Dee Milliner didn't have a great Saturday night.
The rookie cornerback struggled against the Jacksonville Jaguars, lacking aggressiveness and allowing too much space in man coverage in the Jets' 37-13 win.
Struggles are expected for any rookie, but Milliner is contending with the shadow of Darrelle Revis. It adds another layer of pressure for the ninth overall pick in April's draft.
"For him it's a learning experience," said Antonio Cromartie, who is expected to start across from Milliner in Week 1. "For this game, it's the second preseason game for him and we expect more from him than we saw tonight.
"That's something that he needs to learn from and he has to come out with a great attitude and get ready for the next week when we get ready to play guys like Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz (against the New York Giants)."
Frankly, it's a bit surprising to hear Cromartie get on Milliner publicly. But Cromartie is now the leader of that secondary. If he feels Milliner should be called out, he has that authority.
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"When we call on him, I want him to get up there. Let's go. Let's play. We were off a little too much, and it's not as if you game plan them like crazy, but give them credit."
Cromartie is the one being asked to fill Revis' shoes in the secondary, but Milliner is going to draw comparisons anyway. The pressure is high for any first-rounder, but there's an extra element involved here. Milliner is on notice.
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