.”
It is a tough break for Harrison, who spent the entire offseason preparing to be the starting center.
“That’s one of those conversations that’s just not fun,” Gase said. “Joe grabbed him yesterday. I talked to him yesterday. [Offensive line coach Frank Pollack] talked to him. He is a true pro in the way he handled it, just like he handles everything else, stoic and, ‘I’m going to keep working.’ That says something about who that guy is. He’s coming out here doing his job and when his number’s called he’s got to be ready.”