After months and months of waiting for the greatest time of year to return, we have finally made it. Well…. sort of.
NFL training camp is officially underway across all 32 teams and the excitement for the upcoming season is beginning to build. Front offices and fans alike can finally get a taste of what their team is going to look like in their pursuit of a Super Bowl.
No team seems to win the headlines more in the offseason than the New York Jets, and this 2024 training camp is no exception. Heading into camp, the Jets are faced with massive expectations and are even considered Super Bowl contenders across major media outlets.
Following a season where they lost their prized acquisition Aaron Rodgers just 4 snaps into week 1, “Gang Green” is projected to be a major contender because of their elite defense and their newly built offensive line. With all of the hype surrounding the team, the chatter from the media is starting to take off.
Let’s take a look at the main storylines taking place at the start of the 2024 New York Jets training camp.
Haason Reddick Holding Out
At the start of the NFL offseason, the Jets made a major move in acquiring elite edge rusher Haason Reddick in hopes of solidifying their pass rush. Coming off 4 consecutive seasons of double digit sacks, the New York Jets were ecstatic with the move as it would only bolster their elite defense.
With that being said, the trade came with some baggage. The former Eagles player was seeking a contract extension that would make him one of the highest paid edge rushers in the league, something that Philadelphia was not prepared to do.
With 2 days of training camp already in the books and no sign of Reddick, it remains to be seen if or when the newly acquired Jet will decide to show up. Ultimately, both sides would rather find a solution to the dispute sooner rather than later, but as of right now it’s looking like it may take some time.
Remember, the Jets are no strangers to star players holding out for bigger contracts. Perhaps the greatest player in New York Jets history, Darrelle Revis, held out of camp for 35 days, which led to him signing a multi-year extension. The Jets’ front office and fans across the tristate remain optimistic that a deal will get done eventually, but for now, we must play the waiting game.
The Revamped Offensive Line
As last season came to a close, one thing became abundantly clear. If the New York Jets want to have any shot of competing, then they have to fix their offensive line. Joe Douglas and the Jets front office took that to heart this off-season, as they brought in 3 key additions to their starting O-Line.
With the return of incumbent starters (C) Joe Tippmann and (RG) Alijah Vera-Tucker, the Jets rounded out their core by bringing in (LG) John Simpson, (RT) Morgan Moses, and (LT) Tyron Smith all through free agency and trades. “JD” continued addressing the group by drafting top offensive tackle prospect Olu Fashanu out of Penn State at #11 overall. Although Fashanu does not slot in as a starter right away, the expectations for the rookie are sky high and many expect him to be the next franchise blindside tackle.
On paper these moves gives the Jets their best offensive line since 2010, yet there is one lingering concern. Will they be able to stay healthy the whole season? Tyron Smith has been the standard for all lineman across the NFL in terms of his talent and prep work, yet he has struggled to stay on the field as of late. The veteran left tackle over his past 3 years has missed a total of 23 games. A large number which is a concern for the Jets’ front office. Perhaps that is why they invested their first round draft pick to be his backup.
On the other side of the line, the Jets brought back a familiar face in Morgan Moses. At 33 years old, Moses returns to the Jets after a 2023 season in Baltimore where he missed 3 games, but has remained relatively healthy throughout his career. The right tackle position for the Jets has been a revolving door for the past few years, so adding a veteran like Moses will make Aaron Rodgers one happy man.
If the Jets can get a bit lucky by keeping both Smith and Moses on the field for the majority of the season, then the fans and Aaron Rodgers can be truly excited about the potential of the team. Simply put, the fate of the season revolves around the status of the O-Line.
Who’s Running the Offense?
Nathaniel Hackett? Todd Downing? Aaron Rodgers?
It has been no secret that the only reason why Nathaniel Hackett is a coach for the New York Jets is because he’s buddies with the quarterback. It’s a great relationship to have, especially when that quarterback is a 4-time MVP.
After losing Rodgers in the first game of last season, Hackett’s shortcomings as a play caller and game manager became evident as the Jets were up there with the league’s worst on the offensive side of the ball.
Simply put, the Jets offense was historically bad. They put up 10 or less points 5 different times throughout last season. If that wasn’t enough to prove how bad they were, the advanced analytics show it as well. Since 2000, the Jets ranked dead last in expected points added for play.
The Jets made an intriguing move this offseason by bringing in former Titans offensive coordinator Todd Downing to be their passing-game coordinator. This was an interesting move for New York as Tennessee was never known to be an offensive powerhouse during Downing’s time, especially in the passing game. The Titans were heavily reliant on Derrick Henry and the run game to provide production across the offense. With that being said, the Titans never had a quarterback of Aaron Rodgers stature, and that’s no shot at Ryan Tannehill.
There have been rumors that Downing could step in as the play-caller throughout the season if things aren’t going well with Hackett. During the Jets mandatory minicamp back in June, Downing spent a day as the play caller on offense, a job that Hackett typically facilitates. It remains to be seen if there is actually a plan in place for Downing to take over the responsibility on offense. But his resume and offensive experience is something to keep an eye on this training camp. Let’s see if head coach Robert Saleh allows Downing to take over the headset at any point during the rest of camp and preseason.
Of course, one thing needs to be pointed out no matter who the offensive coordinator is. Aaron Rodgers has the liberty (and has earned the right) to make play changes at the line of scrimmage.
This is what makes Rodgers so special as a quarterback. He has the mental intuition to understand if the original play call is going to work based on what the defense is giving him. After 20 years in the league, 4 MVPs, and a Super Bowl Ring, the future first ballot hall of famer knows a thing or 2 about calling plays and making the correct reads. When Rodgers is playing, the right plays are going to be called. And let’s not forget about this masterpiece that was caught on last years Hard Knocks.
