No tanks! Gase says team won’t be giving up
Adam Gase insists that the Jets’ string of recent moves to part ways with veterans isn’t motivated by tanking for the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL draft. Gang Green has cut or traded four Week 1 starters — Le’Veon Bell, Steve McLendon, Avery Williamson and Pierre Desir — in the past month, prompting whispers about a grand plan to go 0-for-2020 to get Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
“No - body’s talked about that,” Gase said Wednesday. “We’re just trying to play young guys. We’re trying to get guys experience. We’re trying to make sure that we get guys out there and compete. That’s one thing that I can say that I especially saw on Monday night, I mean these guys you watch these guys come off the field, whatever they have, they’re giving it. We’ve just got to figure out a way to finish these games to where we’re winning the game, we’ve got one more point than the other side.”
The Jets aren’t actively tanking, but it’s clear now that winning games isn’t as important as evaluating younger players. It’ll be a bonus if the Jets become only the third 0-16 team in NFL history, but players and coaches don’t lose games on purpose.
The perception that they’re doing whatever they can to lose as much as possible, frankly, is ridiculous.
“We can’t worry about what anybody else thinks,” Gase said. “We know we’re trying to get guys better that are here and we’re trying to figure out ways to win games.”
The Jets, who have lost by an average of 16.3 points this season, hold a one-game edge over the 1-8 Jaguars for the No. 1 pick. Jacksonville’s weaker strength of schedule means that the Jets would not get the No. 1 pick if the clubs finished with identical records. So, there’s a scenario that Gang Green would pick second if they finished at 1-15.
DARNOLD NOT DONE
Gase doesn’t believe that Sam Darnold, who will miss his fourth game of the season with a shoulder injury, will be shut down for the rest of the season.
“Hopefully he gets better sooner than later, but I expect him to be back at some point,” Gase said. “I don’t know when it is… (but) he’s feeling better. He’s getting stronger. I think we just want to make sure he’s healthy when we get him out there.”
“He wants to play,” Gase added. “So, I’m not getting that feeling from him or anyone else that he shouldn’t play the rest of the year. We want him to get out there…. Everybody wants to see what it can look like when we have the starting receivers, starting offensive line, him out there. Let’s see what we can do when we get all those pieces out there.”
INJURY UPDATES
Left tackle Mekhi Becton, who was taken out of the game against the Patriots because he was having trouble breathing, admitted that he was dealing with a cold at the time.
Defensive lineman Quinnen Williams (hamstring), who was limited in practice, is expected to play against the Chargers barring a setback.
Gase said that center/ guard Patrick Elflein, who was claimed off waivers this week, won’t join the team until next Monday after clearing COVID-19 protocols.
Linebacker Patrick Onwuasor was activated off Injured reserve. Outside linebacker Frankie Luvu was designated to return to practice.