The Jets held their second training camp practice on another beautiful morning in Florham Park. And shortly after the final rep in the opening team period, starting quarterback Justin Fields limped to the sideline with a dislocated toe on his right foot. Seasoned backup Tyrod Taylor quickly delivered a message that resonated with his teammates.
"He's a true vet, right? He's been in this league for a while but still plays the game like he's young," said RG Alijah Vera-Tucker on Thursday. "So, it's always great having him back there. He knows kind of when to step in and be a leader, and, you know, he's cool, calm and collected. I've always said that about him. So, if it came down to him playing, I'd have no issue with it."
It wasn't immediately clear how Fields injured his toe. On the final rep to conclude the first period, Fields stepped up in a crowded pocket and threw to rookie TE Mason Taylor. LB Quincy Williams had Taylor blanketed, forcing an incompletion as the ball hit the grass. But Fields, favoring his right foot, limped to the sideline, was treated by trainers in the injury tent and then was carted off the field.
Taylor, who will turn 36 on Aug. 3, is embarking on his 15th season in the NFL and second with the Jets. Serving as Aaron Rodgers' backup last season, Taylor had perfect production in limited action. Taylor completed each of his three possessions with TD throws, hitting on 17 of 27 for 119 yards. Taylor became the first NFL quarterback, starter or backup, since 1997 to have 2-plus TD and a 1.000 TD drive rate.
Taylor was sharp Thursday, connecting with Brandon Smith on a toss that the receiver corralled while extending to the ground during the first team period. In a later team period, Taylor threw a beautiful ball with anticipation that Garrett Wilson grabbed with LB Jamin Davis in close proximity.
"He brought us up," WR Josh Reynolds said of Taylor following Fields' departure. " It was more of, 'we've got to pick it up.' It was one of them vet things. 'It's not good enough.' It was good for him to do that, especially [with] what happened. For him to step up [and say] 'we've got to get this thing going.' "
A consummate pro, Taylor remains a dual threat. Although he might not have the same explosiveness as Fields with his legs, he can extend plays and pick up yards on the ground. And Taylor, a 61.9% career passing accuracy, he still throws one of prettiest long balls in the league.
"He's going to let it loose," said CB Brandon Stephens. "I think he showed that today. He came in and he's a vet, obviously, and he does what this team and these coaches expect. So, he came in and there didn't seem to be a drop off or anything."
While the Jets hope Fields quickly returns to action, they are confident Taylor can also lead them to victory.
"Truthfully, I didn't know he went down at first," Vera-Tucker said. "I saw Tyrod come in and lead us like the true leader he is."
See the Jets players on the field during the first week of practice during 2025 training camp held at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center.
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CB Brandon Stephens had a strong day in coverage, which included excellent coverage on WR Garrett Wilson along the boundary.
The dynamic tandem of Quincy Williams and Jamien Sherwood continue to showcase their explosiveness on each rep, covering sideline to sideline while Marcelino McCrary-Ball chipped in with an interception off a tipped screen pass. Andre Cisco applied quick pressure during the first team period for a would-be sack, and Jarius Monroe later recorded an interception.
"I thought today's practice was good, especially for the defense," said HC Aaron Glenn. "They came out energized because they know that the offense kind of took it to them yesterday. So, the defense came out and did a really good job."
While Harrison Mevis (the "Thicker Kicker") had a better morning than Caden Davis, both kickers had uneven performances. "[I want to see] just consistency for the most part," Glenn said. "And listen, this is early in camp, so I'm not going to sit and go crazy over the first day of our guys kicking. Listen, they're both good kickers. We saw what they did in college. We saw what they did in other football leagues, and they did a good job. So, I'm not about to just panic over first day. I'm going to talk to those guys and we're going to keep swinging at it and we'll pick the best one."
