FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — A look at what’s happening around the New York Jets:
1. QB evaluation: Robert Saleh is a media-savvy coach who knows how to control the message, and that’s exactly what he tried to do with this comment about quarterback Zach Wilson: “He doesn’t need to be Tom Brady this year.”
It was an exaggerated way of saying it’s unfair to expect stardom in Year 2 even though he was the second pick in the 2021 draft.
Perhaps trying to contain outside expectations, which have grown amid a bountiful offseason, Saleh provided a reality check at the conclusion of the offseason. It also may have been a notice to Wilson, who too often tried to play hero ball as a rookie.
“People are forgetting that he’s got a young offensive supporting cast,” Saleh said as minicamp wrapped up. “His receivers are young, his backs are young, the O-line is just jelling together. He’s young.”
That led to the Brady quote.
“Now if ends up being [Brady], that’s awesome, but that’s not the expectation for him,” Saleh said. “The expectation is for him to continue to climb that mountain.”
Over four weeks of practice, Wilson delivered some Tom Brady, with a little Brady Quinn mixed in. In other words, his performances ranged from very good to choppy.
His decision-making, command and overall feel for the progression-based passing scheme are significantly better than last season, according to the coaching staff. He looks like a different quarterback than the rookie who was so overwhelmed at times that he wasn’t able to recognize his own mental mistakes. Now he doesn’t need the coaches to point out when he messes up; he knows it immediately. That shows a greater understanding of the position.
On the flip side, Wilson still misses too many routine throws. This was an issue last season, when his completion rates on throws behind the line of scrimmage (74%) and within 0-9 yards (62%) were the worst in the league, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Saleh called it a “rough” rookie year. The coaches believe those numbers will increase as Wilson improves his eye discipline, which is a fancy way of saying he needs to do a better job of getting his eyes in the right spot at the right time. That’s atop his to-do list. A quarterback can’t afford to miss that many lay-ups.
Don’t be alarmed. It’s only June, but Wilson’s consistency level should spike as the year progresses. No one expects a miracle turnaround, but he has to be better than a 56% passer, his overall completion mark.
“I really do have a lot of confidence in myself,” Wilson said. “Obviously, I think I can be one of the best. If anybody doesn’t say that, they’re not a true competitor.”
2. Unstoppable? The fans are excited about the team, and so are the players. Speaking of the receiving corps,
You love the enthusiasm, but let’s tap the brakes. The receiving corps is very young. Corey Davis is a seasoned pro, but Moore (11 games) and Garrett Wilson (rookie) are developing players. The same could be said of the running backs, Michael Carter (14) and Breece Hall (rookie). Four of their top five backs/receivers are under 24. Ditto, the quarterback. There will be growing pains. 3. Camp Wilson: In mid-July, Wilson and his receivers will gather at an undisclosed location for a couple of days of pitch-and-catch. It won’t be all work, no play. He said fun activities are planned. 4. Money position: The Jets are keeping their Mekhi Becton-George Fant plan close to the vest. Offensive-line coach John Benton said it doesn’t matter which one plays left tackle because the two tackle spots are interchangeable. Easy for him to say; the amount of his paycheck doesn’t depend on it.
Like father, like son.
That’s certainly the trend in professional sports.
More than a few players in the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB have followed in the footsteps of their dads. In fact, in three of those four sports, the number of second-generation players has increased notably this century.
Second-generation players*
| League | 1981 | 2001 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFL | 1.0% | 1.8% | 3.4% |
| NHL | 1.9% | 1.5% | 6.1% |
| MLB | 1.9% | 2.9% | 1.9% |
| NBA | 1.3% | 1.6% | 4.9% |
| *Minimum one game played | |||
The NHL tops the list as 6.1% of players who took part in at least one game last season have a father who played in the league, up from 1.5% in 2001. The NBA is next with 4.9% (up from 1.6%) and the NFL was at 3.4% last season (up from 1.8%). MLB had the most second-generation players in 2001 (2.9%) but dropped to 1.9% in 2021.
What was it like to grow up with a father who played sports professionally? Did they push their sons to carry on their legacy? Did the kids have any advantages in their goal to become professional players?
Heading into Father’s Day, we checked in with second-generation combos Melvin and Jump to:
NBA’s Bookers | NHL’s Domis | MLB’s Bryans | NFL’s Pittmans
Devin Booker’s journey to the That’s when Melvin stepped up his game as a father.
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Devin moved to Mississippi from Michigan to attend high school — and so his dad could train him. For the next few years, Melvin was more than a dad. He was a coach, trainer and mentor.
“We were like best friends, together every day,” Melvin said. “I missed a lot of Devin’s life because I was overseas, and those seasons are like 10 months long over there. So, whenever we were together, it was like catching up.”
Melvin was sharing NBA-level coaching with his son — something not many, if any, of Devin’s peers in Mississippi were receiving. Melvin taught his son how to lift weights, how to eat right, how to put in time after practice with one-on-one drills.
It helped that Melvin was always one of Devin’s coaches, whether it was a head coach or an assistant on his high school or AAU teams. He’d give Devin in-game adjustments, dissecting the game and information at a pro level. And Devin soaked it all in.
Devin was the definition of a “Basketball Jones.” Being an NBA player was all he wanted to be, and Melvin used his career as a blueprint for Devin, who has gone on to be an NBA All-Star. He also made sure to not push Devin too hard.
“There’s a thin line,” Melvin said. “I understand that as well.
“We never had one bump in the road along the way.”
It all hit Melvin on the bus from the hotel to the 2015 NBA draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. He sat by himself as the bus inched along in traffic, giving Melvin time to reflect on the moment.
“I’m like, ‘My son’s dream is about to come true,'” Melvin remembered.
He started to tear up.
Now, whenever Melvin watches Devin in person or on TV, he still sees the little boy who’d dribble around the house and talk about making it big.
“It’s a surreal feeling,” Melvin said. “It’s hard to even explain it in words.
“He’s a professional basketball player, so it worked out for him.” — Josh Weinfuss
The Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning are facing off in the Stanley Cup Final. You can watch all seven games on ABC, ESPN+ and in the ESPN App.
Game 1: One of the first times Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a home run in T-ball, he tripped rounding first base. His dad looks back at those moments now and laughs. To Charlie, who played in the major leagues for 14 seasons and won the 1996 World Series with the
“I used to trip and fall, like, back peddling and shuffling,” Ke’Bryan said. “Looking back, it’s funny to see how far I’ve come from the time I was 5, 6, 7 all the way to now. Without [my family], I wouldn’t be here today.” Now in his third season as a major leaguer, with an eight-year, $70 million contract signed earlier this season, Ke’Bryan is more than capable of staying on his feet when he hits a home run for Pittsburgh just like his dad did when he was with the Pirates in 1996. Because Charlie retired when Ke’Bryan was 4, Ke’Bryan doesn’t remember much about his dad’s professional career. Who is the greatest baseball player ever? We ranked the 100 best to ever take the diamond.
