Valentine Holmes hoping to get as much pre-season time as possible for New York Jets to earn roster spot

With most of the New York Jets stars expected to take a back seat in pre-season, Aussie NFL hopeful Valentine Holmes is hoping to make a big impression, starting next week against their crosstown rivals.

Valentine Holmes has hoping to make a big impression in pre-season.

Update: They say if you can make it in New York you can make it anywhere, and Valentine Holmes is coming up on his best chance yet as he continues to try to crack the NFL.

Four years after Jarryd Hayne forced his way into the San Francisco 49ers squad on the back of some dazzling touches in the pre-season, Holmes has the same chance when the New York Jets take on the cross-town rival Giants in their first pre-seasongame next Friday.

It marks the end of a long American summer of training for Holmes, who is expected to see live snaps for the first time.

Valentine Holmes has hoping to make a big impression in pre-season.

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Because of Holmes’ move through the International Player Pathways Program, the former NRL star can occupy an extra practicesquad spot for the Jets through the entire season but won’t be eligible to play.

In layman’s terms, he’ll spend a year training – as Philadelphia lineman and former Rabbitohs prop Jordan Mailata did last year.

Hayne, who did not come through the program, forced his way on to the team through the flashes of brilliance and versatilityhe showed in the pre-season. It was one of the most impressive feats of Hayne’s athletic career and if Holmes can match it he’ll automatically be able to count his time in America as a success.

As it stands, Holmes is well down the depth chart at running back – the Jets signed former Pittsburg superstar Le’Veon Bell during free agency and also have experienced options Ty Montgomery, Elijah McGuire and Billal Powell at their disposal, aswell as second-year man Trenton Cannon.

We’re likely at least a year away from Holmes being a realistic chance of seeing regular season action, if it ever happensat all.

The learning curve from rugby league to American football is extreme – just playing in pads and a helmet takes getting used to.

Valentine Holmes gets his chance against the New York Giants next week.

“Physically, it wasn’t bad,” Holmes told the New York Post earlier this week.

“It was just more the installs and learning the plays and just being in meetings and trying to remember what we had to do with protections, runs, receiving routes and then special teams stuff, as well.

“There’s a lot of stuff to remember. There’s a lot of studying to do.

“Back home, I didn’t need to study. I kind of knew what I was doing.”

Holmes’ best chance of seeing NFL action in his first season on the gridiron is on special teams as a kick and punt returner, a role which is wide open at the Jets following the departure of Pro Bowler Andre Roberts. McGuire and wide receivers J.JJones, Jamison Crowder, Brad Dortch and Holmes have all fielded punts and kicks in training camp.

Holmes is attracting some buzz among Jets fans - he was the subject of a lengthy write up on popular fan blog Gang Green Nationand will no doubt become a cult hero, as Hayne did, if he can show at least a glimpse of his best against the Giants.

Originally published as Valentine Holmes hoping to get as much pre-season time as possible for New York Jets to earn roster spot