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Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff Writer
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — A look at what’s happening around the New York Jets:
1. Very Brady sequel? Aaron Rodgers, dubbed “the Oppenheimer of football” by teammate Tyler Conklin, has demonstrated a short fuse in training camp.
More vocal than last year, his first season in New York, Rodgers hasn’t been shy about airing out his feelings when there’s a mistake on the practice field. A four-time MVP and Super Bowl champion, he certainly has the street cred to behave this way.
This is noteworthy in the Jets’ universe because it has been a long time since they had this kind of leader at quarterback. Remember, they’re coming off six years of Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson, both young and laid back.
“I’ve heard stories of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady — not to compare them — but it’s the same thing,” coach Robert Saleh said of Rodgers’ sometimes fiery mentality. “The expectation and the standard is high. As a quarterback, he’s trying to operate at a certain level of efficiency, which means people around him need to be efficient at the same level. When he’s not feeling that as a group’s leader and voice, he voices his opinion.”
Actually, it conjures up memories of Hall-of-Fame coach Bill Parcells, who, in one of his first Jets practices in 1997, gathered his assistants on the field and chewed them out because he didn’t like the tempo at practice. A large crowd of spectators, witnessing the scene, roared its approval.
Rodgers is a demanding perfectionist who, at 40, probably feels a sense of urgency. He said he’s less combustible than he was as a young player, although he certainly seemed fired up during intense sideline conversations with wide receiver Garrett Wilson.
He also got in the face of center Joe Tippmann, which is interesting because they begin every practice with a “bro hug.” After that, it’s tough love. Tippmann got an earful the other day after a spate of errant shotgun snaps.
“He can take me jumping his ass a little bit and getting on him,” said Rodgers, who believes Tippmann has thick skin and All-Pro potential. “Sometimes you need to do that.”
Rodgers is trying to impose his will on a franchise that hasn’t produced a winning season since 2015, much like Brady did with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. Creative tension can be a good thing, but like most things in life, there needs to be a balance. If Rodgers pushes too hard, it could backfire.
For now, he has the respect of his teammates.
2. Not-so-Big Mac: Haason Reddick‘s holdout has provided the Jets with an opportunity to flaunt their depth at defensive end. After all, how many teams have the luxury of taking a former first-round pick off the bench and plugging him into the lineup?
Not many, except that’s not what’s happening.
Instead of inserting Will McDonald IV, they’re giving most of the reps to backup Micheal Clemons. McDonald, who played only 192 defensive snaps as a rookie, remains a question mark one year after being drafted No. 15 overall.
The Jets knew he was a project at the time of the draft, saying he’d be a force once he added weight. McDonald himself said at the end of last season that his goal was to return at 250-255 pounds. That didn’t happen. He weighs the same as last year, according to Saleh. He’s listed at 6-foot-4, 236 pounds, probably too small to be an effective, every-down player.
Everyone around the Jets is quick to defend McDonald, saying he has gained strength, if not pounds. In football, the proof is in the playing time. If he truly has improved as a player, he should see an uptick in reps. If not, it will cast an unflattering light on their draft decision.
3. Slot machine? Like every team in training camp, the Jets are trying to install new wrinkles on offense. By the regular season, don’t be surprised if you see Wilson in the slot more than past years.
In 2023, Wilson made 40 of his 95 receptions (42%) from the slot, an increase from 2022. That year, he made 29 of 83 (35%), per Next Gen Stats.
There’s a blueprint: Davante Adams was a force in the slot when he was putting up big numbers with the Green Bay Packers, which ran a similar offensive system. In 2021, Rodgers’ last MVP season, Adams scored seven of his 11 touchdowns from the slot. Wilson has studied those tapes.
4. Early trash talk: Wilson took note of a comment made by San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward, who, in a May interview on “Up and Adams,” acted like he didn’t know Wilson’s name.
“I saw it. That’s cool,” Wilson said. “They’re right, frankly. It’s all good. I haven’t done anything yet. I’m excited to have the opportunity to do it on them, get it rolling, right? That’s just how it is. Any opponent we play, that’s the mindset.”
The Jets face the 49ers in Week 1.
5. Missing zebras: One of the strangest sights over the first two weeks of camp — no officiating crews at practice. It was a staple in recent years, with the Jets employing local high-school officials to monitor practice. It created a game-like atmosphere, knowing flags would be thrown. Considering their penalty issues — the Jets led the league with 150 penalties — this figured to be the ideal camp to have officials on site. So why no officials?
“No particular reason,” Saleh said. “We feel like we were already talking about penalties and reviewing it with the guys in the film room, talking about what they can and can’t do.”
An NFL crew touring training camps, was scheduled to work Saturday’s Green and White practice, but it couldn’t get into town because of severe weather.
6. Greener pastures: With Tarik Cohen, 29, opting to retire, the ages of the Jets’ running backs are 23 (Breece Hall), 20 (Braelon Allen), 22 (Davis), 21 (Abanikanda) and 26 (Xazavian Valladay). That’s what you call a youth movement.
7. Joe to Joe: In the final episode of “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants,” we learn that general manager Joe Douglas called the Giants on draft night, trying to trade from No. 10 to No. 6. His offer wasn’t revealed on the show, but it was quickly rejected by Giants GM Joe Schoen. The sense is that wide receiver Rome Odunze, picked ninth by the Chicago Bears, was the player that Douglas coveted in that spot.
In 2022, Douglas made a draft-day trade with the Giants and it worked out nicely, as he moved up in the second round to pick Hall.
8. Important work for Rodgers: The Washington Commanders will be at the Jets’ facility on Thursday for a joint practice ahead of next Saturday’s preseason game at MetLife Stadium. It’s the first of three joint practices for the Jets, who also face the Carolina Panthers (Aug. 15) on the road and the New York Giants (Aug. 21) at home.
The team’s hope is that Rodgers gets enough quality work in the controlled practices that it eliminates the temptation to play him in the preseason.
Saleh said he’s leaning toward keeping Rodgers on the sideline for all three games, certainly the first two. “News to me,” said Rodgers, who seemed surprised that Saleh went public with his plan before discussing it with him. At the same time, Rodgers said it’s Saleh’s decision and he’s open to whatever he decides.
9. Audibles: Middle linebacker C.J. Mosley, the defensive signal caller, said he has more latitude this season to change plays at the line of scrimmage. That responsibility has evolved over the years, with the coaching staff gaining full trust in his ability. Mosley said there’s nothing better than seeing one of his audibles result in a big play. The first time was at Alabama, where one of his pre-snap checks allowed the Crimson Tide to sack Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel.
10. The last word: “When we get those little, tiny details hemmed up, we’re going to be really tough to stop.” — Rodgers on his chemistry with Wilson