After 17 days of training camp, the Jets will get their preseason scheduled underway when they host the Washington Commanders noon Saturday at MetLife Stadium. Equipped with one of the better rosters in the NFL, HC Robert Saleh is looking forward to seeing how some of his younger players and reserves fighting for roster spots respond to a new challenge in a new environment.

"What's real, what's not," Saleh said this week. "It's almost like it's either an affirmation or it's a, 'OK, this is not where we want our player to be, let's get back to the drawing board and see what we can do to help him get better.' So more excited about our players and their ability to go compete than the execution – from a coaching standpoint the different schemes that we may have implemented over OTAs. Not really concerned about that as much as I am seeing our players compete against different people and different schemes."

While Aaron Rodgers, who was held out Thursday's joint Jets-Commanders session in Florham Park due to rain, will again be a spectator. The Commanders are expected to start their QB of the future in Jayden Daniels. The No. 2 overall selection in April's NFL Draft, an LSU product, threw mostly short passes against the Jets in practice ,but impressed the NFL's top CB in Sauce Gardner.

"When we first lined up, I was saying 'he young, he young,' I was just trolling him out there," said Gardner, who also is expected to take in the preseason opener in from the sideline. "I just told him, 'Man you're going to be real good' it was great to just be able to line up against him. As a corner you want to go against a rookie quarterback but he's one of those guys, he's developed, he was drafted that high he had some great throws out there."

Saturday's contest will mark the debut of the Jets' 2024 draft class, headlined by Olu Fashanu, the Penn State product who was selected No.11 overall and has received time with expected starters on days when veteran LT Tyron Smith has rested.

"I think that's just the adjustment period at least for myself just transitioning from college to the NFL because here everyone's a lot bigger, a lot quicker, and a lot stronger," Fashanu said. "So just for me to be a half-second more quick than last year will make all the difference."

Rookies Braelon Allen, a fourth-round pick from Wisconsin, and Isaiah Davis, a fifth-round pick from South Dakota State, will get their professional feet wet against the Commanders' defense. They've both showcased versatile skill sets and will give the Jets some added pop behind the electric Breece Hall in the regular season. Davis has received reps in the backfield and as a returner.

"I'm impressed by all the backs," said Jets backup QB Tyrod Taylor. "All those guys have stepped up to the plate when their opportunity has been presented before them. Looking forward to seeing them have a big year at any contribution that he [Isaiah Davis] has for the team. Very patient in the run game and very natural catcher out of the backfield. Super excited for him this year."

The Jets are also excited about Malachi Corley, a playmaker who was a third-round pick from Western Kentucky. Having earned the nickname the YAC King in college, Corley should become a nice complement at receiver to the likes of Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams, who was activated off the PUP list on Wednesday.

"He's heavy, in terms of, you can feel him when he's getting up there and he's running with the football," Saleh said. "And you're trying to tag off on him, or in the run game when he gets his hands on you and he's blocking. He's going to be a fun player. Obviously, you can't see it all. We can see it – we can see the violence that which he runs when he does get the ball in his hands. I think I speak for everyone that we're looking forward to seeing him in game action to see how it translates."

While training camp is 17 days old, the NFL's final cutdown date – Aug. 27 – is 17 days from Saturday. Even though the Jets' preseason opener against the Commanders is a first game, time and opportunity are precious commodities for young players and reserves hoping to crack the roster.

"The NFL is beautiful because week in and week out its new bodies, new schemes, new verbiage, a whole lot of new, and whether or not you can transfer you're playing ability from one week to the next," Saleh said. "So, this will be a good chance for a lot of guys, especially some of the young guys who've gotten comfortable playing against the same schemes and same people to continue getting better and to show that their skillsets transferable week in and week out."