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Calvin Pryor takes shot at former Jets coach Rex Ryan

By Jerry Beach, The Sports Xchange
Calvin Pryor of the Louisville Cardinals stands with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after the New York Jets select him with the #18 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on May 8, 2014. UPI /John Angelillo
Calvin Pryor of the Louisville Cardinals stands with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after the New York Jets select him with the #18 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on May 8, 2014. UPI /John Angelillo | License Photo

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- As it turns out, at least one New York Jets player was willing to return fire at Rex Ryan.

Second-year safety Calvin Pryor filled up notebooks all day Tuesday, first with a mocking Tweet directed at Ryan and then during conversation in the locker room.

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At 10:58 a.m. Tuesday, shortly after Ryan took the podium in Buffalo wearing a Clemson helmet - Ryan's son is a walk-on receiver for the top-ranked Clemson football team - Pryor Tweeted, "The guy does anything for attention" with a snoring emoji.

Because this is a world of instant information, Ryan was asked about the Tweet before his press conference even concluded. Ryan agreed with Pryor but, in true Ryan fashion, added a jab.

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"He's mad because Clemson put it on Louisville again this year," Ryan said.

Pryor is a Louisville grad. Clemson beat Louisville, 20-17, on Sept. 17.

As it turns out, Pryor wasn't mad about Ryan sporting a Clemson helmet, and in fact didn't even know he was wearing one. Hours later, Pryor said he Tweeted in response to learning the news that Ryan named ex-Jets linebacker IK Enemkpali a team captain for Thursday.

Enemkpali, of course, was released by the Jets on Aug. 11, the day he slugged quarterback Geno Smith in the locker room. Pryor on Tuesday called Ryan's selection of Enemkpali as a captain "kind of disrespectful.

"You had a guy who was once here who hit a teammate," Pryor said. "To make him a captain going into this game - if you're going to make him a captain, just make him a captain. You don't have to announce it on Monday for the whole world to know."

Pryor then doubled down when he was asked if Ryan could have done anything different as the Jets' head coach.

"Could have played guys in the right position," said Pryor, who was moved from his natural strong safety to free safety by Ryan as a rookie last year.

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Pryor went on to say he believed Ryan was an "outstanding coach, defensive-wise." But how about as a head coach?

"No comment on that," Pryor said.

--The Jets found their new kicker on Tuesday, when Randy Bullock signed a deal for the remainder of the season. Bullock emerged during a tryout Monday that included Kyle Brindza, Billy Cundiff and Garrett Hartley.

Bullock began the season with the Houston Texans, for whom he served as kicker in 2013 and 2014, but missed a field goal and an extra-point attempt on Sept. 27 and was released two days later.

Nick Folk, who suffered a right quad injury while warming up for Sunday's 28-23 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, was placed on injured reserve. Head coach Todd Bowles said Folk's injury was worse than initially believed and that he'd miss up to eight weeks, which made it almost impossible to keep him on the active roster.

This marks the first time the Jets have had to use two kickers in a season since 2008, when incumbent Mike Nugent suffered a season-ending thigh injury in the opener and was replaced by Jay Feely.

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--Cornerback Dee Milliner (wrist) will find out Wednesday if he will play this season. Milliner was placed on injured reserve/designated to return on Sept. 5, which meant he was ineligible to play in the first eight weeks of the season. But he must be activated by 4 p.m. Wednesday or else he cannot play at all this year. Head coach Todd Bowles may have provided a hint about Milliner's immediate future Tuesday when he said Milliner is not an option to play safety for the Jets, who are down to their third-string strong safety. Due to a variety of injuries, Milliner has played in just 16 out of a possible 40 NFL games since being selected in the first round of the 2013 draft.

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