Transcript of head coach Rex Ryan's news conference before Friday's afternoon training camp practice at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center:
OK, I guess there's a reason why I got my PE degree instead of my PhD degree. When I was saying Plaxico [Burress] would play? We are not going to play him in the game [at Houston]. The number one reason is they think the altitude when you're flying there that that could increase swelling. That's what was explained to me. The docs and [head trainer John] Mellody, and all them think it's best. We are trying to get Plaxico at 100 percent. So what we'll do is he'll come out on Wednesday and we assume he will be 100 percent then if we back him off completely now.
Now you saw him through walkthrough today. He actually feels better today than he did any other time. We want him at 100 percent. It's recommended that he doesn't fly. If you look at our next schedule there will be three games in our stadium. I believe the Giants game is a road game. So three preseason games two regular-season games — he's not going to fly for five or six weeks. That won't be an issue at all. We are taking him to get an MRI just to make sure that there's nothing else there. That's it with him.
Nick Mangold, we saw him go down yesterday on that goal-line scrimmage. He has a stinger or a burner. Some call it a burner, some call it a stinger. We call it fortunate that he is fine. I think he is listed as "out individual drills." Day-to-day. Brandon Moore came off the PUP, he'll be doing individual drills. We saw him at walk-through so he must have. We are pretty good, ready to roll, but I just wanted to make sure that I went over Plaxico with you.
On if Burress' ankle has to be more than a "tweak" if it's continuing to swell…
I think he just rolled his ankle. We are just making sure that we're not seeing something. We will keep our fingers crossed, but we really don't think it is. He feels better today than he ever has, since he had the injury. We want him to be at 100 percent. We don't want it to linger and we think that if we just chill him until Wednesday, he should be fine.
On why the Jets waited so long to get an MRI…
They want to do it. I forget why John said why he wanted to do it. I think the main reason why is to make sure there's not anything else wrong. But also to get a baseline of where it is.
On if he was brushing off any concern with Burress' injury…
I probably never handled it the best way. I think we were all anxious to see him out there, but I want to see him out there at 100 percent not at 80 percent. If we had to play a game, he would play. He would definitely play. That's the way we would approach it. He wants to go, but "Let's just hold you out here." I figure it's the smart thing to do.
On making sure there's nothing else wrong…
I think it's just this particular injury, and we are saying, "let's get it healed now." We all want to see him out there, but is it in the best interest of him? I don't think so. I really thought we were planned and then I talked to the docs I said, "Well this doesn't make sense. Let's just do what's best for Plaxico. Forget about the other deals, because as bad as we all want to see him, we'll just have to wait another week."
On if it is just a sprain…
I don't know what to call it. I don't want to say a sprain or a strain, I don't know what to call it, but he rolled his ankle is my understanding.
On the fact that both ankles have now been injured, and if there is any relation…
No, and I certainly understand everybody's concern over this, but I think we are looking into it too much. If the MRI came back and it said something, I can be wrong. I have been wrong before in the past. He feels better today than he has.
On if the MRI is today…
Yes.
On if he will still be doing individual drills…
We are going to have him stand around and get the mental part, which by the way he's doing exceptional in, but like I said, we want him to be 100 percent by Wednesday.
On if they want to shut down Burress until Wednesday…
Exactly. He's not really shut down because he will be getting treatments like crazy.
On when you start to get concerned that he hasn't been incorporated into the drills…
I'm not as concerned right now, because he's going through the walk-through stuff, he's doing the mental things. If he was struggling mentally, I would definitely be concerned, but he's not. He's done some things individually. He knows how to play football: great route running. I'm not concerned right now, I'll just say that. Now, if it goes on, I'll have to answer the question next week and the week after. I don't think we're going to have those issues.
On if there was any concern bringing Burress back after him not playing for two years…
Yes, I think you would have some, but is he in shape would be the biggest thing. Plaxico's in really good shape. But that would be the only concern. But he is in great shape. Is there any ring rust? Doesn't seem to be. He catches the ball great. We have all seen him catch it. He looks good to me.
On Jeff Cumberland's growth from last year to this year…
Night and day difference. That's the guy that was a wide receiver, played a little tight end at Illinois, but he's really picked it up. But I can see even last year, when we put him through those shoots, that he wasn't a guy that ducking his head. This guy was putting his face right in. His technique had to come a long way but he definitely has the heart for it, he's a tough guy, and with Mike Devlin coaching him, it's a great opportunity for him to get better as a blocker, and he has. So I'm really proud of where Jeff is.
On if Santonio Holmes and Derrick Mason will start on Monday…
Yes, they'll start.
On what he sees in Chris Stewart…
He keeps competing and all that and I know he's a smart guy who picks up the offense well. He's one of these guys who I'm excited to see. In these pre-season games, let's see what he can do. He's aggressive and that's what I like. I like seeing those types of guys that are aggressive and get after it. I know he kicks himself. I was watching some of those line drills, and he expects to be right there with them. He's pushing himself to be. He gets down on himself a little bit, but we'll see. It will be a challenge this week, but we will see what happens.
On if anyone else will be out of Monday's game except for Burress…
No, even Nick Mangold, we'll see if he can go.
On Moore playing on Monday…
No, I would not think you'll see Brandon.
On if Mangold will be practicing this afternoon…
He's out — individual only.
On if DaJuan Morgan was waived because he wasn't picking everything up…
No, I wouldn't say that. It's just that we are loaded back there. I think the emergence of how [Emanuel] Cook has come, and how we have a couple of young safeties that seem to be doing a lot of good things. Let's see what happens with them: [Byron] Landor in particular jumps out at me, the kid from Baylor. So the more reps with give a player, the less for him. This gives him a chance to catch on again with somebody else. He's a good kid. We got excited about him, but sometimes we only have four opportunities. Did he have the reps? I think it wasn't really fair to him.
On how he feels about the depth on the offensive line…
I feel great about the first seven. I feel fantastic. Of course, "Here he goes again." I don't know, seriously, if I would trade that group for another one. I don't know the rest of the league as well as I know this team, but I can tell you, we have an outstanding offensive line. You have Rob Turner as a backup for the center and guards. Vlad [Ducasse], I think, is really coming along as a backup tackle.
Then there are those five guys we have. Obviously, you have two Pro Bowl players in Nick Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson. I also still think Brandon Moore is the best guard in football and until somebody shows me otherwise, I'll think that. He is the best right guard. The best left guard is that [Logan] Mankins kid. The best right guard, I think is Brandon. That's pretty good when you're in the conversation, at least, for the best at your position, and we have three of them, three of the five. Then, there are Wayne Hunter and Matt Slauson. That's a good group.
Now, past that, I'm excited about Matt Kroul. I think Matt can do it. I think we have to be patient with him. He's smart enough and tough enough, so those are two characteristics of an offensive lineman.
On if Ducasse will start in Moore's RG spot on Monday night...
It depends on what happens with Nick. If Nick is going, we'll probably start Turner at right guard because I really want to see Vlad at tackle. That's where he's going to play, so I'd prefer to see Vlad at tackle. But if he needs to go in, Nick can't go, Rob probably goes to center and then Vlad may have to play some guard.
On what he has seen so far from Derrick Mason…
I think he's doing great. It's like he's been here already with us. Now, a couple of formations, they have him in. Him and Tone ran the exact same route one time and I'm like, "We might want to repeat that one." Other than that, he's been great. Obviously, everyone sees what I've been saying about him. He's a great route-runner and a super competitor. We'll all see that when these games start going and competitors really start going at it. You'll see what I'm talking about. That kind of intensity, it's exciting to see. Trust me, you'll see it. You'll see it in preseason games and you'll see it when the offense is going against the defense in those situations. That's him and that's what really makes him special.
On Nick Mangold's injury yesterday during practice…
That was rough, no doubt. The thing about this game, that's why I always say it's mighty men that play this game. This is a game where there is 100 percent injury rate. I don't care if you're a kicker or whatever, you're going to have something. That's the nature of this game. When you see a guy down there like him, it's like, "Oh, man." You hold your breath. You go back over there. You still have to go on. I went over there and then he got his feeling back in his hand, it was like, "Oh, shoot." You could see the relief, not just on his face, he probably saw it on mine. I saw it on his. That's a scary deal. I've been on the field for a couple of major injuries and it's scary.
On why they decided to use Jeremy Kerley as the starting kick returner and punt returner…
He's the best one.
On why Kerley was over Jim Leonhard…
I'm not going to have Jim [Leonhard] do it, coming off the injury that he had. He wants to, but we drafted this young man to be a returner. He's exactly what we thought we were getting. Westy [Mike Westhoff] really likes him and if Westy thinks he's our best, then that's what we'll do. Jim Leonhard, I don't think that's good business right there.
On how Muhammad Wilkerson and Kenrick Ellis are coming along…
With both of them, each day, I get so excited about them. I know Kenrick, he had some great moments yesterday and then he got knocked out of there pretty good. He got his pads up and they knocked him out of there on some short-yardage. I'll tell you, both of them are really sharp. These are sharp guys. They must do a lot of studying off the field because they're dialed in, both of them. They try to get better each day and you see that. That's why I'm excited so much about these young guys. Then, you throw in Ropati [Pitoitua], who looks like he's coming into his own a little bit.
On if having Wilkerson and Ellis in with Sione Pouha and Mike DeVito is a possibility this season…
You know us. Whatever it takes for us to think we'll stop you, we'll do. We've played Rob Turner over there last year in goal lines. Rob's like, "You want me to jump over there?" I said, "No, not yet. We have some big ones in there." Obviously, we'll have more linemen up this year than we had last year.
On if Shonn Greene fumbling on a goal-line play Thursday is a concern…
No, he was down, but then the ball came out. I know what you're saying, the ball did come out, but no, I'm not concerned. Fumbles happen. Obviously, there comes a time where it's like "Look, we just have to keep it up." I don't think anybody does a better job than [RBs coach] Anthony Lynn of teaching how to protect the football — maybe Tom Coughlin, that year when Tiki [Barber] was running with the ball like this the whole season. He's out in the clear by 50 yards and there goes Tiki like this.
I know. That was great, that was great coaching, and Anthony Lynn is from the same school, so I think we do a good job protecting the football. Last year I think we led the league in fumble recoveries, so that was good. I was just throwing that out there [laughter]. Why not?
