Jets tight end Tyler Conklin was in a reflective mood this week about how any number of things have changed for him and his team this summer compared to last.

The intensity of the training camp sessions, for example, as head coach Robert Saleh took a different approach at the start of his fourth season at the Green & White controls.

"He hinted at it at the end of OTAs, it being a heavier training camp, so I kind of knew what to expect," the man called Conk recalled. "It's definitely been a grind. But I do think it's paid off, having these joint practices and having these really heavy days. We have pads on and we're doing 70, 80, 90 plays. And I just think as a team, our lungs and our conditioning, I feel like it's definitely worked out how he wanted it. We have a really good foundation."

Hand in hand with the "heavy" camp is the non-existent game activity. For the first time in franchise history, most of the starters will have played no preseason game snaps by the time the Jets' annual summer joust with the Giants concludes late Saturday night. The last time that happened for Conklin?

"My last year in Minnesota," he said of the prelude to the 2021 regular season. "But that's because I tweaked a hamstring and I didn't play. But I ended up having a pretty good year that year. So I feel good about it."

And there is one thing Conk knows he wants to see different. Even though last season he equaled his career high with 61 receptions and set a personal best with 621 receiving yards, there was the little matter of no TD catches.

"Yeah, man, I don't love it. The zero in the touchdown column hurts a lot," he said. "But they'll come. There'll be plenty of touchdowns this year. They'll come."

Conklin feels confident about that because of something that didn't change over the past two summers, and that's his quarterback. The tight end started to get to know Aaron Rodgers last preseason, and this year the hope is that their regular-season connection lasts a lot longer than four offensive snaps and 4:04 of clock time.

"Going into last year, you come into it really having no idea, right? You just hear so much stuff about Aaron this, Aaron that," he said. "But I think after having two offseasons with him now and really getting to know him and understand him, there are just so many things he does on the field that I feel like a lot of people don't do. The biggest thing is just getting to know him and then trying your best to see things the way he sees things. The more you can do that, the better off you're going to be."

Conklin feels the A-Rod atmosphere hurtling toward Sept. 9 opening night at San Francisco in particular is beneficial for his game.

"Having this cohesive unit has really allowed me to take a big step in the run game," he said. "Then as a pass catcher, just being with Aaron, having such a better understanding of him and knowing when I have the freedom to run a route like this, I've got to be in this spot at this time, I feel like there's a lot out there left on the bone for me to go out and show what I can do on the football field."

And the Jets' tight ends room can show more as well. Expectations are for Jeremy Ruckert to step up in his third pro season — "That's my guy, right? Every day he gets better and better." Kenny Yeboah, going into his fourth Jets campaign, could continue to make contributions at TE and especially on special teams. Zach Kuntz, at 6-8, could become a big target at some point this season.

Mix that position in with the Jets' wide receivers and running backs and a full season of Rodgers, and 2024 could show major differences when compared to '23.

"I think everybody's had those moments with Aaron where, OK, we're meshing more and more every day. Those moments just keep happening and things keep getting better and better because there are so many nuances to his game," Conklin said. "I mean, those are all just a lot of little situations that can really add up for everybody."