As far as team debuts go, Adonai Mitchell’s first game as a member of the New York Jets was inconsistent, to put it kindly.
While the former second-round wide receiver of the Indianapolis Colts repeatedly got open throughout New York’s 27-14 loss last Thursday, he finished with just one catch for 10 yards on six targets.
He also had several drops, including one on a potential 40-yard attempt, and another that would have put the Jets in the red zone.
After some clear struggles in his first game with his new team, though, Mitchell still believes he has plenty to offer, and the Jets’ offensive staff is in agreement.
Mitchell’s next opportunity
Mitchell was a highly debated prospect the moment the Colts threw him in as part of the deal that sent two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis. Jets fans hoped that the wideout would be able to make a positive impact with the change of scenery.
That didn’t happen last week in New England.
Despite the consistent drops, Mitchell has integrated himself well with his fellow teammates and the coaching staff. So much so that offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand praised the young wideout, along with fellow newcomer John Metchie III, for being ready to play early while learning the playbook.
“I think they’ve done a tremendous job, both of them, coming in and absorbing the gameplans,” Engstrand said. “They’ll continue to get better. I’m really impressed with both of those players right now, both of them.”
Engstrand offered particular praise to Mitchell as a person.
“I’ll just first start as AD, Adonai as the person, he’s awesome. He’s been phenomenal so far. [I] just like being around him,” said the Jets’ first-year offensive coordinator. “He’s got great energy, he’s got a great attitude. To me, that’s where it starts. When I see him, I think he’s one of us.”
While Engstrand acknowledged Mitchell’s drops in Foxborough, the first-year OC was more focused on the newcomer’s separation.
“If you want to watch his performance last week, I [get] it. The drops … that happens occasionally. But what I see there is separation. I see separation, and to me, that gets me fired up. That gets me excited about that player and where he’s going to go. We haven’t even seen it. We haven’t even scratched the surface with that guy, and we’re excited about where he’s going to go.”
Understanding AD Mitchell's intriguing ceiling (Film Breakdown)For an offense that ranks last in passing yards, though, Mitchell knows that separation alone won’t cut it. He needs to secure the ball moving forward.
With a quarterback change coming, though, integrating new wideouts will become even tougher for the Jets.
Lucky for them, though, Mitchell has been in this situation before.
QB controversies breed excellence
Speaking to Jets X-Factor after practice on Thursday, Mitchell made it clear that he wasn’t worried about which quarterback would be leading the team in Week 12; he, as a receiver, still had a job to do.
“This happened in my first year playing with two different quarterbacks,” Mitchell said. “We just watch as much film and get in as much extra work as we can to smooth out the wrinkles.”
Catching the football will be the first priority for the second-year wideout. After practice on Thursday, Mitchell was seen staying on the field to make sure his drops wouldn’t be an issue again.
“The coaches are helping me out,” Mitchell said. “As far as getting extra work in, putting that work with the quarterback, it’s been pretty smooth coming in.”
Mitchell believes he can make a strong impact on the Jets roster. In order to keep his NFL hopes alive, he has seven more games to prove his abilities can be put together for the betterment of a struggling offense.
