IN: Fitzhugh and Foster OUT: Tadisch and Hall

Okay, okay, maybe the Revis signing is imminent, maybe not, but the team is still making moves. 

The team re-signed 5’11” 205 pound Keith Fitzhugh a safety out of Mississippi State. The 23 year old Fitzhugh was signed as an undrafted free agent last April and cut after an injury in August.  The team brought him back on the practice squad in September until the Ravens signed him December 22^nd.  He remained a game day inactive for Baltimore throughout the playoffs. This May the Ravens rescinded the exclusive rights tender and he became a free agent. 

Fitzhugh has many similarities to Emanuel Cook who he beat out for that practice squad spot in 2009. He is an in the box safety without the size and speed numbers for the draft.  He is good against the run and has some capability in coverage.  Fitzhugh plays with reckless abandon and should be a special team demon.  He will have to be one to make the active roster. One of the top 15 players not invited to the combine in 2009. Many thought he had worked his way into the later rounds by running in the 4.5s at his pro day, but he went undrafted.

The team also signed Brooks Foster. No, not Foster Brooks!  Brooks Foster.  All you Gholston haters be prepared, this kid was a workout warrior.  He broke the combine WR record for the bench previously held by Eddie Royal with 27 reps.  Foster didn’t run at the combine because he was recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery in December.  He ran a 4.38 40 at his pro day, along with 4.18 short shuttle a 6.87 3 cone drill and 38” vertical.  The Tar Heel did not have much production at Carolina averaging 32 catches for 412 yards for his career and scoring only 6 TDs.  This may be partially be explained by the fact that he was sharing duties with fellow NFL players Hakeem Nicks and Brandon Tate.  During his red-shirt year in 2005 Foster walked on with the Tar Heel basketball team and ended up a member of the national champions.

Foster was drafted by the Rams in the 5^th round of the 2009 draft, but suffered an ankle injury.  Though expected to miss only 4-6 weeks, the Rams put him on IR because they couldn’t afford carrying him on the active roster.   Coach Steve Spagnuolo claimed he was having a “tremendous” off-season, but he was waived to make room for Danario Alexander.  Foster has an insanely high ceiling, but being waived by a receiver weak team like the Rams does not bode well, particularly when he was cut for another receiver.  Foster is considered a good candidate for slot duty, but has to work on getting off the line and bringing his timed speed to the field.

To make room the Jets cut the Swiss Army Knife Vic Hall, the WR/QB/CB/KR/PR/Gunner/Holder from Virginia who also seemed to be a slot candidate and Adam Tadisch the pass catching Arena League tackle with whom JetNation’s 128/IdahoJet was so enamored.

Conspiracy theorists stay tuned.  By my count the Jets still have a roster spot open because they placed DE Ropati Pitoitua on injured reserve Monday.  Pitoitua has underwent surgery to repair his Achilles tendon. Does this free roster spot mean Revisis about to sign?  Will they sign somebody else?  I’m not sure, but I don’t understand why Rich Cimini keeps bringing up Adalius Thomas.  Rex has repeatedly stated that the team has no interest and it looks like Cimini can finally accept it. Cimini

With only Shaun Ellis, Mike Devito and Vernon Gholston left from last year’s active roster, the Jets are thin at 3-4 DE.  While Thomas has some ability to play as a down DE, the Jets already have several players that fit that description.  Jason Taylor, Bryan Thomas, Calvin Pace and Gholston are all 3-4 OLB sized guys that have played with their hand in the dirt.  In my opinion the team will most likely simply kick last year’s practice squad player Matt Kroul up the line.  The coaches were raving about him in camp.  If the team does go outside rather than promoting Kroul, Rodrique Wright, Ty Steinkuhler or Jason Lamb, they will probably be looking for an extremely large space eater in the 280-310 pound range rather than Thomas.

Rob Smith

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