New York Jets rookies report for training camp on July 18
When New York Jets veterans report to training camp, all eyes will be on one player. While the hoopla surrounding Jets camp will be diminished from the Hard Knocks circus of 2023, the New York media will craft narratives surrounding Aaron Rodgers’ Achilles tendon.
However, there’s a lot more to watch closely in training camp — and Rodgers might not even be first on the list. Since he’s in a non-contact jersey regardless, what we saw from him in OTAs likely won’t change all that much in camp. And what we saw in OTAs was the same Rodgers from before his injury.
Here are five other storylines to watch during training camp and one to ignore.
The receiver pecking order
With Mike Williams out, it may be difficult to evaluate just how the Jets’ receiving corps will shake out. Still, it will be fascinating to see how Rodgers spreads the ball around in camp. Will Xavier Gipson maintain the flashes he showed in OTAs? Will he get most of the work with the first-team offense, or will Malachi Corley work his way up the depth chart? Can Allen Lazard slowly be phased out of the offense if he continues to drop passes and generally stinks?
How the receiving corps looks in training camp could influence whether the Jets aggressively pursue Davante Adams or Brandon Aiyuk before the season starts (although it remains to be seen if either is even available). It will also give an inkling into the floor of the Jets’ offense.
How the offensive line jells
The Jets revamped their offensive line this offseason, bringing in three new starters and a first-round backup. Offensive line play relies so heavily on chemistry, though, that it remains to be seen how the different pieces will jell. Robert Saleh eviscerated the line for their performance during training camp in 2023. While things are unlikely to get that bad, communication will be something to look out for in camp.
How Alijah Vera-Tucker looks in his return from injury is another key for the line. An underrated issue to keep an eye on is Joe Tippmann’s snap accuracy, which was generally poor throughout 2023. How much Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses practice is another storyline to monitor.
Safety usage
When the Jets indicated that Tony Adams would be a starting safety in 2023, it seemed that he would be the deep safety. However, Jordan Whitehead actually played deep significantly more often than Adams did. Robby Sabo has repeatedly indicated that Adams is at his best in the box due to his strong man coverage skills. That means Chuck Clark will likely be the primary free safety.
Clark is also known for his skills in the box more than his deep coverage, so it will be interesting to see how that works out in the Jets’ defense. Safety play has been the Jets’ biggest defensive issue over the past two seasons, so it’s worth keeping an eye on during camp.
Run defense
It will be difficult to fully evaluate run defense in camp because of the lack of tackling. Still, will Breece Hall and Co. run through the belly of the defense like a hot knife cutting butter? Past Quinnen Williams, the depth at defensive tackle is dangerously thin and poor against the run. This is perhaps the Jets’ biggest defensive concern entering 2024.
Returner competition
With the new kickoff return rules, the competition at returner is more significant than ever.
The Jets have many options, but none that are particularly exciting. With two returners deep, this could lead to some interesting roster battles. Will they put Malachi Corley back on kickoffs? Does Tarik Cohen make the team as the fourth running back and primary returner? Can Xavier Gipson defend his position considering that he seems like more of a roster lock than previously thought? Will one of the undrafted free agents (Tyler Harrell and Brandon Codrington, specifically) make a run at the position?
I doubt anyone will take a clear lead in the competition until preseason games. Gipson was not officially announced as the returner until shortly before the 2023 season.
Ignore: Haason Reddick drama
True, no one knows whether Haason Reddick will report to training camp. Yes, it will be a major distraction if he doesn’t. It certainly won’t be ideal if he holds out of camp, as we’ve seen many players who stage holdouts underachieve that season.
Still, as Robby Sabo has repeatedly pointed out, Reddick has to play. He’s trying to earn his next contract, and he ultimately has little to no leverage against the Jets. If he wants that last big deal, he must excel in 2024 and show that he’s not on the way down.
If Reddick does show up for camp (and doesn’t stage a hold-in), the drama will end right there. But even if he doesn’t show up, I wouldn’t be too concerned about it. I think the Jets will sweeten the pot on his contract at some point, but even if they don’t, he needs to play for his own sake.
Furthermore, if Reddick doesn’t show for camp, it means more first-team reps for Will McDonald. While that’s obviously not ideal for the defense as a whole, giving the second-year edge rusher more reps is a silver lining.
