Jets coach Robert Saleh sees bigger, more confident Zach Wilson

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — There is a noticeable difference in Zach Wilson as he prepares for his second NFL season.

“He’s definitely hit the weight room,” Robert Saleh said Saturday. “He looks beefy — in a good way. He’s definitely filled out, but he still got all his looseness throwing the football and zip and all that stuff. But he looks good.”

Saleh also said Wilson is carrying himself a little differently.

He’s more comfortable with the offense now. It showed during last week’s workouts when the Jets were on the field for the first time this offseason.

“There’s little things that he’s doing where you’re seeing a little more security,” Saleh said. “He’s not a rookie so he’s being a little more vocal. He looks good. He’s getting more comfortable grasping the offense. He’s never had trouble grasping the offense it’s just he was a rookie. He’s much further ahead than he was a year ago.”

Defensive end Micheal Clemons described himself as an “animal” on the field and “chilling, low key” off of it. The Jets’ fourth-round pick out of Texas A&M said he just has to remember to flip the switch when he becomes “a civilian again.”

Clemons being nasty is “definitely one of the biggest assets of my game. Just make sure to turn that thing off when you walk off the field.”

Saleh likes that about Clemons.

“When he puts a helmet on, he goes to a very dark place and it reflects in his play and the effort and violence at which he does it,” Saleh said. “At the same time, he is a pleasure to be around. Really excited and looking forward to working with him and seeing how he grows.”

Jeremy Ruckert remains slowed by a foot injury that forced him to miss his Ohio State Pro Day. Saleh said Ruckert will be re-evaluated next week, but the hope is the Lindenhurst product will be able to participate in the offseason program

“We’re hoping so,” Saleh said. “We’ll see where he’s at again next week as we get closer to Phase 3 [of the offseason program]. I know he’s working through it. He’s feeling good. It’s just a matter of continuing to rehab.”

Saleh said the Jets would love to re-sign Greg Van Roten, who was released Friday. Saleh indicated that the former Chaminade star may have chances to start somewhere else and that contributed to his release.

“GVR has a place in this league,” Saleh said. “I think he’s got starting opportunities at a few places. Just talking with Joe [Douglas], we thought maybe give him that opportunity to see if he can compete for a starting job. At the same time the door is not closed here. We would love to have him back.”

Gavin Greene, the son of the late Kevin Greene, a Hall of Fame defensive player and former Jets linebackers coach, is one of the rookies trying out this weekend. Greene, a defensive lineman, said his father is his “biggest hero” and it’s “awesome” and an “honor” to be in the same building he used to work.

“He probably wants to give me a bear hug and give me a head butt,” Gavin Greene said. “I’m sure my dad is smiling down from heaven right now, just so happy that despite his passing and all the adversity that I’ve been through with that, I have overcome it and I’m here now. I think he’s just overjoyed.”

The plan for OTAs will be to do more 7-on-7 this year to make sure that the skill players and secondary get in all their work. Saleh said the linemen will go do less “banging” and more individual work in hopes of keeping them healthy.

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.