NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

August 29, 2014

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Table of Contents

ASSOCIATED PRESS ................................................................................................................................................ 2

Jets' Vick makes quick cameo in Philly vs. Eagles (Dan Gelston) ............................................................................... 2

Jets' Patterson: no-show claims 'completely false' (Dennis Waszak Jr.) ................................................................... 3

NEWSDAY .............................................................................................................................................................. 5

Jets players don't make strong impression in final preseason game (Kimberley Martin) ........................................ 5

Michael Vick has come full circle . . . appreciated and appreciative (Bob Glauber).................................................. 6

Dimitri Patterson: I didn't go AWOL (Kimberley Martin) .......................................................................................... 7

THE RECORD .......................................................................................................................................................... 7

Jets fall to Eagles in final preseason game, 37-7 (J.P. Pelzman) ................................................................................ 7

STAR-LEDGER ......................................................................................................................................................... 9

Stephen Hill on if he thinks he has earned roster spot: 'Yeah, I don't know why I shouldn't'(Darryl Slater) ............ 9

Rex Ryan on Dimitri Patterson statement that called Jets liars: 'We'll address that at the appropriate time' (Darryl Slater) .......................................................................................................................................................... 10

Michael Vick, back in Philadelphia for Jets-Eagles, gets loud cheers from fans (Darryl Slater) .............................. 12

Jets vs. Eagles: 3 Jets-related things we learned from preseason finale (Darryl Slater) ......................................... 13

Will Stephen Hill play another game with Jets after preseason finale at Eagles? (Darryl Slater) ........................... 14

Jets 53-man roster: Darryl Slater's projection 2.0 (Darryl Slater) ........................................................................... 15

NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................. 18

Buck tradition: The Jets need Vick and Geno to play (George Willis) ..................................................................... 18

Stephen Hill remains in danger of getting cut by Jets (Brian Costello) ................................................................... 19

Patterson calling Jets out for AWOL lies could be last straw (Brian Costello) ......................................................... 20

Vick: Saved Riley Cooper’s career after slur, then he didn’t text back (Howie Kussoy) .......................................... 21

Raiders’ who-stinks-less QB battle gives Jets a Week 1 edge (Howie Kussoy) ........................................................ 21

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................... 22

Stephen Hill unimpressive in NY Jets preseason finale against Eagles (Seth Walder) ............................................ 22

Hard-working quarterback Matt Simms earns keep with NY Jets (Manish Mehta) ................................................ 23

Report: NY Jets rookie Jalen Saunders had to be restrained by cops 'for his safety' after suffering seizure (Seth Walder) .................................................................................................................................................................... 24

NY Jets CB Dimitri Patterson says claim he went AWOL 'completely false' (Seth Walder) ..................................... 25

NEW YORK TIMES ................................................................................................................................................ 25

Jets’ Big-Time Receiver Nourished by Small-Town Roots (Ben Shpigel) ................................................................. 25

ESPN NEW YORK .................................................................................................................................................. 30

Dimitri Patterson: Allegations untrue ..................................................................................................................... 30

Daily Clips Cont.

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NJ.COM ................................................................................................................................................................ 30

Jets 53-man roster: Dom Cosentino's projection 2.0 (Dom Cosentino) .................................................................. 30

NFL preseason TV schedule: What channel is the Jets' game against the Eagles on (Dom Cosentino) .................. 32

Remember me? A timeline of Mark Sanchez's pregame interactions with the Jets (Dom Cosentino) ................... 33

Instant analysis and quick hits from the Jets' loss to the Eagles in their preseason finale (Dom Cosentino) ......... 34

Jets linebacker Nick Bellore leaves preseason game with calf injury (Dom Cosentino) .......................................... 35

Rex Ryan wanted Michael Vick to get one more chance to be appreciated by Philadelphia (Dom Cosentino) ..... 35

Rex Ryan wanted Michael Vick to get one more chance to be appreciated by Philadelphia (Dom Cosentino) ..... 36

Dimitri Patterson calls Jets liars, per report (Dom Cosentino) ................................................................................ 36

METRO NEW YORK .............................................................................................................................................. 37

Jets vs. Eagles: 3 things to watch (Kristian Dyer) ..................................................................................................... 37

THURDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ................................................................................................................... 38

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jets' Vick makes quick cameo in Philly vs. Eagles (Dan Gelston) Associated Press August 28, 2014

http://pro32.ap.org/article/jets-vick-makes-quick-cameo-philly-vs-eagles

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Michael Vick made it one-and-done in his return to Philadelphia.

Not just one game.

One snap.

Vick's first game back in the city he called home for five seasons was reduced to nothing more than a one-play cameo, something more suitable for an Instagram video rather than the highlight reels he filled with the Eagles.

At least he didn't play a part in New York's disaster of a preseason finale. Cody Parkey made field goals of 54, 53 and 25 yards to help the Eagles beat the New York Jets 37-7 on Thursday night.

"For the guys that worked so hard, I hate for us to end it like we did," Jets coach Rex Ryan said. "That was just an awful performance."

Vick had few awful performances at the Linc, and he would have loved more time to add one more memorable moment at the stadium.

He handed off to Daryl Richardson on the Jets' first play from scrimmage. He was then replaced by Matt Simms. Vick was cheered when he ran onto the field and got more applause when he left. He tipped his visor to the half-empty crowd at the Linc.

"It was warm. It was what I expected," he said. "It goes to show the things that I did was greatly appreciated."

The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback will start the season as Geno Smith's backup.

Ryan said starting Vick was the right move.

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"I know what Mike thinks of his time in Philadelphia, the people of Philadelphia," Ryan said. "I know how Philadelphia thought of Mike. I just thought it was an appropriate thing to do and kind of let him send him off that way."

Vick expected more of an extended sendoff — he said he thought he would play at least a quarter.

"It was abruptly brought to an end," Vick said.

Vick resurrected his career in Philadelphia after missing two seasons while serving a prison sentence. He led the Eagles to the NFC East title in 2010, started for the NFC in the Pro Bowl and won the AP Comeback Player of the Year Award. Vick beat out Nick Foles for the starting job in camp last year. But Foles took over after Vick was injured in Week 5 and led the Eagles to the division crown.

He also came to former teammate Riley Cooper's defense last season when the receiver was caught on film yelling a racial slur before a Kenny Chesney concert. Vick said this week he was upset that Cooper never returned a text during the offseason, though they have since cleared the air.

"It was something that we talked about and let go," Vick said. "That entire locker room is filled with guys I have great friendships with."

The Eagles (2-2) and Jets (2-2) rested most of their starters and several backups. Former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez watched along with starter Foles from the Eagles' sideline.

Parkey's performance increased the rookie kicker's chances of beating out Alex Henery for a roster spot. Henery, a fourth-round draft pick in 2011, was 1 for 3 in the preseason after missing a costly field goal in a 26-24 playoff loss to New Orleans.

Matt Barkley started for Philadelphia and threw for 253 yards and one touchdown and also ran in for a score.

The defending NFC East champion Eagles host Jacksonville in their season opener on Sept. 7. The Jets are home against Oakland.

Parkey, who led the NCAA in touchbacks as a senior at Auburn last year, was 2 for 2 in field-goal tries for Indianapolis before the Eagles acquired him in a trade last Wednesday.

He nailed a 54-yarder right down the middle in the second quarter and hit from 25 right before the half ended. His 53-yarder came in the third quarter. Parkey also had a few deep kickoffs.

Henery made two extra-points and had a pair of touchbacks, but didn't try any field goals.

Barkley threw a 43-yard TD pass to Arrelious Benn in the first quarter. He ran in from the 7 in the fourth. Barkley was 21 for 33 before giving way to G.J. Kinne, who tossed a 21-yard TD pass to Trey Burton. Wide receiver Damaris Johnson took a shotgun handoff and ran for a 46-yard TD in the fourth.

New York's only score came on Tajh Boyd's 42-yard TD pass to Clyde Gates.

Ryan also declined to comment on Dimitri Patterson's version of his mysterious absence. Patterson was suspended Tuesday for the rest of the preseason after he left the team, according to the Jets, and went missing last Friday night before the preseason game against the Giants without speaking to anyone in the organization. Ryan said he would comment Monday.

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Jets' Patterson: no-show claims 'completely false' (Dennis Waszak Jr.) Associated Press August 28, 2014

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http://pro32.ap.org/article/jets-patterson-no-show-claims-completely-false

NEW YORK (AP) — Dimitri Patterson disputes the New York Jets' version of his mysterious absence.

The suspended cornerback said in a statement to ESPN on Thursday that the Jets' claims that he went missing for 48 hours without notifying the team are "completely false."

Patterson was suspended Tuesday for the rest of the preseason after he left the team, according to the Jets, and went missing last Friday night before the preseason game against the Giants without speaking to anyone in the organization.

Patterson was at meetings, a walkthrough and the pregame meal last Friday, but didn't show for the game later that night at MetLife Stadium. General manager John Idzik said earlier this week that Patterson gave the Jets no warning he would leave the team, and didn't speak to anyone directly until he met with Idzik and coach Rex Ryan on Sunday night at the training facility.

Idzik also said at that time that he learned Patterson was OK only on Saturday through agent Drew Rosenhaus.

"As it relates to my whereabouts and me missing for 48 hours without being seen or heard from me or my representative is completely false," Patterson said in his statement to ESPN's Josina Anderson. "My agent reached out to the Jets organization multiple times several hours prior to Friday night's game. My commitment to the Jets organization and to my teammates has never been an issue and never will be an issue."

Neither the Jets nor Rosenhaus had any immediate comment regarding Patterson's statement.

Patterson did not disclose any details as to why he was absent, and the Jets have also declined to reveal the cornerback's reasons for leaving the team last week.

Patterson was suspended indefinitely by the Jets on Monday so the team could gather facts. The Jets then determined Tuesday he would be suspended for the rest of the preseason — basically for the rest of this week — and the team also added additional undisclosed discipline, likely a fine. He is eligible to rejoin the team Monday.

The 31-year-old Patterson, who signed a one-year, $3 million deal in April, still faces an uncertain future with the Jets, however, particularly since he did not go through the team to issue his statement.

There was some speculation that Patterson's absence stemmed from being upset with his spot on the team's depth chart, something he also disputed in his statement.

"As it relates to the rumors about my frustration in regards to the depth chart is totally and completely false." Patterson said. "In nine years, I have never had control over the depth chart."

Patterson had been projected as a starter for the regular season, but has been hampered most of the summer by ankle, calf and quadriceps injuries. He has played only in the preseason opener against Indianapolis — and struggled because of the injuries.

Ryan acknowledged that Patterson wasn't going to start against the Giants, but could have entered with the first-team defense at some point — as long as he felt OK in warmups.

The Jets' cornerback situation is shaky, and Patterson's saga adds to a tumultuous summer at the position.

Dee Milliner, expected to start opposite Patterson, is recovering from a high ankle sprain that has his status for the opener in doubt. Third-round draft pick Dexter McDougle is out for the year with a torn knee ligament. Safety-turned-cornerback Antonio Allen is working his way back from a concussion suffered against the Giants.

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NEWSDAY

Jets players don't make strong impression in final preseason game (Kimberley Martin) Newsday August 28, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-players-don-t-make-strong-impression-in-final-preseason-game-1.9177659

PHILADELPHIA - It's a good thing this was a preseason game for the Jets.

Their final exhibition Thursday night against the Eagles was an opportunity for backups and bubble guys to make their case for a spot on the 53-man roster. And there weren't many bright spots during a 37-7 loss.

Their defense surrendered 568 total yards to Chip Kelly's offense, while Eagles third-string quarterback Matt Barkley (21-for-33, 253 yards, one touchdown) ran in a TD and threw one interception. And with 8:33 left in the game, fourth-stringer G.J. Kinne threw a 21-yard TD to put Philly up 30-7.

Worse, the Jets suffered several injuries, primarily on defense. Linebacker Nick Bellore didn't return after suffering a calf injury in the second quarter and cornerbacks Johnny Patrick (head) and LeQuan Lewis (hand) were ruled out in the second half. Safety Josh Bush also had his night cut short because of a leg injury. Saalim Hakim also was shaken up with minutes left in the fourth quarter.

And on a night when former second-round pick Stephen Hill needed to impress, the Jets wide receiver finished with just two targets, one catch for 13 yards and a drop.

There were some positives, though. Backup safety Rontez Miles was everywhere on the field and knocked down opponents every chance he got. And after the Eagles jumped out to a 13-0 lead, sixth-rounder Tajh Boyd threw a 42-yard TD pass to Clyde Gates in the third.

Thursday night also served as an opportunity for Philly fans to show their love for Michael Vick one last time.

As expected, coach Rex Ryan made sure the former Eagle got his moment in front of the home crowd. Vick was the only Jets captain during the ceremonial coin toss, and after a quick three-and-out by the Eagles, the Jets' backup QB trotted onto the field for their first offensive series.

Vick took his place behind an offensive line comprised of mostly backups and then handed off the ball to running back Daryl Richardson. Ryan then called a timeout with 13:30 left in the first quarter and third-stringer Matt Simms ran onto the field holding Vick's white visor. The two quarterbacks shook hands before Simms handed over the visor and Vick walked slowly to the Jets' sideline.

The home crowd at Lincoln Financial Field cheered as their former quarterback waved his visor in the air. It was a quiet homecoming for the former Eagle, but meaningful nonetheless.

"Very classy," said Vick, who spent five seasons in Philly before signing a one-year deal with the Jets this offseason. "You never know what to expect when you're the opposition. It was very warm. I appreciate it. It's a bittersweet feeling being back, but hey, it is what it is."

His new teammates took note of the reception he received. Geno Smith told CBS, "We were betting on if he'd get booed or get the ovation . . . Rex did a really classy thing."

Asked which bet he took, Smith smiled and said: "I bet on the applause and he got it."

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Sanchez sits. Former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, now Nick Foles' backup on the Eagles, did not play. He had been lighting it up this preseason, going 25-for-31 for 281 yards, two TDs, an interception and a 112.5 passer rating in the Eagles' first three preseason games.

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Michael Vick has come full circle . . . appreciated and appreciative (Bob Glauber) Newsday August 28, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/bob-glauber/michael-vick-has-come-full-circle-appreciated-and-appreciative-1.9177813

Michael Vick stood under center one more time at the field where he enjoyed some of his finest moments after resurrecting an NFL career that once seemed at an end. Coming out to a warm ovation from a sparse crowd on hand for the Eagles' final preseason game against the Jets, Vick handed off to backup running back Daryl Richardson. Then he stood there a moment as the Jets called timeout to give him a moment in front of the fans who cheered him during his five-year run in Philly.

Nice gesture by Rex Ryan, who gave Vick a one-snap curtain call and a chance to say goodbye and thanks for a mostly successful run in Philly.

"It was very classy,'' Vick said of Ryan's giving him a chance to be cheered. "You never know what to expect when you're the opposition. It was very warm. I appreciate it. It's a bittersweet feeling being back, but hey, it is what it is.''

Vick came to the Eagles in 2009 uncertain about how this journey would play out. At the time, he was a deeply polarizing figure who only recently had completed a 19-month prison term for his part in a dogfighting ring. Reviled by many, Vick eventually won over most of the fans with a genuine sense of remorse, a commitment to speaking out on animal cruelty -- especially to at-risk youth in the greater Philadelphia area -- and a reawakening of his athletic skills.

"Nothing can ever take away from your experiences, your memories, that you create with your teammates, with an organization that's first-class,'' Vick said. "I appreciated everything that they offered me and everything that I was able to offer.''

A highly divisive figure when he got to Philadelphia, Vick turned out to be one of the great unifying forces for the organization. He was an unquestioned leader, both on and off the field.

Early in training camp last year, when a video surfaced showing wide receiver Riley Cooper screaming a racial slur at a Kenny Chesney concert in June, it was Vick who settled down a potentially volatile situation with a message of forgiveness. It wasn't immediately accepted by all of his teammates, but it turned out to be a moment of healing that would be critical to the team's success.

Vick and Cooper embraced before Thursday night's game, exchanging kind words two days after the quarterback suggested in an ESPN.com piece that Cooper might not have fully appreciated the support Vick showed last year. The two spoke by telephone on Wednesday to clear up any misgivings.

"All my teammates, I had a great deal of appreciation for them, and I think I could say that's vice versa,'' Vick said. "We had a great time. We won a lot of games. Through all the good and the bad, we always stayed tight, and I think that's what was most important.''

Then, after Vick was injured, backup Nick Foles got on a roll and it became impossible for Chip Kelly to put Vick back in the lineup, he never uttered a single word of protest, swallowing his pride and competitiveness for the good of the team.

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Vick will never forget his time here, not the relationships with his teammates and coaches and not the warm feelings from most of the fans, who eventually came to forgive him.

"There will always be the sense of gratitude,'' he said. "That'll never change. Nothing could take away the experiences that I shared with that entire organization and my teammates. I have friends on that team that I have for a lifetime. That means more than anything.''

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Dimitri Patterson: I didn't go AWOL (Kimberley Martin) Newsday August 28, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/dimitri-patterson-i-didn-t-go-awol-1.9171371

Dimitri Patterson claims he didn't go AWOL at all.

The suspended Jets cornerback denied claims that he went missing for several days without contacting the team.

"As it relates to my whereabouts and me missing for 48 hours without being seen or heard from me or my representative is completely false," Patterson reportedly wrote in a statement Thursday morning to ESPN television reporter Josina Anderson. "My agent [Drew Rosenhaus] reached out to the Jets organization multiple times several hours prior to Friday night's game.

"My commitment to the Jets organization and to my teammates has never been an issue and never will be an issue. As it relates to the rumors about my frustration in regards to the depth chart is totally and completely false. In nine years I have never had control over the depth chart."

General manager John Idzik announced Monday that Patterson had been suspended "indefinitely" after the cornerback had failed to show up for last week's game against the Giants and didn't communicate his whereabouts to the organization for 48 hours.

The GM indicated there would be additional discipline, and on Tuesday night the Jets announced Patterson had been suspended for the remainder of the preseason and would be eligible to return to the team on Monday.

The Jets would not disclose additional terms of discipline, but it's widely believed Patterson was also fined.

The defensive back has been nursing quadriceps, calf and foot injuries for much of camp and didn't play against the Bengals on Aug. 16. Rex Ryan said Patterson wouldn't have started against the Giants, though he could have seen action with the first-team defense.

A source told Newsday Monday that Patterson's been frustrated by his playing time and believes he should be starting. And on Thursday, FOX Sports 1 reported Patterson told the Jets his absence was due to a "personal issue, not just playing time."

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THE RECORD

Jets fall to Eagles in final preseason game, 37-7 (J.P. Pelzman) The Record August 29, 2014

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/jets-fall-to-eagles-in-final-preseason-game-37-7-1.1077768

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PHILADELPHIA – LeQuan Lewis made a terrific read on the slant pattern, cut in front of intended receiver Quron Pratt and made a terrific interception in the end zone.

But on Philadelphia’s next possession, the well-traveled cornerback was beaten badly by Arrelious Benn for an easy 43-yard touchdown reception.

That’s the way Thursday night went for Lewis and other players on the fringes of the Jets’ roster. Very few of them made the impending decisions easier on the coaches as the Jets lost to Philadelphia, 37-7, at Lincoln Financial Field.

The focal point on offense was underachieving third-year wide receiver Stephen Hill. The 2012 second-round pick played five series, while fellow veterans such as Eric Decker, David Nelson and Jeremy Kerley sat out.

The mere fact that Hill played in such a meaningless game likely indicates his roster spot isn’t secure. Still, he bristled slightly when asked if he expected to be on the Jets after they cut down to 53 players by Saturday.

“Yeah, I don’t know why I shouldn’t, but yeah,” he said.

If the Jets keep six wideouts, Hill could be on the outside looking in. Besides Decker, Nelson and Kerley, second-year pro Saalim Hakim appears to be penciled in as the primary kickoff returner, and likewise fourth-round pick Jalen Saunders as the top punt returner.

That leaves Hill competing with such players as fourth-year pro Greg Salas, who had an excellent training camp but had only one reception for 8 yards against the Eagles, and dropped one pass. Hill had one catch for 13 yards, but also had a drop.

Coach Rex Ryan sidestepped questions about Hill’s status on the roster going forward.

He also wouldn’t answer inquiries about the latest twist in the bizarre saga of projected starting cornerback Dimitri Patterson.

Patterson, whom the Jets have suspended until Monday because he missed the preseason game against the Giants last week, again disputed the claim he was AWOL. “As it relates to my whereabouts and me missing for 48 hours without being seen or heard from me or my representative is completely false,” Patterson said in a statement to ESPN’s Josina Anderson. “My agent reached out to the Jets’ organization multiple times several hours prior to Friday night’s game. My commitment to the Jets’ organization and to my teammates has never been an issue and never will be an issue.”

“I’m not going to address it until Monday,” Ryan said.

Lewis, whom Ryan talked up earlier in the week, struggled for much of the night, as did Ellis Lankster, the other starting cornerback for this game.

Lewis, Lankster and the other reserve corners were in the spotlight because of the uncertainty surrounding the position. Besides Patterson’s situation, second-year pro Dee Milliner (high ankle sprain) isn’t a lock to be healthy enough to play in the season opener against Oakland on Sept. 7.

Ryan gave backup Michael Vick a token start in his return to Philadelphia after playing five seasons for the Eagles. Vick handed off to Daryl Richardson and then left to a warm ovation.

Vick called the reaction of the Eagles’ fans “very classy. … It was very warm.”

Matt Simms relieved and played the remainder of the first half. The Franklin Lakes native went 7-for-17 for 121 yards with no turnovers, but he led the Jets to no points. His best play was a 50-yard completion to a wide-open Chris Pantale. The former Wayne Valley star had three catches for 74 yards.

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STAR-LEDGER

Stephen Hill on if he thinks he has earned roster spot: 'Yeah, I don't know why I shouldn't'(Darryl Slater) Star Ledger August 29, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/will_stephen_hill_play_another_game_with_jets_after_preseason_finale_at_eagles.html

PHILADELPHIA – The Jets' offense jogged onto the field for its first drive of the fourth quarter Thursday night, in the preseason finale at the Eagles.

Wide receiver Stephen Hill was nowhere to be seen in the huddle. He stood on the sideline, his hands clasped together in front of him, not holding his helmet.

His night was finished. He never played in the second half, after appearing on five of the Jets' six possessions in the first half.

So what does this mean for Hill's future with the Jets? Have they given up on him? Or did they decide to keep him, and they wanted to avoid playing him in the second half, lest he get hurt? Will Thursday be the final time Hill wears a Jets uniform?

There are so many questions and so few answers about Hill, who was never a sure thing as a player even though the Jets saw loads of potential in him.

Hill felt certain about at least one question after Thursday's game: Does he think he has earned a roster spot?

"Yeah, I don’t know why I shouldn’t (think that), but yeah," he said.

It was pointed out to him that people observing from outside the Jets' locker room might feel less sure about his roster spot, because of his so-so preseason statistics, and the fact that he played in the preseason finale, a game in which guys with set roster spots usually don't participate.

"Well, no disrespect, but that’s the reason why they’re outside and they’re not in this locker room and they’re not playing," Hill said. "Other than that, honestly, that’s all I can tell you."

What, then, gives Hill such confidence that he will make the roster?

"Next question," he said.

The Jets once had so much hope about Hill, a second-round draft pick in 2012. Maybe they still do. He was a project pick, a receiver who ran mostly go routes in a run-focused offense at Georgia Tech. He needed to learn how to execute precise routes and play receiver in the NFL. But his combination of size and speed was -- still is -- tantalizing.

Yet after he caught just 45 passes in his first two seasons combined, after he played just 23 games in those seasons because of knee problems, and after he failed to impress this summer even though he was finally healthy, he could be nearing a firing.

The Jets must determine their final, 53-man roster by 6 p.m. Saturday. They will probably keep five or six receivers. Hill seems to be competing with Greg Salas and Saalim Hakim for the final one or two spots. Salas and Hakim play on special teams -- Hill does not -- which probably gives them an advantage over Hill.

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If Thursday was indeed Hill's last game with the Jets, he delivered a typically inconsistent performance. He was targeted twice and caught one pass for 13 yards.

Hill could not hold on to the first pass thrown his way. He jumped unnecessarily, leaving himself susceptible to being hit.

Hill was targeted for the first time on the Jets’ second possession of the second quarter. He failed to secure Matt Simms’s pass while falling to the ground on first-and-10 from the Jets’ 10-yard line. Cornerback Curtis Marsh appeared to help knock the ball loose by hitting Hill, but Hill said afterward that ball came out of his hands because he hit the ground. The pass would have resulted in about a 10-yard gain.

Two plays later, on third-and-9, Simms went back to Hill, who was competing against the Eagles’ backup secondary. Hill caught the pass for a 13-yard gain.

Jets coach Rex Ryan, who had offered lukewarm comments about Hill in recent days (and no public assurances of his roster spot being secure), said Hill played only the first half Thursday because the Jets were attempting to assess other receivers, too.

"I mean, how about the other guys?" Ryan said. "You’re trying to get a look at everybody, not just one player. You’re trying to look at a lot of different players and get some young guys an opportunity as well."

Hill said the coaches informed him before the game that he would not play in the second half. Hill finished the preseason with three catches, on eight times targeted, for 42 yards. He said he was not frustrated about the apparent lack of opportunities in the preseason. He gave his summer performance mixed reviews.

"I felt training camp went really well," he said. "I had a couple bad practices. It was just one of those up and down preseasons. It was all right."

Will all right be enough to keep Hill with the Jets?

He found himself fighting for a roster spot entering Thursday’s game. Starters don’t play in the game, so it was a bad sign for Hill that he was participating in the first place. But after a sluggish training camp and preseason, he still had more to prove to the Jets’ brass.

The Jets must trim their roster from 75 to the final 53 by Saturday evening. All Hill can do now is the same thing he did late in Thursday's game -- watch and wait. As he does that, Hill said he is not worried about what might happen.

"I just worry about myself, what I put out there on the field," Hill said. "That’s all. I can control those things. Things happen. I don’t know what’s going on. I’m just like other guys, just out here playing. That’s all I can tell you."

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Rex Ryan on Dimitri Patterson statement that called Jets liars: 'We'll address that at the appropriate time' (Darryl Slater) Star Ledger August 28, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/rex_ryan_on_dimitri_patterson_statement_that_called_jets_liars_well_address_that_at_the_appropriate.html

PHILADELPHIA – The Dimitri Patterson saga escalated Thursday, as the Jets cornerback released a statement that boldly contradicted the team’s announcement that he went AWOL before last Friday’s preseason game against the Giants.

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Patterson did not play Thursday night in the preseason finale at the Eagles, which the Jets lost 37-7. He is suspended until Monday – exactly a week after general manager John Idzik announced that he was slapping an indefinite suspension on Patterson.

After Thursday’s game, Jets coach Rex Ryan declined to address Patterson’s statement.

“We’ll address that at the appropriate time,” Ryan said.

Ryan also offered a non-answer when asked if Patterson will be on the roster Monday.

“I’m not going to address it until Monday,” Ryan said.

On Sunday, Idzik held a teleconference with reporters during which he said the Jets had not heard from Patterson since before Friday’s game. Idzik said Patterson blew off the game and Sunday’s practice with no excuse.

The Jets were able to ascertain Saturday, through Patterson’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, that Patterson was unharmed. But beyond that, they knew nothing about what transpired Friday, until Patterson went to the team’s facility in Florham Park on Sunday evening and spoke with Idzik and Ryan.

Idzik indicated Patterson offered some sort of explanation for his behavior. But Idzik declined to specify what Patterson told him and Ryan. Patterson on Monday spoke to USA Today and said there was “no need for concern” regarding his situation. He said the notion that he went AWOL was “totally false,” despite what the Jets announced. Patterson said he had “my reason for missing those days,” but would not say what it was.

On Thursday, Patterson essentially doubled down on his comments to USA Today, while also denying a report that he skipped the Giants game because he was unhappy with his standing on the depth chart. Patterson on Thursday released a statement to ESPN that basically insinuated the Jets were not truthful in their initial announcement to reporters.

"As it relates to my whereabouts and me missing for 48 hours without being seen or heard from me or my representative is completely false,” the statement read. “My agent reached out to the Jets organization multiple times several hours prior to Friday night's game. My commitment to the Jets organization and to my teammates has never been an issue and never will be an issue. As it relates to the rumors about my frustration in regards to the depth chart is totally and completely false. In nine years I have never had control over the depth chart."

The Jets declined to comment on Patterson’s statement Thursday. So did Rosenhaus. Jets players in the locker room after Thursday’s game also remained mum on the issue.

Ryan said the night before the Giants game that Darrin Walls and converted safety Antonio Allen were going to start at cornerback. Ryan later said he did plan to play Patterson in the game, perhaps with the first-team defense, but did not want to start him because he had not practiced enough. Patterson has been recovering from non-serious injuries to his quadriceps, ankle and calf.

Patterson, a presumptive starter, had said he did not expect the injuries to sideline him for the Sept. 7 season opener against the Raiders. Now, it is not clear if he will even be on the team for Week 1. The Jets have to make their final roster cuts – from 75 players down to 53 – by 6 p.m. Saturday.

Even if Patterson, a 31-year-old journeyman, survives that cut, there is a chance the Jets could release him Sunday or Monday, and pick up a free agent corner who was released by another team.

Patterson has played in just one preseason game, the opener against the Colts. He struggled while attempting to play through his injuries. He hadn’t looked all that impressive in training camp, period. Patterson wasn’t able to play in the second preseason game, at the Bengals. Though he was healthy to

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participate, at least to some degree, against the Giants, his decision to skip the game kept him off the field.

Patterson’s statement Thursday seems to drive an even bigger wedge between him and the Jets. Idzik, normally reserved, sounded agitated this week when talking about Patterson missing the game. It appears even more unlikely now that Patterson will be in uniform for the opener against the Raiders.

So where does that leave the Jets’ cornerback situation?

The other starter, Dee Milliner, has not even begun running in his rehab from a high ankle sprain. Allen sustained a concussion against the Giants and hasn’t practiced since. That means Walls and Ellis Lankster are the Jets’ most tested, healthy outside corners, since Kyle Wilson is entrenched as the slot cornerback. Ryan opted to not play Walls on Thursday, to keep him healthy. At this point, he is slotted as a starter, for better or worse.

While the Raiders’ passing offense does not pose a major threat, the Jets follow that game with a gauntlet of challenging quarterbacks: Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler, Matthew Stafford, Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. As Patterson further distances himself from the Jets, they must hope Milliner and Allen are moving closer to returning.

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Michael Vick, back in Philadelphia for Jets-Eagles, gets loud cheers from fans (Darryl Slater) Star Ledger August 28, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/mike_vick_back_in_philadelphia_for_jets-eagles_gets_warm_welcome.html

PHILADELPHIA -- Michael Vick jogged slowly off the field and tipped his visor to the sparse, cheering crowd at Lincoln Financial Field.

If this is indeed the final time Vick ever plays in Philadelphia, the Eagles' fans gave him the same warm reception he received from them during the first game he played here.

Vick is now the Jets' backup quarterback, behind Geno Smith. The Jets did not want to risk getting Vick hurt in Thursday's preseason finale against the Eagles. But Jets coach Rex Ryan did want to give Vick a chance to be recognized by the Eagles' fans.

Vick's ceremonial start lasted for just one snap -- a hand-off to Daryl Richardson. Then third-string quarterback Matt Simms walked onto the field holding a visor. He handed it to Vick, who removed his helmet, put on the visor and headed toward the sideline. It was a neat baseball-style curtain call for Vick, who revived his NFL career (and his life) in Philadelphia.

Vick called Ryan's decision to start him, and the fans' applause "very classy."

"You never know what to expect when you’re the opposition," Vick said. "It was very warm. I appreciate it. It’s a bittersweet feeling being back."

He will forever cherish his time with the Eagles.

"Nothing can ever take away from your experiences, your memories that you create with your teammates, with an organization that’s first-class and flagship," Vick said. "I appreciated everything that they offered me and everything that I was able to offer."

Vick missed the 2007 and 2008 seasons because of his involvement in running a dog-fighting ring. It resulted in him going to federal prison for 548 days. The Eagles signed Vick in 2009 and he played for them

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through 2013. This past offseason, he signed with the Jets, after they released Mark Sanchez, who is now the Eagles' backup.

In five seasons with the Eagles, Vick started 42 games and threw 57 touchdowns. He developed a reputation as a locker room leader -- an about-face for a man who forever tarnished his image by his actions in the dog-fighting ring.

Vick still recalls his first game with the Eagles, a preseason contest in 2009 in Philadelphia. Fresh off imprisonment for heinous actions, he was not sure what sort of reception the crowd would give him. The fans ended up cheering loudly.

Vick said it remains his "fondest memory" of his time in Philadelphia, a place where he initially felt "angry" about playing because he did not want to be a backup.

He was able to create some more fond memories Thursday. Ryan usually has several game captains go out to midfield for the pregame coin toss. On Thursday, Vick was the Jets' only captain. Vick called tails, and the coin came up heads. The Eagles opted to receive the opening kickoff, so Vick had to wait for his ceremonial start.

When the public address announcer said Vick's name while announcing him as the Jets' starting quarterback, cheers broke out across the stadium. The applause was even louder when Vick exited, following his one snap. As Vick went to the sideline, he slapped hands with Eagles cornerback Roc Carmichael, who played at Vick's alma mater, Virginia Tech.

It remains unclear what role Vick will have for the Jets this season. A lot depends, of course, on the health and effectiveness of Smith. Vick, at 34, is in the twilight of his career. He knows he probably does not have many years left in the NFL.

Regardless of what this season or the future bring for Vick, he can look back happily on Thursday's curtain call in Philadelphia.

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Jets vs. Eagles: 3 Jets-related things we learned from preseason finale (Darryl Slater) Star Ledger August 28, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/jets_vs_eagles_3_jets-related_things_we_learned_from_preseason_finale.html

PHILADELPHIA -- The Jets wanted to get out of Thursday night's preseason finale at the Eagles without sustaining any injuries. That much is obvious. They also wanted to get a look at their reserves in this Backup Bowl, as they try to assess who might stick on the final, 53-man roster, which is going to be determined by 6 p.m. Saturday.

We already know a lot about this Jets team. We know that starting quarterback Geno Smith has made significant progress since the end of last season. We know that the Jets have serious issues with their starting cornerbacks, one of whom, Dimitri Patterson, has basically called the Jets' general manager, John Idzik, a liar.

Here now, a look at three other things we learned from Jets-Eagles:

LEQUAN LEWIS IS NOT THE ANSWER

The well-traveled cornerback (nine professional teams in four seasons) was picked up by the Jets during training camp, seemingly as just a warm body to help with depth. But then, the Jets experienced even

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more attrition at corner. Converted safety Antonio Allen suffered a concussion last week against the Giants. And Patterson went AWOL. On Thursday, Lewis started opposite Ellis Lankster. Lewis had an interception in the end zone, but he was also beaten for a 32-yard gain and a 43-yard touchdown. He might make the final roster, simply because of attrition, but he isn’t a starting-caliber player.

REX RYAN IS SENTIMENTAL

Well, yeah. Ryan wears his emotions on his sleeve. Always has. Remember last season’s finale at Miami, when owner Woody Johnson informed the players in the locker room after the game that Ryan would be retained? The players responded by shouting joyfully and mobbing Ryan with hugs. All the while, Ryan wept. Never one to avoid a sappy moment, Ryan decided to give his backup quarterback, Michael Vick, a ceremonial start Thursday night. Vick revived his career with the Eagles after going to prison for running a dog-fighting ring. Vick handed off once, and then headed off the field, waving to the cheering fans.

THIS GAME IS NERVE-WRACKING

There clearly is not any drama in the final preseason game, as it relates to the win-loss result. But coaches bite their nails in the preseason finale, because while they don’t play starters, there are guys on the field who will contribute. And an injury in this game would be devastating. In the first half, backup linebacker Nick Bellore went down with a calf injury, but was able to walk off under his own power, albeit gingerly. He did not return to the game. Bellore barely plays on defense, but he is an important special teams contributor, which is why the Jets re-signed him in the offseason to a one-year, $1.431 million contract – a restricted free agent tender. Despite the injury scare, Bellore seemed to be OK.

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Will Stephen Hill play another game with Jets after preseason finale at Eagles? (Darryl Slater) Star Ledger August 28, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/will_stephen_hill_play_another_game_with_jets_after_preseason_finale_at_eagles.html

PHILADELPHIA – The Jets' offense jogged onto the field for its first drive of the fourth quarter Thursday night, in the preseason finale at the Eagles.

Wide receiver Stephen Hill was nowhere to be seen in the huddle. He stood on the sideline, his hands clasped together in front of him, not holding his helmet.

His night was finished. He never played in the second half, after appear on five of the Jets' six possessions in the first half.

So what does this mean for Hill's future with the Jets? Have they given up on him? Or did they decide to keep him, and they wanted to avoid playing him in the second half, lest he get hurt? Will Thursday be the final time Hill wears a Jets uniform?

There are so many questions and so few answers for Hill, who was never a sure thing as a player even though the Jets saw loads of potential in him.

They once had so much hope about Hill, a second-round draft pick in 2012. He was a project pick, a receiver who ran mostly go routes in a run-focused offense at Georgia Tech. He needed to learn how to execute precise routes and play receiver in the NFL.

But after he caught just 45 passes in his first two seasons combined, after he played just 23 games in those seasons because of knee problems, and after he failed to impress this summer even though he was finally healthy, he could be nearing a firing.

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The Jets must determine their final, 53-man roster by 6 p.m. Saturday. They will probably keep five or six receivers. Hill seems to be competing with Greg Salas and Saalim Hakim for the final one or two spots. Salas and Hakim play on special teams -- Hill does not -- which probably gives them an advantage over Hill.

If Thursday was indeed Hill's last game with the Jets, he delivered a typically inconsistent performance. He was targeted twice and caught one pass for 13 yards.

Hill could not hold on to the first pass thrown his way. He jumped unnecessarily, leaving himself susceptible to being hit.

Hill was targeted for the first time on the Jets’ second possession of the second quarter. He failed to secure Matt Simms’s pass while falling to the ground on first-and-10 from the Jets’ 10-yard line. Cornerback Curtis Marsh helped knock the ball loose by hitting Hill. The pass would have resulted in about a 10-yard gain.

Two plays later, on third-and-9, Simms went back to Hill, who was competing against the Eagles’ backup secondary. Hill caught the pass for a 13-yard gain.

Hill found himself fighting for a roster spot entering Thursday’s game. Starters don’t play in the game, so it was a bad sign for Hill that he was participating in the first place. But after a sluggish training camp and preseason, he still had more to prove to the Jets’ brass.

The Jets must trim their roster from 75 to the final 53 by Saturday evening. All Hill can do now is the same thing he did late in Thursday's game -- watch and wait.

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Jets 53-man roster: Darryl Slater's projection 2.0 (Darryl Slater) Star Ledger August 28, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/jets_53-man_roster_darryl_slaters_projection_20.html

On Saturday, we offered you our first take on how the Jets' final, 53-man roster might look. Colleague Dom Cosentino did the same. Unsurprisingly, our educated guesses were not 100 percent accurate.

So we're going to try again. The Jets are now down to 75 players, after making their first rounds of cuts, which saw 13 players lose their jobs. The Jets must get to 53 by 6 p.m. Saturday. The roster fringe players have one more shot to impress the coaches, in Thursday night's fourth and final preseason game, at the Eagles.

Here is a look at the 22 additional cuts we think the Jets will make between now and Saturday evening, with a prominent name in the mix:

QUARTERBACK (3): Geno Smith, Michael Vick, Matt Simms

ALREADY CUT: Nobody

CUT NEXT: Tajh Boyd

No change at this position. Jets coach Rex Ryan said Simms and Boyd would both play against the Eagles, after Vick gets his ceremonial "homecoming" start. But if the Jets keep a third quarterback on the roster, it's going to be Simms. His advantage over Boyd, a rookie, has long since been evident.

RUNNING BACK (4): Chris Johnson, Chris Ivory, Bilal Powell, Daryl Richardson

ALREADY CUT: Michael Smith

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CUT NEXT: Alex Green

Richardson and Green are going to split the running back reps in Philadelphia. This competition is much closer that the Simms-Boyd situation, which was never much of a competition at all. But we're sticking with our original pick here and going with Richardson over Green.

FULLBACK (1): Tommy Bohanon

ALREADY CUT: Chad Young

CUT NEXT: Nobody

The Jets only need one fullback, and they picked Bohanon by unsurprisingly letting Young go in the first round of cuts. This position is set.

TIGHT END (3): Jeff Cumberland, Jace Amaro, Zach Sudfeld

ALREADY CUT: Colin Anderson

CUT NEXT: Chris Pantale

Anderson and Pantale have seemed like the bottom two tight ends for a while. The Jets aren't going to keep four. Pantale will play a bunch against the Eagles, as Cumberland (and probably Amaro as well) sit out the game. Sudfeld, at 6-7, could be a weapon in the Jets' passing game. Pantale does not have nearly the type of receiving skills as Sudfeld. Again, we are sticking with our original picks at tight end.

WIDE RECEIVER (6): Eric Decker, Jeremy Kerley, David Nelson, Jalen Saunders, Greg Salas, Saalim Hakim

ALREADY CUT: Jacoby Ford, Michael Campbell

CUT NEXT: Stephen Hill, Clyde Gates, Quincy Enunwa

Our first position with some change from the first version of our 53-man projection. In our first go-around, we decided to keep Ford as a return man. Oops. He looked shaky on returns in the Jets' third preseason game, against the Giants. And he can't catch the ball very well as a receiver. So he's gone.

The question now is: Will the Jets keep five receivers or six? The first four we list above seem like locks to make the roster. We're going with both Salas and Hakim over Hill, for a couple reasons. One, Salas and Hakim both play special teams, and Hakim is the kickoff returner now that Ford is gone. (Saunders is the top punt return man.) Hill not only doesn't play special teams, he also did not impress very much this summer. Couple those factors with Ryan's lukewarm comments about Hill on Tuesday, and you have a second-round draft pick who isn't going to make it into this third season with the Jets.

In our first projection, we kept seven receivers. But that was before the Jets' cornerback situation got more dire, with Dimitri Patterson going AWOL, and being suspended as a result. So we'll replace Ford with Hakim in this projection, continue to keep Salas on the roster, and bump off Hill. That gets the Jets to six receivers, as they decide Hill's roster spot could be better used elsewhere, perhaps at cornerback.

OFFENSIVE LINE (8): Nick Mangold, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Willie Colon, Brian Winters, Oday Aboushi, Breno Giacomini, Dalton Freeman, Dakota Dozier

ALREADY CUT: Bruce Campbell, Patrick Ford, Markus Zusevics

CUT NEXT: Ben Ijalana, Brent Qvale, Caleb Schlauderaff, Will Campbell

We're not going to make any changes on the line, either. As we mentioned in the initial projection, maybe the Jets decide they want to keep Ijalana if they want a pure tackle with the backup group. But both Aboushi and Dozier have significant experience at tackle.

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DEFENSIVE LINE (5): Sheldon Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson, Leger Douzable, Damon Harrison, Kenrick Ellis

ALREADY CUT: Anthony Grady

CUT NEXT: Zach Thompson, Kerry Hyder, T.J. Barnes, Tevita Finau

Nothing different in this group in Projection No. 2. Barnes and Finau have outside shots at making the roster, but the Jets have more pressing needs elsewhere.

LINEBACKER (9): Quinton Coples, David Harris, Demario Davis, Calvin Pace, Nick Bellore, Garrett McIntyre, Jason Babin, IK Enemkpali, A.J. Edds

ALREADY CUT: Steele Divitto

CUT NEXT: Trevor Reilly, Troy Davis, Jeremiah George

PUP (doesn't count against 53): Antwan Barnes

You'll notice that we tweaked a bit here. First off, it's no great leap to predict that Barnes will start the season on the physically unable to perform list. Second, Enemkpali, who brings special teams value, has been nursing a foot injury lately, but we're going to keep him off injured reserve and on the final 53, for now, without knowing the full extent of his condition. We kept eight linebackers in the first projection. Because of the uncertainty surrounding Enemkpali's situation, we are adding a ninth linebacker in Projection 2.0 -- Edds. He has performed well and could contribute on special teams. Plus, the Jets have a roster spot available because Hill is gone, at least in this prediction. In our first projection, we said George was the last player in or out at this position. But upon further review, we have decided that Edds is that man. Remember, there is still one game left for these fringe players to audition, so some of this thought process could change.

CORNERBACK (6): Dee Milliner, Darrin Walls, Ellis Lankster, Kyle Wilson, Dimitri Patterson, LeQuan Lewis

ALREADY CUT: Ras-I Dowling

CUT NEXT: Jeremy Reeves, Johnny Patrick, LeQuan Lewis, Brandon Dixon

The Jets are in a tough spot here. Remember, this is just a projection of who will make the final, 53-man roster, which is going to be decided by Saturday evening. Patterson is eligible to return from suspension Monday. Here's what we project will happen: The Jets will keep Patterson for the final 53, and then cut him once they see which cornerbacks get released by other teams.

There almost certainly won't be a starting-caliber corner out there. But if Milliner (high ankle sprain) isn't healthy enough to start the season, the Jets will go with Walls and converted safety Antonio Allen as their starters, provided Allen is back from a concussion in time. And then Milliner will replace one of those guys when he returns. It is simply no longer feasible for the Jets to let Patterson back in their locker room, even if it means replacing him with a late-August free agent pickup who mainly provides depth. Patterson hadn't done a whole lot this summer to show he'd be any better than Allen and/or Walls anyway.

In the last round of cuts, we projected that Dowling would make the final 53. That was a bad miss. Upon doing the projection right after Jets-Giants, we didn't realize that Dowling did not even get into the game -- a sign of his impending firing. So let's reset and keep Lewis on the 53-man roster (for now), because the journeyman has looked impressive at times. He isn't the next Darrelle Revis by any means, but the Jets need warm bodies at cornerback, since Milliner is on the shelf and Patterson is suspended. Look for the Jets to perhaps keep Dixon, a rookie and a project player, on the practice squad.

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You'll notice that we kept six cornerbacks last time, and did the same this time, with Lewis replacing Dowling on our 53. It's tough to project this stuff without knowing the nature of injuries -- like Enemkpali's foot and Allen's concussion -- but we're banking on the Jets needing a Week 1 replacement for Enemkpali on special teams more than they need a replacement for Allen. We're projecting Allen will be ready for Week 1. But remember, concussions are so tough to predict.

SAFETY (5): Antonio Allen, Dawan Landry, Calvin Pryor, Jaiquawn Jarrett, Rontez Miles

ALREADY CUT: Nobody

CUT NEXT: Josh Bush

Same as the first projection. Miles brings significant special teams value, and the Jets are trying to upgrade their special teams. Allen could be listed with the cornerbacks, since that is where he is playing right now. His status for Week 1 is uncertain, because of his concussion. So, then, is the Jets' starting cornerback situation for the opener. Who would Walls play opposite if both Allen and Milliner can't go against the Raiders in Week 1? That's a question the Jets will have to address, if things come to that. But for the purposes of the roster projection, Allen is going to make the team.

SPECIALISTS (3): Nick Folk, Ryan Quigley, Tanner Purdum

ALREADY CUT: Andrew Furney, Jacob Schum

CUT NEXT: Nobody

These were the most obvious cuts of the summer for the Jets. The specialists are set for the final 53, though the Jets could bring in a punter at some point to challenge Quigley. That's just how life is for punters.

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NEW YORK POST

Buck tradition: The Jets need Vick and Geno to play (George Willis) New York Post August 29, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/08/29/buck-tradition-the-jets-need-vick-and-geno-to-play/

PHILADELPHIA — Michael Vick made a token start in Thursday night’s preseason finale at Lincoln Financial Field, serving as the Jets quarterback for just one snap before coach Rex Ryan called timeout and removed him from the game so he could be applauded by the city where his football career was resurrected.

“It was very classy,” Vick said. “You never know what to expect when you’re the opposition. It was very warm. I appreciate it.”

The Eagles’ 37-7 victory over the Jets brought an end to a long preseason. With the regular season beckoning and Geno Smith designated as the starting quarterback, the traditional approach from here on would be for Vick to watch from the sidelines until Smith is either injured or consistently fails to perform in an acceptable manner. If that’s the case, the best case scenario would suggest the Jets never have to use Vick’s talents. That in itself sounds ridiculous.

If Thursday night’s cameo is Vick’s last appearance anytime soon, the Jets aren’t utilizing one of the best weapons on their roster. It’s been said having two quarterbacks is the same as having no quarterback. But that was before the iPad and Twitter and all the other technological advances that were once considered far-fetched. Smith and Vick offer the kind of unique skills and circumstances where tradition doesn’t have

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to be the norm in this case. Used properly, Smith and Vick could be a valuable 1-2 punch the likes of which has seldom been seen at the quarterback position in the NFL.

This may be too big for Ryan or even offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. Maybe Vick seeing action without it becoming a threat to Smith won’t be explored, because those who endorse the idea would be open to criticism if things go wrong. From here, there’s too much to gain not to figure out a way to get the ball to Vick a half dozen times during a game, beginning with the Raiders on Sept. 7 at MetLife Stadium.

Vick is open to the idea of having his skills utilized.

“Maybe at some point they will be,” he said. “The coaches are creative enough to put guys in position where they can help a football team score points and win games. If it happens, I’m all for it. If it doesn’t, then I’m not going to be upset. I’m just going to stay ready.”

It doesn’t have to be anything exotic; just something that puts the football in Vick’s hands in space so he can use his quickness, speed and his cannon arm. Bringing Vick into a game would be like shifting the offense into overdrive. Or maybe it might just need a jump start.

“You put him on the field and he’s a competing machine,” quarterbacks coach David Lee was saying of Vick recently. “His eyes change and he wants to go. He wants to put it in the end zone every time he gets the ball.”

The Jets need that attitude — not just on the bench, but in the game.

Smith is the starter and the Jets future. That’s understood. But there’s no reason for the Jets to treat Vick like a traditional backup quarterback and keep him on the sidelines holding a clipboard, because he has never been traditional. Neither Ryan nor Mornhinweg can be gun-shy about getting him on the field. To not utilize his talents in some manner would be a waste.

There will be those who suggest Ryan can’t turn to Vick unless he has given up for good on Smith. That’s nonsense. The Jets have two capable quarterbacks. Not just one.

If Smith is having a bad game, which he probably will, Ryan can’t be hesitant to put Vick in and see if he can change the momentum without it meaning Smith has lost his job for good. Put it this way: Vick’s presence should give Smith the security to fail — not make him live in fear of losing his job because of it.

Let’s hope Thursday night’s cameo isn’t the last we’ve seen of Vick.

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Stephen Hill remains in danger of getting cut by Jets (Brian Costello) New York Post August 29, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/08/29/stephen-hill-remains-in-danger-of-getting-cut-by-jets/

PHILADELPHIA — Stephen Hill did nothing to help or hurt his case for a roster spot in Thursday’s preseason finale.

The third-year wide receiver is on the bubble as the Jets need to make their final roster cuts by 4 p.m. Saturday. He caught one pass for 13 yards and dropped another in the five drives in the 37-7 loss to the Eagles.

After the game, Hill did not sound concerned about possibly being cut.

Asked if he feels like he’s done enough to make the 53-man roster, Hill said, “Yeah, I don’t know why I shouldn’t.”

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Hill was not targeted in the first quarter. On the first drive of the second quarter, Matt Simms threw a short pass to Hill that he could not hold onto when he hit the ground. He came back two plays later and caught a 13-yard pass, his only reception of the night.

It was the end to an up-and-down training camp for Hill, the 2012 second-round pick, who had some strong moments in practice but did not have much production in the preseason games.

Hill’s main competitor for a roster spot is Greg Salas, who had one catch for 8 yards in the game. Salas, who also dropped a pass, has had a strong training camp and coach Rex Ryan spoke highly of him this week.

“We’ve got to really look at this tape,” Ryan said when asked about Hill. “We’ll see one way or the other.”

Former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez did not play in the game for the Eagles, but caught up with many of his former teammates before the game during warmups. He exchanged big hugs with Ryan, owner Woody Johnson and several players.

LeQuan Lewis and Ellis Lankster started at cornerback, the most uncertain position on the team. Lewis had an interception of Matt Barkley, but also gave up two long passes, one a 43-yard touchdown from Barkley to Arrelious Benn. Lankster was flagged twice for holding.

Michael Vick, who spent five seasons with the Eagles, started the game at quarterback for the Jets, but Ryan pulled him after one snap so the Philadelphia fans could give him an ovation.

Tajh Boyd threw a 42-yard touchdown to Clyde Gates in the second half. … RB Alex Green had a fumble, not what you want when you’re fighting for a roster spot. … Jalen Saunders returned punts in the game, his first since suffering a seizure on Aug. 15. … LB Nick Bellore (calf), S Josh Bush (quad) and CB Johnny Patrick (head) all left the game. Ryan was unsure how serious any of the injuries were.

Patterson calling Jets out for AWOL lies could be last straw (Brian Costello) New York Post August 28, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/08/28/patterson-likely-to-be-cut-after-calling-jets-for-awol-lies/

The Dimtiri Patterson saga took another twist Thursday morning with the suspended Jets cornerback releasing a statement to ESPN saying the Jets are lying about him being AWOL for 48 hours last weekend.

Patterson missed the team’s preseason game with the Giants last Friday. General manager John Idzik and coach Rex Ryan said Sunday that they were unable to speak to Patterson for two days.

Jets brass also said Patterson’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, did not know where Patterson was when they reached him. The Jets suspended Patterson through next Monday, making him eligible to return for the team’s season opener. They also are believed to have fined him, but they would not announce any additional punishment.

“As it relates to my whereabouts and me missing for 48 hours without being seen or heard from me or my representative is completely false,” Patterson said in the statement. “My agent reached out to the Jets organization multiple times several hours prior to Friday night’s game.”

There have been multiple rumors about what caused Patterson’s disappearance, including that he was unhappy with the team’s depth chart. Patterson was a projected starter, but injuries caused him to miss much of training camp and Ryan said Patterson would not have started against the Giants.

Patterson denied he was upset with his role.

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“My commitment to the Jets organization and to my teammates has never been an issue and never will be an issue,” he said in the statement. “As it relates to the rumors about my frustration in regards to the depth chart is totally and completely false. In nine years I have never had control over the depth chart.”

It would be surprising if the Jets did not cut Patterson now. Even though they are woefully thin at cornerback, how can they tolerate being called liars by one of their players?

It also seems impossible that Patterson could ever win back the trust of his teammates and coaches.

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Vick: Saved Riley Cooper’s career after slur, then he didn’t text back (Howie Kussoy) New York Post August 28, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/08/28/vick-saved-riley-coopers-career-after-slur-then-he-didnt-text-back/

Michael Vick helped Riley Cooper when the Eagles receiver needed it most, speaking on behalf of his then-teammate after Cooper was videotaped using racial slurs last year, leaving him alone to eat meals and without a friend in the locker room.

“I stood in front of the team,” Vick told ESPN. “I stood in front of the cameras and defused that whole situation.”

“We had guys talking about knocking him out, taking his head off, doing X, Y and Z to him on the field, and none of that happened, out of respect for myself, I think.”

Cooper would end up having a career year, earning a five-year, $25 million deal with Philadelphia in the offseason, while Vick ended up as the Jets’ backup quarterback. Vick, who will see Cooper on Thursday night when the Jets and Eagles meet in their final preseason game, described his actions last season as the proudest moment of his career, but he still isn’t sure if his efforts were ever truly appreciated.

Vick said he reached out to the receiver in the offseason to tell Cooper he was proud of him and never heard back. A perplexed Vick said that if the situation were reversed, he’d have Cooper on “speed dial.”

“A couple of things transpired since [the incident] that I dislike, and I’ll be honest with you,” Vick said. “After he signed his contract, I sent him a text and I never got a text back, and that made me feel a certain type of way. But I’m not the type of guy who holds grudges.

“I took that stand for him, man, and I just hope at the end of the day that he appreciates that. I just hope he’s [appreciative] of my boldness to step out in front of the world and say what I said, and he appreciates what I did and understands the magnitude of it, because nobody else was going to step up and say anything. I could’ve said the same thing that 25 of my teammates were saying, and there was built-up anger.”

Though Vick and Cooper reportedly spoke on Wednesday, in what a spokesperson said was a “productive” call, Vick believes if he hadn’t backed his teammate at the time, Cooper’s tenure in the league may have ended.

“[He] was going to derail our team,” Vick said. “Unfortunately, it was going to derail Riley’s career. It would have ended his career.”

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Raiders’ who-stinks-less QB battle gives Jets a Week 1 edge (Howie Kussoy) New York Post August 28, 2014

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http://nypost.com/2014/08/28/raiders-who-stinks-less-qb-battle-gives-jets-a-week-1-edge/

With the NFL season rapidly approaching, the Jets have at least one advantage heading into their Week 1 matchup with the Raiders — knowing who their starting quarterback will be.

The once-fabled, often-bumbling Oakland franchise remains the only team yet to declare its starter for the season opener, with the competition coming down to veteran Matt Schaub and rookie Derek Carr.

Schaub has been battling a sore elbow, as well as a precipitous drop from being one of the more effective quarterbacks in the league. With dwindling arm strength, Schaub threw 14 interceptions in 10 games with the Texans last season, and in the preseason with the Raiders, he’s completed just over 50 percent of his passes, throwing for 4.6 yards per attempt.

Carr, drafted in the second round out of Fresno State, will get a chance to gain favor in the team’s final preseason game against Seattle, possibly winning a job that didn’t look as if it would be up for grabs when Schaub was acquired in March. The younger brother of former No. 1 overall pick David has impressed the coaching staff so far.

“I’ve said it from Day One, the guy’s comfortable in the huddle,” offensive coordinator Greg Olson said. “The game’s not too big for him. I still believe he sees the field very well. I don’t think the game’s too fast for him, which a lot of times is a concern with a rookie quarterback.”

Since Rich Gannon won the NFL MVP during the 2002 season, the Raiders have had the following starting quarterbacks: Rick Mirer, Marques Tuiasosopo, Kerry Collins, Aaron Brooks, Andrew Walter, Josh McCown, Daunte Culpepper, JaMarcus Russell, Bruce Gradkowski, Charlie Frye, Jason Campbell, Carson Palmer, Kyle Boller, Terrelle Pryor, Matt McGloin and Matt Flynn.

Whoever starts Sept. 7 should help the Jets get off to a good start this season.

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Stephen Hill unimpressive in NY Jets preseason finale against Eagles (Seth Walder) New York Daily News August 28, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/stephen-hill-unimpressive-jets-preseason-loss-eagles-article-1.1920988

Stephen Hill donned the Jets' uniform for what may have been the last time in Thursday night's 37-7 preseason loss to the Eagles, living up to expectations with his performance. That isn't a good thing.

Hill, who had a rough first two years in the league, caught one pass for 13 yards on two targets Thursday on five drives. The other target was the drop. For someone who was once a second-round pick and was even competing for a starting job in training camp it was a particularly tough result given that he was against Eagles backups. Granted, he was also playing with third-string quarterback Matt Simms, but if the Jets were looking for one last reason to keep Hill on their roster, they haven’t found one.

TIP OF THE CAP

In a sentimental move, Rex Ryan made Michael Vick the team's lone captain on Thursday night at Vick's old stadium. Vick started and played one snap, a hand-off to Daryl Richardson. Afterwards, the Jets called a timeout and Simms, entering the game, brought Vick a visor, which the former Eagles QB tipped to the crowd as he exited.

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"(It was) very classy," Vick said. "You never know what to expect when you're the opposition. It was very warm. I appreciate it. It's a bittersweet feeling being back, but hey, it is what it is."

BOY OH BOYD

Simms played the first half but was unremarkable. The QB completed seven of 17 pass attempts for 121 yards. Tajh Boyd entered the game after half time and completed seven of 12 passes and throwing for 92 yards and a touchdown.

Tight end Chris Pantale had a big night in the receiving game, catching three passes for 74 yards. Pantale is unlikely to make the 53-man roster.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Jets struggled badly to stop the Eagles backups. The Jets surrendered 276 rushing yards and 292 passing yards.

BELLORE BANGED UP

Linebacker Nick Bellore suffered a calf injury in the second quarter and did not re-enter the game. Though not a starter on defense, Bellore is a key special teams player.

LEQUAN AND OFF

Cornerback LeQuan Lewis, fighting for a roster spot, had an up and down performance against the Eagles. Lewis opened strong, picking off Matt Barkley in the end zone and hustling downfield as a gunner on special teams, but then began to unravel in coverage. Lewis gave up a 43-yard touchdown reception to Arrelious Benn in the first quarter and later gave up another 32-yard reception to Jeff Maehl.

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Hard-working quarterback Matt Simms earns keep with NY Jets (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News August 29, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mehta-hard-working-matt-simms-earns-jets-article-1.1921095

PHILADELPHIA — There was a time not long ago when Matt Simms thought he might have to pack his winter clothes and head north of the border to pursue a career that seemed out of reach in the league that had been so good to his father.

Simms had bounced around to three colleges in Kentucky, Texas and Tennessee, a journeyman before he even became a professional, so the undrafted quarterback didn’t harbor any illusions: The CFL might be his best bet.

The Jets changed all of that in the fall of 2012 by giving him a chance that paved the way to a life in the NFL. Canada may be permanently put on hold.

“It’s hard enough to get here, so when you do, why leave?” said Simms, who went 7-for-17 for 121 yards in the preseason finale against the Eagles on Thursday night. “Just stay as long as you possibly can. Just stay until they kick you out.”

For as long as Simms can remember, his name has come with an appendix: Matt Simms, son of Giants great Phil Simms. . . but the people on his team now just view him as one of the hardest-working guys in the locker room, a grinder whose appreciation for being in a place that so many others would die for is palpable.

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His improbable rise last year from street free-agent to No. 2 quarterback was aided by injuries to his competition. Mark Sanchez’s season-ending shoulder injury in the preseason and Greg McElroy’s preseason knee injury helped clear the path for Simms, who was Geno Smith’s backup for all 16 games.

He held off veterans David Garrard and Brady Quinn along the way, which meant a lot for a young player trying to carve out his role in a cut-throat business. Mike Vick’s arrival this offseason dropped Simms on the depth chart, but he’s still grinding.

Simms, who clearly outplayed rookie Tajh Boyd in training camp and the preseason, is in line to be the No. 3 quarterback this season. He has a mind-set that all young players fighting to stay in the NFL should adopt.

“In this league, not only are my teammates and my coaches seeing it, but the rest of the league is seeing it as well,” Simms said of trying to impress 24/7. “So I’m just trying to show everyone that I have the skills and abilities to stay in this league.”

Quarterbacks coach David Lee admits that Simms “has improved as much as any guy I think I can ever remember coaching.” High praise for a demanding mentor who didn’t take too kindly to the young signal-caller’s post-touchdown salsa dance against the Giants last week.

“I got him on the phone,” Lee joked, “and told him if he ever did that again I was going to castrate him.”

Ouch.

All castrations aside, Simms has impressed his coaches and teammates with his limited opportunities. He handled himself well in mop-up duty against the Bengals, Bills and Dolphins last season in small, but important steps in his growth.

“Matt’s improved a ton,” Smith said. “He’s pushed me throughout the entire time we’ve been here. We’ve gained a mutual respect and a great friendship because of that competitive nature that we both have. He’s gotten better with everything: his touch, his understanding of the offense (and) his mechanics in the pocket.”

Simms’ greatest strides have been taking a few miles per hour off his fastball. Developing touch is harder than it seems, especially for a wide-eyed quarterback who admittedly didn’t have a full grasp of all the offensive concepts.

“A lot of that had to do with being unsure with the offense,” Simms said. “So when I was unsure, oh, let’s just rip it in there. Whereas now I know where people are supposed to be, I know how to anticipate a little bit more and what to expect more often. So that allows me to use more diversity in my throws.”

That greater understanding of the offense has had a tangible impact. Simms had completed 69% of his passes in the preseason entering Thursday night. He’s more decisive, making quicker reads, learning anything and everything from his coaches, Vick and Smith. Lee called him “special.”

Simms will likely spend this season far off the radar, running scout-team work in practice and blending into the background on the sideline on Sundays, holding tightly to a dream that nearly didn’t materialize.

He knows he belongs in the NFL.

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Report: NY Jets rookie Jalen Saunders had to be restrained by cops 'for his safety' after suffering seizure (Seth Walder) New York Daily News August 28, 2014

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Following Jalen Saunders’ single-car accident caused by a seizure on Aug.15, the rookie wide receiver had to be restrained by three Florham Park police officers, according to a report by NJ.com.

According to the article, all three officers wrote in their use of force reports: “Subject suffered a medical event . . . and needed to be restrained for his safety.”

One of the officers had to be taken to Morristown Medical Center for an injury sustained but was later released. No charges were filed against Saunders.

Saunders was in the hospital until the morning of Aug. 17. The receiver sat out the Jets’ second and third preseason games but is expected to play Thursday against the Eagles.

The team, police and Saunders had all been vague about what sort of medical condition had caused the receiver to drive off the road on the way to the team’s facility, but this week Rex Ryan finally revealed that it was a seizure.

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NY Jets CB Dimitri Patterson says claim he went AWOL 'completely false' (Seth Walder) New York Daily News August 28, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-dimitri-patterson-claim-awol-completely-false-article-1.1920025

Dimitri Patterson’s mysterious saga keeps getting stranger.

The veteran cornerback, who did not show up for the Jets-Giants preseason game and went AWOL for 48 hours according to the team, sent a statement to ESPN on Thursday contradicting the team’s version of events.

"As it relates to my whereabouts and me missing for 48 hours without being seen or heard from me or my representative is completely false,” the cornerback said in the statement. “My agent reached out to the Jets organization multiple times several hours prior to Friday night's game.”

The only statement that Patterson’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has made so far is that the cornerback would return to the team last Sunday, which he did.

The Jets suspended Patterson after meeting with him, but announced that he would eligible to return on Monday, Sept. 1.

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NEW YORK TIMES

Jets’ Big-Time Receiver Nourished by Small-Town Roots (Ben Shpigel) New York Times August 28, 2014

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/31/sports/football/eric-deckers-nfl-rise-began-on-the-ball-fields-in-central-minnesota.html?ref=football&_r=0

COLD SPRING, Minn. — His friends would call his house on summer days, and if Eric Decker was not around they knew where to find him.

Shoehorned into a residential neighborhood, four blocks from downtown, stands the town treasure, a ball field known here as Springer Park. Ivy shrouds the outfield fence. A towering ash tree, bombarded a

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decade ago by Decker’s left-handed drives, looms beyond right-center field. A sign outside greets visitors: “A Tradition Since 1923.”

Decker operated the scoreboard and retrieved bats and shagged stray balls. More often, he and his pals would gather by the first-base dugout to play a game called Butts Up. One of them would fire a tennis ball against the wall, and anyone who fumbled it three times got pegged, and hard, in the posterior. Rarely Decker, though. His hands, even then, were too good.

“My second home,” he said.

When Decker, 27, returns to his hometown, about 80 miles northwest of Minneapolis, those who know him best have no trouble reconciling the person who left nine years ago to play football at Minnesota with the man he has become: a 6-foot-3 Velcro-handed receiver for the Jets who established his bona fides by catching touchdowns from Peyton Manning in Denver, who primps for fashion spreads and co-stars on a reality television show with his country music star wife.

To them, he is just Eric, or Dex. The guy who followed his alma mater, Rocori High School, in the 2011 state title game, online, and then, after the Spartans won, called the Side Bar & Grill to surprise every coach with a $50 gift card. The guy who, having experienced the terror of hiding in a library closet with a gunman on the loose at Rocori, recorded a video message for students at a suburban Denver high school after a shooting there in December.

Before modeling sweaters and duffle coats for GQ, Decker wore a pinstriped Kirby Puckett jersey almost every day for a month. Before appearing with his wife, Jessie James Decker, on the E! program “Eric & Jessie: Game On,” he shined on stage as Little Grunt, a cave boy who discovers a dinosaur egg, as a second grader at St. Boniface. Before performing extra conditioning drills as penance after an erratic training camp practice last month at SUNY Cortland, he would run extra routes and take extra swings and shoot extra jumpers, with his Rocori coaches urging other players: Watch how Eric does it.

As a senior, he was selected by The St. Cloud Times as the area’s player of the year in basketball, his worst – his least best, rather – sport. Had Decker pursued baseball, the Minnesota Twins, who drafted him in the 27th round in 2009 only because it was obvious he wanted to play football after college, projected him as a superb center fielder and a top-of-the-order menace. That decision perplexed many in this baseball-mad burg. Why can’t you play both sports? he was asked. But it also directed him to the life he now leads.

“We studied the football tapes more than the reality tapes,” said John Idzik, the Jets’ general manager. “And we loved what we saw.”

IT DOES NOT HAPPEN much anymore, but every so often, when night falls, or if Decker hears a sound or smells a smell, he is transported back to one of the worst days of his life.

On the morning of Sept. 24, 2003, students arrived at Rocori High School thinking about German tests and biology projects, whether the Spartans would defeat St. Cloud Apollo on Friday night. They filed out a few hours later in tears, in fear, their hands in the air. Helicopters buzzed and sirens blared and snipers monitored the chaos from atop the school.

A disgruntled freshman shot and killed a senior, Aaron Rollins, and critically wounded a freshman, Seth Bartell, who died two weeks later.

Decker, a junior, was eating lunch in the cafeteria with Bartell’s older brother, Jesse, when the announcement boomed over the speaker: Code Red. As they sprinted down a hallway, past the gymnasium, Jesse shrieked, “That’s my brother!” Decker will remember that moment forever.

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They bolted into the library, were herded into a closet. There were 12 of them in all. Ten minutes passed. Then 20. Then 30.

“You didn’t know what was going on,” Decker said. “You heard rumors that someone had a gun, but you didn’t know how many people. You’re just sitting there waiting for someone to tell you that it’s O.K.”

If not for the bravery of Mark Johnson, a physical education teacher, the carnage could have been worse. Johnson was in the gym when he turned and spotted the gunman. Johnson walked toward him. The gunman raised his gun. Johnson raised his hand. He bellowed, “No!”

“I don’t know if any teacher ever thinks, If I’m put in that position, what would I do?” Johnson said. “You just react.”

The shooter removed the remaining bullets and dropped the gun on the floor. Johnson escorted him to the principal’s office, then ran back to try to resuscitate Rollins.

Everyone felt numb for days, weeks, months. They all grew up together. In Cold Spring, or in Richmond and Rockville, the adjacent towns that Rocori also served. Each grade had about 200 students. Decker played baseball with Rollins, hung out at the Bartells’ cabin.

“It just turns you upside down,” Decker said. “I relive it every time I talk about it.”

School was canceled, but not the football game. Coaches asked if they still wanted to play. Yes, the players said. For a few hours, they said, it might help them escape. The bus ride into St. Cloud, Decker said, was filled with “so much pain.”

After pregame introductions, Apollo’s players walked to the Rocori sideline to offer handshakes. Wearing memorial patches on their jerseys, the Spartans won, 31-13. Decker had 10 catches for 118 yards and also threw for a touchdown.

Kirby Hemmesch, a longtime friend of Decker’s, said that when someone learns that he attended Rocori, hails from Cold Spring, questions about the shooting inevitably follow. He understands why, he said, but there are too many other things to be proud of: the hometown Springers’ eight state amateur baseball championships; the beer from the Third Street Brewhouse that is also peddled at the Twins’ stadium; the granite fabricated at Coldspring Granite that was used to assemble the famed Touchdown Jesus mosaic at Notre Dame.

Or, he chuckled, a certain friend of his.

FOUR LANES of Highway 23 scythe through farmland, past the Gold’n Plump poultry processing plant and Dairy Queen and Schwieters Chevrolet, before the first stoplight in 10 miles heralds the entrance to Cold Spring proper, population 4,025.

Vendors at the farmers’ market are identified in The Cold Spring Record, a weekly newspaper, by their first names. Municipal vehicles are affixed with stickers reading, “Hometown Pride.” A buzz cut at Styles Plus costs five bucks.

Decker grew up about a mile southwest of the commercial district, in a house that backed up to the Sauk River, the gateway to a chain of 14 lakes. Later on, he would leap into Knaus Lake from the bridge overpass along Highway 49.

But at age 6 or so, while out on the water, he amazed David Sauer, his next-door neighbor, for the first time of many. On the boat, Sauer tried lifting a 25-pound battery. It barely moved an inch. Decker came over and lugged it to the other side.

“Freakin’ Hulk,” Sauer said.

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Decker acted as if he had to catch up, even though he was a mile ahead of everyone else. Because he could, he once stole second in an American Legion game after the pitcher threw over to first 14 straight times.

Divining the source of Decker’s athletic talent is simple. Just look at the plaques hanging at Rocori’s athletics hall of fame: his father, Tom; his uncle, Jim; his aunt, Patti, three-sport athletes all, just like him, just like his older sister, Sarah, whose ambition — she ran track and cross-country at Columbia — inspired him to succeed.

On the basketball court, she throttled him, then demanded he improve: You can shoot better than that, she would say, and so he would practice.

Even as a boy, Decker was consumed by details. His handwriting was neat. His desk at St. Boniface was immaculate.

“Something you wouldn’t normally think a boy would do,” said Barb Wilmesmeier, who taught Decker in second grade.

When it was reported that Decker scored the best of any prospect in the Wonderlic test at the 2010 N.F.L. scouting combine, his teachers rejoiced. He attended Catholic school through sixth grade, though tales of his athletic ability had spread long before.

James Herberg thought he was the fastest elementary school runner in Rockville. Then he ran against Decker. They met, Herberg recalled, at a sixth-grade dance. Vying for the same girl’s affection, Decker marched over, extended his right hand and, turning serious, asked if Herberg wanted to go out back and play football.

“It’s a dance, you know?” said Herberg, who has known Decker for more than 15 years. “I was like, ‘Who is this kid?' ”

It was a rare instance in which Decker did not get the girl; during road basketball games, boys at Fergus Falls or Alexandria would taunt him while the girls would swoon, “Oh my God, it’s Eric Decker!”

During football season, Decker blossomed as a junior, when Sauer took over as quarterback in a pass-oriented offense, and caught 12 touchdowns. He played in the secondary, too, but was so valuable on offense that the coaches decreased his defensive snaps to minimize injury risk.

That is just a minor detail to Hemmesch, who counts a copy of The St. Cloud Times’s high school football preview from 2004 as one of his prized possessions. It lists the starting free safety as K. Hemmesch. The backup: Eric Decker.

“I’m going to make a T-shirt of it someday,” Hemmesch said.

Decker actually did make a T-shirt at Rocori, when he and two other receivers, mimicking the Vikings’ 1998 trio of Cris Carter, Randy Moss and Jake Reed, printed models that said, “3 Deep.”

Mostly, though, Decker’s swagger was subtle. After making a sweet catch, he would flip the ball toward the defensive back he just burned. In his senior year, before a showdown at undefeated Sartell, he warmed up to chants of “Decker’s sister, Decker’s sister.” When he caught a touchdown on a fade route, he ran by the student section and cupped his hand over his ear.

“When you saw Eric go after the football,” said John Ross, who was then the Sartell coach, “it was like, ‘How are you really going to stop that?' ”

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Sometimes, he did stumble, like the time he, frustrated, flung a table-tennis paddle at Sauer’s head (in a rare display of inaccuracy, it missed). Or when he spiked his PlayStation 2 controller, scattering pieces across the basement. His buddies laughed. Then they prepared for the consequences.

“You beat him once, we had to play three times just so he could prove that he’s better than you,” Herberg said. “Because when Eric Decker sets his mind to something, get the hell out of the way.”

Decker set his mind that he would play football in college. The problem was, hardly anyone wanted him.

“Because,” said Joel Baumgarten, Decker’s position coach at Rocori, “you don’t get receivers coming out of central Minnesota.”

Decker’s friends maintain that more colleges would have recruited him as a senior, when he caught 62 passes for 1,058 yards and 15 touchdowns, but before then only two schools expressed interest: St. John’s, 20 minutes up the road in Collegeville, and Minnesota. No offense, Herberg would tell him, but you’re not a Division III football player.

The summer before his senior season, Decker attended a camp at Minnesota with other potential recruits. All day he torched some of the Twin Cities’ finest cornerbacks. Afterward the coach, Glen Mason, offered him a scholarship on the spot.

At the time, Mason did not realize that he had just added the Gophers’ career leader in receptions (227) and receiving yardage (3,119). Rather, he wondered whether he was the dumbest coach in the nation, or the smartest.

“You start thinking, What are we seeing in this guy that other people don’t?” said Mason, now an analyst for the Big Ten Network.

The next day, Mason said, he received a call from John Gagliardi, the venerable coach at St. John’s.

“Gosh darnit,” Gagliardi said. “You found him.”

THREE YEARS AGO, Decker realized he had been lying to himself. He always expected to remain a bachelor until he retired. He was too driven, too focused, too invested in his career to worry about anyone else. Then, through a mutual friend, he met Jessie.

At the time, she was living in Nashville, intending to move to Los Angeles. He was training in Arizona. They chatted over the phone for a month before he visited. Two months later, he asked Jessie, a spitfire and a fervent (and often unfiltered) practitioner of social media, to move to Colorado with him. The relationship progressed faster than those in Cold Spring are accustomed.

“Now, all of a sudden,” Decker said, “I’m married with a kid.”

Their daughter, Vivianne, was born in March, nine months after their wedding was recorded by E! cameras. Their life — split between Nashville and New Jersey, which he described on his introductory conference call as underrated — is normal, Decker said (relatively speaking). So far, he has delighted the Jets, everyone from Geno Smith to Rex Ryan, with his hands, crisp routes and consistency. Smith called him “a quarterback’s best friend.”

The last time many folks saw him here was April 2013. Decker and his wife flew in to attend the wedding of Zach Johnson, Mark’s son, and the party doubled as the final exam, eight years later, to a course that Johnson instructed at Rocori.

Wanting students to feel comfortable at Stearns County weddings, he taught them how to waltz and tango and swing and cha-cha, and many at the reception showed off what they learned, Decker among them. He spent most of the time on the dance floor, his past and present converging.

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Decker said he had declined an invitation to compete on “Dancing With the Stars.” Maybe someday, he added. After all, he already knows how to polka.

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ESPN NEW YORK

Dimitri Patterson: Allegations untrue ESPN New York August 28, 2014

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/11423253/dimitri-patterson-says-new-york-jets-awol-allegations-completely-false?ex_cid=espnapi_public

New York Jets cornerback Dimitri Patterson, who was suspended for the remainder of the preseason after allegedly going AWOL last weekend for 48 hours, said Thursday that the team's allegations are "completely false."

"As it relates to my whereabouts and me missing for 48 hours without being seen or heard from me or my representative (that) is completely false," Patterson said in a text to ESPN's Josina Anderson. "My agent reached out to the Jets organization multiple times several hours prior to Friday night's game. My commitment to the Jets organization and to my teammates has never been an issue and never will be an issue.

"As it relates to the rumors about my frustration in regards to the depth chart (that) is totally and completely false. In nine years I have never had control over the depth chart."

The Jets have not immediately responded to a request for comment.

The suspension, as well as additional discipline from the team, was levied by the Jets for what they termed an "unexcused" absence, which irked the organization and some teammates. The mystery started Friday night, when Patterson didn't show for the Jets' game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Team officials tried frantically to locate him, not knowing until the next day -- through his agent -- that he was safe and unharmed.

Patterson met Sunday night with coach Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik, explaining his behavior. The Jets have refused to divulge Patterson's reasoning, but the well-traveled veteran, 31, was disgruntled with his role on defense, according to a source.

Patterson is eligible to return Monday, when the Jets start preparations for their season opener against the Oakland Raiders.

The Jets signed Patterson to a one-year, $3 million contract in free agency, projecting him as a starter opposite Dee Milliner. It was a controversial signing because of Patterson's injury history (33 missed games since 2011) and because they failed to sign any of the big-name corners in free agency.

Patterson was hurt early in training camp, suffering calf, ankle and quadriceps injuries. He played poorly in the first preseason game and spent the next two weeks on the sideline, rehabbing. The Jets were hoping he'd return against the Giants.

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NJ.COM

Jets 53-man roster: Dom Cosentino's projection 2.0 (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com

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August 28, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/jets_53-man_roster_dom_cosentinos_projection_20.html

PHILADELPHIA -- Let's try this again.

Last weekend, just before the Jets announced their first wave of cuts, Darryl Slater offered his first prediction on which players would make the final 53-man roster. A few hours later, I did the same. Naturally, we both had players making the team who didn't survive that initial round of cuts. But now we're giving it another go.

The Jets are scheduled to play the Eagles here on Thursday night at 7. They currently have 75 players in the roster. By Saturday at 6 p.m., that number must be down to 53. Darryl gave you his updated projections earlier Thursday. Here are mine. Feel free to yell at me about them.

Quarterback (3): Geno Smith, Michael Vick, Matt Simms

Already cut: None

Next cut: Tajh Boyd

Analysis: Boyd gets a chance to audition for his next team against the Eagles.

Running back (4): Chris Johnson, Chris Ivory, Bilal Powel, Daryl Richardson

Already cut: Michael Smith

Next cut: Alex Green

Analysis: Green has some value on special teams, but Richardson has much bigger upside.

Fullback (1): Tommy Bohanon

Already cut: Chad Young

Next cut: None

Analysis: The only way Bohanon gets cut is if the Jets decide not to have a fullback at all, which seems unlikely.

Tight end (3): Jeff Cumberland, Jace Amaro, Zach Sudfeld

Already cut: Colin Anderson

Next cut: Chris Pantale

Analysis: Hard to see the Jets keeping more than three tight ends. Pantale, a Wayne native, looks the odd man out.

Wide receiver (6): Eric Decker, Jeremy Kerley, David Nelson, Jalen Saunders, Greg Salas, Saalim Hakim

Already cut: Jacoby Ford, Michael Campbell

Next cut: Quincy Enunwa, Stephen Hill, Clyde Gates

Analysis: Barring a terrific game against the Eagles, Hill kind of looks like a goner. Salas has earned a spot. Hakim can return kickoffs.

Offensive line (9): D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Brian Winters, Nick Mangold, Willie Colon, Breno Giacomini, Oday Aboushi, Dalton Freeman, Dakota Dozier, Ben Ijalana

Already cut: Bruce Campbell, Patrick Ford, Markus Zusevics

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Next cut: Brent Qvale, Caleb Schlauderaff, Will Campbell

Analysis: As I said Saturday, this could come down to how many O-linemen the Jets want to keep. But they need depth here.

Defensive line (5): Sheldon Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson, Damon Harrison, Kenrick Ellis, Leger Douzable

Already cut: Anthony Grady

Next cut: Zach Thompson, Kerry Hyder, T.J. Barnes, Tevita Finau

Analysis: That top five is a tough group to crack. One or more of those cut could end up on the practice squad.

Linebacker (9): Calvin Pace, David Harris, Demario Davis, Quinton

Coples, Jason Babin, Nick Bellore, Garrett McIntyre, IK Enemkpali, A.J. Edds

Already cut: Steele Divitto

Next cut: Trevor Reilly, Troy Davis, Jeremiah George

PUP (won't count on 53): Antwan Barnes

Analysis: Davis is very much on the bubble. He may end up making the roster.

Cornerback (5): Dee Milliner, Ellis Lankster, Darrin Walls, Kyle Wilson, LeQuan Lewis

Already cut: Ras-I Dowling

Next cut: Jeremy Reeves, Johnny Patrick, Brandon Dixon, Dimitri Patterson

Analysis: Can they bring Patterson back after all this AWOL nonsense?

Safety (5): Dawan Landry, Antonio Allen, Jaiquwan Jarrett, Calvin Pryor, Rontez Miles

Already cut: None

Next cut: Josh Bush

Analysis: Still think Miles makes it over Bush because Miles plays well on special teams.

Specialist (3): Nick Folk (K), Ryan Quigley (P), Tanner Purdum (LS)

Already cut: Andrew Furney, Jacob Schum

Next Cut: None

Analysis: Quigley's no lock. He could get cut if the Jets find a better option after other teams start pairing down their rosters this weekend.

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NFL preseason TV schedule: What channel is the Jets' game against the Eagles on (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com August 28, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/nfl_preseason_tv_schedule_what_channel_is_the_jets_game_against_the_eagles_on.html

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PHILADELPHIA -- It's time for the last preseason game. That portion of the NFL's preseason proceedings where most the starters will sit and the object is for teams to evaluate players one last time in advance of Saturday's final roster deadline.

So when the Jets play the Eagles here, look for starting quarterback Geno Smith to sit and for backup Michael Vick to get in long enough to get an ovation before he's placed in bubble wrap for the trip back up the Jersey Turnpike.

Beyond that, a lot of players will be fighting for roster spots and the hope is no one gets hurt, though not necessarily in that order.

Now that we're clear on all that stuff, here's what you want to know:

When: Thursday, 7 p.m. (EDT)

Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pa.

TV: CBS2, with Ian Eagle doing play-by-play, Greg Buttle as the analyst, and Otis Livingston as the sideline reporter

Radio: 98.7 WEPN-FM, with Bob Wischusen doing play-by-play and Marty Lyons as the analyst

Line: Jets +3 (via Bovada)

Over/under: 43½

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Remember me? A timeline of Mark Sanchez's pregame interactions with the Jets (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com August 28, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/a_timeline_of_mark_sanchezs_pregame_interactions_with_the_jets.html

PHILADELPHIA -- Mark Sanchez now plays for the Eagles, but he spent five seasons with the Jets, who released him back in March. Thursday night's preseason finale was Sanchez's first chance to be part of a game against the team that had drafted him fifth overall in the 2009 draft.

Before the game began, a number of players, coaches, and other Jets personnel made an effort to say hello to Sanchez down on the field. Everyone seemed genuinely happy to see him again. Here's what we noticed:

5 p.m.: Sanchez, in a red no-contact jersey and shorts, did some field-length hard jogs with several of his teammates.

5:01: Mike Devlin, the Jets' offensive line coach, comes over to give Sanchez and handshake and a hug after Sanchez runs nearby close to the North end zone.

5:02: Assistant offensive line coach Ron Heller also comes over to greet Sanchez.

5:05: Terry Bradway, the Jets' senior director of college scouting and former general manager, approaches Sanchez with a handshake and a bro hug near midfield.

5:06: Center Nick Mangold and offensive assistant Tony Sparano Jr. make their way over. The three of them talk for a while and are soon joined by left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson.

5:10: Head coach Rex Ryan approaches Sacnhez. Lots of smiles as the two shake hands and bro hug. They chat for for a few minutes.

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5:11: Bruce Speight, the Jets' senior director of media relations, comes over and shakes hands with Sanchez as Sanchez and Ryan continue to talk.

5:12: Running backs coach Anthony Lynn approaches Sanchez. Soon, quarterbacks coach David Lee does, too. As Sanchez and Lee talk, a handful of Jets players come over one by one to quickly shake Sanchez's hand.

5:14: Sanchez jogs toward the South end zone and begins throwing passes next to Nick Foles, the Eagles' starting quarterback. Neither Sanchez nor Foles is scheduled to play Thursday night.

5:22: Foles and Sanchez exchange a fist pound.

5:23: Sanchez chats around the 20-yard line with Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur.

5:25: Sanchez heads to the locker room with the rest of the Eagles.

6:16: Sanchez returns to the field in full uniform, minus his helmet.

6:18: Jets owner Woody Johnson approaches Sanchez to say hello. They chat briefly. A few minutes later, Sanchez and the rest of the Eagles and Jets return to the locker room.

6:59: The entire Eagles team enters the field moments before kickoff. Sanchez is not wearing a helmet. He throws a few passes to tight end Trey Burton before retreating to the sideline, where he'll spend the rest of his evening.

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Instant analysis and quick hits from the Jets' loss to the Eagles in their preseason finale (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com August 28, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/jets-eagles_instant_analysis_and_quick_hits_from_the_preseason_finale.html

PHILADELPHIA -- And ... that's that.

The Jets concluded the preseason portion of their schedule with a 37-7 loss to the Eagles on Thursday night in South Philly.

The starters and even some key reserves didn't play. Quarterback Michael Vick, in his first game back here since he joined the Jets, started the game and got the equivalent of a ceremonial first pitch: He played one snap, handed off, and was swiftly taken out to soak in a warm ovation.

Ex-Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez didn't play, but many of his former co-workers and bosses approached him to say hello before the game.

The dress rehearsals are now over. When the Jets take the field again in 10 days to face the Raiders, it's for real. But we'll get to that soon enough. For now, some stuff we noticed from Thursday night:

• Lots of yards for Eagles. The backups played for both teams, so this doesn't mean a darn thing, but the Eagles rolled up 557 total yards of offense, with 292 passing and 265 rushing. Yowzers. Two weeks ago I noted that the Jets showed their depth with how well the backups played in Cincinnati. Game planning or no game planning, meaningless game or not, it's safe to say the Eagles have more depth.

• A so-so night for LeQuan Lewis ends with an injury. With Dimitri Patterson still in purgatory—and being weird about it—Lewis got the start at corner opposite Ellis Lankster. Lewis had an early interception in the end zone, but he also got beaten by Arrelious Benn on a 43-yard touchdown and gave up a 32-yard catch to Damaris Johnson. He eventually left the game in the fourth quarter with an apparent hand injury.

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• Rontez Miles had a huge game. Miles, a second-year safety battling for a roster spot, had six tackles and a pass defensed in the first half. He also made a tackle on the kickoff that followed a Jets touchdown in the third quarter. Miles is on the roster bubble, but he's had a good summer and he's making a strong case to make the final roster.

• What now for Stephen Hill? Hill played five series. He had two passes thrown his way and caught one for 13 yards. But he dropped the other after jumping unnecessarily and losing the ball as he came to the ground after Eagles corner Curtis Marsh hit him. Hill did manage to get open at least once and not have the ball thrown to him by Matt Simms. But Hill finished the preseason with just two catches, and he didn't play at all in the second half Thursday night. Does he survive the final roster cuts?

• A.J. Edds makes big tackle. Edds, a linebacker who had a good training camp, saved a touchdown on a Damaris Johnson punt return in the fourth quarter. Edds just might make the roster.

• Also on special teams... Wideout Saalim Hakim managed to keep a Ryan Quigley punt from bouncing in the end zone with 2:31 left in the game. Something to remember with roster cuts coming: Stephen Hill does not play special teams.

• Penalties. Ellis Lankster, who started at corner, got nabbed twice for defensive holding penalties. Oday Aboushi, who started at right guard, got pinched once each for holding and for illegal use of the hands. And safety Jaiquawn Jarrett—a second-round draft pick of the Eagles once upon a time—got pinched for defensive holding on G.J. Kinne's 21-yard TD to tight end Trey Burton. That one was declined.

• Injuries. Inside linebacker Nick Bellore left the game with a calf injury. Safety Josh Bush sustained a leg injury and did not return. Cornerback Johnny Patrick suffered a head injury. And Lewis hurt hus hand.

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Jets linebacker Nick Bellore leaves preseason game with calf injury (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com August 28, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/jets_linebacker_nick_bellore_leaves_game_with_leg_injury.html

PHILADELPHIA -- Nick Bellore, a Jets backup linebacker and special teamer, left Thursday night's preseason finale at the Eagles early in the second quarter with an injury to his left calf.

Bellore, who started along with the second-team defense, was tended to briefly by the team's trainers. He walked off the field without any assistance. A press box announcement just said Bellore is out for the game

The Eagles lead the Jets 13-0 at halftime.

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Rex Ryan wanted Michael Vick to get one more chance to be appreciated by Philadelphia (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com August 28, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/rex_ryan_wanted_michael_vick_to_get_an_ovation_from_eagles_fans.html

PHILADELPHIA -- Earlier in the week, Rex Ryan said Michael Vick would start the Jets' preseason finale against the Eagles here. He also said Vick wouldn't play for long.

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Ryan, the Jets' head coach, wound up letting Vick, his backup quarterback, take just one snap. Vick took the field for the Jets' first possession in the first quarter and handed off to running back Daryl Richardson. And that was it. It was basically a ceremonial first pitch, a way of giving Vick a chance to bask in the appreciation of the Eagles fans who had cheered him for five years before Vick signed on to play for the Jets during the offseason.

Vick told reporters after the game he didn't know what Ryan had planned.

"No," he said. "I didn't know how I was going to come out. I was just going out to play."

For more details and for Vick's reaction, click here. This is what Ryan had to say about it:

"It was my decision. Obviously, I know what Mike thinks of his time in Philadelphia, the people in Philadelphia. And obviously I know how Philadelphia thought of Mike, the city of Philly, and the Eagle fans. I just thought it was an appropriate thing to do, to kind of send him off that way."

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Rex Ryan wanted Michael Vick to get one more chance to be appreciated by Philadelphia (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com August 28, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/rex_ryan_wanted_michael_vick_to_get_an_ovation_from_eagles_fans.html

PHILADELPHIA -- Earlier in the week, Rex Ryan said Michael Vick would start the Jets' preseason finale against the Eagles here. He also said Vick wouldn't play for long.

Ryan, the Jets' head coach, wound up letting Vick, his backup quarterback, take just one snap. Vick took the field for the Jets' first possession in the first quarter and handed off to running back Daryl Richardson. And that was it. It was basically a ceremonial first pitch, a way of giving Vick a chance to bask in the appreciation of the Eagles fans who had cheered him for five years before Vick signed on to play for the Jets during the offseason.

For more details and for Vick's reaction, click here. This is what Ryan had to say about it:

"It was my decision. Obviously, I know what Mike thinks of his time in Philadelphia, the people in Philadelphia. And obviously I know how Philadelphia thought of Mike, the city of Philly and the Eagle fans. I just thought it was an appropriate thing to do, to kind of send him off that way."

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Dimitri Patterson calls Jets liars, per report (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com August 28, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/dimitri_patterson_calls_jets_liars_per_report.html

PHILADELPHIA -- Suspended Jets cornerback Dimitri Patterson, whom the Jets maintain went AWOL over the weekend, doubled down on his claim that he never went AWOL, according to ESPN's Josina Anderson.

Here's what Patterson said Thursday morning in a statement to Anderson:

"As it relates to my whereabouts and me missing for 48 hours without being seen or heard from me or my representative is completely false. My agent reached out to the Jets organization multiple times several hours prior to Friday night's game. My commitment to the Jets organization and to my teammates

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has never been an issue and never will be an issue. As it relates to the rumors about my frustration in regards to the depth chart is totally and completely false. In nine years I have never had control over the depth chart."

Well now.

On Sunday afternoon, Jets general manager John Idzik took the unusual step of alerting the media to the fact that Patterson hadn't shown for a preseason game two nights earlier and that the Jets still didn't know Patterson's whereabouts other than that he was physically OK. Idzik—and head coach Rex Ryan, who more or less said the same thing—clearly wanted to get Patterson to come out of hiding. Patterson eventually came back to One Jets Drive and had a meeting with Idzik and Ryan on Sunday night. The team suspended him the next day.

Patterson's statement obviously contradicts the Jets' position completely. He had previously told USA TODAY Sports that any reports he was AWOL are "totally false." He also still hasn't given any reason whatsoever for his absence

The Jets have suspended Patterson until Monday. They play the Eagles here Thursday night in their final preseason game.

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METRO NEW YORK

Jets vs. Eagles: 3 things to watch (Kristian Dyer) Metro New York August 28, 2014

http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/nfl/2014/08/28/jets-vs-eagles-3-things-watch/

A win on Thursday night at the Eagles would give the Jets a 3-1 record and just their second winning preseason under head coach Rex Ryan. It would also give them some sense of momentum heading into the regular season, especially with a tough slate of games to open the campaign.

The fourth preseason game is usually a time for the young players and back-ups to get some much-needed snaps. It always becomes an intriguing game with positional battles as teams cut from 75 players down to 53 players later this week.

And with the practice squad now expanded to 10 players this year, there is more intrigue as to who will stick around.

Metro looks at three things to watch as the Jets travel to Philly (7 p.m., CBS2).

1. Vick returns ‘home’

Michael Vick left Philadelphia this offseason after five seasons with the Eagles for a trip up the New Jersey Turnpike to the Jets. Injuries kept him on the sidelines for a good chunk of time last year and the emergence of Nick Foles meant he was no longer needed. “I never want to play second fiddle to anybody, but I just felt like that team was in such a groove that I didn’t want to try to become a distraction even though I could have fought for my position and fought for the job,” Vick said. “I had a great run there with a lot of great memories and accomplished some things that can never be taken away from me. I’m ecstatic about that, thankful and very grateful.” It wouldn’t be surprising to see Vick get the first series so the Philadelphia fans can acknowledge him. To his credit, he’s said and done everything right with the Jets so far and hasn’t rocked the boat at all.

2. Young players make an impact

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The fourth preseason game always means young players get a chance to step up and see extended minutes. It will be interesting to see how second-year lineman Oday Aboushi continues his development at guard as he’s taken a step forward in his development. Zach Thompson, an undrafted rookie free agent who is a defensive lineman out of Wake Forest, will be looking to make a bid for the practice squad with another strong performance. Even some draft picks, such as quarterback Tajh Boyd, will be looking to make the squad. Boyd has struggled in training camp and will need a monumental performance to overcome Matt Simms as the No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart.

3. Over the Hill

Despite being a second-round pick two years ago, it isn’t assured wide receiver Stephen Hill will be on the roster after another lackluster preseason. Hill looked good in offseason workouts, but disappears when he puts on pads. Despite an abundance of natural talent, he just isn’t a football player at this point of his development. His blocking is fine, but may not be enough to keep him on this roster, especially with the emergence of Greg Salas. He might be able to salvage a roster spot if he can get open and make some plays Thursday. That’s a big if, however, when it comes to Hill.

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THURDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS

http://www.chron.com/sports/article/Thursday-s-Sports-Transactions-5704792.php

BASEBALL

American League

BOSTON RED SOX — Optioned OF/1B Alex Hassan to Pawtucket (IL). Reinstated OF/1B Allen Craig from the 15-day DL.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX — Released LHP Charlie Leesman.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Optioned OF Brennan Boesch to Salt Lake (PCL).

NEW YORK YANKEES — Optioned RHP Chase Whitely to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (IL). Recalled INF/OF Zelous Wheeler to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

TAMPA BAY RAYS — Sent OF David DeJesus to Charlotte (IL) for a rehab assignment.

National League

ATLANTA BRAVES — Agreed to terms with RHP Joe Gardner on a minor league contract.

CHICAGO CUBS — Placed SS Starlin Castro on the bereavement list. Placed RHP Edwin Jackson on the 15-day DL. Recalled INF Logan Watkins and LHP Zac Rosscup from Iowa (PCL).

CINCINNATI REDS — Optioned RHPs J.J. Hoover and Carlos Contreras to Louisville (IL). Recalled RHP Pedro Villarreal and LHP David Holmberg from Louisville.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS — Recalled RHP George Kontos from Fresno (PCL) as 26th man.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Sent OF Steven Souza Jr. to Hagerstown (SAL) for a rehab assignment.

Can-Am League

ROCKLAND BOULDERS — Sold the contract of LHP Sean Bierman to the Atlanta Braves.

FOOTBALL

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National Football League

ARIZONA CARDINALS — Released DT Anthony McCloud.

ATLANTA FALCONS — Released WR Jabin Sambrano. Signed WR Eric Weems.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS — Traded G Rishaw Johnson to Tampa Bay for S Kelcie McCray.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — Released DL Marcus Forston and TE D.J. Williams.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS — Released DE James Ruffin. Signed G R.J. Mattes.

Canadian Football League

CFL — Announced commissioner Mark Cohon will not return when his contract expires next year.

EDMONTON ESKIMOS — Signed DB Cauchy Muamba to the practice roster.

HOCKEY

National Hockey League

COLORADO AVALANCHE — Announced the retirement of G Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

NEW YORK RANGERS — Agreed to terms with F Danny Kristo.

American Hockey League

LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS — Agreed to terms with LW Austin Fyten on a one-year, two-way contract.

ECHL

BAKERSFIELD CONDORS — Named Ben Boudreau assistant coach.

SOCCER

Major League Soccer

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS — Traded MF Nigel Reo-Coker to Chivas USA for MF Mauro Rosales.

COLLEGE

NCAA — Placed Cheyney University on five years probation for lacking institutional control over its certification processes from 2007-11.

CLEMSON — Announced OL Shaq Anthony is transferring out.

EAST CAROLINA — Signed women's basketball coach Heather Macy to a five-year contract extension through the 2019-20 season.

LA SALLE — Named Nina Kauffman assistant trainer.

NYU — Named Will Boylan-Tett men's and women's cross country and track and field coach.

RPI — Named Mark Gilbride men's basketball coach.

RUTGERS — Named Jesse Bernhardt men's assistant lacrosse coach.

SAINT ROSE — Named Kyle Wilkins interim baseball coach.

TEMPLE — Named Aaron McKie men's assistant basketball coach.

YALE — Named Andrea Cofrin women's assistant lacrosse coach.

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