\n Position Preview for ’25<\/p>\n
Aaron Glenn has stressed several qualities that he wants to see in his players as Jets head coach, among them youth, competitiveness and toughness.<\/p>\n
The youth is already apparent on special teams (another AG hot-button topic) with Chris Banjo, a mere 35 years old with a 10-year playing career and two years as an assistant coach on his r\u00e9sum\u00e9, taking the reins from longtime STC Brant Boyer.<\/p>\n
Banjo has competition on all fronts, none more visible than kicker and punter. The Jets released K Greg Zuerlein, 37, and P Thomas Morstead, 39, both 13-seasons-plus veterans, and will turn both jobs over to young competitors. At kicker going into camp, recently signed Harrison Mevis<\/a> will battle rookie free agent Caden Davis<\/a>. The punting combatants will be first-year man Austin McNamara<\/a> and rookie free agent Kai Kroeger<\/a>.<\/p>\n Among return candidates, while Xavier Gipson<\/a> has handled most of the Jets’ returns the past two seasons, Banjo made it clear after the rookie minicamp that returner depth charts “are written in pencil, so it’s a dynamic process that can change on a consistent and day-to-day basis.”<\/p>\n So Gipson will be in the running, but so will others seeking to unseat him, among them fourth-round rookie Arian Smith<\/a> and undrafted free agent Jamaal Pritchett<\/a> on punts and dangerous young vet Kene Nwangwu<\/a> (4 career KO-return TDs in 4 NFL seasons) on kickoffs.<\/p>\n The toughness part especially comes through on the coverage and blocking units. Three returning ST tacklers, Irvin Charles<\/a>, Isaiah Davis<\/a> and Marcelino McCrary-Ball<\/a>, each had 7 ST tackles last season \u2014 slightly better than Banjo’s average of 5.8 ST tackles\/season over his decade as a player \u2014 but Charles is still rehabbing from his December ACL tear. Also among the new faces who want to contribute to teams are draft picks Francisco Mauigoa<\/a> and Smith as a gunner.<\/p>\n