Evaluating Monday's practice in totality, the Jets' first with pads, depends on your interpretation.

The defense, on one hand, was flying around. The offense, on the other, struggled after stringing together a of couple impressive sessions last week.

"It was awesome," DT Javon Kinlaw said. "There was a lot of emotions out there. Everybody had a lot of stuff to get off their chest and I was one of them. It was cool. A lot of banging, probably some people on the ground. It's intense but that's what you want to see."

TE Tyler Conklin, for example, didn't share the same sentiment as Kinlaw.

"It was a little frustrating today," he said. "As an offense, especially after having some really good days together, excited to put the pads on and you don't want to go out there and have a bad day like that. But in days like that, I feel like you learn a lot about yourself. There's a lot of camp and practices to figure stuff out. It's just part of the process."

QB Aaron Rodgers, on the first pass attempt of team periods, threw his first interception of camp. Rodgers ripped a ball over the middle that went off WR Allen Lazard's hands and into S Chuck Clark's.

"It felt really good being back in my pads," said Clark, who practiced in pads for the first time since his ACL injury last June. "Just getting fit, it was on my mind which buckle I put my buckles on. It felt good being back in my pads, getting some thuds, running around, getting that extra weight on you and extra conditioning."

Rodgers and the offense couldn't find a groove and had trouble with the center-QB exchange a couple times in terms of high snaps.

"[Joe Tippmann] has to work on it," HC Robert Saleh said. "There's clearly something going on. He'll get it down. He snapped for us last year, he'll be fine."

Pair of Young Players Pop in Pads
A number of players flashed in Monday's practice, but a pair popped – LB Jamien Sherwood and rookie RB Braelon Allen.

Sherwood, in his fourth season, was active both in the pass and run game. He stood out in the acclimation period, specifically in the pass game, with a pass defense and forced fumble.

"He looks awesome," HC Robert Saleh said. "He can get everybody lined up. Amidst all the chaos, any kind of movement, he's going to get all the checks that he needs out of his mouth. He's as good as anybody with regards to that. Sometimes, though, when he's so caught up, he's kind of behind the play and doesn't make the play he could've made.

"Throughout camp and OTAs, in chaotic moments, he's still finding a way to get everybody lined up along with getting his feet in the ground and making the play, which is a really cool step in his development as a football player. He's off to a really good start."

Allen made his presence felt. He found a couple creases early in practice and later bulldozed S Tony Adams when the rookie had a head of steam.

"That was fun today, right?" Conklin said of Allen. "I think the cool part about that is I don't think he even lowered his shoulder. He's just so big, he was running in a straight line. That's kind of one iffy protect-the-team moments right there, but it's also the first day of pads and everyone is excited. Since he's been here, I've been excited to watch him play."

Jetcetera
Despite the up-and-down day for the first-team offense, the Aaron Rodgers-Garrett Wilson connection remained strong as Rodgers found his go-to target by the sideline where Wilson dropped to the ground to secure the pass. … UDFA S Al Blades picked off Andrew Peasley. … Fellow UDFA DE Braiden McGregor had a pair of sacks. … The defensive line created a lot of pressure including impressive rushes from Solomon Thomas, Eric Watts, Takk McKinley and Micheal Clemons. … RB Israel Abanikanda showed off the wheels on a couple of long runs. … Tyrod Taylor zipped a ball in to Zack Kuntz by the sideline off play action. … Taylor also found Jeremy Ruckert for a chunk gain over the middle.