IN A TIGHT CORNER!
Jets’ CB depth out of whack
JUST MORE than a week ago, after the Jets lost to the Patriots at home, Todd Bowles grew testy on a conference call when he was asked to clarify his cornerback depth chart.
This was his clear and concise message: Juston Burris and Darryl Roberts are strictly outside cornerbacks. Buster Skrine plays outside in the base defense but moves to slot corner in the nickel package. Xavier Coleman is the backup slot corner.
Well, thanks to a slew of injuries, that structure has gone up in flames. Skrine is dealing with a concussion he presumably suffered in Sunday’s loss at the Dolphins. (Bowles didn’t know exactly when Skrine sustained it; he simply said Skrine arrived at the facility Monday morning and was diagnosed with a concussion by team doctors.)
Skrine played the full game Sunday but didn’t practice Wednesday. It’s his third concussion in the past three seasons. Coleman, meanwhile, was placed on injured reserve Wednesday with a labrum injury. If Skrine doesn’t pass protocol in time for this weekend, the Jets could enter a matchup with the Falcons and their explosive passing attack without a true nickel corner.
“We got some gymnastics to work out,” Bowles said.
The options aren’t plentiful. Burris and Roberts both received reps inside during practice Wednesday, according to Roberts, but neither player is well-versed in the nuances of the position because they’ve played outside during their Jets careers. Bowles made that point clear on the conference call last Monday, and Roberts said Wednesday the nickel position is “new to me.”
Even so, Bowles said “it’s possible” Burris and Roberts could play in the slot Sunday.
“I don’t really know about inside much,” Roberts said. “I don’t really play inside much, so I really couldn’t tell you. I’m not much of an inside corner. I play outside.”
“But if we play man and I end up inside, then I’ll just focus on my job,” Roberts added.
The Jets also activated cornerback Robert Nelson from the practice squad on Tuesday. Bowles said explicitly that Nelson is not the team’s starting slot corner, “but he’ll get some reps.” Nelson hasn’t played in an NFL game this season.
Skrine’s concussion is a bit of a surprise considering he played 70 of 73 defensive snaps Sunday in perhaps his worst performance of the season. According to Pro Football Focus, Dolphins quarterbacks completed all eight of their passes with Skrine in coverage for 122 yards and three touchdowns.
On a play inside near the goal line in the fourth quarter, Skrine lost his helmet during a collision with Dolphins receiver Leonte Carroo. Skrine wasn’t looking, and Carroo blindsided the cornerback on a pick play that freed up Kenny Stills. Carroo was called for offensive pass interference on the play.
Bowles wouldn’t say if this was when Skrine suffered the concussion.
“I guess it happened during the game,” Bowles said.
Either way, the Jets will be searching for answers inside, and the problem couldn’t have surfaced at a worse time. The Falcons’ Julio Jones differs from most other top receivers in his versatility. Jones regularly lines up in the slot and features a refined route tree.
“You could put him anywhere in the formation,” cornerback Morris Claiborne said, “and he’s able to produce.”
Claiborne has faced Jones multiple times in his career. As always, he’s looking forward to the test.
“You want those challenges,” Claiborne said. “If you don’t want those challenges, then you shouldn’t be playing cornerback in this league.”
Yet he knows the task will be increasingly difficult if Skrine can’t play Sunday.
“The next man that’s up has got to step in and got to fill that job responsibility,” Claiborne said.