Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey isn’t a Devin Smith fan just yet.
Gailey gave a surprisingly downbeat assessment of the rookie wide receiver Thursday, making it clear the team doesn’t expect a big contribution from the Ohio State product anytime soon.
“He’s struggled integrating into the whole system,” Gailey said. “He did certain things in college that were in their system, and getting involved in the whole system [with the Jets] — it’s been a longer process than any of us thought it would be.
“He’s just got a lot to learn and a lot to work on to this point,” Gailey added. “He’s got talent. We obviously all see that. If he’ll just keep working, things will happen good for him in the future. But he’s just got to keep working.”
Smith, a star in college with his speed and big-play ability, barely has been a factor with the Jets since they made him the 37th overall pick in last spring’s NFL draft.
Smith’s biggest obstacle so far has been injuries. He missed time in the offseason program for family reasons, then suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung on the second day of training camp. Now, he is slowed by an ankle problem that appears likely to keep him out Sunday against the Raiders.
As a result, Smith has just six catches for 60 yards in his first four games as a pro, despite being targeted 17 times with passes from Ryan Fitzpatrick.
“If you really think about it, he might be close to the end of training camp right now [because of the injuries and absences], so he’s got some work to do,” Gailey said.
Two other problems for Smith are that Ohio State’s system didn’t call for him to learn defenses or concern himself with the entire offense, in stark contrast to the Jets.
“He’s got a lot of work to do about reading coverages and reading [the details] of man coverage,” Gailey said. “All those things are important, and he’s just never had to do that.”
But as dour as Gailey and the Jets are about Smith, it’s not as if they already have given up on him.
“You have to give him the benefit of the doubt that he’s going to get it eventually,” Gailey said.
Running back Stevan Ridley, on the Physically Unable to Perform all season while he recovers from knee surgery, might actually make his Jets debut this weekend.
The status of the former Patriot will depend on how fellow running back Bilal Powell progresses from an ankle injury, but Gailey was optimistic when talking about Ridley on Thursday.
“He looks better this week than he did last week,” Gailey said. “I think he’s more comfortable running now. He was a little ginger the first few times. He seems to be running with more confidence and doing things with more confidence. He’s looked pretty good, to me.”
Strong safety Calvin Pryor did not practice and was in a walking boot during the media period Thursday because of an ankle injury — and he said he didn’t know if he would be able to play Sunday.
Former Seahawk Dion Bailey, who gave up a crucial completion late in last week’s loss to the Patriots, would get the start against the Raiders if Pryor is unable to go.
On the plus side for the Jets, Pryor was able to walk around in the locker room after practice without a boot and with seemingly little difficulty.