Team news: Seattle Seahawks | Page 42

For this year, though, Kerley is an extremely important cog in the offense. He is the team’s second-best receiver behind Eric Decker. Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg likely will move Kerley around from the slot to the outside at times and try to maximize the number of touches he gets. With defenses paying attention to Decker, there should be plenty of opportunities for Kerley.

Kerley also can operate the wildcat offense and has shown he can throw the ball when asked.

Kerley will once again be a spot starter option, especially in PPR formats. He should benefit from the arrival of Eric Decker and the maturation of Geno Smith. He's a name to remember in the final rounds of drafts in deeper formats.

Though Jets HC Rex Ryan said in March that the quarterback competition would be open, all indications point to Geno Smith being the starter.

Newly signed Michael Vick has been adamant that Smith is the starter, and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said Smith would receive 70-75% of the practice repetitions leading up to the season.

Looks like the Jets are giving Smith every chance to win the QB job knowing at least a capable backup in Vick is hanging around. Smith will have to limit his turnovers from a year ago, which included 21 interceptions. His rushing yards will continue to give him fantasy potential, but he's a stretch as a QB2 heading into camps.

There's something Jets QB Geno Smith began doing in December that really helped him as a passer: He started running the ball. In those final four games, Smith racked up 186 of the 366 rushing yards he would compile during a season in which he started all 16 games, and he ran it 10 times in both of the season's final two games, both of which were Jets victories.

"Last year at this time, it was 24/7 coaching footwork, where his eyes are, what his progression is, who his initial read is, all of the different looks he could see," offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said. "This year, we call a play, and—boom, he’s sprinting in and he’s got it. Quite different than last year."

Figuring out how and when to tuck it in and run—especially for a quarterback who was every bit a traditional pocket passer in college at West Virginia—was something of a eureka moment for Smith, at least according to Jets quarterbacks coach David Lee.

"In early December it started happening and [we] started seeing it in practice, him really finishing plays and starting to know where people are and really getting it when we told him we wanted to him run with the football," Lee said. "The taking off and running part just really took hold of him and started to mesh in his brain about December and he started hurting people running the football in the last month of the season. So, I think that made him more of a threat."

Smith finished as the #20 QB in his rookie season, but his per game production (12.5 PPG) left something to be desired. He showed a better-than-expected ability to run around the goal line, resulting in six rushing TDs. Mornhinweg mentioned Smith's play in the final four games of the season. He did average 20.0 fantasy points during that span, compared with just 10.0 FP in the first 12 games. He ran for three TDs down the stretch while throwing for just 198 yards and 1.0 TD. From a fantasy perspective, it would probably be better if the experienced Michael Vick were under center, but it certainly sounds like it's Smith's job to lose. The arrival of Eric Decker, Chris Johnson and Jace Amaro should help.

Jets QB coach David Lee on Geno Smith: “We’re not playing yet, we’re not in the stadium yet, people aren’t in the stands, but Geno, he’s a strongly improved player at this point.”

“It goes all the way back with him to last winter,” Lee explained. “He was down in Florida sending me text pictures of himself running up and down hills with a parachute behind him. He’s just faster. He’s faster than he was. His body’s stronger….He’s been in that weight room, so physically he’s gotten faster, he’s gotten stronger, he’s lost body fat. When you do all that your mind (is) right and his mind’s been right.

"He’s taught a lot of football, he’s worked hard on pass protection. We looked at all the things that were negative last year from sacks, to interceptions, to fumbles and how can we improve them. I’ve been really pleased with his progress.”

Smith finished as the #20 QB in his rookie season, but his per game production (12.5 PPG) left something to be desired. He got off to a good start, posting #14 QB numbers through the first five games, but he was just the #24 QB the rest of the way. He showed a better-than-expected ability to run around the goal line, resulting in six rushing TDs. The arrival of WR Eric Decker and TE Jace Amaro should help, though he now has Michael Vick breathing down his neck.

The New York Jets continue to send clear messages that Geno Smith is a heavy favorite to begin the 2014 season as the team's starting quarterback.

Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg told reporters Wednesday that Smith will get 70 to 75 percent of first-team reps during training camp.

Smith finished as the #20 QB in his rookie season, but his per game production (12.5 PPG) left something to be desired. He got off to a good start, posting #14 QB numbers through the first five games, but he was just the #24 QB the rest of the way. He showed a better-than-expected ability to run around the goal line, resulting in six rushing TDs. The arrival of WR Eric Decker and TE Jace Amaro should help.

Jets QB Geno Smith can cap a positive offseason with a strong performance over the next three days. HC Rex Ryan loves the way the Smith-Michael Vick dynamic is working out, with Smith benefitting from Vick's presence and experience. Of course, it's only June. The landscape changes in training camp, when the scrutiny (and pressure) become more intense.

Jets QB Geno Smith, the likely opening-day starter, drew praise from teammates on two fronts: He was decisive in the huddle, communicating plays quickly and confidently -- a far cry from last season. They also said he was more assertive than his rookie year, demonstrating more vocal leadership. These are the progressions you'd like to see from a second-year quarterback. As for his actual play, it's hard to gauge in OTAs, but there was an obvious reduction in turnovers and sacks. Clearly, it's Smith's job to lose, even if Rex Ryan is reluctant to put it in those words.

Jets WR Eric Decker means a lot for the offense, of course, and he picked up where he left off with a strong showing today, especially during red zone work.

There’s no doubt that Decker is going to see a downgrade at QB going from Peyton Manning to a combination of Geno Smith and Michael Vick. But as the Jets’ clear WR1, he should see enough targets to become a fantasy starter even if his per target production is likely to drop. For more on his potential production, click here.

Obviously, the New York Jets think highly of Decker, whom they rewarded with a handsome contract to catch footballs for the next five years. On Wednesday, Rex Ryan praised Decker's competitiveness, his route running and his leadership. The player they see on the practice field, Ryan said, is exactly what they expected.

"I think clearly he’s going to be a go-to guy in the fact that we know what we're getting," Ryan said. "This is going to be a guy that you can get him the ball in critical situations. You can get him the ball in the red zone. I think you can see that. Everybody can say [his statistics] are skewed a little bit because of [Peyton] Manning, and that might be true, but I think he did catch eight touchdowns when [Tim] Tebow was quarterback. I think that's pretty impressive."

There’s no doubt that Decker is going to see a downgrade at QB going from Peyton Manning to a combination of Geno Smith and Michael Vick. But as the Jets’ clear WR1, he should see enough targets to become a fantasy starter even if his per target production is likely to drop. For more on his potential production, click here.

Michael Vick is talking like a backup.

The new Jets signal caller said Thursday the Jets do not have an “open competition” at quarterback. The team had previously indicated that Vick and Geno Smith would compete for the starting job, though offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg has said he doesn’t want anything to impede Smith’s progress.

“Going through the competition with [Nick Foles], we knew both of us coming in that it was open competition and the best guy was going to win the job,” Vick said. “Pretty much cut and dry. This situation is different. It’s kind of unique. Even though it’s not an open competition, we’re both competing every day.”

OC Marty Mornhinweg pointed to Smith's play in the final four games of the season. He did average 20.0 fantasy points during that span, compared with just 10.0 FP in the first 12 games. He ran for three TDs down the stretch while throwing for just 198 yards and 1.0 TD. From a fantasy perspective, it would probably be better if the experienced Vick were under center, but it certainly sounds like it's Smith's job to lose.