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Patrick Mahomes Jersey , N.J. (AP) ¡ª Tre McBride realizes that few New
York Jets fans knew his name as recently as just a few weeks ago. And the speedy
wide receiver is OK with that.
He considers himself an underdog, a guy who has been mostly overlooked during
a brief NFL career that has included stops with Tennessee and Chicago.
¡°I feel like any competitor would feel that way about themselves if they were
kind of going through the things a roster bubble guy like myself goes through,¡±
McBride said after a recent practice. ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who does and I¡¯m not
the only one who¡¯ll ever go through this, so I don¡¯t feel sorry for myself or
anything.¡±
No need. Those days of anonymity might be over.
McBride has had an impressive training camp with the Jets, running with the
starting offense at times while making a strong push to make the team¡¯s
opening-day roster.
¡°Yeah, I feel like I have a little chip on my shoulder and maybe I feel like
I¡¯m underrated,¡± McBride said. ¡°But that¡¯s fine. That¡¯s why I¡¯m out here with
this opportunity, to show people that I can play ball at the highest level.¡±
The 25-year-old McBride is part of a receiving corps that includes Robby
Anderson, Jermaine Kearse, Quincy Enunwa and Terrelle Pryor. Beyond those four,
it¡¯s unclear how many receivers will be kept among the remaining seven.
ArDarius Stewart, Chad Hansen and Charone Peake are recent draft picks, while
Andre Roberts is a veteran who provides versatility on special teams as a
returner. There¡¯s also Charles Johnson and Lucky Whitehead, once-promising
youngsters who are coming off injuries.
And then, there¡¯s McBride, who was signed to the Jets¡¯ practice squad last
December after being waived by the Bears.
¡°They are all pretty solid,¡± coach Todd Bowles said. ¡°That¡¯s going to be a
tough group when final cuts come down because all of them can play and all of
them will probably play somewhere in this league. If we do let some
go Michael
Grabner Jersey , they¡¯ll probably get picked up.¡±
McBride has four catches for 40 yards in the first two preseason games, and
has really impressed coaches throughout the offseason and training camp.
¡°I¡¯d say overall, I think I¡¯ve taken advantage of the opportunities I¡¯ve been
given,¡± McBride said. ¡°I think most important is that, for the most part, it¡¯s
been really consistent.¡±
McBride knows he has two more preseason games to further impress, including
Friday night against the Giants.
Bowles said he expects his starters to play a minimum of two quarters in the
game. With Enunwa and Pryor uncertain to play as they continue to work back from
injuries, McBride could have a significant role.
¡°Anything can happen,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve been surprised before. I would like to
believe that they¡¯ve put me out with the 1s (starters) for a reason, not just
because. That¡¯s really what I have to go off of, that they trust me enough to be
in there with the No. 1 quarterback and the No. 1 guys out there and that¡¯s what
I¡¯m here to do, make some plays with the top guys.¡±
McBride ¡ª whose given name is Douglas III ¡ª grew up in a military family that
was often on the move. His father, Doug Jr., is a brigadier general in the U.S.
Army and was stationed in places such as Hawaii, Virginia, North Carolina, Rhode
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Texas and Maryland.
Once the family got to Georgia, Tre¡¯s mother Pamela and sister Taylor settled
there with him ¡ª even after Doug Jr. was sent to his next post ¡ª so they could
establish some roots.
¡°Adapting to new environments and the way things are in the area I¡¯m in is
something that, at this point, comes natural to me,¡± McBride said.
He was a three-sport star at Ola High School in McDonough, Georgia, while
playing on the football team as well as the basketball and track and field
squads. From there he went on to play football at the College of William and
Mary and was a starter by his sophomore season. He finished second in school
history with 196 career receptions and was fifth with 2,653 yards receiving.
McBride¡¯s stock for the 2015 draft rose after he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41
seconds at the NFL combine, with some expecting him to be taken as high as the
third round. Six rounds came and went, though, before Tennessee took him in the
seventh as the 245th player chosen.
McBride spent most of his first two NFL seasons bouncing back and forth
between the Titans¡¯ practice squad, the active roster and waivers. After two
catches in two years, McBride was among Tennessee¡¯s final cuts last September.
He was claimed by Chicago and signed to the Bears¡¯ practice squad before being
promoted and having eight catches for 144 yards in eight games ¡ª but was then
waived and signed by the Jets.
¡°I¡¯ve had great camps every year I¡¯ve been in the league,¡± he said. ¡°When I
get on the field and I get an opportunity, I can play ball. Maybe the numbers
don¡¯t work out, maybe I¡¯m not their guy, whoever it
is Authentic
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play.¡±
McBride might stick around this time ¡ª and his name is certainly catching on
with Jets fans.
¡°I¡¯m past everything that¡¯s happened in the past, except for what¡¯s going on
right now,¡± McBride said. ¡°I¡¯m kind of focusing on this opportunity and making
the most of it.¡±
RENTON, Wash. (AP) ¡ª Locker No. 29 in the Seattle Seahawks locker room was
once again occupied Wednesday after being vacant the entire offseason.
Earl Thomas was back after ending his lengthy holdout. His Instagram post on
Wednesday morning announcing his return made it clear Thomas wasn¡¯t happy or
satisfied. But he was present, giving the Seahawks a major boost heading into
the start of the regular season.
¡°He¡¯s been with us for so long. He¡¯s just been part of the fabric of what
we¡¯ve been about,¡± Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. ¡°It¡¯s an adjustment period
as he jumps in with us right now and we¡¯ll figure out how that works. ¡ I don¡¯t
have any thought about what to share with you right now because we have to see
what he does and how he feels and all that stuff, but it¡¯s great to have him
back.¡±
Thomas¡¯ return to the Seahawks facility was a welcome moment for the team and
ended a long offseason of drama centered on whether he would play out the final
season of his contract, receive the contract extension he hoped for, or possibly
be traded. Thomas¡¯ reaction to the lack of a resolution was clear in his post:
¡°The disrespect has been noted and will not be forgotten.¡±
He¡¯s not happy, but he wasn¡¯t about to sacrifice a $500,000 game check or
leave his teammates without one of their most important defensive leaders.
Thomas wrote he¡¯s never let his ¡°teammates, city or fans down as long as I have
lived and don¡¯t plan to start this weekend.¡±
But he was quick to add he¡¯s got plenty of good years remaining after his
current contract expires.
¡°Father Time may have an undefeated record but best believe I plan on taking
him into triple overtime when it comes to my career,¡± Thomas wrote.
Thomas did not speak with reporters Wednesday. Carroll would not commit to
whether Thomas would play against Denver on Sunday in the opener. Seattle
received a roster exemption from the league to allow Thomas to practice.
Not surprisingly, Thomas seemed to be universally embraced upon his return,
both as the longest-tenured Seahawks player and for the on-field boost he can
give to Seattle¡¯s overhauled defense. Doug Baldwin said he ran up and gave
Thomas a hug when he saw him in a team meeting. Defensive coordinator Ken Norton
Jr. joked he became a better coach.
Linebacker Bobby Wagner understood the dynamics of Thomas¡¯ situation.
¡°I think football is football, business is business. That¡¯s coach Carroll and
John Schneider, that¡¯s
business Youth
Christian Djoos Jersey ,¡± Wagner said. ¡°At the end of the day you can¡¯t
really hate a person for wanting to provide for his family. That¡¯s how I look at
it. He¡¯s been playing at a high level, he wanted more money. That¡¯s kind of on
them.¡±
Thomas is a three-time first-team All-Pro and was the anchor for the Seattle
defense that appeared in consecutive Super Bowls, winning the first. Aside from
suffering a broken leg late in the 2016 season, Thomas has been a durable
starter from the time he arrived in the league. He has missed just seven
regular-season games in his career.
His holdout was based on seeking certainty for the long term. He asked for a
trade if Seattle wasn¡¯t willing to give him a contract extension. The idea of a
trade, for now, was squashed by Carroll on Wednesday when he said: ¡°He¡¯s a
Seahawk. He¡¯s always been and will be one forever.¡±
The reality is Thomas will be an unrestricted free agent next spring just
before his 30th birthday. In a post for The Players¡¯ Tribune earlier this
summer, Thomas wrote that he was shaken by the injuries suffered by Richard
Sherman and Kam Chancellor ¡ª two other members of Seattle¡¯s ¡°Legion of Boom¡±
secondary ¡ª in a Thursday night game last season. Sherman ruptured his Achilles
tendon, ending his season, and Chancellor suffered a neck injury. Sherman was
released by Seattle in the offseason and signed with San Francisco. Chancellor ¡ª
while not officially retired ¡ª is not expected to play again because of the
injury.
Clearly, Thomas wants security, but he¡¯s putting aside his desires for
now.
With Thomas out, Seattle has used Tedric Thompson as its primary free safety.
Thompson missed the final preseason game with a shoulder stinger and rib injury
suffered a week earlier, but was in line to start the opener. If Thomas is ready
to play, he¡¯ll team with Bradley McDougald at strong safety. The pair played
together for the latter half of last season following Chancellor¡¯s injury.
¡°I feel like we figured it out pretty well,¡± McDougald said. ¡°We ended up
getting a good connection, a good relationship between us and I feel like we¡¯re
going to pick up where we left
off.¡±
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