Florham Park, N.J. — No, neither David Bailey nor Will McDonald flashed en route towards the quarterback on Friday morning. At no time did the New York Jets’ highest-drafted defensive player shock the senses of training camp onlookers.
Yet, absolutely no genuine assessment of the Jets’ pass-rushers exists. On this day, Aaron Glenn’s squad took a turn towards the mental, focusing on a specific situation while practicing without full pads.
Though New York mainly practiced at 100 percent, the tempo largely followed Glenn’s middle of three levels — full speed and compete level without any thud (due to the helmets and shorts nature of the day). In other words, the team focused on installs and assignments rather than the 1v1 physical part of the game, which was on full display during the previous two practices.
Third-and-long against heavy pressure
Since this was the third straight day of camp practice, the Jets shed the full pads (thanks, 2012 CBA). Glenn used this day to focus on third-and-long situations against heavy-pressure schemes.
In 11v11 teams, Geno Smith routinely found Garrett Wilson. It makes sense since Wilson is often the primary read on many passing concepts.
The Jets also used this day to give veteran rest days to Demario Davis, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Harrison Phillips. So, in addition to the already banged-up defensive line — which includes T’Vondre Sweat, Joseph Ossai, and Kingsley Enagbare — the Jets’ defensive line took on even more of a foreign look without Phillips.
As previously mentioned, there wasn’t anything of note in the pass-rushing area, but there wasn’t supposed to be. The defense focused heavily on pressure installs, whereas the offense focused on picking up those pressures.
The offensive line looks sharp
Without pads, many of these heavy pressures should have hit home more often. Yet, Steve Heiden’s group looked incredibly sharp in the blitz pickup game.
After practice, offensive coordinator Frank Reich spoke glowingly about his offensive line, unprompted (in his opening statement to the media).
On offense specifically, I’m really fired up about the progress we’ve made,” Reich started. “It all starts up front with us, and [with our] offensive line, [especially our] two tackles, Olu (Fashanu) and (Armand) Membou. Those guys are monster players. Then inside, we’re strong, with Josh (Myers), Tipp (Joe Tippmann), and Dylan (Parham). So, we feel really good about that front five; we feel like they’re syncing, we feel like they’re all strong leaders.
By and large, Glenn has to be pleased with his offensive line up to this point in the summer.
Procedural talk
Perhaps the procedural area is the only worthwhile offensive negative worth mentioning. The offense was hit with a delay of game (or two), a right tackle was caught starting his pass-pro too early (not Armand Membou), and some young weapons were showcased in on-field learning modes a time or two.
Remember, for young receivers, this is the situation that comes hardest. Learning a specific offense’s hot-route adjustments when the quarterback signals something on the fly, thanks to incoming heavy pressure, is usually one of the toughest and final things to get down clean.
Overall, however, there shouldn’t be much concern in this area. The defensive gap integrity and run-fit areas are, by far, more concerning, and a hawkish eye will return to that part of the game when the pads are strapped back on Saturday (hopefully).
Other news and notes
Rookie Omar Cooper Jr. wants one drop back, for certain.
On a semi-vertical-moving route, while drifting towards the sideline, Geno intentionally placed the ball in a trail, inside-shoulder, low position. Although the ball was low, the rookie weapon should have snagged it.
Both Cade Klubnik and Bailey Zappe were pretty rough-looking in certain spots.
Klubnik should have been intercepted by an attached defensive back on a flow-moving route going in the same direction as a flushing-to-the-right rookie quarterback. He had no business throwing that ball anywhere near the target, yet he did precisely that.
The Clemson product was also bailed out by a high throw across the middle, as the high (or robber) safety on the play read it the entire way. Zappe, on the other hand, was picked (Mykal Walker) on a late, over-the-middle attempt.
The New York Jets’ next practice is scheduled for Saturday morning.
