The Jets nickel back prefers to play it Strait.
No trash talking at receivers. No chippy shots. No yakking at players on the opposing sideline.
But Derrick Strait doesn’t mind looking over a receiver who’s gotten his insides rattled by a Straitshot and making eye contact.
“You can just look down at him and let him know that that was you,” said Strait. “Then I just like going back and celebrating with my teammates.”
Strait, one of the team’s more impressive rookies last season, will be counted on to play a big role in the secondary this season. With the recent signing of cornerback Ty Law, the release of Ray Mickens and yesterday’s trade of Jon McGraw, Strait must be ready to step in at corner, safety or nickel.
“He’s just an all-around football player,” said Herman Edwards. “He’s got great instincts. He can tackle well. He understands the concepts of defenses. He’s a good football player. It kind of goes unnoticed because of the position he plays, but he’s got some talent.”
Strait has a good combination of speed and size, but what he relishes most is hitting. He said many nickel backs don’t consider hitting their forte.
The Jets open their preseason schedule tomorrow against the Lions, who have one of the best groups of young receivers in the NFL.
Roy Williams, Charles Rogers and Mike Williams have the potential to wreak havoc with defenses. Strait is looking forward to the challenge.
“When you get a little grunt out of the guy, you know you’ve given him all you have and he felt it,” said Strait. “He’s kind of slow to get up. Then you know that you got him.”
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Defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson missed both of yesterday’s practices to have his left knee examined by Dr. James Andrews. Robertson, the team’s first-round pick in 2003 and the fourth player taken overall, has complained of discomfort in the joint.
Edwards said Robertson’s condition is the result of previous surgery to remove cartilage. That has caused the bones that meet in the knee joint to rub against each other, a common cause of arthritis.
“He needed a second opinion and that’s fine,” said Edwards. “We really like that because we feel our doctors are very, very good. Then the player feels at ease and that’s good. Players have the ability to do that in our league and that’s good.”
According to his own records, when Edwards missed last night’s practice, it was the first he’s missed in 26 years as a player, assistant coach or head coach. He was with his wife, Lia, who gave birth to the couple’s second child, an 8-pound, 15-ounce girl, Gabrielle Lee. Mother and child are doing well.
The Jets traded McGraw to the Lions for a conditional draft choice. McGraw was a second-round draft choice out of Kansas State in 2002 who never emerged into the dominant safety the Jets were hoping for. The Jets also announced they waived free agent cornerback Pete Hunter.
