When he came to the Jets, Rex Ryan promised he’d start wringing production out of outside linebacker Vernon Gholston.
How? Well, the plan may be to use him a little less at outside linebacker.
As Matt Sohn of Pro Football Weekly points out, Gholston was backing up Shaun Ellis at defensive end last week against the Patriots. In doing so, Gholston spent more time with his hand in the dirt (or on the plastic, as the case was) than he normally has since entering the league. Because the Jets often tinker with their fronts (it’s natural), it’s hard to know whether this change was permanent or game-specific.
Either way, it didn’t help much statistically — Gholston wasn’t credited with a tackle — but it is a sign that Ryan is going to try to get inventive with Gholston going forward. And it really may just be a matter of playing to Gholston’s strength. He was a defensive end in the 4-3 at Ohio State. Playing outside linebacker in the NFL with all the reads and responsibilities that comes with it can be a real adjustment.
In any case, the Jets have nothing to lose. The sixth overall pick in the 2008 draft has been trending toward terrible since entering the league, amassing just five solo tackles in 15 games last season for New York
Back in January, Ryan said he hoped to turn Gholston’s career around in the same way he turned around the career of the Ravens Terrell Suggs back in 2003. Of course, as our old pal Aaron Wilson pointed out months ago, Suggs had 12 sacks as a rookie, so whatever parallel Ryan sees between the early careers of Suggs and Gholston is lost on us laypersons.
A masturbation joke! Nice!
Ghoulston had a lazy off season.
Give Rexy a year with him and he’ll be cut by next year or making vast improvements.
He just might be too stupid to play LB in the NFL and might be a better fit working DE. Give him some time to adjust.
With all this tinkering going on, someone should tell Rex to keep his hands above the covers.
So this boils down to “a 2008 6th round draft pick who sucked last year still sucks this year.” How does this guy merit anything being written about him?
Gholston needs to start rushing the QB… maybe he should watch some old film of Mark Gastineau?
“the sixth overall pick in 2008 draft”…” Back in January, Ryan said he hoped to turn Gholston’s career around”… “CAREER” come on.
top 10 draft picks, not worth the trouble. It’s stupid to have such high expectations, and paychecks, for the early draft picks. Gholston should be making 1/3 of what he is now, and it shouldn’t be such a big deal that he couldn’t make the adjustment right away to the pro game. Rookie Salary Cap!