The Jets have finished training camp and the preseason. Here are four players/themes that trended up throughout the summer.
QB Aaron Rodgers
This could seem obvious, but no one knew what Rodgers would offer coming off an Achilles tendon injury that caused him to miss essentially the entirety of last season. He hasn't missed a beat. He was sharp throughout the summer (every player has an off day or two) and he can still extend the play with his legs when necessary. Rodgers led surgical drives and made jaw-dropping throws whether it was a no-look pass or a perfectly placed ball down the field.
"Felt like he was where we needed him when he first walked in," HC Robert Saleh said. "I'm telling you, his arm is [like he's] 30 [years old]. You guys see him every day. His arm is still 30 and he's got plenty of mobility. He showed that in Carolina, getting out of the pocket several times, he does it in practice. I think he is absolutely ready to go."
WR Garrett Wilson
You can't talk about this past training camp and not mention Wilson. He was stellar. As Rodgers' go-to target, he made routine plays in the short and intermediate game, he made chunk plays, he consistently found the end zone and he made challenging catches look easy. You could also argue his three best practices were the joint sessions with the Commanders, the Panthers and the Giants.
"I feel like I've stacked some days this camp and that's where I wanted to be at," Wilson said. "I wanted to be stronger and I feel like that's helped me stack the days. … I still got a long way to go to get to where I want to be, but I feel good about where I'm at right now. I've still got some time to go find that 1 percent each day and that's what I plan to do. I'm just excited for the opportunity man. I really feel like I have a lot to give, so I just have to keep finding a way to chomp at the bit and get better every day."
Take a look through photos from all practices during the last week of 2024 Jets Training Camp.
Offensive Line
The new-look O-line was one if the biggest storylines heading into camp and it remains in focus after the close, but for different reasons. After starting 13 different combinations last season and bringing in three new starting players this last offseason, the starting unit showed promise, but so did the depth of the group.
"I love the way our O-line's coming together, and I'm not just talking about their play style," Robert Saleh said. "I'm just talking about they actually like being around each other. I've always said it with the defense, the defense likes being around each other. The offense, I think they're actually starting to enjoy being around one another because there's a lot of like minds and I've liked the way they've come together, the way they root for one another, the way they play for one another, the way they communicate with one another. It's turning into a pretty cool group."
DT Javon Kinlaw
Kinlaw, who signed with the Jets in March, showed a lot of promise throughout camp. Robert Saleh called him "unblockable" in the joint practice with the Panthers. It's hard to fully evaluate the defensive line in training camp because teams cannot take down the quarterback, but Kinlaw was in the backfield a lot, both in the run and the pass. The former first-round pick seems primed for a breakout season.
"This year's been my first time feeling like, " 'OK, I can really be who I think I can be, who I know I can be.' Point blank. Period. When I was coming out, I knew it was going to take me some time. I remember somebody asking me what I rank myself, amongst the guys at the Combine, and I said, 'As of now, I'm not really the best guy, but 10 years from now I will be.' I still feel that way."
Saleh added: "To his credit, he's found a way to get himself healthy and he's bought into everything that we preach on the D-line with regards to technique and all that stuff. Really looking forward to seeing what he does this year. I think he has a chance to do something special for himself."