The Jets return to work with significant absences.
On Monday, the Jets start their off-season program for 2023.
Phase One includes simply fitness, lifting, meetings, and physical rehabilitation for two weeks.
OTAs start on May 22 and on-field training follows.
The offseason is optional save for a June minicamp.
Five Jets offseason questions:
When will Aaron Rodgers be traded?
The Jets don’t have a quarterback for the start of the off-season program.
Next week’s draft may be a soft deadline for the Jets and Packers to resolve their Rodgers dispute.
Rodgers would likely miss much of the optional offseason training in New Jersey.
Rodgers has skipped the offseason program in Green Bay.
The Rodgers incident still haunts the Jets.
Everyone may relax after a deal.
Zach Wilson will receive plenty of reps in on-field drills without Rodgers.
The 2021 first-round pick’s confidence will be rebuilt by new offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
Quinnen Williams?
Williams said in January he would not attend the offseason program without a new contract.
The All-Pro defensive lineman is expected to skip the optional program since he has no new contract.
The required minicamp will show what happened.
Daron Payne and Jeffery Simmons’ huge contracts have blown the defensive tackle market this summer.
Williams and Giants’ Dexter Lawrence might sign new contracts.
Williams’ spring absence is minor.
Williams knows the defense after two years and linemen do less each year.
He uses his only leverage.
Can Mekhi Becton rebound?
The 2020 first-round selection has revealed his offseason bodily transformation on social media.
The field application is the next question.
Becton had great potential as a rookie, but knee issues ruined his last two seasons.
Becton would be huge if healthy and motivated.
While Becton recovers from knee surgery, the Jets will enjoy his presence.
Becton missed much of the spring program last year while expecting his first kid.
What’s the running back room like?
Breece Hall won’t play this spring.
He will return at the start of the regular season after tearing his ACL.
OTAs will reveal the running back rotation amongst Michael Carter, Zonovan Knight, and Ty Johnson.
Carter’s second season was dismal and Knight’s rookie year faded.
The Jets could add someone at the position.
Will rookies escape sophomore slumps?
Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson performed as rookies.
Both won Rookie of the Year for their respective teams.
They must continue.
Last season, both were mature and driven.