The Jets expect to be a much-improved team in 2022 from the 4-13 team they were last season. If nothing else, they certainly will look a lot different when training camp opens on July 26.
A lot can happen in the six weeks after that, and it will set the tone for this important season. So here’s a look at the five biggest summer storylines for the Jets…
Zach Wilson already looks a lot different than the scrawny, rookie quarterback the Jets saw last season. And the entire franchise is hoping that his body type won’t be the only change.
Everything the Jets do this season, and every bit of their plans for the future, hinges on the improvement of their franchise quarterback, whom they hope will begin the transition this year into the elite player they expect him to be. They are hoping for big strides from the 22-year-old in Year 2.
What he does this summer will begin to show just how big those strides could be.
So far the reviews of his growth are good. He spent the offseason apparently doing all the right things, including changing his diet and workout regimen to show up looking “beefy,” as Jets coach Robert Saleh said. But his change is more than just about adding much-needed size to what he says is now a 6-2, 221-pound frame (up about 13 pounds from the end of last season).
It’s about some important changes inside his head, too.
“You can tell his head is right,” Saleh said. “He’s in a great mental space. He’s speaking the right language. He’s saying the right things. He’s doing the right things off the field, with regards to who he’s surrounding himself with. We’re really excited where he’s at.”
And on top of all that, Wilson has a new air of confidence too that comes from the experience of knowing the playbook and being in the same offensive system for a year. That’s a typical growth step for young quarterbacks, who are often overwhelmed as rookies. By Year 2 they settle down because they don’t have to overthink with every play call.
Far more than he did last year, the Jets believe Wilson simply knows what to do with the ball.
“He looks confident,” Saleh said. “Shoulders are back. He’s not caved in. He looks good, he’s confident, he’s smiling, he’s vocal. I’ve said it before that you can always tell the confidence level and their understanding of what they’re being asked to do by the volume of their voice. And he’s getting pretty loud.”
All of that is great news for the Jets. A confident Wilson with a stronger body, behind an improved offensive line and with a bulked-up group of offensive players around him should mean an instant improvement for the Jets, who had one of the worst offenses in football last season.
But it all only works if Wilson is really better. Knowing the playbook is great. Being “beefy” is great. And it sure does help that he’s surrounded by better players.
But all that only helps if Wilson can actually make the plays.
“You can tell the improvement is there – we have the talent, we have the guys,” Wilson said. “Now, can we tie it all together and be able to put something together?”
That’s a good question. It all starts this summer with him.
