The summer is a time on the NFL calendar to think about what might be, especially for those who came into the league a while back with high expectations.
Jets tight end Jace Amaro, a former second round pick who survived an interesting feud with former head coach Rex Ryan before injuring his shoulder this past preseason, costing him the entire year, counts as one of those players.
"This is a big year for me, especially with the way we played last year as a collective group of tight ends," he said this week, via NJ.com. "It's a big year for all of us. I know that we plan on getting more involved this season. I plan on getting involved a lot this season. It takes a lot of practice, catching the ball, getting open. And I think that's one of the things that I can do extremely well."
Amaro, who came out of Texas Tech following a junior season where he caught 106 balls for 1,352 yards and seven touchdowns, has fewer than 400 receiving yards over 14 NFL games.
The team seems prepared to give him a chance to live up to the hype. After cutting long time tight end Jeff Cumberland, Amaro seems primed for a bulk of the targets this year. It's an interesting situation not unfamiliar to teams like Cleveland and Tennessee who are starting anew after following a general manager with a less than desirable drafting track record. The new brain trust is hoping a player drafted by the old -- who the new GM might not have drafted in the first place -- can end up fulfilling his promise.
The Jets could already have a hard enough time adjusting to an offense that may or may not be piloted by Ryan Fitzpatrick this season. Crossing their fingers on a tight end adds an additional layer of stress.
