From beginning his NFL career as an undrafted free agent in 2022 to being signed to the Jets active roster in 2023, special team’s gunner Irvin Charles has emerged an ace for the Green & White this season.
Charles spent most of the 2023 season playing behind Pro Bowler and special teams captain Justin Hardee after Charles was signed to the Jets’ active roster in October. Hardee, who was a free agent in the offseason (signing with Tennessee), played 79% of the Jets’ special teams snaps last season.
“I think Irv’s got as much talent as anybody in the league and I think he can be a dominate player in this league,” special teams coordinator Brant Boyer said during training camp in August. “Irv can be a dominate guy for us and he’s going to be a heavily relied on guy for us this year.”
Reliable is exactly what Charles has been on special teams this season. He has a blocked punt and has a Pro Football Focus grade of 89.9 through 13 games .
“Before you get to what you want to do, there’s this stuff that you have to do,” Charles said about his success this season. “There’s a preparation standpoint. There’s an aspect of getting everybody else ready and getting your team ready. Being able to check all the boxes and still being able to go out there and execute on flying around, confident and free. I’m in a good spot right now because I have good people, I have a good coach, I have good teammates who trust me and put me in position.”
“I really want to give credit to Boyer. He just gives me the freedom to make those plays and to take those chances. We go over the film, we go over our opponents, we do the self-scouts, we check up on everything. Between him and T-Mo [punter Thomas Morstead], they give me a lot of respect. With that respect, I feel like it’s my right to do something with it. They say, ‘Everybody just do their job. Nobody has to be Ssuperman,’ but I can’t. I want to have that kick. I like to affect the…
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