Following the Jets' second open OTA of the offseason, star DT Quinnen Williams was asked about QB Aaron Rodgers, who is entering his 20^th NFL season.

"Twenty years – I didn't know that," Williams said with a smile when responding to ESPN's Rich Cimini. "Aaron. 20 years in the NFL? Man, isn't our RB, No. 0 (Braelon Allen) 20 years old? So, he's been in the NFL as long as he's been alive. That's crazy, huh. I have to joke with him about that."

Rodgers, who spent his first 18 NFL seasons in Green Bay, was drafted a couple months before RB Allen, a fourth-round pick from Wisconsin, was born. The four-time NFL MVP hit Allen for a completion in a team period Wednesday and the 6-1, 235-pound Allen also took a pitch from Rodgers. Then following the session, Williams lifted alongside Rodgers in the weight room.

"To see how hard he works, to see how much he loves football, to see how smart he is, how much he pours into our team and pours into football is unbelievable," Williams said. "And that just trickles off to everyone else and makes everyone else better because he makes the captains better and the captains make the unit better. Having him on our team has been unbelievable, so 20 years is a lot of experience."

Rodgers is good for making at least 1-2 wow passes every practice and he connected with TE Kenny Yeboah deep down the seam in 7-on-7 work. Safety Chuck Clark wasn't in poor position on the play, but the throw was just too good.

No Timeline on WR Mike Williams
Last September, wideout Mike Williams sustained an ACL tear during the Chargers' Week 3 victory over the Vikings. Williams, who signed with the Jets in free agency, is continuing his rehab program at 1 Jets Drive this spring.

"He is progressing," HC Robert Saleh said. "He does look good, but I don't have a timeline."

Garrett Wilson, the only Jet to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons, likes the new additions of Williams and Malachi Corley to the wide receiver room.

"I'm excited to see it at full health," he said. "I haven't gotten to see all the guys out there at once. I feel like we have a great group and the No. 1 thing is how can we stay healthy and how can we all be out there on the field. Having depth like this and the group we have is going to help us, having guys who can do different things, that can catch the ball and go over the middle, all types of things that is going to take some of the strain off all of us. It's a good group."

Corley, whom the Jets moved up in the third round to select, did not participate in team periods after walking off the field with a trainer early in the session.

"The boy's a brute and once he catches that ball – he's got great instinct of where this defense is going to be at, how to make someone miss," Wilson said of Corley. "Like I said, he can go over the middle, take hits. I'm excited to see him run with the ball once we have pads on because I know I wouldn't be trying to tackle him man. He looks like a prime little bowling ball out there, so I'm excited."

Tarik Cohen Arrives in Florham Park
Injuries have limited Tarik Cohen to just three games since 2020, but he'll get his chance with a Jets this spring. Following the 2018 season, Cohen was named to the Pro Bowl roster and earned first-team All-Pro as a return specialist.

"Tarik, explosive playmaker. He's starting to get back healthy," HC Robert Saleh said. "You know with the new kickoff rules, these kick returners are going to touch the ball over 100 times a year which is significant, at least that's what we're anticipating. And a guy like him, he's still young obviously coming off his injuries but we're excited to have him aboard."

Cohen (28), who averaged 1,390 all-purpose yards and totaled 11 TDs with the Bears from 2017-19, spent some time on the Panthers practice squad last season.

Saleh said of the return competition: "It is an open battle, but Xavier Gipson did it for us a year ago, so he's going to get first dibs. But you've got two guys back there now. It's an interesting set of rules and something we're all excited to learn more about as we go."

New Offseason Structure
Speaking of OTAs, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported this week that the NFL Players Association is working on a proposal to overhaul the offseason program as soon as 2025. The major change would include the elimination of voluntary on-field spring work in favor of a longer training camp ramp-up that would see players report in mid-June to early July.

"I think what, in my opinion, what causes a lot of these injuries early in camp is the fact that you've got 40 days off where guys aren't really doing football stuff," HC Robert Saleh said. "They're working out, but they're not really locked in the football. They're at the beach, they're being kids, which they should be. But those 40 days, and then you're boom, right in the training camp and that one-week acclimation period that we have to start training camp. It's not nearly enough to get these guys going. So, I'm for it as long as we're able to maintain the work that needs to be done to continue to develop these young men the way they need to be developed."

Jetcetera
On the first play in 11-on-11 action, CB Sauce Gardner read a screen pass from QB Aaron Rodgers to Tyler Conklin and recorded a would-be TFL. … A few plays later, rookie RB Isaiah Davis found a seam on the right side for a 15-yard gain. … Rodgers ripped a pass across the middle to WR Garrett Wilson, who made a diving grab in traffic. … On a stretch run to the left, DE Will McDonald got into the backfield for a TFL. … In the final red zone period, rookie CB Qwan'Tez Stiggers had good coverage on a fade pass to WR Allen Lazard, and on the next play LB Quincy Williams knocked a ball loose from Conklin in the back of the end zone. … K Greg Zuerlein went 5-fo-5 on field goals, hitting from 29 yards twice along with single makes from 38, 45 and 52. … RB Breece Hall, WR Irvin Charles and FB Nick Bawden worked out off to the side.