If C.J. Uzomah is strolling across the metropolis dressed as Alexander Hamilton within the close to future, one thing went very proper for the Jets.
Uzomah was launched Thursday after signing a three-year, $24 million free-agent contract to turn out to be the Jets’ beginning tight finish. Simply two months in the past, he was vowing to wash in Cincinnati chili if the Bengals received the Tremendous Bowl, so what is going to he do if the Jets — who haven’t been to the playoffs since 2010 or received the Tremendous Bowl since 1969 — strike it huge?
“I would costume up like Hamilton and stroll down the streets,” Uzomah quipped. “I’m an enormous musical man. So far as bathing in one thing, I’ll persist with a traditional bubble bathtub.”
Uzomah, 29, has seen the transformation occur earlier than.
The Bengals had been a playoff crew throughout his rookie season, then went 25-53-2 over the subsequent 5 seasons earlier than breaking by with an AFC championship. Uzomah suffered a sprained MCL within the playoffs however performed within the Tremendous Bowl, and declared his knee “actually good” after weeks of relaxation and the beginning of rehab.
Within the Jets’ preferrred world, they're laying the inspiration to comply with the Bengals’ blueprint. Now they've an insider to the method.
“There’s a whole lot of expertise right here,” Uzomah mentioned. “[I can be] a veteran presence to assist prepared the ground and slim the main focus just a little bit. There’s a couple of issues that may assist us, and we’re going to blow the doorways open. That’s all it takes. I used to be desperate to get right here and get within the ear of among the guys. That’s actually the explanation. I really feel like now we have one thing particular right here we’re going to have the ability to obtain.”
The Jets’ revolving door at tight finish contains six totally different gamers who led the place in catches over the previous 10 seasons, no first-round choose since 2008 and no Professional Bowlers since 1988. Coming off profession highs of 49 catches for 493 yards and 5 touchdowns, Uzomah was among the finest choices out there after Mike Gesicki (Dolphins), David Njoku (Browns) and Dalton Schultz (Cowboys) had been saved off the market with franchise tags.
What ought to Jets followers anticipate?
“They will get somebody who is among the greatest rattling tight ends within the league,” Uzomah mentioned.
Because the adage goes, a very good tight finish is a younger quarterback’s greatest good friend. Nicely, Zach Wilson has two of them coming into his second season as a result of Tyler Conklin, who had profession highs of 61 catches for 593 yards and three touchdowns with the Vikings, additionally signed. That duo ought to result in an uptick in “12” personnel (one working again, two tight ends and two receivers) from simply 20 % of the snaps final season, per Sharp Soccer.
“There’s a tandem within the tight finish room proper now that’s about to be soiled,” Uzomah mentioned. “I feel we're going to complement one another and on the sector we're going to be a power.”
Uzomah trains in Nashville, Tenn., in the course of the offseason, and mentioned he hopes to affix the work Wilson and Jets receiver Corey Davis are doing within the Music Metropolis proper now. He simply noticed Joe Burrow take an enormous step ahead in second yr with the Bengals.
“[Wilson] goes to make big strides this yr,” Uzomah mentioned. “I’m hoping that I generally is a crutch for him if he wants something or needs something. Hopefully I generally is a safety blanket for him on the sector, as nicely. I feel he’s an unbelievable expertise, and he’s simply going to develop.”
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