Jets' Skrine adjusting to new role
FLORHAM PARK — Jets cornerback Buster Skrine says this training camp, the second under head coach Todd Bowles, has been a much smoother one for the defense.
It’s just a product of being more familiar with how Bowles wants them to do things.
“Everything’s a lot easier,” Skrine told The Record last week. “There’s no extra questions about the install [of the playbook]. We just get out here and run the plays, we don’t have to keep running over plays in practice. So just being in the second time around, we just pretty much picked off where we left off [at the end of last season].”
Skrine said that comfort has manifested itself in one major way: the defense is playing with a lot more speed this training camp.
For Skrine, personally, he’s also adjusting to a new, but not unfamiliar, role.
Last year, Skrine’s primary job was almost exclusively to defend slot receivers in the Jets nickel formation.
But with Antonio Cromartie gone this season, Skrine is now competing for a job starting outside at cornerback, while also playing some on the slot in the nickel defense — that’s the same role Skrine played during the first four years of his in Cleveland.
So Skrine’s goals in preseason for preseason games are modest.
“Personally, just getting my feet wet at the corner position again,” Skrine said. “And just have solid, all-around games.No explosive [plays], a whole bunch of disruptions on the ball. I feel like I did pretty good at that as a corner.”
Skrine had a career-high four interceptions playing cornerback in his final year in Cleveland. He had one interception in his nickel role with the Jets last season.
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The Jets practice one last time today before heading to Washington for Friday’s preseason game against the Redskins.
Two questions for today’s practice.
*On Tuesday, Muhammad Wilkerson participated in team drills for the first time since breaking his leg in January, and Bowles said there’s a chance he could play Friday. Will Wilkerson participate in team drills again today?
*In Tuesday’s practice No. 3 QB Bryce Petty and No. 4 QB Christian Hackenberg had increased reps, while backup QB Geno Smith took less reps than normal. Bowles downplayed that after practice, and said all four quarterbacks need to be ready for Friday’s game. But could today’s division of reps be a preview of Friday’s QB rotation?
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