Another week of training camp is about to wrap up for the New York Jets, as they prepare to take on the Washington Commanders in their first preseason game. The drama from Week One of training camp has mostly died down. As the preseason and training camp progresses, this is still the Jets, and there’s always something to talk about. This week, the focus is on integrating a now-healthy standout wide receiver, keeping the offensive line healthy, and wondering if the new pass rusher will ever show up.
Here are the latest Top 3 Takeaways from the most recent week of camp:
1. Return of the Mike
Mike Williams has joined practice, as he was activated off the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list on Wednesday. Williams tore his ACL in Week 3 of last season, when he was with the Chargers. He had been working on the side during training camp.
Before 2023, Williams had been relatively reliable in terms of staying on the field. Over his seven-year career, he has caught 309 passes for 4,806 yards and 31 touchdowns. Where his stats really stand out is the 15.6 career yards per catch average, with a high of 20.4 in 2019. If his big play ability is not hampered by his rehabilitated ACL, Williams should be a target that thrives with Aaron Rodgers at the helm.
Over the next few weeks for Williams, the sprint begins to get more comfortable in game action, and to get acclimated with Rodgers at quarterback. Given the experience that both Rodgers and Williams have, this should not be an issue. They should have plenty of time to gel and be ready for the 49ers in Week One.
2. Protecting Rodgers’ Protectors
The Jets have, not surprisingly, taken a cautious approach with protecting their offensive line throughout camp. While it has worked so far, there are signs that depth will be a key enabler of the line’s success in 2024. Practice time has been missed, and the starting line has only worked together for one day heading into joint practices with the Commanders. However, it appears that the Jets are just being overly cautious with a mostly mature offensive line.
Last Friday, Morgan Moses (who the Jets signed in the off-season) participated at camp for the first time, after recovering from surgery on a torn pectoral muscle, making the line whole for the first time. This is important, as the line needs to be completely in sync to protect Rodgers from injury and avoid a repeat of 2023. When at full strength, the line of Tyron Smith, John Simpson, Joe Tippmann, Alijah Vera-Tucker, and Moses should be one of the best in the game.
Smith returned to the field for Thursday’s joint practice with the Commanders, and looked good. He had previously missed some practice time with lower extremity tightness. There was a lot of talk of Smith’s missed time last season with the Cowboys due to a back injury. However, it should be noted that he has played through many other injuries in his career and is tough in playing through things. The back, understandably, is a whole different ballgame.
The risks of having older linemen makes the Jets 2024 first round draft pick that much more important. Taking Olu Fashanu at #11 overall, to be a backup this year, could be seen as a bit of a head scratcher. However, he has already received first team reps in practice, and will need to be ready to step in, and potentially start, at a moment’s notice. Fashanu was not a wide receiver weapon, or a weapon out of the backfield, or at tight end. However, his drafting could still end up being the most helpful selection for Rodgers and the offense this season.
3. Haason Who?
Adding a top-flight pass rusher to an already strong defense, without giving up a player from the active roster, should have been a slam dunk. However, the Jets trade to acquire Haason Reddick from the Philadelphia Eagles has been a disaster so far. He has not shown up to any of training camp, OTA’s, or anything at all really. When the Eagles wanted to trade one of the best pass rushers in the game for a conditional 2026 pick (third round, which can become a second rounder if certain terms are met), it should have been a warning sign that something was amiss. It was his contract status.
On paper, Reddick looks like a perfect fit on the Jets defense. In his two years in Philadelphia, he was named a Pro Bowler in both years. His 27 sacks over those two years should have kept him in Philly much longer. However, there was a contract extension looming. Reddick’s current contract was signed in 2022 was for three years, so he is entering the last year of his deal in 2024, worth $14.5 million. When the Jets acquired him, they knew his contract situation, and desire for an extension, but thought trading for him without the extension done was worth the risk given Reddick’s ability as a pass rusher. He also said the right things about showing up and being part of the team. That has not happened.
To add injury to insult, the Eagles replaced Reddick by signing Bryce Huff, who seems like a younger version of Reddick with similar production. Huff was the Jets top pass rusher (ironically), and is a rising star at 25 years old (Reddick is 30). In 2023, he had 10 sacks (Reddick had 11) along with 67 quarterback pressures (Reddick had 56).
Reddick is amassing fines because he is not showing up. He has already been fined over $1 million, with the total growing with every day that he misses. At some point, the additional dollars from a renegotiation of a contract will be wiped away by the fines. Reddick is digging in for a new contract, and the Jets want to see him perform in the Jets defense before offering him a new contract. The stalemate continues.
Photo Credit; Jets X-factor
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