Getty The New York Jets 2021 Green & White scrimmage is less than two hours away.
Tonight is the first live-action New York Jets football that the team will see in 2021.
The franchise will be hosting its annual Green & White intrasquad scrimmage at MetLife Stadium at 7 p.m. eastern time (gates open at 6 p.m.).
GREEN
&
WHITE
TONIGHT
LET’S
GO ‼️
P.S. there’s still time to get tickets ➜ t.co/cAiJscNax4
Head coach Robert Saleh told everyone what to expect during a press conference on August 5.
He stated: “It’s going to be very similar to our formal practices. We’re not going to do any live tackling but we’ll go through [it all], there’s going to be a lot more move the ball, a lot more organic transitions with regards to punt, kickoff, field goal, just going through those gymnastics. We’ll have coaches in the box so we’ll try to simulate a game-like experience without actually picking teams.”
In terms of snap distribution, the Jets HC said, “we’ll try to hit our mark with regards to the amount of snaps we want all of them to get, so we’re trying to simulate each player simulating a half of football at some point throughout the entire practice.”
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Stars to Watch
There are the obvious players to watch and the not-so-obvious ones. We’ll begin with the Green & White ‘stars’ and playmakers.
Zach Wilson
This goes without saying, but the rookie quarterback will be at the center of all the action tonight as he takes the field under the bright lights for the first time at MetLife. Hopefully, tonight marks the start of a long and successful career for Wilson in New York.
Elijah Moore
No Jets first-year player has been as exciting to watch as Moore in recent memory (not including QBs), and that should continue in ‘primetime.’ The rookie wide receiver has impressed at every turn, elevating his game at each stage of camp. Most recently, he began receiving first-team snaps alongside Corey Davis and Jamison Crowder.
Corey Davis
Speaking of Davis, the true top wide receiver on the depth chart has quietly had a really strong training camp. Beat reporters have noted that the former Tennessee Titan has been catching everything, and while he’s not as flashy as Moore or Crowder, Davis will be integral to this offense as Wilson’s reliable safety net.
Michael Carter & La’Mical Perine
Really, this entire running back rotation should be on full display tonight but Carter and Perine have both been ultra-consistent over the course of the summer periods. Joe Douglas also spent a fourth-round pick on each of them during his initial two drafts as Jets GM. For those reasons, these two claim the spotlight at RB.
Chris Herndon
Everyone is waiting on the former starting tight end to break out in this new offense, he just hasn’t so far. Herndon has flashed at times, but he’ll need to put together a more steady run of production if he wants to beat out Tyler Kroft.
Carl Lawson
Switching over to the defensive side of the ball, Lawson is the man stealing every headline. He’s been near-unstoppable in training camp and we’ll see if that continues versus Mekhi Becton during the scrimmage.
Bryce Hall
This entire cornerback room will be under heavy watch and scrutiny all preseason, but Hall is the guy that the Jets need to take that next step and develop into a true number one corner on the outside. Tonight’s his first opportunity to prove that he can be that person.
Let’s assume Bryce Hall is starting at one outside CB spot for the #Jets. Who’s starting opposite him Week 1?
#takeflight #AllGasNoBrake #NFL
C.J. Mosley
This will be the first time that Mosley has taken the field at MetLife Stadium since his injury. It’s a homecoming that some fans thought may never actually occur, after the opt-out and the trade rumors. The MIKE-backer has looked fresh after his time off, can he step into that Fred Warner role in this defense?
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Under the Radar Players to Watch
These are players that are lower down on the depth chart or fighting for a roster spot.
Denzel Mims
I don’t mean to imply that Mims is fighting for his job — those rumors are nonsense. He has slipped down the depth chart though, no matter what Coach Saleh says in interviews. The 2020 second-round pick is getting outshined by players like Moore and Keelan Cole. It’s time for him to have a big night and earn some more of Wilson’s attention.
Ty Johnson & Austin Walter
If I learned anything about covering the Jets in 2021, it’s that Johnson has a cult following amongst the fanbase. He hasn’t caught the eye of beat reporters as much in training camp, but the 2020 breakout rusher is always one hand-off away from a big gainer. Speaking of big gainers, Walter went from no-name to challenger the other day in practice after busting loose on a 70-yard run.
7th Wide Receiver?
The Jets have a clear top six at wide receiver right now, but a bunch of players have exhibited talent in camp beyond that core group. Even if everyone stays healthy, there may be a seventh WR spot to be had. Some names to watch are Vyncint Smith, DJ Montgomery, Lawrence Cager, Manasseh Bailey and Jeff Smith.
UDFA Offensive Linemen
We haven’t heard much about former Wilson teammate and BYU product, Tristen Hoge, in camp. The same can be said for Teton Saltes and Grant Hermanns. The Jets currently have a bunch of injuries/absences on the offensive line including Chuma Edoga, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Alex Lewis and Cameron Clark. That leaves the door open for one of these youngsters to step up.
Battle at WILL Linebacker
There’s so much potential bursting out of this position. It starts with draft picks Jamien Sherwood and Hamsah Nasirildeen, but don’t forget Blake Cashman and Camilo Eifler. If those players don’t excite you, the Jets just signed another outside linebacker in Edmond Robinson.
Bryce Huff
The undrafted free agent made a name for himself in 2020 and he’s been living up to expectations this summer. Huff’s speed off the edge is dynamic, and he might be the favorite to start opposite Lawson in pass-rushing situations.
Rookie Cornerbacks
Another area with too many contenders to count. These cornerback jobs are an open competition in the truest sense of the phrase. Jason Pinnock, Isaiah Dunn, Brandin Echols and Michael Carter II are the first-year players but there are a whole bunch of names to watch in this department.
Which late round (6 or lower) #Jets 2021 draft pick or UDFA is most likely to live up to the hype? Comment someone that’s not listed.
Jabari Zuniga & Jonathan Marshall
Two Douglas draft picks with insane athleticism and potential. Unfortunately, injuries have slowed the development of both early on in their respective careers, especially Zuniga. If he or Marshall plays tonight, it’ll be intriguing to see what sort of impact they can have in a scrimmage setting.
Kicker Competition
The Jets have brought in Matt Ammendola to ‘kick it out’ with Chris Naggar. Whether either or both will be replaced before Week 1 depends on how well they do in moments like tonight.
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Can You Stream the Scrimmage Tonight?
According to beat reporters Connor Hughes and DJ Bien-Aime, the short answer is no, BUT…
No. It won’t be streamed
@PrettyyFIacko @GothamCityCrew @JetsJoe73 @nyjets @Cnimbley @Connor_J_Hughes My guess is no because the Jets are crazy weary of teams being able to use extra film to scout them.
It would have to be somebody in the stands doing that on their own
HOWEVER, we do live in the age of social media. Assuming the Jets don’t release a last-minute feed on their YouTube or Twitter account, your best option is to stay tuned to that #Jets hashtag on Twitter.
There will be fans in the stands, meaning videos will be flooding Jets Twitter all night long.
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