Maye becomes one of Gang’s few bright spots
There are some promising signs amid the rubble of this nightmarish Jets season. Safety Marcus Maye has emerged as one of the team leaders, a typically quiet player thrust into a leadership role for myriad reasons.
Veteran defensive lineman Steve McLendon’s departure over the weekend has left a void in the locker room. Adam Gase is confident that his fourth-year safety will assume an even larger role to rally the troops after a rough first six weeks.
“What I’ve seen from Marcus Maye, really the entire season, I’ve been extremely impressed,” Gase said Wednesday. “He shows up a lot when you watch the offensive side of the ball. You see him, he’s like a cheerleader sometimes. You see him coming off the bench if we have any kind of positive play, cheering on the offense.”
Perhaps Maye’s biggest growth has been evolving into a vocal presence.
“He speaks up a lot, which is something that I didn’t hear him a lot last year,” Gase said. “I understand he was really good as far as, ‘ I know my role in in this room.’ I think he knows, ‘Hey, I’m the guy that needs to speak up.’ And he does a good job of that.”
Maye, who’s in the final year of his rookie contract, started the season playing closer to the line of the scrimmage after Jamal Adams was traded this summer. He shined in the season opener against the Bills with a stat-sheet stuffing performance. Maye’s varied skill set has provided flexibility. He has returned to more of a free-safety role.
His highlight-reel interception last week in Miami was one of the few memorable moments this season for an 0-6 team hoping for payback against Buffalo on Sunday.
“That was a great job,” Gase said. “That was a hell of a pick. That’s a tough play for a safety on that on (Miami wide receiver Preston Williams). He did a great job on that play.”
ANOTHER DEAL
The 0-6 Jets made their second trade in the past few days when they dealt reserve outside linebacker Jordan Willis to the 49ers Wednesday, according to a source.
General manager Joe Douglas, who moved veteran defensive lineman Steve McLendon to the Buccaneers last weekend, is expected to be an active seller before the Nov. 3 trade deadline.
The Jets will get San Francisco’s 2022 sixthround pick in exchange for Willis and Gang Green’s 2021 seventh-rounder.
PRACTICE NOTES
Left tackle Mekhi Becton, who’s dealing with a shoulder injury, practiced on a limited basis. Becton has missed the past two games after he played four days after getting hurt. … Gase intimated that rookie wide receiver Denzel Mims (hamstring) could make his NFL debut on Sunday. … Rookie cornerback Bryce Hall (ankle) was designated to return to practice after spending the first six weeks on the Non-Football lnjury List.