The Jets began their mandatory minicamp Tuesday in Florham Park. While players won't practice in pads until training camp opens in late July, HC Aaron Glenn has seen incremental progress from his group throughout the spring.
"You just don't win jobs when it comes to OTAs," Glenn said. "But I would say this – the mental part of what we're doing, I think our guys have done a really good job of that and when I say that I'm talking about schematically, of understanding exactly what we're trying to do on offense, understanding exactly what we're trying to do on defense. I thought special teams guys had a really good understanding of that already. And the thing is we're steadily building on that. The mental part is where I wanted to make sure we made a huge jump because we knew it was new and our guys did a good job of that."
Most of the session was a walk-through with a heavy red zone emphasis. The competitive period featured a two-minute situation.
After position specific drills, the Jets focused on the red zone. QB Geno Smith found a leaping WR Adonai Mitchell in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. Smith targeted Mitchell a few other times during practice, and their connection continues to develop.
"AD is a great young talent and he's a super hard worker," Smith said. "We've made some plays on the field, but all those guys, you know, just the way that we work and prepare, I'm really happy about that and I'm really excited for AD. He's going to be a special player for a long time."
Mitchell caught another touchdown toward the end of practice from Bailey Zappe with S Jarius Monroe in coverage. Smith also had multiple completions to TE Mason Taylor, WR Garrett Wilson and one to rookie WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Smith, 35, is a career 65.2 percent passer who has averaged 3,812 yards passing in his past four seasons as a starter (SEA 2022-24, LV 2025).He has impressed coaches and his teammates with both his mastery of Frank Reich's offense and his approach on the field and in the locker room.
"His leadership, his command of the offense and I would say more than just the leadership on offense – just how he operates in the locker room," Glenn said. "I'm excited to have that player and you can see the maturity in him. You can see how he's grown over the years and he's really rubbing off on a lot of guys here, so I'm excited to see what he brings to the table."
Defensively, the Jets did not make things easy. CB Nahshon Wright nearly intercepted Smith's pass intended for TE Chase Curtis in the red zone. Later in a two-minute situation, Smith targeted Wilson deep down the left sideline on fourth down, but CB Brandon Stephens broke up the pass before Wilson could fully control it. As practice was wound down, LB Demario Davis had an interception on a pass up the middle from Zappe.
Homegrown
Last July, the Jets signed star wideout Garrett Wilson (25) to a multiyear contract extension. Over the past month, Green & White locked up RB Breece Hall (25) and RG Joe Tippmann (25) to multiyear deals as well.
"We want to keep our players – we want to keep our guys who are homegrown and we like good players too," Glenn said "This is something me and (GM Darren Mougey) talked about in great length to make sure we reward the guys who want to be Jets, we reward the guys who act like Jets because that helps you turn your franchise around and we're doing everything we can to make sure that happens. We have a ways to go – we understand that. But we understand there is a process about going to do things that we try to make sure we follow that process."
While Wilson (Rd 1, No. 10) and Hall (Rd 2, No. 36 overall) were members of the Jets 2022 Draft Class, Tippmann (Rd 2, No. 43 overall) joined the Green & Whtie a year later.
Jetscetera
Rex Ryan, who was the Jets HC from 2009-14, attended practice. Ryan, the son of former Jets defensive assistant Buddy Ryan and the father of Jets passing game coordinator Seth Ryan, was part of the staff that drafted Geno Smith in 2013. "It was so special," said Smith, a West Virgina product who was selected in the second round (No. 39 overall). "Any time I get to talk to Coach, it just brings back the nostalgia. All those things we fought together and obviously he was part of the staff that gave me my first opportunity in the NFL and I'm forever grateful for that. Any time I get to see Coach I'm excited." … With Glenn installing a new defensive system along coordinator Brian Duker, the Jets revamped the middle of their attack with the trade acquisitions of NT T'Vondre Sweat and S Minkah Fitzpatrick plus the signing of veteran LB Demario Davis. "Any time you can build your defense to where the middle of your defense is just stacked and when I say that – you have Sweat, you have Demario and then you have a safety, Minkah. When the middle of your defense is sound, that's a good point to have," Glenn said. … The Jets held rookie QB Cade Klubnik (back spasms) out of practice Tuesday for precautionary reasons.
