FLORHAM PARK, NJ — The New York Jets won’t appear on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” this summer — been there, done that — but they remain a reality show. After all, they have quarterback Aaron Rodgers, one of the most compelling figures in the NFL.
With a healthy Rodgers, the Jets see themselves as Super Bowl contenders. This is a winning team that hasn’t won in a long time – 13 seasons without a playoff, the longest active drought in the league. It’s beyond hunger.
“I really want to keep that Lombardi Trophy for the Jets,” cornerback DJ Reed said. “It’s something I really visualize and dream about.”
The Jets will report to training camp on July 23 confident they have made the necessary fixes during the offseason, which culminated last week with minicamp.
Here’s a look at what they learned and how it could impact the 2024 season:
1. Rodgers is still Rodgers (on and off the field): Let’s start with the football stuff. By all indications, he met every challenge as he continued his recovery from a torn Achilles. Rodgers wasn’t limited in practice, which bodes well for training camp. The arm strength was still there and he made every throw.
What we haven’t seen – and what we won’t know until the season starts – is whether he’s lost any mobility because of his injury. At 40, he no longer moves like he used to, which was normal. But can he slip quickly into the pocket to avoid a charging passer? Can he follow through naturally on his surgically repaired left foot/heel or will he become a back foot thrower?
It was difficult to perform these assessments in low-intensity, non-contact practices. Rodgers said the only way to get his feel and reflexes back would be to rehearse in playing conditions. He also said he felt good physically and all he needed was to regain “the confidence to do everything”.
One area where Rodgers remained consistent was his uncanny ability to create drama. From discussions of a vice presidential run with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to his unexcused absence from minicamp, the polarizing quarterback has provided plenty of fodder for his critics. He will probably continue to make headlines because he is who he is. But the Jets are willing to accept because he’s the key to everything.
2. Transactions can be tricky: On March 29, the Jets acquired their most accomplished edge player since John Abraham in 2004, signing Haason Reddick from the Philadelphia Eagles. Reddick said he was excited to join the Jets: “I’m happy. I’m looking forward to it.” What happened next was the business side of football; he skipped the entire offseason. The reason, according to sources, is that he wants a new contract.
It’s been a while since the Jets had a summer contract conflict with a player (Jamal Adams, 2020), but they now have one with Reddick, a no-show for OTAs and a mandatory minicamp.
This sets the stage for possible holdout in training camp, although that doesn’t happen as often as it used to due to the busy schedule of fines. Any player under contract who fails to report will be fined a mandatory $50,000 per day, with no option for waiver. Hold-in is an option that some players use.
Reddick, 29, is set to make $14.25 million non-guaranteed in the final year of his contract and sees what pass rushers such as Danielle Hunter are making. Hunter, who is the same age as Reddick with similar production, signed a two-year, $49 million contract with the Houston Texans this offseason.
The Jets don’t seem to be worried about the possibility of poor resistance. There’s a good chance they’ll find common ground by softening his existing contract.
3. Offensive line depth matters: Burned by a rash of injuries last season, general manager Joe Douglas made the offensive line his No. 1 priority. He acquired three veteran starters: Tyron Smith, John Simpson and Morgan Moses. Just when you thought he was done, Douglas used his first-round pick on Penn State tackle Olu Fashanu, who provides good depth. Fashanu will play left tackle behind Smith, but he could move depending on how things shake out at other positions.
On paper, the Jets are better equipped to withstand injuries, but we learned during the offseason that this will be a work in progress. Moses (pectoral) and Alijah Vera-Tucker (Achilles) are expected to be cleared for training camp after rehabbing in the spring, but they could be on the field. Smith could also handle his workload. That means the team could be in a race against the schedule to be ready for the season opener on Sept. 9 against the San Francisco 49ers.
“I feel like we could be a dominant offense as long as everyone is on the same page,” Smith said.
4. No more excuses for violations: The Jets will enter training camp with the same system and player as last season, with coach Robert Saleh planning to return with Nathaniel Hackett as his offensive coordinator. There was talk this offseason about adding a senior-level coach, but that remains Hackett’s job despite posting a career-high 18 touchdowns last season.
The hope is that familiarity with Hackett and his playbook, combined with a healthy Rodgers, will bring the offense out of its funk. In offseason practices, the offense made fewer mistakes than a year ago, according to Saleh. He said the operation – from the through roads to the blocking systems – was cleaner than last year.
“It’s been fun to watch and experience,” he said. “It’s much improved.”
5. Wrinkles on defense: It’s an area the Jets are still good at — No. 3 in yards allowed per game (292.3) — but the coaches are always tinkering with new concepts. They used minicamp and OTA practices to experiment. As Reed said, “The coaches definitely did some cool things in the offseason and we brought them to life.”
The defense prides itself on its simplicity, so don’t expect any salutary schematic changes. But with eight returning starters, all of whom have at least two years in the system, it’s an opportunity to build on the foundation. In what way?
“I can’t really reveal the sauce,” Reed said.
And he wasn’t referring to Sauce Gardner.