Under Robert Saleh, the New York Jets might have finished at 29th by the end of the season, but this year, there’s regime change. And possibly, a shift in the strategy ideology. Since taking over the direction of the team under new head coach Aaron Glenn, the Jets have undergone a massive culture change in training camp, with the team implementing physical practices and actual tackling drills that have not been practiced since the Saleh regime. With the preseason moving along, everyone is waiting to see the starters, such as Justin Fields, take the field for the first time this season on Saturday evening’s game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
The Jets’ defense has been the strongest unit throughout training camp, outscoring the offense in daily drills under Glenn’s new attack-minded system. Cornerback Sauce Gardner, fresh off signing a record $120.4 million extension, was characterized as the “biggest winner” of training camp, with beat writers writing that it is possibly “the best he’s looked” since All-Pro cornerback Gardner. The team’s priorities otherwise have centered on infusing defensive coordinator Steve Wilks‘ new system, which has more blitzes and man coverage than in years past. But in the middle of all this excitement over defense upgrades and coaching staff moves, something new is turning the discussion to one of the team’s most captivating rookie tales with cornerback Arian Smith and quarterback Justin Fields.
Arian Smith owns up to having his mind drift at the most inopportune moments, strutting onto the field as a confident speedster but losing concentration when the ball was airborne, resulting in too many dropped passes in his last year at Georgia. He can’t fault his hands, “thinking about the wrong things, worried about stuff I can’t control instead of controlling what I can, which is catching the ball,” Smith said.
To combat that mental chatter head-on, Smith has a daily routine that culminates in science: after the weight room and JUGS machine, he puts on strobe goggles whose lenses alternate between transparent and opaque, making his brain process visual information quicker and focus in on the catch “They, like, mess up your vision,” Smith said, then further adding, “It makes it more difficult to see…it disturbs my eyes, it provides me with a distraction. I think it assists.”
Smith pairs that with periphery-of-vision drills, throwing a ball of letters onto which he says them as he tosses, to expand his field of vision and keep his practices interesting And the payoff has materialized in camp: after initial “buffering” sessions studying routes, Smith has consistently outgunned NFL-level cornerbacks in one-on-ones, including one highlight deep grab over Sauce Gardner, drawing an approving word from coach Aaron Glenn for “doing a really good job for us.” With Arian Smith making key plays downfield and proving his worth, the spotlight now shifts to Justin Fields, who is preparing for a crucial test in the coming days.
Justin Fields has a lot to prove and he is eager
Justin Fields wanted to play. He wanted those “live” Engstrand system reps. “I think we need to be on the field every single game,” Fields said, then continuing, “I think that will be good for our team… and for me and the guys on offense,” he had said. Despite a tough camp (15 of 43 in three days), Fields showed life on Thursday, August 7.
Aaron Glenn is going all in, not just playing aggressively. The team has completely rebooted its culture compared to the style former coach Robert Saleh followed. Glenn’s decision is a departure from Saleh, who almost never played his starters in exhibition games. For example, Aaron Rodgers played just 9 snaps in 2023, and the Jets aren’t alone. Across the league, it’s now common for big names to sit out so-called “meaningless” games for safety’s sake. Now, the Jets have finally granted Fields’ wish to play in the preseason opener. But now, Justin Fields needs to prove that he’s worth it, as compared to his past games against the Packers.
The preseason opener is the first real test of whether Justin Fields’ bold new partnership with the Jets can turn practice into game-day results. Previously, Justin Fields has put up a 75.5 passer rating with 1,086 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions in six games against the Packers so far. But with Glenn putting him up for the preseason opener, it is up to him to prove that the new tactics the Jets are applying do work. On a wider angle, he also needs to prove he can go and handle a match against the Packers.
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