Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
#Jets camp is off to a good start:
The New York Jets have begun their 2022 training camp journey.
Here were three big observations and takeaways that surfaced from reports during Day 1 of camp:
RIP #Jets training camp LT position battle: 7/27/22-7/27/22
After weeks of back-and-forth speculation, the New York jets have made up their mind and there will be no offensive tackle position battle during 2022 training camp. We have an answer.
New York head coach Robert Saleh provided the results to that question following the team’s first training camp practice of 2022.
After media spotted George Fant lining up at left tackle and Mekhi Becton on the right side during the first workout session, Saleh said that’s it.
The coach confirmed post practice that Fant will begin training camp on the left side. Becton moves to the right.
Saleh curiously added that Becton’s left-tackle days “aren’t over” but right now he will play on the opposite side of the offensive line. Saleh cited Fant being “more comfortable” on the left as a determining factor is his decision.
Saleh confirming the depth chart at tackle comes after a 2021 season which saw Becton miss most of the year due to a knee injury. Without him in the lineup, Fant moved from right to left tackle and thrived.
During his rehab, reports also surfaced that Becton gained weight. That became a thing of the past on Wednesday as well.
Saleh went on to praise Becton’s abilities, who clearly showed up to training camp with a slimmer frame.
“Credit to him. He’s been out here [working out],” Salah said via video conference. “He–I’m not going to get too much into the weight. He got himself into football shape, really. He’s a gifted athlete, he’s a gifted man. Really excited about the direction he’s going.”
“He definitely took a good step forward,” Saleh added.
What remains to be seen is how Becton feels about that. He was drafted with the Jets’ top selection in 2020 to be their franchise blindside blocker.
Just like with Saleh revealing Wednesday’s news, Becton didn’t wait to express how he felt.
Becton doesn’t mind.
“I mean–don’t really matter to me,” Becton said at his presser. “I just got to change my technique up. As long as I’m on the field, it don’t really matter to me. I just know I’ve got to do it different–different things on the right side than I’ve got to do on the left, I’m still getting used to that, it’s a work in progress.”
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The #Jets are back in town:
The New York Jets are back to business.
On Tuesday, the team began arriving back at the team’s facilities ahead of Wednesday’s first 2022 training camp practice.
Check out some clips and photos of players arriving to Florham Park shared by the team below:
Nate Davis of USA TODAY doesn’t see the Jets improving by very much this year
It’s been a rough 11 years for the New York Jets since 2011, missing the playoffs each season and finishing with a winning record just once. But now with Zach Wilson and a bevvy of young playmakers on the roster – including three first-round rookies – the Jets appear to be a team on the rise.
Nate Davis of USA TODAY (subscriber only) just doesn’t see them rising very much in 2022. Davis released his annual record predictions for each team and he has the Jets going 5-12, only one game better than last year’s record.
New York Jets (5-12): Easy to get excited about a draft that appeared to deliver four Round 1-caliber players (CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, WR Garrett Wilson, DE Jermaine Johnson and RB Breece Hall – even though the latter was picked atop the second round). But as improved as this roster seems, hard to predict the NYJ making up much ground in this division, especially if QB Zach Wilson can’t take a significant step forward following a disappointing rookie campaign.
Davis is spot on with his take of the Jets’ current situation heading into this season, given the excitement of young talent added to the roster this offseason. But it mostly comes down to one thing: the play of Wilson.
Wilson struggled as a rookie, throwing only nine touchdown passes compared to 11 interceptions. He only completed 55.6% of his passes, too, going 3-10 in his 13 games as the starter. But rookie quarterbacks are expected to struggle in the NFL, and Year 2 is when they typically improve noticeably.
Wilson needs better protection up front, which will hopefully come in the form of Mekhi Becton and George Fant on the edges, but Wilson himself must improve, too. There’s a good chance that if he’s an above-average quarterback in 2022, the Jets will finish close to .500 or better.
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8 #Jets players to watch as 2022 training camp begins this week:
The New York Jets are gearing up to begin their 2022 training camp adventure this week. A lot will be determined on the field, and on the way to discovering those answers, there will be some players to keep an eye on in particular.
With that, here are eight Jets players to watch during the team’s upcoming training camp:
The #Jets D-line should look better in 2022:
The New York Jets will begin training camp on July 26. Leading up to that, Jets Wire will provide some quick hitting analysis on each position for New York.
Next up is the defensive line unit:
The #Jets WR room is one to watch at training camp:
The New York Jets will begin training camp on July 26. Leading up to that, Jets Wire will provide some quick-hitting analysis on each position for New York.
Next up is the wide receiver unit:
How will things unfold for the #Jets tight ends?
The New York Jets will begin training camp on July 26. Leading up to that, Jets Wire will provide some quick hitting analysis on each position for New York.
Next up is the tight end unit:
Big hopes for the new group:
The New York Jets will begin training camp on July 26. Leading up to that, Jets Wire will provide some quick hitting analysis on each position for New York.
Next up is the secondary:
The #Jets biggest offseason storyline could be in the trenches:
The New York Jets will begin training camp on July 26. Leading up to that, Jets Wire will provide some quick hitting analysis on each position for New York.
Next up is the running back unit:
