Position Battles, Not Drama, Will Mark Jets Training Camp
The Jets will report to training camp on Tuesday without the usual drama that gives fans agita at this time of year. No holdouts, no quarterback controversy (or “What did the QB just say?” distraction), and only two players on the physically unable to perform list, with the main one, edge rusher Jermaine Johnson, assuring the public on social media that his designation is merely out of an abundance of caution and he will be ready for Opening Day versus the Aaron Rodgers-led Steelers on September 7.
That by no means suggests it will be smooth sailing from here on. With this franchise, the more things change, the more things change. Gang Green underwent another regime turnover this offseason, installing a new GM/Head Coach/QB combo.
Darren Mougey, Aaron Glenn, and Justin Fields, respectively, all deserve a chance to prove they can lift the Jets out of the doldrums. However, please excuse fans who choose to be skeptical. You know the saying: Fool me 56 times…
Training camp and the preseason games offer little insight as to the extent of any improvement. The word “culture” can get throw around during an offseason transition, but you don’t know if it’s real until you see how a football team responds to adversity over the course of a 17-game season. The Jets, unfortunately, have a long history of wilting in these moments.
With that in mind, the next six weeks will have an impact on the setting of an initial depth chart. Most of the battles will be fought on the margins, such as backups at safety and on the offensive line. Here are the positions that will bear the most watching this preseason—keep in mind that Draft pedigree from the prior GM lessens in importance this go-round:
WR2
The consensus projects free agent acquisition Josh Reynolds as in the driver’s seat based on his performance during OTA’s. That reporting may be accurate, but the competition isn’t over. Reynolds, 30, is joining the Jets after enduring quite a turbulent 2024. Formerly with Detroit, where he overlapped with Glenn and Jets new Offensive Coordinator Tanner Engstrand, Reynolds bolted for Denver in free agency last summer, only to be released in December after a broken finger and then shooting wounds following an October 18 late-night visit to a strip club limited him to five games. Jacksonville picked him up for the final four weeks, but all it got out of Reynolds was one reception for 11 yards. At 6-foot 3 and 194 pounds, Reynolds is neither a field stretcher nor a paver in run blocking, having been graded as no better than a little above average by ProFootballFocus.com in that department.
It's too early to say whether the returning Allen Lazard, former Ram Tyler Johnson, or even 2025 fourth-round pick Arian Smith can overtake Reynolds; heck, the ultimate starter might not even be on the roster at the moment. Let’s leave it at this: Pay attention to reports of joint practices, because regulars are given very few reps, if any, in the actual televised contests. If Reynolds’ name rarely surfaces, his starting role is written in pencil.
Defensive tackle
If the Jets are to show progress in 2025, they’ll need to find a capable partner for Quinnen Williams in the interior of their defensive line. Williams is coming off a down year (by his standards), which could be partially attributed to the relative weaklings performing next to him. Mougey went bargain hunting to introduce new blood into the position this offseason, but it remains to be seen how the rotation will unfold. Derrick Nnadi and Byron Cowart have experience, but not many good ones in recent seasons, which is why their combined guarantees for 2025 total less than $600,000, per overthecap.com. Nnadi is more of an early-down, take-up-space specialist, so his snap count will be limited each week by situations. Cowart did have career high pass rush metrics last season, per PFF, but his 5.1% pressure percentage was below that of Jets rookie Leonard Taylor, who should see plenty of action in August to make his case for more regular season snaps. Taylor has a noticeable ability to gain penetration; he just needs to process better to minimize the reps where he takes himself out of plays.
Maybe the easiest way to improve the interior line’s effectiveness this season will be if Glenn nixes the old Robert Saleh principle of resting Williams for extended periods. A player of Williams’ importance shouldn’t be on the sidelines for a third of a team’s defensive snaps.
Special Teams
It seems like only yesterday the Jets could boast an elite kicking game and solid return/coverage units. Special Teams Coordinator Brant Boyer was the ultimate survivor, having been retained by two different HCs after being hired by Todd Bowles in 2016. Last season, however, kicker Greg Zuerlein and punter Thomas Morstead showed their advanced ages and the return game, except for one kickoff brought to the house by practice squad callup Kene Nwangwu in Week 13, produced little. Only the coverage teams, led by gunner Irv Charles until his late-season injury, held up.
Enter new coordinator Chris Banjo. Training camp will showcase competitions for virtually all roles save for long snapper, which has belonged to Thomas Hennessy since 2017, making him the longest-tenured Jet. Again, Mougey always has the option to look outside the organization for solutions, but for now, it’s Caden Davis versus Harrison Mevis for kicker, and Kai Kroger versus Austin McNamara for punter. If you haven’t heard of any of these guys, it’s because none of them have stepped on the field for an NFL regular season game. Also, don’t assume returner Xavier Gipson, entering his third pro season, has a roster spot locked up. Watch out for undrafted free agent Jamaal Pritchett in addition to Nwangwu.