The New York Jets had a disastrous season in 2023. They quickly spiraled out of control after Aaron Rodgers was injured on the first series of the season. The Jets are back in training camp looking to improve on their 7-10 record but have not gotten great results out of some key players. How can Joe Tippmann, Haason Reddick, and Will McDonald improve for the remainder of the summer?
Joe Tippmann must improve for the Jets
The Jets drafted offensive lineman Joe Tippmann in the second round in 2023. He played in 16 games as a rookie and played well enough to make the NFL All-Rookie team. In the early stages of training camp, he has not played at an NFL level.
Reports have surfaced that Tippmann has struggled with shotgun snaps so far in practice. This comes amidst general reports on the offense struggling to find a rhythm and Rodgers starting to get frustrated.
The offensive line play was brutal in 2023, but Tippmann was one of the bright spots. With first-round pick Olu Fashanu and free agent acquisition Tyron Smith playing tackle, the line is in much better shape now. The Jets must have Tippmann snapping at a pro level while getting great tackle play to succeed this year.
Haason Reddick a no-show
Holdouts are a consistent piece of NFL training camp. When the Jets lost edge rusher Bryce Huff in free agency to the Eagles, the two teams agreed to a trade that sent edge rusher Haason Reddick to New York. He has yet to suit up in training camp despite his new surroundings.
The trade was initiated because of a contract dispute between Reddick and the Eagles. He will hit unrestricted free agency after this season and wants a bigger contract before hitting the field. NFL Insider Josina Anderson has reported that the talks are progressing, but nothing official yet.
The Jets need Reddick to not only show up but show out when he hits the field. Replacing Bryce Huff's 10 sacks from a season ago will be difficult, if not impossible, without Reddick. They have a chance to be the best defense in the league with Reddick, Quinnen Williams, and Sauce Gardner all in the fold but they need Reddick to get back on the field.
Will McDonald must take a step up
The other part of the defensive edge is second-year player Will McDonald. He only played 16% of snaps last season and did not make much of an impact in those snaps. Now, he must take a step up in the absence of Reddick. Reports from camp say he is looking fast and doing well in drills, but similar things were said last year.
The Jets must ensure McDonald is game-ready in the pre-season. The team starts their exhibition season on August 10 against the Washington Commanders. That will be the biggest day of the summer for McDonald, as he should get snaps and show he has improved over last season's production.
McDonald is the most important defensive player in training camp because of the uncertainty with Reddick. If the worst-case scenario comes true and he misses regular season action, McDonald will be thrust into a very important role. The Jets have to see even bigger improvements than they already have to be confident in McDonald's ability to do that.
Overall, the Jets are set up for a big improvement over 2023. With their quarterback healthy and new additions on the offensive line, their biggest deficiencies from a year ago have been improved. They need better training camps out of Joe Tippmann, Will McDonald, and Haason Reddick to help break their playoff drought.
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