Category: Jets Training Camp

Jets 53-man roster projection before preseason game vs. Panthers

Jets 53-man roster projection before preseason game vs. Panthers

With the Hall of Fame Game in the books and the Jets now set to meet the Carolina Panthers, we’ve now gotten our first look at the Jets’ roster in a game situation. The nice thing for the Jets is they still have three more preseason games to evaluate the roster. Remember too that there no longer are multiple cuts during the preseason — i.e. 90 to 85, 85 to 80, 80 to 53. There is just one cutdown, from 90 to 53, that is due August 29.

After one preseason game and leading into the second one, let’s take another shot at predicting the 53-man roster for the Jets at the end of the preseason.

Jets bring back Grant Hermanns, waive/injure Yodny Cajuste

Jets bring back Grant Hermanns, waive/injure Yodny Cajuste

The Jets swapped offensive linemen Tuesday. The team announced the addition of Grant Hermanns and waived/injured Yodny Cajuste.

Hermanns returns to the Jets after spending last summer and part of the 2022 season as well as the 2021 season with the team. The Jets claimed him off waivers from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also spent time on Miami’s practice squad last season. Hermanns saw action in seven special-teams plays in two games early last season for the Jets.

Cajuste was brought in this offseason as a free agent from the New England Patriots. Like with quarterback Chris Streveler, Cajuste will revert to the Jets’ injured reserve list if he clears waivers.

Robert Saleh explains extended Hall of Fame Game play for Bryce Huff, says not enough DEs available

Robert Saleh explains extended Hall of Fame Game play for Bryce Huff

One of the interesting notes from the Hall of Fame Game was the extended play of defensive end Bryce Huff. Huff is expected to be a key part of the Jets’ defensive pass rush again this season after posting 3.5 sacks in limited snaps last season.

Yet, Huff played into the third quarter of Thursday’s loss to the Cleveland Browns, which seemed like a head-scratcher at the time. We got some clarity on that decision Sunday from head coach Robert Saleh. There simply weren’t enough defensive ends available and the Jets “needed somebody to play.”

With Carl Lawson and John Franklin-Myers not playing, the Jets had six defensive ends available Thursday. In addition to Huff, the Jets played Jermaine Johnson, Micheal Clemons, Will McDonald IV, Ifeadi Odenigbo and Deslin Alexandre.

Saleh added that in a “perfect world”, none of their top defensive ends would have played because they all have roles on defense, including Huff.

“We think the world of Huff and he’s going to be a big part of this football team moving forward,” Saleh said.

The Jets are going to field one of the deepest defensive lines in the league this season and Huff is again going to be a part of that. And sometimes, extra reps aren’t a bad thing. Huff is only going to get better.

Projecting Jets’ next unofficial depth chart before preseason game vs. Panthers

How do you see the depth chart shaping up?

The Jets are entering the true first week of the NFL preseason schedule. They will be in the Carolinas this week for a pair of joint practices and a game with the Carolina Panthers. The Jets put out an unofficial depth chart heading into the Hall of Fame Game against the Cleveland Browns. Here, we will project what that chart could look like heading into the Carolina game. Not much likely will change but the Jets did essentially swap out a pair of linebackers this weekend, signing Nick Vigil and Sam Eguavoen and releasing Hamseh Nasirildeen and Maalik Hall.

These 38 players are locks for the Jets 53-man roster

These players should probably feel pretty good about sticking around the Jets this season.

The Jets got an early start to camp due to playing in the Hall of Fame Game. So the team is about two weeks into camp and have one preseason game under their belts. At this point, we can start to get a sense of which players are in good shape to make the 53-man roster and how the team will look from top to bottom. So with a handful of practices in the books, let’s run through the players that seem like locks at this point to make the 53-man roster for the Jets.

Some players may feel like they have a good chance to make the roster, like some of the running backs, but competition and numbers at various positions will give the Jets plenty of decisions to make for the final few open spots.

Jets sign pair of linebackers, Nick Vigil and Sam Eguavoen

Jets sign a pair of linebackers

After working out a few linebackers Saturday, the Jets signed a pair of linebackers, Nick Vigil and Sam Eguavon, as reported by their agent David Canter.

Vigil was drafted in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Utah State by the Cincinnati Bengals. He spent four years there and has bounced around since then, making stops with the Chargers, Vikings and, most recently, the Cardinals.

Vigil has played in 89 games (53 starts) and has recorded 443 career tackles. He had 13 tackles in four games last season for the Cardinals before being placed on injured reserve early in October.

Eguavoen came into the league in 2019 following three years with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He spent four seasons with the Miami Dolphins, appearing in all 66 games (seven starts). He has 71 career tackles. He was mostly a special-teams player for the Dolphins but did start six games on defense for the Dolphins in 2019.

Update: the Jets released linebackers Hamsah Nasirildeen and Maalik Hall in corresponding moves.

Jets drop Hall of Fame Game to Browns, 21-16; Wilson and Becton perform well

Jets drop Hall of Fame Game to Browns, 21-16; Wilson and Becton perform well

The New York Jets fell to the Cleveland Browns in the Hall of Fame Game, 21-16, on Thursday night in Canton, Ohio.

With most of the likely starters sitting this one out, numerous key backups had a chance to get much-needed reps. Or in the case of quarterback Zach Wilson, it was a chance to prove he has learned from his mistakes in 2022.

Wilson played a quarter and went 3-for-5 for 65 yards, including a 57-yard toss to wide receiver Malik Taylor, a very nice deep throw that landed right on the mark, a play head coach Robert Saleh said was suggested by Aaron Rodgers. Wilson started taking what the defense gave him, something he severely struggled with last season. This was against mostly backups for the Browns, but the progress has been evident for the former No. 2 overall pick.

The other top player most had their eyes on Thursday was offensive tackle Mekhi Becton. He was expected to play 20 to 25 snaps. He wound up playing only seven offensive snaps plus a few snaps on special teams. But in his limited time, Becton played well. He looked very strong in both run blocking for Israel Abanikanda — who had a 10-yard touchdown run and finished with 27 yards on nine carries — and pass protection for Wilson.

The Jets seem to be making Becton earn a spot, hence him running with the second team in camp and starting on Thursday. Saleh said the limited snap count was more about building up Becton’s confidence that his knee can hold up but that Becton “felt it a little bit.” There’s no setback for Becton, however, and that is the most important piece here. Just getting Becton healthy after his first game action since Week 1 of the 2021 season is a confidence booster for both Becton and the team.

Tim Boyle played the second and third quarters at QB for the Jets and went 6-for-11 for 61 yards. Chris Streveler finished out the game — including waiting out a delay after the lights in the stadium went out — and was 1-of-7 for nine yards.

Elsewhere on the ground, rookie Travis Dye ran nine times for 12 yards and Damarea Crockett had seven yards on four carries.

Taylor’s 57 yards receiving were a game high. Four other Jets had double digits: Alex Erickson (1-19), EJ Jenkins (2-18), Jason Brownlee (2-17) and Kenny Yeboah (2-13). Zack Kuntz and Abanikanda each had a catch for six and five yards, respectively.

On defense, undrafted rookie Trey Dean led the way with seven tackles and sixth-round rookie Zaire Barnes had five. Will McDonald made some very nice spin moves and showed the speed and flashes that made him the 15th overall pick. Micheal Clemons and Bryce Hall (who recorded a sack) also showed they will be key parts of the rotation.

Not that preseason records mean much, but Thursday was the first preseason loss for Saleh, who is entering his third year as Jets coach. Saleh was 5-0-1 in the preseason entering Thursday — the Jets and Eagles played to a 31-31 tie in 2021.

The Jets return to the practice field Saturday and will have a pair of open practices to the public Saturday and Sunday before a day off Monday. They’ll practice at home Tuesday and then head to Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, for a pair of joint practices with the Carolina Panthers Wednesday and Thursday before their preseason game next Saturday, Aug. 12 at 4 p.m.

Recapping Jets first unofficial depth chart ahead of Hall of Fame Game

We’re taking a look at the unofficial depth chart before Thursday’s game

The New York Jets play an actual football game Thursday, taking on the Cleveland Browns in the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. This week, the Jets released their first unofficial depth chart. So ahead of Thursday’s game, let this serve as a quick reminder or refresher of that depth chart. Keep in mind, the key word here is “unofficial”. Plenty can, and will, change between now and September 11 when the Jets open the season against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football.

Nathaniel Hackett speaks for first time since Sean Payton comments, says Payton broke a code

A code was broken in the eyes of Hackett.

Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel spoke for the first time since the comments of Broncos head coach Sean Payton last week in an interview with USA Today. As many of you are well aware by now, Payton spoke with Jarrett Bell and commented on the Broncos from last season and laid plenty of blame on Hackett, saying he did “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.”

Hackett spoke to the media Tuesday to share his thoughts on Payton and how he felt the Broncos coach broke a code with his comments.

“Obviously, last week has been a very unique week, I think, for this organization,” Hackett said, via Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. “I’ve been involved in this business my whole life, 43 years. And as a coach, as a coach’s kid, we live in a glass house. We know that. We all live in different rooms. We have a key for it. And it’s one of those things that, there’s a code. There’s a way things are done in that house. This past week, it’s frustrating and it sucks. But we’re all susceptible to it.

“There are things you do, mistakes you make. It costs you time on the field, it costs you your job, all those things. And I own all of that stuff. I got no excuses. So I own all those things.”

Hackett isn’t making any excuses for what was a disastrous season in Denver, one that had high expectations after the team acquired quarterback Russell Wilson from the Seahawks for a package of picks and players, including two first-round picks, including what became the fifth overall pick in this year’s draft which became cornerback Devon Witherspoon.

Hackett would go on to add he was very surprised with the comments of Payton, not just because of the comments, but the timing of them.

“It’s unfortunate that had to happen, the comments that were made,” Hackett said, via The Athletic. “But they did. I’ll tell you, I was more surprised they happened now, I was definitely expecting them in Week 5. I’m almost thankful that we got that out of the way, we all understand where certain people feel and think. You can always look at that silver lining and man, this organization, these players, the coaches, (Robert) Saleh, the entire organization … has been unbelievable. That’s something that’s just awesome. It brought our team together.

“Even old players I coached very recently, hearing them it makes you understand that you do this for a very specific reason, for the love of the game, for the love of teaching, for the love of watching people grow. There’s ups and downs. You never get too high, never get too low and you gotta love this stuff.”

When asked if he believed Payton broke a code with his comment, Hackett said “I do. I do.”

“And I just think within this glass house we all live in, it’s one of those things that’s very expected,” he added. “You knew it was going to happen, you knew he was going to handle it that way at some point. That was going on all last year, but now it is what it is. We all move on.

“There was some defensive guys that I don’t even know (on the Jets) that were coming up to me. I think that’s great. Heck, at first I thought something really bad had happened. I hadn’t heard anything until after I got off the practice field. Then you hear it and it’s just that and I think: ‘Oh it’s just that? We can deal with that.’”

Hackett added Payton has not called yet to apologize and does not expect such a call. “It is what it is. We move on,” he said. Perhaps now that Hackett has spoken, we can all move on from this story. At least until it inevitably pops up again in Week 5 when the Jets travel to Denver.

HBO releases first trailer for Hard Knocks with the Jets

Will you watch Hard Knocks?

The new season of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” featuring Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets is just one week away. To help start building the excitement, HBO and NFL Films released the first  trailer for the show, which premieres on August 8.

The trailer features a teaser calling the Jets “the most compelling team in football” and sound bites saying the Jets are a dangerous team.

Not surprisingly, a good bit of the trailer features No. 8, since he is one of, if not the biggest reason the Jets were chosen to take part on the show for the second time in the show’s history, having also taken part in 2010.