FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — When practice started on Friday, left tackle Tyron Smith, without his helmet, retreated to the exercise bike. This is going to happen every few days throughout training camp — and probably even more often once the season starts.
Those veteran rest days are how the Dallas Cowboys got Smith through the 2023 season. He played 13 regular-season games and a wild-card game, and he performed well enough to earn second-team All-Pro honors, no small feat. Smith still looks good enough to do that again — stand out as one of the NFL’s best pass protectors, crucial as the Jets try to keep Aaron Rodgers upright.
But the Jets signed Smith with a similar load-management idea at the forefront. He was in attendance for all of the Jets’ voluntary offseason program, and those rest days were worked into the mix.
When Smith has been on the field, he’s looked dominant. His teammates rave about how his footwork and his technique looks impeccable, on every rep, in every drill. His size, strength and length have given Jets defensive linemen fits.
So when he’s off the field, as he was on Friday, it’s noticeable — though there is an actual benefit for the Jets’ most important offensive lineman: Olu Fashanu.
The first-round pick is going to get a fair share of reps with the first-team offense at left tackle precisely because Smith isn’t going to practice every day. If all goes well, the Jets won’t actually have to play Fashanu much (or at all) in 2024. But if he does have to get thrown into the fire, at least he’ll have a baseline of experience blocking for Aaron Rodgers, and with the first-team unit.
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“It’s really beneficial,” Jets coach Robert Salsh said. “For Olu to get all the extra reps that he wouldn’t get. Olu is going to be a really good football player in this league and all those reps are helpful.”
So how did Fashanu look in his first training camp practice with the first-team offense?
Here are some observations from Friday’s practice, the third of camp, starting with Fashanu’s matchup with another first-round pick:
Fashanu vs. Will McDonald
The Jets drafted Will McDonald last year out of Iowa State knowing he probably wouldn’t play much as a rookie. The same thing is happening with Fashanu this year. So it feels fitting that both of them were frequently matched up with each other during team drills on Friday.
I watched all their reps against each other during 11-on-11 drills in the red zone, drives starting at the 12-yard line. On the first rep of two series with Rodgers, McDonald tried using power to push his way past Fashanu, and the rookie tackle didn’t let him. Win for Fashanu.
The next two reps of that drive, McDonald used his speed and agility to get around Fashanu, quickly getting to Breece Hall on a running play on the first rep. Then McDonald quickly got around Fashanu using a juke move, though Rodgers threw it too quickly for McDonald to get an actual pressure or would-be sack (which aren’t being called yet in camp).
On the final three-play drive of the day, McDonald similarly got the better of Fashanu on his reps but ran into an issue Jets defensive linemen will have to combat all camp: Rodgers’ quick release. Rodgers threw the ball almost immediately after the snap on all three reps, making it nearly impossible for McDonald to get home — though he might’ve against a quarterback who held onto it just a little bit longer.
“I mean, (Rodgers is) the best in the game,” defensive tackle Solomon Thomas said. “The adjustments he makes at the line of scrimmage is crazy. What he sees, what he hears, what he notices, you haven’t seen it.”
McDonald won the battle on Friday, though it’s early in camp and, as Saleh cautioned, the real D-Line vs. O-Line battles will come once pads go on on Monday.
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New York Jets training camp battles, featuring Aaron Rodgers vs. distractions
How Rodgers looked
It was another solid day for No. 8, though there weren’t as many downfield highlights as there were on Thursday.
Rodgers hit Allen Lazard — his impressive camp continues — on the first pass of 11-on-11 drills then followed it up by connecting with a leaping Garrett Wilson in the middle of the field to cap off the first run of team drills.
He completed 3 of 4 passes in seven-on-seven drills; the one incompletion was a drop from rookie running back Isaiah Davis. Wilson, Lazard and Hall caught passes.
In the first series of 11-on-11 in the red zone (starting at the 12) Rodgers completed a screen to Hall and then connected with wide receiver Malik Taylor — who had a great day — for an easy short touchdown on a quick pass after the snap.
On the final drive of practice, also starting at the 12, Rodgers tried a fade to Wilson but he was tightly covered by cornerback Sauce Gardner and wasn’t able to break free, the pass falling incomplete. He followed that up with a quick screen to Wilson that was quickly stifled by safety Tony Adams for a two-yard gain. The day ended with a quick laser to tight end Tyler Conklin for a touchdown, making it the third straight day Rodgers ended practice with a touchdown pass. The first two days, Lazard caught those balls.
All told, Rodgers was 6 of 8 in 11-on-11 and 3 for 4 in seven-on-seven.
The Jets drafted Ruckert out of Ohio State in the third round in 2022 with the idea that he was a developmental prospect, someone who might not be able to contribute right away but could develop into a starting-caliber player down the line. His rookie year was a wash due to injuries. He showed some flashes last year as a blocker but only managed 16 catches for 151 yards in 15 games.
The Jets were rumored to be targeting Brock Bowers in the draft but ultimately didn’t wind up adding any new tight ends of consequence — Ruckert is a reason why. He’s not the top tight end (that’s Conklin) but Ruckert will play a bigger role in 2024 and he’s made some plays as a pass-catcher in camp, including on a nice catch in the back of the end zone on a pass from Tyrod Taylor during team drills on Friday.
“I think every year there’s a few moments where — not that I wasn’t confident in myself — but there’s moments where I realize that I belong here,” Ruckert said. “I can produce in this league and on this team.”
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Injuries and other absences
Wide receiver Xavier Gipson left Thursday’s practice with an injury. He’ll miss a “week or two” with a leg injury, though Saleh wouldn’t provide any other specifics. Guard Jake Hanson will also miss a couple weeks with an injury.
Gipson missing time means third-round rookie receiver Malachi Corley should start getting reps with Rodgers. Saleh admitted Corley “still has a long way to go” as a route runner.
Cornerback Brandin Echols left Friday’s practice with a trainer.
In more positive news: Right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker returned to team drills for the first time, a significant step for a player coming off an Achilles injury. Right tackle Morgan Moses (pectoral) participated in individual drills but hasn’t yet progressed to team drills.
Defensive end Haason Reddick has yet to report to training camp as he continues his holdout.
Miscellaneous notes
• Malik Taylor had the catch of the day; during seven-on-sevens, he went up over cornerback Qwan’Tez Stiggers to catch a bomb from Tyrod Taylor.
• Defensive tackles Leki Fotu and Javon Kinlaw had back-to-back would-be sacks against Taylor during 11-on-11 drills.
• Rookie defensive end Eric Watts continues to stand out. He sticks out on the field because of his height (6-foot-5) but he can move. He ran across the field to track down a running back during team drills. Fellow undrafted rookie defensive end Braiden McGregor also had a would-be sack against backup quarterback Andrew Peasley.
• Rookie safety Jaylen Key intercepted backup quarterback Andrew Peasley during team drills and a few reps later… cornerback Nehemiah Shelton intercepted him too. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Ben Bryant (signed Thursday) started getting some of Peasley’s reps.
• Undrafted rookie linebacker Jackson Sirmon impressively ripped the ball out of a running back’s hands and held onto it during seven-on-seven drills.
(Top photo: Luke Hales / Getty Images)
