New York Jets training camp is one week away, which means it’s almost time to make bold proclamations on the upcoming season based on beat-reporter tweets and slo-mo social media clips.
Expect these three Jets players to steal the most headlines throughout upcoming practices.
WR Adonai Mitchell
The Indianapolis Colts drafted Adonai Mitchell in the second round of the 2024 draft thanks to his elite speed (4.34 forty time) and his top-notch potential as a vertical separator.
Two years in, Mitchell has translated those skills to Sundays. It just hasn’t translated to production yet.
Beneath the hood, Mitchell’s potential is evident. According to ESPN Analytics, Mitchell has earned the seventh-best “open score” (80) among wide receivers over the last two seasons, a metric calculated from player-tracking data to estimate a receiver’s ability to create separation.
This is backed up by the film, which shows numerous instances of Mitchell getting open but either not being targeted or receiving an inaccurate throw.
Many signs point to Mitchell being a player who is poised to break out once the stars finally align for him. With a solid pocket-passing veteran at quarterback in Geno Smith, Mitchell is poised to get a fair shot to show the world who he is.
Set to compete against multiple other wideouts for the Jets’ WR2 spot, Mitchell needs to hit the ground running in training camp. Based on multiple factors, this seems like the perfect environment for him to shine.
It is crucial to keep in mind that Geno Smith will not have to face the threat of getting hit during training camp, which will make him look surgical in a practice environment.
At this stage of his career, Smith is brutal when forced to escape pressure, but he is still efficient from a clean pocket. With a red jersey on in Florham Park, Smith will probably be throwing beautiful bombs left and right, and Mitchell could be the top beneficiary outside of Garrett Wilson.
In fact, Mitchell and Smith were already making waves on social media during OTAs, hooking up for a deep touchdown.
The “Summer of AD” may be upon us.
CB Azareye’h Thomas
Many draftniks believed the Jets got a steal when they took Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas in the third round of the 2025 NFL draft.
Thomas was the consensus No. 52 overall prospect, according to NFL Mock Draft Database. The Jets, though, were able to nab him at No. 70.
On top of that, Thomas was getting first-round consideration before he ran a disappointing 4.58 at Florida State’s pro day. As late as March 4, 2025, Thomas was ranked as the consensus No. 40 overall prospect.
In his rookie year, Thomas showed flashes of the borderline first-round talent that had New York thrilled about landing him in the third round.
After starting the season as a backup, Thomas was tossed into the fire around mid-season due to injuries and the Sauce Gardner trade. As soon as he got his chance, Thomas racked up six consecutive games with at least one pass defense. It tied him with Darrelle Revis for the second-longest streak by a rookie in Jets history, trailing only Gardner (7).
That streak only ended because Thomas suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, which required surgery. Before he was sidelined, though, Thomas was ascending.
The rookie had his share of bumps, but that was expected for a 21-year-old. Nonetheless, with performances such as his Week 8 back-and-forth duel with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Thomas showed a tantalizing ceiling.
Going into his age-22 season with five starts under his belt, Thomas is on the rise. Not only that, but the Jets made sure to keep the pressure on their prized young prospect. The free agent addition of Nahshon Wright, coupled with the second-round choice of D’Angelo Ponds, will keep Thomas highly motivated this summer. Nothing is being handed to him despite his draft pedigree and rookie-year flashes.
Look for Thomas to use training camp to offer a glimpse of where he’s headed in 2026.
EDGE David Bailey
The training camp environment should be perfect for second-overall pick David Bailey to turn heads and convince people that he was the right choice at No. 2.
Pads won’t always be on, and even when they are, the intensity won’t be the same as a real game against opposing teams. This is the ideal setup for a player like Bailey to show off the traits that set him apart. He will consistently display his elite explosiveness off the line, darting past the Jets’ tackles and tight ends with ease, recording reps that will catch the attention of those watching.
It probably won’t be until the preseason that we can start judging Bailey’s development in key areas, particularly against the run. Once he is facing outside opponents who legitimately want to crush him, as well as opposing schemes that are designed to exploit him, he will truly be put to the test.
Until then, Bailey might have his warts here and there in practice, but his high points will be extremely high. In shorts, Bailey will look like a monster, generating plenty of excitement about his potential.
This isn’t to say that Bailey is a workout warrior who won’t shine when the lights come on. He was the second overall pick for a reason. His violence, aggressive hands, versatile repertoire of rush moves, and motor all make him an NFL-ready pass rusher.
It’s simply that training camp is the ideal setup for Bailey to flaunt all of the unique athletic tools that give him a superstar ceiling, while it won’t call as much attention to some of the concerns he has to address. That makes him a tailor-made training camp star.
He can be a star on Sundays, too. We’ll just have to wait a little while to see if his expected dominance in Florham Park translates to the real thing.
One thing is for sure, though: as much as people may say “It’s only training camp” if Bailey shines in practice, the same people would complain if Bailey did not shine in practice as much as he is expected to. For that reason, it should still be considered a positive if Bailey makes headlines in the summer.
Keep in mind, too, that he’ll be facing solid competition. Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou are first-round talents in their own right. Bailey isn’t going to have the chance to beat up on scrubs. Strong reps against the Jets’ tackles would be meaningful.
Bailey cannot cement his status as a future NFL superstar this summer, but he can still give fans an idea of what prompted the Jets to surprise many people by choosing him over Arvell Reese.
