What can Brown do for you?
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- May
- 23
Before the 2009 NFL Draft, Dustin Keller was the only returning tight end on the Jets roster. When the team traded away picks to go after QB Mark Sanchez and RB Shonn Greene, that didn’t leave a lot of room for other items on the shopping list.
So (as Ira points out) what about tight end?
In addition to signing back Bubba Franks and picking up UFAs like Chris Simmons, Rex Ryan is trying to convert Kareem Brown to the white side from the green.
Brown was a practice player last season, slated as a defensive lineman and listed at 295 pounds and 6-foot-4. He has dropped 30 pounds so far to try to add quickness while not diminishing the blocking ability that kept him on the squad last year.
“I played scout team tight end last year a lot during the season and that went pretty well,” Brown said, “so when Bubba was hurt and it was just Dustin they needed another a body, so they wanted me to just give it a try and see how it went and I ended up being kind of good at it and they were like, you can stay there.”
Franks, who had his left knee scoped in the off season and doesn’t anticipate practicing again until training camp, said that Brown, now three years out of Miami, looks good.
“He’s picking it up pretty fast,” said Franks, who watched last Thursday’s practice from the sideline. “I’m actually impressed. As a defensive-minded guy he’s picking it up pretty fast.”
Ryan pointed out that Brown had an atrocious drop in Thursday’s open practice, but that one ball isn’t going to make or break him.
“He’s done well,” Ryan said. “He really has. I know you get one drop. It’s unfortunate you guys were there to see that, but he’s had his moments already in camp and that’s another guy that really is adding to his value for this football team. A guy that can play tight end, a guy that can play defensive end and do different things for us, special teams. He is going to be a valuable member of our team. He is coming along. I know that one drop was, ‘oh’, but that was Kareem. Those things happen to everybody.”
Brown is OK with the growing pains. To be realistic, practice squad players don’t last too long in the NFL, but being able to convert into a player with a few different roles could definitely impact his longevity. Ryan brought in plenty of defensive options, if Brown isn’t included in those plans, he’s wise to adjust.
“It’s a whole nother world and its a big transition switching from one side of the ball to the other,” Brown said.
This entry was posted
on Saturday, May 23rd, 2009 at 12:13 pm by Jane McManus.
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Jane McManus 
Like this move. The Ravens did this with TE Edgar Jones playing 3rd string TE and flopping to the defensive side and playing DE. Roster versitility is important, 3rd string TE is hard to fit in the 45. Kareem will play all specials, blocking TE and slide into some defensive packages as a SAM OLB. It is interesting that he has been in a lifting program
that gave him bulk and strength for a two gap Defensive End, and now he loses 30 lbs for speed and agility, How much strength remains, and how will that strength translate ? Think about the training synergy of a blocking TE, and then doing the other side as a SAM LB, which plays over the TE. It is true that practice players don’t last, but Kareem has reinvented himself to survive another season in the NFL
I think it’s Jack Simmons, the TE out of Minnisota, best overall TE candidate.
2.Rob Myers out of Utah State
3. J’Nathan Bullock, Cleveland State, the Basketball guy, but he is 6’5 240
4.Andrew Davies, Arkansas, at 275 a blocking TE, but also will compete with Dearth for the Long Snapping duties.
5. Bubba
6. Dustin
7. Kareem
We may end up missing his presence in the rotation at the 5-technique this year. Seems to me we’re a little thin at that spot with the departure of K. Coleman. Thoughts?
Rich R:
First I think you will see a lot of Jenkins at LDE, with Howard Green and Pouha manning NT. Look how the Ravens play Nagata. DeVito was in the rotation last year, I think its possible he is your new LDE, but don’t rule out Mike as a penetrating NT. There are two dark horses, Ropati Pitoitua, the 6’8 guy,(Jets looking for a Richard Seymour clone) on the practice squad last year, and Zack Potter an UNDFA from Nebraska this year. What is interesting is the incumbant ,free agent, Marques Douglas.
Douglas is smaller, gives you a little pass rush, but is
not your classic two gap DE. So we have contrasting styles for the same position (LDE) Douglas and Possibly the Svelte 265 lb Kareem Browne, versus the classic two gap 310LB DeVito and Pitoitua. Apparently Rex’s 3-4 is not the same as the 3-4 your momma told you about, its gonna be interesting..
[...] Kareem Brown says that switching from defense to offense is a “whole nother world.“ [...]
[...] Brown, a practice squad defensive lineman last year, has dropped 30 pounds in attempt to make the Jets as a tight [...]
Jane…any words on this http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9609918/Report:-Woman-says-she-was-raped-at-Jets-DB’s-homey…;
joe b, you don’t take memorial day off? Thanks for the heads up and I put up the details, along with a quick update from the Jets PR.
I dont know about everybody else but I have major concerns that K Brown can be a legit TE. I mean c’mon the guy has been a DL ( and not a great one at that) his whole life….He then drops 30 lbs and is now going to understand blocking technique and catching the ball??
I like that Mangini/Ryan are trying to get athletes on the field but I just dont see this happening. We will sign a guy that gets cut in July.
AKA…Drew:
This TE role is very limited, Kareem, would only be brought in , when the Jets go int some type of Jumbo formation with Two Tight Ends. We are talking third string TE. Browne is a candidate, because he can contribute on specials , he’s cheap, and may be able to contribute in certain defensive packages. If you remember the were looking at Bill Bajema as a blocking TE, he had four catches last year, but was a fulltime Blocking TE. So I don’t think the Jets are delusional enough to think that Browne will be a complete TE, but they need a nasty guy to come off the ball in short yardage situations and seal the edge. The Ravens did this with Edgar Jones, but they also would bring a third offensive tackle, in effect using six offensive lineman.
AKA… Drew:
We will see how this TE situation unravels, but I think the Jets will go with what they have, Keller, Bubba and Kareem, with Simmons and Bulluck on the practice squad. Let us assume that there a 120 plays in a game, 50 offensive, 50 defensive and special teams.
Keller will take 45 of 50 offensive snaps
Bubba playing a tradional TE may get 30 offensive snaps
Part of the reason for this move is Rex’s defense, that always runs to the ball, well that can be exhausting, so I think you will see extensive rotations of DL and LB’s.
This as where Kareem comes in, Browne will take 20 snaps in all special teams, 6 snaps as a second TE, and possibly 8 snaps on the defense. You can only dress 45 and these versitile guys come in handy. Browne catches more than 4 pass’s this year it will be a miracle.
[...] Jane takes a closer look at the TEs and Kareem Brown’s transition. [...]