Category: New York Jets preseason

On ESPN, former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum: Aaron Rodgers ‘has to go out in the preseason and play’

Mike Tannebaum believes Aaron Rodgers should play in preseason.

Former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum, now an analyst on ESPN, believes that Aaron Rodgers needs to play in preseason.

The comments about Rodgers, who has yet to play in preseason with the Jets, were made by Tannenbaum on ESPN on Wednesday.

Rodgers, a four-time MVP, did not play in preseason last year and then suffered a season-ending Achilles injury four plays into Week 1. So far, Rodgers has participated in several joint practices with the Jets against other NFL teams.

But he has not yet played in preseason, which has led to much debate about this decision. Now with the preseason finale on Saturday against the New York Giants, Tannenbaum said that it would be ideal for Rodgers to play in this game.

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Almost like a litigator, Tannenbaum made his case that Rodgers should play on Saturday.

“We all have high expectations for Aaron Rodgers and the Jets this year and let me tell you this: The only way you can maximize that is he has to go out in the preseason and play.” Tannenbaum said on ESPN.

“And he has to understand where he is to protect himself. We know in football, guys, that .1 second can make all the difference in the world between getting hit, a throwaway, a sack, whatever it may be.

“If I’m (Jets offensive coordinator) Nathaniel Hackett, I don’t know what I have in Aaron Rodgers – I have an expectation, I have hope. But we haven’t seen him play since September 11 a year ago. He’s 40-years old (and) coming off an Achilles tendon injury, we just don’t know if he has that same quickness.

“If we’re being honest and we’re watching Russell Wilson come out from under center in Pittsburgh, he looks like a skill-diminished player. Let’s hope for the Jets that’s not the case but until he’s actually trying to evade pressure, protect himself, we’re not going to know

“Not only if I’m Aaron Rodgers – I’d want to play…but if I’m the play-caller for the Jets, going on the road, on Monday Night Football, on ESPN, on opening day against Nick Bosa and company…is it a max-protection game? Is it a quick game? Can we really hold up against him? Do we still have quickness? We need to see that with live-action.

“To me, I think he does play. Obviously you want to protect him in a reasonable amount of way but the other thing is, if I’m Aaron Rodgers…I want to get out there, I want to get hit, I want to make sure that in terms of the psychological pressure of coming off the injury. When I’ve talked to players over the years, that to me is the last step. Not only do I want to play and perform, I want to face some live bullets before opening day.”

 

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Rodgers earned rave reviews for his performance on Wednesday in a joint practice against the Giants.

 

Working his way back, Aaron Rodgers says he is in a good spot with the Jets

Aaron Rodgers says he is doing well physically in preseason.

Whether he plays in preseason or not, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers believes that his continued work to get back on the field has him in a solid place. Rodgers, who has yet to play in preseason, has fully participated in the multiple joint practices that the Jets have conducted with other NFL teams.

Rodgers followed a similar plan last year, participating in joint practices but not playing in preseason. Then of course, he was injured four plays into his Jets debut in Week 1.

That season-ending Achilles injury is not slowing down Rodgers as he gears up for the Jets’ much-anticipated season opener at the San Francisco 49ers.

Play in preseason or not, Rodgers says it doesn’t matter. Where he is physically ahead of the NFL season? That’s what counts.

“I don’t really have a preference. I feel good about where I’m at with my body and what I’ve kind of put together,” Rodgers told reporters on Tuesday.

“I feel like I’ve done different things throughout camp as far as you know, roll outs and pulling up, getting out of the pocket and making plays, throwing back across my body, pump faking, actually extending plays and getting some yards, so I feel like I’ve done a lot, haven’t taken a hit. You know, it’s kind of the main thing. Thankfully, I respect and appreciate my defense for that. Every now and then, there’s a bunch of some crazy guys you might worry about accidentally drilling you from time-to-time. We’ll see if we can get through [Wednesday] without getting drilled.”

Rodgers has consistently been frank in saying that not a lot can be gained from preseason games. In turn, the joint practices against NFL teams can be beneficial for him in terms of sharpness and conditioning.

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“I stand by what I said. I mean, even these joint practices, there’s a fear among all the staffs on like, how much can we show? What should we hold back? What are we actually going to run for this session? It’s a who do you know coaching business? So, everybody talks to each other,” Rodgers said.

“And if somebody doesn’t like somebody, you know, somebody has a friend on the Niners staff, maybe they’re going to tell them something about something that we were run. I think that’s the fear and probably on their side too. I just know with Carolina, it wasn’t like they did a whole lot, so how much work do we actually get out of that? I think it’s good for going against somebody else, but is it actually making you better than practicing against your own team? I guess it’s debatable.”

Jets rookie Olu Fashanu gets praised by NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger

Olu Fashanu had some good moments in Saturday’s preseason game.

Not only is Olu Fashanu adjusting to life in the NFL, but the New York Jets rookie is also learning a new position. There is some promise here, so says NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger.

Fashanu, a first-round pick of the Jets, was a standout left tackle at Penn State and a multi-year All-Big Ten selection. On Saturday night, Fashanu played right tackle for the Jets in their preseason win at the Carolina Panthers.

For Baldinger, a former standout NFL offensive lineman who does outstanding work for the NFL Network as an analyst, there are some good building blocks here.

In a social media post on Tuesday, Baldinger highlighted some of the areas of development needed for Fashanu from Saturday’s preseason game. But, there were some significant signs of the Jets top draft pick getting it.

“When he gets his hands on guys, and he is moving his feet at the same time, he’s almost unbeatable,” Baldinger said.

“That’s good, he drops an anchor. You watch him right here, and this is good. Watch him…He likes to get underneath guys, and his legs are so strong.”

Baldinger cautioned that it will take time. Two years ago, he said that Tristan Wirfs was an All-Pro at right tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He moved to left tackle last year and “He said it took him 10 games until he started feeling comfortable.”

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Wirfs was an All-Pro selection in 2021 and 2022. He was named to the Pro Bowl last year for the third time in his career.

Tom Brady ranks Jets star Aaron Rodgers among his top NFL quarterbacks

Tom Brady ranks Aaron Rodgers among his top NFL quarterbacks.

Arguably the greatest quarterback of all time, former New York Jets nemesis Tom Brady thinks that Aaron Rodgers is among the very best quarterbacks in the NFL. Brady included Rodgers, now with the Jets, in his list while discussing the topic with ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith.

Smith and Brady had an interview discussion this past weekend during the Fanatics event in New York City.

In talking about the top quarterbacks in the NFL, Smith started off the discussion with Patrick Mahomes. From there, Brady included Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow on his list.

Smith, the highest-profile personality on ESPN, said that “I would throw Aaron Rodgers in there” among the top NFL quarterback pyramid.

“Of course,” Brady said. “Absolutely.”

The question for Rodgers, of course, is staying on the field and healthy. Following last season’s Achilles injury, Rodgers has been a healthy scratch from the first two games of preseason.

If he can remain healthy, then the Jets have the potential to be a playoff team.

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Here is the whole clip of Brady at the Fanatics event talking about quarterbacks:

 

 

What’s the status of Mike Williams? Jets head coach Robert Saleh gives an update

Robert Saleh talks about where things are at with Jets wide receiver Mike Williams.

The timetable for Mike Williams in his injury recovery continues to progress, but for the New York Jets, it isn’t clear yet if he will play in preseason.

The Jets signed Williams to a contract this offseason with the expectation that he can bounce back from a year cut short due to injury.

Williams is progressing following an ACL injury last year with the Los Angeles Chargers that shelved him after just three games. Prior to the injury he was on pace for a strong season as he had 19 catches for 249 yards and a touchdown.

The hope for the Jets is that Williams can put up numbers similar to 2022 when he had 63 catches for 895 yards and four touchdowns. If he can return to health, then Williams has the potential to balance an offense that includes playmakers such as wide receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Bryce Hall.

“Well, he’s a dynamic player, right? And someone that you can’t just ignore when he’s on the football field,” Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters on Monday.

“He balances out defenses in the sense you can’t focus just on Breece. You can’t focus on Garrett, you can’t focus on our tight ends. You’ve got to know where he is, so it makes the defense play more balanced, so just his presence alone balances the numbers.”

In his seven NFL seasons, Williams has twice gone over 1,000 receiving yards.

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“He’s progressing well. Right now, for him, it’s just continuing to gain confidence,” Saleh said. “It’s going to be more of a mental block than anything else, but I think he’s doing well.”

An offseason of growth for the Jets’ Quinnen Williams continues into training camp

Robert Saleh continues to see growth from Quinnen Williams.

The development of Quinnen Williams continues as the New York Jets defensive lineman finetunes his game.

An improved Williams is a scary proposition for opposing offensive lines, given that the Jets star was already among the best defensive players in the NFL.

Last year, his fifth in the NFL, saw Williams have 62 total tackles and 5.5 sacks for the Jets in 2024. In an ESPN survey of NFL executives and scouts, Williams was ranked as the second-best interior defensive lineman in the league.

For head coach Robert Saleh, Williams is making continued strides. A Pro Bowl selection in his last two seasons, complacency has not set in for Williams.

“He’s having a good camp,” Saleh told reporters on Monday.

“He’s going about his business, he’s honing in on his craft, he’s been working on a few things, so I think he’s in a really good place.”

The Jets took Williams with the third overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.

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Monday was a good day for the defense according to Saleh. The unit showed up, with Saleh saying that the offense was a bit slow to “get going.”

“Trying some new things.” Saleh said.

“I gave credit to the defense because the defense was playing pretty tight today.”

What’s the plan for the New York Jets starters in the third preseason game?

The New York Jets haven’t unveiled their plans for their third preseason game.

For the New York Jets, the plan for their final preseason game will be set in stone later this week.

The Jets, by and large, have rested their starters in preseason and have chosen to play their best talent in joint practices. Especially concerning the health of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, it appears that the future Hall of Famer won’t see significant snaps in preseason.

Head coach Robert Saleh said that the plan is to take things through the week ahead of Saturday’s game against the New York Giants. The Jets are 2-0 in preseason following this past weekend’s 15-12 win at the Carolina Panthers.

(The Giants are 1-1 and coming off a 28-10 loss at the Houston Texans)

Andrew Peasley and Adrian Martinez, the two quarterbacks battling for a roster spot with the Jets, played all the snaps at Carolina. As for the starters, Saleh said that a decision hasn’t been made yet.

“We haven’t talked about it yet,” Saleh told reporters on Monday.

“We’ll re-evaluate everything after the practice on Wednesday and come up with a decision.”

The Jets managed just 202 yards of total offense on Saturday in their win.

 

How did the Jets quarterbacks do in the second game of preseason?

Robert Saleh talks quarterbacks following the New York Jets second preseason game.

Andrew Peasley got the starting nod in the second game of preseason for the New York Jets on Saturday night. The start from Peasley came after an impressive performance last week in his Jets debut in the preseason opener.

The Jets improved to 2-0 in preseason following Saturday’s 15-12 win at the Carolina Panthers.  Peasley, an undrafted rookie free agent from Wyoming, got the surprising start in the game.

Adrian Martinez, who was the MVP of the UFL championship game this spring, split time with Peasley in running the Jets offense. Presumptive starter Aaron Rodgers did not play and his assumed backup, 14-year NFL veteran Tyrod Taylor, also did not play.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh said that he wanted to get “a good look at those two rookies.”

“One thing for sure is that the game is not too big for either one of them,” Saleh told reporters.

“I thought they showed good play making ability with their feet. Martinez showed that he can throw off schedule and throw with accuracy, which I thought was encouraging. Both were competitive. Both ran the huddle very
well and just overall I thought they were decent. I’m sure there’s a couple plays they’re both going to want back, but overall, I thought it was pretty decent.”

  • Peasley finished the game 7-of-11 for 33 yards along with 25 rushing yards on four attempts.
  • Martinez finished the game 7-of-17 for 67 yards with one rush for four yards. He also threw an interception.

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Last year, Martinez was in training camp and preseason with the Detroit Lions.

What young Jets player did Robert Saleh say seized his opportunity on Saturday?

Brandon Codrington gets a shoutout from New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh.

It was certainly a strong night for Brandon Codrington, as the New York Jets rookie impressed over the weekend. It was a very good performance on special teams for Codrington in the preseason win over the Carolina Panthers.

Codrington had a tackle in the game, but he had his biggest impact on the game was on special teams for the Jets. He had one kickoff return for 63 yards and two punt returns for 46 yards.

A multi-year starter at North Carolina Central, Codrington signed with the Jets as an undrafted rookie free agent. In the MEAC, Codrington was a standout on special teams, which is likely to be his pathway towards making the Jets roster.

Outside of his special teams contribution at North Carolina Central, Codrington was a first-team all-defense selection in the MEAC.

“He definitely seized his opportunities,” Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters after the game.

“I think he was the most productive. Set up a couple of scoring drives. But that’s what he’s here for. That’s why we brought him in, his punt returning and kick returning ability, and I thought he did a nice job today.”

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The Jets improved to 2-0 in preseason with their 15-12 win over the Panthers.

Olu Fashanu moves to right tackle, is impressive for the Jets

Olu Fashanu made his right tackle debut for the New York Jets.

In his first game at right tackle for the New York Jets, Olu Fashanu put together a solid performance. Fashanu, taken in the first round of this spring’s NFL draft, came to the Jets as a left tackle.

But it might be at right tackle where Fashanu will see the field the fastest for the Jets. That’s where Fashanu got the start in Saturday’s 15-12 win at the Carolina Panthers.

It was at left tackle while playing for Penn State that Fashanu earned multiple All-Big Ten honors over the past two years. He was named the top offensive lineman in the Big Ten last year.

For head coach Robert Saleh, it was a good performance from Fashanu as he acclimated to a different spot along the offensive line.

“New spot. It’s never easy. I thought he did a nice job. He handled it well,” Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters after the game.

“That first practice he was at right tackle was pretty rough for him, and I thought he got better as the week went on. He had the holding penalty today, but overall I thought he did a pretty good job.”

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The Jets moved to 2-0 on the season with their 15-12 win in Carolina.