Dee Milliner finally could smile when asked about his injury history. For the first time in his professional career, he isn’t dealing with a malady of any kind in the offseason.
And the secret for the Jets’ former first-round pick — or at least a contributing factor — is doing yoga three times a week this offseason.
“It helped me. I feel more flexible,” the cornerback said Tuesday at the start of the team’s three-day minicamp. “Legs feel better. Body just feels better.”
Milliner, hampered by a torn Achilles tendon, and hamstring, wrist and quad injuries, has played in just 21 of 48 games in his first three seasons. Entering the final year of his contract, he first began doing yoga at the Jets’ complex with a few teammates last year, and he stuck with it.
He has had a solid offseason, taking part in all the Jets’ workouts, splitting first-team reps with Marcus Williams while Darrelle Revis works his way back from wrist surgery. Milliner said he just hopes he can stay injury-free.
“The more reps he gets, the better, and I guess his confidence will grow because he hasn’t played in a while,” coach Todd Bowles said. “I’m hoping that continues once training camp starts.”
Revis joined the chorus of Jets hoping to see free-agent quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick return to the team as soon as possible.
“We want him back, and we want to see him walk in this locker room,” said Revis, issuing his first comments this spring. “Ryan is a big part of our success. He definitely is. He came here. He broke a bunch of records in the quarterback category. He was a big part of our offense. … This has been going on all offseason. We’re waiting for him to come back and play.”
Bowles said the Jets don’t have a “drop-dead deadline” for Fitzpatrick to sign.
“Hopefully, [it’s] sooner than later, but you treat it like an injury,” he said.
Bowles praised the play of Geno Smith, who has been receiving starter reps all spring as the Jets wait on Fitzpatrick.
“Being in the system a year, he’s light years ahead of where he was last year,” Bowles said. “As as far as being confident, operating the system and understanding the checks and running the offense, [it’s] night and day where he was.”
Smith has spent time this offseason working out in Florida with top-flight wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants), Jarvis Landry (Dolphins) and Antonio Brown (Steelers). There were, in total, eight or nine NFL players at the workouts. Smith said they merely are workouts among friends who have known one another a long time.
“That’s just about staying fresh in the offseason,” he said. “A lot of guys in this locker room as well come down and get with us. We always work out in the offseason.”
Center Nick Mangold (leg soreness) sat out portions of team drills. … Bowles said the Jets considered doing a joint practice during training camp, but have opted to wait until next summer to do so. … Wide receiver Kyle Williams — best known for mishandling two punts in the 2012 NFC Championship game against the Giants while with the 49ers — and linebacker Victor Butler tried out for the Jets on Tuesday.
Additional reporting by Brian Costello
