EA: While we almost assuredly will spent most of Thursday night/Friday morning examining the games of both Sam Darnold and Teddy Bridgewater, I want to see how the offensive line performs. The unit is now squarely on the radar of most fans and folks following the club. They are breaking in a new system under offensive line coach/run game coordinator Rick Dennison and the Green & White's starting unit may have two new faces for their second preseason contest. With Kelvin Beachum (foot) back home in Florham Park, Brent Qvale continues to be the first guy up at left tackle. The other relevant piece in Richmond was Brian Winters didn't participate in the past couple of Jets-Redskins joint sessions and the first guy through at RG has been Jonotthan Harrison. Typically the center anchoring the second unit, Harrison could receive some valuable game reps with the first team in between C Spencer Long and RT Brandon Shell. If you are going to deal with injuries up front, now is the time. But the loss of Ben Ijalana, who was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, puts the tackle position into focus. Ijalana was a swing guy who could be counted on in a pitch. Lastly, Long makes his return to FedExField after playing his first four seasons with the 'Skins. He didn't line up with Darnold against the Falcons, but that probably will change Thursday. You want to see good communication there and crisp exchanges.
RL: Something that would help the QBs — Sam Darnold, especially if he gets the starting nod from HC Todd Bowles, but also Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater — would be to develop more rapport with the Jets' young yet still experienced WR corps. Specifically, Robby Anderson seems to me to have had a quiet camp so far. He showed his pro potential two years ago when, as a free agent rookie, he caught six balls for 131 yards and his first pro TD (a 42-yard longball from Bryce Petty) also against the 'Skins at FedEx. Against Atlanta, Jermaine Kearse had one reception, a nifty fourth-down grab for a first down from Bridgewater, but that was all. Quincy Enunwa has been out with a cast on his hand and Terrelle Pryor will sit again as he continues work on his ankle. Darnold throwing to Charles Johnson was nice last week, but it would be nicer still to see Robby get rolling for a half in ESPN's national spotlight against the likes of one-time Pro Bowl CB Josh Norman and younger guns Quinton Dunbar and Fabian Moreau and sync up with whichever QB is winging it his way Thursday night.
EG: New Jack City may be one of the best units on the team and perhaps across the league, but there's stiff competition towards the bottom of the depth chart. At cornerback, Trumaine Johnson, Morris Claiborne and Buster Skrine lead the group, but who will emerge from the pack after that? Rookie Parry Nickerson flashed at practice, but he hasn't been on the field the past two weeks because of a tweaked hamstring. Second-year corner Derrick "Bones" Jones also flashed as he's recorded a number of interceptions, but let's see how he plays in the game. What does fellow sophomore corner Jeremy Clark have in the tank? Clark didn't play last season as he recovered from a torn ACL at Michigan. Darryl Roberts and Juston Burris received significant playing time the last two seasons. Rashard Robinson had a nice week of practice. The final roster spots at corner could boil down to who performs best on special teams. There are a lot of players competing for only a couple spots and we're at the midway point of the preseason.
