Jets’ Al Woods ready to get ‘nasty’ in new defensive role: ‘Looks like fun’

Al Woods is able to assault. 

Which may sound scary when you think about Woods is 6-foot-4 and 330 kilos, however the Jets’ defensive sort out has been ready to play in a protection just like the Jets’.

After years of taking part in in a 3-4 scheme the place he was requested to occupy blockers to release linebackers, Woods will now be turned unfastened within the Jets’ attacking scheme. 

“I simply wished to do one thing totally different,” Woods stated just lately of his resolution to signal with the Jets. “I’ve been in a 3-4 for a very long time. I used to be simply bored with catching and studying.

“I might stand on the sideline and watch different groups play and I’m like, ‘Rattling, I need to play like that.’ That [stuff] seems to be like enjoyable.” 

It’s a departure for Woods to play in a 4-3 and it’s totally different for Robert Saleh to have such an enormous man in the course of his protection.

Saleh prefers fast defensive linemen, which often means smaller gamers. 

The Jets wanted somebody to exchange Sheldon Rankins and Nathan Shepherd within the center subsequent to Quinnen Williams.

Woods and his good buddy Quinton Jefferson would be the ones splitting the duties. 

“I’ll communicate for me, simply going out of our consolation zone a bit of bit,” Saleh stated. “You guys know me by now, I choose them a bit of bit small, quick, I take velocity over dimension daily. However in his previous, he’s proven he can [play fast.] And the best way he takes care of his physique and the place he’s at this stage of his profession, he’s by no means actually had an opportunity to do it, however you’ll be able to see in his foot velocity on tape that he has the power.

“And now it’s only a matter of him getting used to as [defensive line coach Aaron] Whitecotton would say, ‘Take the seat belt off and let’s roll,’ so I’m actually excited to see how significantly better he will get as coaching camp goes.” 

Woods has had moments in coaching camp when he has burst by the road and blown up performs.

He strikes nicely for a person of his dimension and he’s determining life within the Jets protection after taking part in for the Seahawks final 12 months. 

“It’s a special model,” Woods stated. “That is extra of successful you within the face, let’s get nasty, let’s get dirty. I like that.

“Different groups I’ve been on have been extra catching, ensuring the linebacker is correct, which is cool too, however I like this model higher.” 

At 36, Woods believes he nonetheless has lots left within the tank.

He stated he takes it one 12 months at a time now and sits down together with his spouse after each season to determine whether or not he desires to maintain taking part in.

The Jets say his age has not proven up in any unfavorable approach in camp as he enters his thirteenth season. 

“He’s bought the vitality of a youthful participant,” defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich stated. “He comes out right here and assaults daily. Yeah, it’s going to be thrilling for him to reinvent himself in some methods. For his complete profession, which has been an extended one and an excellent one. He’s caught, he’s performed lots of 3-4 rules the place they learn offensive lineman, and he’s world class at that. 

“He’s been probably the greatest within the league that for an extended, very long time, so for him now to get a chance to place issues on his phrases a bit of bit and bounce off the ball and create some havoc, it’s going to be thrilling to see as a result of he’s an enormous, highly effective man that has extra velocity and explosion and athleticism than you assume.”