FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Plaxico Burress was in pads and didn’t fully participate in practice, and Derrick Mason stood on the sidelines in a grey long-sleeve shirt and shorts, but just having both here Sunday was a welcoming sign for the Jets.
Burress woke up feeling good and was given the green light to practice in pads for the first time since serving a 20-month prison sentence and participated in various individual drills. But Coach Rex Ryan didn’t allow Burress to take part in team drills, despite the receiver’s efforts.
“I tried to sneak in there,” Burress said. “Rex basically told me ‘Hey, it’s a good start, we don’t want any setbacks.’ If they wouldn’t have taken me out, I would’ve kept on going. It was my first time out there in a couple years. It just felt good to kind of get back in the groove, but Rex shut me down.”
Burress had been held out of practice since tweaking his ankle running routes last week. Before practice Sunday, Ryan said he hoped Burress would play in the Jets’ preseason opener on Monday against the Texans, and Burress expects to.
“I don’t see why not,” he said. “If they give me the nod to go, I’m definitely going to get out there. I think if anybody needs all the work they can get, it’s me.”
Burress’s first day in pads was also Mason’s first day with the club. Mason, who agreed to a two-year contract with the Jets on Saturday, flew in Sunday in time to catch the tail end of practice. He expects to practice on Monday.
Mason is likely to replace Jerricho Cotchery, who was granted his request of a release on Thursday, as the No. 3 wideout. Mason has missed only six games in 14 seasons and has started every game but two over the last eight seasons. He is a two-time Pro Bowler, was named first-team All-Pro in 2000, and has registered eight 1,000-yard seasons.
Mason said he was “blindsided” by the Baltimore Ravens’ cutting him on July 25, but the release didn’t weigh into his decision to join the Jets instead of the Ravens or the Tennessee Titans, where he also played earlier in his career. For the 37-year-old Mason, it’s all about winning as his career winds down.
“This is an opportunity,” Mason said. “I’m coming to the end of my career and I can still play a lot of good football, but I want to take every opportunity to win the Super Bowl. And for me, this was the best place to try to get that.”
Mason added, “No. 1 on my list was to win and win quickly.”
Ryan, who was the Ravens’ defensive coordinator when Mason was on the team, said he called Mason several times to give his pitch. Mason said the calls made him feel like going through the college recruiting process all over again.
Mason admitted the decision was tough on him and his children after he spent extra time with then during the lockout, but the opportunity to play for a Super Bowl contender was too good to pass up.
“When you have someone sitting across from you that understands, that knows your work and knows that you play this game and still play it at a high level, that means a lot,” Mason said. “And that’s what Coach Rex basically echoed to me.”
Burress, a fellow Michigan State product, said having the experienced Mason around would be like having another coach.
“It’s good to have Derrick around,” Burress said. “I want to learn every day. He’s a veteran guy. He’s a little older than me and I’m going to take in everything that he teaches me. We can all learn from each other from one standpoint or another.”
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