Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET is the witching hour when several hundred players will be either cut, waived or released by the Jets and the other 31 NFL teams across when they reduce their numbers from 90 players and settle on their initial 53-man roster for the coming season. A16-man practice squad group (plus an optional 17th in the league's International Player Pathway Program) will come later, on Wednesday. An additional two players can be placed on injured reserve, but they must miss four games before being able to return to the roster.
Though Jets HC Aaron Glenn has been through the process for nearly 30 years as a player, scout, assistant and now head coach, the mental energy expended all around is a challenge.
"This time of the season is always the hardest part for any coach because you're trying to build a roster," Glenn said. "And man, there were a number of guys who were in camp with us, including OTAs, and all those who've been working their [expletives] off. You can only have 69, that's your 53 and 16 on the practice squad. So, there's a good amount of guys that you have to release and that's always tough for any coach.
"And I've said this before, my job is to hopefully be able to help those men get on another squad if possible. We're going through that process and the next thing that's happening with us is, man, we're still mentality-wise in training camp mode that we're trying to get better."
This is a "short" week in many ways. The players practiced on Monday, will participate in a walk-through on Tuesday and a practice on Wednesday before starting early on their Labor Day weekend with a day off on Friday.
One position of particular interest is the loaded wide receivers room. Garrett Wilson is a shoo-in at WR1, but there is a long list of competitors for WR2 and beyond. Fourth-round pick Arian Smith has made significant progress throughout the summer while Josh Reynolds, Tyler Johnson and Allen Lazard, who has been dealing with a shoulder injury, all are seasoned veterans. Others in the mix include Xavier Gipson, Brandon Smith, Malachi Corley and rookies Quentin Skinner and Jamaal Pritchett.
"There are a number of skill sets in that room, we can go down the line with the guys," Glenn said. "G-Dub [Wilson] -- he can do it all, we've talked about him. Arian has improved tremendously as far as understanding how to run routes and his hands have improved, J-Rey [Reynolds], man, the savvy vet who knows how to get open that can read zones, Lazard is a really good blocker in the slot. He's a big target [6-5] for our quarterbacks to be able to go up and get 50-50 balls. I can go down the list. Tyler is another savvy vet, kind of reminds me of J-Rey when it comes to being able to get open in the zones. There are a number of different skill sets within that room that we feel like we can take advantage of.
"It's always tough decisions. But you know what? I'd rather be in that position than when they're not tough."
Glenn, who has brought an intense, no-nonsense attitude to the organization and his players, said it's far from a one-man operation or decision because he's working with his assistants, GM Darren Mougey and scouts.
"You're always looking at everything when it comes to building your roster," he said. "And listen, we get input from a number of people within the building when it comes to our coaching staff, when it comes to the scouts. That's the best way to go about that and we have a process that I think is outstanding as far as getting information, me and Mouge [GM Darren Mougey] sitting around talking about it and then we're trying to hash out how we're trying to build this roster."
Speaking about the scouting staff, AG, who began his coaching journey as a scout for the Green & White, said: "I have all the confidence in the guys that we have and I know the work that's put in. I have a lot of trust in what those guys do because I know the work that's put in."
One of the HC's focus, along with input from STC Chris Banjo and others, is the status of special teams, a seemingly ever-changing group of men who can -- and will -- play a pivotal role in the outcome of games. Irvin Charles who flashed last season, remains on the Active/PUP List and Kris Boyd is on IR with a shoulder injury. That opens opportunities for players, particularly rookies, like Malachi Moore and Smith to make an impact. In the mix are several beefy and quick offensive linemen, cornerbacks and running backs like second-year men Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis.
"That's always important," Glenn said about special teams. "I look at that, I look at the versatility of the players as far as playing a number of positions and guys who actually can become the flag bearers when it comes to special teams and we have a couple of guys who have done a really good job of that. I think in today's age as far as being a starter, you still have to have special teams value. For example, our corners should be really good at being jammers on the punt return team. Our running backs have to have some value on being on the punt team as far as one of the wings and you guys have seen Isaiah [Davis] do that quite a bit. So, the more value you bring on special teams, that makes you more valuable as a player."
All the preparation, all the anticipation, all the planning and all the practices that began with OTAs in May through mandatory minicamp in June and training camp the past month are building toward the Jets' season opener against visiting Pittsburgh on Sept. 7.
"The season is on my mind and my team is on my mind," AG said. "The one thing I want to focus on [as I said earlier] is that this is a training camp practice for the most part and we're focused on us. At some point, we're going to introduce Pittsburgh, that's for me to let the players know and we'll go like that."
Jetcetera
On QB Tyrod Taylor (knee), CB Sauce Gardner (leg) RB Isaiah Davis (ankle) and WR Allen Lazard (shoulder) HC Aaron Glenn said: "I feel really, really good with the guys that were injured and where they're at right now. Obviously, there is a protocol they have to go through as far as getting themselves ready, but I do feel good about those guys."
