When the Jets begin preseason action Saturday night against the Packers in Green Bay, HC Aaron Glenn will continue to emphasize the playstyle over the playbook.

"Every time we go on the grass, the first thing I expect is to win," Glenn said following Thursday's practice. "I do, but I expect to win in ways that we really talk about what we're trying to create during camp. I don't want to ever go out in a game and everything that we talk about trying to build as far as how we're trying to get this team to operate. I want to make sure that's showing up on the tape, if that makes sense, and that's important to me. Listen, I want the score to be in our favor, I do, but more or less than anything, I want the things that we're trying to create to show up every play that we're out there, and that's what I'm looking for."

Glenn wants a roster full of smart, tough, aggressive, resilient and disciplined players. The Jets will head to Green Bay with 90 players but in 2.5 weeks they'll have to get that number down to 53 in addition to a practice squad maximum of 16. Quarterback Justin Fields, in line to start the regular season opener Sept. 7 against the Steelers, spoke earlier this week about the benefit of summer game experience.

"I think we need to at least see the field each and every game," Fields said. "I think that will be good for our team, it will be good for Tanner [Engstrand] in the in-game stuff, it will be good for me, the guys on offense. I don't think, I know some guys, they sit out the whole preseason, but I don't think that's the case for us. Just because of the new team, new offense, and stuff like that. So, that's kind of how I feel about the situation."

The Jets have held 12 practices in camp, and principles and fundamentals have been stressed at every turn. The good teams block and tackle well and Glenn's workouts have been highlighted by their physicality and pace.

"I see it in our compete level, in our compete level," said special teams coordinator Chris Banjo. "When you talk about what AG stresses and, like you just said, his personality, I think it becomes very, very infectious and that starts to spread, and you kind of start to see the juice from guys at practice, the competitive talk. I won't use the word I wanted to use, but the competitive talking on the field. I think that all signifies what AG's kind of bringing, and again, the juice that they've been able to play with has been really, really cool to watch."

The Jets will bring the juice on Saturday, and you get the sense the starters would have been surprised if they were told they weren't playing.

"If you all look, we've been tackling in practice," said CB Sauce Gardner. "So, I was pretty sure that he was going to want us to be able to tackle another team. I'm embracing that and I'm looking forward to it. But I definitely was not surprised -- none of us were surprised when he said that."

More than half the Jets roster is composed of players with two years or fewer of professional experience. The Green & White have 21 rookies, 14 first-year players and 11 second-year players. While TE Mason Taylor (high ankle sprain) and CB Azareye'h Thomas (shoulder) will have to wait for their first pro action, most of the 2025 draft class will make their debuts.

"A lot of butterflies, for sure," said LB Francisco Mauigoa, a fifth-round pick (No. 162 overall) from Miami. "I'm going to soak it all in and just be in the moment. That's the main thing is just being in the moment, be where your fit is at, and I know it's going to be a very exciting moment."

The backdrop for the Jets' new beginning will be historic Lambeau Field. Packers HC Matt LaFleur also said his team will play starters during the teams' preseason opener.

"Lambeau is a special place if you haven't been there whether you're a player or fan," said veteran wideout Allen Lazard, who totaled 259 receptions and 20 TDs with the Packers from 2018-22. "If you just love football, there's no better venue to go experience a football game than Lambeau Field, so I'll really be looking forward to that."

Glenn said it will be special leading his team out of a tunnel for the first time. But then it's time for football and all the Jets are embracing an opportunity to get started.

"I love football," Gardner said. "I'm obsessed with football, so any chance that I got to play I'm always going to love the idea of it."

Jetcetera
DTs Quinnen Williams (calf) and Byron Cowart (ankle sprain), TE Mason Taylor (high ankle sprain), QB Tyrod Taylor (knee), CB Azareye'h Thomas (shoulder), WR-KR Xavier Gipson (shoulder) and LG John Simpson (back) all are not expected to play. … After QB Justin Fields exits, the Jets' options will be Adrian Martinez and rookie Brady Cook. … With Gipson down, rookie Jamaal Pritchett could get some opportunities at both return spots.

Austin McNamara, a first-year player from Texas Tech, is the only punter in camp and figures to have a great opportunity to take a stranglehold of the job in game action. "I think he's having a great camp, I think he's having a great camp," said special teams coordinator Chris Banjo recently of McNamara. "The biggest thing, right, with him that we're going to continue to work on is just the consistency aspect of it. Obviously, he's still a young pup in regards to the big picture of things, but he's been having a great camp in terms of how detailed he's been and trying to do what we've been asking him to do and accomplish…