Jets practice blog: In Geno Smith they trust

Robert Saleh says kind things about the Jets

Robert Saleh tried to downplay how badly he wants to beat the Jets. (Sorry, Robert, everyone knows you do.)

Saleh was fired as Jets coach five games into the 2024 season. He’s now the head coach of the Titans. Of course, the NFL made Jets-Titans a Week 1 game with the storyline of Saleh and the Jets facing each other.

He said he has no ill will toward the Jets, but Saleh probably is not a big fan of Woody Johnson. It was Johnson’s decision to pull the plug on Saleh with the Jets holding a 2-3 record.

“Our desire to win Week 1 and beat the Jets is because it's Week 1 and nothing more,” Saleh told reporters in Tennessee. “I’m forever grateful for all the opportunity they gave me. I don’t hold grudges.”

At least 11 players in the Jets’ regular rotation were drafted during Saleh’s tenure. Saleh, who went 20-36 as Jets coach, said he gets pumped when he turns on film and sees Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. Saleh mentioned other players he coached, including Jeremy Ruckert, Olu Fashanu, Will McDonald, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis.

Saleh said the Jets could surprise people.

“It's a really good group,” Saleh said. “They're doing a really good job and they've got a hell of an offense and chance to be really, really good. A lot of new faces on defense, a lot of guys that you respect, a lot of guys that have played a lot of really good football. A really under the radar team. I think they've got a chance to be pretty good.”

Fast-rising Seth Ryan

Offensive coordinator Frank Reich had a feeling that Seth Ryan would be a good fit for his staff. But Reich said Ryan, the Jets’ first-year passing game coordinator, has “exceeded expectations.”

Ryan worked previously with the Chargers and Lions and under some people from Reich’s past, including Nick Sirianni and Shane Steichen. Reich said he and Ryan “instantly connected from a schematic and philosophy standpoint.”

Reich leans on Ryan sometimes for game-planning and in-game situations, asking him his opinion based on what he’s seeing from the defense. Reich has been really impressed with Ryan’s defensive acumen. It’s no surprise. Ryan’s father is former Jets head coach Rex Ryan and grandfather was Buddy Ryan. They were both excellent defensive coaches.

“We're at a point right now where I have complete confidence in him helping, leading with the game planning, in-game, asking his opinion between series or whatever,” Reich said. “He's got a fast, quick mind. He understands football at a deep level. He understands - we all know why - but he understands defensive football. Like he really understands defensive football, and that really helps us.”

Jets are loving Geno Smith and what he's brought to the offense

Geno Smith has been spoken about with such reverence for the way he’s mastered the offense, his work ethic and how he carries himself.

Offensive coordinator Frank Reich said Smith is “setting the tone” as a leader who takes every rep seriously. Describing Smith as “dialed in,” Reich reiterated how impressed he is with his quarterback’s “laser-like focus.”

“I don’t want to overstate it – I’ve already said a lot,” Reich said. “Everything I’ve said is even more true than even I thought it was. … It’s just his mindset. He just comes to practice every day to get better and I just think the team feeds off of it.

“He’s highly competitive, doesn’t want to lose a rep. It’s a good for our locker room and our guys.”

Smith had some good days in camp and was 7-for-7 with a touchdown pass in his only preseason series. He’s also had not-so-sharp practices. That’s been Smith throughout his career.

He’s a definite upgrade from Justin Fields last year. It’s hard not to be. There is strong belief inside the Jets’ building that with Smith leading them, the offense is in good hands.

“The guy is just a true natural leader,” receiver Adonai Mitchell said. “He has this presence about him. He’s just what you would want from a quarterback.”

Jets try out former Titans QB Will Levis

The Jets tried out former Titans quarterback Will Levis, who was released on Sunday, and Jack Plummer. Plummer spent time with the Panthers last year and played in the United Football League. Bailey Zappe is currently the Jets’ practice squad quarterback.

Players feeling 'a lot more connected' this season in second year under Glenn

Aaron Glenn’s confidence is soaring as the regular season nears because he feels everyone is aligned and together in what they’re chasing.

The Jets haven’t made the playoffs in 15 years and no one is projecting that drought will end this season. That’s the goal, of course. Glenn feels closer to achieving that than he was last year – his first as a head coach.

“The process that we've been through this year has been really, really good,” Glenn said. “It brings a different level of confidence.”

Major changes were made to the roster and coaching staff. Glenn used the word “lockstep” to describe where everyone in the organization is now. Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, a holdover from last season, said the biggest thing the Jets accomplished in training camp is all the players became “a lot more connected.” Glenn liked that word, too.

“That's really it,” Glenn said, “It’s the connection between not just me and the players, but from the whole building. From ownership, head coach, GM, president, players, equipment staff, people in the cafe. The people that probably do the best job here is the people that help us clean the building.

“There's a connection between everybody, and there's one focus on what we're trying to accomplish. When you feel like there's alignment between everybody, it just brings a different level of confidence.”

Phillips said there is an overall “camaraderie and cohesiveness” that gives him the confidence that “we’re going to stick together through whatever happens.”

Jets wideouts going gaga over specialty goggles

Jets receivers are wearing specialized sports goggles to improve their concentration when catching passes.

They feature dark lenses with a blinking strobe-light effect that have multiple settings designed to improve reaction time, hand-eye coordination and overall focus.
The players are using them after practice and sometimes at home.

Isaiah Williams started training with them about three weeks ago. He wears them to catch footballs, tennis balls and beanbags. He even puts them on at night at home and has his wife throw tennis balls to him.

“I wear them everywhere,” Williams told Newsday. “I've noticed a huge improvement already, yeah. Like, huge improvement.”

The goggles can be set for both lenses to flicker between clear and opaque. Another setting blocks or strobes the left lens and then it can be switched to the right. Each lens can also be set to alternately blink and at different speeds.

“It just helps you concentrate and lock in more,” rookie Omar Cooper Jr. told Newsday.

Adonai Mitchell was introduced to these goggles in his final year of college. Mitchell described it as “something being thrown at you” while you’re rapidly and repeatedly blinking.

“It really forces you to focus,” Mitchell said. “It forces you to focus and kind of anticipate where the ball will be. It’s great for preparation, for sure.”

Tippmann embraced moving to guard

A year has made quite a difference for Joe Tippmann.

One year ago today, former starting right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker suffered a season-ending triceps tear in practice. Tippmann, who had beaten out Josh Myers for the starting center job, had to slide over to right guard and has played there ever since.

Tippmann has excelled in his new spot and was rewarded with a four-year, $62 million contract extension in June.

“It's been a great transition,” Tippmann said. “As soon as they told me Week 1 of the season, ‘Hey, we need you to move over.’ I fully embraced it. Now at this point it's something that I'm really excited about and get to continue playing guard.”

Tippmann would watch other NFL centers to try and help his game. Now he’s watching guards and likes that he has twice as many options to choose from. He recently tried snapping a football for the first time in a long time.

“Just seeing if I still had it,” Tippmann said. “I had my hand all taped up, so they didn't look very good.”

Jets 2026 team captains

The Jets 2026 team captains as voted on by the players:

OFFENSE

Quarterback Geno Smith

Right guard Joe Tippmann

DEFENSE

Linebacker Demario Davis

Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips

Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick

SPECIAL TEAMS

Returner Isaiah Williams

Jets bring in 5-time All-Pro Justin Tucker for kicking tryout

The Jets held a kicking tryout, reportedly hosting Justin Tucker, Michael Badgley and Joshua Karty at their facility on Wednesday.

Tucker hasn’t kicked in the NFL since 2024 after being accused of sexual misconduct by multiple massage therapists. The NFL suspended the former Raven 10 games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Tucker was never charged criminally or sued civilly.

A five-time first-team All-Pro, Tucker served his suspension and was reinstated last November. He’s also tried out for the Saints and Colts but hasn’t been signed.

Badgley has kicked for six teams, including the Colts and Bills last season. Karty spent parts of two seasons with the Rams.

The Jets' kicking situation has been messy. Jason Sanders beat out Cade York for the job but Sanders missed an extra point and field goal in Friday’s preseason finale against the Giants.

The Jets released Sanders on Monday after claiming Blake Grupe off waivers. Sanders was later signed to the Jets practice squad.

Aaron Glenn's plans for the break

This was the Jets’ last practice before a little break. Aaron Glenn said there would be a lot of team competition and situational periods. When they return on Monday, preparations for their Week 1 opponent Tennessee will begin.

Glenn said it was important to “make sure that we’re dialed in on our concepts and there’s no gray area when it comes to that.”

Glenn has already started watching film of the Titans. He will do more of that during this break, but he also plans to spend a “good amount of quality time” with his wife.

“She knows exactly how I operate in situations like this,” Glenn said. “I'm going to make sure I get ahead when it comes to the work (on) Tennessee and then be able to spend the quality time that I know I need to.”

'They fit exactly the way I want to play defense'

Adding big bodies up front on defense was a priority after the Jets allowed the fourth-most rushing yards last season.

They traded for T’Vondre Sweat – who is 6-foot-4, 366 pounds – signed David Onyemata and drafted Darrell Jackson Jr. They join a room that already featured Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs.

“They’re big men, but they're also agile men,” Aaron Glenn said. “They fit exactly the way I want to play defense…. Just that type of size and that type of athletic ability, it only helps you. It helps everybody around the defense be better”

Glenn believes in being “strong down the middle” of the defense. The Jets signed Demario Davis to play middle linebacker and acquired Minkah Fitzpatrick to lead the back end at safety.

Phillips was effusive in his praise for his group, saying they're “really deep” and “have amazing different skillsets.” Phillips stopped himself while he was gushing, though.

“The communication is a lot different than it was with other defensive tackles I've been in my whole career,” Phillips said. “I really like our group and……Yeah, I don't want to put any headlines out there, but I like our guys.”

The Mason Taylor-Geno Smith connection

Mason Taylor is one of the players Aaron Glenn expects to make a big jump this season. The second-year tight end has been working on his blocking and getting yards after the catch.

Taylor had a good camp and showed some chemistry with Geno Smith. The two spent a lot of time together training in South Florida before camp. Taylor said they would get together three or four times a week for an hour and a half on a turf field in the blazing hot sun.

“It was really good for us,” Taylor said. “You get on the same page, of course, with your starting quarterback. Being able to get those reps in the offseason is really important. But being there to help him get better and him to help me get better in the offseason was really good.”

David Bailey is built differently

David Bailey has been disruptive on the field, but the rookie edge rusher is making a strong impression with his off-the-field actions.

Veteran defensive tackle Harrison Phillips noted that many rookies and young players might use their breaks to scroll social media on their phones. Bailey spends his time during breaks on his iPad watching film.

“I might walk past another rookie or another young player and in that 15-minute window, they’re seeing what Instagram's got going on and TikTok's got going on,” Phillips said.

Most recently, Phillips saw Bailey had the Titans’ offense – the Jets’ Week 1 opponent - on his iPad. Previously, Phillips said Bailey was looking at his rushes from the joint practice against Tampa or studyinh other edge rushers.

Phillips brought up another time when the Jets gave players ice cream after a hard practice in the heat. Bailey passed.

“He's like, ‘Oh no, I want to make sure my body composition stays good,’” Phillips said.

Bailey is just built differently. He’s all about football, Phillips said.

“In this world, it's very impressive to find a rookie who has the world as his oyster and a deep bank account and he still really wants to become a really good addition to this team,” Phillips said. “I think a lot of the motivation for him isn't like, ‘I want to be Defensive Player of the Year. I want 50 sacks.’ It's like, ‘I wan to win football games.’ And that's really good.”

Aaron Glenn said Bailey’s “professionalism” already stands out. The Jets coach also enjoys seeing how much time Bailey is spending with the veterans picking their brains and asking them how they’ve stayed in the game as long as they have.

“You don't get that a lot from a young player,” Glenn said. “But he is a very wise man, and I'm glad we have him because he's the type of player he’s going to be in this league for a long time the way he operates.”

Final practice squad spot goes to QB Zappe

Bailey Zappe is back.

The Jets signed him to the practice squad Tuesday, filling the one spot they had open. The Jets released Zappe on Sunday when they trimmed their roster down to 53 players.

Geno Smith is the starter and Cade Klubnik is his backup, but the Jets needed a third quarterback. It was expected that Brady Cook would be the Jets' practice-squad QB, but the Dolphins claimed him off waivers.

Zappe spent training camp and the preseason as the Jets’ No. 3 quarterback, but he didn’t perform well. He was intercepted on his first two preseason drives, including a pick-six against Tampa. Overall, he completed 14 of 23 passes for 135 yards.

Drafted in the fourth round by New England in 2022, Zappe has appeared in 15 games (nine starts) and thrown for 2,223 yards, 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

Frank Reich: 'We got more than 11 starters' on offense

Frank Reich has nothing but high grades for Geno Smith and the other skill players he’s now leading.

The Jets offensive coordinator said “because of how talented that room is, we don't have 11 starters on offense. We've got like 15, that's the way I look at it, or however many it is. It's not 11, I promise you.”

There’s Smith and the five offensive linemen – Armand Membou, Joe Tippmann, Josh Myers, Dylan Parham and Olu Fashanu. After that, the Jets probably consider backs Breece Hall and Braelon Allen, all four tight ends (Mason Taylor, Jeremy Ruckert, Kenyon Sadiq and Jelani Woods) and receivers Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, Isaiah Williams and Omar Cooper as starting-caliber players.

That equals 16, but you get the drift. Reich likes his players and having the ability to use them in different ways.

“As a coaching staff, we got more than 11 starters,” Reich said. “We're going to play them all and want to play them all and mix it up. That just brings good energy. Everybody's in it.

“Obviously, we got our bellcows, Breece is a bellcow, Garrett is a bellcow. We'll do what we got to do there, but we got good talent.”

What Omar Cooper Jr. needs to do as a rookie WR

Omar Cooper Jr. had an up-and-down training camp, but he was clicking with Geno Smith at the end of it.

Cooper is a strong receiver, able to rack up YAC (Yards After the Catch). He will be the Jets' WR3/4 with Isaiah Williams.

The rookie’s snap counts and targets could depend on how quickly he learns the league and what to do against certain coverages. When he does, he should be able to create more opportunities for himself. Aaron Glenn doesn’t anticipate that being a problem for the former Indiana standout.

“For a rookie receiver to come into this league, there's a number of things that go into what he has to see when it comes to coverage and how to adjust his route during coverage, how to adjust his blocking assignment during certain coverages,” Glenn said. “Every receiver that comes to the league goes through it, and sometimes it takes time, but he's doing a really good job and he's improving every day.

“His personality and the type of player he is, that's just going to happen anyways because he's not going to be the guy that sits back and not do the things to help himself get better.”

Jets sign 16 to practice squad

The Jets signed 16 players to their practice squad and have room for one more. Here is their team:

DE Nate Lynn

DL Paschal Ekeji

DT Jack Heflin

DL Payton Page

LB Jaden Keller

LB Troy Reader

CB Mory Bamba

CB Jordan Clark

CB Sam Womack

RB Al-Jay Jefferson

WR Cam Camper

WR Malik McClain

WR Jamaal Pritchett

OL Xavier Newman

OL Marquis Hayes

K Jason Sanders

All of them except Reader and Jefferson were with Jets in training camp and the preseason.

Joseph Ossai out with plantar fascia injury

The Jets probably won’t have edge rusher Joseph Ossai for Week 1.

Ossai, who signed a three-year, $34.5 million contract in the offseason, suffered an injury to his plantar fascia and is considered week-to-week, Aaron Glenn said.

Glenn used the word “rupture” and said that was better than a partial tear because it “relieves the pain” and “takes a lot of stress out of that foot.”

It happened in the Jets’ last preseason game Friday against the Giants, which was Ossai’s debut after beginning training camp on the PUP list. Ossai could be an IR candidate.

“It's not something that'll be long term. I'm happy about that,” Glenn said. “Very confident in where Ossai is and look forward to him getting back with us quickly. I’m just glad that was the diagnosis of his injury.”

Injury updates: Breece Hall and more

Breece Hall (groin), Isaiah Williams (knee), Jeremy Ruckert (undisclosed) and rookie cornerback D’Angelo Ponds (calf) did not practice on Monday.

Rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq (core muscle surgery) took part in position drills for the first time in four weeks.

Aaron Glenn said Hall, Williams, Sadiq and Ponds are all on target to be available for Week 1 in Tennessee.

It's official: Cade Klubnik is QB2

Aaron Glenn announced that rookie Cade Klubnik will be Geno Smith’s backup quarterback.

“He's our backup quarterback,” Glenn said. “And he'll do a good job.”

Klubnik, a fourth-round pick, struggled in the Jets’ final preseason game Friday, leading to speculation that they would try to sign an experienced veteran or claim one off waivers.

Glenn said he and general manager Darren Mougey spoke about some guys, but they decided to stick with Klubnik – for now at least. Glenn said they have confidence in Klubnik and are impressed with how we operates.

“I don't think anybody ever said that there weren't going to be hiccups,” Glenn said. “He's a rookie, but he's always learning it and he's a very intelligent guy. Listen, we’re proud that we have him and he’s improved over the course of training camp and he’s going to continue to improve.”

The Jets will add a third quarterback, but Glenn said they’re looking for a guy for the practice squad.

Meet the expectations and standard, or hear about it

Jets players have been careful not to make strong statements about expectations this season. In other words, they’re not making playoff claims. It’s the goal, but they’re not expressing it.

Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said the expectations are to play physical, execute at a high level and play the standard set forth by Aaron Glenn, the coaches and team leadership. Fitzpatrick said when they haven’t met those expectations in practice or preseason games, they’ve heard about it.

“When we were falling short, we were called out, whether it was an individual or the defense or offense as a whole,” Fitzpatrick said. “We were called out and told, ‘Hey, this is what our standard is. This is how we're going to move and you want to move it like that. So let's get on it.’ I think everybody responded well to those challenges.”

Fitzpatrick said it could be a coach, a teammate or a trainer who says something.

“Everybody knows the standard that we’re trying to live up to,” Fitzpatrick said.

'He's a tough guy'

Backup center Jordan Meredith is officially a Jet.

The Jets sent a 2027 sixth-round pick to Las Vegas for Meredith and a 2029 seventh-rounder. Meredith, who has experience playing guard, adds needed depth to the interior of the offensive line. He started 11 games last year for the Raiders, where Geno Smith was the quarterback and Jets left guard Dylan Parham was one of Meredith’s line mates.

“I'm glad we got the player. I really am,” Glenn said. “He's a tough guy. He loves football. He has a passion for winning and from what you hear, he endears himself to his teammates. All those traits we want in the players.”

Jets add a kicker

The Jets have a new kicker.

They claimed kicker Blake Grupe off of waivers on Monday. He was released by the Colts on Sunday.

Jason Sanders was the Jets’ kicker on their initial 53-man roster, but he struggled throughout camp and had a poor performance in the final preseason game. The veteran kicker missed an extra point and field goal against the Giants.

Grupe has spent time with the Saints and Colts since 2023. He was perfect last season in five games with the Colts – 11-for-11 on field goals and 10-for-10 on extra points. Overall, Grupe has connected on 81.9% of his field goals (86-for-105) and hit 96 of 98 extra points.

The Jets also claimed linebacker Trevin Wallace from Carolina. He started 12 games for the Panthers last season and had 61 tackles, four passes defended and two sacks.

The Jets also announced the acquisition of backup center Jordan Meredith from the Raiders.

They now have 55 players on the roster - they only had 52 on their initial list. The Jets will have to make two cuts.

Jets release initial roster

The Jets released their initial 53-man roster. (It’s actually 52; Jordan Meredith wasn't on it, but he will be.)

No real surprises, but the main takeaways are they still need a veteran backup and a kicker.

Here is the Jets' initial roster:

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACKS: Geno Smith, Cade Klubnik

RUNNING BACKS: Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, Isaiah Davis, Kene Nwanwgu, Andrew Beck

TIGHT ENDS: Jeremy Ruckert, Mason Taylor, Kenyon Sadiq, Jelani Woods

WIDE RECEIVERS: Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, Isaiah Williams, Omar Cooper Jr., Tim Patrick, Arian Smith

OFFENSIVE LINE: Armand Membou, Joe Tippmann, Josh Myers, Dylan Parham, Olu Fashanu, Max Mitchell, Chukwuma Okorafor, Kohl Levao

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE TACKLES: Harrison Phillips, T’Vondre Sweat, David Onyemata, Jowon Briggs, Darrell Jackson Jr.

EDGE RUSHERS: David Bailey, Will McDonald, Joseph Ossai, JJ Enagbare, Braiden McGregor

LINEBACKERS: Demario Davis, Jamien Sherwood, Kiko Mauigoa, Marcellino McCrary-Ball

CORNERBACKS: Brandon Stephens, Azareye’h Thomas, Nashon Wright, Jarvis Brownlee, D’Angelo Ponds, Qwan’tez Stiggers

SAFETIES: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Dane Belton, Andre Cisco, Malachi Moore

SPECIAL TEAMS

PUNTER: Austin McNamara

LONG SNAPPER: Thomas Hennessey

KICKER: Jason Sanders

Frank Reich, Jets QB?

LI's Cisco enjoying first training camp as a husband

This is safety Andre Cisco’s sixth NFL training camp, his second as a Jet, but his first as a husband.

“Training camp is much better as a married man,” he said. “You come home to cooked meals and love and not hard coaching. It’s been a great blessing.”

Cisco, who grew up in Valley Stream, and Savannah Spencer tied the knot at a California vineyard this summer. Theirs may have been tied with many others for second place among the highest profile weddings over July 4th weekend – a little shindig at Madison Square Garden stole much of the spotlight – but it was attended by several other pro football players including Micah Parsons, Tyson Campbell, Daniel Thomas, Rayshawn Jenkins, Joseph Ossai, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Brandon Stephens.

While being a newlywed may make Cisco happier, Jets fans are more interested in the state of his on-field relationship with new Jets safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and how that blessed union will flourish. Cisco said he and Fitzpatrick are working well together as the two presumed starters and cited the All-Pro’s “humility” as a factor.

“He is constantly trying to find his edge and it rubs off on me the right way,” Cisco said. “We all have different ways of pursuing our edge and for him we are going to bang it out in the film room a lot. He just uses every second wisely in the building. It’s been great to continue working with him on that.”

Stephens dreaming of more takeaways for defense

Cornerback Brandon Stephens has nightmares about last year when the Jets’ defense forced just three turnovers. Getting more takeaways is always on Stephens’ mind.

“I tell myself that even in my sleep, man,” he said. “That’s something that we definitely have to do. In order to win games you have to take the ball away. That’s definitely the focus. How can it not be?”

Stephens doesn’t need to be reminded that the Jets became the first team to go a full season without recording an interception last year. He had one in practice Tuesday, picking off Geno Smith in team competition.

“There are certain things you have to somewhat remember, but you have to flush it,” Stephens said. “Last season, it was what it was. This is a new season to prove myself and to prove ourselves as a team.”

Braelon Allen has something to prove

Third-year back Braelon Allen couldn’t wait to put the pads on this week. He hadn’t worn them since suffering a knee injury in Week 4 last season.

Allen and Isaiah Davis are competing for carries behind Breece Hall. Allen, who is 245 pounds, said this is a “huge” season for him after last season was cut short when he was just feeling he was getting in a rhythm.

“I don’t want to think too much about personal goals or anything like that,” Allen said. “Just trying to my establish, earn respect from my teammates and around the league and prove myself as a workhorse back.”

“My approach started in October when I got off that operation bed, operation table, got to work on rehab. I knew exactly what I needed to do. I know exactly what this year has to look like. It’s been a process that’s been ongoing for 10-11 months now and I’m ready to go.”

Allen isn’t yet in his first contract year in the NFL and he certainly isn’t yet considered to be among the top running backs in the league, but he was excited to hear about the three-year $75 million extension the Falcons agreed to with Bijan Robinson on Tuesday.

“Man, that’s crazy,” he said after practice when he learned about the deal that resets the market for the position. “That’s crazy. Congrats to him. He’s a special back, a special talent. Well-deserved and well-earned. Now I’m curious to see what Jahmyr [Gibbs’ next contract] will look like.”

Gibbs is currently “holding in” for a new contract with the Lions, meaning he's at camp with the team to avoid fines, but not participating in practices.

Such huge contracts are sure to trickle down and impact the rest of the running back market for years.

Allen won’t be eligible for free agency until after next season. But learning about Robinson’s deal certainly made him happy about the possibilities that a huge payday could lie not too far ahead for him.

“I’m worried about what I have to do right now,” he said. “If I do that then that day will come and God willing it will.”

LI's Ruckert: Nothing but love from Jets fans

Jeremy Ruckert’s perspective is different than most Jets. The Lindenhurst native was a Jets fan at an early age. He described his father and brother as “diehard” fans. “They tell me things that I don't even know that's going on with the team,” Ruckert said. 

Although the Jets haven’t won much, Ruckert said the fans that he’s interacted with at supermarkets or football camps have been nothing but supportive.

“You hear all the noise, but at the same time I've never run into someone that's been negative or not excited and disrespectful,” he said. “I love it. I grew up with it.” 

Ruckert gets recognized “a good amount” whether he’s out on Long Island, at a Yankees game or a Knicks game. 

“You just start hearing Jets chants,” Ruckert said, “and it just makes you feel good.”

Aaron Glenn: Armand Membou 'on a mission'

Aaron Glenn could tell from his exit meeting with then-rookie Armand Membou that the young right tackle would return for OTAs and training camp “stone-faced and ready to go.” Glenn was pleased to say he was right.

Membou came back “on a mission," Glenn said. ". . . You saw it in his face. It was no [expletive] to him. Everything was a business approach.”

Membou was motivated by the Jets’ overall performance last season. They were 3-14 and mostly not competitive.

“What happened last year, I feel like we can't have that happen again,” Membou said. “We got to make things change, create change.”

Membou’s mindset was to put in the work to “make sure I can make a jump my second year.”

He and Jets left tackle Olu Fashanu trained together in Texas during the offseason with Duke Manyweather, a noted offensive line developer and founder of OL Masterminds Summit.

Membou thought he played “solid” as a rookie. He said he needs to be “way more consistent if I want to go to a place where I want to go.”

Where’s that? Membou said he wants to earn the respect of his peers and “become a top tackle.”

“I feel like if I'm able to do my part, just help my team, and we're able to get that team success it’s going to showcase other great players we have,” Membou said.

Glenn expects “a lot” from Membou this season. He has been impressive over the last three practices of camp blocking rookie edge rusher David Bailey.

Big Will style

Edge rusher Will McDonald added some muscle to his frame to help him become a better run stopper.

Aaron Glenn said that’s the area McDonald needs to improve the most. McDonald agrees.

“I added a couple of pounds, bulked up a little bit,” McDonald said. “I’m going to use that more in the run game. There’s room for improvement in my run game, so that’s one thing I’m really big on.”

McDonald has led the Jets in sacks the past two seasons (10.5 in 2024, 8 in 2025), but he hasn’t proven himself to be an every-down player. He could be used as a pass-rush specialist if his run defense doesn’t make a big jump.

The Jets rebuilt the defensive line, adding more size inside (David Onyemata, T’Vondre Sweat) and edge rushers. They drafted David Bailey with the No. 2 overall pick after signing Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare in free agency. McDonald said these moves didn’t make him question his role or future with the Jets.

“No, not really,” McDonald said. “It’s really just the scheme of the defense is to get help. Those are really good guys, good run defenders, good pass rushers. There are things I learn off them, there are things they learn off me. Having those guys in the room helps everyone."

Jets add and subtract wideouts

The Jets signed receiver Quincy Skinner Jr. and waived wideout Jalen Walthall with an injury designation.

Skinner signed with the Falcons last year as an undrafted free agent but was released at the end of training camp. He played his college ball at Vanderbilt.

Walthall, signed by the Jets during OTAs, has a hamstring injury.

Omar Cooper Jr. talks transition from college to NFL

Rookie receiver Omar Cooper Jr. said the biggest adjustment from college to the NFL isn’t how fast the players are, but how smart they are.

“Everybody’s smarter,” Cooper said, before mentioning how veteran linebacker Demario Davis is calling out the offense’s plays.

It’s the same on offense too, where Cooper is working to get on the same page with Geno Smith. Cooper said that’s he’s spending time with Smith picking his brain to speed up that process.

“There's times where I got to be a little faster,” Cooper said. “Just making sure that I'm going back to him, asking questions, seeing what he thinks I should do that'll help it."

Cooper didn’t mean faster physically. “Mentally faster,” he said.

How the Jets are getting themselves in game shape

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn gave a little glimpse into how he structured the schedule: it’s about building up to play a full game.

“My job is to acclimate our players to get ready for the regular season,” Glenn said.

Friday will be a recovery day after two days of practice. Sunday is another recovery day, followed by three straight days of practice. Glenn said the competitive reps — or team periods — will increase each week from 24 to 32 to 40 and just keep rising.

“What I'm trying to do is get our guys to be ready to play 65-75 plays a game,” Glenn said. “Each week you'll start to see those reps go up. You’ll start to see that yardage that they have to have — and that's the analytics part of it — the yardage will go up also. That's what I try to create . . . I'm trying to get max reps then I'm trying to recover. Max reps, then recover.”

Rookies who could be key players this season

Don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves – it’s only been two practices after all – but several rookies could play big roles for the Jets this season.

Edge rusher David Bailey, picked second overall, has been the most disruptive player in training camp. Receiver Omar Cooper Jr. and tight end Kenyon Sadiq also have been involved and made plays. They were first-round picks, so you would expect they’ll get a shot.

Second-round pick D’Angelo Ponds is nursing a calf injury, but he’ll compete for a spot in the defensive backfield when he returns. Fourth-round pick Cade Klubnik has played well and has a chance to be the backup quarterback. Fellow fourth-round pick Darrell Jackson Jr. has been in the mix in the defensive line rotation.

“The expectation is for all those guys to have a role, but they have to decide that themselves,” Aaron Glenn said. “No one's given anything, so they determine that role.”

Glenn said he always tell guys how they have to compete and what they need to do to play or beat out one of their teammates for a job.

“The expectation, yes, they have a big role,” Glenn said, “but they have to decide that themselves.”

Sherwood finds a new mentor in Demario Davis

Jamien Sherwood spent the first four years of his career learning from C.J. Mosley. Now in Year 6, Sherwood is soaking in everything Demario Davis says.

Those are two heady and productive players and leaders, willing to share their knowledge and experiences.

Between periods of practice, when special teams has the field, Sherwood said Davis is “teaching me everything he knows.” It could be pass-rush moves, making sure Sherwood’s eyes are in the right place and telling him what to look for when reading formations. Davis also talks to Sherwood and other teammates about their life and not just football.

“Just having a person like that,” Sherwood said, “that just makes you want to be better.”

Sherwood has led the Jets in tackles the past two seasons, but he wasn’t as impactful last season or effective getting the defense into the right call. It was his first full season in that role.

The more proven Davis will handle those responsibilities this year. Sherwood believes it will let him play a little more free and instinctively.

Sherwood focused on improving his pass coverage skills during the offseason. He did a lot of film work, watching tape of himself and former teammates Kwon Alexander and Quincy Williams to improve.

“I took it upon myself to make sure I correct those things,” Sherwood said. “Whether I was by myself or with people, just being diligent, being in-tune to what I need to focus on: my hands, my feet, my first step, my eyes. I feel like they go hand in hand with each other, and I'm progressing well.”

Omar Cooper Jr. grew up a Garrett Wilson fan; now he's learning from him

Rookie receiver Omar Cooper Jr. grew up a fan of Ohio State and Garrett Wilson. Now Cooper gets to watch and learn from Wilson on the field, in the locker room and in meetings.

“It’s been really good,” Cooper said. “It's been fun. He's just a real down to earth, humble chill guy. He likes to joke around. He also is just a good leader. He has conversations with us, helping me to become a better player, things that he already had been through. So just making sure that I can hear from somebody who's been through it, so that I can avoid it when it comes to when the season comes.”

Cooper, who helped Indiana win the national championship, said some of the things Wilson has taught him are releases and knowing how to attack certain defensive backs.

“Being smarter on the line and having a plan,” Cooper said.

And no, Cooper said with a laugh, he hasn’t told Wilson he’s a big fan of his.

Fitzpatrick hopes he can make Jets fans proud

Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick grew up in New Jersey, less than an hour from the Jets’ practice facility and even closer to MetLife Stadium.

Although he wasn’t a Jets fan, Fitzpatrick knows a lot of people who are. Now that he’s playing for the Jets, he hopes he can help bring some pride back to the fanbase.

“I want Jets fans to be proud of the team,” Fitzpatrick said. “I want Jets fans to be proud of wearing Jets hats, Jets T-shirts, wearing green and white.

“I grew up in Jersey, and I know how a lot of Jets fans feel. They love the team, but we haven't had a lot of success in the last few years. So I want to go out there and show that we’re a team that can play with high energy, high effort and go out there and have much success as we can. And we’re going to be a team that people can be proud to represent.”

Jets excited to have Frank Reich running offense

Frank Reich was throwing spirals to Jets receivers during position drills in one of the first practices of training camp, showing that the 64-year-old former quarterback can still sling it. It’s in Reich’s hands to turn the Jets into a fully functioning offense that can play and compete in today’s NFL.

Reich is the ninth offensive coordinator the Jets have had since their last top-10 offense in 2015. Reich is the only one who played quarterback in the NFL.

Knowing how to read and dissect defenses has helped him have success as a coordinator and head coach. These are all the reasons Aaron Glenn turned to Reich, his former teammate with the Jets, when he decided to shake up his coaching staff.

Glenn kept in touch with Reich, and the two spoke over the years when they would face each other as coaches on other teams. As the conversations became deeper early in the offseason, it became obvious to Glenn that he and Reich’s offensive philosophies aligned.

“It is right on point,” Glenn said.

Reich left his senior advisor job at Stanford to “be a part of a team and organization that has an opportunity to do something special and turn something around.” He is the most important hire Glenn has made in his short time as a head coach.

This is no shot at Tanner Engstrand, the Jets’ first-time offensive coordinator last year. But Glenn needed an experienced person with the right demeanor to lift the offense, which was fourth-worst in the NFL in scoring and total yards last year, and perhaps save his job in what is a prove-it season for many Jets coaches and players.

Reich has the calm and confidence to handle the pressures of his position and with a franchise desperate to snap a 15-year playoff drought. Reich was unflappable as a player, known forever for leading the greatest comeback in playoff history while quarterbacking the Bills.

Of course, he has specific play designs and wants things done a certain way. But Reich let the players know it may not always work out how it was drawn up. He is empowering them to be more instinctual and react to the defense and make the offense their own.

“Once he said that,” running back Breece Hall said, “I think it let us all be a little bit comfortable knowing that we don't have to be in a box. We still want to be around the parameters of our offense, but we can make it our own, kind of do a little bit of our own thing.”

Receiver Garrett Wilson, who was part of the same draft as Hall, is as excited as he’s ever been going into a season — in part because of Reich’s style, which plays to Wilson’s strengths.

“It's our job now to go make sure we go execute what Frank is asking us because what he's asking of us is right,” Wilson said. “So let’s go play to the best of our ability and show the world.”

Reich has more talent and depth than Engstrand had last season and a far superior quarterback with Geno Smith replacing Justin Fields.

What reception will Jets get from fans on Saturday?

An interesting dynamic is sure to play out on Saturday morning when the Jets hold their first training camp practice in front of fans. The last few years have seen explosions of passion on such circumstances, whether it was greeting Aaron Rodgers in 2023, welcoming Rodgers back in 2024, or embracing Aaron Glenn’s return as a former player turned head coach in 2025. Glenn said last year that he got chills the first time he heard the J-E-T-S chant in training camp.

This year, though, the fanbase has very little to get excited about after a three-win season in which the Jets played some of the worst football in their history down the stretch and a very clear indication from the front office that it is building toward the future. The quarterback is Geno Smith, a player Jets fans know from his first failed incarnation with the organization. Patience is already running thin with Glenn. The frustration of 15 straight years without reaching the postseason is palpable.

It’s impossible to know what kind of reception the team will get.

Chances are it will be mostly positive if not full-throated and full-hearted. The stands will be filled with season-ticket holders which in itself indicates that they were not disgruntled enough to abandon the team. And it’s still July, after all. If you can’t be optimistic in the first few days of training camp, perhaps you never will be.

The Jets are prepared for whatever they get.

“It definitely brings a lot of energy,” linebacker Jamien Sherwood said on Thursday of having the fans on the grounds after two practices in front of just a smattering of family and friends (and reporters). “But it’s no different than if it is Sunday, Monday, if it is training camp, it doesn’t matter if there is nobody in the stands. I feel like everybody is just going out performing to get better. You can’t worry about the outside noise and you can’t worry about who is in the stands whether it is my mom or it’s the season ticket holder Jets fan. You just have to go out there, stay focused, do your job, and make sure you get better at it.”

First camp practice with fans

Today is the first Jets practice of camp with fans.

The crowd is limited because of construction to the team facility but there are a few hundred hearty supporters who have made it here.

Rookie lineman Anez Cooper did his best to rile them up by running in front of the bleachers giving high-fives before the team stretched. There have been a few J-E-T-S chants but certainly no where near the excitement that engulfed Jets camp each of the past three years.

There were some “BREEEEECE” calls when Breece Hall carried the football.

Also back for practice were some former Jets: Glenn Foley, Wayne Chrebet, Laveranues Coles, Adrian Murrell, Ray Mickens and Fred Baxter.

More addition and subtraction

The Jets signed wide receiver Cam Camper and waived wideout Gee Scott with an injury designation.

Camper, who played with Jets rookie receiver Omar Cooper Jr. for one season at Indiana, was signed by Jacksonville last year. He was waived late in training camp.

Scott left practice on Thursday with a calf injury.

'I would love if we had 30 stadiums that had natural grass'

The grass from the World Cup games at Metlife Stadium is gone, but the debate over it remains.

The Jets will play their home games there this season on the artificial turf that lurked beneath the natural surface installed for soccer players for most of the summer and defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, the team’s NFLPA representative, is not thrilled about it.

“I would love if we had 30 stadiums that had natural grass, that’d be really great,” Phillips said.

He cited the many surverys the union has conducted which he said “overwhelmingly skew that players like to play on natural grass,” but he also added a caveat to that concept.

“Players prefer to play on good natural grass,” he said, stressing the "good" and noting the failed experiment of using natural grass at Giants Stadium in the early 2000s.

That situation resulted in choppy, dangerous fields as the sod was unable to survive the late fall and winter of the Northeast along with the rigors of hosting two NFL teams. The natural grass field in Pittsburgh has often been cited as worse than turf as well, especially late in the season as both NFL and college football is played on it sometimes during the same weekend.

Phillips gave Jets owner Woody Johnson kudos for his desire to want to give the players what they need to succeed and remain as healthy as possible and said he believes that if there is a way for MetLife Stadium to switch to grass on a permanent basis Johnson would "definitely hear that out."

So far, though, such a solution remains elusive.

“I think there is an answer,” Phillips said. “I do believe we can try to make players happier and get closer to what they want… This is a very long conversation that both parties want to figure it out the right way.”

Bailey and Membou battling in camp

Rookie edge rusher David Bailey and second-year right tackle Armand Membou are pushing each other in training camp - in more ways than one.

Bailey dominated the first two practices, beating Membou a few times for would-be sacks of Geno Smith. Membou won the battle on Saturday as Bailey didn’t have any sacks.

“He’s a really good player, man,” Bailey said. “He's strong, extremely strong, ridiculously strong. So man, he's been getting me better. I hope I’ve been getting him better. He's been a great, great person to work on my skill set and challenge me on the field.”

This is a Jets’ win.

McDonald working to improve stopping the run

Will McDonald has led the Jets in sacks the last two seasons, but he still needs to improve in the run game. Glenn admitted that and said McDonald is working toward that. But Glenn wouldn’t say if he envisions McDonald being more of a pass-rush specialist used primarily on passing downs.

“I envision him being a good player for us,” Glenn said. “Whatever capacity that we're going to have him in, I feel like he's going to be a good player for us.”

McDonald also needs to play more consistently. He had some splash games last year (two sacks vs. Pittsburgh, four against Cleveland) and plays (a blocked field goal he returned for a TD at Tampa). But had little impact in many other games. The Jets hope to unlock more consistent play from McDonald this season.

“He's a damn good player,” Glenn said. “With his ability, his size, his length, his speed off the edge, we want to utilize that as best we can, but we also want to make sure that he grows when it comes to those things that he's weak at, too.”

Half as many fights on Day 2 of Jets-Bucs practice

The Jets and Bucs toned it down -- a little -- after four fights broke out in Tuesday’s practice. There were only two major dust-ups on Wednesday that involved both sidelines rushing to get involved or break it up.

The first happened on the Tampa sideline after Isaiah Williams was brought down. Jets receiver Tim Patrick was hot and had to be restrained from going after outside linebacker Anthony Nelson.

Then Jets guard Dylan Parham and a Bucs defensive player were throwing punches on the field and it spilled over onto the Jets’ sideline. After it was settled and players lined up for the next play, Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich screamed at both teams to “Play football!”

Parham sat out the next period of team competition but returned for the final one.

The decline in fights didn’t mean the issue wasn’t a distraction. 

“I was lining up for a play and I saw what was happening over there,” said Jets safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was on an adjacent field taking defensive reps. “It was a pretty big scuffle. I’m looking across the field and they’re about to snap the ball. But everybody hit pause for a second and reset.”

Fitzpatrick said his instinct was to rush over and have the backs of his teammates but ultimately he knew his job was to focus on the task directly in front of him.

“We had to lock in on our field and take care of our business,” he said. “Offense took care of themselves.”

With Tom Rock

David Bailey and his ankle scare

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – The Jets got a scare late in Saturday’s practice. First-round pick David Bailey hurt his ankle, limped off and was checked by trainers. But Aaron Glenn said, “he’ll be fine."

Bailey, the second overall pick in the draft, fell during a pass-rush down in competitive periods. He was slow to get up and then walked gingerly to the sideline where he was looked at by trainers. A few minutes later, Bailey hopped up and down, moved side-to-side and then jogged back and forth on a side field.

Glenn characterized Bailey as “day-to-day,” and was encouraged that he was up and jogging.

"I’d say he’s day to day, but let me make sure," Glenn said. "He got up and he jogged so I would think he’d be that."

Bailey has been impressive in his first NFL training camp. He had one sack Saturday - and should have had another. Bailey also had some pressures and made plays in the run game.

The Jets have the next two days off before they hold two days of joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Aaron Glenn-Brian Duker dynamic

Brian Duker is the Jets’ new defensive coordinator by title, but he’s really a defensive coordinator in training, or kind of the assistant defensive coordinator, or Aaron Glenn’s right-hand guy to help him implement his defense.

The head coach is the one who will be making the defensive play calls this season. Perhaps Duker will get his chance to do that down the road.

“Yes, absolutely, and that’s what he understands,” Glenn said. “And listen, he's still learning as a first-time defensive coordinator, and it's almost like you take a quarterback in the first round and then you go get this veteran quarterback and you let this veteran quarterback actually start early on and let this young quarterback actually sit there and watch.

“I’m not trying to have Duker be me. I want him to be himself, but I also want to be able to teach him exactly how I go about game planning and doing things like that.”

Glenn and Duker were with the Browns in 2015 when Glenn was the assistant secondary coach and Duker was a defensive intern. They were together again on the Lions’ staff from 2021 to 2023 when Glenn was the defensive coordinator and Duker had a variety of defensive coaching roles. Duker spent the past two seasons as the Dolphins’ pass game coordinator and secondary coach.

“My dynamic with [Glenn] is certainly just assisting him in terms of that [play-calling] role, still getting the guys ready every day and doing everything I can from that and trying to help make sure our systems are clean, our systems are in place and everything is well run in that regard,” Duker said.

"As far as what I’ve learned from him, him and I go back for a while, so there’s not one thing this year necessarily, but it’s just more continuing to have football conversations. The thing with AG, I just enjoy the back-and-forth discussions that we have and just football conversations. He’s a passionate football guy.

“There are certain general principles of defense that he and I see similarly and always have.”

Talented tight end group will give Reich options

The Jets have a talented and deep tight end room with four players who can produce and play: Jeremy Ruckert, Mason Taylor, Kenyon Sadiq and Jelani Woods.

Taylor and the versatile rookie Sadiq are the primary pass catchers in this group and can line up in different spots. Expect offensive coordinator Frank Reich to run a lot of two- and three-tight end sets.

“He’s going to have a hell of a time scheming for our offense,” Taylor said.

Taylor said the Jets’ tight end group will have “endless opportunities” in how they’re used and it could keep defenses scrambling.

“If we could be that wild card, which they don't know what we're going to do, we're going to be pretty dangerous,” Taylor said.

A second-round pick last year, Taylor said he was excited when the Jets drafted Sadiq in the first round. He can line up outside, inside or in the backfield.

“It opens doors for all of us,” Taylor said. “I think that's the best part of it. So we're just all excited about it.”

Lightning in a bottle? Not quite.

The Jets are on the outdoor field and in full pads for practice Monday morning . . . as long as the device show below stays silent.

It’s the lightning detector on the roof of the team facility in Florham Park, and if there is any electrical activity in the area it will start blaring and send the team indoors. So far so good.

Video: Offensive line drills

Video: More smack-around drills for Jets receivers

Presumably this is meant to reacclimate receivers to getting hit, poked, punched and everything else. And to remind them of the important of ball security.

Here's why Kenyon Sadiq didn't practice Monday

Kenyon Sadiq was held out of practice Monday because the Jets have him on a maintenance program after he underwent sports hernia surgery in May.

“We went three good hard days last week, so today we wanted to rest him,” head coach Aaron Glenn said. “So he’ll be just fine.”

Defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat (hamstring injury), edge Joseph Ossai (PUP) and rookie corner D’Angelo Ponds (calf) continue to work out in the rehab area. Glenn said they wouldn’t practice this week. The plan is to be “very careful” and “patient” with them.

“I don't think they'll be out too much longer,” Glenn said. “But we want to do the right thing and make sure we have those guys for the regular season.”

Ruckert: 'I feel like the culture shifted'

Lindenhurst’s Jeremy Ruckert, a lifelong Jets fan, said he feels “something’s special coming” this year.

“I feel like every year I’m getting more excited to play for this team,” Ruckert said. “I've been here five years, and I don’t recall being this excited before.”

According to Ruckert, practice has been more competitive than previous years, and that Aaron Glenn has set that tone in his second season as head coach. The Jets also have brought in some proven productive players and leaders on the defensive end that are having an impact.

“I feel like something special’s coming,” Ruckert said. “I feel like the culture shifted.”

Ruckert is part of a deep and talented tight end group that features two versatile young players who will be big parts of the offense – Mason Taylor and Kenyon Sadiq. But Glenn spoke highly of Ruckert and his role within the group.

“Ruckert can do it all,” Glenn said. “He's the jack-of-all-trades. But he can master those. …. He's the one guy that ties it all together. He's the one guy in that room, as far as leadership, that's been there and done that. That room, the skillsets are so different, and that's what you like about it. But Ruck is a guy that I feel like he can do it all within that.”

Ruckert, who signed a two-year, $10 million extension late last season, hasn’t let the fact that the Jets taken tight ends high in the last two drafts affect him. Ruckert is confident in himself and just wants anything that makes the team better.

“Being here the longest in the room, I take that with pride,” Ruckert said. “Whoever they bring in. I’m going to try and lead them, try to play with them and continue to push them to be better every day.

“As far as the reaction on draft night, I didn't really have much of one,” he added. “We got friends and family trying to check in on you, see how you're doing. I just got extended last year. I'm excited to be here. I really rock with AG. I rock with everything that's going on. I'm confident myself and the direction that we’re going.”

Friday's practice observations

Here’s a peek at the Jets’ training camp practice on a steamy Friday morning:

• Geno Smith mostly had a good morning, hitting on his first five passes and going 8-for-12 overall with no interceptions in the team periods. Garrett Wilson caught five balls from Smith, including a nice grab downfield.
• But there were a few speed bumps with Smith in charge, including consecutive delay-of-game penalties. There was also an illegal procedure call against the offense while he was running the show.
• Rookie Cade Klubnik was good half the time, completing five of his 10 throws.
• Brady Cook went 2-for-3 and Bailey Zappe went 0-for-3 with an interception.
• Mykal Walker made that interception on a ball tossed over the middle. It marked the second straight day that the seventh-year linebacker had picked off a pass.
• Defensive lineman Harrison Phillips, linebacker Demario Davis and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick were all given off from practicing as veterans.

Jason Sanders vs. Cade York

Special teams coordinator Chris Banjo said he has been excited by the kicking competition between Jason Sanders and Cade York despite the "little bit of adversity" they faced on Thursday.

The two kickers had been pushing each other through the first week of camp in a game of kicking H-O-R-S-E that included connections from around 60 yards just a few days ago. On Thursday, though, as the Jets wrapped practice with a back-and-forth kicking showdown, both men struggled. Sanders missed three straight field goal attempts while York missed two.

In typical training camp coach thinking, Banjo even saw those misses as positives.

"We're excited to see how they respond," he said.

Sanders has the edge in experience, having kicked for seven seasons in the NFL with the Dolphins, including his 2020 first-team All-Pro season. He also has the experience of kicking in MetLife Stadium each of those seasons and other AFC East venues.

“You talk about a guy who’s kicked in our division before, a guy who’s kicked in our stadium,” Banjo said. “So a guy who is very confident in his ability and has shown time in and time out that he can get the job done. So having somebody with experience like that is something that we hold dear.”

With Brian Heyman

Observations from Practice No. 8, a controlled scrimmage

There’s a lot to clean up for the starting offense. The first team struggled and played sloppily after starting fast. 

Geno Smith connected on his first five pass attempts, including a deflected 36-yard touchdown that Isaiah Williams pulled in. It probably shouldn’t have counted because David Bailey was in the backfield for the sack. 

Smith finished 12-for-20 for 157 yards and the one score. He was sacked three times and pressured numerous other times. Aaron Glenn was dialing up the pressure and it was effective.

After the scoring drive, the Jets’ starting offense went three-and-out on four of their next five series. One possession started with a delay of game penalty.

They drove to the 5, thanks to a 38-yard screen pass from Smith to Braelon Allen. But a Breece Hall 4-yard touchdown run was negated by a holding penalty. Smith threw incomplete on second and third down. 

Later, in a red zone series that started at the 10, three straight handoffs totaled 5 yards. The Jets were whistled for back-to-back false starts.

Geno Smith is seeing red ... and yellow

Geno Smith is trying something new in training camp: he's wearing red contact lenses to help him see better in the bright sun.

“It blocks out the sunlight,” Smith said. “It's actually pretty cool: it keeps the glare from the sun out of your eyes.”

One of Smith’s former Jets teammates Santonio Holmes used to wear them. Smith said he got the idea from Holmes, but he also saw an eye specialist and the doctor suggested it.

“It's just some things we're trying out,” Smith said. “Just to see what it was like, and I like it, so we’re kind of sticking with it.”

Smith was asked what color he sees through the new lenses.

“The entire room is yellow,” he said. “There’s a yellow tint to everything. It’s pretty cool.”

Good news on Kenyon Sadiq

Aaron Glenn said the Jets received “good news” on injured rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq after a recent evaluation. Glenn said Sadiq should only be out “a couple of weeks.”

“I'm just crossing my fingers,” Glenn said. “It’s not anything that’s going to keep him out of the regular season.”

On Tuesday, Glenn said Sadiq suffered “a setback” in his recovery from sports hernia surgery. Glenn had no timeline for Sadiq at that point, only saying he’s “very confident” he would be back for Week 1. Glenn also hinted that Sadiq might need another procedure, but on Thursday he said that’s not the case.

Other injury news and updates:

• Rookie cornerback D’Angelo Ponds (calf) was moving around more in the rehab area than prior days. Glenn said Ponds is “is getting close” and that he should be ready “in the next couple weeks.”
• Cornerback Nashon Wright didn’t practice due to a hip injury.
• Running back Isaiah Davis has a knee issue that will sideline him a couple of weeks.

Brownlee softens stance on former team

Jarvis Brownlee Jr. clearly had little love for the Titans when they traded him to the Jets early last season. After he’d helped the Jets notch their first victory of the year in Cincinnati in October he was getting dressed in the locker room and asked what time it was.

“Good,” the cornerback said when told it was around 5 p.m., “I still have time to go watch the Titans lose.”

Those harsh feelings seem to have dissipated at least a little bit. Brownlee is one of many players and coaches for whom the Sept. 13 regular-season opener between the Jets and Titans will represent a grudge match, a list that starts with Tennessee head coach Robert Saleh and continues from there. But unlike others who may be hoping to prove a point, Brownlee said on Thursday he is “excited” for the opportunity to “go back to Nashville, link up with my brothers I have there, and to feel the atmosphere one more time.“

“The Tennessee atmosphere is pretty cool, the city is pretty fun,” he added. “There are going to be a lot of emotions involved. There are a lot of players that were here that are there. But more than anything we have to go there and know what we are going there for: A victory.”

Frank Reich loves this offense

The Jets haven’t even kicked off the preseason schedule yet, but Frank Reich is rather enthused about their offense.

The team's new offensive coordinator was raving about the unit on Friday after the latest practice at training camp.

“On offense, specifically, I’m really fired up about the progress we’ve made,” Reich said. “We came back from the spring, feel like we picked right up.”

Where to begin? How about with the five guys who block for a living?

“It all starts up front with us and that O-line, you know those two tackles, Olu [Fashanu] and [Armand] Membou, I mean, those guys are monster players,” Reich said. “Then inside we’re strong with Josh [Myers] and Tipp [Joe Tippmann] and Dylan [Parham].”

And how about the tight ends, including former Lindenhurst High School star Jeremy Ruckert?

“Tight end group, man, I’m super excited about all of them,” Reich said. “You know, Ruck is kind of being the leader, but the whole group is super talented, super versatile.”

Receivers?

“Obviously, at receiver, led by G [Garrett Wilson] and the crew, it’s a strong group, a strong group,” Reich said. “And I feel like we can create the explosive plays that we need, right?”

Breece Hall is the leader of the running crew.

“Breece, what a phenomenal player,” Reich said.

And then there’s the Jets’ old/new QB, Geno Smith, back for a sequel at 35.

“He’s a leader of the offense, make no mistake about it, in every way, shape and form,” Reich said. “And to me … the attribute that sticks out to me is his laser focus.”

Not much change for Dane Belton, other than his team, home and opportunities

Dane Belton swapped New York teams in free agency, coming to the Jets after four years with the Giants. Other than the new uniform, though, not much else is different in his life.

“I didn’t change too much,” the safety said after Jets practice on Thursday. “I did move. I like being really close to the facility, under 10 minutes, so I moved out here closer. But it’s still kind of the same area. I didn’t have to change much.”

Belton is getting an opportunity to play several different spots in this training camp, from a traditional safety to roles in the nickel and dime packages. Aaron Glenn said Belton’s versatility is what drew the Jets to him when he hit the market.

“I know he’s been in a backup role for most of his career but man he is fighting to see if he can get a job here,” Glenn said. “He’s been doing a really good job for us.”

Belton said he is “very grateful” to the Giants.

“They were the ones who gave me a chance to start with in this league,” he said. “Obviously I have a lot of friends there still, but the focus is on the team I am with now. I’m really looking forward to this opportunity.”

Jets and CBS New York extend their TV deal

The Jets have extended their 28-year relationship with television station CBS New York in a multi-year deal. Terms were not disclosed.

All three Jets preseason games beginning with the home contest against Tampa Bay on Aug. 14 will be shown on CBS New York. The broadcast crew for all three games will be Ian Eagle, Anthony Becht and Otis Livingston, with Caroline Hendershot as the sideline reporter for the two home games.

The Jets’ preseason schedule also includes a visit to Pittsburgh on Aug. 21 and a home game against the Giants on Aug. 28.

CBS New York also will feature other content such as a “Jets GameDay” show during the season on Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and “Jets Late Night” on Sundays after the late news.

Observations from Thursday's training camp practice

Geno Smith had an up-and-down day in team competition. He started sharp, connecting on his first five passes in team periods with two touchdowns. Smith finished 6-for-10 on the day.

His last three drop-backs were a “sack” by David Bailey, a throw into the ground - not on purpose - with Bailey about to get another sack and a high throw off the hands of a leaping Garrett Wilson.

Earlier in practice, Smith hit Wilson for a touchdown pass of about 20-25 yards in the right corner of the end zone. Wilson had a few steps on Brandon Stephens.

Smith’s other TD was a 5-yard pass to Adonai Mitchell. Smith had a lot of time to make his reads before finding an open Mitchell with edge rusher Will McDonald the closest player in coverage.

* Second-year cornerback Azareye’h Thomas had a nice pass break-up on a fade pass intended for Wilson.

* Linebacker Mykal Walker had back-to-back good reps in team periods, stuffing a run and then picking off rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik on his first pass attempt of practice. Klubnik only completed 3 of 7 passes.

* Brady Cook threw a touchdown pass on his first play of team competition, hitting tight end Chase Curtis across the middle with a nice throw. Cook then celebrated by simulating shooting an arrow. Two plays later, Cook threw wide to Curtis in the flat.

* Kicker Jason Sanders had a rough day in his competition with Cade York. Sanders missed three consecutive field goals from 47, 53 and 51 yards – all wide left. The 53-yard try was also short. Sanders was 4-for-8 on his attempts. York went 5-for-7, missing from 44 and 53 yards.

Lots for Geno to look forward to with joint practice

Geno Smith looks forward to competing against Tampa Bay this week and seeing Todd Bowles, Smith’s coach the last two years of his first go-around with the Jets.

“I've always had a high amount of respect for him and I think vice versa,” Smith said. “We were here together way back when, but it will be great just to connect with him again and talk to him and see how he's doing.”

Coaches and teammates have praised Smith during this camp for his leadership, focus, how he’s picked up the offense and is working to get on the same page with the Jets' skill players. The joint practices should be a good measuring stick for Smith and this group.

“I love football, so I look forward to every practice, but especially going against other guys,” Smith said. “I love to compete. No matter what situation it is, it's us against them. That's what we love the most. I look forward to those.”

Reich has confidence in Kenyon Sadiq when he returns

Rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq has participated in only a handful of workouts since he was drafted by the Jets in April’s first round, undergoing hernia surgery in the spring and then missing time in training camp to recover from an issue that popped up with the same injury.

He may not be ready to return until closer to the start of the regular season. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich said he isn’t worried about the lack of on-field reps, though.

“Of course missing practice matters and practice is a big part of it,” Reich said, “but when it’s time I’m confident he’ll be ready.”

Reich said Sadiq has been taking part in meetings and leaning on veterans while he sits out the practices.

Fellow tight end Jelani Woods, a free-agent addition, said he’s been impressed with Sadiq and said he “doesn’t feel like a young guy” when he interacts with the room.

“Kenyon is very mature, very engaged, and locked in to a dynamic room," Reich said. "He knows what he needs to get ready in the meantime to stay locked in. We trust our medical staff and I trust AG to make the right decision and pull the trigger when he is ready to come back in and we’ll get rolling.”

Jets add a TE with Sadiq out

With rookie Kenyon Sadiq out indefinitely after suffering a setback in his recovery from sports hernia surgery, the Jets signed former Marist tight end Connor Hulstein.

Hulstein was a tryout in rookie minicamp. He led all FCS tight ends last season with 42 catches for 599 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Jets also signed defensive lineman Patrick Jenkins, who most recently played for the Columbus Aviators in the UFL. They waived safety Keidron Smith and defensive lineman Eric Watts with an injury designation.

Saban's Minkah-Malachi mix-ups

Being called “Minkah” by former Alabama coach Nick Saban didn’t bother Malachi Moore. The second-year safety grew up in Alabama a fan of Fitzpatrick, who also played for the Crimson Tide and is now a Jet.

According to Moore, it happened during film sessions his first couple of days at Alabama. Moore shared that story with Fitzpatrick.

“Coach Saban was calling me Minkah in film, and I’m like, ‘Coach, it’s Malachi,” Moore recalled. “But in the back of my head, I'm thinking, ‘If you’re going to mess my name up and call me anybody, Minkah is a pretty cool one to be called.’”

When Moore was in high school and college, he would watch highlights of Fitzpatrick. Moore said to be playing with somebody he “really, really looked up to is a cool experience for sure.”

Frank Reich's thoughts on QB Cade Klubnik so far

Frank Reich said he is pleased with the progress rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik has made throughout the Jets' offseason program and in training camp, but he also warned that things probably won’t always be smooth for him.

“There will be some storms,” Reich, the offensive coordinator, said on Friday. “You are a rookie quarterback, you are going to take your lumps.”

So far most of those “lumps” have occurred in the privacy of practices, including a Friday performance in which Klubnik threw a wobbly deep pass that was among three passes that should have been picked off, missed an open receiver, and had a screen pass batted down by a blitzer. Next week, though, those plays will start taking place in public as the Jets open their preseason on Aug. 14.

Klubnik will have a lot to live up to already among his fellow rookies after Carson Beck and Haynes King looked sharp in their preseason debuts in Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game.

“I think Cade’s been good,” Reich said. “I really like how he has come back mentally. I feel like he has taken a good step mentally. It’s a lot now. I think we’re at the point where everything is pretty much in. He shows the aptitude to pick it all up, the aptitude for big plays.

“Just continue to weather the storms.”

Joint practice with Bucs a test of discipline

The next time the Jets take the field, they’ll line up against another team.

The Buccaneers, led by ex-Jets coach Todd Bowles, will be in Florham Park, New Jersey, for joint practices on Tuesday and Wednesday before Friday’s preseason game at MetLife Stadium.

Aaron Glenn expects the Jets to get “two days of really good work” against a team that made the playoffs five of the last six years. This will be the Jets’ first chance to see how their new offensive and defensive systems fare against an actual opponent. Glenn wants to see “the discipline of what we do on both sides of the ball.”

The offense under new coordinator Frank Reich has been sloppy the last two practices, racking up delay-of-game and false-start penalties. The defense, now called by Glenn, has been aggressive, pressuring quarterbacks, breaking up passes and even getting interceptions. But as Glenn said, “you get used to the offense.” The Jets have practiced against only each other eight times.

“Once you bring in another element from another team -- cover structures, run plays, pass concepts -- it really tests your discipline on how you're doing things,” Glenn said. “That's the good thing about joint practices is you get to test what you do against another team.

“So I'm just looking for our guys to improve and be disciplined about what we're doing.”

How's the backup QB competition going?

Rookie Cade Klubnik has been erratic at times, but he had a good performance on Saturday. He completed 10 of 14 passes with two touchdowns — to Jamaal Pritchett and tight end Jelani Woods to end practice — and one interception. Klubnik also made a nice deep throw to Williams for a 66-yard completion on the final drive. 

Klubnik and Bailey Zappe, who threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Quincy Skinner Jr., are competing for the backup job.

“Those guys are still competing,” Glenn said. “They're going to get a lot of plays in the preseason. We’ll see how it goes from there.”

Rookie injuries mounting up

Three of the Jets’ seven draft picks are sidelined for multiple weeks with various injuries: tight end Kenyon Sadiq, cornerback D’Angelo Ponds and safety VJ Payne. The hope is No. 2 pick David Bailey doesn’t join that list. Bailey left practice late on Saturday with an ankle injury, but Aaron Glenn said the rookie edge rusher will “be fine.”

Payne, a seventh-round pick, is out 3-4 weeks with a bone bruise. Glenn said Payne “was playing real well for us and he was really building a role for himself, but he'll be fine."

Sadiq had a “setback” in his recovery from core muscle surgery. He’s already missed a week of practice. Sadiq could be back in two weeks.

Ponds hasn’t practiced yet because of a calf injury. He could return in the next week or two.

A revamped Olu Fashanu

Left tackle Olu Fashanu had several things he wanted to improve upon in the offseason, but he went to work on his body first.

Fashanu didn’t get to train as much last offseason because he was recovering from an injury. This year, he was back in the gym in January, lifting, running and eventually working on his technique.

“Having a full offseason to really make a jump from one year to another definitely helps a lot,” Fashanu said.

The 6-foot-6 Fashanu, listed at 312 pounds last season, said he’s at least 320 now.

“He's changed his body quite a bit,” Aaron Glenn said. “He just looks like how you [would] draw a left tackle up. … I really like the way that he attacked the offseason.”

After last season, Glenn urged Fashanu to “attack this year like, ‘Man, I want to be the best.’” Fashanu, entering Year 3, said his main goal this season is to play his best to help the Jets have success.

“I really just want to win games,” Fashanu said.

Williams working his way into bigger role?

Isaiah Williams, the Jets’ special teams player extraordinaire last season and the team MVP, is making a case to be a bigger part of the offense this season. 

Williams has stood out in camp with his speed and ability to get open. Aaron Glenn keeps referring to Williams as “a dude.” He caught five passes on Saturday and has been a top offensive playmaker through the first two weeks of practice.

“Players like that demand respect, they demand reps,” Glenn said. “Even though I love his kick return and punt return ability, man, there's some things he can do in our offense. We’re going to have to give the ball to him, we have to figure out a way to make sure he’s involved because he’s an explosive player.”

Jets starters will play in preseason opener vs. Bucs

Aaron Glenn revealed that “everybody’s playing” in Friday’s preseason opener against Tampa.

Glenn said it’s important for the starters to play because the Jets are running new systems on offense and defense. He added there “is science behind” making sure players get a certain amount of game reps. Glenn said he will divvy up between 25-30 reps over the three preseason games.

“The risk of injury actually goes down that first part of the year,” Glenn said.

Veteran linebacker Demario Davis, entering his 15th season, is a fan of playing in the preseason. He said it’s all about “your approach,” and you should treat preseason games like the regular season and regular-season games like playoff games.

"All the great players that I've been around and had phenomenal careers, Hall of Fame guys, that's how they approached them,” Davis said.

Survey: 46% of Jets fans are 'preparing for disappointment'

Jets fans are the least optimistic group in the NFL heading into the 2026 season according to a study by Casino.ca that looks at what it calls The Hope Index.

The survey of 5,000 fans of all 32 teams combined everything from “projected wins and playoff expectations to confidence in each team's quarterback, head coach, and offseason moves.” That data is then compiled into a scale of 0-100.

The Jets scored a 22.

Among the findings:

• Jets fans gave Geno Smith a confidence rating of just 4.1 out of 10, well below the league average of 6.9.
• Confidence in head coach Aaron Glenn was 4.9 compared to the league average of 6.9.
  • 46% are preparing for disappointment
  • 35% expect another rebuilding year
  • 10% think the team will be competitive but fall short
  • 9% predict a playoff berth
  • 0% believe this is their year to win the Super Bowl
• Kansas City fans topped the Hope Index with a score of 98. The Rams (97/100) and reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks (97/100) were just one point behind. Seven fanbases scored 90 or above.
• The Giants ranked 22nd in the league with a score of 56.
• The teams just ahead of the Jets were Cleveland (25) and Tennessee (30).

Bailey back on field vs. Bucs

Rookie edge rusher David Bailey, who left practice Saturday with an ankle injury, is on the field with his helmet on for the start of today’s joint practice with the Buccaneers.

Geno's ankle still not 100%

Geno Smith may have taken what appeared to be a full workload on Monday, but Aaron Glenn said the ankle injury that kept him out of Friday’s preseason opener is not completely cleared. Smith was wearing a sleeve on his lower right leg on Monday.

“Anytime you have a situation with soreness I don’t think it’s totally gone,” Glenn said. “Players understand how to manage it and players want to practice because they want to get better. But we have to do a really good job of making sure we don’t push the limit so far that we end up going backwards.”

Glenn noted that Monday’s practice was a “light” one and that he intends to put some “stress” on the team Tuesday with a much harder workout. That could mean having Smith either sit out or be limited.

Said Glenn: “I want to see exactly how he feels coming out of this practice to see how we are going to move forward.”

Garrett Wilson makes a move

Geno Smith’s first pass against Tampa’s starting defense was intercepted by Damarion Williams and returned for a touchdown. Garrett Wilson fell while running his route, but Smith wasn’t sharp early in practice. He completed just three of his first seven passes and was picked off twice.

Smith found a little more of a rhythm, connecting on seven of his last nine throws with two touchdowns. Both TDs – to Mason Taylor and Wilson – came during red zone drills. Wilson caught a deflected pass and juked a few Tampa defenders before getting in the end zone.

“The first thing is you expect that from that player and secondly you’re excited because you know he’s in it,” Aaron Glenn said. “It’s not just I’m trying to catch and go down. I’m trying to catch and I’m trying to score, I’m trying to make something happen.”

Baker bests Jets in the final minute again

The Jets defense allowed Baker Mayfield and the Bucs to drive for the winning points once again.

After letting that happen last year in the regular season meeting when they lost 29-27 on a last-second field goal, these current Jets allowed a short touchdown pass from Mayfield to Dennis Houston with three seconds left in the hurry-up drill that capped their work in the two-day joint practices on Wednesday. The drive included three straight completions and a penalty that put the ball at the 1.

"Baker does a really good job in that situation," Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said. "I won’t say exactly how our guys operated that situation.”

Glenn certainly wasn’t happy with the outcome – he said that included himself as the defensive playcaller and mentioned the need to “help them when it comes to defensive calls” -- but he seemed satisfied with the work.

“This is why I wanted to go against this team knowing how they operate in this situation,” he said.

Some good, some not so good for Jets offense

Geno Smith completed eight of his first 10 passes, including a touchdown pass to Mason Taylor. Smith should have had another, but he threw it behind Garrett Wilson in the end zone.

The offense struggled and played sloppily overall in the final two-minute period against Tampa on Wednesday.

Braelon Allen dropped a pass on first down. Armand Membou, who had some difficulties containing rookie Ruben Bain, was called for a hold three plays later. There was a false start. Smith only completed 2 of 7 passes. The Jets had to settle for a 61-yard Jason Sanders’ field goal attempt into the wind that was well short.

“I feel like we could have made a few more plays,” Smith said, “but overall, it was good work.”

Cade Klubnik puts trust in his experience

Rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik isn’t lacking confidence heading into his first NFL preseason game.

It comes from the many big games he’s quarterbacked in high school and at Clemson and the work he’s put in over the years and since the Jets drafted him in the fourth round. Klubnik knows the speed of the NFL game is different and he has to process things faster, but he falls back on his preparation and experience.

“I’m confident in the work that I’ve put in, the studying,” Klubnik said. “I’m just chasing to be the best I can be every day.”

“When the fire’s blazing,” Klubnik added, “you have a little bit of a presence, kind of like I’ve been here before. Obviously, the speed is different, all of that. But it’s still football and being able to just have a lot of games under my belt has definitely helped.”

Like all rookies, Klubnik has had good and not-so-good moments. He threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Arian Smith in Wednesday’s joint practice against Tampa. A few series later, he launched an ill-advised deep pass trying to avoid a sack and was picked off.

Klubnik admits he’s “got a long way to go.” Aaron Glenn agrees, but he likes Klubnik's approach and potential.

“I've seen him grow each and every day, and that was the expectation for that player anyway,” Glenn said. “There's still a lot of growing for him to do when it comes to being a quarterback in the NFL, but I think the one thing that he does, he takes on the challenge.”

Batman and Robin

Receivers coach Shawn Jefferson sees third-year receiver Adonai Mitchell as ready to put on a cape and become the perfect superhero sidekick for Garrett Wilson.

“If he continues on this trajectory,” Jefferson said of Mitchell, “he’ll be a really good Robin for our Batman.”

Asked how Batman is doing, Jefferson said, “Batman is back to himself.”

Wilson, who missed 10 games last season, is set to play for the first time in more than nine months in Friday’s contest against Tampa.

“It’s good to get him back on the field,” Jefferson said. “Our whole offense is energized when he’s out there on the field. He’s kind of that player when everything’s going awry we need somebody to make a play, boom, he makes that play and calms the storm.”

Jefferson noted that Wilson has become more of a “vocal leader.” Wilson, entering his fifth season, said he’s more comfortable speaking up now.

“I feel like when something needs to be said, you got to say it,” Wilson said. “You don’t want to miss your moment. You don't want to miss a chance at success when you feel like something didn't get said when it needed to be addressed.

“When I do think there's something that needs to be said, I feel really comfortable saying that. Hopefully my teammates like what I do enough, and they respond to it. It comes with time. I feel like I’m there.”

How did David Bailey do in his first game?

Rookie edge rusher David Bailey had no sacks and one tackle in his NFL preseason debut. The second overall pick, Bailey played the first two series against the Buccaneers’ backups. He assisted Harrison Phillips on a tackle of running back Sean Tucker.

Will McDonald recorded a sack on third-string quarterback Connor Bazelak on the game’s opening drive. Tampa coach Todd Bowles sat Baker Mayfield and the rest of the starters. Backup quarterback Jake Browning got injured during a joint practice with the Jets this week.

Bailey didn’t get to lineup against starting Tampa tackle Luke Goedeke. The two threw punches at each other in a big brawl during a fight-filled two practices.

Giants-Vikings inactives

Eight Giants aren't in uniform during warmups. WR Malik Nabers (knee), WR Juju Smith-Schuster (knee), WR Jalin Hyatt (leg), CB Paulson Adebo, CB Greg Newsome, CB Dru Phillips (knee), C John Michael Schmitz (concussion protocol), C Lucas Patrick are all out.

If Jaxson Dart and the Giants' starters play, don't expect many reps. John Harbaugh said he values first team reps but he also knows the risks to make sure his team stays healthy. 

Geno misses preseason opener with sore ankle

Aaron Glenn said Geno Smith was held out the Jets’ preseason game on Friday night for “precautionary” reasons after the quarterback hurt his ankle in the last joint practice against Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

Smith has a sore ankle and is day-to-day, according to Glenn.

“Nothing to be alarmed about,” Glenn said.

The Jets coach decided Thursday not to take any chances with Smith. He told rookie Cade Klubnik he would get the start. It was Klubnik’s first time playing behind the starting offensive line and with some first-team receivers. Klubnik led the Jets on two scoring drives in the two series he played – a field goal and a touchdown – in their 24-16 loss to the Buccaneers.

Glenn was impressed with Klubnik’s performance.

“I went right to Cade (on Thursday) and told him he would be the starter. He was champing at the bit to get a chance to go with the 1s,” Glenn said. “I thought he did a hell of a job, not getting a lot of reps with the 1s. I give him a lot of credit for going out there and operating the way that he did.”

Sweat activated

The Jets activated defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat from the NFI (Non-Football Injury) List.

He had been sidelined with a hamstring injury.

The Jets acquired the 6-foot-4, 366-pound Sweat from Tennessee for Jermaine Johnson in March.

Injury updates: Ossai, Sweat, Ponds, Sadiq

Joseph Ossai, who the Jets signed to a three-year, $34.5 million contract in March, could practice this week. The former Bengal took part in OTAs, but he began training camp on the PUP list. Ossai was removed last week.

“He has a chance to get back,” Aaron Glenn said. “Took his conditioning test, he killed it.”

Defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat will ramp up his activity this week. The former Titan, who was acquired for Jermaine Johnson in the spring was activated from the non-football injury list Saturday. Sweat was rehabbing from a hamstring injury.

Rookies D’Angelo Ponds (calf) and tight end Kenyon Sadiq (sports hernia) could do more on the field this week as well.

Glenn said there’s no reason to “force the issue” and he’s going to “make sure that I make the right decisions on our players being ready for Week 1."

Good news on Breece Hall's injury

The Jets received some good news on Breece Hall, who left Monday’s practice after slipping and injuring his groin.

Jets coach Aaron Glenn said his lead back will miss 2-3 weeks. Glenn expects Hall to be ready to play in Week 1 on Sept. 13 at Tennessee. Glenn said there was a sense of relief after Hall's MRI results indicated that it wouldn’t be a long-term injury.

“For that player, knowing how important he is to what we’re doing, it was really exciting to hear it,” Glenn said.

Quarterback Geno Smith added, “Definitely relief. We need Breece and praying for a speedy recovery from him. He's a big part of our offense and our team. He's a leader on our team and on our offense. His presence is felt when he's out there. So, we appreciate him. Just hoping he comes back as soon as possible.”

Where is Garrett Wilson?

The Jets are back on the field this morning and so is Geno Smith. The quarterback sat out Friday night’s preseason opener with an ankle injury that the Jets said was precautionary. In this first workout since that game, Smith appears to be a full participant so far.

Also back is T’Vondre Sweat, making his camp debut after spending the first few weeks on PUP. His 366-pound presence is hard to miss.

And Qwan’tez Stiggers, who gave the Jets a scare last week when he collapsed during a joint practice with the Bucs, is working in the rehab area. 

Minkah Fitzpatrick and Demario Davis were both given a veteran rest day.

One glaring absence: Wide receiver Garrett Wilson. He is not on the field with the other receivers at the start of practice. There was no indication he suffered any injury in Friday’s preseason game while making a pair of catches against the Bucs.

-- UPDATE: Aaron Glenn said after practice that Wilson missed practice on Monday due to an illness. He is not expected to miss much time with it.
 

Will Geno play this week?

Geno Smith went through practice fully, but there is still some question as to whether he will play in Friday’s preseason game against the Steelers. Smith missed last week’s game against Tampa with swelling in his ankle.

Aaron Glenn said it will be a collaborative decision, but Smith has to feel well enough to play, first and foremost.

“We’ll see,” Glenn said. “Every day there’s a management plan for that player. We want to make sure we get our guys ready for Week 1 so whatever we have to do to be able to do that, that’s what we’re going to go.

“If it’s playing in this game, because he feels up to it and he’s ready to go and he wants to be with the other guys, let's go. If it's not playing because we want to continue to be cautious in that situation, we’ll do that. But it's all about how he feels, and then exactly how do we see this going moving forward.”

Smith said the ankle is “getting better every day” and he does think it’s “very beneficial” to get some game reps. But he was non-committal on playing.

“I leave it up to coach,” Smith said. “But my job is to get ready and help this team get ready to be ready to play in Week 1. Whenever I get a chance to play, as I told you guys, I look forward. But I also leave that up to coach.”

Rookie Cade Klubnik started last game for Smith and would again on Friday. Klubnik had a high volume of plays in practice Tuesday.

Tuesday morning injury updates

Garrett Wilson returned to practice on Tuesday after being sent home Monday with an illness.

Breece Hall, who injured his groin on Monday, is not on the field.

Rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq, Nahshon Wright and Qwan’tez Stiggers, who was hospitalized last week after passing out in the sideline, worked on a side field.

Takeaways from Wednesday's practice

It was a lighter day. Geno Smith only attempted three passes and didn’t complete any. It was a combination of sloppy and out-of-sync play by the offense and good plays by the defense.

Smith’s three throws weren’t close to being completed. He threw it behind a receiver and threw a long ball to Garrett Wilson, who didn’t seem to know it was coming. The two passes Smith did complete were negated by an offensive penalty and what would have been a sack by Jarvis Brownlee with Will McDonald in there as well.

The defense had two “sacks.” Harrison Phillips wrapped up Cade Klubnik. Dane Belton had a pass break-up. Defensive tackle Jowon Briggs blew up a run play.

Klubnik did connect on all five of his passes and threw two touchdowns in red zone period.

“Practice started really hot for the defense,” Aaron Glenn said. “Those guys were getting after it very well. And then the offense picked it up when we got to the red zone. Something you want to see as a head coach but man you want to make sure you’re always on go no matter what.”

Cade York was the better kicker and could have a slight edge on Jason Sanders for the job. York made all five of his attempts from 34 to 60 yards. Sanders was 4-for-5.

Just two position battles, but they're both close

Minkah Fitzpatrick will start at one safety. The other spot is up for grabs.

Dane Belton started in Friday’s preseason game in Pittsburgh. Andre Cisco played with the backups. This is one of the only position battles in this camp, along with kicker.

Belton, a former Giant signed in the offseason, has been a playmaker in camp and is a good special teams player. Cisco, a Valley Stream product, was a starter for the Jets last season and had an interception on Friday.

It’s fair to say both will play in some capacity with Fitzpatrick expected to be a Swiss Army knife who can line up at different spots, including nickel corner.

“We've said it was a competition from the very beginning, and those guys know it,” Aaron Glenn said. “It's always good when you have those guys fighting it out, guys making play after play, because we have to make tough decisions. … We're going to let it play out and see what happens.”

As for the kicking job, it’s between Jason Sanders and Cade York and should be decided this week. Initial 53-man rosters are due next Sunday. The Jets play their final preseason game Friday against the Giants.

Sanders is 4-for-4 on field goals and extra points in the preseason and York 3-for-4. He missed a 59-yard try on Friday.

7 observations from Tuesday's practice

It was a long practice, or as Aaron Glenn called it “a dog day,” with the first-team getting “a ton of reps.”

Geno Smith, unofficially, completed 14 of 18 passes. He didn’t get in the end zone, but he was very accurate, made some good throws over the middle to Adonai Mitchell and Garrett Wilson, and showed some mobility moving around the pocket on a sore ankle that kept him out of Friday’s first preseason game. Smith spread the ball around, hitting seven different receivers.

With Breece Hall (groin) sidelined, Kene Nwangwu was more involved in the run and pass game.

Jeremy Ruckert had at least five catches but one bad fumble after running a nice route and being wide open in the middle of the field.

Defensively, rookie edge rusher David Bailey made a play in coverage, breaking up a pass to Nwangwu.

The Jets picked off rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik twice. One should have been caught by the back and the other was deflected. Klubnik threw a short pass to Chip Trayanum that was in his hands, but it bounced off and Sam Womack was there to intercept it. Practice ended with Will McDonald tipping the ball in coverage that Azareye’h Thomas intercepted.

Among the Jets alumni in attendance were Elmont’s Vinny Testaverde, Kevin Mawae, Keyshawn Johnson and C.J. Mosley.

T'Vondre Sweat plays it cool re: Week 1 opponent

T’Vondre Sweat smiled wide and then chuckled to himself when asked if he’s looking forward to Week 1.

The Jets open the season in Tennessee against the team that drafted Sweat in the second round in 2024 and then traded the 6-foot-4, 366-pound defensive tackle in the offseason for Jermaine Johnson.

“No,” Sweat said diplomatically. “I’m focused on Pittsburgh right now.”

He said he’s “in a happy place” now, but there’s no guarantee that Sweat will play in Friday’s preseason game at the Steelers.

Sweat missed the first 10 practices of training camp with a hamstring injury and has only gone through two. He didn’t practice Wednesday as part of the management plan the Jets have for him.

Aaron Glenn said they would talk it over and decide whether Sweat will get in Friday’s game. But Glenn has been adamant about being cautious with players to make sure they’re ready for Week 1.

Sweat’s wry smile and laugh said he’s looking forward to Week 1.

Hugs for C.J. Mosley

Former captain and defensive leader C.J. Mosley, who retired two years ago, has attended the last two practices. When linebacker Jamien Sherwood saw Mosley, he ran over to hug and pay him respect.

Sherwood said he hasn’t seen Mosley in about a year. Sherwood, entering his sixth season, credits Mosley for helping him develop as a linebacker.

“I wouldn't be standing here today and be here still if it wasn't for him,” Sherwood said. “I owe him so much I thank him so much. So every time I see him it's like it’s Day 1 all over again.”

The Geno Smith-Cade Klubnick mentoring so far

Rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik led two scoring drives in his only two series of preseason action last week. He may get more opportunities to lead the offense on Friday in Pittsburgh whether Geno Smith (ankle) plays or not.

The Jets are grooming Klubnik to be Smith’s primary backup as of now. Klubnik has shown the ability to handle the workload. Smith said he’s there for Klubnik if and when he needs help.

“I wouldn't say guide him, but my job is definitely to help all the guys and to help my teammates get better,” Smith said. “I feel like Cade has done a tremendous job since Day 1 at picking up the offense and going out there and executing and learning with every rep.

“We talk a lot in meetings, we talk a lot on the field, and when he asks for my insight, I'm always willing to share it with him. He's done a great job and he asks all the right questions. I think, as a quarterback, you have to learn through experience and I think that's something that he's gaining right now.”

Geno will start vs. Steelers

Geno Smith will start Friday's preseason game in Pittsburgh, a league source confirmed.

Smith did not play in last week's preseason game due to a sore and swollen ankle. He went through all three practices this week and, barring a setback, will play on Friday. It's unlikely that he will play more than a series or two. Aaron Glenn will have a number of snaps that he will want Smith and other starters in the game.

Woody Johnson buys into Formula 1 team

Jets chairman Woody Johnson has acquired a stake in Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team and will join the Aston Martin board of directors as a vice chairman.

"During my time as US Ambassador to the United Kingdom, I have developed a deep appreciation for Aston Martin's rich history, as well as (Aston owner) Lawrence Stroll's strategic vision and entrepreneurial spirit," Johnson said in a statement.

"I am excited to partner with him and contribute to the continued development of the team, with the ambition of building an organization capable of competing at the very highest level of the sport.

"We also share a commitment to growing the fanbase in the United States and introducing even more fans to the excitement of Formula 1."

Johnson also owns a stake in the London-based soccer team Crystal Palace of England's Premier League. Crystal Palace won the UEFA Conference League championship this year.

David Bailey has that fire

Rookie edge rusher David Bailey has made a quick impression on his teammates.

Joseph Ossai, a fifth-year pro in his first season with the Jets, has seen enough in this camp to say that Bailey doesn’t act like most rookies.

“He has a fire to him that I really love,” Ossai said. “A lot of rookies, especially when they're that talented, sometimes they get a little wide-eyed by being in the league and it takes a bit of time for that dog to come out of them. But from Day 1, I've been able to see that dog, and that ferociousness. He's not afraid to let somebody know about it.”

Bailey, who will play in his second preseason game Friday in Pittsburgh, showed that fire in last week’s joint practice.

He got into a couple of dust-ups with Bucs tackle Luke Goedeke, jawed with quarterback Baker Mayfield and had several would-be sacks in team competitions. Bailey, the No. 2 overall pick, has been disruptive rushing the passer throughout camp.

Defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, who counts Jared Allen, T.J. Watt, and Cam Hayward among players he’s coached, described Bailey “As advertised. He's a great athlete. Great first-step quickness.”

Bailey gets first sack

Rookie edge rusher David Bailey did what he’s been doing throughout training camp in his second preseason game.

The No. 2 overall pick used his speed and strength to record his first sack. Bailey beat tackle Broderick Jones and brought down Steelers quarterback Will Howard on third down for an 11-yard loss.

Geno's strong start has teammates praising QB

Geno Smith’s performance in Friday night's 17-0 win at Pittsburgh has the Jets confident about what their offense will look like this season. He was 7-for-7 with a touchdown in his only series.

“In practice and seeing Geno for the first time in a game, it’s just got me really excited about what we can do,” right guard Joe Tippmann said. “The way he holds himself, the way he carries himself, his composure while we're in the huddle — and that's been in practice and in the games — it's something that just impressed me.”

Tippmann said that composure is “calming” for the offense and gives the group confidence. Tight end Mason Taylor agreed. He caught a third-down pass on the drive that ended with fellow tight end Jelani Woods catching the 13-yard TD pass from Smith. 

“He’s a great leader” Taylor said. “He's demanding. He knows what he wants. I think that's great from a quarterback, just being on the same page with him. He's motivating. In times like that, and then on third downs when we need conversions, he's always hyping our guys up, getting us on the right page, to do our best."

Kicking battle update

Up-and-down kicking day for Cade York.

He was good on an extra point, but missed field goals from 38 and 43 yards, then hit from 48 and 53.

Jason Sanders also kicked later in the day, and his performance was from good. He hit a PAT, missed from 38 and 43, hit from 48, then missed from 53.

These two new Jets made quite a first impression Friday night

The Jets signed defensive end Nate Lynn on Tuesday and receiver Junior Bergen on Wednesday. Both had impacts in Friday night's preseason win over the Steelers and made their case to perhaps earn spots on the practice team, Lynn especially.

Lynn — who was in Detroit’s training camp in 2024 when Aaron Glenn was defensive coordinator — had two sacks. Glenn said he liked Lynn with the Lions. He spent that season on injured reserve after tearing a ligament in his shoulder and was on the Titans practice squad last year.

“Once we had the opportunity to get him back here, it was a no-brainer to get him in and let him compete and see how he operates” Glenn said. “And he did a really good job.”

Bergen, a seventh-round pick of the 49ers last year, returned five punts for 51 yards. He had a 27-yard return that set up a Brady Cook touchdown pass to Quincy Skinner Jr. Bergen also caught a screen pass that he took for 44 yards that led to a Jason Sanders’ field goal.

Glenn said Bergen is “so confident” and when the special teams coaches gave him some direction, he told them, “Guys, I got it. I got it.” 

“Those guys did a really good job,” Glenn said, “and looking forward to seeing how they progress with this team.”

Aaron Glenn, the quizmaster

Jets coach Aaron Glenn is putting his players on the spot in defensive meetings, and veteran tackle Harrison Phillips loves it.

Glenn, who is calling the defense this year, quizzes players to get them thinking about what to anticipate depending on situations and down and distance.

Phillips said every so often Glenn poses different questions to players, gets their answers and then tells them his mindset going into those scenarios. The goal is for the players to trust their eyes and their work and they’ll know how they should play it.

“He says when we're really on a roll and this defense comes together how we want it to, we should see the down and distance, see the personnel, see what the situation is, and we should know the call before he even relays it to us into the mic,” Phillips said.

“The way that we're doing these little meetings where he's explaining how he sees the game and how he wants to call the game, it’s actually been some of the most fun meetings I've been a part of. To kind of get in the head of a defensive mastermind like that where he kind of peels back and it reveals how he sees it…I’ve really enjoyed that.”

Phillips, a Stanford grad in his ninth NFL season, likes challenging himself. Sometimes Phillips tries to guess Glenn’s call.

“I'm really close or I'm getting exactly right what I think he's going to call in those situations,” Phillips said. “The more guys that we have playing like that, the better.”

The happiest reception for -2 yards

Geno Smith was 7-for-7 in his preseason debut on Friday night thanks to his offensive line… and one lineman in particular. One of Smith’s passes seemed destined for an incompletion when it was batted at the line of scrimmage, but it wound up falling right into the waiting arms of guard Dylan Parham. It went down as a 2-yard loss, but Parham was excited about making it onto the stat sheet.

“We talked about trying to feed everybody the ball and give everybody opportunities,” Parham said on Monday. “I didn’t know that was going to be me. But I enjoyed that. It was a fun moment.”

As for the actual job description for Parham and the starting line – protecting Smith -- they did that well, too.

“I feel like we are in a good spot,” he said. “I think that takes a load off of (Smith) when we are able to do a lot of things well.”

And if the Jets ever need an extra target, now they know where to turn. Said Parham: “I am definitely going to see if there is something Frank (Reich, the offensive coordinator) can put in the playbook for me.”

Frank Reich will be the man upstairs

Frank Reich is calling plays from upstairs for the first time in his career.

The Jets' offensive coordinator, who held the same position with the Chargers and Eagles, mentioned to head coach Aaron Glenn that he wanted to try calling a game from up in the box in the preseason. Reich now plans to do it in the regular season.

“I actually really like it. It’s been good,” Reich said. “I feel that our coaches on the sideline are doing a great job. You lose a little bit, but the things that I feel like I gain up there and the way I can see it, I’ve liked it.”

Reich said he can see everything better and it allows for a little more organization.

“Between series, just gathering my thoughts, clearly talking to everybody, looking at the call sheet,” Reich said. “You can do it from downstairs, but it's just all laid out right in front of you. So I don't know, it just felt good.”

Valley Stream's Cisco knows nothing is promised

Andre Cisco is trying to prove his value to the Jets all over again.

The veteran safety from Valley Stream was a starter last year before suffering a season-ending torn pectoral in Week 8. Now he’s battling Dane Belton for a starting safety position.

Cisco appreciates being in this spot after what happened last year on a one-year deal and with his playing future murky. Free agency was “quiet for a little second” said Cisco, who re-signed on a one-year deal with the Jets.

“Being back and building back on the team and in a competition to start in the NFL, I'm not going to lose sight of how grateful I got to be,” Cisco said. “Day-to-day is about just resetting. Just honestly finding a role within the team is more important than trying to beat somebody out. We're all on the same team. I want to solidify a role so that I can contribute.”

Belton may have a leg up on Cisco but he’s been a playmaker as well. Cisco had an interception in Friday’s preseason game in Pittsburgh playing with the second team and broke up a pass in the end zone in Tuesday’s practice and had a tackle for a loss.

“If you prove your value, they're going to find a way to get you in the field,” Cisco said. “For myself, it's nothing different. To get on the field, you need to prove your value each and every day.”

Brady Cook started for the Jets last season, but Friday could be his last game with them

Brady Cook was the Jets’ starting quarterback for the final four games last season. He’s been their No. 4 quarterback – behind Geno Smith, Cade Klubnik and Bailey Zappe – this training camp and preseason.

Cook will get a lot of snaps in Friday’s preseason finale against the Giants in what could be his last game as a Jet. Regarding Cook’s Jets future, the best-case scenario is a spot on the practice squad.

He threw for 739 yards, two touchdowns and seven interceptions in five games last season and was sacked 19 times. This preseason, he’s 10-for-17 for 139 yards and a touchdown.

Jets coach Aaron Glenn said Cook has handled this situation “like a true professional.”

“I'm not shocked by that, that's just who he is.” Glenn said. “He's just going to put his head down, keep his focus narrow, and get the work done.”

Glenn wants all of his players to do that.

"Being on the roster, being on another roster,” Glenn said, “as long as you keep your head down and get the work done, everything will take care of itself.”

Praise for Bailey's play and professionalism

Geno Smith has seen a lot of David Bailey during training camp. The rookie edge rusher was around Smith a lot when he dropped back to pass in practice.

“The thing that stands out about David is that he's always in the backfield,” Smith said. “Every time I watch film or when I'm out there on the field, you can find No. 31. He's always around the ball. Humble kid, doesn't say much but he speaks through his play.”

The Jets drafted Bailey with the No. 2 overall pick and believe he will be a disruptive player right away. Some veteran players have noted how hard Bailey works, takes care of his body and acts more like seasoned pro than a rookie.

“Just the level of his professionalism,” safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said when asked what stands out to him about Bailey. “He’s in here early. I see him in the weight room doing different mobility stuff. He’s taking care of his body and his mind as well. And obviously, he’s doing a great job out on the field.”

Suddenly, Sherwood is the second-longest tenured Jet

Jamien Sherwood never imagined he would outlast some All-Pros and Pro Bowl players on the Jets’ defense, but he has.

He played with C.J. Mosley (retired), Quinnen Williams (traded), Sauce Gardner (traded) and Quincy Williams (not re-signed). Sherwood, a defensive back who was converted into a linebacker, is the longest-tenured Jet after long snapper Thomas Hennessy.

“Sometimes I think about it,” said Sherwood, entering his sixth season with the Jets. “When I walked in the building, no, I didn't think [that would be the case]. But I come here every day, trying to get better. And that would just be a testament to how much work I put in and the time I put in and the people who have noticed it.

“It's just a blessing just to be here that long, to be one of the longest guys. I intend to stay here as long as possible.”

Sherwood has led the Jets in tackles the past two seasons. He signed a three-year, $45 million contract extension in March of last year, but he struggled last season getting the defense in the right alignments pre-snap. Demario Davis has that role this year. But Sherwood is still expected to be a main piece of the defense.

Source: Jets trade for center depth

The Jets added some needed depth on the interior of the offensive line.

They acquired center Jordan Meredith from the Raiders and a seventh-round pick for a sixth-rounder, a league source said, confirming a report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Meredith, 28, spent four seasons with the Raiders and started 20 games, including 11 last season when Geno Smith was their quarterback. Meredith also will reunite Jets starting left guard Dylan Parham, who started for the Raiders last season.

Josh Myers is the Jets’ starting center. Xavier Newman is the backup, but he has had some snapping issues during training camp. The acquisition of Meredith could lead to Newman being among the players the Jets cut to trim their roster to 53 by 6 p.m. today.

The preseason is over and the Jets still have questions at backup QB and kicker

The Jets had major question marks at two positions going into training camp. Those two spots, backup quarterback and kicker, remain unsettled with camp and the preseason now over.

Rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik was penciled in as Geno Smith’s backup. Jason Sanders beat out Cade York for the kicking completion. But in the Jets’ final preseason game on Friday against the Giants, Klubnik and Sanders hurt their status more than they helped it.

Klubnik may be demoted if the Jets acquire a more experienced backup, but the former Clemson QB will still be on the team.

Sanders, meanwhile, may be out of work very soon.

Three days after the Jets released York and special teams coordinator Chris Banjo said Sanders “has won the job,” the veteran kicker might have lost it.

Instead of securing his spot and showing the Jets they made the right choice, Sanders had two kicks on Friday and missed them both. He shanked an extra-point attempt wide left and his 54-yard field goal try was well short of the crossbar.

Teams have to submit their 53-man roster by 6 p.m. on Sunday. It’s very possible that the Jets’ Week 1 kicker isn’t on the team.

“Am I worried about it? Aaron Glenn said. "I didn’t like the fact that we missed these field goals, but the thing is we’re not going to panic and we’re going to make sure that we make the right decision to make sure we either fix those issues or we get the right person in here.

“But Jason [Sanders] has been good for us. He’s been good in practice. I’m going to evaluate that and see exactly what direction we’ll go.”

Sanders hasn’t been great in practice. Some would argue that York had the better camp albeit maybe by a smidge. There were days that both players missed at least two field goals in practice.
The Jets didn’t have to worry about their kicker last year. They had venerable veteran Nick Folk, who missed just one field goal and no extra points all season. The Jets didn’t re-sign Folk, who inked a two-year, $9 million deal with the Falcons.

Klubnik’s performance was a definite let-down. He was 6-for-13 for 59 yards and one badly thrown interception.

“Overall, not my best ball,” Klubnik said.

The Jets gave Klubnik every opportunity to win the QB2 job. But after a good debut in which he led two scoring drives against Tampa, Klubnik wasn’t able to push the Jets’ offense down the field.

They scored once on Klubnik’s last 11 series at quarterback, and that was helped by a Marcellino McCrary-Ball interception on Friday. The Jets started the drive at the Giants’ 36 and didn’t attempt a pass. They ran it 10 times, capped by a Chip Trayanum 1-yard score.

After saying how much they believed in Klubnik and were comfortable with him being the backup quarterback, Aaron Glenn acknowledged it’s no longer a sure thing.

“Me and Moug [GM Darren Mougey] are going to sit back and evaluate that,” Glenn said. “Listen, it’s not fair to myself, it’s not fair to him, it’s not fair to us as a team to sit there and make those statements right now. So, we’ll take a look at that and we’ll evaluate it and we’ll make the right decision going forward.”

The Eagles might be a team to watch if they make Andy Dalton or Tanner McKee available. The Jets had interest in both QBs during the offseason.

Observations from the final practice of camp

The Jets held their last official practice of training camp on Tuesday. (They play their final preseason game on Friday). There was a lot of team competition and move the ball periods. Here are some observations

• Geno Smith was sharp, unofficially completing 19 of 22 passes with one touchdown and led another touchdown drive. Smith completed his last nine passes and had one bad throw, which should have been picked off on the sideline by cornerback Jarvis Brownlee.
• Braelon Allen caught a touchdown pass and ran for one. Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell had six catches and rookie Omar Cooper Jr. had four.
• Rookie edge rusher David Bailey blew up a run on the first play of team competition. His run defense is something the Jets have been working to improve.
• The Jets’ backup O-Line didn't have a good day. Rookie Cade Klubnik was “sacked” at least five times. He held on to the ball too long a couple of times, but the O-Line also kept getting beaten. It could be concerning. Klubnik was under pressure a lot in Friday’s preseason game in Pittsburgh.
• Defensively, J.J. Enagbare had two sacks and Andre Cisco broke up a pass intended for Cooper in the end zone and had a tackle for loss.

For OC Reich, Friday was 'mission accomplished'

The way the starting offense performed with Geno Smith running it in Friday’s win over Pittsburgh was exactly how coordinator Frank Reich drew it up.

Reich couldn’t have predicted Smith would go 7-for-7 with a touchdown. But he wanted to get Smith going after missing the prior game with a sore ankle and spread the ball around – and both happened.

“We went out there with a purpose in mind and for me that purpose was to get Geno going and spread the ball around,” Reich said “Just get him comfortable in the pocket, let him get hit. So it was mission accomplished there. Obviously he was on point.”

Minkah appreciates Glenn's practice schedule

Veteran safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is playing for his fourth different coach and liked how Aaron Glenn ran training camp.

Using player data analytics and sports science, the Jets held 15 formal practices. The goal was to maximize player reps while also making sure they have time to recover.

“AG does a really good job of challenging us, and working us when we're working,” Fitzpatrick said. “But he also does a really good job of taking care of us mentally and physically, as well.

“The way our schedule is set up is not to burn us out, is to make sure we maximize our work time. And I'm appreciative of that, being in Year 9, Camp 9 for me. I think everybody's still super locked in. I think we've been excelling in doing what we need to do.”

Last practice of training camp

The Jets have chosen their kicker

Jason Sanders has won the Jets kicking job.

Special teams coach Chris Banjo said Tuesday the Jets are “moving on” from Cade York and Sanders will be the kicker.

“He has won the job,” Banjo said.

It was a close competition throughout training camp to replace Nick Folk, with neither player really standing out. Folk, who led the NFL in field goal percentage last season (96.6) and made all of his point-after attempts, signed a two-year, $9 million contract with Atlanta.

In the preseason, York was 3-for-4 on his field goal attempts and extra point tries. He missed a 59-yard field goal in Friday’s preseason loss. Sanders was 4-for-4 on field goals and point-after attempts.

Sanders also is the more accomplished kicker. He spent seven years as the Dolphins kicker and made First-team All-Pro in 2020. York has attempted 45 career field goals - and hit 33 - in parts of two seasons with the Browns, Commanders and Bengals.

“We feel really, really good about what Jason is and where we are with him right now,” Banjo said. “The experience he's kind of had in our division, kicking in our division. So I'm looking forward to that opportunity for him.

“You look at his pedigree, what he’s been able to do in big moments, big games in our division. You get to be around that kind of all offseason, throughout training camp and through this evaluation process and it starts to build more confidence, more conviction in who he is as a player so we’re really excited about that.”

Glenn 'excited' about positive injury updates

Kenyon Sadiq was not the only Jet taking steps toward being ready for Week 1 in Tennessee, which is now less than three weeks away.

DE Joseph Ossai, DT T’Vondre Sweat and DE Kingsley Enagbare all were full participants on Monday. Returning to practice on Monday but limited were CB Nashon Wright, LB Kiko Mauigoa and DB Qwan’tez Stiggers. Glenn said CB Tre Brown had something happen to his lip in Friday’s preseason game but it is not a concern.

“I’m excited to have these guys back at practice,” Glenn said.

Meanwhile he said Sadiq, rookie CB D’Angelo Ponds, RB Breece Hall and RB Isaiah Davis are all “on track” to be ready for the opener.

“Man,” Glenn said, “I’m excited about the news I’m getting on those guys.”

Will Jets starters play vs. Giants?

Aaron Glenn said he is “still thinking about” how he will deploy his starters in the preseason finale on Friday night against the Giants.

“I will have an answer real soon,” he said on Monday.

Glenn, however, does not have any scheduled media availabilities remaining this week, so the secret may wait until kickoff.

Glenn did said he wants to “make sure I make the right decision” on who plays, but he also doesn’t want the players worrying about it.

“The only thing I want our guys focusing on right now is, man, getting to that next practice,” he said.

The Jets did a lot of high-contact situational work on Monday in what at times felt more like a scrimmage than a practice and Glenn noted that Tuesday’s workout will be “a real hard practice” too. If the Jets starters get solid work in during that event, there would seem to be a good chance that they rest on Friday.

Glenn on Ossai: 'I love that player'

When Aaron Glenn said Joseph Ossai was “back to going full” after practice on Monday, he was referring to the defensive end’s return from the ankle injury that had kept him out or limited through most of training camp. He might as well have been talking about Ossai’s impact on the workout, though. The offseason free agent signing had his most disruptive day since joining the Jets.

“It’s everything I expect from him,” Glenn said. “I love that player. I think he’s a damn good player.”

Ossai had a sack against Cade Klubnik in live goal-line reps, came up to stuff a run by Braelon Allen along with safety Dane Belton on another series, and ended a third different drive with a sack of Geno Smith.

Glenn said there are still things they’d like to see Ossai improve at.

“But the energy that he brings just being out there, it’s good to see him out there,” Glenn said. “The other guys feed off that too.”

A few other defensive standouts besides Ossai from Monday’s very physical practice:

• On the fourth team snap of the day,  David Bailey was in the backfield so long he could have sacked Smith, helped him up, then sacked him again if he wanted to.
• Kiko Mauigoa put a really strong hit on Kene Nwangwu, knocking him to the ground.
• Bailey and Jarvis Brownlee Jr. were both right in Smith’s face and forced him to throw a would-be screen for Allen into the ground.
• Brandon Stephens broke up a long pass for Adonai Mitchell near the pylon, reaching in and poking the ball away.
• On a play where Smith ultimately found Garrett Wilson in the end zone, Dane Belton came through unblocked and would have easily had a sack long before the pass came out.
• Jaden Keller sacked Klubnik.

The offensive highlights were a little harder to find.

Starting from the defense’s 35, the first team offense went three drives without a touchdown and the second team went 0-for-2 in the same situation. There were two botched snaps in that clump of plays. But the offense rebounded at the end as Smith engineered a strong two-minute drill that included two passes to Wilson, two to Mason Taylor, and a touchdown pass to rookie Omar Cooper Jr. to cap the workout.

Goal-line plays yield some touchdowns

The Jets did some live goal-line work at practice on Monday. Geno Smith hit Andrew Beck for a TD on the first snap from the 1. thanks to a great pass block from Kene Nwangwu. Nwangwu took the handoff on the next rep and was stuffed by Azare’h Thomas. The third and deciding snap was a TD tun by Nwangwu.

The second teams did three reps too. Chip Trayanum ran it in up the middle but there was a flag on the play. Cade Klubnik hit Mason Taylor but would have been sacked by Joseph Ossai, then Travanum ran over Brandon Stephens to score.

Injury updates on Sadiq and Hall

Rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq is stretching with the team on Monday after missing almost the entire spring from hernia surgery, starting training camp, then sitting out the past two weeks with a setback from that injury.

Breece Hall meanwhile is doing some light running in the rehab area. He looks unbothered by the groin injury he suffered a week ago but is still not back with the rest of the team.

The Jets have interceptions to talk about now

The Jets still have the longest streak of games without an interception in NFL history at 17, but posting two of them in Friday’s preseason game against the Steelers allowed them to come into Monday’s practice with a temporary reprieve from the pressure to snap that ignominious run. Safety Andre Cisco and corner Samuel Womack III pulled in the pair of picks in Pittsburgh.

Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick wasn’t with the Jets when the secondary was blanked last year, but he’s certainly heard enough about it since his arrival.

“Anytime we can get turnovers it’s really big,” he said on Monday. “Anytime we get turnovers in the red zone is huge. Those are major point swings. It’s demoralizing for the opponent and uplifting for us. Anytime we take the ball away is good for us.”

Fitzpatrick was especially impressed by Cisco’s play.

“It was awesome,” he said. “It was a perfectly executed play on Cisco’s behalf. He did a really good job of baiting the quarterback into the throw and then capitalizing on the play.”

Now all the Jets have to do is replicate it in the regular season when it actually counts and all the streak talk will be over.

The view on preseason 'Victory Monday'

Jelani Woods becoming a go-to tight end

Jelani Woods said he “had a feeling” that the ball could be coming to him for a touchdown in Friday’s preseason game in Pittsburgh when he heard the play called in the huddle. Less expected has probably been just how integral the tight end who was on the roster last year has become to the Jets offense this summer.

“I try to put my best foot forward with whatever they ask me to do, try to give it maximum effort,” he said on Monday. “Whatever they decide, that’s kind of how it rolls.”

Woods hadn’t caught a touchdown pass in any game since his rookie season with the Colts in 2022. He had three that year, including two on his first two NFL receptions. “That was a long minute ago,” he said. Since then his career has been defined by injuries, missing all of 2023 and 2024 before coming to the Jets off waivers last August. Even then he only played in four games and caught just one pass. In a room that has high draft picks Kenyon Sadiq and Mason Taylor plus veteran Jeremy Ruckert, Woods seemed like an afterthought as camp began last month.

Now he is one of the team’s go-to guys at the position.

“It gives you a lot of confidence,” he said of his increased role. “’Don’t give them a reason to not put me on the field,’ that’s kind of my motto and how I have been going about things.”

Roster moves: Jets sign three undrafted rookies

The Jets signed edge rusher Anthony Dunn, running back Dominic Richardson and safety Tanner Wall. They released running back Sam Scott, edge Nate Voorhis and receiver Caulin Lacy with injury designations.

Dunn, Richardson and Wall are all undrafted rookies. Dunn, who played at Florida A&M and Toleda, was with Kansas City until he was waived last week. Richardson, out of Tulsa, spent time with the Cowboys and the Titans. Wall, from BYU, was with Las Vegas and most recently the Dolphins.

Nate Lynn impresses just days after signing with Jets

Defensive end Nate Lynn participated in two practices with the Jets before making a smashing debut in Friday’s preseason win over the Steelers. He recorded two sacks and three tackles, including one on special teams. The Jets signed Lynn on Tuesday.

Veteran defensive tackle Harrison Phillips said “it’s extremely difficult” for a player to step in with no acclimation period and have a game like that.

“I thought he was like a six-year veteran-like guy who's been in the league and played a ton of snaps just the way that he handles himself, the way that he's able to pick up the playbook, his energy,” Phillips said. It's crazy to me that a player like that was on the couch.

“I mean, Holy [expletive], that was really impressive,” Phillips added.

Lynn, a former William & Mary product, was with the Lions in 2024 when Glenn was defensive coordinator. Lynn spent that year on IR and part of last season the Titans' practice squad. They released Lynn in April. At the very least, Lynn could earn a spot on the Jets’ practice squad.

"I'm really happy that he's here," Phillips said.

Parham shows off his hands

Jets left guard Dylan Parham played tight end in high school and showed those ball skills in Friday’s preseason win at Pittsburgh. Parham caught a batted down Geno Smith pass, which helped the Jets quarterback finish 7-for-7.

Right guard Joe Tippmann told Parham during the game that he should have pitched to him.

“Next time he knows he's got a try and get it off to me and we can make a better positive play out of that,” Tippmann said of Parham’s reception that counted as a 2-yard loss. “It’s unfortunate. Now he's going to have to get 3 yards just to get himself into the positive.”

What a rush! Bailey shows why he was No. 2 pick with powerful sack

Rookie edge rusher David Bailey looks just about ready for the regular season. 

The No. 2 overall pick, who has been a disruptive force throughout practices in training camp, used his quick get-off and some power to beat Steelers tackle Broderick Jones for a third-down sack in Friday night’s 17-0 preseason win. 

“It was good to see that,”  Aaron Glenn said. “We know what he can do as far as a pass rusher. But in my head there were a couple things that he has to improve on that showed up in the game, and he will.” 

Bailey’s run defense was a question mark coming out of college, but he was a dominant pass rusher. The Jets felt that would translate to the NFL, and their coaches could help improve Bailey’s run defense.

Glenn called Bailey “conscientious” about putting in the work to make the necessary improvements and adjustments.

“I know for a fact that he's going to improve on some of those mistakes that he had,” Glenn said.

Tackle Harrison Phillips, who was blocked by the tackle and guard on that play, called Bailey a “flame thrower” but said his sack celebration needs work. Bailey just got up, slapped teammates helmets and jogged to the sideline. 

“I'm glad he kind of got the stress off him,” Phillips said of Bailey’s first NFL sack. “I know that we'll see a lot more of that.”

Jets don't hit the ground running

The Jets had trouble running the ball in Friday night's 17-0 preseason victory at  Pittsburgh. They rushed for only 62 yards on 24 carries for an average of 2.6 yards. Rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik accounted for 16 yards on one scramble.

“Our run game wasn't where it needs to be,” Aaron Glenn said. “We've got to take a good hard look at that and make sure we clean that up.”

The Jets didn’t have their top back, Breece Hall, who was out with a groin injury. But his backup, Braelon Allen, only had 4 yards on three carries running behind the starting offensive line.

Kene Nwangwu rushed seven times for 11 yards with the backups.

“It just comes down to execution and it's something we weren't fully there and on it last night,” starting right guard Joe Tippmann said. “We just definitely didn't get it done last night. That was through all three groups and all the O-lines that went in. There's plenty of stuff that we can learn from. There's plenty of situations and kind of just assignments that we can kind of do a better job of executing.”

Aaron Glenn: 'Guys will have to buy new cars'

Cars in the parking lot are not safe when the Jets are kicking field goals on the field closest to the street.

It has happened throughout training camp where some kicks sail over the net, into the lot and slam into the cars parked there.

“Some of the players were saying that those electric cars that's lined up, they're going to have some dents in the hood,” Aaron Glenn said. “I'm assuming that's something that we got to look at. We're going to continue to keep kicking that way. But as long as it's going through the uprights, man I'm all good. Guys will have to buy new cars.”

Qwan'tez Stiggers gets back on the field for the Jets

Qwan'tez Stiggers was back on the field taking part in Jets practice a little more than a week after he passed out on the sideline and was taken to an area hospital.

Stiggers suffered a concussion last Tuesday in a joint practice with Tampa Bay. The cornerback remains in concussion protocol, but Glenn said Stiggers is close to being cleared and returning. He was in a red no-contact jersey, but Stiggers was involved in competitive team periods on defense and special teams.

“Man, it's really good to see Stiggers out there,” Glenn said after practice Wednesday. “That’s anybody in this league. I’ve been a part of some scary situations in my time as a player and as a coach. To see him out there running around on the cusp of actually getting back to being on the field, it's always good to see.

“We pray for him. We know God works. He's a dang good player, he means a lot to us. I’m always happy to see him out there."