The New York Jets were plagued by inconsistent play at several positions last season. The offensive line was one of them as the team finished 8-8 falling way short of Rex Ryan’s boisterous Super Bowl guarantee. D’Brickashaw Ferguson isn’t the slightest bit worried about the play of his unit.
No.60 knows that his group has been to back-to-back AFC Championship games and their play can turn around quickly. As for the addition of Tim Tebow? The Jets offensive tackle couldn’t help but admit he was surprised by the acquisition.
D’Brickashaw Ferguson joined WFAN in New York with Joe and Evan to discuss being surprised that the New York Jets traded for Tim Tebow, the feeling in camp about the competition between Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez, the Jets offensive line struggles last season and possibly becoming a vocal leader in the Jets locker room.
How surprised were you when you found out the Jets got Tim Tebow? How do you think this is going to work with Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez?
“I think everyone was taken aback at first. Like wow nobody knew what to expect, but I met with the man and he’s got a good head on his shoulders and he’s real passionate. I think we’ll have to wait and see until the season because not only will it be exciting to see what does happen, but it’s going to make a lot of other teams really have to second guess what we’ll be doing because we have the advantage of having great quarterbacks and now we have the opportunity to do what we want with what we have.â€
What is the feeling like in camp with both Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez? Was it a normal starter and backup quarterback relationship?
“The feeling was very normal if you will. Mark was playing ball and Tebow had the opportunity to run with the No.2′s. I don’t feel that feeling of conflict was there during that period of time. I think that feeling is more outside in than inside out. I think right now we are in a good place. OTA’s and mini camps are a place for us to build and obviously training camp gives a major opportunity to really pile on what we are going to do for the upcoming season, so I just feel like it is really early and even though we have had the benefit of having 10 or 14 OTA’s we still have an opportunity to kind of grow and really decide how we are going to attack future teams.â€
How about the issues on the offensive line last season?
“I really feel that as a group we are a very strong group. We have been together for a very long while and even though we have made a couple of changes. Wayne Hunter has been on the team for awhile now and I think we also tried some things differently last year than in years prior, so I really don’t feel there is a big worry there or it’s a big fear. I think that if we didn’t do as well as a unit than so be it, but I think we are still a strong unit and I think we have done some marvelous things and this is the same unit that has gone to the AFC Championship game twice in a row and this is the same unit that lead the league in rushing, so I don’t really feel that…if you are going to attack the unit don’t leave out the good things we have done as well. I have total confidence in everything we can do and there’s no reason why we can’t compete and have success in the future.â€
How about a guy like you being a vocal leader in the Jets locker room?
“It’s interesting. I don’t always consider myself to be a vocal guy. I am more of a guy that I hope my actions demonstrate the things that I would want people to follow, but like I said I think people naturally gravitate towards guys that they think are genuine and have those types of qualities that they want to follow, so we’ll see. I try to do what I can. If people feel like it is worthy of following then I think that’s awesome. If not that is fine too because there is a lot of guys…I think Mark [Sanchez] is a great leader. I follow Mark. Any guy who can play that quarterback role has to be strong and I think he demonstrates a lot of great qualities and there’s a lot of guys in that locker room. Sometimes young guys too have that natural leadership skill. I think it’s cool the fact that we’re in this position now where guys do have to step up whether it be myself or other guys who have been in the league because that is the only way this team is going to continue to grow.â€
Listen to D’Brickashaw Ferguson on 660 WFAN in New York here
Tags: 660 WFAN in New York, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Joe and Evan, Mark Sanchez, New York Jets, NFL, Tim Tebow
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