A few things to look out for in Friday night’s preseason opener against the Bengals:

1. Jordan White – The rookie WR  out of WMU has impressed everyone in camp so far. After missing out on mini-camp due to a foot injury from May 2012, Jordan White has shown that he is a very efficient route runner.  This comes as good news for the Jets because with Kerley will be out for another week or so.  Pay close attention to how he fares against a well coached defensive Bengals team and my prediction is that he will keep up the great work and end up getting major time during the season.

2.  Terrance Ganaway- Rookie RB out of Baylor has also been playing quite well in camp.  He rushed for over 1,400 yards in his senior year and has shown flashes of helping Greene out with the workload.

3. Bilal Powell- He is one of the players that has been consistently signaled out by Rex Ryan. “At the rate he’s going, it would be a surprise if he doesn’t leap-frog Joe McKnight on the depth chart,” says beat writer Rich Cimini.  This is music to my ears, and I hope to see Powell cement his position as more then a 3rd down back for the Jets this season.  His first chance to show that will be against the Bengals.

Other players to keep your eye on:

• TE Josh Baker – Baker is officially listed as a FB/TE, and has been mixed in with the first and second team offenses in camp.
• WR Patrick Turner - Turner has had an excellent camp so far, and could earn himself regularly playing time with good performances in preseason.
• K Josh Brown – The most underrated position battle in Jets camp is between kicker Nick Folk and the newly added Brown.
• T Austin Howard - With Wayne Hunter sitting out due to his back, Howard will get a chance to show what he’s got at right tackle.

Shahmeer is a regular contributor to The Green Room. You can follow him on Twitter, @shehzada_ 

As first reported by Aaron Wilson (@RavenInsider), the Jets have agreed to terms with their final 2012 draft pick, Western Michigan wide receiver Jordan White.

According to Wilson, White has agreed to a four-year deal worth $2.145 million, including a $45,896 signing bonus. Wilson cites a “a league source” on the details.

The team announced the signing via their Twitter account this morning, verifying reports from late last night.

White is presently sidelined due to a broken foot (fifth metatarsal) he suffered in OTAs. He had surgery in May and is expected to fully recover in time for training camp.

I am no doctor, but I’ve had enough sports related injuries to know that breaks are far better than sprains and strains. I’m looking forward to seeing what White can do in training camp and what he can contribute this year.

In case you are interested, my early thoughts on White on draft day:

In 2011, he led the nation with 140 catches and 1,911 receiving yards and scored 17 touchdowns. He is Western Michigan’s career and season leader in receptions, receiving yards and 100-yard games.

White has average size and speed, but he is noted for being an “NFL-ready route runner.” His athleticism allows him to play bigger and faster than he is and scouting reports indicate that he will adapt very well at the next level. He has the potential to be one of those “diamond in the rough” type players and though I see him competing for the 4/5 WR spot this year, he could very well sneak his way into a #3 receiver type of a role in the future.

You can follow Jordan on Twitter, @_JordanWhite.

According to the New York Daily News, the Jets have (finally) signed this year’s third round pick, linebacker Demario Davis. Per the Daily News, Davis was signed to a four-year deal.

Newsday beat writer Kimberley Martin revealed that Davis’ deal is worth around $2.9 million, with workout and signing bonuses totaling approximately $720,000.

The team has not yet confirmed the signing.

The signing seemed imminent, as the team already started putting Davis to work today in practice, playing him with the first team in sub packages. Turn on the Jets wrote a fantastic article about Davis, explaining what he has to offer and how he can impact the team this season (Hint: He is another part of the solution for those pesky Patriots tight ends). I suggest you give it a read.

You may also recall that Rex Ryan likened Davis’ leadership skills to that of Ray Lewis after seeing him work in rookie training camp. If we are to believe Ryan, Davis has a lot to offer both on and off the field.

The team still has one rookie yet to sign, WR Jordan White, who sat out of OTAs today because of a foot injury.

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The Jets also announced the signing of TE Tarren Lloyd, as was previously reported by Jake Steinberg. The team waived tackle John Cullen to make room for Lloyd on the roster.

As I explained this morning, Lloyd is a blocking tight end, so that should make some people happy. Ahem.

The Jets selected 5 players on Saturday in Rounds 6 and 7 of the draft. Here’s a brief breakdown and analysis of the newest members of the New York Jets:

Josh Bush, DB, Wake Forest - Bush earned high marks in team evals because of his speed and versatility. After spending time playing both corner and safety in his first three seasons, Bush officially moved from cornerback to free safety last season and tallied 55 tackles and six interceptions. He was named a 2011 All-ACC first-team selection for his performance.

Bush runs a sub 4.5 (the Jets times him at 4.49 at his workout) and is also known for what he can offer cerebrally. His experience as a corner also speaks to his cover skills at the safety position, something we desperately need.

Bush will likely play free safety as a back up for now and could also play DB in dime situations. He will also lend a hand on special teams and could even play in the slot if needed.

This pick was a surprise to many considering the safeties that were still on the board at the time of the selection, but Bush, based on my research, was an excellent value pick.

Photo credit: US Presswire

Terrance Ganaway, RB, Baylor – Ganaway is a power back  who draws comparisons to Brandon Jacobs and LeGarrette Blount, with a style of play that will compliment the Jets commitment to “Ground and Pound.” He has the power and size to run between the tackles and will be particularly effective in short yardage and goal line situations. Other words used to describe him as “monster,” “workhorse,” and “bull in a china shop.”

Ganaway has only one year of experience as a starter at Baylor, but in that year he set or tied 13 school records. His one year of starting experience could be viewed as a negative, but it also could be reason to believe that he will continue to develop and grow with guidance and coaching from Sparano. All of the scouting reports indicate that he specifically needs to improve his pass protection and his pass catching skills.

Ganaway ran a 4.65 at the combine, but he ran a 4.5 at Baylor’s Pro Day, so he does have some speed for a guy his size.

No doubt Greene is the starter, but Ganaway has a real shot to assume the role over time. He is also bigger than Greene, and that may help with durability. I’m sure that the team will need to sort out how they plan to use all of the backs in their system, but Ganway’s similarity to Greene is pretty interesting. I think it also tells us something about how the Jets plan to use Joe McKnight; they will need a back with his skills to compliment Greene and Ganaway.

For what it’s worth: It also seems that Ganaway is a very high character guy who has dealt with a lot of adversity in this life. I think he will be an excellent addition to the locker room and his intangibles are a quality you cannot overlook. » Continue reading “Jets Draft Recap and Analysis: Rounds 4-7″