FLORHAM PARK — Thursday’s practice came with the first training camp scare for the New York Jets.
Reigning offensive player of the year Garrett Wilson came up limping after a deep pass was deflected away in 11-on-11 work by DJ Reed. Wilson exited practice shortly thereafter and was not seen for the rest of the day.
The good news for New York is that the injury doesn’t appear to be serious. Head coach Robert Saleh spoke after practice saying the star wideout tweaked his ankle but “indications are that he’s ok.” It’s a huge sigh of relief for the Jets after Thursday’s practice left them without a starting receiver towards the end of work due to injury, or the New Jersey heat.
Wilson’s injury was the main takeaway from practice, but he wasn’t the only newsworthy piece to come out of 1 Jets Drive either.
Jets Injury List Increases
Wilson’s injury Thursday was not the only injury update New York had over the course of the day.
For starters, both Allen Lazard and CJ Uzomah were back at practice and in pads although Uzomah was the only player to actually participate in teamwork. Lazard was joined by Mecole Hardman shortly into practice after the slot receiver appeared to nurse his hamstring.
Mekhi Becton was back at practice as well but also did not attempt to work in any of the 11-on-11 work being done.
None of the injuries are expected to be serious according to the Jets’ head coach.
Saleh sounds off on Dalvin Cook, Sean Payton
New York received plenty of attention before even hitting the practice field Thursday thanks to a couple of newsworthy developments outside of the team facility. First, Dalvin Cook had officially scheduled a visit with Gang Green this weekend, and with Aaron Rodgers’ new contract giving the team space, it leaves many to believe a deal could be in the works.
Saleh again acknowledged the help a player like Cook could bring to the team while also understanding that finding the right fit for the roster is of the utmost importance to him.
“He (Cook) has been a dynamic ball carrier for a long time…We’re not trying to build a dream team,” the coach said.
Cook’s contract was only part of what Saleh had to respond to Thursday though. After Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton criticized the Jets for being on “Hard Knocks” after a busy offseason, while also attacking their current offensive coordinator, Saleh defended his team while choosing not to comment on the Super Bowl-winning coach’s comments.
“Obviously we’re doing something right if you have to talk about us and we don’t play until Week 4,” Saleh stated.
There will be plenty of intrigue now when the Broncos and Jets face off in October.
Jason Brownlee and Carter Warren stand out
There were plenty of off-the-field storylines to follow for the Jets today, but the on-field work provided some nice glances at a couple of rookies. Fifth-round tackle Carter Warren looked confident with the second-team left tackle position. He won throughout the day against Will McDonald IV and showed why the team is high on his potential.
The big winner at Thursday’s practice though was undrafted free agent Jason Brownlee. New York acknowledged Thursday that the team wanted to draft him during the 2023 selection process but kept getting beat out in discussions. Instead, they signed the receiver to a UDFA contract and he’s already showing why.
Brownlee’s top highlight Thursday was also the highlight of the day when he breezed past Sauce Gardner on the line and found himself wide open in the end zone for the score.
It’s no longer a question of if Brownlee will make the team anymore but more how much playing time he’ll receive this season.
Quinnen Williams
It doesn’t even really need to be said anymore but Quinnen Williams continues to dominate at Jets camp. Williams, fresh of a lucrative contract extension has dominated the interior offensive line of the Jets’ offense and has made plays both against the pass and run.
Thursday was no different.
We could be very much looking at another First Team All-Pro season for Williams and even more consideration for the coveted Defensive Player of the Year award.
A Glaring Hole
Through two weeks of work, there is one glaring need on the Jets that could undermine their entire season.
New York’s tackles have not been up to snuff so far in practices and Thursday was no exception. Whether it was Max Mitchell, Billy Turner, or others, the Jets’ pass rush continued to gain “sacks” on the quarterbacks at a consistent rate. While New York does possess an excellent string of edge rushers, the rest of the division does as well.
And if the Jets’ defense is having success now, it won’t be very pretty when the rest of the division has their turn against Rodgers.
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