For now anyway Authentic Korey Toomer Jersey , Jamar Taylor seems the odds-on favorite to win the cornerback job opposite Patrick Peterson, a chore that’s loaded with action since that’s the direction most opponents decide to throw.
Last week, the Arizona Cardinals sent a 2020 sixth-round draft pick to Cleveland in exchange for Taylor, who started 29 games for the Browns the past two seasons.
”It means another opportunity,” Taylor said after he practiced Wednesday, the second day of the Cardinals’ voluntary workouts this week. ”Obviously, they (the Browns) didn’t have me in their plans up there. It is what it is. I felt like I did what I needed to do up there as far as help change the culture. I was very loyal to the Browns, but letting me go, it definitely puts another fire in my gut to come out here and ball out.”
First-year coach Steve Wilks said Taylor might be the leading candidate but he has to earn the job.
”I think when you look at what he’s done on paper, I think you can say that,” Wilks said, ”but once we get out on the field, it’s a clean slate for everybody.”
Taylor said he understands that.
”I’ve always got 100 percent confidence in myself,” he said. ”But at the same time www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-su_a-cravens-jersey , you’ve got to put the work in. You can’t just come in here and be like oh, you’re going to be the guy. There’s a ton of guys in here that are really good. I’ve been watching the last couple of days. I just have to come in here and make sure I’m doing my job so I get that opportunity.”
The Cardinals think highly enough of Taylor that they released another veteran cornerback, Marcus Williams, on Monday.
Wilks is known for his work with cornerbacks. He was cornerbacks coach of the Carolina Panthers before being promoted to defensive coordinator there last season.
”I’m excited,” Taylor said. ”I’ve watched his defenses a lot. I’m a big film guy. Just seeing him when he was with Carolina, knowing him when he was with San Diego. I had some old friends that played for him. I’ve heard what type of coach he is and then seeing out there the past couple of days, it’s amazing. This whole organization is a great organization.”
Asked what he thinks of Taylor, Wilks said, ”When you look at him over the time, particularly a couple of years ago when he had his best season on the other side of (Joe) Haden, to make plays on the ball, extremely smart. He’s physical and I love the way he tackles. We take a lot of pride in that, of course I do, in making sure our cornerbacks tackle.”
Taylor’s three career interceptions came in that 2016 season opposite the longtime standout Haden and he said he welcomes the challenge of playing opposite Peterson.
”It’s just more plays for whoever’s over there Authentic Fernando Rodney Jersey ,” Taylor said. ”More plays, that’s how you’ve got to look at it. More opportunities for you to get picks. When I went to Cleveland, I played opposite Joe Haden. That meant more plays that year. I made a lot of plays on the ball. Playing opposite from a guy like Pat, it’s a huge deal, you’ve got to hold your own.”
The Browns went 1-31 in Taylor’s two seasons there, but the losing didn’t wear him down, he said.
”I’ve always felt like I was a winner,” he said. ”I rarely lost in high school, didn’t really lose in college. My mindset was just worry about what I can do on the field. If that meant staying late and making sure I had my job right, that’s what it meant. I just always tried to keep the other guys together, because in the NFL you could win or lose by three points, two points, one point. Every Sunday is different.”
Taylor, and especially his wife Mackenzie Jamal Adams Jersey Youth , are happy to be moving out West. She grew up in suburban Phoenix. He was a second-round draft choice by the Dolphins out of Boise State in 2013.
”She’s more of a topic than I am,” he said. ”We’re both excited. I’ve been waiting to play on the West Coast my whole career. I went to Miami and all the way north to Cleveland. So I’m happy to be kind of close to home. I know she’s happy to be around her family. We’re going to definitely have way more support at games now.”
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Minnesota Wild forward Eric Staal got right to the point.
”It couldn’t have gone any worse at the start for us, and it couldn’t have gone any better for them,” Staal said. ”They got the momentum and ran with it, especially early.”
Jacob Trouba, Bryan Little, Brandon Tanev and Joel Armia scored in the first 11:59 to chase Minnesota goalie Devan Dubynk and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Wild 5-0 on Friday night to win a playoff series for the first time in franchise history.
Winnipeg will face the winner of the Nashville-Colorado series in the second round. Colorado beat Nashville 2-1 later Friday night to force Game 6.
Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for his second shutout of the series, and Mark Scheifele added a goal in the third to help the Jets finish off the Wild in five games.
”I guess I did my job, right?” Hellebucyk said with a chuckle. ”I didn’t let any in. … I thought the team was great in front of me. The guys’ details are fantastic. Any time you can get that many (goals) in the first period, that kind of sinks the other team, especially deep in a series like this. They definitely got this one early.”
The 30-year-old Little joined the Jets franchise in 2007-08 when it was based in Atlanta.
”Playing in Atlanta, I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to experience playing on a team like this and playing in a city like this, where hockey is loved this much,” said Little Rashaad Penny Youth Jersey , who tipped in a goal. ”I just feel lucky to be a part of it.”
The white-clad crowd of 15,321 at Bell MTS Place stood and began cheering and waving white towels with just over two minutes remaining. A similar-size crowd was outside watching on giant screens at a ”whiteout” street party.
”It’s a tough building. They’re a dangerous team. They get a quick one, and the building gets into it,” Dubnyk said. ”A couple deflections, and you can see that’s how a game can kind of run away from you.”
Winnipeg’s previous post-season appearance was a sweep by Anaheim in 2015. The franchise moved from Atlanta in 2011. The Thrashers started in 1999-2000, with their only playoff series ending in four straight losses to the New York Rangers in 2007. The series came 31 years after the original Jets last won a series before the team moved to Arizona.
The Jets attacked the Wild quickly, scoring four goals on their first 10 shots.
Trouba scored 31 seconds in, and Little, Tanev and Armia followed quickly.
”Ultimately, the game was lost in the first period,” Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. ”You have two periods of hockey left and stranger things have happened. For us it was more about trying to right the ship and get to our game. I think for stretches there we did a bit. We just couldn’t get the one to go in to get things sparked.”
Alex Stalock stopped 15 of the 16 shots in relief of Dubynk.
Scheifele scored his fourth goal of the series 32 seconds into the third with a one-timer on the power play.
NOTES: Humboldt Broncos player Matthieu Gomercic was in attendance for the game. He was given a standing ovation when introduced and shown on the scoreboard. … The Wild were making their sixth straight appearance in the postseason. They only got as far as the second round in 2014 and `15, when Chicago knocked them out both years.
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