New York Jets 2023 Training Camp Preview

New York Jets 2023 Training Camp Preview

The New York Jets pushed all their chips in the middle when they traded for Aaron Rodgers. With a starting Quarterback in the building, do they have enough to make a deep playoff push? This roster has quite a few young players ready to take the next steps and veterans ready to help get them there. In this article, we will be giving you a full breakdown of the New York Jets 2023 training camp preview. 

Three position battles to watch

No. 3 Receiver: Corey Davis vs. Randall Cobb vs. Mecole Hardman

The top two receivers on this roster belong to Garrett Wilson and likely Allen Lazard. This leaves some room for either Corey Davis, Randall Cobb, or Mecole Hardman to win the spot. Davis has been a bit of a flop since signing with the team in 2021, Cobb was basically brought in to ensure Rodgers wants to play there, and the real threat here is Hardman. Hardman is the guy who takes the top off the defense and stretches the field and could get even better playing with the vets on the roster. 

Starting Center: Joe Tippmann vs. Connor McGovern

While Connor McGovern did play well last year, that didn’t stop the Jets from drafting Joe Tippmann from Wisconsin in the second round. Tippmann was viewed as one of the better center prospects by the national media and should challenge for the starting job right away. McGovern will be hard to beat. The experienced McGovern played 1,111 snaps last year (sixth in the NFL at Center) and only allowed five sacks.

Starting Left Tackle: Duane Brown vs. Mekhi Becton

Rounding out our position battles for the New York Jets 2023 training camp preview, we take a look at the left tackle spot, one of the most important positions in the sport. While it’s safe to say former first-round pick Mekhi Becton has been a bit of a bust, he still has starter potential. However, with Duane Brown in the fold, there is now debate about who moves to right tackle. Brown has been a consistent presence on the left side of the line wherever he has gone, and won’t lose the job without a fight. I believe a move to right tackle would be good for Becton, but with a good showing in camp, he just might stay put. 

Ready To Breakout: Garrett Wilson

Without a doubt, the player who most benefitted from the Rodgers trade is Garrett Wilson. Wilson finished WR21 last year and barely beat out fellow Ohio State alum Chris Olave for most rookie receiving yards last year. Wilson should have a monster year, improving from his 1,103 yards and four touchdowns a year ago. Wilson very well could finish in the 110+ catch range and near double-digit touchdowns in 2023. 

Rookie To Watch: Will McDonald IV

I understand what the New York Jets were trying to do with the Will McDonald IV pick. By pairing him with last year’s first-round EDGE pick Jermaine Johnson, they would have their EDGE set for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, they reached for him and passed on some better pass rushers. McDonald is my rookie to watch because expectations will be sky-high and it’ll be interesting to see if he lives up to his pick or if he underperforms in his rookie year. 

Quinnen Williams signs four-year $96 million deal with Jets

Fantasy Sleeper: Aaron Rodgers

Picking Aaron Rodgers as a fantasy sleeper in this New York Jets 2023 training camp preview feels odd. Rodgers finished last year as QB13 in Green Bay with zero weapons around him. Now he has some solid pieces in place, could he finish above his current ranking as QB14 (ADP 113.3)? The last time Rodgers had a clear-cut number-one receiver, he finished QB6. 

Linktree!