Scouting Jets running back Valentine Holmes

During the offseason, we’ve been looking in depth at each of the Jets’ draft picks and undrafted free agent signings. However, there’s another intriguing first-year addition we haven’t looked at yet.

Valentine Holmes is a 23-year old former international rugby league star from Australia. He is 6’1” and 200 pounds and has been listed as a running back, although he has no football experience.

He was allocated to the Jets for the 2019 season under the International Player Pathway Program. This guarantees him at least a practice squad spot throughout the season, and he doesn’t count towards the 90-man roster limit during the offseason. The Jets are also being allocated an extra practice squad spot to accommodate his guaranteed place.

Background

Holmes didn’t attend college, signing his first professional rugby league contract as a 17-year old. Over the next few years, he established himself as one of the brightest young stars in Australian rugby, starring for the Cronulla Sharks in the NRL.

The Sharks won their first ever premiership title in 2016 with Holmes scoring 19 tries to lead the team for the second year in a row. (A try is the rugby equivalent of a touchdown). Holmes also was selected to represent Australia for the first time, scoring once on his debut.

In 2017, Holmes became an even bigger star thanks to his performance at the Rugby League World Cup. Holmes only had one try (the equivalent of a touchdown) entering the quarterfinal stage, but then exploded for a record-breaking five tries in a blowout win over Samoa and then broke his record with six more against Fiji in the semi final.

While Holmes didn’t score in the final, he played a valuable role in Australia’s 6-0 win over England and ended the tournament as the leading try scorer with a record 12.

Holmes continued to play well over the next few seasons, winning the Sharks’ player of the season award in 2018. However, he opted to be released from his contract to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL.

After an impressive pro day, Holmes was allocated to the Jets under the International Player Pathway Program. Even if he makes the roster, he’ll initially see a drop in pay because he was earning a million Australian dollars a year (about $700K).

Now let’s take a look at what Holmes brings to the table, divided into categories.

Measurables/Athleticism

Holmes is scatback-sized and shows speed, strength, acceleration and a low center of gravity on film.

At his pro day, he ran a 4.45 in the 40-yard dash. His strength and explosiveness numbers were about average with 20 bench press reps, a 33.5-inch vertical and a 119” broad jump.nfl nike jerseys cheap china

He was reportedly told that his three-cone drill was in the 6.7-6.8 range which would have been incredible. Only six running backs have run a three-cone drill of less than 6.75 at the combine since 1999, including Christian McCaffrey.nike jerseys nfl cheapjets 39

Usage

Holmes has been listed as a running back, but has also trained to play wide receiver and to return kicks and punts.

In rugby league, Holmes primarily played on the wing, which means he was out wide and the team would look to get him the ball in space to run around the outside. However, he also played some fullback, which means he would have been playing a deeper role on defense and more involved offensively in the middle of the field.cheap nike nfl jerseys from china

Running Ability nfl cheap nike jerseys

Holmes’ natural running ability is his most transferable skill. On the rugby field, he was a constant threat to beat the first man, battle for positive yardage and break long gains.cheap official nike nfl jerseys

Here’s an example of his burst and acceleration as he slips the first tackle and then breaks into the clear.
Short Yardage

Holmes is likely to have a good nose for the end zone, if his scoring record in rugby is anything to go by. He scored 17 tries in 13 games for Australia and another eight in five games representing the state of Queensland. He averaged approximately two tries every three games for his club side and is particularly adept at reaching the ball out to reach the goal line.

Fumbles

Ball security might require something of an adjustment from Holmes, although he didn’t ever seem to lose the ball while being tackled in rugby. He won’t be used to having several players scraping after the ball or receiving a helmet to the bicep, so he’s going to have to develop good habits in terms of establishing the “five points of pressure” consistently.new nike nfl jerseys for sale cheap

Special Teams cheap wholesale nike nfl jerseys

Holmes’ running skills would seem perfect for a return role. However, the main challenge will be whether he is able to catch the ball reliably and make good decisions about when to field the ball and where to run.

New York Jets: The Right Side of the Offensive Line

New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold will have to keep an eye on the pass rush coming from his right side.nfl nike jerseys for cheap

According to STATS, Jets right guard Brian Winters has allowed an increasing number of sacks every year since 2015, including 5.5 last season. He could reverse that trend, but the coaching staff should monitor or address any lapses in his pass protection to keep Darnold’s jersey clean this season. bb325a953f779ffe4748f5808ee08f2a_crop_exact

Right tackle Brandon Shell provided exceptional pass protection last year, allowing 1.5 sacks in 14 games, per STATS. However, he suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 15 and underwent knee surgery shorty thereafter.nike nfl jerseys wholesale cheap

SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano spotted Shell going through team drills during OTAs, which is a great sign for the Jets. He’ll need to show functional lateral movement to maintain his pass protection and open lanes for running back Le’Veon Bell. nike cheap nfl jerseys

If Shell isn’t the same player from last season and Winters struggles to keep interior defenders out of the backfield, Darnold may feel overwhelming pressure.nike nfl cheap jerseys

Robby Anderson: Goal is to become “best receiver in the NFL”

Robby Anderson has put up good numbers in the past. He thinks he has an even brighter future.nfl womens jersey

The Jets wide receiver is ready to build on a strong finish to last season, even though the year as a whole represented a bit of a step back for him.

“That was a down year for me,” Anderson said, via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. “nfl jersey online I know my capabilities. I know what I want to become . . . and that’s the best receiver in the NFL.”

That’s optimistic, but he certainly has shown signs of being a reliable target for Sam Darnold.cheap nfl jerseys for women jets

He caught 63 passes for 941 yards and seven touchdowns in 2017, and though his numbers were down across the board last year (50-752-6), he finished the season strong. In Weeks 14-16, he had 312 receiving yards and three touchdowns, showing a connection with Darnold that has led to optimism there.

That also comes with more responsibility, as new coach Adam Gase wants to expand Anderson’s role beyond running fast in a straight line.nfl jersey online

“We’re just going to keep trying to think of ways to get him the ball, ways to create variety in his routes,” Gase said. “Instead of just doing one or two things, maybe we can open that thing up to five, six, seven things to where he’s a threat on multiple levels whether it be underneath, intermediate or down the field.”nike nfl womens jerseys

If that happens, Anderson would certainly be closer to his goal.buy nfl jerseys in bulk

Jets think facing Gregg Williams in practice helps Sam Darnold

When the Jets hired Gregg Williams as their defensive coordinator, head coach Adam Gase said that Williams’s competitiveness in practice will “be the difference maker for us” because it will be like playing a game every day.cheap women nfl jerseysjets

One of the players the Jets expect to benefit the most from those practice clashes is quarterback Sam Darnold. Offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said the sheer number of different looks that Williams throws at the offense over the course of a practice session will be a plus for Darnold as he tries to take a step forward in his second season.nfl teams jerseys

“I think it helps Sam a lot, just seeing all of the different looks nfl jersey wholesale authentic and he has so many different, multiple personnel groupings that you know. You’re seeing different fronts, different coverages, especially in the third-down stuff,” Loggains said, via the team’s website. “He’s going to accumulate and stack reps of odd floater, overload pressures and trap blitzes and all of those things he’s going to get to see. It’s going to be tremendous value as the season goes on and it’s stuff that he can put away in his toolbox and it’s going to come up in Week Six, Seven, Eight, and he’s getting a lot of good experience from that stuff.”nfl jersey factory jerseys nfl wholesale

Darnold had a rough time against a Williams-run Browns defense in Week Three last season as he went 15-of-31 for 169 yards while throwing two interceptions. He posted better results as the year went on and the Jets are pinning a lot of their hopes on more frequent cheap womens nfl jerseys china bouts with Williams continuing that trend.

Jets more likely than the Giants to win Super Bowl for the first time since… 2011

The odds makers are not terribly confident in the 2019 New York Giants. After the departure of Odell Beckham Jr., Olivier Vernon, and Landon Collins, their concerns might have merit.authentic nfl football

As Pete Watt of Oddschecker.com wrote to Big Blue View, “The murmurings during the off season that this could be the year that New York turns green have been getting louder and louder as we approach pre-nfl store online season. With the odds throwing even more weight behind this opinion, it’s safe to expect decent money being put on the Jets perhaps not to win the Super Bowl, but to at least finish above their rivals. The Jets are -150 favorites to come away with a win when the two sides meet in November, and will be hoping to have those bragging rights at the very least, but the Giants cannot be ruled out at +130.”nfl online store jets

There is, of course, plenty of time for things to change between now and the regular season, but as of this writing, the odds makers have the Giants as +7500 underdogs to be the last nfl jersys team standing. For reference, the New England Patriots lead the league as +750 favorites, with the Kansas City Chiefs (+850) and New Orleans Saints (+900) following close behind.

The Giants are tied with the Oakland Raiders for the 27th longest odds to win the Superbowl and are ahead of only the Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, and Miami Dolphins (respectively). By process of elimination, the first time in nearly a the nfl store decade, the New York Jets have better odds of winning the Super Bowl than do the Giants. Not significantly better odds, mind you, with the Jets tied with the Denver Broncos just ahead of the Giants at +7000. With a young quarterback for whom the arrow is seemingly pointed up and some potentially shrewd additions like Le’Veon Bell, C.J. Mosley, and Quinnen Williams, odds makers are slightly more bullish on the other team in New York City.cheap nfl merchandise

But as Watt writes, history might be on the Giants’ side, saying “However, with 2011 still so fresh in the memory that it still hurts, Jets fans will know not to get too far ahead of themselves.”nike nfl hats

The Jets being favored over the Giants is to with the Super Bowl a pretty rare occurrence, with the last time being 2011. Of course, that year we all got an object lesson in how the fortunes of teams can change on a dime — or in this case, a play.nfl official store

We all remember Christmas Eve of that year, when the Giants faced a Jets team riding the confidence of their brash coach. The Giants, on the other hand, were stumbling with their backs (and play-off hopes) against the wall. Then in one play, the tide of the season turned and the likely futures of both teams changed.official nfl store

Chris Herndon excited about ‘different energy’ from Jets’ offense

The second-year tight end will play a pivotal role in Adam Gase’s system jerseys nfl cheap

Chris Herndon is hard at work to follow up an impressive rookie campaign with a strong sophomore season. nfl jersey nike

The tight end hauled in 39 receptions, 502 yards and four touchdowns in his first season shellas a pro.

This offseason, Herndon is grinding in the lab with an emphasis on training, nutrition and film study.

Herndon already established himself as a go-to target for quarterback Sam Darnold but understands more will be expected of him in 2019. cheap nfl jerseys for sale

“You could have all the skill in the world, but if you don’t know what to do, you’re not really going to get much women nfl jerseys cheap playing time. Period,” Herndon said to New York Jets. “Before you can get out there and make plays, you have to know where to be and that’s probably the most important part. The athleticism and running comes easy.” nfl nike jerseys china

Tight ends coach John Dunn describes Herndon as a triple threat that can catch passes, block on running plays and protect Darnold from the rush, according to New York Jets.com. Dunn is confident once the athletic Herndon further develops his football IQ, he’ll become an even more dynamic threat. best cheap nfl jerseys

Herndon’s decision making off the field will also need to improve, as he’s likely to miss the first two games of the regular season due to entering a guilty plea from a DUI arrest. That would be disappointing for Jets fans but more importantly hopefully Herndon learns from his mistake.cheap jerseys nfl

In the meantime, Herndon already likes what he sees on offense and envisions a potent attack from Gang Green.

“Just from the jump, we’re taking shots down the field, using everybody and everybody is getting a chance to touch the ball,” Herndon said to New York Jets.com. “You feel a different energy out there and we’re just trying to keep this momentum that we have right now and let that carry into the next day, next camp and going into the season.”nfl jerseys for women

Three Questions About the Jets as Training Camp Gets Closer

2018 was a tough year for the New York Jets, as the team wrapped up the season sitting in last in the AFC East with a mark of 4-12.

If you use a 4njbets promo you can put some dough on the Jets to have a rebound this season, as the club has added quite a bit in terms of free agency and through the draft.nfl jerseys cheap from china

The team also has a new head coach in Adam Gase who comes over from Miami, and second-year quarterback Sam Darnold is expected to take a leap forward in year two.cheap nfl jerseys first

Today we take a look at three questions about this team as camp closes in at the end of the month.jets

1. Can the Jets Ring the Bell to Success cheap authentic nfl jersey

Le’Veon Bell is wearing green this season after seeing a lot of green from the Jets in free agency. The former Steeler running back is going to get plenty of chances to prove his worth, and the team is expecting him to be that back who was spectacular in Pittsburgh.nfl cheap jerseys from china

It will be interesting to see how new OC Dowell Loggains uses Bell, and if he is run as much as he was in the Steel City, which turned into a big issue in his eyes.nfl women jerseys

Bell should be a focal point of this team on offense in 2019.china nfl nike jerseys

2. Mosely’s Time to be a Leader buy nfl jerseys wholesale

When the Jets inked free agent linebacker C.J. Mosley to a massive five-year, $85 million contract that includes $51 million in guarantees, they expected him to be the new leader on defense.

He will have every shot to do that in 2019, as this is a team that allowed 441 points (27.6 a game) last season, which ranked 29th in the league.

This team needs to be a lot better on defense, and it needs to start with a player who is getting paid a ton to be that guy.

3. Gase Has to Create a Winning Culture all nfl jerseys

The Jets won four games last season, which clearly isn’t even in this league even to be competitive. The club took what some felt was a chance with the hiring of Adam Gase this offseason, and he will need to prove quickly that he’s the best man for the job.nike official nfl jerseys

Gase has to start looking at the culture of the team and changing it, because last season they simply didn’t compete enough to be a good team or one that was taking steps towards a Super Bowl.sale nfl jerseys

He will have that shot opening day in a winnable game against the Bills, and in the home opener in week two it’s a Monday night showdown with the Cleveland Browns.where can i buy nfl jerseys

Win the first two, and the fans will start to buy in. If not, it may be another tough season in the Big Apple.

New York Jets C Jonotthan Harrison wants to ‘enter season as the starter’

The New York Jets offensive line was ranked No. 25 in the NFL last year after Week 17, according to Pro Football Focus. It’s definitely an aspect of the team that needs to improve if they want to be a playoff team in 2019.nfl jerseys authentic

One of the main guys working towards a starting spot on the offensive line is center Jonotthan Harrison. Having started eight games last year, Harrison wants to be the every-game starter once the regular season begins.nfl jerseys cheap collectionjets

“For now, my goal is to enter the season as the starter, take it one step at a time from there,” Harrison told Ethan Greenberg of the Jets official website. “I have my other personal goals, but that’s my large one right now. I’m going on Year 6. I’ve had my years starting and I’ve had my years where I didn’t start as much. My goal is to definitely enter this season as a starter and earn my credibility as a lineman.”cheap womens nfl jerseys

This will be Harrison’s third season as a member of the Jets, who could turn it around this year. They now have a new head coach in Adam Gase, a new running back in Le’Veon Bell, and an improving official nfl jersey quarterback in Sam Darnold. As a center, Harrison has a unique relationship with the latter, and he looks to build upon that in 2019.nfl womens jerseys cheap

“He’ll trust me to take care of certain things that he doesn’t need to stress about,” said Harrison. “He’ll tell me, ‘You do this, you do this, you get the line on the right page.’ He trusts me with that and it’s a good sign. It shows the connection that we have and that chemistry can go a long way.”cheap authentic nfl jerseys from china

Philadelphia 76ers’ Fate Rests in Ben Simmons’ $170 Million Hands

Six years, 314 losses, more than 100 players, three general managers, two playoff series wins and one frantic free-agency night later, the Philadelphia 76ers appear to finally have their core.cheap nfl jerseys reviews

Joel Embiid and Al Horford will be under contract through the 2022-23 season after the latter agreed to sign a four-year deal with the Sixers worth up to $109 million, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. buy nfl jersey Tobias Harris agreed to sign a five-year, customizable nfl jerseys $180 million deal that keeps him locked up through 2023-24, his father and agent, Torrel Harris, told B/R. And on Tuesday, Wojnarowski reported the Sixers have begun negotiating a five-year, $170 million max extension with Ben Simmons that will keep him under contract through 2024-25.make your own nfl jerseyhi-res-32360a368d3a780c801a8cf3e5e8b8cf_crop_north

The timing is fitting. After all, the Sixers just made Simmons perhaps the most pivotal player in the NBA. No other title contender has so much invested in one player’s growth.where to get cheap nfl jerseys

For the past two years, we’ve seen Simmons follow a similar script: A dominant regular season is followed by an explosive first-round playoff performance—and then he disappears in the second-round. Opposing defenses sag off. The floor shrinks. Against the Toronto Raptors last year, Sixers head coach Brett Brown handed Jimmy Butler the keys and stationed Simmons at the “dunker spot”—right outside the paint down by the rim—as if he were Tristan Thompson.nfl jerseys cheap from china

Now Butler is gone, and with him goes the Sixers’ primary generator of playoff offense.cheap nfl jerseys first

Brown prefers an egalitarian, ball-swinging attack, and new arrivals Horford and Josh Richardson offer all sorts of options. Richardson is a willing and smooth shooter off the catch (38.5 percent last season on 5.2 attempts), with enough off the bounce to punish a scrambling defense. Horford is a savant with a full arsenal of skills. nfl cheap jerseys from china He’s a bruising screener and deadly passer. He can roll to the rim, pop behind the arc or  cheap authentic nfl jersey conduct the offense from the top of the key.nfl women jerseys

But the playoffs are a different beast. At some point, the shell games of handoffs and mirror actions stop working. At some point, you need a guy to knife his way into a defense and generate offense, either by finishing at the rim or buy nfl jerseys wholesale triggering rotations. Brown himself has acknowledged this.china nfl nike jerseys

Gregg Williams “can’t wait” to have Trumaine Johnson in games again

Cornerback Trumaine Johnson did not live up to expectations in his first season with the Jets and said in April that he was happy to have a “clean slate” with the team’s new coaching staff as he heads into his second year with the team.the authentic nfl jerseys

Turning the page from last year makes sense, although Johnson may reach further back into his past as he tries to put together a better 2019 season. The Jets’ new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams had the same job with the Rams for four jetof nfl jerseys china nike Johnson’s six seasons with the team and said that he hopes to spark the same kind of success that Johnson had in those seasons.

“His best years were when we were together,” Williams said, via the New York Daily News. “He’s really motivated. He understands me. I understand him. It’s my job to try to help him be the best he can be. He’s excited. I’ve been excited about the work that he has put in here. . . . There’s a good familiarity there. I can’t wait to get back in games together,nfl jersey for sale  because he and I have had some really good moments together.”clearance nfl jerseys

The Jets have some things to sort out at cornerback beyond Johnson and that makes it all the more important that he play up to his past level this time around.nike nfl jerseys on sale