Justin Fields Looks Sharp Ahead of Preaseason Operner

With their first pre-season game around the corner, the Jets continue with training camp as they prepare for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Questions started to swirl around about the offense and the struggles with Justin Fields, along with injuries piling up.  There are also some concerns as no clear favorite has emerged to be the number two receiver alongside Garrett Wilson. 

With that being said, the Jets continue to move forward with their scheduled training camp practices and look to improve each day.

General Notes

• Strong presence in the stands from the Gang Green faithful for a weekday practice.
• Good vibes and energy from the players and crowd at the start of the session. 
• Players practiced in full pads.
• No Quinnen Williams or Mason Taylor as they’re still battling injuries. 
• Fewer penalties than we’ve seen in recent days.
• The energy of vibes feels different with Aaron Glenn in charge.

NY Jets Offense Notes

• Questions loom about the Jets’ WR2 spot as the Jets look for a WR to step up into the role.  
• Wide receivers who impressed were Arian Smith, who showed tremendous speed. Quentin Skinner made a nice 40+ yard catch on a deep route thrown by Adrian Martinez, along with a nice catch on a corner route. Tyler Johnson also got involved during a two-minute drill
• Malachi Corley is a player to look out for who can fill that WR2 spot
• Justin Fields, who hasn’t had the best training camp so far, impressed today with his best practice thus far.  Fields’ throws were efficient and on point with his targets, executing drives resulting in touchdowns.  He also showed off his running ability, adding a score on the ground.
• After an interception that bounced off the hands of his intended target, Fields led the team down to score on the next drive
• The Justin Fields and Garrett Wilson connection is looking like it did in the Ohio State days.  Wilson appears to be Fields’ top target during the games.  The two connected on a couple of first-down plays along with a 20+ yard touchdown.  Fields throw wasn’t perfect, but Wilson made a spectacular catch while also avoiding getting hit by the safety.

• Breece Hall, Isiah Davis, and Braelon Allen split reps in today’s practice.
• Allen showed flashes of what he’s capable of becoming as he added speed and agility to go with his strength and size as a running back.  Allen made nice runs on outside plays, running through the gaps of the defenses easily.  The way Allen was looking today, he has a legit chance to put the league on notice.
• Between Adrian Martinez and Brady Cook, Martinez may have the edge due to experience, connecting on deep balls, and mobility out of the pocket.  Brady Cook looked decent when in charge of the offense, but still more work to do on his part.

NY Jets Defense Notes

• Lots of splash plays from the defense today.
• As Jermaine Johnson works his way back from his Achilles injury and Quinnen Williams not practicing as well, it gives opportunities for players to step up into the pass rushing roles
• The defensive line looked great in terms of the run defense and the control of the line of scrimmage.  We also saw several deflected passes, which is good to see from your defensive linemen.  
• Brandon Stephens showed off his skill set at cornerback by making an INT and working his man-to-man coverage. 
• Andre Cisco, who signed in the offseason as the team’s new starting safety, is showing leadership on the backend of the secondary, scouting out the offense from the defensive side. 
• Jamien Sherwood flashed in practice as he was involved in almost every play, coming up with a fumble at one point.
• The defense showed its emphasis on stripping the ball away and creating turnovers

Special Teams Notes

• Isiah Davis and Malachi Corley are getting reps on kickoff returns.
• Nick Folk and Harrison Mevis conitniue to battle it out for the starting kicking job. Folk looked efficient, but there may be questions regarding his leg strength.  He missed on a 55-yard attempt.  Mevis, on the other hand, showed tremendous strength as his kicks exploded through the goalposts.  He missed one attempt but was good from 55-yards out. 
• Austin McNarmara, the only punter on the roster, looked efficient on his punts.  he showed great placements, making it difficult for the returners to make any big plays.  McNamara also showed impressive the hang time is there

Standout Players

• Harrison Mevis
• Adrian Martinez 
• Austin McNamara
• Justin Fields
• Brandon Stephens 
• Braelon Allen
• Jamaal Pritchett

Once practice wrapped up, head coach Aaron Glenn met with the media and said that his starters will in fact play in the preseason opener against the Packers.  No details were given in terms of how much action they’ll see, but they will play.

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