NFL Nation

          Did old questions about Jets WR Jeremy Kerley resurface with new staff?

          Your questions, my answers on the New York Jets:

          @RichCimini: You may recall that, in 2012, Rex Ryan called out Kerley, expressing disappointment in his off-season work habits. Ryan rarely criticized his players publicly, so you know he had to be ticked off. Did it happen again with the new coaching staff? Very possible. Remember, Kerley suffered an Achilles' injury in the spring, causing him to miss time. Maybe the new staff felt he was coasting after signing a new contract last fall. That, coupled with the addition of second-round pick Devin Smith, hurt Kerley's standing. We all know that Smith busted his ribs at the start of camp, but it was Quincy Enunwa -- not Kerley -- who jumped into the No. 3 role. It's weird because general manager Mike Maccagnan sounded high on Kerley in early April, offering unsolicited praise. "I'm kind of excited to see him get a few more reps than he got last year in terms of his playing time," Maccagnan said at the time. Evidently, their opinion of Kerley has changed. From a football standpoint, Todd Bowles likes the idea of having a big body (Enunwa) as the No. 3. He's a better blocker than Kerley. Personally, I like Kerley. He's a gamer. He's a more polished receiver than Enunwa.

          @RichCimini: Yes, I think there might be some concern about Flynn. Mostly, it's a timing thing. He still hasn't practiced and they play again in five days -- the final preseason game, against the Philadelphia Eagles. Johnson became available at an odd time -- a week before the first cutdown date -- and I think the Jets felt it was an opportunity to add another experienced arm. Rookie Jake Heaps was just taking up a roster spot, so why not swap them out? There was no downside.

          @RichCimini Actually, it's Mettenberger, but we're not going to let an "er" get in the way of a legitimate question. The answer is no, the Jets won't make a run at Zach Mettenberger. First of all, I don't think the Tennessee Titans have any interest in trading him. Marcus Mariota is the present and the future, but you always need insurance behind a rookie. The Jets will go through this season with Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith, with Matt Flynn (or Josh Johnson) as the emergency backup until Smith is healthy. Acquiring a player of Mettenberger's ilk -- a young, unproven player with some upside -- is a "for-the-future" move. That kind of move will take place after the season, if at all.

          @RichCimini: Based on Fitzpatrick's career rates, his touchdown-interception ratio projects to 21-18 (based on 500 attempts). Obviously, that won't be good enough. There's always the chance he can improve, considering his familiarity with Chan Gailey's system, his maturity as a player and the support of a potentially strong defense. He's never had a top-10 defense. That said, I think Geno Smith has more potential in this offense. He has a better arm than Fitzpatrick, and he can get the ball to areas of the field that Fitzpatrick can't. Above the shoulders, Fitzpatrick gets the edge. It's a fascinating situation. Of course it will get messy, because it always gets messy with the Jets.

          @RichCimini: You're right, the starting unit is set. I'd say the top backups are Ben Ijalana, Brian Winters, Wesley Johnson and Brent Qvale. Oday Aboushi is in serious jeopardy of getting cut. Rookie Jarvis Harrison isn't one of the top nine, but he could make it because he's a draft pick.

          @RichCimini: I'll give you three: Cornerback Marcus Williams, linebacker Trevor Reilly and safety Rontez Miles.

          @RichCimini: Only 30? You're not old enough to know real suffering.