FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The Jets were doing a team-building activity when I visited. Still, it was my 25th training camp visit. Here’s what I found out.
• Geno Smith has impressed—and that goes especially for some who were around when he was a decade ago and can see the growth as a result. Is he going to be the quarterback for the next five years? Probably not. But he gives the Jets a level of stability at the position that they haven’t had for a while, and has quickly proven himself a solid fit for new coordinator Frank Reich’s offense. His approach, professionalism and focus have been contagious with the younger guys, his accuracy is still elite, and his arm strength is still there. So there’s a lot of hope that he’s going to trigger some real growth with a talented group of young players on offense, and be a very effective bridge in the short term, and be a good torchbearer for Aaron Glenn’s program (Glenn first got to know Smith when Glenn was a scout with the Jets during the quarterback’s first stint here, and the two stayed in touch.
• Glenn’s taking over defensive play-calling, and the unit is built in his image, with strength right up the gut. That starts with T’Vondre Sweat, the enormously talented tackle the Jets acquired in a trade. Sweat had his issues, with weight and otherwise, with the Titans, but he’s made a good impression in New York and has certainly looked like an impact guy coming back from injury. At the linebacker level, Demario Davis (who was with Glenn in New Orleans) has returned and gives the unit a top-shelf leader and signal-caller. And Minkah Fitzpatrick has arrived to play a role that Glenn envisions being similar to the one Malcolm Jenkins once played for him with the Saints. So, Glenn’s defense looks like what he had in Detroit with Alim McNeill, Jack Campbell and Brian Branch through the middle.
• Another similarity to Detroit: The offensive line group is coming together with first-round tackles bookending the unit. Olu Fashanu is rock-solid now at left tackle, and Armand Membou’s camp has the Jets believing he could be one of the league’s best right tackles in relatively short order. Guard Joe Tippman, resigned and now in his fourth year, has emerged as the group’s most vocal leader, Josh Myers is back at center, and Dylan Parham came over from Vegas to fill the other guard spot. The group has continuity, and Reich’s system has brought plenty of optimism. Still, they’ll have to stay healthy, with depth being a bit of a concern.
• Garrett Wilson is another guy who has been challenged to step forward as a leader, and he’s looked every bit the part of a true No. 1 in Reich’s offense—flashing his high-end stop-and-start ability, route-running and hands, and bringing an energy to the group. Ditto for running back Breece Hall, whose ability to make something out of nothing has shown up through the summer, when the defense has challenged the offense. And the hope is that a couple of complementary weapons emerge around those two. Tight end Mason Taylor would be one to watch. He has taken advantage of first-rounder Kenyon Sadiq’s injury absence, adding a downfield element to his game. Adonai Mitchell is another, as a big, fast, and a strong vertical target. However, he has yet to put it all together. Reich’s old friends in Indy have helped with the background there, and the Jets think he can develop into a good No. 2. Then, there’s first-rounder Omar Cooper Jr., a slot who can play outside and could bring a sturdy, tough run-after-catch element to the receiver group (but he will have to beat out Isaiah Williams for the third receiver spot).
• Finally, the coaching staff seems certain that the mentality is shifting, something that Glenn’s been focused on in building deliberately the same way that Dan Campbell did when he was defensive coordinator in Detroit. And nowhere is that more evident than at corner, where Glenn played for 15 years in his NFL career. Nickel Jarvis Brownlee Jr., who the Jets traded for last year, has come to embody that, and it’ll be interesting to see what happens at that spot as second-rounder D’Angelo Ponds gets healthy. And similar competition is taking place outside, with Azareye’h Thomas and ex-Bear Nashon Wright battling to start opposite Brandon Stephens. There’s a gritty, tough feel to the group that Glenn is looking for, as the Jets come out of what was a tough camp.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollowPublished | Modified 
ALBERT BREER
Albert Breer is a senior writer covering the NFL for Sports Illustrated, delivering the biggest stories and breaking news from across the league. He has been on the NFL beat since 2005 and joined SI in 2016. Breer began his career covering the New England Patriots for the MetroWest Daily News and the Boston Herald from 2005 to ’07, then covered the Dallas Cowboys for the Dallas Morning News from 2007 to ’08. He worked for The Sporting News from 2008 to ’09 before returning to Massachusetts as The Boston Globe’s national NFL writer in 2009. From 2010 to 2016, Breer served as a national reporter for NFL Network. In addition to his work at Sports Illustrated, Breer regularly appears on NBC Sports Boston, 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston, FS1 with Colin Cowherd, The Rich Eisen Show and The Dan Patrick Show. A 2002 graduate of Ohio State, Breer lives near Boston with his wife, a cardiac ICU nurse at Boston Children’s Hospital, and their three children.
Share on FacebookShare on XHome/NFLOriginal Article
