On the first day of padded practice, the New York Jets offense dealt with plenty of adversity and struggles
Real football is (sort of) back!
On Monday morning, the New York Jets had their first padded practice of the 2024 edition of training camp. It was another step toward the regular season that gave a look into where each unit on the team is currently at.
As for Monday’s final verdict? The defense won by a decent margin, and the offense… well, the offense had some issues. There were also some impressive individual plays and some insight into how the new kickoff rules will play out for the Jets.
Overall, it was another eventful day for the team and another step in building the foundation for 2024.
The offensive machine fails to fully start its engine
When it comes to padded practices, it is good to have a baseline to build off of. Things can only go up after Monday’s practice for the Jets’ offense.
The overall unit struggled massively to move the ball and make plays. Most running plays were stopped in their tracks as the defensive line closed holes and swarmed the ball with the linebackers. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was uncharacteristically inaccurate on a few throws, with a miss to Malik Taylor over the middle of the field being his main error.
Aaron Rodgers followed it up with a pass over Malik Taylor’s head.
Rodgers hasn’t been particularly accurate today either. https://t.co/6dTMAmSRff
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) July 29, 2024
Allen Lazard’s bad drop resulted in a Chuck Clark interception, and most receivers struggled to create separation.
First play of #Jets 11v11 teams is a nice looking Breece rush with Ruckert playing a key part in the scheme. Did his job nicely.
Second play is a Clark INT. Ball wasn’t perfect (high), but it didn’t get on the WR quick enough to excuse it. Lazard with the tough drop, pops in…
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) July 29, 2024
However, the worst issue of the day was the snaps of center Joe Tippmann. After starting the day strong, the second-year lineman repeatedly misfired high to the veteran quarterback. Some snaps were almost at the point of going over the quarterback’s head, while others ultimately killed any chance of Rodgers having a positive play.
Additionally, it appeared either Tippmann or guard John Simpson stepped on Rodgers’s foot during a play, leading the quarterback to be furious with the offense.
After a bad/high shotgun snap (Tippmann), Aaron Rodgers goes down after taking the under-center snap (the dreaded “OL stepping on the QB’s foot” play). AR gets up HOT, guilty frustrated, as hey, that’s close to the Achilles. Couldn’t tell if it was the center or LG whose foot was…
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) July 29, 2024
There were some offensive positives during the day. Garrett Wilson continues to be Garrett Wilson, as he had a great catch to beat D.J. Reed on what was one of the best offensive plays of the day. Breece Hall had a good run early in practice, while Braelon Allen (more on him later in the article) continued to impress, having the best run of the day for the Jets.
another day, another @GarrettWilson_V highlight 😁 pic.twitter.com/cEnS89KCtC
— New York Jets (@nyjets) July 29, 2024
Isaiah Davis and Tarik Cohen had their flashes, while Malachi Corley looked as advertised with the ball in his hands. Jeremey Ruckert and Tyler Conklin looked comfortable and smooth running routes and catching passes. The offensive line, while they got beat a few times, did not get blown away in the face of the swarming defensive line.
On the whole, though, the offensive unit has much room to improve. Tippmann’s snaps have to be better, while the receivers and offensive linemen must keep mistakes and miscues at a minimum.
The great part about having a bad practice in July, though, is that there is plenty of time to make things right. There is no need to panic just yet, and the Jets have the right leader in place to correct the course.
Defense shows its depth
On the other hand, the Jets’ defense made sure to prove that they are a talented and deep unit at almost every position.
The defensive line was pushing the pocket during almost every passing rep, regardless of who was in for the play. Quinnen Williams and Javon Kinlaw stood out on the first team, with their power and speed in attacking the interior. UDFAs Eric Watts and Braiden McGregor got to the quarterback quickly with the third unit.
Braden McGregor gets to the QB to end practice, as his defensive teammates rally around him with excitement.
Offense is forced to do pushups to close out the #Jets’ first full-pad session of the summer.
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) July 29, 2024
Behind the defensive line, the linebackers were all flying around. Jamien Sherwood continued his great start to the summer, specifically when he flew downhill to make a run stop. Quincy Williams looked like a bullet rushing the pass, flying toward Rodgers on one snap. Even Sam Eguavoen stood out, showing burst and explosiveness to get toward the quarterback.
Nothing on defense would have worked without the coverage, though. The secondary, outside of a few big offensive plays, was sticky.
Michael Carter II had a great pass breakup in the slot, while Qwan’tez Stiggers kept his good summer rolling with good coverage on Jason Brownlee. Jarrick Bernard-Converse had another leaping pass breakup deep down the field while Chuck Clark racked up his first interception of the summer. Brandon Codrington had his best day of the summer, contributing to the run stuffing and pass coverage.
Depth is critical at the NFL level. If the Jets’ defensive depth performs this well in all three phases of the game, they are in a great position to be a top-five unit once again.
Agent Zero continues to impress
As promised, Agent Zero himself gets a separate section.
Braelon Allen continued his excellent start to camp by looking like one of the best offensive players on the field Monday. He had the best run of the day, slipping between tacklers and racing down the sideline.
Braelon Allen is FAST for such a big man 💨@BraelonAllen– RB2 season 🔥#Jets | 🎥 @nyjets pic.twitter.com/G9ksdBakpr
— Harrison Glaser (@NYJetsTFMedia) July 29, 2024
Even more impressive was his running style on the first day of padded practice. As safety Tony Adams came up to make a tackle, Allen flattened him with a truck stick, inciting a reaction from both the defense and the offense.
The Wisconsin product continues to impress. He looks smooth and graceful as a runner, easily sifting through holes and lanes. His contact balance is also impressive; he does not get pushed over by most defenders. In the receiving game, Allen’s routes are crisp, and he can transition to a runner without any wasted movement.
Whether or not Allen is RB2 for the Jets is no longer a question. Instead, the question is how much Allen can contribute immediately to the team in 2024.
Special teams observation
The Jets practiced the new kickoff rules for the first time on Monday. And as many have echoed, the play will no longer be the same.
The play is akin to a normal running play. Hats are on hats, or in other words, players are blocking each other directly. The “scheme” of the play can change, but the overall result is mainly the same.
As a result of this change, a different type of returner is needed. A simple speed and athleticism player may no longer suffice if they cannot read blocks. Players need to be able to read holes, attack them correctly, and make defenders miss in the process.
Do not be surprised if the primary returners in the preseason are players like Malachi Corley, Tarik Cohen, Xavier Gipson, and Israel Abanikanda. Based on what is needed for the new kickoff return rules, they are like the team’s best options when considering other players’ statuses on the depth chart.
Other notes
- Tyron Smith is a joy to watch in pass protection. An absolute natural and possesses impeccable technique.
- It’s always interesting to watch how the drills change throughout camp. With the pads on, more contact drills occur, pushing the pace even higher.
- Bernard-Converse and Stiggers seem the most likely to benefit from Brandin Echols’s absence. Codrington has also started to get some reps.
- Accountability has been a big focus for the team. I am interested in seeing how it is applied in preseason games and the regular season.
- The Jets offense looks to be much more modern this season.
- Expect Corley on the field immediately. Even if it’s not a big role, the team will have some select plays for him.
- ’90s rap is the best, and the Jets playlist had plenty of it. The vibes were great once again.
Reddick update
Head coach Robert Saleh said that, in accordance with the CBA, edge rusher Haason Reddick is “subject to an additional fine” for missing practice. Saleh added that he does not know the Jets’ “choice” regarding Reddick’s additional fine. He also said he “won’t ever be concerned” about Reddick’s status.
Quote of the Day
“So much of it is just trying to see the game through through Aaron’s eyes, right? And that’s kind of impossible because he’s kind of like the Oppenheimer of football.” – Tyler Conklin, when speaking about channeling Rodgers’s previous success with Robert Tonyan
