No pads? No problem? Well, not exactly.
New York Jets minicamp exuded the familiar non-live, non-padded practice sessions that the modern National Football League showcases. Well, this is true, at least as it relates to the 2012 CBA, which cemented the stark change we’ve experienced over the last decade and a half.
Although some sessions feature a 100% movement vibe, players are never live and to the ground. Shoot, rarely are they live and to the ground in training camp these days, either.
Courtesy of that reality, gauging the trenches is extremely difficult. No. 2 overall pick David Bailey hasn’t exactly flashed, yet nobody should go crazy over such a statement. (This holds firm despite realizing no pads should give the pass-rusher an insane advantage, due to the lack of equipment the pass protector can grip.)
Nonetheless, there’s no reason to go nuts — at least not as it relates to minicamp or OTAs. (Opinions about his college tape are another matter entirely.)
At minicamp, the mental aspect of the game is the first priority, and walkthroughs are aplenty. Therefore, the skilled guys will naturally flash.
With this in mind, while also digging as deeply as possible, let’s highlight the seven most impressive New York Jets from mandatory minicamp (along with the OTAs that came first).
Notables
- Nahshon Wright (CB)
- Frank Reich (OC)
- Braelon Allen (RB)
- Arian Smith (WR)
One of the defensive newcomers most likely led the offseason in action. First-year Jets cornerback Nahshon Wright found himself in the middle of many reps, while making many plays.
By no means was Wright perfect — as such a thing is an impossibility for a defensive back these days — but many of his pass-breakups were noteworthy.
On Wednesday, after Garrett Wilson got the better of him on a vertical down the right sideline, he came back with sticky coverage to deny rookie Omar Cooper Jr. Wright maintained hip contact throughout and got his eyes around in textbook fashion, not giving the receiver a shot.
Frank Reich’s name is on the list for one reason: The Jets’ offense is seemingly and finally organized. Many of the concepts are recognizable, both from a tried-and-tested and a modern perspective.
Although Braelon Allen didn’t exactly go nuts this offseason, he makes the list due to how well he moved, coming off a tough knee injury. One rush during OTAs saw him nicely bounce one to the left edge on a design that was supposed to hit it between the tackles.
By the way, Breece Hall looked pretty good as well, but that was expected the entire time. He and Garrett Wilson played the parts Jets fans are accustomed to.
Arian Smith polishes off the notables list, and this is how his inclusion should be viewed: with just a slight bit of cautious optimism.
On Tuesday, Smith ran a professional spot-type route to help Bailey Zappe pick up a crucial fourth-and-3 situation during a two-minute drill session.
While Smith’s hands were the main concern coming into last season, it was his route-running that hurt him most. Due to his ridiculous speed and quickness, his body is always ahead of his mind, and it becomes a hair-on-fire-type scenario when running routes at the professional level.
So far, in this small sample, Smith has seemingly improved in this area — slowing down his routes with more intention.
5. Omar Cooper Jr. (WR)
Although the Omar Cooper Jr. splash plays at minicamp were at a minimum, the Indiana Hoosiers product firmly belongs on this list. It’s beyond evident that Aaron Glenn’s coaching staff already trusts him.
Even for a late-first round draft pick, the transition from college to the pros is a tough one — particularly at receiver. Today’s more in-space game makes it easier, but this sort of trust is rarely seen this early in the offseason.
4. Armand Membou (T)
Instead of worrying about David Bailey, Jets fans should celebrate Armand Membou. The sophomore mauler stood out in the spring, which is a near-impossible feat for an offensive lineman (without the pads).
Other than one play that saw Bailey perform a nice inside move, which resulted in a near-pressure, Membou locked up the incredibly quick rookie all spring.
3. Geno Smith (QB)
Yeah, there’s little doubt about just how stoked the Jets are to have a professional quarterback in the building. Few believe Geno Smith will put up an elite-level season, yet a top 12-15 quarterback campaign makes a world of difference for a team that was lost in the leader wilderness last year.
Geno still has zip on the ball, and he anticipates with the best of them. Perhaps the most encouraging factor is how he lets it all hang out.
As opposed to many Jets quarterbacks in recent memory who feared the “quarterback mistake,” Geno conquers those thoughts. He’s a gunslinger at heart, and as long as he doesn’t turn into an incredibly mistake-prone signal-caller, he can lead this offense.
2. AD Mitchell (WR)
At No. 2, we get to the guy who has everybody buzzing. AD Mitchell did, indeed, enjoy a strong spring at 1 Jets Drive.
One of the prettiest plays of the spring was a Geno-to-AD red zone touchdown. The Jets quarterback needed placement and anticipation on the play, whereas the weapon needed a beautiful toe-tap along the back line of the end zone.
Weeks ago, during OTA time, Mitchell also consistently hooked up with Smith. On one play that comes to mind, the connection went for 40-plus on a vertical in which Mitchell had to adjust to a ball that was slightly underthrown and to the seam area (inside of the vertical path that was further out near the sideline).
1. Demario Davis (LB)
Last but certainly not least is the man who quarterbacks the defense. While Geno Smith is getting all the shine as the much-needed offensive leader, Demario Davis takes over a unit that was more desperate for a leader than any ever witnessed.
Davis picked off Geno on cap one of the earlier OTA sessions — on a deeper spot drop-type in a two-minute situation where the offense was up against it — but he doesn’t take the top spot for his on-field actions. It’s instead about noticing what’s happening in between the lines.
Suddenly, New York’s defense is connected.
Easily spotted between each play, Jets defenders look to Davis. He’s the man in charge; everybody knows it, and everybody seems to have responded positively.
