The Jets were off on Wednesday and will return to the practice field Thursday morning. Then they’ll have a closed walk-through on Friday, travel to Green Bay and open preseason play against the Packers at Lambeau Field on Saturday evening.
Here are 5 things we’re tracking during the dog days of summer:
Secondary Surge
After signing his long-term extension, CB Sauce Gardner has had an outstanding camp. His length and technique are a lethal combination and he’s been a PD machine. Brandon Stephens, who had an early PD Tuesday followed by interception off a deflected pass, has progressed throughout the summer.
“Those guys have been doing a hell of a job,” HC Aaron Glenn said of the secondary. “I already called B [Brandon] out — I think he’s probably one of our most improved players right now. You watch Sauce — Sauce is Sauce. Sauce is going to get his hands on the ball; he’s going to cover well.”
At safety, Andre Cisco, who stepped in front of a Justin Fields sideline throw intended for RB Braelon Allen Tuesday for a pick, has had multiple interceptions in camp. Always known as a ballhawk, Cisco dropped weight this offseason and is moving around well. Holdover Tony Adams, who started 26 games in 2023-24, has picked up the new defense quickly and has been praised for his communication.
“Cisco is a guy that is going to get his hands on the ball,” Glenn said. “He probably gets his hands on the ball more than I thought he would, but he did that at Syracuse, and he’s done that in the NFL, as far as picking the ball off. So, I’m not surprised with that. TA has done a really good job of handling all of the movements in the back end and making sure that everybody is lined up.”
And nickel Michael Carter II is back healthy providing sticky coverage while packing a punch against the run.
“MC2 is doing a really good job at the nickel spot,” Glenn said. “The thing is, he’s a really good tackler. I know people look at his size, but he is a tough, tough guy, and he doesn’t back down from anything. So, even our backups, those guys are doing a really good job, too, and it all comes down to that, they understand exactly what we’re trying to do and what we’re trying to accomplish. To me, I think that makes it easy for a defense in general for those guys to go out there and play fast.”