On the day before breaking for the Labor Day holiday and 10 days away from the Jets' regular-season opener at San Francisco, general manager Joe Douglas calmly and succinctly responded to questions from reporters on Thursday.

Perhaps his most direct message is that the organization and its 53-man roster unveiled on Tuesday is "past the point of growth."

"I feel like this is a team that's ready to win, and I feel that work that everybody's put in, staff, the football operations staff, coaching staff, players ... this, this has been a really good training camp," he said. "So I can't wait to see all the fruits of everyone's labor as the season goes on, and obviously, it's going to be a roller-coaster season, just like any other season. But again, it's a great group of people to take the journey with."

The journey in the 2024 NFL season begins on Monday night, Sept. 9 against the NFC champion 49ers. As head coach Robert Saleh mentioned earlier in the week, the "chaos" of last season -- in which QB Aaron Rodgers sustained a season-ending injury four plays into the Jets' first series on offense and the team used 13 different combinations on the offensive line -- have steeled Douglas, the coaches and the players for what's ahead.

"Yeah, there is a sense of urgency in everything we do," Douglas said. "You know, there's a lot of factors that go into decisions and how you want to operate. And so, we have to, we have to stay true to our beliefs and our message and to the locker room.

"Well, I think when things did hit the fan last year, I think one of the more encouraging things was how the team stayed together and how hard the team played. There was never wavering of effort or togetherness. And I thought that was one of the silver linings of a difficult season. But as the team stands now, I feel like this has been a remarkable training camp, and I feel like this is a great collection of talent and character, as good a collection of people as I've been around in 24 years. And so really, I'm excited about this journey. I have no idea where it's going to end, but I think this is a great group to lock arms and travel with."

Much of the early portion of the press conference focused on questions about Haason Reddick, the edge rusher obtained in an offseason trade with Philadelphia, who has not been with the team as he seeks a new or adjusted contract. For his part, Douglas is bullish on the current D-line, which includes three undrafted free agents -- Leonard Taylor III, Braiden McGregor and Eric Watts -- plus a rejuvenated Takk McKinley, Pro Bowl tackle Quinnen Williams, key reserve Solomon Thomas, Pro Bowl edge/linebacker Jermaine Johnson, second-year man Will McDonald IV and Micheal Clemons.

"We have three undrafted guys at a premium position like the D-line come in and really do their thing," Douglas said. "It's a credit to a lot of people, it's a credit to the work that goes into recruiting these young men, our scouts, evaluating the players." He added: "We know exactly what our coaches are looking for and we can point to specific examples of guys coming in that may not have been premium picks but are being developed by a great staff."

Douglas said that McDonald "had a superb camp and Will's on a mission ... His skills are undeniable, and I feel like he can really bring some athleticism off the edge."

It is hardly a secret that the Jets' fortunes are likely to rise or fall with Rodgers, 40, under center as he returns after tearing an Achilles tendon last Sept. 11. Douglas and his staff have fortified the offensive line with the additions of Tyron Smith, John Simpson and Morgan Moses, plus the return of Alijah Vera-Tucker from injury and the drafting of Olu Fashanu with the No. 11 overall section in April's NFL Draft. Douglas also mentioned the knock-on effect from last season's uncertainty on the O-line. Still, it all comes back to Rodgers.

"He's amazing," Douglas said. "I mean, obviously a first team Hall of Famer and there's days where he just goes out there and he just doesn't miss. Just the command he has with the offense, the ability to get the offense into the right play against the right defense, the accuracy, the delivery, the leadership, and also having a great room."