5 JETS TO WATCH
QB Christian Hackenberg »
It feels like the entire 2017 Jets season is going to be about Hackenberg and whether he can be an NFL quarterback. That starts in training camp and with preseason games. Hackenberg did not play a snap last year, and now he is competing with Josh McCown and Bryce Petty for the starting job. McCown is the favorite to start the year, but Hackenberg can change that with a strong August. The microscope is on him. Every pass will be dissected and debated.
« SS Jalen Adams
The No. 6-overall pick is going to be the Jets’ starting strong safety. Being an immediate starter is tough for any rookie, but Adams looked up to the task in the spring. Adams also showed the leadership ability people raved about when he was coming out of LSU. He is a vocal presence in the secondary. The Jets have a leadership void with the releases of players like Nick Mangold and David Harris. Adams will be asked to fill that void.
TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins »
The Jets have remembered there is a position called tight end, and Seferian-Jenkins will be the beneficiary of that. New offensive coordinator John Morton plans on involving the tight ends plenty in his West Coast system. Anything would be an increase from former offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, who was allergic to using the position. Seferian-Jenkins had a strong spring. He told reporters he lost 25 pounds and quit drinking alcohol this offseason, which has helped him on the field. Seferian-Jenkins seemed to catch every pass thrown his way. Now, we will see if that translates from spring practices in shorts to the training camp practices in pads. Seferian-Jenkins will begin the year with a two-game suspension, but he can make the coaches miss him with a strong summer.
DE Muhammad Wilkerson
Wilkerson was a major disappointment in 2016 after signing a five-year, $86 million contract. He had just 4.5 sacks and was not his usual disruptive self. The Jets hope that was because he was not fully recovered from offseason surgery to repair a broken leg. Wilkerson said he is ready to be dominant this year. It will be interesting to watch him in training camp to see if there is some fire in him during practice and in preseason games. The Jets’ only hope this season is a dominant defense, and that starts up front with Wilkerson.
LB Darron Lee
The 2016 first-round pick had a disappointing rookie season. His coverage skills were not all they were hyped up to be and he sometimes overran plays. Lee did play on an injured ankle for most of the year, which could have led to some of the problems. With David Harris gone, Lee is now going to be counted on even more in the middle of the Jets defense. The Jets will be looking for signs of progress throughout August.