New York Jets roster to reveal important Aaron Glenn answer

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn told the world that his first training camp would feature high-paced action, an upbeat tempo, and plenty of physicality.

He didn’t lie. (Granted, the physicality piece of it is true as it relates to modern football times, but that’s neither here nor there, and I officially digress … )

The Jets sideline boss also met with Aaron Rodgers face-to-face and swiftly turned him away. One of Bill Parcells’s most trusted disciples went down the road of limited quarterback dependence and kicked the celebrity gunslinger to the curb.

Glenn instead opted for the uber-athletic Justin Fields, betting on the running-quarterback evolution Jalen Hurts’s Philadelphia Eagles pushed forth last winter.

The results and/or answer to that decision have not yet arrived. Yet, we will surely snag a glimpse when the Pittsburgh Steelers visit MetLife Stadium in Week 1.

The here and now relates to the New York Jets roster.

With the National Football League’s official cutdown day set for Tuesday, Aug. 26, at 4:00 p.m. EDT, Jets fans will learn a lot about their new ball coach.

Was August an authentic proving ground?

No matter how often general managers utter “best available player” during the NFL draft, those words never fit reality. Positional requirements, salary commitments, and unique structures make each team draft, each year, a unique situation.

The same idea applies to training camp.

Sure, Aaron Glenn could preach just how critical training camp is. He could tell his team and the media that the best performers will take home the jobs.

It just doesn’t work that way as an absolute.

The salary cap is a genuine concern for NFL front offices. While some claim the hard cap is wholly “fungible” and “workable,” that idea only applies to specific situations.

From a more general viewpoint, especially when plotting out full NFL seasons, the salary cap is the top villain. Darren Mougey re-signed Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner to get ahead of the wide receiver and cornerback markets, all with the express purpose of beating the cap.

This means that rookie contracts matter greatly, and players currently on rookie deals enjoy a built-in advantage. Conversely, those with ties to the previous regime must overcome built-in disadvantages.

Just how stringent will Aaron Glenn toe those traditional lines?

The rookie contract

Is Tyler Baron safe due to his rookie status?

After all, Baron is on a rookie contract that would cost the Jets some dead cap space. Perhaps more importantly, he is under control for the next four seasons on a more-than-reasonable contract.

Giving up on an incoming draft pick before a single season presents an interesting risk-reward proposition. Is cutting bait before a single regular-season game worth the risk of not allowing him to grow into his professional shoes?

Maybe it boils down to his competition.

Maybe not.

This is just one example of an answer Jets fans will get relatively soon.

Baron, 23, hasn’t done much this summer. In fact, labeling him as a disappointment would be more appropriate.

That does not mean he deserves automatic exclusion. But where’s the correct line between the now and later, the more deserving and carefully plotted?

Fortunately for Baron, his competition wasn’t fierce. Jermaine Johnson, Will McDonald, and Micheal Clemons are locks to make the New York Jets roster. Beyond that, it’s anybody’s best guess.

The previous regime’s guy

If a guy like wide receiver Brandon Smith can’t make an NFL roster after his performance this summer, then it’s tough to imagine who can. (No, Smith’s performance wasn’t Wayne Chrebet-perfect level, circa 1995, but you get the idea.)

Remember, Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey have no connection to Smith. The 26-year-old big-bodied wideout joined the Jets when Joe Douglas was still running things (August 2024).

UDFAs Jamaal Pritchett and Quinten Skinner—Smith’s main competition—can and should be classified as Glenn-Mougey guys. We already know that fourth-round speedster Arian Smith is a guy of this regime, but he’s a shoo-in to make the 53-man roster.

This is about the wide receiver room beyond the top four or five players. This can even be about a guy like Allen Lazard.

What about Xavier Gipson? Here’s another Douglas guy whom Glenn thought of highly when camp began.

There’s no disputing the fact that his recent injuries have made things difficult. Does Glenn hold onto any percentage of sentimentality he understood when first driving down 1 Jets Drive?

Answers are coming

How far will Aaron Glenn take the competition claim this weekend? To what level will he allow salary to factor into the equation? And how much say will he let his coaches have when the arguments get heated?

While we can’t configure black-and-white answers and questions right now, based on specific roster results to come, on this very day, we can confidently say that the initial 53-man roster will provide comprehensive insight.

For Aaron Glenn’s sake, his first New York Jets roster must authentically reflect his words—to an acceptable degree. Those who act irrationally about the inner workings of the NFL need not comment.

However, those who understand that the business side is a legitimate factor must consider Aaron Glenn’s words when evaluating the initial 53. This way, early answers about this regime’s capabilities can be realized.

It’s one thing to preach physicality; it’s another thing entirely to put it into action.

It’s one thing to preach competition; it’s another thing entirely to prove your word’s worth on cutdown day.

Hang tight, New York Jets fans; the good stuff is right around the corner.