After having spent the majority of his career in New Orleans, new Jets RB Travaris Cadet is getting acclimated to his surroundings.
"New system, new team, just learning the Jet way around here," Cadet said. "I've been in kind of one place for most of my career, but I feel like it's a young team and it's a team with a vision. There aren't too many big-headed players on the team. It seems like everybody is working together and trying to get better day in and day out. For the most part, I see a grinding team who's hungry."
After strongly considering signing with the Jets in March, Cadet re-signed with the Saints. The 6'1", 210-pounder had a career-high 40 receptions and four receiving TDs last season in New Orleans, but he was released in September after the Saints draft Alvin Kamara and signed veteran Adrian Peterson.
With veteran Matt**Forté dealing with turf toe and the Jets favoring a committee approach in the backfield, they signed Cadet this week. Offensive coordinator John Morton is familiar with Cadet's skills after having served as New Orleans WR coach in 2015-16.
"Some of it I'm familiar with, but there are a lot of changes," Cadet said of the Jets' system. "I can tell you that it's not the same exact system. I learned that on Day 1. He changed it for the best. New Orleans is in the past, different personnel. He adjusted his system to the personnel he had over here and he seems to be doing well."
Through three games, veteran RB Bilal Powell leads the Jets with 28 carries, Forté has paced the group with 94 yards on the ground and rookie Eli McGuire has flashed with a team-high average of 4.8 yards per carry. The trio has combined for 12 catches with Forté grabbing six and Powell pitching in with five.
"You have a lot of personnel changes to keep the defense off balance. We have different personnel coming on the field and you have to continuously look to the sideline to see who they are bringing to the field and what's the change up," Cadet said. "This game is about mismatches and that's what we're trying to create. I think Coach Morton does a great job of putting his players into the best positions to succeed, knowing their tendencies inside and out."
In his sixth NFL season, Cadet has 102 career receptions and he's also averaged 24.3 yards on his 63 kickoff returns. He could be in the lineup Sunday and Morton said today that the committee approach will remain if Forté misses action.
"I've done a lot of things in my career. Some games I've played 30 plays on offense and some games I've played 30 plays on special teams," he said. "It depends on what the game plan is and how the game goes. I've had big returns in my career. If I have another opportunity to return here, I can do the same thing."
