With 2023 ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøtraining camps set to kick off the week of July 24, it's time to get up to speed on all 32 ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íøteams. Eric Edholm has the lowdown on position battles, key players and notable subplots across the AFC East:
Catch up on the New York Jets' offseason and 2023 outlook below ...
Training Camp Dates/Information
- Players report: July 19 (rookies & veterans)
- Location: Athletic Health Jets Training Center | Florham Park, New Jersey ()
Notable Roster Changes
| 2023 Draft class | Selection |
|---|---|
| Edge Will McDonald IV | Round 1 (No. 15 overall) |
| C Joe Tippmann | Round 2 (No. 43) |
| OT Carter Warren | Round 4 (No. 120) |
| RB Israel Abanikanda | Round 5 (No. 143) |
| LB Zaire Barnes | Round 6 (No. 184) |
| S Jarrick Bernard-Converse | Round 6 (No. 204) |
| TE Zack Kuntz | Round 7 (No. 220) |
Preseason ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íø
- Hall of Fame Game: vs. Cleveland Browns | 8 p.m. ET (NBC) on Thursday, Aug. 3
- Week 1: at Carolina Panthers | 4 p.m. ET (¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøNetwork) on Saturday, Aug. 12
- Week 2: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 19
- Week 3: at New York Giants | 6 p.m. ET (¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøNetwork) on Saturday, Aug. 26
2023 ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷Íø Notes
- Sixth toughest strength of schedule based on opponents' 2022 win percentage (.545).
- One of two teams to play three of their first four games at home.
- Will play five prime-time games (most by Jets since 2011).
-- ¹ú²úÍâÁ÷ÍøResearch
Subplots To Track
1) Can Aaron Rodgers deliver? He's been tasked with ending the Jets' 12-season playoff drought and bringing the team closer to its first Super Bowl in 55 years. That's a lot of pressure on the 39-year-old coming off an uneven season in Green Bay. We'll get to see his first camp with Gang Green play out on Hard Knocks, which should be fascinating.
Rodgers has friends with him, including offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett -- who coached him in Green Bay -- and some of his former Packers teammates. Also, there is a nucleus of talent established, namely in a star-studded 2022 draft class. The offense might not stack up with the Chiefs, Bengals and Bills in the AFC, but it looks like a functional enough group on paper. The Jets were 7-10 last season with a top-five defense and ineffective QB play. Even a moderate bump at the position should result in improvement.
2) The offensive line bears monitoring. GM Joe Douglas quietly retooled the operation -- from the starters to the bench, both inside and out, and even made a change with the position coach.Â
But they also brought back the core of last year's group, clearly banking on better health. There are still questions. Is Mekhi Becton ready to perform? Can Duane Brown be steadier in his age-38 season? Can second-rounder Joe Tippmann win the starting job and hold up to Rodgers' standards?
The healthy return of RG Alijah Vera-Tucker will be a big help, and the depth appears much better. Yet until this group performs ably -- in a new offensive system, no less -- it remains among the bigger issues this team is facing now.Â
3) Is there a worry in the offensive backfield? Breece Hall appeared to be on his way to the Offensive Rookie of the Year award before he suffered a torn ACL (teammate Garrett Wilson ended up winning that hardware). The Jets' young talent is exciting, but the immediate availability of Hall lingers. Head coach Robert Saleh has expressed optimism that Hall will be ready for Week 1, but there's no guarantee he'll be back by then. Who steps up in his place, if necessary?
It could be Michael Carter, but he regressed in 2022 and appears better in a third-down role. It could be Zonovan Knight, who faded fast after emerging around midseason. Or it could be rookie Israel Abanikanda, who was an explosive workhorse in college but is only 20 years old and might not be fully trusted yet.
Eventually Hall will return, and the Jets should be in good shape in the backfield. But if he misses time, navigating a wicked early season schedule could put the Jets behind in a highly competitive AFC East.
