Gang Green Nation
The Jets open their 2025 preseason tonight in Green Bay. Let’s discuss some of the key players to watch.
The Young Tackles
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has announced that the starters will be playing in this game for the Jets. He didn’t specify how long they will be on the field. I think we can make an educated guess that it probably will be for a maximum of a couple of series.
This gives us a chance for a brief look at the Jets’ new young tackle duo, Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou. The combined ages of the Jets’ Week 1 starting tackles was 66 a year ago. This year it will be 43.
Youth was badly needed at the position, but with youth comes uncertainty. We won’t be able to judge Fashanu and Membou all that much based on a handful of snaps, but it would be a positive to see them hold their own, avoid major mistakes, and not look overmatched.
The Rest of the Draft Class of 2025
The Jets are not a team overloaded with depth so there will be opportunities for rookies to contribute. Second round pick Mason Taylor is out for this game with a high ankle sprain. Other rookies will have a chance to state their respective cases for playing time, though. Arian Smith and Malachi Moore are high on this list. Based on reports from training camp, Smith might have a tough time supplanting Josh Reynolds as the number two wide receiver. The coaching staff seems to like Reynolds quite a bit. However, Smith could still find his way onto the field during the regular season if he shows playmaking prowess in the exhibition games. The Jets have a lack of homerun threats on offense, which leaves open an opportunity. Moore, meanwhile is battling Tony Adams for a starting safety job. He likely will play deeper into the game against Green Bay second and third teamers. In a situation like that, it would be good to see Moore stand out.
Undrafted Free Agents
A year ago in the preseason, it became clear that Leonard Taylor not only deserved a spot on the team but could contribute. He ended up getting 261 snaps, fourth most at the defensive tackle position for the Jets. It wasn’t just that Taylor was appearing in the box score. It was how he got his numbers, displaying legitimate ability to disengage from blocks using his technique.
These exhibition games are an opportunity for under the radar young guys to make the coaches take notice. In particular, I will be keeping an eye on wide receiver Jamaal Pritchett, whose name has come up over and over in training camp. He seems like a lock to make the practice squad at a minimum, but a strong preseason could bring him into the discussion for a spot on the 53 man roster.
The Rest of the Draft Class of 2024
Fashanu is penciled in as the starting left tackle, but...
