With one high-priced New York Jets free agent watching his season end prematurely, another big acquisition will need to step up for a rebuilding Gang Green.
With the excruciating loss of edge rusher Carl Lawson for the season due to a torn Achilles, more pressure will be put on New York's young offensive crew. Unfortunately, there is no one-for-one replacement for Lawson on the Jets roster. As good as Robert Saleh and his scheme is, watching its best pass rusher go down before the season started is a mortal blow to an already questionable defense.
Naturally, the weight will ratchet up on rookie quarterback Zach Wilson and the offense. One player who will need to shoulder a lot of that burden is receiver Corey Davis, whom the Jets signed to a three-year, $37.5 million contract this offseason.
During camp, Davis has reportedly gotten open with ease and been one of the more consistent players. Following Thursday's joint practice with the Green Bay Packers, during which the wideout caught a TD pass, Davis said his rapport with Wilson is coming along.
"I feel like it's definitely getting there," Davis said, . "We've made a lot of huge strides in the last week and a half, two weeks. Zach is a lot more comfortable in the pocket, delivering the ball really accurately. My part, I'm getting open, creating a lot more space for him to make it easy. We're definitely getting there."
In the preseason opener last week, Davis and Wilson gave a glimpse of what could be in store. The duo connected on a pair of 9-yard passes in limited reps, including making a third-and-6 out route look easy.
For all the excitement early in camp about rookie Elijah Moore, Davis will play a crucial role in any step forward the Jets make in their first season under Saleh. The former No. 5 overall pick can beat CBs in one-on-one matchups. He showed that in Tennessee last year.
How quickly Wilson grows and how bumpy his rookie campaign runs will depend significantly on how the chemistry with Davis cultivates in the coming weeks.
