Jets hopeful Forte can take first hits against Giants

It sounds as if running back Matt Forte will be making his Jets debut Saturday against the Giants.

Jets coach Todd Bowles said the plan is for Forte, who missed most of training camp with a hamstring injury, to play.

“I hope so, if he doesn’t have any setbacks,” Bowles said. “I’ll see how he warms up. I’ll try to get him playing. I want him to get hit before our first game. I don’t want that to be the first time.”

The Jets signed Forte in March to a three-year, $12 million deal, hoping he can replace Chris Ivory as their lead running back. Forte warmed up last week in Washington, but did not play.

If the Jets are going to make major changes to rookie quarterback Christian Hackenberg’s mechanics, they will wait until the offseason to do so.

“It’s like a golfer,” quarterbacks coach Kevin Patullo said. “You don’t want to change his swing midseason.”

Patullo agreed with offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, who said that it takes at least a year to change a quarterback’s mechanics.

“You want to be careful,” Patullo said. “He’s got a lot [on his plate]. He’s trying to learn the playbook, he’s trying to learn defenses, what he sees and how to react. I think he understands certain things he needs to work on. He’s a hardworking kid.”

Pat ul l o would not address whether Hackenberg, the team’s second-round pick, needs a com- plete overhaul.

“That’s not something we’re going to get into right now,” he said. “We’re just trying to see where he’s at, what he knows.”

Bowles was asked who the most improved player in camp was and he picked two — cornerback Buster Skrine and guard Brian Winters.

The Jets are counting on Skrine taking on a bigger role in his second season with the team. He is the starting cornerback opposite Darrelle Revis and then sliding inside in nickel packages.

Winters is entering the season as the starting right guard after competing for that spot but losing out to Willie Colon a year ago.

Rookie OLB Jordan Jenkins missed practice with a calf strain. Bowles said he is “day-to-day and week-to-week.” It seems unlikely Jenkins will play Saturday. … TE Jace Amaro (groin), WR Quincy Enunwa (concussion), WR Kyle Williams (knee), S Dion Bailey (elbow) and CB Dexter McDougle (hamstring) were among the players who did not practice.