FLORHAM PARK, N.J. \u2014 The first day of Jets training camp felt different than in recent years \u2014 or at least, it looked different. Gone are the large stands for fans. Those areas are empty, part of them blocked off as the Jets construct a new weight-room facility. There\u2019s a large, tented-off area where the weight room will stand.<\/p>\n
Last year, Aaron Glenn got emotional during one practice when fans started to chant his name \u2014 the first \u201cpinch me\u201d moment in his return to the team that drafted him. There won\u2019t be as many of those moments this year because the general public will only attend one practice, while five others are earmarked for season-ticket holders.<\/p>\n
If you ask wide receiver Garrett Wilson, something else feels different about this iteration of the Jets.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a feeling it\u2019s going to be a special year,\u201d Wilson said.<\/p>\n
Hasn\u2019t he felt that way in the past? Perhaps when Aaron Rodgers was around, and the hype around this team was deafening?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels different this year, it does,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cNot that any other year didn\u2019t have it, meaning a good feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wilson called out the infusion of veterans and leaders like Demario Davis, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith and Tim Patrick, and the changes on the coaching staff \u2014 particularly Glenn\u2019s move to call plays on defense coupled with the addition of Frank Reich on offense.<\/p>\n
New York Jets channeled Mario Kart this offseason<\/p>\n
Robert Mays<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s team is still young, with only five players 31 or older (one of them is a long snapper and the other four were added this offseason). Still, last year\u2019s team was even younger, and there was an obvious leadership void as Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey looked to gut the previous roster in favor of a youth movement. Most of the young players considered leaders before last year\u2019s training camp \u2014 Quinnen Williams, Sauce Gardner, Jermaine Johnson and Quincy Williams \u2014 are gone.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s certain guys that just don\u2019t have any past association with the blunders of the (recent) past,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cBecause of that, they\u2019re bringing a winning mindset, a winning energy that young guys can latch onto and get a better idea of what it takes to win at that level.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s too early to figure out if the changes made this offseason will work. It\u2019s only Day 1, after all.<\/p>\n
Below are some observations from the first day of camp:<\/p>\n
Quote of the day<\/p>\n
As Glenn was talking about how much different this feels for him going into his second year compared to last year, he brought up the \u201cblind spots\u201d all first-year coaches encounter. Pressed on what those might be, he responded: \u201cI\u2019m not trying to be a butthole when I give you this answer, but a lot of that I want to keep to myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Charting the QBs<\/p>\n
QB training camp stats are back, baby!<\/p>\n
As always, a disclaimer that you shouldn\u2019t overanalyze these numbers, especially this early in camp when the practices are lighter. There is, however, always something to be learned from what happens in 11-on-11 and seven-on-seven drills. Alarm bells rang in past years as we suffered through practices led by Zach Wilson and Justin Fields. Aaron Rodgers was highly entertaining in this setting. It\u2019s also a way to help establish which pass-catchers are building chemistry with the quarterbacks.<\/p>\n
OK, enough set-up. Let\u2019s get into it. First, Smith.<\/p>\n
The first 11-on-11 session was mostly running and short passing plays, but Smith did complete both attempts to Isaiah Davis and Mason Taylor. In seven-on-seven, he completed short passes to Wilson, Omar Cooper, Isaiah Williams and Arian Smith \u2014 though a deep-ball attempt for Adonai Mitchell hung in the air a little too long, allowing cornerback Brandon Stephens to break it up.<\/p>\n
Smith\u2019s last run of 11-on-11 toward the end of practice was less successful. Rookie edge David Bailey pressured Smith into one incompletion, Williams dropped another pass and Smith threw one behind Wilson, which was nearly intercepted. He did have one completion (I couldn\u2019t see who he connected with).<\/p>\n
Overall, I had Smith completing 3 of 5 passes in 11-on-11, and 4 of 5 in seven-on-seven.<\/p>\n
In the Klub?<\/p>\n
Rookie Cade Klubnik was up next in team drills and he completed his first two passes to undrafted rookie tight end Chase Curtis and Davis. During seven-on-seven he completed passes to Jamaal Pritchett, Curtis, tight end Kenyon Sadiq and fullback Andrew Beck. His one incompletion could\u2019ve been special: wide receiver Arian Smith was streaking wide open on a post route, Klubnik fired it to him in rhythm in a perfect spot, and\u2026 Smith dropped it. Smith also dropped a pass in drills earlier in the day, repeating a problem he\u2019s had since his college days.<\/p>\n
In Klubnik\u2019s final run, he threw a pass behind Williams and had another lightly tipped at the line of scrimmage, Sadiq attempted a sliding catch; it bounced off him and into the arms of linebacker Mykal Walker for a pick.<\/p>\n
All told, Klubnik went 2 of 4 in 11-on-11 with an interception and 3 of 4 in seven-on-seven.<\/p>\n
As for questions about what the Jets will do at QB2: As of today, I\u2019d be surprised if Bailey Zappe (who nearly threw a pick on pass for Sadiq) or Brady Cook win that job. It\u2019s Klubnik\u2019s to lose for now, though it can\u2019t be ruled out that they add someone else.<\/p>\n
Mougey said this after practice about the No. 2 QB spot: \u201cI won\u2019t get into the hypotheticals. I\u2019m just excited to see Cade get his reps during training camp and watch the whole group \u2014 Bailey and Brady, and Geno \u2014 get their reps and develop and continue to improve while they\u2019re here and we\u2019ll keep an eye on the landscape \u2026 that\u2019s no different for any position.\u201d<\/p>\n
Injury report<\/p>\n
Sadiq returned after missing all of the spring following a minor procedure on his hernia; same for Klubnik, who missed time with a back issue.<\/p>\n
Rookie cornerback D\u2019Angelo Ponds left practice with a calf strain, though Glenn didn\u2019t sound concerned about the severity. Defensive tackle Mazi Smith also left practice with a hamstring injury.<\/p>\n
The Jets placed outside linebacker Joseph Ossai on the PUP list ahead of camp earlier this week. Defensive tackle T\u2019Vondre Sweat (hamstring) is on the Non-Football Injury list; he suffered the injury while working out this offseason. The Jets will take their time working him back into the mix, but neither Glenn nor Mougey sound concerned about the injury.<\/p>\n
Looking at the defense<\/p>\n
I thought the defense looked pretty solid all-around in team drills on Wednesday. There was a fairly consistent pass rush up front, good coverage on the backend and a few opportunities to force turnovers.<\/p>\n
It was Glenn\u2019s first Jets practice as the defensive play-caller and it wasn\u2019t hard to tell how much this has energized him. The thing Glenn is enjoying the most: \u201cWhen there\u2019s an issue on defense I can quickly fix it because I know the defense like the back of my hand,\u201d he said. \u201cThat feels really, really good. To be able to coach everybody from D-Line to linebackers to DBs, to be specific in this is what I\u2019m looking for and this is how I want it to go and the players respond to that. I\u2019ve missed doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some notable defensive standouts or moments:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Bailey still had a hard time getting around right tackle Armand Membou, who blocked him into the ground at one point, but he seemed to win more battles than he did in OTAs. As mentioned, he did get a pressure on Smith to force an incompletion. \u201cHe\u2019s going to be phenomenal,\u201d said edge Kingsley Enagbare. \u201cHe\u2019s going to have a long career, the sky\u2019s the limit for that dude. He can do it all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022 Minkah Fitzpatrick nearly had an interception on a Smith pass thrown behind Wilson. He tried one-handing it and couldn\u2019t haul it in. Fitzpatrick was all over the field (including the backfield) on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Defensive tackle Jowon Briggs also had a pressure during team drills.<\/p>\n
Miscellaneous observations<\/p>\n