Some thoughts and observations two weeks into Jets training camp:
1️⃣ There have been so many ways Aaron Rodgers already has had an effect on the Jets both on the practice field and inside the organization.
Another one struck me as I was thinking about the past two weeks: The page has completely been turned from how last season ended.
Normally, one of the main topics of the spring and summer would have been the six-game losing streak to end 2022, which included a three-game stretch without a touchdown. There would have been plenty of questions about what was learned from that, how do they make sure it does not happen again and on and on.
By my count, Jets coach Robert Saleh has gotten (checks notes) zero questions about the way last season ended.
Zero. Zilch. Nada.
Rodgers’ arrival has erased any semblance of a hangover from the way last season ended, rendering any lingering worries about how things went at the end of last year completely and totally irrelevant.
This may not seem like a big deal and it is not even close to his biggest contribution, but it is remarkable.
Good or bad, the way the previous season went is always a topic when camp starts. But the focus this year has been entirely on 2023 and moving forward.
That can only help the Jets players and coaches to not have that sour ending brought up over and over.
2️⃣ The Dalvin Cook visit was the strangest free-agent visit I have covered, and it definitely rubbed some people the wrong way inside the Jets.
Typically, you only find out a player is visiting on the day he is visiting. Someone sees him and tells a reporter, or it gets leaked by the agent or team that day.
Most teams, including the Jets, like to operate with some level of secrecy.
Noah K. Murray for the NY Post
The fact that this visit came out days in advance told me that Cook and his agent were trying to get another team to show interest or up their offer. That is the only reason to put it out three days in advance.
Think about when it was reported the Jets were going to have Odell Beckham in for a visit. The Ravens signed him, throwing crazy money at him before he ever got to Florham Park. It created leverage for the agent.
Cook then went on a media tour for two days talking about the Jets. It was a very strange approach for a player not yet on the team.
The sense I get is the Jets are not all that interested in Cook. Perhaps if his asking price drops to a point where he is a bargain, the Jets will jump, but my guess is Cook will be playing elsewhere.
Cook would have been a luxury for the Jets. They have other needs. They should save their money in case a player comes free at one of those positions.
3️⃣ It is very difficult to judge the running game during training camp. There is no live tackling, so you are guessing when a guy would have gone to the ground.
Bill Kostroun for the NY Post
With that being said, I think the early returns on the running game have been pretty good. There have been some wide holes, and Zonovan Knight has put together some good practices. Michael Carter and Israel Abanikanda also have had good moments, although less consistently than Knight has.
I have major concerns about the Jets’ offensive line. I think it is the biggest question mark entering the season. Most of that concern is about the line’s ability to keep Rodgers upright, but they also need to clear holes in the running game.
This offense can’t be all about Rodgers. The running game needs to take pressure off of him. The early signs are they will be able to do it, but we won’t truly know until the regular season arrives.
4️⃣ The breakout star of training camp has been second-year safety Tony Adams. It looks as if he will be the starting free safety.
Adams, an undrafted free agent out of Illinois, was a surprise when he made the team last year. Now he is going to start.
Adams seems to make plays every day. On Monday, he intercepted a pass from Rodgers, making a nice adjustment on the ball.
Getty Images
The coaches love him, and Robert Saleh has praised Adams’ mental makeup.
Adams is a nice story for the Jets. I would suspect he’ll get some time on “Hard Knocks.”
5️⃣ Rodgers is deliberate about everything he does in practice. He preached to teammates to never waste a practice rep.
Rodgers is even working on his cadence in camp. You can tell how good he is at delivering a hard count because the defensive line seems to jump offsides multiple times in each practice.
It is a weapon for Rodgers, and defensive lines will be kept off balance by him.
You wonder how long the Jets offensive line will need to adjust to it, though. Presnap penalties for and against the Jets could be something to watch early in the season.
Want to catch a game? The Jets schedule with links to buy tickets can be found here.
Stat’s so
Rodgers is currently ninth in NFL history in passing yards. With a good season in 2023, he can move up a few spots. Here is a look at the top 10:
1. Tom Brady: 89,214 yards
2. Drew Brees: 80,358 yards
3. Peyton Manning: 71,940 yards
4. Brett Favre: 71,838 yards
5. Ben Roethlisberger: 64,088 yards
6. Philip Rivers: 63,440 yards
7. Matt Ryan: 62,792 yards
8. Dan Marino: 61,361 yards
9. Aaron Rodgers: 59,055 yards
10. Eli Manning: 57,023 yards
Source: Pro Football Reference
