THE BATTLE FOR NEW YORK!
Jets’ top 2013 pick struggling to get on Dee field
Even with Jets’ secondary in shaky state, former first-round pick Dee Milliner a forgotten man for Gang Green
Dee Milliner’s career arc would have driven most of us into a state of madness or despair. The litany of battered body parts is hard to fathom: shoulder, hamstring, ankle, quad, Achilles and wrist. Nearly three years after Milliner was the No. 9 overall pick, he remains a mystery to the Jets. He has the requisite skill and mindset to excel, but lives in the background. Injuries have derailed him in the past, but why can’t he get on the field now that he’s fully healthy?
How does the consensus best cornerback coming out of the 2013 draft find himself seventh on the depth chart? Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six. Milliner, remarkably, is no better than No. 7 at his position in Todd Bowles’ eyes. It defies logic. It doesn’t make sense.
“You got to see it on the field,” Bowles said on Wednesday. “He’s hustling. He’s getting the rust off. The other guys have been playing since the spring and summer. So it’s competitive. You’re not just going to put a guy in. You got to take it.”
Milliner was placed on short-term injured reserve after suffering a torn tendon in his wrist during a training camp practice that caused him to miss the first eight games. Bowles, however, has not given the third-year cornerback a single defensive snap since getting medical clearance. Milliner has played a grand total of 16 special teams snaps in the past three weeks. The Jets had six active cornerbacks against the Texans two weeks ago. Milliner wasn’t one of them.
The Jets might be without Darrelle Revis (concussion) and Marcus Williams (knee) against the Giants on Sunday, which should open the door for Milliner, but nothing is a sure thing given his enigmatic career.
Bowles has made it clear that he doesn’t feel comfortable using Milliner over Dex McDougle in the slot in nickel and dime situations. The coaching staff has a greater comfort level with Darrin Walls on the outside behind Buster Skrine and Antonio Cromartie.
Milliner, who has missed 24 of 43 possible career games due to injury, is looking for any meaningful role for the new staff. His confidence hasn’t waned — remember, he once told the Daily News that he considered himself the best cornerback in the NFL – but there’s no doubt that he must be wondering what the heck is going on. To Milliner’s credit, he’s never once voiced his displeasure. He’s never placed blame on anyone else, either.
Circumstance has cursed him. His body has robbed him of what should have been a promising start to his career.
“You’re going to have injuries here and there,” Milliner said. “Guys are going to step up and play. That’s what happened. Guys have been playing good. You can’t just be thrown back out there just because you were a high pick. If the guys are playing good, you’re going to stay with them.”
The Jets’ free-agent spending spree revamped the secondary and slid Milliner to fourth on the depth chart behind Revis, Cromartie and Skrine. The News reported at the time that teams made trade inquiries for Milliner, but the new Jets regime held off on selling low with the hope of better evaluating the former blue-chip prospect.
These Jets have proven that they won’t hesitate to cut the cord on high draft picks from the old guard (see: Quinton Coples) to establish their culture, but it would be bad business not to bring back Milliner, who has a guaranteed $2.1 million coming in 2016 in the final year of his rookie deal. Milliner’s work habits also don’t appear to be a problem.
“You got guys that go out there and just play and then you have smart football players,” Skrine said. “He’s a smart football player. He can play any position. If somebody went down, he can go play safety. He’s competitive. … He has a chippy T side to him.” he entire NFL world wasn’t wrong on Milliner. He has ability. He should be able to help in December.
“Just keep working,” Milliner said. “(Do) all the right things. My time will come.”
He has endured so much bad luck so far. Sooner or later, the tide will turn. He’s too talented for it not to.