The New York Jets are a few hours away from their first preseason contest of 2025 when they take on the Green Bay Packers.
The game will be special for fans, players, and coaches as it kicks off the Aaron Glenn era in Florham Park. A new regime has taken control of the Jets, and this is the first test for everyone involved.
With plenty of storylines to follow, it’s time to look at five players on the current roster who need big games to maximize their chances of earning a spot heading into the start of the regular season.
Jets preseason players to watch
As is the case with any preseason matchup, there are plenty of players who need big performances to earn a spot on the 2025 roster.
For these five players (and one honorable mention), Saturday’s performance could go a long way to showing they belong in Florham Park for the remainder of the preseason and through the regular season as well.
Allen Lazard
While Lazard’s standing on the roster may be secured due to his blocking ability and veteran leadership, he needs to be much better than he has been in training camp.
His drop percentage has been an issue throughout his time in New York, and he is at the point in his career where he may not get another chance to be a starter. So far in camp, he has done little to make a case for himself.
A strong performance on Saturday could go a long way.
Malachi Corley
Lazard isn’t the only receiver who needs a big day on Saturday.
Corley has been a non-factor in training camp. Without a role on special teams, he needs to show he can be an impactful player on offense to prove he’s worthy of a spot on the 53-man roster.
While Corley has struggled to make an impact, his size and physical play may allow him to be a better game player than practice player.
Azareye’h Thomas
While Brandon Stephens, Sauce Gardner, and even Qwan’tez Stiggers have all stood out with big plays during camp, the Jets haven’t seen as much with third-round rookie Azareye’h Thomas.
The Florida State product is considered a physical lockdown cornerback, but has struggled with speed during the first few weeks of camp. A good preseason outing could be huge for the rookie.
Jeremy Ruckert
Ruckert has really struggled through training camp to this point. He has been outplayed by both Mason Taylor and Stone Smartt. With Taylor out due to an ankle sprain, Ruckert will have an opportunity to earn a roster spot that is seeming less and less like a sure thing.
Rashad Weaver
With Jermaine Johnson not quite ready to go yet coming off his Achilles injury, Will McDonald has certainly stood out during training camp.
Who plays behind him, though, has been more of a question.
While Micheal Clemons has stood out, the Jets need to see more out of the rest of the depth along the defensive line. Rashad Weaver is probably the biggest question mark.
If Weaver can stand out during preseason action, it could be a massive step for the defensive line and their depth questions.
Honorable Mention: Justin Fields
Saturday will not be a big enough sample size to see if Justin Fields is the right man for the Jets’ starting quarterback job. It will, however, be a good test against an elite defense to see how much the quarterback has improved to this point.
Whenever Fields steps on the field this year, he will be under the microscope. Saturday will be no different.
