The New York Jets are finally facing a different opponent.
After almost two full weeks of padded practices, the team will welcome the Washington Commanders to Florham Park for what promises to be an intense joint practice. The teams will then meet on Saturday for each of their first preseason games.
There are plenty of obvious matchups that fans will want to watch, such as Garrett Wilson going up against the Commanders’ secondary or how the secondary looks against Washington’s skilled wideouts.
However, there are some fun and interesting aspects that are flying under the radar. This article will aim to highlight those things so that you will be the most prepared starting on Thursday morning.
Evaluating the Jets’ linebacker room
Among the Jets’ defensive units, the defensive line and secondary will likely garner the most discussion heading into the joint practice and preseason game against Washington.
Many people, and rightfully so, will want to see how the Jets’ defensive line battles against Washington’s offensive line, or how Sauce Garnder, Qwan’tez Stiggers, and the rest of the secondary cover a talented Commanders wideout room.
However, the linebackers should be monitored closely, specifically the depth options.
Starters C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams are already NFL mainstays; fans should expect to see top-tier performances from both of them. The interest should surround Jamien Sherwood, Zaire Barnes, Chazz Surratt, and Sam Eguavoen.
Sherwood has been the best of the bunch, locking down receivers and swarming downhill in the running game. Barnes has not been far behind him, looking like a missile flying around the field. He had one of the biggest tackles of camp with his hit on Izzy Abanikanda. Surratt and Eguavoen have also looked the part, each providing decent coverage and becoming heat-seeking missiles downhill.
Facing Washington, who offers some interesting personnel at slot receiver, tight end, and running back, will be a new kind of test. Keep an eye on this group’s consistency. If they can stay productive against Washington, it will show that the linebacker room is extremely deep. If they falter, it may show that they have not improved as much as believed.
Wide receiver musical chairs
The Jets need to see where their room stands behind Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams, who was recently activated off the PUP list. This should mean that Malachi Corley, Xavier Gipson, and Allen Lazard will see plenty of reps.
Corley should be monitored for his usage and ability to separate against a different team; depending on his progress in this regard, he could start to see more work on the first team. Gipson needs to show if he’s improved his route running and if he is reliable enough as a separator. Lazard must prove that he can return to being a reliable red-zone and situational threat for Rodgers.
In addition to those three, Jason Brownlee needs to show that he has taken steps to improve his separation and contested catch skills. The other depth options, such as Malik Taylor, Irvin Charles, Tyler Harrell, and Isaiah Winstead, must find ways to stand out and prove they belong on the 53-man roster.
Beyond the top two spots, the Jets’ wide receiver unit remains up in the air. Depending on who capitalizes on their opportunities against Washington, there could be some shifts in how the pecking order is perceived.
Diamonds in the rough in the trenches
In both the offensive and defensive trenches, keep an eye on some possible diamonds in the rough.
Potential defensive gems are highlighted by Eric Watts, Braiden McGregor, and Takk McKinley. These three players have displayed the most upside among the bubble players. Going up against another team, they will have a chance to prove if they should challenge for a roster spot or be relegated.
On offense, keep an eye on Kohl Levao as a possible find for New York. Signed out of the UFL, Levao has shown some nice anchors in pass-protection reps and has flashed in the running game. For a unit seeking out interior depth, Levao might be the exact piece New York was looking for.
Running backs getting to roll
Specifically for the preseason game, keep an eye on how the running backs look with full contact.
Braelon Allen could get the chance to show off his skills in a live-game format, meaning that fans should watch to see how much of his success in practice translates to the field. The same can be said for Isaiah Davis, who has seemingly solidified himself as the team’s RB3.
Behind Davis and Allen, the battle for a possible RB4 should provide clarity on Izzy Abanikanda’s roster status. The former University of Pittsburgh running back has to stave off Xazavian Valladay and the recently signed Deon Jackson. Valladay has arguably looked better than Abanikanda.
Izzy needs to truly get busy in the preseason to prove that he can make an impact on the Jets. Otherwise, he is seemingly in danger of losing his spot on his hometown team.
Hints toward the future of the Jets’ offense
Outside of specific player storylines, keep an eye on possible hints toward the Jets’ 2024 scheme.
New York is unlikely to reveal anything significant, but the team’s personnel and player usage may dictate how the offense will look in Week 1.
Is Corley getting more touches? Is Allen sharing the field with Breece? Where is Garrett lining up in the formation? The answers to these questions will not provide concrete answers, but they could create a blueprint for how the Jets plan to win games in 2024.
