The New York Jets are looking for someone to lead their offense – again.
The Jets announced Wednesday night that they fired offensive coordinator John Morton after just one season. His departure means the franchise will have its sixth offensive coordinator in eight years next season.
Morton replaced the retired Chan Gailey last year after two seasons in New Orleans as the Saints’ wide receivers coach. Quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates is a candidate to be promoted by head coach Todd Bowles. Bates served as Seattle’s offensive coordinator in 2010.
”We appreciate John’s contributions and wish him the best moving forward Matthias Farley Jersey ,” coach Todd Bowles said in a statement posted on the team’s website.
The New York Daily News first reported the decision by the Jets to part ways with Morton, whose offense finished ranked No. 28 overall.
Morton’s play-calling came into question at times during an up-and-down season with the Jets, particularly when running back Matt Forte publicly criticized the game plan against Atlanta in Week 10 because New York got away from the run.
Both Morton and Forte said they spoke, and that the offensive coordinator was always open to discussions with his players and tweaking things.
”I’ve learned a lot,” Morton said in his last meeting with reporters on Dec. 28. ”As far as my personality, being more vocal with the offense, with the team. Listening. We had a period there where some players said some certain things and I listened. I think you should listen to the players and if it’s good for the team, then we’ll do it. So I’m kind of happy with myself that I listened because, listen, I didn’t do this by myself. It’s all with the coaches, it’s all with the players. They make it all work.”
Morton added that there were several things he wished he had done differently, but insisted that he would get better over time.
”I’ve had a blast,” he said. ”It’s been fun. There’s been ups and downs, but I’ve always stuck with my preparation. That’s the way I was taught. Stick with your preparation and trust it. I think I’ve done that. I’ll learn as I go as long as I do this job Dre Kirkpatrick Jersey , but it’s been fun.”
Under Morton and Bates, quarterback Josh McCown had the best season of his career, throwing for a career-high 2,926 yards and 18 touchdowns before being lost for the final three games with a broken left hand.
The Jets had a better-than-expected passing game with McCown leading the way with wide receivers Jermaine Kearse and Robby Anderson having career seasons. But New York’s inconsistency was glaring on that side of the ball, and with Bryce Petty at quarterback, the Jets couldn’t manage much on offense while ending the season 5-11.
Offensive coordinator has been a revolving door for New York in recent years. Brian Schottenheimer served in the role for six years from 2006-11, but there’s been little continuity since with Tony Sparano (2012), Marty Mornhinweg (2013-14), Gailey (2015-16) and Morton (2017) all lasting two years or less.
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AP NFL website: The Minnesota Vikings found a new offensive coordinator this winter, and they made one of the biggest splashes of the NFL offseason this week by giving quarterback Kirk Cousins a fully guaranteed $84 million contract.
There was one more pressing need: a new defensive tackle to play next to two-time Pro Bowl pick Linval Joseph.
Sheldon Richardson checked the last of those big boxes.
Richardson, the 13th pick in the 2013 draft out of Missouri by the New York Jets who was traded last year to the Seattle Seahawks, signed a one-year contract on Friday after visiting the team’s new training facility and deciding the Vikings gave him the best opportunity to chase a championship.
”They’re trying to win. Period. Point blank,” Richardson said at an introductory news conference, held in the same room roughly 24 hours after Cousins’ Shane Lechler Jersey , though with considerably less fanfare and fewer reporters.
He’s still filling an important role, given head coach Mike Zimmer’s desire for a stronger threat at that spot to both rush the passer and stand up to the run.
”Those guys can affect the quarterback as much as any position, along with our defensive ends, so it obviously takes some double-teams off our guys so they can continue to pressure the quarterback,” Zimmer said.
The deal includes an $8 million base salary and as much as $3 million available in incentives, NFL Media reported. A few hours after Richardson’s contract was finalized, the Vikings released wide receiver Jarius Wright to make more room under the salary cap.
Richardson played up to his first-round status by winning The Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Then he recorded a career-high eight sacks and was picked for the Pro Bowl in 2014. He had some trouble off the field, though, serving a four-game suspension in 2015 for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. He also was suspended for the 2016 season opener for an arrest in his home state of Missouri for driving at high speeds and resisting arrest.
The Vikings, were satisfied with their extensive vetting of his background and character, general manager Rick Spielman said.
”Then after spending two days with him we felt very confident that him coming into this culture, this locker room, that he’ll fit right in,” Spielman said.
Richardson had only one sack last year for the Seahawks Ka'imi Fairbairn Jersey , his first season in a primarily 4-3 scheme after playing in a 3-4 system with the Jets. Zimmer’s philosophy doesn’t emphasize or maximize individual statistics, focusing more on overall disruption and pressure, so the sack dropoff was not a concern to the Vikings. They saw the high motor he displays and the havoc he can cause on the line during their video review of his performances with the Jets and Seahawks.
”You could see how powerful he is, but you could also see the athletic ability and the speed going from sideline to sideline,” Spielman said. ”I’m excited to see who’s going to get to the ball next year with the athletes we have up front.”
The lack of sacks was enough of a concern to Richardson that he apologized during his opening remarks to his agent, Ben Dogra, for making his job of selling him more difficult.
”I got back there a lot, disrupted as coach Zimmer said. Honestly, just not finishing for me, in my book, to my standards,” Richardson said. ”I’m very effective around the quarterback. I just don’t have the advantage of the numbers that people want to see.”
With Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter at defensive end backed up by Brian Robison and Joseph entrenched at the nose tackle spot, the insertion of Richardson at the under tackle, or 3-techinque Boomer Esiason Jersey , position should indeed improve a defense that led the NFL in several key categories last season.
Tom Johnson took over the position last year, but he became a free agent. Spielman said Richardson’s arrival means Johnson won’t return. Shamar Stephen, who has played both tackle spots, also became a free agent and will likely not be back. The position is open because of the knee injury to 2013 first-round draft pick Sharrif Floyd, whose promising career was likely ended by nerve damage. His contract expired this week.
The spot could be vacant again in a year, given the short-term deal that Richardson preferred, but the Vikings are clearly in win-now mode as evidenced by their commitment to Cousins. Richardson had lunch with his fellow new acquisitionon Thursday.
”Humble guy, laid back,” Richardson said. ”Cool, calm and collected like you want your quarterback.”
The Vikings are banking on the opposite from quarterbacks they’re facing this year, with Zimmer and defensive line coach Andre Patterson confident they’ll be able to maximize Richardson’s ability.
”If you put yourself in the right situation with the right team and the right coaches,” Spielman said, ”there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be in the Pro Bowl year in and year out.”
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04.09.2018 10:54
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