CORTLAND, NY – Chris Johnson sounds very optimistic coming into Jets training camp. When asked on how he feels, he replied “I feel good. (It’s) the first time going through everything since last season. I felt good, I felt no pain or anything like that.” The Jets are looking forward to having the 29 year old attacking on all cylinders. He has voiced that he feels he has a lot more left in the tank, and can return back to his high performance days of 6 straight 1,000 yard rushing seasons in Tennessee.
“We have a lot of good guys out there who are working hard and just competing, and (who have) one mindset and that is trying to win,” Johnson said when asked about how his chemistry was going with the other backs. He enters camp alongside Chris Ivory, Daryl Richardson, Bilal Powell, and rookie Chad Young which should provide good competition.
Geno Smith followed suit by saying “I felt good, you know (my) body felt good. I was throwing it pretty good” when asked how he felt entering training camp. Smith who had a rough start last season, picked up his play in his last 5 starts.
“Coming into this year, I am a lot more confident in my reads and my footwork, and delivering the ball a lot stronger and a lot more accurately so all good signs of progress, but we have a long way to go; I have a long way to go. We just have to keep working” is how he replied when asked about his confidence level.
Smith has not shied away from the presence of free agent signee, Michael Vick. “Mike’s a guy who is willing to teach, he is willing to give me knowledge and help me with things that he has been through. So there is always a moment where, every conversation we have, I am looking up to this guy, I am learning from this guy.”
Vick has been brought in to backup the 2nd year starter, and has embraced his role coming into training camp. “I think it’s very important that Geno understands what it takes to be successful in this league. I’ve been there before. We’re together every day. We spend a lot of time together, laughing and joking together. I try to offer him as much advice as I can, trying to help him prepare himself for what he is about to face.” The guidance is worth every penny of the 1 year contract he signed. Vick gives Smith very good competition, and the Jets defense a mobile quarterback to prepare against other teams with one as well.
The goal for the Jets is to put it all together for a playoff run, which they haven’t done since the 2010-11 season. When asked how important it was making the playoffs, Smith replied, “Very important. I think it is important for our community, definitely important for our team and this organization. We are in the beginning stages of this thing. We have a long way to go.” High hopes are the first step at the beginning of the season, but if they are realistic will remain to be seen.
-Barry Holmes
Quotes Courtesy: New York Jets PR