FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets wrapped up their offseason program on Wednesday with their final minicamp practice. Two notable players were not in attendance for the end, and many injured players didn’t participate.
It’s still too early to make any sweeping generalizations about who the Jets are (or aren’t) heading into 2024. However, there was still plenty to learn through the three OTA practices with media present and two minicamp practices heading into the part of offseason where everyone gets a bit of a break.
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Here are 10 things we learned at OTAs and minicamp:
1. It’s too early to judge if Aaron Rodgers is back back — but he looks good so far
Rodgers is always going to dazzle in a practice setting. His throwing ability and accuracy remains elite, especially in the short-to-intermediate areas and into tight windows. His chemistry is building with Garrett Wilson and Tyler Conklin in particular. In the three practices with media present I had Rodgers completing 35 of 47 passes in team drills.
this man @AaronRodgers12 refuses to look at his target pic.twitter.com/B8NQYX2nA4
— New York Jets (@nyjets) June 6, 2024
Those stats ultimately don’t mean much — these are light practices without pads. Rodgers hasn’t had to move around much either, though he has made some impressive throws on the move; during 11-on-11 drills on June 4, he got out of the pocket and found wide receiver Xavier Gipson down the opposite side of the field for a 59-yard touchdown.
But Rodgers won’t actually take his first hit since the Achilles injury until Week 1 (unless he plays in the preseason, which seems unlikely). The first real test of how Rodgers looks coming off his injury will come in joint practices against the Commanders, Panthers and/or Giants, though even then they won’t be allowed to hit the quarterback.
Still, it’s encouraging that Rodgers doesn’t seem to have lost a step in terms of his ability to make all the throws, even at age 40 and coming off a serious injury.
“The guy can still sling it,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said on May 3. “Obviously, he’s still working through his rehab, but no issues on the trajectory of which he’s going.”
2. Tyron Smith’s maintenance plan and a lack of O-Line continuity
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who followed Smith last year with the Dallas Cowboys: He didn’t practice every day this spring, and he won’t practice every day this season. It will be interesting to see exactly how much rest he gets during training camp.
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Smith had veteran rest days during two of the five practices the media attended and didn’t participate in all of the drills within the practices he was in. Though it should be noted: When Smith did take part in team drills, he was utterly dominant at left tackle. It was rare that I saw a defensive lineman win a battle against him, either in the run or passing game. If the Jets can keep him healthy, he’ll be the best left tackle they’ve had since D’Brickashaw Ferguson. But Smith needs maintenance. That’s how the Cowboys were able to get him through the regular season and to the playoffs last season, and the Jets will do the same.
Smith, center Joe Tippmann and guard John Simpson participated in most of the spring, though Simpson did miss some OTA practices. Right tackle Morgan Moses and right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, both coming off injuries, didn’t practice at all.
I’d expect both Moses and Smith — possibly Vera-Tucker too — to be on a practice plan throughout training camp. Considering this is a group that essentially hasn’t played together (Tippmann wasn’t a starter last year until after Vera-Tucker went down, and the other three are newcomers) that’s not ideal. At least this year the Jets’ backups, particularly youngsters Max Mitchell, Xavier Newman and Jake Hanson, have more experience after being thrown into the fire in 2023.
But at least the Jets have a better backup plan waiting in the wings, especially at left tackle…
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3. Olu Fashanu: Left tackle.
There was some question about whether the Jets would work Fashanu at any position other than left tackle, where he played his entire college career at Penn State. So far, indications are that the Jets are going to have Fashanu focus on playing left tackle. If that sticks, the Jets would have Fashanu as the primary backup to Smith on the left side, with second-year OT Carter Warren backing up Moses at right tackle.
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Fashanu had an up-and-down OTAs in team drills — to be expected for a rookie — but started to come into his own by minicamp. Saleh said that Fashanu was highlighted in a team meeting for his performance in the first minicamp practice. He added that “as of now” the plan is to keep Fashanu exclusively at left tackle.
If there’s any benefit to Smith’s maintenance schedule throughout training camp it’s that Fashanu will get plenty of reps with the first-team offense.
4. Garrett Wilson is about to blow up
We’ve covered Wilson’s ascent to stardom extensively this spring… and then he had his best day of the offseason on the last day of minicamp. Most days, Wilson was the best player on the field. That’s not an exaggeration. He starred with Rodgers. He starred with Tyrod Taylor.
He looks faster, his route-running is smoother, he rarely makes mistakes and even more rarely has drops passes. He’s reeled in passes thrown behind him, while draped in coverage, and when contorting his body mid-air. He’s run routes so crisp that defenders got lost and Rodgers would find him wide open. On Wednesday, he hauled in two deep passes from Taylor, beating cornerback D.J. Reed on one of them.
G5 cleared for takeoff ✈️ pic.twitter.com/M4hOEG0yIj
— New York Jets (@nyjets) June 12, 2024
“I think if Garrett stays on this path, I’ll never put stats on it, but the sky’s the limit for him,” Saleh said. “I mean, he’s an elite receiver.”
5. Injury updates
Some notable players who didn’t participate in any of the practices open to the media to due injuries: running back Breece Hall, wide receiver Mike Williams, Moses, Vera-Tucker and rookie quarterback Jordan Travis.
Of that group, Hall, Moses and Vera-Tucker should be good to go for the start of camp. I would expect Williams and Travis to open camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list, though Williams said on Wednesday he anticipates being ready for the start of the regular season. The free agent signee tore his ACL with the Chargers in September (“It’s been a grind,” Williams said). Travis broke his leg in November while playing for Florida State.
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Running back Israel Abanikanda also left Tuesday’s practice early with an injury and didn’t participate on Wednesday.
6. Don’t be so quick to hand rookie Malachi Corley the No. 3 WR job
There’s been an assumption that Corley will be the Day 1 starter as the slot receiver considering how aggressive the Jets were in attempting to trade up for him in the second round, ultimately getting him in the third. He might reach that point, maybe even at the start of the season.
But Xavier Gipson might have something to say about it. The second-year receiver made plays throughout OTAs and minicamp, and seems to have taken a leap forward after a year of NFL experience, and a year in the Jets offense. He made more plays down the field than anyone other than Wilson. Jets coaches have raved about Gipson all offseason and he’s already the team’s primary returner. Corley has a lot of talent and made some plays, but he’s still adjusting to NFL speed and the Jets offense. Though Corley might stand out more once tackling gets incorporated into practice, since breaking tackles is his superpower.
7. The running back pecking order
In my mind, the top of the depth chart is clear: No. 1 is Hall, No. 2 is fourth-round pick Braelon Allen.
Allen physically looks the part as a tall, strong runner, but he might be a bigger factor in the passing game than anyone expected. He made one of the best catches of OTAs, winning a 50/50 ball downfield on a pass from Taylor. He’s already adept in protection too, which should help get him on the field.
I’m less confident in who will be No. 3 on the depth chart. Fifth-round rookie Isaiah Davis showed some flashes as a pass-catcher but also bungled a few handoffs and was sent off the field one day for lining up wrong. Rookie growing pains. Abanikanda didn’t stand out before he got injured and will be fighting for a roster spot. Xazavian Valladay came out of nowhere to get more work with Rodgers and Taylor than I anticipated. Tarik Cohen is a veteran and still has some explosiveness but he’s more likely to get work as a returner than at running back.
8. Notable standouts
Some players who stood out to me in practice:
• CB Sauce Gardner. Breaking news: He’s still good. He dominated most of his reps and even won some battles with Wilson.
• TE Tyler Conklin. He made highlight reel catches all spring, including a one-handed catch on Wednesday. If Rodgers can stay healthy, Conklin is in line for a big season.
• DE Jermaine Johnson. He became a Pro Bowler last season and looks ready to make another leap in 2024. He might get some snaps inside on occasion, a la John Franklin-Myers.
• CB Qwan’Tez Stiggers. The fifth-round rookie (with a great backstory) held his own all spring. He intercepted Peasley on Wednesday and won some battles when occasionally pitted against the first-team offense, including a dominant rep against Allen Lazard early in OTAs. It’s not easy for defensive players to stand out in the OTA setting but Stiggers clearly has some talent worth developing.
• DL Eric Watts. The undrafted rookie garnered the largest signing bonus of this Jets UDFA class and it wasn’t hard to see why. He has size (6-5, 277), the potential for versatility and plays with a high motor. He’s an early favorite for training camp darling.
• G Jake Hanson. He got extra reps protecting Rodgers with Vera-Tucker out. Hanson should be viewed as a contender to make the 53-man roster as a backup on the interior.
we see ya rook 👀 @qwanb5stiggers pic.twitter.com/9Ib915HgfN
— New York Jets (@nyjets) June 12, 2024
9. Stock down
• WR Allen Lazard. It wasn’t a great spring for him, which we’ve covered. Of note, though: He was working with special teams for the first time, on the return unit as a blocker.
• DE Micheal Clemons. He didn’t stand out in practices open to the media and is coming off a poor second season.
• RB Israel Abanikanda. He faces an uphill climb to the 53.
• S Jarrick Bernard-Converse. The Jets moved Isaiah Oliver to safety and drafted Jay Key, which doesn’t bode well for Bernard-Converse.
10. Miscellaneous notes:
• Cornerback D.J. Reed said there have been no discussions with the Jets about an extension. He’s already one of the best free agent signings in team history and will hit free agency in March if he doesn’t have a new deal. Nickel corner Michael Carter II is also in the last year of his deal.
• The Jets tried out a few notable veterans this week, including returner Jakeem Grant, defensive lineman Takk McKinley and offensive lineman Pat Elflein, a former Jet.
• Training camp is expected to begin on July 23.
(Top photo: Sarah Stier / Getty Images)
