New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson has already commanded a massive level of respect after just one season in the NFL.

Longtime former member of the Dallas Cowboys Dez Bryant called G-Dub, “Fantasy WR 1” on Twitter.

Bryant was then asked on Twitter who is his top-5 fantasy wideouts for the upcoming 2023 season.

He provided his list in “no particular order” but said these top guys “will lead the pack”:

• Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
• CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
• Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills
• Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
• Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

High Praise From a Former Top Wideout

Bryant was in the NFL from 2010 through 2020.

He was voted a first-team All-Pro in 2014 and earned three Pro Bowl nominations during his illustrious career.

If anyone would know a thing or two about playing the wide receiver position it would be Bryant.

In 119 career games, Bryant caught 537 receptions for 7,506 receiving yards and secured 75 touchdowns.

Bryant was routinely thought of as a top-flight fantasy wideout throughout his career. The same can’t be said about any member of the Jets over the last 12 years.

Mike Clay of ESPN ranked Wilson the No. 11 PPR preseason fantasy football wideout in 2023.

This is new territory for fans in the fantasy football community and members of the Jets alike.

According to Draft Shark’s projections, Wilson is expected to catch 91.1 receptions for 1,248 receiving yards and finish with 7.5 touchdowns in 2023.

Those figures would place third, sixth, and No. 15 all-time in a Jets single season if they came to fruition.

Wilson Gave Back to the Jets Community This Offseason

Wilson hosted a youth football camp on Sunday, June 25 in Highstown, New Jersey.

Rich Cimini of ESPN said there were about “300 campers on hand” and he noticed plenty of “No. 17” jerseys in the crowd.

Wilson’s camp offered three different price tiers for the youngsters in attendance ranging from $149.99 (champion’s package) to $399.99 (MVP package).

Those packages included photo ops, autographs, personal meet-and-greets, and the biggest offering included a camper going one-on-one against Wilson in a football drill in front of everyone in attendance.

100 percent of the proceeds from this event benefitted the “FlexWork Scholarship Fund.”

According to Wilson’s event details on his website, these funds will allow “disabled and disadvantaged youth the opportunity to attend our camps.”

During the camp, Wilson got to try out a new position as a quarterback throwing the ball around to campers.

Cimini took a nine-second video and you can hear the campers calling out to Garrett asking for the football during a passing drill.

After the camp came to a close, Wilson took to social media to send out a message to his 107,200 followers.

“It was my pleasure to be able to give back to the community who supports the JETS, and I. Thank you to everyone who contributed, and to all the kids for coming out today! We’ll do it again soon.”

Wilson will now enter his second professional season looking to improve upon his impressive rookie campaign.

Jets team reporter Caroline Hendershot said in an article posted on June 23 that Wilson has a chance to be one of if not the best receivers in the NFL next season.

With Aaron Rodgers at the helm, Wilson is going to have a legitimate shot to live up to that billing in 2023.

Each of the 32 NFL franchises is enjoying a final break before training camp hits in the month of July.

However, the New York Jets have plenty of work to do before the season arrives. Field Yates of ESPN said Gang Green has “one last offseason roster move” to complete.

Yates said defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and quarterback Aaron Rodgers “need new contracts.”

Williams Expected to Land Monster Contract Extension

Yates said the former Alabama standout has “emerged as one of the best players in the league.”

Williams is heading into the last year of his rookie contract and is set to make $9.5 million in base salary in 2023.

He held out the entire voluntary portion of the offseason and the mandatory portion was canceled by head coach Robert Saleh.

Jets analyst Joe Caporoso of “Badlands” predicted that Williams will land a new deal “between July 4th and [training] camp starting.”

Several defensive tackles signed massive contracts this offseason and Yates believes Williams’ new deal should be worth “at least $22.5 million per year.”

Only four defensive tackles in the NFL currently make at least $22.5 million per season according to Over The Cap:

• Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams, $31.6 million
• Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee Titans, $23.5 million
• Daron Payne, Washington Commanders, $22.5 million
• Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants, $22.5 million

Rodgers’ Contract Requires More Tinkering From Jets

Prior to being traded from the Green Bay Packers to the Jets, Rodgers altered his contract to make the trade happen.

Rodgers is owed $108.7 million over the next two calendar years and that includes “$101 million in guarantees”, according to Roster Management.

A-Rod “dropped his 2023 salary to $1.2 million” and he pushed the rest into 2024, per ESPN. According to Spotrac, he is set to receive $107.6 million in yearly cash next season.

Yates said Rodgers won’t be making “that little” in 2023 nor will he make that much “next year.” He said the two sides “will renegotiate revised contract terms in time.”

So it isn’t a matter of if but rather when this Rodgers deal is going to be reworked ahead of the season. The same can’t be said for the Quinnen situation.

He is under contract for 2023 and the Jets have the franchise tag in their back pocket. General manager Joe Douglas technically doesn’t have to extend Williams if he doesn’t want to. The Jets have team control over Williams for the foreseeable future.

However, if Douglas chooses not to that could create a potentially contentious situation in the locker room ahead of an all-in type of season which could prove detrimental.

Although the expectation from everything I’ve heard indicates both a Rodgers restructure and Williams extension is expected to happen before the start of the season.

Which situation happens first will be interesting to watch. In theory, Gang Green has the ultimate flexibility.

The Jets could make Quinnen’s cap hit very small in 2023 on a new contract allowing the team to eat more of Rodgers’ cap hit this season. Or they could do the opposite by making Q’s cap hit ginormous this season and small in other years.

Gang Green has the fifth most cap space in the NFL with $23 million, per Over The Cap.

https://www.youtube.com/live/BjBj3agsYhg?

Who is going to win the AFC East in 2023?

The Buffalo Bills have won three crowns in a row and are the prohibitive favorite to win it a fourth time this upcoming season.

Bet MGM has released the AFC East division winner odds ahead of 2023:

1. Buffalo Bills (+130)
2. New York Jets (+250)
3. Miami Dolphins (+275)
4. New England Patriots (+750)

Gang Green has been the team of the NFL offseason after acquiring Aaron Rodgers in a blockbuster trade with the Green Bay Packers. Could the Jets win the divisional crown for the first time in 21 years?

Well, that is exactly what we are going to debate about live on Tuesday, June 27 at 4:30 pm ET. You can watch the show right here on the article page [link at the top].

Paul ‘Boy Green’ Esden will represent the Jets and Emily Bicks will defend the Bills. They will go back and forth debating the merits of each squad.

Throughout the live show and during the lead-up to it, fans can comment and ask questions in our comment section below.

For a chance to be featured on the show, you must send your commentary in the comment section of this article. Load up the comment section ahead of time with all of your questions about the Bills and Jets.

Is there a certain weakness on either squad you want to be addressed on the show? What is your most pressing question? Heck, you can share your opinion on who you think is going to win the AFC East in 2023 and you can explain why!

Aaron Rodgers left the Green Bay Packers for the New York Jets in a blockbuster trade this April.

That move made him the biggest loser of the NFL offseason according to Mike Jones of The Athletic.

Jones said Rodgers got “what he wanted in his exit from Green Bay” but he also warned the future Pro Football Hall of Famer, “be careful what you wish for.”

“Yes, he got what he wanted in his exit from Green Bay and reunion with new Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, his former Packers OC,” Jones explained in a column posted on Friday, June 23. “He also gains a more potent cast of wide receivers. But in leaving the NFC for the AFC, he now has a significantly tougher road to the Super Bowl.”

Path Grew More Difficult for Rodgers in New York

Jones pointed out Rodgers’ inability to beat Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions in Week 18.

The task was simple for the Packers, beat the Lions and you’d punch your ticket to the postseason. Detroit ended up walking away with the 20-16 victory over Green Bay ending its season in Lambeau.

Jones said if he struggled to beat the Lions, “what makes Rodgers think he can win a shootout with Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, Deshaun Watson, and Tua Tagovailoa?”

The other new difficult task Jones pointed out is the difference in divisional strength.

“After generally rolling through the NFC North annually, Rodgers will learn that winning a first-round AFC playoff game will be much more challenging — and that’s if Rodgers and the Jets even get out of the AFC East, where the Bills, Patriots, and Dolphins all boast tough defenses.”

Since 2011 the Packers have won 8 of the last 12 NFC North crowns. That guaranteed a home playoff game and in theory a favorable position in the postseason bracket.

However, that’ll prove much more difficult in his new location in New York.

The Jets have only won the AFC East once (2002) over the last 24 years. Over that same span of time, every other member of the division has won the crown at least twice.

Jets Crowned as Top Offseason Winner

In the same breath that Jones called Rodgers the NFL’s biggest loser, he crowned the Jets as the league’s top winner.

“Robert Saleh and company went from a gravely concerning quarterback situation to landing a future Hall of Famer at the position who now makes them must-see TV,” Jones said. “The Jets are all-in on their quest for a Super Bowl after their trade with the Green Bay Packers for Aaron Rodgers and the NFL has scheduled them for five prime-time contests plus the inaugural Black Friday game this fall.”

The AFC path appears more difficult on paper and the Jets own the NFL’s longest active playoff drought. However, New York has never had a quarterback of Rodgers’ capabilities so it’s difficult to judge its star-crossed history.

Last season the Jets won seven games in spite of its quarterback play. Instead Gang Green relied on the No. 4 overall defense in the league and a complement of young players on both sides of the ball.

The Jets retained the majority of its core roster this offseason and just added Rodgers. That has dramatically increased expectations and put New York immediately into the title conversation.

Rodgers didn’t move the Packers to the AFC, he joined a brand new team that has different strengths and weaknesses.

Consider this, Eric Edholm of NFL.com ranked the top-10 most complete rosters in the league back on May 22. The Jets were listed at No. 8.

The Packers weren’t featured on the top-10 list nor did they make the honorable mention section at the bottom of the article that featured an additional four teams.

The NFL Madden franchise’s newest video game will launch worldwide on August 18, 2023.

However, they might have a few things to fix before we get there.

New York Jets cornerback DJ Reed got a sneak peek at the video game version of himself and he wasn’t pleased.

“lol this ain’t me @EAMaddenNFL fix this”, he tweeted on June 23.

Reed then provided Madden some very detailed tips on how they can fix his character in the popular video game franchise.

“Let me help y’all out Madden: I have dimples, my eyes are more almond shape, I don’t have a cut in my eyebrow, & let me know what else y’all need [inserting a pair of laughing crying emojis], get me right.!”

Reed Might Already Be One of the Best Jets Free Agents of All Time

The 26-year-old signed a three-year deal with the Jets for $33 million on March 27 of 2022.

Reed said he felt “disrespected” by his old team’s contract offer in free agency. He was honest saying he wanted to stay with the Seattle Seahawks but it didn’t work out so he joined New York.

Reed talked a big game at his introductory press conference.

He said it’s “obvious” that he is a CB1 and he said his stats compare favorably to some of the best in the game.

Reed didn’t just talk the talk, he also walked the walk in 2022.

The Kansas State product started in all 17 games and delivered a career campaign. He registered one interception, 12 pass deflections, and a forced fumble.

Reed got a 77.5 coverage grade in 2022 from PFF and Dalton Wasserman ranked him among the “biggest free agent bargains” from 2022.

Beyond his on-field contributions, Reed might have delivered for the Jets at a higher clip off of the field.

Sauce Gardner admitted to Jets team reporter Caroline Hendershot that he probably would have been just an “average rookie” without the guidance of Reed throughout the season.

Sauce ended up winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award and ascended to the top of the cornerback rankings in the NFL.

Reed Wasn’t the Only Jet Who Had Issues With Madden

Madden doesn’t come out for a few months, but typically the franchise “has released a closed beta” version of the game early so fans can test “out the new product”, per Chris Studley of Dexerto.

That allowed Twitter user J. Gray to take a look at several Jets players in the video game franchise.

Veteran tight end CJ Uzomah is among the worst. The video game version looks nothing like the real one and social media let the Madden franchise have it.

“AINT NO F***** WAY [laughing crying emoji] @EAMaddenNFL fire your designers.”

Another Twitter user bluntly said, “this is honestly the worst one I have ever seen. @cj_uzomah did you refuse to let them use your likeness?”

According to Twitter user J. Gray who revealed all of the Jets players on social media, all of these face scans are from 2023. Apparently, Madden doesn’t update those in the closed beta version of the game.

However, that is no excuse for these player scans to be this off. The facial structures and flaws of these video game characters aren’t consistent with what they actually look like and that hasn’t changed from 2022 to 2023.

Free agent NFL running back Dalvin Cook followed the Owner of the New York Jets this week on Twitter.

It didn’t take long for Woody Johnson to return the favor with a follow of his own on the bird app.

Jets Social Media Speculates on Cook-Johnson Twitter Activity

Johnson has over 64,800 thousand followers on his Twitter account, but he only follows 74 people on the planet.

The Jet Press pointed that out and also revealed that his most recent follow is Cook.

Jets content creator Matt O’Leary did a video on YouTube where he openly asked if Johnson’s social media is “hinting at a Dalvin Cook signing?”

Cook’s most recent like on Twitter was a Johnson tweet where he reminisced about Pro Football Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson being in New York.

LT at 31 years of age joined a Jets team hoping to win a world championship in 2010. Could Cook be hoping for a similar career path?

Another recent like by Cook on Twitter was regarding a report from ESPN NFL Insider Dianna Russini. She said on NFL Live that the Jets have been “doing their homework” on the talented running back in free agency.

The Jets aren’t the only team that Cook has been interacting with on social media.

If you scour his likes on Twitter you’ll find plenty of connections to the Miami Dolphins. Ultimately this could become an AFC East arms race between Miami and New York.

The last competition of significant note between these squads was for the services of wide receiver Tyreek Hill in 2022.

Cook Reveals Some Interesting Details in New Interview

During a new interview this week on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Cook name-dropped both the Dolphins and Jets as possible destinations he could land with this offseason.

“You know, a lot of people got me pegged going back home [to the Dolphins],” Cook said via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on June 22. “A lot of people got me going to the Jets. It’s all over the place right now, but what’s gonna be important for me is just going to that right situation and helping somebody turn the page.

I want to go and be the piece that can just help somebody win and get over the hump and whatever that situation comes with, if it comes with me taking less reps, but me being in the perfect situation to hold up that trophy, I don’t mind. I just wanna go somewhere I can just get the ball and just help somebody win, and turn the next page.”

This is the first time that Cook has admitted publically that he would be willing to take fewer reps in the right situation.

The Jets have the necessary cap space to give a competitive offer to the former Florida State product. However, the potential issue could be the presence of Breece Hall. He is recovering from a torn ACL but eventually will be healthy.

Would Cook be willing to share the rock with someone else? Apparently, the answer to that question is yes and that won’t be a hindrance in a potential pairing with the Jets.

New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson was issued some extra homework this offseason.

Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett revealed the hilarious details during a conversation with NFL Insider Peter Schrager.

“We [a bunch of Jets coaches and Aaron Rodgers] had a little barbeque and we had this long conversation going through this whole process of movies,” Hackett explained on “The Season with Peter Schrager.”

“We’ve got Zach Wilson [and] Tim Boyle and they’re like what movies are those? You should have seen the list that we built for their summer… you know how there used to be a summer reading program? We created a summer movie list. So we ended up setting it up by genre. I mean there were so many things that they hadn’t seen.

The movies that like blew my mind, I mean it was funny because my son was there [15 years old] and he had never seen “The Terminator.” They looked at me and they’re like Arnold Schwarzenegger? What has he been in? Because they look at him and he was the governor of California. You forget these guys are so young. Oh my gosh, we need a major education.”

Rodgers and Wilson Getting Along Great in Jets QB Room

“I mean Shawshank Redemption? There were so many different things that we were like okay we have to make sure that we get all these things down and the guys had seen a couple of them,” Hackett said on the program. “We kind of went a little overboard but we figured it could last longer than the summer.”

Schrager jumped in and added, “I’m laughing because I’m picturing you’ve got like Zach Wilson who is 22. Chris Streveler who has been all over the world playing football. You’ve got this great room and then there’s Rodgers calm in the corner just probably throwing out [movie] titles.”

At the end of the 2022 season Jets head coach Robert Saleh advised his young passer to get away from football this offseason.

“Sit on a beach, read a book and reset” Saleh said via Brian Costello of the New York Post.

When the former No. 2 overall pick spoke to the media on June 9 for the first time since the season ended, Wilson seemed like a different man.

Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic told me on “The Boy Green Show” that it felt like the pressure and spotlight of his position had been lifted and he seemed looser.

Wilson Enjoying His Break From the Jets

In between learning the new offensive playbook and watching movie homework Wilson has been enjoying some nice R&R this offseason.

Nicolette Dellanno, Wilson’s girlfriend, shared photos on her Instagram on Thursday, June 23 that she was enjoying a vacation in the Bahamas with her man.

Saleh canceled the team’s scheduled three-day mandatory minicamp providing a 40-day break for his players ahead of training camp in the middle of July.

Wilson has been crowned the No. 2 quarterback behind Rodgers. Rosenblatt told me on “The Boy Green Show” that the only way that changes is if Wilson totally imploded during camp forcing the Jets to add another body to the room.

The upcoming 2023 season is perhaps the most anticipated in the history of the New York Jets franchise.

That sort of thing can transpire when you trade for Aaron Rodgers, a future member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Ahead of this epically hyped-up campaign, we decided to predict every single contest — and we’re giving you a chance to do the same, with a Heavy on Jets prize pack on the line. Watch the video above or read our picks below. Then leave a comment at the bottom of the post, and you’ll have a chance at a Heavy on Jets prize pack. (Scroll down for contest details.)

Full Jets 2023 Schedule Prediction

Managing editor for Heavy.com Ben Doody and Jets digital reporter Paul ‘Boy Green’ Esden Jr went back and forth during a video segment going game by game through the whole Gang Green schedule.

Boy Green:

Week 1 vs Buffalo Bills (Monday Night Football): Win.

Week 2 at Dallas Cowboys: Win.

Week 3 vs New England Patriots: Blowout win.

Week 4 vs Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday Night Football): Loss.

Week 5 at Denver Broncos: Loss.

Week 6 vs Philadelphia Eagles: Win.

Week 7 BYE WEEK

Week 8 at New York Giants: Win.

Week 9 vs Los Angeles Chargers (Monday Night Football): Win.

Week 10 at Las Vegas Raiders (Sunday Night Football): Win.

Week 11 at Buffalo Bills: Loss.

Week 12 vs Miami Dolphins (Black Friday Game): Win.

Week 13 vs Atlanta Falcons: Win.

Week 14 vs Houston Texans: Win.

Week 15 at Miami Dolphins: Loss.

Week 16 vs Washington Commanders: Win.

Week 17 at Cleveland Browns (Thursday Night Football): Loss.

Week 18 at New England Patriots: Win.

Final record for Jets in 2023: 12-5

Ben Doody:

Week 1 vs Buffalo Bills (Monday Night Football): Win.

Week 2 at Dallas Cowboys: Win.

Week 3 vs New England Patriots: Shellacking win.

Week 4 vs Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday Night Football): Loss.

Week 5 at Denver Broncos: Win.

Week 6 vs Philadelphia Eagles: Loss.

Week 7 BYE WEEK

Week 8 at New York Giants: Win.

Week 9 vs Los Angeles Chargers (Monday Night Football): Win.

Week 10 at Las Vegas Raiders (Sunday Night Football): Win.

Week 11 at Buffalo Bills: Blowout loss.

Week 12 vs Miami Dolphins (Black Friday Game): Win.

Week 13 vs Atlanta Falcons: Win.

Week 14 vs Houston Texans: Win.

Week 15 at Miami Dolphins: Loss.

Week 16 vs Washington Commanders: Win.

Week 17 at Cleveland Browns (Thursday Night Football): Loss.

Week 18 at New England Patriots: Win.

Final record for Jets in 2023: 12-5.

Jersey Giveaway, Jets Prize Pack Schedule Prediction Contest

Now you’ve read and heard what we think is going to transpire this season for the Jets in 2023, but what do you think?

Dive into our comment section below on this article and share your game-by-game predictions for the Jets’ schedule. We’re doing an epic contest to see who really has a crystal ball.

If you end up predicting the correct record that the Jets end up with this season you’ll be entered into a raffle to win a massive Heavy on Jets prize package with some amazing gifts including a Gang Green jersey of your choice.

However, if you end up with the correct record and correct path (picking exactly which games the Jets end up winning and losing) you will win the whole thing on the spot and no raffle will be necessary.

For your entry to count the full game by game Jets 2023 prediction must happen in our comment section below. Good luck!

The New York Jets’ fears were realized this week.

Adam Schefter of ESPN shared on Twitter that “further testing confirmed” that veteran safety Chuck Clark suffered a “season-ending torn ACL during practice earlier this month.”

Gang Green initially feared that was the injury, but Clark and the team sought additional medical opinions to confirm.

Jets Will Have to Move on With Its Safety Room in 2023

Gang Green acquired Clark in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens on March 15. The Jets sent a 2024 seventh-round pick in exchange for the veteran defensive back.

He was projected to start alongside fellow veteran Jordan Whitehead at the two safety spots. However, this injury news will prevent that from transpiring in 2023.

Prior to this announcement from Schefter on Thursday, June 22, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic provided a spark of hope.

On “The Can’t-Wait Podcast” on June 14, Rosenblatt said if the Jets made a playoff run there is the potential that Clark could possibly return to the field for the Jets. It’s unclear if that remains the case after this injury news.

“According to a 2019 study published in the National Library of Medicine, the average time between ACL tear and return to play among NFL players was almost 50 weeks.”

However, there have been cases where players have been able to return to the gridiron sooner than that projected timeline.

For instance, former Clemson Tigers wide receiver Amari Rodgers tore his ACL on March 25, 2019, and was able to return in “less than six months”, according to Bill Huber of Packer Central.

The more than likely story is Clark is out for the 2023 season and he will be a full-go for 2024 if everything goes right.

The former Virginia Tech product is entering the last year of his $15.3 million contract in 2023. He is set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2024.

Adrian Amos Has a Lot to Live up to for Jets

Clark never got a chance to play a down for the Jets in 2023 due to his offseason injury. Despite that, expectations were high for the veteran coming in.

The former Ravens’ safety was on a 1,248 consecutive snap streak spanning across two-plus NFL seasons. In his six-year career, Clark appeared in 94 out of 96 possible games. He was expected to bring that experience and reliability to the Jets.

Now that task falls at the feet of Adrian Amos who was signed to a one-year deal with a maximum value of $4 million.

The initial belief was Amos would join a talented safety room that featured Whitehead and Clark to provide invaluable depth. However, the thought process completely changed when the Clark injury news was revealed just a few hours later.

Amos was now set to replace Clark, not join him in the secondary.

Amos is coming off a down year with the Green Bay Packers. There were significant drop-offs in nearly every major category according to Pro Football Focus from 2021 to 2022.

2022 PFF Grades

• 53.4 overall
• 69.7 run defense
• 60.7 pass rush
• 45.6 coverage

2021 PFF Grades

• 74.7 overall
• 77.2 run defense
• 60.9 pass rush
• 74.1 coverage

Is that a player at 30 years of age who is falling off of a cliff? Or is that a player who just had an off-year? The Jets are certainly hoping and betting that it’s the latter.

The New York Jets might not be done adding star talent to its roster ahead of 2023.

Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report evaluated the top potential trade packages for Minnesota Vikings pass rusher, Danielle Hunter. One of the teams that cracked the list was the green and white.

New York Jets receive: defensive lineman Danielle Hunter

Minneosta Vikings receive: a 2024 third-round pick, a 2024 fourth-round pick, and a 2025 fifth-round pick

Jets Willing to Be Aggressive to Win a Super Bowl in 2023

Davenport described the Jets as an “aggressive” team this offseason.

“The acquisition of Aaron Rodgers indicates that they are tired of being a tomato can. This is a team that wants to compete in the AFC in 2023,” he said in an article posted on Tuesday, June 13.

Dianna Russini of ESPN told “Get Up” host Mike Greenberg on Wednesday, June 21 that the Jets will “explore everything, that’s the point they’re at, they’re all in.”

Due to the acquisition of Rodgers this offseason by the Jets, they don’t have their top draft picks to utilize in 2024.

New York sent a conditional 2024 second-rounder that could become a first-rounder to the Green Bay Packers if A-Rod plays 65 percent of the offensive snaps. That means both of those picks are considered frozen assets and can’t be used in any other trades.

This means if the Jets want to pull off any big-time trades this offseason they’ll have to get creative like they did in this proposed deal with the Vikings.

Hunter Could Provide the Jets With a Higher Ceiling Pass Rusher

Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic confirmed on Tuesday, June 20 that the Jets have received trade calls regarding defensive lineman Bryce Huff.

He was a healthy scratch for the first three games of the 2022 season in part because of his physical limitations. Huff stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 255 pounds. He has struggled against the run and registered a 64.9 run defense grade last year.

On the other side of the coin, Hunter is taller at 6-foot-5 and slightly heavier at 263 pounds. The former LSU product also fared better against the run per PFF (73.7 grade).

Although the true reason the Jets would be bringing Hunter in is to go hunt opposing quarterbacks.

In his seven seasons in the pros, Hunter has recorded 71 sacks, seven forced fumbles, and over 112 quarterback hits.

The moment he arrives at the Jets’ facilities he would instantly become the most decorated pass rusher on the roster and the best one they’ve had in quite some time.

He is entering the final year of his $72 million contract and is set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2024. If the Jets decided to make a deal they’d have to make a decision.

They could let Hunter play out the final year of his deal in 2023 and decide next offseason. Gang Green would hold the franchise tag in its back pocket as a potential last resort tool to prevent the big man from hitting the open market.

Or they could simply extend him as part of the language of a trade. However, that could potentially ruffle some feathers with homegrown talent Quinnen Williams who is seeking his own long-term deal this offseason.

It will be complicated to figure out the contract situation, but the benefits outweigh the risks. Hunter’s presence would open up more things for Willaims and vice-versa. If the Jets are hellbent on making a Super Bowl run, the acquisition of Hunter could bring them one step closer.

A brand new addition for the New York Jets has continued to put in work even on his break away from the team.

Allen Lazard decided to go back to college this week despite not having any remaining collegiate eligibility.

The former Iowa State product was featured in four photos working out at the gym. These still shots provided a look at the big man’s jacked physique heading into his first year with Gang Green.

Lazard signed a four-year deal for $44 million during free agency. The contract featured $22 million guaranteed at signing.

Lazard Is Making an Impression During Jets Practice

Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic said Lazard isn’t a “freak athlete or particularly fast” based on what he has seen during media practice sessions.

While he isn’t standing out “like Garrett Wilson“, Rosenblatt believes he has brought a level of consistency to the wide-receiving group.

“He fairly consistently brings in deep passes when targeted,” Rosenblatt said.

Lazard isn’t coming to the Jets to fill a void as a No. 1 wide receiver. He is plugging in as a second or third option in the passing attack.

In five seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Lazard hasn’t wowed anyone with his statistical production but he has provided a nice floor. Lazard has caught 169 receptions for 2,236 receiving yards and has hauled in 20 touchdowns in his career.

Although the 6-foot-5, 227-pound wideout hasn’t had an individual season with more than 61 catches or 789 receiving yards.

Lazard Brings a Lot of Benefits to Jets Receiver Room on and off the Field

The former Iowa State product may be a very rich man now at 27 years of age, but it wasn’t always like that.

Lazard originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent back in 2018. Following that draft, he signed a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Four months later he was cut after not making the final 53-man roster. Lazard did receive a spot on the team’s practice squad. Not as glorious but better than being unemployed.

3.5 months later the Packers stole him off of the Jaguars practice squad and the rest is history.

There is a small percentage of players who make it in the NFL. There is an even smaller percentage of players who make it into the league as undrafted free agents. That is a compelling rags-to-riches story that Lazard can and has shared with the Jets wide receiver room.

Beyond inspirational pep speeches, Lazard was also brought in to help teach the Nathaniel Hackett offense to his teammates.

Hackett has been with Lazard for essentially his entire NFL career to date starting in Jacksonville to Green Bay to New York. The veteran’s experience in the system should help accelerate the learning process for some of his teammates in the room.

The last and final connective tissue worth mentioning is Lazard’s relationship with superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

A-Rod called him a “f****** great dude” when describing him during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” back on March 15.

Rodgers is attempting to build chemistry with a ton of his new teammates but there is no replicating the years of working together with Lazard. That should be an invaluable resource in situational football opportunities for the Jets in 2023.

The New York Jets could get two for the price of one.

Free agent running back Dalvin Cook revealed on “The Adam Schefter Podcast” that it would be “something epic for the NFL” if he and fellow free agent DeAndre Hopkins ended up “on the same roster.”

The Minnesota Vikings released Cook on June 9 and the Arizona Cardinals cut D-Hop on May 26. Both players are free to sign with any NFL team of their choosing at any time.

Cook’s Social Media Activity Causes Stir on Jets Twitter

On Monday, June 19 Cook had a very interesting like on his Twitter page.

Pat McAfee tweeted out a 3:54-minute video talking about all of the energy that is currently in the Jets building. Cook liked the video and social media was set ablaze. McAfee himself retweeted my screenshot of Cook’s social media activity to his 2.8 million followers on Twitter.

On Tuesday, June 20 Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic confirmed that the Jets are “exploring the possibility of signing” the suddenly available running back to a contract.

When head coach Robert Saleh was asked about the team’s potential interest in Cook on June 9 he said, “Obviously we’ll turn the stones over on that one.”

Cook when discussing what he is looking for in his next team on “The Adam Schefter Podcast” said, “I just want to go contend for a Super Bowl right now.”

The Jets have the seventh-best odds at +1600 to win the Super Bowl, according to Bet MGM.

Cook is seeking a “significant contract” on the open market according to NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero. That is something the Jets could afford however there might be a reality where Cook takes less money to have a better chance at a Lombardi.

NFL Media Personality Connects Hopkins to Jets

Longtime NFL media personality Charles Davis was recently going through some potential destinations for Hopkins in the latter stages of free agency.

At the end of the segment, he wanted to throw one more possible team in the mix to his co-host Paul Burmeister.

“The last one I’m going to throw at you Paul, this is one I’ve just been thinking about. I just wonder if Joe Douglas, the GM of the Jets, is done yet,” Davis wondered about on “The 33rd Team.”

Davis said he has heard the stories about Aaron Rodgers “not wanting to work with a ton of young receivers” and suggested Hopkins could be the solution.

“DeAndre Hopkins doesn’t qualify as young but he qualifies as Hall of Fame. I think Aaron would like that a lot because if you’re the Jets you still gotta get through Buffalo, Miami, [and] New England. The more weapons you have for that quarterback in this short amount of time the better,” Davis explained during the video segment.

“So I just wonder if Joe Douglas who has not been afraid of making a deal, might be one of those off-the-radar teams that we haven’t talked about yet.”

When Saleh was asked essentially the same question about the team’s potential interest in Hopkins he seemed to shoot it down saying “Nah” we love our current group.

However, it is important to note he also said he loved his running back room at the NFL’s owner meetings and now the team is investigating Cook in free agency.

The moral of the story is you can never trust what coaches say at press conferences.

So there might be a chance that the Jets walk away with both Cook and Hopkins this offseason. Gang Green has the fifth most cap space in the NFL with $23 million, per Over The Cap.

The New York Jets have considered hitting the eject button on one of its most promising players.

Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic shared in a column that was posted on Tuesday, June 20 that Gang Green has had multiple trade conversations about defensive lineman Bryce Huff.

“I’ve heard that teams have called the Jets about trading for Huff this offseason, though nothing has materialized,” Rosenblatt stated.

Jets Insider Predicted Huff Trade Rumors Would Occur

Earlier this offseason the Jets restructured Carl Lawson’s contract for the 2023 season.

The talented defender took a pay cut but in doing so increased the guaranteed total he would be making in the final year of his contract. That move ensured that he would be on the Jets roster this season.

Lawson became the fourth of the Jets’ top six defensive ends to have guaranteed money on their deals. He joined John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson, and Will McDonald, per Cimini.

The only two players among the top six that don’t have guaranteed money are Huff and Micheal Clemons.

Cimini said on May 18 that he “wouldn’t” be surprised if Huff “draws trade interest.”

Huff was a restricted free agent this offseason. The Jets placed a second-round tender on him.

If another NFL team had signed him to an offer sheet and Gang Green decided not to match they would have received a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

However, that never transpired and Huff ended up signing his tender. It is a one-year deal for $4.3 million, per Spotrac.

The former Memphis product is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent next offseason in 2024.

Huff Has Been Underutilized With Jets

The Jets considering trading away a 25-year-old “elite option as a sub-package pass rusher” as Rosenblatt describes seems crazy.

However, when you consider how the team has deployed him it isn’t as crazy as you think.

Last season the Jets made Huff a healthy scratch for the first three games of the season. Each week head coach Robert Saleh was asked why he chose to bench such a talented player and he provided unsatisfactory responses that didn’t seem to explain anything.

Even when Huff did play last year he only participated in 20 percent of the defensive snaps.

In three seasons with the Jets, Huff has recorded 7.5 sacks, 22 quarterback hits, and one forced fumble. Over that time span, he has appeared in 37 games but has only made seven starts.

This offseason the Jets traded for a future member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Aaron Rodgers. When you pull off a move of that magnitude you signal to your team and the rest of the league that you’re chasing a championship.

Teams that claim they’re contenders normally aren’t in the business of trading away 25-year-old talent. What could you possibly acquire that would be better than a young pass rusher with elite traits?

Huff received a 90.4 overall and 88.0 pass rush grade from Pro Football Focus for his contributions during the 2022 season.

If the Jets traded Huff for future draft compensation that would weaken the team in 2023. If this is an all-in season, you want to add more pieces to the championship puzzle, not take them away.

So far nothing has materialized from those trade conversations, but the fact that Joe Douglas fielded the calls and didn’t immediately hang up is interesting, to say the least.

The New York Jets could get creative to fill a future spot on the roster.

Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report wrote a column investigating some potential contract extensions each team in the NFL could explore ahead of 2023. He argued that it would be “wise” for Gang Green to extend veteran defensive back, Chuck Clark.

Clark suffered what is believed to be a serious knee injury during OTAs that could keep him sidelined for the 2023 season, per Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic.

The 28-year-old is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2024 once the 2023 season comes to an end.

Jets GM Joe Douglas Could Extend Clark This Offseason

It may seem odd on the surface for the Jets to consider extending a player who is injured and set to be a free agent next offseason.

However, the plan is so crazy it might just work as Dana Carvey once said in “The Master of Disguise.”

Clark previously said that he was content playing out the final year of his $15.3 million contract in 2023. However, he could have had a change of heart since his injury.

Clark is still seeking a second medical opinion, but things look “grim” on that front according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.

If the Jets offered a potential contract extension, Clark could secure his financial future during uncertain times.

While on the Jets’ side of things, they could get a very talented player at a potential discount. Knox also argued that it could be “easier” for the Jets to try and lock him in now instead of competing in a hotly contested free agent market in 2024.

According to Spotrac, four Jets safeties are set to become unrestricted free agents next offseason. That includes both of its projected starters Jordan Whitehead and Adrian Amos.

Clark Labeled Jets’ ‘Most Important Contract Extension Ahead of 2023’

A potential Clark-Jets extension makes sense. However, the assertion by Knox that Clark is the “most important contract extension ahead of 2023” for the Jets seems off base.

Often times the simplest answer is the correct answer.

Quinnen Williams is the most important decision left on the Jets’ itinerary this offseason ahead of training camp.

While the former first-rounder is technically still under contract through the upcoming 2023 season, he is eligible for a big-time extension right now.

Williams has skipped the entire voluntary portion of the Jets’ offseason programs. We don’t know if he would’ve skipped the team’s mandatory minicamp scheduled from June 13-15 because head coach Robert Saleh canceled it.

Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic told me on “The Boy Green Show” that he expects Williams to be in attendance for training camp regardless of his contract situation.

The 25-year-old originally entered the NFL as the No. 3 overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft.

Three of his peers from his own draft class have already received lucrative contract extensions this offseason:

• Ed Oliver, Buffalo Bills, $68 million
• Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants, $87.5 million
• Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee Titans, $94 million

Williams could be the next in line and Saleh displayed confidence when asked on June 6 if a deal will get done ahead of camp, “it’s going to get done.”

Notch another dub in the win column for Aaron Rodgers.

New York Jets wide receiver Randall Cobb revealed on “The Carton Show” that he was “considering retirement” this offseason and A-Rod coaxed him out of it.

“It was like a movie for me. I’m watching TV, I got my popcorn in my lap, and I was waiting to see how it all played out,” Cobb explained on the June 14 episode of the show.

“I had a feeling that it would be a good potential that [Rodgers] would have the opportunity to go to New York, but for myself I didn’t know how it was going to play out. I’m going into year No. 13 right now I didn’t know if I was actually going to play or not. I was actually considering retiring and then Aaron called me. [He was like] hey [New York] may be an opportunity here for you, we’ll see how it all plays out.”

Aaron Rodgers’ Jets Recruiting Pitch to Randall Cobb Revealed

Cobb sent a message to a group chat this offseason featuring a bunch of his former teammates and said, “I think I’m done.”

Longtime Green Bay Packers wide receiver James Jones revealed that Cobb said he was “50-50” on whether or not he would play football in 2023.

“When he told me it was 50-50, I said well you not done then,” Jones explained on “The Carton Show.” “You shouldn’t even be thinking about it if you 50-50. When I retired I knew. I was 97 percent done, I was up out of there. So when he said 50-50, I said you not done yet.”

Cobb said a simple Rodgers message this offseason sold him on continuing his football career.

“He hit me up and told me that he needed me. That is all I needed to hear,” Cobb said. “That let me know that I know I still have value to add as a player. I know I have value to add as a guy in the locker room. The things that you [referencing his former Packers teammates] did for me as a rookie now I’m able to give back to some of the younger players.”

Cobb originally entered the league as the No. 64 overall pick in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft. Cobb has been a teammate of Rodgers for 10 of his 12 seasons to date, 2023 will mark their No. 11 season together on the football field.

Garrett Wilson Revealed Jets’ Robert Saleh Pep Speech to Cobb

After the Jets signed Cobb it didn’t take long for his new teammates to let him know what transpired in 2022.

In Week 6 of last season, the Jets beat the Packers 27-10.

Craig Carton asked Cobb who was the first guy that reminded you about that?

“They definitely let me know, G-Dub was probably the first one,” Cobb explained on “The Carton Show.” “He came up to me [and said head coach Robert] Saleh had a whole speech. We played in London the week before we played [the Jets] last year and normally teams take a bye after London. You get to pick the team that you’re playing after the London game and he was like they chose us, they chose us! He let me know that they had us.”

Instead of the Packers taking a bye week after its game against the New York Giants in London in 2022 they decided to immediately play another game. Saleh used that as motivation heading into the game telling the team that Green Bay chose to play the Jets.

The New York Jets arrived just in the nick of time.

Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic said on “The Can’t-Wait Podcast” that veteran safety Adrian Amos was set to be a “Raven or a Packer and then the Jets came in with their offer.”

“He visited with the Ravens twice [and] I think they were only going to make him a third safety and the money wasn’t as good,” Rosenblatt explained on the June 14 episode of the show. “He was also considering going back to the Packers.”

Jets Swooped in Last Second to Sign Adrian Amos in Free Agency

“I don’t know exactly what day [the Jets] came in with the offer, but it was recent,” Rosenblatt stated on “The Can’t-Wait Podcast.”

Field Yates of ESPN revealed the pertinent details of the contract on Twitter. The Jets signed Amos to a one-year deal with a maximum value of $4 million. The base value of the deal is $1.75 million and that includes both the base salary and signing bonus.

In addition, $2.25 million was built into the deal. $900,000 of that money is considered LTBE [likely to be earned incentives]. The cap charge for Gang Green will be $2.65 million, per Yates.

Rosenblatt indicated that the Jets were very comfortable with rolling into training camp with their safety room as constructed. However, the signing of Amos was a “clear reaction” to the serious injury suffered by Chuck Clark.

Jets Free Agent Recruiting Pitch to Amos Revealed

Amos became the seventh former teammate of Aaron Rodgers to join the Jets roster:

• Malik Taylor, wide receiver
• Adam Pankey, offensive lineman
• Tim Boyle, quarterback
• Allen Lazard, wide receiver
• Randall Cobb, wideout
• Billy Turner, offensive lineman

Although according to Rosenblatt that wasn’t a primary reason the veteran safety chose to come to New York.

“I don’t think the Aaron Rodgers factor had necessarily anything to do with this. Maybe they went to Aaron and be like, hey what do you think of Adrian?”

The Jets came in offering money and an opportunity to start. With Clark being seriously hurt a spot surprisingly opened up on the depth chart for the Jets in the safety room ahead of training camp.

The cherry on top of course was the chance to compete for a Super Bowl.

“I’d say the Jets probably have a better chance at the Super Bowl than the Packers certainly and I’d argue the Ravens but you could debate about that if you want,” Rosenblatt stated on “The Can’t-Wait Podcast.”

The Jets haven’t been to the playoffs since the 2010 season. Gang Green hasn’t been to the Super Bowl since the 1968 campaign.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated called it “mind-blowing” that players are viewing the Jets as a sudden championship contender considering its tortured history. However, he also said that no one was running to Tampa Bay in 2019 before Tom Brady arrived.

That mentality on 1 Jets Drive provides New York with a new way to “build depth and experience into their roster,” Breer said in a column posted on June 14.

There is no guarantee how long it’ll last but the Jets would be smart to continue to try and take advantage of it.

The New York Jets could make another run at a former Pro Bowler.

Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic joined me on “The Boy Green Podcast” to explain why the team would be interested in free agent running back Kareem Hunt.

“Absolutely [a signing could make sense], yeah I think that goes to the point that I was making earlier about how Joe Douglas is really good at waiting things out and getting guys at below-market value because they don’t have a market,” Rosenblatt explained on my podcast posted on June 13.

“Kareem Hunt definitely would be a guy that would get the fans pretty excited. He would be one of those offseason signings that especially when there is nothing going on I think Jets fans would get overly excited about.”

Jets-Browns Had Prior Trade Talks About Kareem Hunt

Last season the Jets and Cleveland Browns had trade conversations centered around Hunt, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.

After Breece Hall went down in Week 7 with a torn ACL, Douglas canvased the league evaluating potential replacement options.

The price for Hunt was expected to be “around a fourth-rounder” at the NFL trade deadline, per Breer.

Gang Green decided to go with a cheaper alternative and traded for James Robinson. The Jets sent a conditional sixth-round pick in 2023 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for the running back.

If the hurdle for the Jets last year was the apparent trade price, then what is holding them up now?

The 27-year-old who will turn 28 before the start of the 2023 season is currently an unrestricted free agent. He is free to sign with any NFL team of his choosing at any moment.

According to Spotrac’s market value projections, Hunt could land a deal that pays him $7 million annually which would be the No. 10 best market in the NFL among running backs, per Over The Cap.

However, that figure seems like an unrealistic goal to reach in June.

28 running backs signed free agent deals this offseason, per Spotrac. Only three of those players earned a contract that paid them at least $4 million per season.

None of those players reached a $7 million per year evaluation and the top two running backs both signed deals at the beginning of free agency when NFL teams had all of their cap space available.

• Miles Sanders, Carolina Panthers, $6.25 million per year
• David Montgomery, Detroit Lions, $6 million per year

Kareem Hunt Could Provide Excellent Insurance for Jets RB Breece Hall

The Jets were originally interested in Hunt as a potential fill-in option in place of Hall after he went down with an injury.

That same idea could make sense this offseason. All indications point in the direction of Hall being ready for the Week 1 matchup versus the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football.

What if there is a complication? Or God forbid he reinjured himself early in the 2023 season? Would the Jets be confident with the remaining pieces to hold down the fort for Aaron Rodgers?

Hunt has proven to be a more than capable running back at the NFL level. He led the league in rushing in 2017 and Hunt has also been comfortable in a tandem role during his time with the Browns.

So whether the Jets need him as the lead man or a piece of the puzzle to take some of the load off of Hall, he’d be ready for it.

In his six seasons in the pros, Hunt has rushed for 4,025 yards, scored 48 total touchdowns, and averaged 4.5 rushing yards per clip.

The former Toledo product has also proven to be an adept receiver out of the backfield. He has 211 receptions, for 1,806 receiving yards, and has averaged 8.6 receiving yards per reception in his career.

In addition to his tangible contributions statistically, Hunt is a really talented pass-blocker out of the backfield.

New York Jets safety Chuck Clark got seriously injured during practice last week.

Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic said it would be “kind of surprising” if he ends up playing for the Jets during the 2023 season.

“I just know that it’s believed to be serious and that it would be kind of surprising if he winds up playing this year unfortunately,” Rosenblatt explained on “The Can’t-Wait Podcast.”

Although Rosenblatt did provide a glimmer of hope on the podcast episode posted on June 14, “the positive would be that he will recover quicker and in theory should be good to go for next season or you know if it goes really well if they make the playoffs or whatever.”

So you’re telling me there’s a chance?

Jets DB Chuck Clark Seeking a 2nd Medical Opinion

Rosenblatt said that Clark is seeking a second medical opinion holding out hope that the injury isn’t as serious as originally indicated but he isn’t “positive” when that’ll be taking place.

The current fear is that Clark suffered an “ACL injury” but he’s undergoing more tests to confirm, per NFL Insider Jordan Schultz of The Score.

The NFL playoffs are set to begin on January 13, 2024. Clark’s injury to when the playoffs are set to begin is separated by about seven months.

Gang Green hasn’t been to the playoffs in 12 years which is the NFL’s longest active drought.

Although according to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Jets have a 51.5 percent chance to make the playoffs this season. Those are the No. 12 best odds of all NFL teams in the league and the No. 6 best odds of the AFC teams, per those same metrics.

So there is an outside possibility that Clark could be healthy enough to help the Jets make a late push in the playoffs. Worst case the 28-year-old should be fully ready for the 2024 season because he got injured in June.

Clark is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent next offseason. He is entering the final year of his $15.3 million contract.

Insider Believes the Jets Can Survive Chuck Clark Injury

In six years Clark appeared in 94 out of 96 possible games. He was on an active ironman streak of 1,248 consecutive snaps in a row dating back to the 2021 season.

As soon as Clark became a member of the Jets this offseason he instantly gets hurt. Go figure.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a devastating loss. It’s devastating for Chuck but I don’t think the Jets’ Super Bowl hopes are really changing after this injury,” Rosenblatt said on the show.

Clark was a penciled-in starter at the safety position next to Jordan Whitehead. With his injury, he will now be replaced by veteran safety Adrian Amos who the Jets signed on June 13.

The veteran defensive back was acquired by the Jets via trade on March 15 in a deal with the Baltimore Ravens. Gang Green sent a 2024 seventh-round pick in exchange for Clark.

Clark would have been a seamless fit on this defense, but Rosenblatt is correct. Is the difference between a team winning a championship or losing one decided by the safety position? Probably not.

A New York Jets veteran just got put on blast.

Alex Kay of Bleacher Report was recently tasked with ranking the top 10 “worst contracts” in the NFL ahead of the 2023 season. Gang Green linebacker CJ Mosley placed No. 7 on the list.

The former Alabama product is in the middle of a five-year deal for $85 million. He still has two years left on the contract for about $34 million.

Kay called it a “bad contract” and bluntly stated that Mosley is “an average talent at this late stage of his career.”

Revealing the Key Criticisms of Jets LB CJ Mosley

When the Jets originally signed Mosley to the record-breaking $85 million contract a lot of people immediately raised eyebrows at the deal.

Gang Green completely reset the inside linebacker market in free agency by a wide margin. For a brief period, Kwon Alexander wore the crown as the highest-paid linebacker in football during the 2019 offseason.

The San Francisco 49ers handed him a four-year deal for $54 million which included a $13.5 million average per season.

However, a short time later the Jets came in guns blazing with a new contract that paid Mosley $17 million per season. That annihilated Alexander’s former No. 1 total by more than $3.5 million per year.

Apparently, that contract hasn’t aged well over the years according to Kay.

“Mosley has been hindered with injuries for much of his tenure with the organization, including missing 30 of a possible 32 games in the two years that followed the signing,” Kay explained in an article posted on June 13. “When he finally returned to action in 2021. Mosley looked like a shell of his former self.”

A major point of Kay’s argument was the less-than-stellar Pro Football Focus grades.

In 2021 he finished with an “atrocious” 42.0 PFF grade, per Kay. The 69.8 PFF grade in 2022 proved in Kay’s eyes that Mosley is an “average talent” and someone who isn’t worth the $17 million base salary in 2023.

Several Holes in the Argument Against Jets LB CJ Mosley

Kay mentioned that the veteran linebacker has been “hindered with injuries for much of his [Jets] tenure” and that seems a bit overdramatic.

In four seasons with the Jets Mosley has only missed 15 games due to injury and 14 of those came in his very first season. Over the last two seasons, Mosley has played in 33 out of 34 possible games.

Mosley chose to opt out of the 2020 season due to the COVID pandemic. That wasn’t injury related, it was a decision he admitted that he made for the safety of his family.

Kay pointed at PFF grades over the last two seasons to prove that Mosley is a “shell of his former self” and an “average talent.”

However, his 168 tackles in 2021 was a new career high for the five-time Pro Bowler. In 2022 he was voted a second-team All-Pro by NFL coaches and his peers.

The Jets did overspend at a position (off-ball linebacker) that NFL teams typically don’t spend at.

However, Mosley has provided plenty of bang for the Jets’ buck.

You’d think that the veteran would have quelled a lot of the outside noise with his All-Pro campaign last season, but here we are.

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh announced at the end of OTAs that the team was canceling its’ scheduled three-day mandatory minicamp from June 13-15.

Former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum shared his displeasure with that decision during an appearance on ESPN’s “First Take.”

“They started off with an A+ for the offseason and now they get an F,” Tannenbaum exclaimed on the June 15 episode of “First Take.” “Why would you cancel minicamp? That is the most competitive part of the offseason. Every day together is a good day. You’re competing against what we’ve talked about: Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen. All of these teams that have been together for years and years and years.”

Ex-Jets Coach Herm Edwards Pushes Back on Minicamp Drama

“First Take” host Molly Qerim asked Tannenbaum if Aaron Rodgers needs a full minicamp in his first season with the Jets and he emphatically stated, “Yes!”

“I would take as much time as possible to have Aaron Rodgers in the building with his new teammates,” Tannenbaum explained.

However longtime former NFL coach Herm Edwards pushed back on some of Tannenbaum’s criticisms about the Jets canceling minicamp.

“Three more days, I don’t know if it will make a difference if they make the playoffs or not,” Edwards argued on “First Take.” “Aaron Rodgers has been in the building all this offseason. He has actually been in the Jets building more than he’s been in the Green Bay Packers building for the last five years [during] the offseason. They are going in the right direction.”

Rodgers confirmed to the media that he has had perfect attendance through the voluntary portion of OTAs this offseason with the Jets.

A-Rod originally planned to miss some of the Jets’ offseason programs to fly back to California to meet with his personal team. However, the minor calf injury at the beginning of OTAs changed his mind and he decided to stick around for the full duration.

Jets’ Robert Saleh Explains Science of His Cancellation Decision

Saleh said one reason he decided to cancel minicamp was because of the extra preseason game on August 3.

The Jets will report to training camp a week early in preparation for that contest versus the Cleveland Browns.

“The Hall of Fame game they aren’t going to play their starters anyway,” Tannenbaum said on “First Take.”

As Herm Edwards noted on “First Take” Saleh canceled minicamp to give his players “a little crumb.”

It was a form of reward for how hard the players have worked this offseason. In addition to that Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated explained that there is some “sports science” that went into the decision as well.

“That window, there’s a science behind the whole thing where you give guys a week off. So they’re gonna take this week off, where if you work another week and then take a week off, that’s not enough time to get back in shape for training camp. So if you do it properly and give them the week off, there’s actually science behind the whole thing. It’s not just, hey, let them go have this week off,” Saleh told Breer in an article posted on June 14.

“It’s so they can pick back up and use these next 40 days to get in shape so we can have a healthy training [camp]. So there’s a theory behind it, and right now, for us, what was more important, the extra reps or the health in training camp? We chose health in training camp.”

The New York Jets could suddenly be in the mix for a proven standout.

Adam Thompson of bookies.com released betting odds on where running back Josh Jacobs could suit up for the upcoming 2023 season. Gang Green was the top-ranked team not named the Las Vegas Raiders at +500.

Here is the full list of the team odds:

1. Las Vegas Raiders (-125)
2. New York Jets (+500)
3. Houston Texans (+650)
4. Chicago Bears (+800)
5. Arizona Cardinals (+950)

Jacobs entered the league as the No. 24 overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft.

Disgruntled Raiders RB Could Attempt to Force His Way Out

The 25-year-old just completed the final year of his rookie contract in 2022.

Through the first three seasons in the NFL, the former Alabama product put up solid production with 3,087 rushing yards, 4.2 rushing yards per attempt, and 28 total touchdowns.

However, Jacobs couldn’t have picked a better time to have a career year in 2023.

He rushed for a league-leading 1,653 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, and averaged 4.9 yards per clip. On top of Jacobs’ rushing prowess, he also contributed through the air. He caught 53 receptions for an additional 400 receiving yards.

The first-team All-Pro was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason but the Raiders prevented that from happening with the franchise tag. He has skipped both the voluntary workouts and the mandatory minicamp this offseason.

According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, Jacobs is seeking a long-term deal and the team is hoping he will sign and play under the $10.09 million franchise tag.

Thompson of bookies.com said Jacobs is starting to sound “disgruntled.”

Jets Flirting With Potential RB Upgrades

Head coach Robert Saleh was asked about the sudden availability of free agent running back Dalvin Cook on Friday, June 9.

The coach said, “Obviously we’ll turn the stones over on that one.”

That response was a far cry from what he said back at the NFL’s owner meetings on March 27. Saleh was asked about the rumored interest in ex-Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott.

“We love our running back room. I’ll leave it at that.”

Saleh went from loving his running back room to “obviously” exploring the Cook option in free agency a couple of months later.

The only answer that makes sense is a potential change to the recovery and rehab timeline of second-year running back Breece Hall. He tore his ACL during the Week 7 matchup versus the Denver Broncos in 2022.

While the team has said all the right things publically about his expected return in Week 1 not everyone is buying what the team is selling.

“They keep talking about how Breece Hall is good to go so if they’re right and they aren’t blowing smoke. I’m skeptical he’s going to be the same Breece right away,” Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic explained during an appearance on my podcast on June 13.

If Hall will be healthy by the start of the season, then the Jets’ flirtations with other running back options are probably all fluff. However, if some doubt is starting to creep in about his recovery or the team just wants to play it safe by adding another body, things could get very interesting this offseason.

Jacobs’ rights belong to the Raiders due to the franchise tag. So for the Jets to acquire him it would have to be a tag-and-trade scenario or Las Vegas would have to rescind the franchise tag which would make the talented rusher an unrestricted free agent.

The New England Patriots tried and failed to snag veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers this offseason.

Craig Carton, a WFAN sports talk radio personality, shared the wild story on The Carton Show.

“The New England Patriots made an offer to the Green Bay Packers to get Aaron Rodgers. When Aaron Rodgers heard it, his agent said no, we ain’t playing for New England, we want to be a Jet” Carton explained on the June 14 episode of “The Carton Show.”

“The Patriots made an offer for Aaron Rodgers, and he refused to play for New England.”

Jets Land Aaron Rodgers, Stick It to a Bitter Rival

While the Patriots got left in the dust, the New York Jets were the main beneficiary as they pulled off the blockbuster trade with the Packers for A-Rod.

Not only did Gang Green acquire one of the best quarterbacks of all time but they simultaneously prevented their division rival from doing so.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk revealed on April 4 that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick “has shopped” quarterback Mac Jones this offseason.

This new report from Carton reiterates that New England isn’t sold on its former first-round quarterback.

However, after making a failed pursuit for Rodgers, the Patriots decided to stand pat with its QB room.

This wasn’t the first time New England tried to dunk on the Jets this offseason.

During the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, the Patriots traded the No. 14 overall pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers. New England gave the Steelers a discount on the trade so they could take the player they thought the Jets wanted.

However on “Flight 23 Ascension” the Jets camera crew revealed that general manager Joe Douglas actually predicted a Steelers-Patriots trade was going to happen before it did.

The documentary also revealed that the Patriots’ insight into the Jets’ draft plans was incorrect.

New England believed that its trade back with Pittsburgh was going to take away the Jets’ top choice with the No. 15 overall pick. However, the Jets’ true draft board had offensive tackle Broderick Jones as its third choice of three available players.

Jets-Patriots Is Important Measuring Stick Game in 2023

New England has beaten the Jets in 14 straight contests. The Patriots have won 22 of the last 24 games against New York.

The last time Gang Green beat New England without the aid of overtime was on January 16, 2011. Coincidentally that was also the last time the Jets were in the playoffs.

The arrival of Rodgers has inspired new hope among Jets fans that they can not only beat New England but can also ascend to new heights in the AFC East. The Jets haven’t won the division since 2002.

Gang Green owns the “hardest schedule” in the NFL from Week 1 to Week 12, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. The combined winning percentage of their opponents is .616 and eight of those 12 teams made the playoffs last season.

However, an argument could be made that the Week 3 home game versus the Patriots is the most important of them all.

On paper, it isn’t the toughest opponent on the docket for the Jets, but considering past demons it is a monkey the team has to get off of its back to truly realize its full potential in 2023.

The New York Jets are ready to open the checkbook this offseason.

Rich Cimini of ESPN predicted that Gang Green would sign Quinnen Williams to a record-breaking long-term deal.

“My prediction is a four-year, $98 million extension, keeping him with the Jets through 2027,” Cimini wrote in a story published June 15.

Such a contract would add four more years on to the last year of his rookie contract, making the extension a five-year deal in total.

Cimini said it would be a “surprise” if Williams didn’t have a new deal “by the start of the season,” saying it could happen “by the start of training camp.”

Quinnen Williams’ Contract Demands, Remaining Hurdles for Jets

A $98 million contract, averaging $24.5 million per season, would make Williams the second highest paid defensive tackle in football, behind only Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams and just ahead of Tennessee Titans’ Jeffery Simmons ($23.5 million).

The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt pinned the holdup in negotiations between the Jets and Williams on the length of the contract.

“There is reason to be optimistic that a deal gets done before training camp,” Rosenblatt told me when he appeared on the June 13 episode of my podcast. “The sticking point is not the value of the contract. It’s about one side maybe wants more years [and] one side wants less years. They’re not far apart. I just think it’s kind of like a game of chicken like it was with the Aaron Rodgers trade negotiations.

“Both sides want to get the deal done. Both sides want a certain thing,” Rosenblatt said. “It’s just a matter of who is going to relent, and I don’t know who that is going to be. The Jets don’t seem like they’re in a rush, which is why — from the business side of things — I don’t know if they would say we are 100% going to get this done before training camp.”

Head coach Robert Saleh has suggested the Jets will finalize an extension before the start of camp in late July, Cimini wrote.

Jets Dodged a Potential Bullet This Offseason

Saleh said he canceled the team’s mandatory minicamp, scheduled for June 13-15, because the team would report to training camp a week earlier than usual because of their participation in the Hall of Fame game on August 3 against the Cleveland Browns.

During Rosenblatt’s appearance on my podcast, he suggested to me that there was a benefit of canceling the minicamp — and it involved Williams’ holdout. With the cancellation, the Jets did not have to deal with the added distraction of the media’s coverage of the holdout by Williams — and the subsequent potential fining of one of their top players.

“I don’t think it was part of their decision process, but I do think that there are some benefits,” Rosenblatt told me. “You don’t have to deal with the questions, you don’t have to deal with the awkwardness of him not being there. Saleh’s last words on Quinnen are he knows a deal is going to get done. So we go into the offseason and that’s the last thing we’ve heard about it. It’s definitely a positive that they don’t have to deal with that.”

The New York Jets might have landed one of the biggest steals of the NFL offseason.

Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report said veteran defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson “could wind up being the most productive of the free agents they signed” in free agency.

New York signed the 30-year-old to a one-year deal for $3.6 million and that included $2.75 million guaranteed at signing.

While that move didn’t necessarily garner headlines around the league, Ballentine said it’s the kind of signing that “everyone will look back on by November and wonder how the Jets got away with it.”

Another Career Year Could Be Coming for Quinton Jefferson on Jets

The former Maryland product is coming off of a career year.

In 2022 he recorded 5.5 sacks, 13 quarterback hits, and secured six tackles for loss. Jefferson appeared in all 17 games and made three starts for the Seattle Seahawks.

Despite those impressive statistical measurements, Seattle cut bait on March 14 making the big man an unrestricted free agent.

It’s something Jefferson has grown accustomed to. He is on his fourth team across the last four seasons. In 2023 he will be on his fifth team in five years.

Even though the veteran has moved around over the years, he has been wildly productive.

Over the last five seasons, he has registered at least three sacks every year. So he presents a nice floor as a pass rusher and he displayed a new ceiling last year.

“Jefferson should be able to slot in right beside Quinnen Williams and take advantage of the opportunity. The 25-year-old led the team in sacks last season and is the kind of interior presence who commands double teams,” Ballentine explained in a column posted on Wednesday, June 14. “Having a pass-rusher like Jefferson beside him should be a boost to an already-talented defensive front.”

Jets Musical Chairs at Defensive Tackle in 2023

The Jets have retained the majority of the pieces that made this defense the No. 4 overall unit in the NFL last season.

However, there have been a few key losses over the last handful of months. The most notable of which have come in the defensive line room.

Nathan Shepherd joined the New Orleans Saints and Sheldon Rankins signed with the Houston Texans. That left the defensive tackle room pretty barren for New York.

Shepherd was a coaching favorite and someone that wore down opponents with his annoying physical presence on a play-to-play basis. Rankins, a former first-rounder, provided juice as a pass-rushing specialist on the inside of the defense.

Quinnen Williams exploded seemingly out of nowhere last season. He joined the conversation among the best defensive tackles in football earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.

Entering the 2023 season he is going to command double and sometimes triple teams from opposing offenses. That should open plenty of favorable matchups that Jefferson can take advantage of.

Al Woods specializes in run stuffing and will be an important part of the rotation. In addition to Woods, some of the other players who will eat up reps include Micheal Clemons and John Franklin-Myers who will play both inside and outside on this Jets defensive line.

If anyone knows what the New York Jets are about to go through in 2023 it is Eric Mangini.

The longtime NFL coach was the head honcho for the Jets in 2008 when the team acquired superstar quarterback Brett Favre in a blockbuster deal with the Green Bay Packers.

“They’re getting a pissed off Aaron Rodgers, which is exactly the Aaron Rodgers you want,” former Jets coach Eric Mangini told Rich Cimini of ESPN in a column posted on Wednesday, June 14. “When he was pissed off about Jordan Love, he won the MVP. When he was pissed off about his contract, he won the MVP. When Jordan Love wasn’t an issue and the contract was taken care of, not as great. Now he’s pissed off. It’s perfect.”

However, Mangini is also intimately aware of what happens if you don’t deliver in that kind of season. The now 52-year-old was fired following the 2008 season when the Jets failed to make the playoffs after an 8-3 start to the season.

“I would say embrace it [the pressure] because it’s real and it’s not going away,” Mangini issued a warning to current Jets head coach Robert Saleh. “It better work. If it doesn’t, odds are someone else will try to make it work next year.”

The Writing Is on the Wall for Jets Head Coach Robert Saleh

Saleh is entering his third year as the head coach of the Jets. In those first two seasons, Saleh went 4-13 (2021) and 7-10 (2022).

In 2008 Mangini was entering his third season as the head coach in New York.

However, the main difference between the two is immediate success. Mangini went 10-6 in his first year and went to the playoffs. In Mangini’s second season, he went 4-12 and the pressure was on heading into a pivotal third year.

Saleh doesn’t have the benefit of proven success on his Jets resume to date. All the chips are in the middle of the table ahead of the 2023 campaign.

Jets Owner Woody Johnson is paying “nearly” $60 million in guarantees for Rodgers in 2023. If the star quarterback plays a second season that paycheck will increase to $108 million for A-Rod, per Cimini.

On top of that financial commitment, there is also the inherent pressure of losing. The Jets have had one winning season in the last 12 years and haven’t been to the playoffs since the 2010 season.

That is the longest playoff drought among the four major sports leagues, per Yahoo Sports.

On March 28 Johnson emphatically stated, “I’m not the patient sort. We’re in the win business. We have to win now,” per Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic.

If Saleh doesn’t deliver in 2023 he is likely going to face the same fate that Mangini did over 15 years ago.

Aaron Rodgers Is More Motivated Than Ever With Jets in 2023

Rich Cimini wrote a long column on Wednesday, June 14 about veteran quarterbacks that changed teams late in their careers.

A commonality among the passers in their second act is motivation.

Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky said Rodgers was “run out of town” by the Packers this offseason.

Rodgers’ perception of the Packers coming out of his darkness retreat was that they were “shopping” him around the league in trade talks which was a pivot from what they told him earlier in the offseason.

That “contentious divorce” as Cimini described it has provided “additional ammunition” for A-Rod heading into 2023, “according to those who know him.”

Some have speculated that Rodgers fell off a cliff last season. However, Jets fans have compared his “down” 2022 statistics to that of their own team’s history and came away impressed.

Rodgers’ numbers were down by his own standards of his career but in New York, they would all rank among the best of all-time in a single season in Jets history.

When you consider his broken thumb and the team falling apart around him in Green Bay, there is plenty of optimism that a major turnaround is coming in 2023.

The injury bug has bitten the New York Jets in the middle of the 2023 offseason.

Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic shared on Twitter that defensive back Chuck Clark is believed to have suffered a “serious knee injury.”

According to Rosenblatt, the team is still awaiting an official ruling on the matter. Clark “is due for a second opinion” on the injury.

NFL Insider Aaron Wilson said there is “major concern” that Clark “may have suffered” a season-ending knee injury “including potential ACL damage,” but that news hasn’t been confirmed yet.

Wilson confirmed that Clark is seeking a “second opinion” and there are “more exams pending” as the team and Clark hold out hope.

Chuck Clark Injury Explains Jets Urgency to Sign Adrian Amos

On Tuesday, June 13 the Jets announced that they had signed veteran safety Adrian Amos to a contract.

It is a one-year deal that can be worth up to $4 million according to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz of The Score.

Rosenblatt said this injury news “helps explain” the signing.

Schultz also confirmed the news saying Clark suffered “what could be a significant knee injury that might sideline him for quite some time.”

Rosenblatt said the Jets weren’t in on Amos “until recently.” However, the “opportunity to start” with the Jets “sold him” on coming to New York.

A Tough Break for Jets DB Chuck Clark

General manager Joe Douglas earned a ton of praise on social media for acquiring Clark this offseason.

The 28-year-old defensive back was traded from the Baltimore Ravens to New York in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round draft choice on March 15.

He was expected to immediately jump into the starting lineup for the green and white in 2023. That is something the experienced defensive back had become accustomed to in the pros.

During his six seasons in the NFL, Clark has appeared in 96 games and has made 63 starts. He was currently in the middle of an ironman streak having played “1,248 consecutive snaps dating back to Week 16 of 2021,” per Jets reporter Caroline Hendershot.

That impressive streak is set to end with this latest injury news.

Clark is heading into the last year of his $15.3 million contract. He had already confirmed publically that he was willing to play out the final year of his deal and figure things out next offseason when he was set to become an unrestricted free agent.

In his career, Clark has totaled five interceptions, recorded over 384 combined tackles, 32 pass deflections, and has forced five fumbles.

This is the first big casualty of the Jets’ offseason. In 2022 Gang Green suffered an array of injuries, most of which came in the offensive line room.

However, the defense pretty much came out completely unscathed. It seemed inevitable that the injuries were going to flip to the other side of the ball in 2023.

Gang Green has already added Amos who figures to immediately replace Clark in the starting lineup next to Jordan Whitehead who will be entering his second season in New York.

If this Clark injury is as serious as it seems the Jets could look to add another safety to the room to ensure depth beyond the top-two starters.

The New York Jets have added another former teammate of Aaron Rodgers to the roster.

NFL Insider Jordan Schultz of The Score was the first to share the news on social media that veteran defensive back Adrian Amos has signed a one-year deal with Gang Green.

It is a one-year deal with a maximum value of $4 million sources told Schultz.

Adrian Amos Brings Stability to Jets Safety Room

Amos is 30 years of age and originally entered the NFL back in 2015 as the No. 142 overall pick in the fifth round.

In his eight-year NFL career, Amos has played for both the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers.

He overlapped with Rodgers in Green Bay over the last four seasons. Amos now becomes the sixth former teammate of A-Rod to end up in New York this offseason:

• Tim Boyle, quarterback
• Allen Lazard, wide receiver
• Randall Cobb, wide receiver
• Billy Turner, offensive lineman
• Malik Taylor, wide receiver

While the veteran has never been elected to the Pro Bowl, Amos has been incredibly reliable. Schultz said Amos hasn’t missed a single start in five years.

Amos has appeared in 126 games and has made 122 starts over that span of time. In his career, Amos has registered 10 interceptions, 48 pass deflections, six sacks, and has over 636 combined tackles to his name.

Schultz also noted that Amos was voted a team captain with the Packers over the last two seasons. General manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh have prided themselves on the types of people they have meticulously brought into their locker room during their respective tenures.

Adrian Amos Provides Answers for Jets Secondary

The Jets’ corners rank among the best in the NFL. Mike Clay of ESPN placed them as the No. 2 cornerback unit in the NFL only behind the Miami Dolphins.

However, the safety room hasn’t commanded the same level of respect this offseason from the outside world.

Gang Green’s current two starters, prior to this Amos signing, were penciled in to be Jordan Whitehead and Chuck Clark.

Two players that have been around the league but are eerily similar in style which raised questions about who would be the true free safety of this group.

Now that question has emphatically been answered.

Coming out of the 2015 NFL draft, Amos was the second-best-ranked free safety prospect by NFL Draft Scout.

NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein said Amos has “good range” and is incredibly “trustworthy” in coverage.

He also brings with him a ton of versatility. During his collegiate career at Penn State, he even lined up as a “slot corner in sub packages”, per Zierlein.

This move provides the Jets with a ton of options on the backend of its defense. Gang Green now boasts three starting caliber level players at safety.

Gang Green has flirted over the years with playing three safeties at the same time. Whitehead and Clark have proven to be much better in the box than they’re as centerfielders.

With Amos able to serve in that role, the Jets could put Clark or Whitehead in as the third linebacker when they line up in a 4-3 next to CJ Mosley and Quincy Williams.

A former New York Jets running back is once again looking for work.

The New England Patriots announced on social media that they had released James Robinson.

Robinson initially joined the Patriots after signing a two-year $4 million deal on March 17. The former Illinois State product lasted nearly three months in New England before he got cut.

James Robinson Story With the Jets Was Brief

The Jets seemed to have a good thing going through the first six and a half weeks of the 2022 season.

Gang Green had traded up in the NFL draft to select Breece Hall out of Iowa State. In the first seven weeks of the season, he rushed for 463 yards, scored five total touchdowns, caught 19 receptions, and averaged 6.9 scrimmage yards per touch.

However during the Week 7 matchup versus the Denver Broncos he tore his ACL and was later ruled out for the season. At the time of his injury, Hall was among the leading betting favorites to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

With a 5-2 record after the first seven weeks of the season, the Jets had a big decision to make. Do we stick with the guys we have in the backfield? Or do we try and go acquire another talent at the running back position to fill the void left by Hall?

Jets general manager Joe Douglas chose the latter part of that discussion and struck a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars for Robinson.

Gang Green sent a conditional sixth-rounder in the 2023 NFL draft.

If Robinson finished with 600 rushing yards by the end of the 2022 regular season that sixth would elevate to a fifth-rounder. At the time of the trade, Robinson had already accumulated 340 rushing yards.

Robinson only ended up rushing for 85 yards during his brief Jets tenure of four games through the rest of the season.

He was a healthy scratch in several games and Robinson shared his frustration during a one-on-one conversation with Rich Cimini of ESPN.

“Obviously, I didn’t come here not to play,” Robinson told ESPN on Wednesday, November 30. “Obviously, they brought me here for a reason. I don’t expect anything unless I work for it, and I’ve been working my ass off. Me not playing pisses me off.”

Robinson was set to be a restricted free agent during this offseason, but the Jets decided not to tender him making him an unrestricted free agent who would be free to sign with any NFL team he chose.

James Robinson, Jets Reunion Unlikely in 2023

Robinson is now once again a free agent, but don’t count on it being with the Jets.

According to Adam Caplan, Robinson will be “subject to waivers” and will be available to be claimed on Tuesday, June 14.

After he shared his frustration with his role, his playing time only decreased. The same can be said for Elijah Moore and Denzel Mims who both requested trades during the 2022 season.

Moore got traded to the Cleveland Browns this offseason and Mims’ days with the Jets are “numbered” heading into training camp this summer.

Robinson is still only 24 years of age and he will turn 25 before the start of the 2023 season. A player that young with some of his proven track record from the past will certainly warrant some calls from teams around the league.

In his limited touches with the Jets, he averaged a woeful 2.9 yards per clip. Gang Green might very well add another running back to the room ahead of the 2023 campaign but a Robinson reunion is considered extremely unlikely.

A New York Jets veteran has been making his presence felt at practice.

Team reporter Ethan Greenberg highlighted tight end CJ Uzomah as someone that “flashed” throughout OTAs.

“I want to talk about a veteran. I think CJ Uzomah kind of flashed this spring,” Greenberg explained in a video posted on Monday, June 12. “Tyler Conklin was out for a majority of the spring, at least the OTA portion, and I think the tight-end production which was good last year might reach a new level with Aaron Rodgers this upcoming season.”

CJ Uzomah Is Due for a Big Bounceback With the Jets in 2023

Draft analyst Lance Zierlein described the 30-year-old as a “big, athletic body” coming out of Auburn.

Uzomah spent the first seven years of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals. Although during the 2022 offseason the 6-foot-5, 271-pound tight end switched allegiances and signed with Gang Green.

He appeared in 15 games and made 13 starts during his first season with the Jets. Uzomah only caught 21 receptions for 232 yards and finished with two touchdowns.

A key contributing factor in the minuscule results is likely the revolving door at the quarterback position. Gang Green utilized four different passers throughout the 2022 season.

However, in 2023 there will be a dramatic facelift to the game’s most important position in New York.

That should increase the quality of the pass attempts and should lay a foundation of consistency for the offense.

False Alarm on Jets Injury During Practice

Uzomah appeared to hurt his leg during the final OTA practice on Friday, June 9.

Rodgers threw a pass toward Uzomah during a drill. The veteran tight end appeared to be favoring his left leg and needed some medical assistance.

Head coach Robert Saleh typically speaks prior to practice so we didn’t get a formal update from the team after the injury occurred. However, Connor Hughes of SNY provided an update on Saturday, June 10:

“Jets TE CJ Uzomah, who left practice with trainers yesterday after injuring his leg, didn’t return for precautionary reasons. No worries for the start of training camp, per sources.”

Uzomah signed a three-year deal for $24 million in 2022. He was one of a slew of players that restructured their contracts this offseason.

That locked in his roster spot for 2023 at a minimum. If the Jets decided to move on this offseason they’d eat a $12.6 million dead cap hit.

Even moving on next offseason would prove costly for the green and white.

A dead cap hit of $5.9 million would be charged to New York’s front office in 2024 if the team decided to make a move.

With Uzomah here for the foreseeable future, it would behoove the team to adjust his role moving forward. In his first season with the Jets, he served as a blocker and a locker room leader.

However, there appears to be a lot more untapped potential beneath the surface as a receiving threat.

With so many other big-name weapons on the offensive side of the ball, Uzomah won’t be the top focus of opposing defenses. That should provide the big man with plenty of favorable matchups this season that he can take full advantage of.

We have now officially entered the true lull of the NFL offseason.

The New York Jets are going to have 40-plus days between its last practice and the start of training camp in the middle of July. Although just because things are slowing down on the calendar doesn’t mean we’re slowing down here on the site!

Our two experts, Paul ‘Boy Green’ Esden Jr and Michael Obermuller, dive through the latest rumors and projections in our weekly mailbag segment.

Jets Overreactions and Mandatory Minicamp Gets Cancelled

1. What is your biggest overreaction from Jets OTAs?

MO:

My biggest overreaction is probably that undrafted wide receiver Jason Brownlee is going to steal Denzel Mims’ roster spot at training camp (I’ve been known to overhype UDFAs in the past).

Mims was a no-show at the media portion of OTAs — and potentially the entire thing, although that was unclear. He also requested a trade last summer, which granted Elijah Moore an early exit this spring.

Brownlee on the other hand has shown up and turned heads. His most impressive grab was a one-hand snag from Zach Wilson, but the lanky wideout has already proven to me that he’s as good — or better — than Mims in a similar role.

Boy Green:

Brownlee has been impressive for sure, but regardless of his development I strongly believe that Mims’ days are numbered with the Jets.

The writing is clearly on the wall, he isn’t going to make the Jets final roster.

Here are the wide receivers in my mind who are either locks or have strong chances to make the roster: Randall Cobb, Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Corey Davis, and Mecole Hardman Jr. That doesn’t leave a lot of room for interpretation in my eyes.

2. Do you have any issues with the Jets canceling its mandatory minicamp this week?

MO:

No, not at all. I understand how it looks to some fans — as if the Jets aren’t taking things as seriously as a team like the Kansas City Chiefs that always seem to go the extra mile.

If the Jets weren’t playing the Hall of Fame game I’d even agree with you. They are playing in the Hall of Fame game, however, and for that reason it pays to do the extra week.

That’s how you get the players on your side as a coach, and you want them on your side when adversity hits.

Boy Green:

I absolutely do have issues, but all of them have to do with my job as a columnist and content creator. The three-day mandatory minicamp the Jets were set to participate in would’ve been completely open to the media.

With that now wiped away, we were robbed of storylines and juicy content for the offseason. So that is a bummer from that perspective.

With the Jets reporting a week early for training camp due to the Hall of Fame game, I’m totally cool with the early week off for the players. The Jets and Cleveland Browns (the other team involved in the HOF game) will have more content to share than the other 30 NFL teams because of that early report date for camp. So it’ll all come back around.

Jets Trade Ideas, Dalvin Cook Rumors, and Zach Wilson’s Future

3. There are some intriguing pass rusher names potentially available in trade conversations (Chase Young and Danielle Hunter), should the Jets pursue either of these options? If it was up to you, which would you rather and why?

MO:

No. I wouldn’t understand a trade like that when you’re already committed to Carl Lawson and John Franklin-Myers as the veterans on the edge. The only way it might work is if the Jets decide they want to move JFM inside on early downs, but head coach Robert Saleh has never made any indication that they’d be willing to do that full-time.

Otherwise, the Jets are set at edge rusher barring major injury. Hell, they’re so set at the position that fans actually complained after the Will McDonald pick.

Before Saleh’s regime, fans would have NEVER raised an eyebrow if the Jets drafted a pass rusher. At the time of this article, they now have six certified beasts at defensive end, meaning three separate tidal waves of chaos.

Boy Green:

In the wise words of The Million Dollar Man, Ted DiBiase “Everybody’s got a price” [insert cynical laughter]!

Washington doesn’t seem very committed to Young and the Vikings are looking to blow up the roster in this weird transitional phase. If either of them is available for relatively cheap, I’d investigate if I were the Jets.

These words will continue to be reiterated “all in” and that should be the driving force behind as many moves as possible.

4. If the Jets landed Dalvin Cook, which running back would you kick to the curb to open up a roster spot?

MO:

Honestly, I wouldn’t pursue Cook, but for the sake of the question I will offer a response.

I’d have an unofficial training camp battle between Michael Carter and Zonovan Knight, assuming rookie Israel Abanikanda lives up to his draft status. In the end, Knight probably goes — unless Carter struggles again as he did in 2022.

Boy Green:

I want Cook because that would provide great insurance for Breece Hall. However, we’ll have to see the apparent price tag.

The Jets could afford the deal that Cook is seeking but to make that partnership work it’s going to require some love from both sides.

Gang Green should wait for the price tag to drop a bit and see if they can swoop in with a ring-chasing pitch.

5. What do you think the future holds for Zach Wilson?

MO:

I’ve always been a believer in Wilson’s talent as a passer. I’ve also always been a believer in needing a dual-threat QB in the modern day.

For those reasons, I have not given up on Wilson — whose obsessive personality makes him less likely to quit his career. If anyone is going to get the former second-overall selection up to snuff, it’s Aaron Rodgers and his favorite coach (Nathaniel Hackett).

Right now, I’ll say the future holds at least one more start as a Jet. That could be in 2023 if an injury occurs, or it could also be in 2024 or 2025.

Boy Green:

Well, the future holds a QB2 role in 2023. Beyond that? That ball is in Wilson’s court.

I strongly believe if he handles his new position on the team appropriately there is a path for him to be here for a while.

Being around Rodgers and Hackett can only help his development, what he does with it will be up to him. I’m really looking forward to seeing him get a ton of reps in the preseason because we know Rodgers won’t be eating into those.