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A ton of things to get to today.
Jets Rookie Mini Camp underway at One Jets Drive, the NFL schedule release is coming Wednesday. And also I want to dive into the Jets twenty twenty five roster now that we've gotten through the first few waves of free agency and the NFL Draft and kind of compare it to the twenty twenty four roster. And then finally, I think we might have a couple bonus items. I want to talk about the Knicks, maybe just Jet just a little bit, and maybe we have a new pope who's
also American. Yeah, but day one of Rookie Minnie Camp Greens, let's start here. It is a torrential downpour all morning throughout the area. So Aaron Glenn's out there on the field for the first time inside. So what's happening to give people kind of a visual when we go out to practice for the first time is that the punters are going through their paces and there is a tryout from Australia, a trial player named.
Andrew Stokes six foot six.
Twenty nine pounds, thirty one years old, colegianly.
Played at South Florida.
It's narrow inside the fieldhouse, so sometimes if the ball gets away to the right, it's going to be finding person or two over there.
You had an opportunity to catch the ball today.
I did, and you know what I My lack of commitment to getting under the.
Ball is is what broke me.
I dropped the ball literally, if you're listening to this, I physically dropped the ball, But to be fair, I tried to catch it with my fingertips, like by by my knees.
Where we're on.
The second floor, Yeah, the balcony upstairs, that's where the media is watching practice. Are you nervous when you see the ball coming your way?
So a couple of kicks before that, there was one that was high and it had a little bit of a draw to it, and I was like, Oh, this has a chance to like it's just gonna come at us.
It didn't.
It was a very nice punt that just kind of like like a golf shot, just kind of drew its way back to the center. Then the second one, I was like, this one, this one's coming at us. And as a former outfielder in high school, I was like, I don't know if this is like a fly ball. I don't know if this is a pop up to the shortstop. So that's what kind of caught me in between.
And was I nervous a little bit? I mean yeah, And I heard someone in from the PR department say, oh, somebody's got to catch that, and then that's when I went in.
I think that's somebody was actually Jetsplice Press and communications, yeah, with Jared Winley, and Jared said that, and then he had an opportunity to catch the ball a couple of reps later, and Jared made the catch.
He's a season veteran that was put of it that way, and not to mention it was he had more time to commit to the bit. Now I've really messed up I'm not gonna I'm gonna lose a little sleepover.
Yeah, we've seen you catch the ball practice before, but a first practice of twenty twenty five. In terms of the rookie class out there, what did you see in the thirty to forty five minutes that you were out there?
Honestly, at first, when we got out there as a walk through period, I don't I didn't know that, Like at the speed at which everyone was moving felt like it was a little more than a walk through.
It felt like a practice.
So to me, that that's what kind of stuck out immediately. And other than that, I mean, I don't feel like there's a ton week in take out of the thirty to forty five minutes. But like, you know, I think that Keiko Malingoa, he looks like a big linebacker. He looks like an old school linebacker to me. And you know, other things I saw like Arion Smith showed off the burners a little bit, and not that he's running by people and he's scoring a seventy yard touchdown, but you can see the way guys move.
And I was also impressed with Mason Taylor.
You know, I thought Mason Taylor showed that he has a little bit of wiggle, and you know, maybe more than what he was able to showcase at LSU because he was played with Brian Thomas my Leak neighbors, and obviously this past year he did a really nice job for the Tires.
It's interesting how each coach approaches this. This is our first time with Aaron Glenn. When the media portion of practice opened, like you just mentioned, it was team drills. I mean, they're out there eleven on eleven.
Uh.
The first guy I was watching him was number seventy. That's our mind mind Moon, the number seven or overall selection of twenty twenty five NFL Draft six.
Four, three hundred and thirty two pounds.
What I will say again, we're not gonna make outlandish statements off of watching one rookie mini camp practice with Yes, again, a lot of these guys who are watching out here are not gonna be on NFL rosters. That's the bottom line. You have a seven person draft class. The Jets signed fourteen undrafted free agents. The rest of these guys are tryout players. In terms of Membo for six four three
thirty two, he moves quite well. Oh yeah, and he carries that weight well, compact and just a fluid mover.
And from what I could see, uh, nice start.
I mean again, you're not you don't have this great evaluation, but just you're watching the way guys move and membo he looks the part at six four three thirty two.
Yeah, oh yeah, I think that when the ball was snapped you could see the movement skills. I mean that that's you know, that was pretty apparent to me. The other thing I thought was interesting, and you know, it's the first time that I've seen this in my Jets time here is the quarterbacks had GoPros like attached to
their helmets. I don't know if you saw that then, Like in the past, we've seen Mike McDaniel with the Dolphins do that to kind of show, I guess review back on the film, like what were you looking at?
What were your progressions?
And both Adrian Martinez and Brady Cook, who's one of the undrafted free agents, each had the GoPro attach to their helmet, So you know, I thought that was kind of cool too.
Yeah, no doubt about that.
So they'll be able to go back and look to see what the quarterback was viewing when they review practice. I mean, listen, they're being thrown a lot of information because rookies come in here Thursday night, they're out here on the field on Friday, they'll have meetings and then back at it again on Saturday. We're gonna hear from Aaron Glenn on Saturday morning, and then again they'll be out here on Sunday and the rookie mini camp is over.
You mentioned Mason Taylor before.
There was one specific play where he got his hands on the ball a few times today. In the past game, there was one specific play where.
Cook had him on a seam down the field. He missed him just by a little bit. If he hits I mean, that's probably a long touchdown.
Yeah, it was.
It's always fun because I feel like we're in the I don't want to say in the business of overreacting, but like people want football all year round.
He's wearing number forty six.
I was gonna bring that up too.
I'm surprised you brought that up because, yeah, I know you're not the big number guy now, or your thoughts on the number interesting. Yeah, I mean I think it'll change, I'll put it that way, especially by the time the regular season comes around, like maybe'll wear it during training camp, but I don't think Mason Taylor week one, whenever the Jet, whomever the Jets play, whenever they play, is trotting out number forty six.
Right, yeah, yeah, no doubt about that.
And I think the guy who was most busy out there to Donovan Edwards. Now he's one of the fourteen undrafted free agents. He played at Michigan for him to make this roster green, so probably have to be the fourth running back. But listen, just from what you want, just getting experience out there if you're a rookie.
I mean, he was a busy dude today that we.
Saw, and he was wearing the Michigan Mazing blue gleats.
Well, we saw all the dudes wearing their college cleats. A Z.
Thomas said to Florida State seminole cleats. There were a couple other guys who you know, it was interesting Malchi Moore, who the Jets drafted on Day three out of Alabama.
He had like a bright yellow You.
Know what's interesting about that.
It's funny you mentioned that because this time last year I remember saying the same exact thing about an Alabama safety Jalen Keep who was mister Irrelevant. He had Neon Green cleats, much like Malachai More today. So maybe it's like an Alabama secondary staple, which I would have never guessed.
Okay, so let's talk about the music as far as what was happening out there. When team drills started, all you heard were the players and the coaches and you got all these positional coaches trying to get their instructions out to the respective groups, so it was quite.
Loud in there.
Then after team periods concluded, then the Jets went into a stretch portion.
At that point, Ag Aaron.
Glenn, jets first year head coach, instructed the guys to put the music on and we saw some of the music continue into the individual individual portion of practice.
Yeah, and I guess that's standard.
I'm interested to see what type of music AG wants, you know, is it going to be a mix of things? Are you gonna let different position groups decide depending on the way practice goes like throughout training camp and whatnot? And you know, I think that, you know, it was definitely quiet in the beginning though, you know, during the team period, walk through period, it was it was I don't want to say, you could hear a pin drop, but you you could hear the coaches very clearly call
out their instructions. Then to your point, once the music cranked up during individual drills, and you know then when we left, they probably had more team periods, seven on seven whatever. I bet you the music is gonna pretty much continue throughout throughout practice.
Yeah.
Another thing I would say, again, we're just watching guys move out there is arian Smith moves differently in terms of that one catch over the middle. I believe that it was Brady Cook who threw it to him, and I know he's got to work on his hands. Everybody has talked about the fourth round pick and the struggles he had dropping the ball last year at Georgia.
What I was encouraged about in that particular play.
It's a crosser and that ball from Cook came out pretty hot and he got it with his hands and then he.
Got up field in no time.
Yeah, you know, I really I think we saw the speed really when he turned up field. You know, no one's looking to tackle him, but you could still see just the way that he moves in the four three six forty speed. The track speed like that stuff is real. And that rep also stood out to me because when you watch him at the top, he made like a receiver move to get over the middle. But was that ball a little behind him or was it a little in front of him?
I thought it might have been a little actually, like it.
Was coming at him, it might have been a little bit behind.
Him, right like.
Regardless though, I thought you could see the hands. Yeah, and that's that's what you want to see.
I mean, listen again, this is just a small snapshot that we saw of rookie Mini Camp and some of the guys out there. But hey, Membo wearing number seventy, he just looked good at right there.
He did he did. I mean, it makes sense the natural position started. Twenty nine games are for Missouri, and he didn't let up a sack. And I mean, it's gotta be kind of cool though, for Brady Cook and armand Membu to be going through this together, right, because like those are college teammates, and you know, I think that Brady Cook he doesn't have necessary the esteemed collegiate career, but it sure seems like based on what you read out of Columbia Missouri, everybody loves Brady Cook.
Yeah, and I'll tell you what Adrian Martinez flash today. Yeah, he looked really calm bat.
Did you see the someone posted on their Instagram story. I think it was Quincy Williams, whose younger brother Giovanni is part of the rookie munic camp trial.
Williams was watching today, So yeah, that's cool. Saw him underneath that.
But did you see that.
There was I guess during OTA or what the offseason program for the veterans, they have the GPS speeds like on a on a TV. I saw that and Quincy Williams I think was third. I don't remember who was second.
I saw Michael Carter, the second was up there.
He was among the skill players. Okay, yes, but among the non.
Skill players, the top speed was Adrian Martinez.
Interesting, so is.
Adrian Martinez somebody I don't remember, and or maybe Quincy was second or third.
I didn't remember the third player.
All that to say, I agree with you that Adrian Martinez looked call him back there, but knowing that he has the speed element too, like this is a guy that you know, you develop traits and you hope that things work out. And now that there's the third quarterback spot is pretty open. I mean that makes sense that between him and Brady Cook, you.
Know so much to get to.
So you listen, check everything out on New York Jets dot Com, all our social platforms in terms of rookie mini camp coverage, because after this done, these guys who are going to be back will be part of the team in OTAs. I mean, the off season is flying by, so many things to get to. I do want to say that we're taping here Friday morning. The Jets have signed five of their seven draft picks, including Mambou, So that was nice to get.
All of that out of the way.
The two remaining unsigned guys as at time of taping, Mason Taylor, second round pick Arian Smith taking in the fourth round dundrafted free agent class. We talked about Donovan Edwards a little bit. We talked about Brady Cook. Of course, anybody catching your eye, not talking about practice, but so maybe their background and their potential fit here.
Yeah, well, I think I think by name Jordan Clark, because you know, obviously he played at ASUU, we played it in Notre Dame. Is Dad Ryan Clark like that NFL blood lines, He stands out. I mean, if you want to go the International Pathway player route, this is gonna be tough. Leander Wigan is that Wygan?
Is that how we're going? I'm going why Wagan?
I saw him walk out today wear number sixty four.
So he's German.
He played one season at UCF And you know, look, the IPP program is the epitome of the example is Jordan Mylatta. Jordan Mylotta is you know the anomaly though for the International Pathway program. But you know with the guy that has sized like, let me look up what his he's six six three eighteen, so he's a big guy. You know, I'm interested to see what he what he looks like. We talked about Brady Cook and Donovan Edwards. You know another guy that that I think is kind
of interesting is Demir Miller, the Rutgers receiver. Like he's a he's a Monmouth guy ghost Rutgers leads that team in receiving. Like I'm not saying that he's gonna come in and be all that in a bag of chips, but in terms of competing for camp body and competing for a roster spot like the Jets receiver rooms the way that's constructed to me, like, yes, the Jets have a lot of players, but there's also some question marks how that back end of the room is gonna play out.
So maybe a guy like dmir Miller could make his way onto the roster. Now, the something that Aaron Smith has on his tool belt is the special team's background. Yeah, so guy like Demir Miller needs to have that as well in order to be considered to as a potential guy to make this roster come the end of training camp in August.
All right, So, speaking special teams, how about a fellow Florida Gator, JaMarcus Weston. Played in fifty two games for Florida, just sixteen defensive stops, but where he really made his mark was on special teams at the gunner position. So I'm interested to see him vying for a roster spot, potentially working under Chris Banjo.
We're gonna have.
To keep a close eye on him. You mentioned Jordan Clark before. Another guy in that secondary range. How about Fresnel State's Dean Clark.
Yeah, you talk about special teams value as well. Dean Clark, yep took six hundred and eighty snaps on special teams in college.
And he played all over the secondary I mean, you're talking about a kid who's six foot, two hundred and eight pounds. Started at Fresnel State. Excuse me, Kent State, transferred to Fresno State. And you mentioned the special teams experience and three hundred and three tackles his.
Collegian career, eighteen pds and five interceptions in fifty eight games. He's a guy I'm gonna keep my eye.
Out on four You mentioned the receiver position prior, and we're talking about special teams as well when we're addressing these fourteen on draft of free agents, how about Jamal
Pritchett out of South Alabama. I know he's not the biggest guy in the world five nine, one seventy five greens uh, but last season he led the Sumbout in terms of receiving yards eleven twenty six, school record ninety one receptions and he's got four to two speed and he can do a little something on special teams as well.
Well.
If we're talking about special team.
One of the names that also stands out because by trade he's a special team it's Kayden Davis, the ole miskicker, and look, he counted for two hundred and twenty eight points miss. But when you take a look at this roster in terms of kicker, in terms of who is physically on the team, I mean, I believe it's it's Greg Zerline. And then after that, I think the Jets, Oh Andres Carlson. Jets signed him to a reserve future contract. So right now with Zerline, Carlson, now enter Caden Davis.
I don't know how many of those guys are gonna be on the training camp roster. But with that being said, you know what, we haven't seen or heard it from Greg Zerline, like a very bizarre year last year for Zerline, coming off of a season in which he was one of the best kickers in a single year in team history. So to me, you know, I'm interested to see how he responds. And also between Carlson and Davis like that, there's gonna be a pretty stiff competition there.
We're gonna take a quick break and come right back and talk about the Jets twenty twenty five roster versus the Jets twenty twenty four roster. All right, green, So we talked about Ricky Minnie camp, the small sample size that we watched ot there on Friday, and then non draft of free agents and a couple of tryouts, namely Giovanni Williams.
You got three Williams here at one Jets Drive.
Right now, let's get into the roster as a whole, twenty twenty five versus twenty twenty four. Maybe twenty five at this point were may compared to twenty.
Four at the start of last season. Okay, how about that? Yeah, let's go with the quarterback position.
Okay, obviously the big difference there between last year and this year Aaron Rodgers justin Fields, right, But you know the way that this quarterbacks room behind the starter is pretty similar. I mean, I don't remember when Adrian Martinez joined the team. I mean it was training camp at some point, but you we're talking about week one of last year for twenty twenty four. That's so Adrian Martinez was a practice squad player. So the quarterbacks room looks
pretty similar. But I think if your Jets fan, you feel pretty good about your top two guys regardless, because you know, Justin Fields there's meat on the bone there, you know. I think Aaron Glenn was the one that said it, like he expects Justin Fields to take a step forward play quarterback. A little more than he has in the pass and the Jets by all intensive purposes, it seems like they're gonna let him have that opportunity
to be a quarterback. And you know, look justin Fields, I think provides a dynamic to this offense, to this team that frankly like I don't think the Jets have had in a while with the dynamic legs.
Listen, I view Fields at twenty six is an in sending player.
Okay.
I thought in those six games against pitts uh with Pittsburgh last year where he started the season for the Steelers, he showed progress. He's got a high ceiling, and he's an elite runner two thousand and eighty nine yards on the ground since twenty twenty two. The only quarterback who's rushed for more yards on the ground lamar j. The other thing that Jets are gonna emphasize here offensively is their play action game, and Fields is the guy can get the ball anywhere he wants on the field.
So it's gonna be interesting.
Also, I like the pairing with him and Garrett Wilson. Garrett Wilson is a star in the National Football League, but Fields is a big time dual threat and Tanner Engstrand and company is gonna are gonna get to work with the guy who I still think is untapped potential.
I think it just changes. It changes the game, no pun intended.
When you have a guy that can kill defenses with his feet, because you know, no matter let's say justin Fields play action, pass drops back, he's in theory well protected with this four to five offensive line. He scans the field and if there's really nothing available or you know, the defense ends of blitz. He as a rusher, he has the ability to not only escape and throw the ball away, he is the ability to.
Escape and then make the defense pay.
So to me, you're talking about a guy that, like didn't justin Fields doesn't he have the second most rushing yards in a single season by a quarterback. Ever, I believe that's so we're talking about a different kind of dynamic and not just one where you're talking about the mobility of someone who's forty years old versus twenty six years old. You're talking about someone who really has elite
movement skills at the position. So to me, you know that is the biggest difference in terms of the personnel at quarterbacks.
Yeah, and he's going to get an opportunity to be the guy.
This is his third team in five years now, starting his career with the Chicago Bears, obviously with Pittsburgh last season. Now he's coming to the Jets as they get their start under head coach Aaron Glenn GM Darren Mougie. Bottom line is that's youth at the position. We'll have to see what happens with Aaron Rodgers right now, he remains a free agent, like where you're at at the backup position with Tyrod Tayler.
And you mentioned before.
Listen, we're gonna send our well wishes to Jordan Travis to feel bad for him that he was taking the fifth round. The previous spring he had that devastating ankle leg injury playing quarterback for Florida State, where you twenty touchdown passes, two interceptions, finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy, revitalized a program when eleven and oh and then unfortunately he's got to retire from football. So our thoughts go
out to Jordan Travis. And you mentioned before to Adrian Martinez Brady Cook right now for that three slot.
Absolutely, and you know, I think that's I think in a perfect world, like if you were to construct what your quarterbacks room were to look like, it probably constructed pretty similarly, where you have very viable options as your starter, your backup, and your three is someone that you'd like to develop a little bit and hope to hope that you can coach them and teach them into either a two spot or even potentially a starting role.
Okay, I think we quickly go through running backs. Yeah, not much of a change here in terms of personnel up top with Breesaw, isa Davis, back Braylan Allen as well. Where the big changes.
I think Breesaw is going to be his second year removed from that injury. Also, the Jets are going to have more emphasis on the run. Last year, the Green and White were dead last in terms of rush attempts. That is not going to happen this year.
Yeah.
And to me, one of the things that I have circled about this position group that's very similar is, first of all, Braylon Allen Isaiah Davis have a year under their belt. They know what to expect going into the NFL in their second season. And for me, you know, I kind of circle Braylen Allen because he started the season so hot.
It felt like for his role.
And I'm not saying he hit a rookie wall, but when you look at the stats compared to Isaiah Davis, who had almost an opposite year of Braylon Allen who didn't get a lot of reps early and then came on strong late in the season. To me, with a guy like Braylon Allen, you know he's in the gym all off season long. To me, I want to see how he returns knowing what he needs to do for his body.
Now in the NFL.
He turned twenty one, by the way, after the season ended, which is crazy to think about it.
I love the youth on this roster. I'm glad you mentioned Alan. We started the podcast talking about Mason Taylor, who was the youngest player in the entire draft class. Now you have a starting quarterback, a guy he's going to have his opportunity here as twenty six years old. Let's go to the receiver position. Garrett's the stud. Okay, he's the star, the big change, and he did not
have him opening day last year. But we should say that the Jets picked up Devonte Adams before the mid season mark Davonte Adams signs a free agency with the LA Rams.
What do you make of the group beyond Garrett.
I think that between Josh Reynolds, Alan Lazard, even.
Guys like Tyler Johnson.
Yeah, like we're talking about big bodied receivers for the most part, the Xavier Gibson, Malachi Corley not so much. To me, I think that there's room for real competition, you know, I do I think that a guy like Josh Reynolds and Alan Lazard, could they be on the roster? Absolutely? I wouldn't be surprised. Established receivers in the league, both very good blockers. Aaron Glenn made sure to make that
a point when he spoke to the media. To me, the X factors Malachi Corley because always between year and one and year two, like what kind of development happens away from one jets drive both as a player as a person that then we see on the field, and Malachi Corley, like we're third round pick, unique trait in terms of the strength and to me, we're talking about what the Lions did with Obviously Johnson is and Tanner engstrand different people, but Ngran comes from that tree.
Maybe there's a little bit more of a of a role.
That for Corley in this offense, whatever Engstrand wants to run.
Yeah, well we're gonna We're gonna have to see what happens with these undrafted free agents who we talked about before as well. Listen, Garrett is a star. The Jets emphasis is gonna be running the football. I think you could see a lot of short passing. But that's where the Arian Smith pick up comes to light for me.
Why did he get Smith in the fourth round Because he needed another guy to help you clear up space for your other weapons on the field, and you have to count for Smith when he's on the field, You're gonna have to. I'm not saying he's gonna be playing this amount of plays per game or this amount of packages, but when he's in the game, the defense is gonna have to change the way they play. That's why he
is here again. We'll have to see how he develops and progresses in terms of Hey, catching the football, no doubt about that. That's what all receivers have to do. He also going to provide special teams values. So but I'm just always excited about what's next for Karrott Wilson He's one of five receivers in a history in the
National Football League. Started his career with eighty receptions in each campaign and a thousand yards receiving, and he's had some quarterback instability even though Rogers played all seventeen last year.
Yeah, I think for me, I'm just looking at the receivers on the roster.
There's at the back end of it.
It's gonna come down to not only in my opinion, what do you do on special teams, but it's like the blend of the reverse also what do you do on offense? Because Aaron Smith sure seems like a guy that can do both. In his recent past, IRV Charles, who's coming off a major injury, has been predominantly, if only, a special teamer. So with the addition of Smith and Chris Boyd on the defensive side, the ball like, how's
this Jets roster going to be constructed? So yeah, and you mentioned the guys that the Jets brought in terms of UDFA, So it's not only what can you do for special teams, but it's also the opposite of that as well.
In my opinion, in the back end of the roster.
Let's go tight on here.
Tyler Conklin is here a few years now, he's with the LA Chargers. The big change as far as incoming is that Rouck's still here, Jeremy Rutgers still here with Mallett. Yeah, and he played collegiately as well with these guys with the Justin Fields. Stone Smart comes over from the Chargers. He's a guy, interesting, developing player who can stretch the field, good athleticism, who play well down the stretch in LA.
And then Mason Taylor walks in here. Here's the guy that I thought Moos navigated throughout that second round quite well and was able to land the tight end, most productive tight end in the history of LSU. And again I'm talking about youth here. So when you look at Detroit's offense and Tanner, Angstrand's going to be calling the plays for the Jets. He was the passing game coordinator last two years for the Lions under Ben Johnson.
They used the tight ends quite a bit.
They did, and I think body type wise, like Stone Smart is more slender of a tight end, like he's listed at six four two twenty six. I don't know if that's what he is now, but Jeremy Rucker seems to be the front runner as we sit here today in terms of the best blocking tight end on this roster, And you know, I'm interested to see how the Jets utilize the tight end compared to Detroit.
I think they'll be used for sure, you know.
But the other thing to think about here is I don't know if he should be mentioned here or as a fullback. But Andrew Beck, who the Jets picked up, He's listed as a full back. So if you're like, well, where's the blocking coming from outside of the offensive line, Beck is a somewhat established fullback in this league who's I would imagine lined up at tight end at times too, So he's someone that I think could be involved as well.
The position group I'm most excited about is the Jets offensive line.
You take Erman Membu in the first round.
He will compete for the right tackle position with Chukes or Corra four at left tackle. The previous regime landed Olu Fashnu, who played well in his first year. You have John Simpson, who was a free agency free agency signing a year ago played really well for you at the center position. Not only do you have Joe Tipman but you picked up Josh Myers in free agency. The Jets have said they're going to keep Avt at guard, so he's got that right guard spot lockdown.
The Jets have up front talent, and they also have good depth.
This is a line that potentially could really do something, not just show glimp or flashes, but they could be a group that lives together and develops together for a while.
And they're I think the oldest player on the line is John Simpson, who's twenty eight. Like this is a young offensive line. And I know that we're comparing this to the Week one last year. The biggest difference is really the tackle spots. Tyron Smith, Morgan moses your Week one starters now Olu Fashionu and either Membu a corps of four or maybe he's one of the other guys like Carter Warren or Max Mitchell if they're in the.
Of the hunt as well.
So to me, it's also the biggest difference is how we view the players like John Simpson this time last year, like, oh, he had a good career year for Baltimore, what's he gonna be with the Jets? He had I would imagine what he would consider a career year with the Jets last year. So now we're thinking, Okay, this is a guy who's found his place in the NFL. You have to like what you have in the interior. You like what you saw out of Olu in brief four games.
Left tackle and now right tackle is the biggest question mark per se in terms of how's that going to shake out?
But I think you have to like the way the line is shaping up. How could you not.
The Jets want to build this thing from the inside out. That's what Aaron Glenn said immediately after the draft, and he comes from a place that one of the first things they did when they focused on their roster was fortifying the front. You're seeing that from the Jets right now with Aaron Glenn and Darren Moschi flipp at the defensive side of the ball, Quinn Williams cornerstone piece at the defensive tackle position. We have a lot of changes
next to him on the interior. Jermaine Johnson coming back off the achilles he started the year last year. In Week one, he was out there in San Francisco, unfortunately went down against the Tennessee Titans. Will McDonald coming off a very impressive second season.
Yeah, I think that to your point, the biggest difference this time or week one of twenty twenty four to present is the bodies next to Quinn Williams. I mean that's really the biggest difference. And not to say they're better or worse, they're just different.
They're new pieces.
You've got some run stuffers. I think they get guys what there the scouting report will say is Derek Noddy run stuffer, Jay Tafally run stuffer, Barnanc Cowart, another guy who's got some experience. So they picked up a lot of experience in free agency. I know a lot of people said, hey, you did not draft the defensive tackle. They did get some bigger bodies next to Quinny.
They did.
And one of the one guy that's another big body who in the Jets acquired late last year for Darien Mathis. I don't think a lot of Jets fans either realize that he's on the team or that he's spoken about a lot. He's six four to three twelve, he's a very big player. And also you know one of the one of the players that also returned in the interior is Leonard Taylor, who, yeah, who flashed at times, no.
Doubt about it. He's the guy. I think he's got a lot of upside.
Yeah, so we're moving quick because I want to get to the schedule as well. Linebackers. I mean, he kept Surewood here. That was a huge deal for Mouji in his first free agency. The guy didn't hit the market. He's the quarterback your defense. Quincy Williams back. You love the top two there. Zaire Barnes returns the big name that has changed here who we didn't see a lot of last year due to injuries at CJ.
Moseley.
Yeah, and you know, I think it's just like you know, you talk about Jordan Travis being like unfortunate, like same thing with CJ.
Moseley.
I mean, it just didn't seem like he recovered from the neck injury quite the way he.
Wanted to or the way the team wanted him to.
And obviously it's a nice story that you have Jamie Sherwood feel his spot play so well. Deserve a second contract after what Sherwood went through since he was drafted, But it's unfortunate. And another player who's listed as a linebacker, Jamine Davis, Yeah, former first round pick and I'm not quite sure if he's because he has experience lining up as a defensive end.
So I'm I'm curious to see what a yeah like.
I want to see what ag and Steve Wilkes have in store for a guy who's got an intriguing athletic profile and is a really really good athlete.
A good point about Davis and May and Noa. We probably shouldn't add him into the equation as well, because he's a guy who could be the backup at the Mike linebacker position, because the last two seasons with the Hurricanes he was wearing nick green dot. And he also is another guy who figures to push for playing time on special teams.
Right, and he has extensive special I think I read that he was on all punk coverages last year and kick coverage and with Malnoa the other thing. I know you said that he wore the green dot the past two years for Miami.
Yep.
He also he's only been at Miami two years. So he goes to Miami and they say we're going to give you the green dot. To me, that's a test him into what type of person and player he is.
I'm fascinated about the cornerback position. You have Aaron Glenn, Steve Wilkes, Chris Harris, dre Bli, all these guys coaching up the dudes in the secondary. So your number one guy saw Us Gardner. The big change is across from him. DJ Reid's now going to line up for the Detroit Lions. The Jets sign and free agency Brandon Stevens, who figures to be the pencil him and across the way. A big pickup though, is a guy who dealt with a
ton of injuries last year. That's Michael Carter's second. I think when people think about the secondary, they might overlook the fact that this dude is a really good player, and when he was going two years ago, we were talking about.
Him as one of the elite nickels in football.
And then the Jets also picked up a z Thomas who's wearing number twenty three out there at rookie mini camp. He's got the link that they love and also the physicality. Aaron Glenn's said for four or five eight, that's fine, that's his time.
Speed. He plays different.
I think the biggest difference also it corner and receiver feels similar to me in terms of the body type just feels a little different, like it seems like much like a receiver. The Jets want big bodies at cornerback. You're talking about Sauce. We all know about his height and weight. In terms of length as well. Brandon Stevens similar. He's six to one two fifteen. Az Thomas is a big player. Isaiah Oliver the Jets re signed, who's kind of that hybrid corner safety. He's got some size too,
He's six h two oh two. One guy that we haven't discussed a lot who I think fits the Aaron Glenn profile in terms of mental makeup is Contest Stiggers.
Yeah, and this is a guy I'm sure that AG.
And JBC had a good training camp last year.
He did, and for for a guy like Stiggers, I know so much is made of the year one to year two jump. I mean, this is a guy who's new to football, all things considered, and you know, I think that his growth on special teams last year is like a little microcosm of the type of work that he puts into his craft. So I'm excited to see how Wilkes and AG want to incorporate a guy like him.
Who has a nose for the football into this.
Defense safety spot. Andre Cisco comes over from the Jetsonville Jaguars.
You like where he went to school. He's a ballhawk at Syracuse a couple of years. What he's shown throughout his career he can take the football away. I know the Jacksonville secondary struggled as a whole last year. I don't want to get too much into that. Tony Adams returns and then the Jets again they draft Melchi Moore, and I'm gonna be interesting to see can More make a push to be in that line up from the get.
I'm interested as well because it sure feels like it's Cisco penciled in next to question Mark at this point.
And to me, that is a one of.
The more open competitions, Like like, I don't even know who to say right now. It's a mix between you imagine Tony Adams, Malachai Moore, Ashton Davis isn't on this team anymore, Nope. So to me, that that is a very open competition and I think one that'll be fascinating to see how it plays out in camp.
Specialists Zerline Moristud remain on the roster.
Thomas Tennessee as well.
We talked about Xavier Gibson and he's gonna have to make a push not only on offense but on special teams. But you also signed Austin McNamara in the offseason, so he was a guy who was at rookie mini camp as well. And then we're gonna have to see you mentioned Davis before the kicker. We're gonna have to see what this looks like moving forward. Overall, I love the
youth on this roster. You only got like five or six guys over thirty years old, and three of them are specialists in Hennessee zerline and more stud yeah.
I think.
And one of them is a backer up quarterback who looks like he's twenty four years old.
Tiro Teller.
He's incredible.
And another one of was Josh Reynolds, is just turned thirty. I think.
Okay, I didn't know that, but I think for me one the youth is great. The other thing I think when you look at this roster, a lot of people say, well, you know, who is the opposite safety of Cisco?
Who is that?
You know, what's this player going to look like? I think a lot can be I think that question could be asked for a lot of teams. Point being that I think the Jets. I think the top end talent is very impressive on this team, and I think that Darren Muzi went to work defensive tackle is a great example at the next tier of players. Maybe the Jets don't have another top tier player next to Quinn Williams, but the Jets have a lot of bodies next to Quinn Williams who are more than capable of playing in
the National Football League. The other thing is that what we don't know is what the offense will look like from a schematic standpoint, what the defense will look like. We know kind of what Steve Wilks has done in the past. He likes to bring the heat, they like to play man coverage. That's fine. Whatever wrinkles and how Aaron Glenn and Wilkes and Entry and want to cater
their respective schemes to this roster. It's what we don't know, and so to me, you know, that's a big part of the puzzle that we won't know and we can't account for until they start playing games. I don't even think training camp counts because there's only so much that you see when you're watching practice, so we'll see what happens on Sunday.
All Right, We're gonna take a break and then we're gonna wrap this thing up with a preview of the NFL schedule release on Wednesday.
The Official Jets Podcast is presented by Kendra Scott, the jewelry company that's shining bright and doing good shop Game Day Ready, jewelry styles and so much more at kendrascott dot com.
All Right, Greens. Nine home games for the Jets next year, eight road games.
Right, one of those home games are gonna be will be it Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium. So the Jets are going back to North London for his second consecutive year, and I believe it's gonna be the third time in five seasons. This time they will be the home squad. As far as this schedule overall, I'm gonna put you on spot. How many primetime games would the Jets get?
You said home schedule or just overall schedule?
Yeah? Primetime?
Okay, well, Thursday night football. I think every team has to be on. So there's one I'm gonna say. I'm putting the over under at two and a half and I'm gonna say.
So, you're saying two and a half night games, two and a.
Half night games that you haven't when the schedule comes out. I'm this is not including flex games, obviously, I'm gonna say two.
I'm gonna say too. And it's not like a disrespect thing.
I just think that in the NFL you need to prove you need to prove it a little bit before the NFL grants you primetime games.
And I think the Jets are in a prove it mode right now.
I'm taking over.
I will give the Jets three night games and then they'll have that standalone game in London, right at Tottenham.
Okay, that's excluded, right, fright.
Yeah, So I say four standalone games, three night games and one standalone.
Over there in London. Who do you want the home opener to be?
You know, I'm kind of okay, Well, at the options, let's give them or the Hills, the Patriots, the Dolphins, of course, the Browns, the Steelers, the Falcons, the Panthers, the Broncos, and the Cowboys.
And the Jets are playing the AFC North in NFC South this year.
I don't know if this is like too spicy, but can it Jets Pats one o'clock. You know, like, let's fire up. Oh really, Jets Pats one o'clock. Two teams that have gone makeovers in the offseason in terms of coaching staff, in terms of regime. You know, obviously the Patriots are going to start a different quarterback than last year than they started with last year. Drake may gonna get the nod instead of Jacoby Prissett in twenty twenty four.
And look, I'm not saying in my mind, I just think that that's like that's a rivalry and that that needs to be spiced up.
And I think that that'ud be a fun one for Week one.
Where do you think they're gonna put Jets Cowboys? Which is a home game for the Jets.
This year, Like in terms of what do you think, do you.
Think it's gonna be a night game? So the last Cowboys coming off for the seven to ten seasons at.
Home was twenty nineteen. That was a four to twenty five game. I could see a four to twenty five game or like four oh five something like that. I feel like Dallas is always in the four o'clocks away games.
We know the divisional contests but Baltimore, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Tampa, Jacksonville, what.
Stands out to you there?
I might want to go to that Jacksonville game because I'd like to see Travis Hunter. Yeah, I cover it point Garrett Wilson, and then also.
He saw us cover him.
Yeah right, I mean that'd be very cool, right, this whole Travis Hunter experiment.
To me, it is And you know, I think that the Jaguars, of all the teams the Jets play, are kind of the biggest wild card because they have a somewhat established quarterback and now with an offensive coach and Liam Cohne, Like, to me, that is a wild card because we don't know what he's gonna want to do in Jacksonville. You put Hunter, you put Brian Thomas etns a serviceable it's a good player. Like I don't think he's the explosive player we saw at Clemson, but he has his moments.
So to me, Jacksonville is a little bit of a wild card.
And I wonder if people think that Jacksonville is in position to take a step that they thought that they would last year.
Yeah, those road games, those are some tough road battles. You going to Cincinnati, a team that did not make the playoffs last year but made a strong push down a stretch and Burrow and that receiving group off the charts.
I will say, though, like the warm weather aspect is somewhat nice. Miami, New Orleans and Tampa and Jacksonville.
I agree, Baltimore, they're always there. They went twelve and five last season. Great home field, Derrick Henry against the Jets defense. You got Lamar Jackson, a couple dual threats playing quarterback justin fields for the Jets. I like that matchup New Orleans in a period of transition. I wonder who's going to actually be playing for playing quarterback for the Saints when the Jets go down and battle them in Louisiana.
Okay, so final thoughts before we get out of here. Nicks, they got more of your interest right now than any other team, not the Jets.
Yeah, yeah, I think that's fair. Are they closing this thing out? Are they beating the Celtics.
I don't know.
I don't want to put that out there because I feel like one that's bad juice.
I'm not saying sweep, I'm just saying, yeah.
I know.
Well, my thing is look like it was. The last two games incredible. Yeah, were they down by twenty points in each of them? Kind of It's a little worrisome when you think about it that way. It's all depends on the framing.
Now.
I know there are conspiracy theorists. You mentioned them earlier. The Pope went to Villanova. The Nicks have a lot of Villanova players on their team. There could be something there. I'm not saying it's gonna happen. I'm just feeding into the conspiracy theories because I like conspiracy theory.
So this is what I have to say. I'm conflicted on all this stuff. Ok, you gotta be pumped about the Knicks.
I don't even care.
First off, if anybody you grew up in Manhattan, so you've been rooting for the next for how long thirty years?
Well, since I've started liking this.
Is amazing thin because the run last year was incredible. I didn't think they'd be able to duplicate it with this group, but they might be exceeding it. And anytime there's game pressure on the Celtics down the stretch, you have a feeling that Bronson is gonna be able to get it done with Brunson. I will say this that I am conflicted because I was not good enough to get accepted into Villanova. I remember meeting with somebody on campus and they basically saying that you're not probably gonna
make the cut. Wow, And this school is not for everybody. So this leads everything full circle. Because you got Brunson who went to Villanova. You got the pope who went to Villanova. You know that as well. So I have great New York pride, I have great American pride. The Villanova thing it's kind of thorning aside for me.
You know, That's what I'm saying.
So I feel like, you know, I feel like maybe we could try to put it to the side for a little bit in terms of the Pope Jalen Brons and I could understand. Also in terms of the Knicks. What I think is so cool is.
Justin Fieldsman going to a couple of games.
I've seen him, Yeah, I saw him fire one of the football off into the stands.
I think the Knicks.
When the Knicks are really good, the city is like ravenous because there's two football teams, there's two baseball teams, there's historically one basketball team. I know Brooklyn is technically one of the five boroughs.
It is one of the five.
Boroughs, but well, they're the New I was gonna say technically they play in New York, but I think a lot of fans are New Jersey fans because they were the New Jersey Nets. So and then there's Rangers, Rangers Islanders. So to me, the Knicks are kind of like at the epicenter of New York sports because they are the only historically basketball team. So when the Knicks are really good and they make a run like this, I mean you see the videos that come out there.
The Rabbit, Yeah, that's good stuff. Hopefully it's around the corner for the Jets. But rookie mini camp underway here at one Jets Drive.
Thanks Screens,