Jets 2022 minicamp preview: 5 things to watch as Gang Green begins camp

The Jets have been in a rebuilding phase for what seems like forever, but they finally do look like their project is nearing completion. They dramatically overhauled their roster during the offseason to help out what they believe is a promising group of young talent.

The internal optimism is really off the charts.

“We’re better and I know we’re going to be better,” Jets head coach Robert Saleh said this spring. “We’re young. We’re a year older. We brought in some really cool pieces, a lot of guys who stand for the right stuff, who live and breathe football. Now it’s just a matter of continuing to gain that continuity and confidence.”

The confidence doesn’t seem to be much of a problem, but they’ve been working on the continuity all spring – work which will continue this week when the Jets open their three-day, full-team, mandatory minicamp on Tuesday. It’s still way too early to tell if the Jets got it all right this time, if they really will be a “better” – or even competitive – team.

But there should be at least a few hints this week. So here is what to watch as the Jets’ full-team minicamp kicks off:

Does Zach Wilson still look like a rookie?

Physically we know he doesn’t. He’s “beefy” as Saleh famously said, having changed his diet and workout regimen during the offseason. Saleh also insists that he’s far more confident in his knowledge of the playbook in Year 2, which theoretically should lead to a big improvement on the field.

“You can feel the comfort,” Saleh said. “We still have a long way to go, don’t get me wrong, but you can see exactly what we were hoping for in terms of him coming back having better command of the offense and better confidence in his progression.”

This spring, during the practices open to the media, Wilson has been hot and cold, which is par for the offseason course. But three straight days with a full team and, likely, slightly more intense practices could give a strong hint of just how much his newfound confidence will help. It’s less about the numbers and more about how he looks in the pocket, whether he seems like he knows what to do on every play.

That would be a huge step over where he was last year.

How does Mekhi Becton look and where is he going to play?

The Jets’ one-time franchise left tackle is expected to make his first appearance of the spring this week. He skipped the start of the offseason workout program -- first for unknown reasons -- and then stayed away due to the birth of his first child. It’s been “voluntary” so the coaches say it’s no big deal, even though they didn’t seem thrilled at the start.

But is Becton even going to show up ready to play? He missed all but one game of last season with a knee injury that was supposed to keep him out four-to-eight weeks at first. There were concerns that his weight, listed at 363, ballooned during his rehab. There is a real mystery about his conditioning and whether his knee is fully healed. Tuesday will be the first clue.

And even then, there’s more mystery: George Fant, the Jets’ right tackle, played well when he moved to the left side last season and seems to be a better fit in the Jets’ wide-zone scheme. Saleh hasn’t said whether he plans to keep Fant there and move Becton to the right side, or move Fant back to the right so Becton can play his natural position.

If they are both able to practice this week, Saleh will have to make a decision on that, at least for now.

How will the receivers and tight ends be worked in?

The Jets’ cup is overflowing with offensive weapons, at least on paper and when they’re all healthy. They added rookie receiver Garrett Wilson and tight ends C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin to a group that already included receivers Corey Davis, Elijah Moore and Braxton Berrios. That’s six viable, potentially dangerous players.

And that doesn’t include the three running backs or any potential spot for someone like Denzel Mims.

Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said that is a “very good problem to have” but he knows it’s still something he needs to talk to the players about. Not all of them are going to have a prominent place in the offense all the time. There will be a pecking order. A few will emerge as the top options.

Don’t read too much into how they’re used in June, but there will be some hints about who may end up becoming Wilson’s favorite targets.

How will the two (or three ... or more) running backs be used?

Michael Carter, who emerged as the Jets’ No. 1 running back during his rookie season, has taken a very mature approach to the Jets’ decision to draft Breece Hall in the second round. In general, he said, the more the merrier. If the Jets’ offense is humming, there’ll be more than enough work to go around.

That remains to be seen, especially with all the passing-game weapons they have. Carter will still get his work, but there are many who think that Hall will eventually emerge as the better back. And then there’s also veteran Tevin Coleman, who’ll likely surface mostly on third downs. There could be others, too, in what the Jets want to be a deep running back rotation.

Is Carter still No. 1 for now? Probably. But it’s a good bet Hall will get some first-team work this week, perhaps as a sign of things to come.

Who’ll win the battles for the third/fourth cornerback jobs?

The Jets’ secondary was a weakness last season, but it was still filled with a lot of young, promising players, especially at cornerback. Those players now will have to take a back seat to D.J. Reed and Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, who are clearly the starters at this spot.

So what does that mean for Bryce Hall, Brandin Echols and Michael Carter II, those promising young players from a year ago? One of them figures to be the nickel back, which was basically Carter’s job last season. The others will have to take a seat way in the back unless somebody gets hurt.

Cornerback depth is good. The Jets will need them all at some point. But they’re all just battling for one job now. The others will be used mostly for insurance this season.