Stephen Hill Loses Starting Spot

Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Monday, New York Jets head coach, Rex Ryan, said that he was considering removing wide receiver Stephen Hill’s starting role. The consideration soon took action as Hill was informed yesterday by wide receiver coach, Sanjay Lal, that he would be losing reps. Hill said this in response:

I just got note of it today, that some would be cut down. Hey, look, I have nothing to feel about it. That’s big man’s decisions. I just have to do what I do every day, come out here and play hard.

The last time Hill caught a pass was week eight against the Cincinnati Bengals. Hill was drafted in the second round of the 2012 draft by the Jets and has turned into a project. This can’t be what the Jets were expecting. Ryan, who is normally slow to criticize players, had this to say about Hill:

I’ve been disappointed, there’s no doubt because we all see the potential that this young man has. By now I think we’re all expecting, Jets fans are all expecting him to take the next step and for whatever reason, it hasn’t been there yet. It doesn’t mean we’re giving up on the young man, but we want to see it.

This isn’t all that surprising. Hill has become known to drop the ball and hasn’t been able to fix that problem. Why would Geno Smith throw it to him if he can’t trust Hill to catch the ball? I agree that he has potential, but a big part of being a receiver is catching the balls thrown to you, and right now he isn’t doing that.