Monday, July 15, 2013

Aaron Berry: Jets' secondary jobs 'up for grabs'

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Now is as good a time as any for defensive back Aaron Berry to be preparing for his first training camp with the New York Jets.

Gang Green's defense, from a personnel standpoint, is in a major transition. Along with a shakeup in the front-seven, the Jets will have three new starters in their four secondary positions.

"Everything is up for grabs," Berry recently told Conor Orr of The Star-Ledger.

Antonio Cromarie is the team's bonafide No. 1 cornerback, and first-rounder Dee Milliner will get every chance to start opposite Cro. With the departure of veteran safeties LaRon Landry and Yeremiah Bell, Landry's brother Dawan will start next to either Josh Bush or Antonio Allen, and Kyle Wilson is the favorite for the nickel corner job.

That doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room for Berry, but there is still an outside chance that he throws a grenade into the mix with a stellar training camp.

 "You can't go into it thinking anyone has a solidified position you just have to go out there and play your game," Berry said. "You have to control the things you can control. Once you start worrying about all the other things, that's when you can't play your game."

Berry signed with the Jets at the beginning of last October and was placed on injured reserve at the end of December.

The now fourth-year DB hasn't done a whole lot since entering the league as an undrafted free agent with the Detroit Lions. His most notable season was an 11-game campaign in 2011 in which he tallied 31 tackles and 11 passes defensed. He grabbed his lone career interception in 2010 -- his rookie season that saw his play in just one game.

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