5 takeaways from New York Jets 2025 minicamp

The countdown to training camp has officially begun after the New York Jets completed their mandatory minicamp last week. The players will now enjoy some time off before reporting to training camp in July.

There was plenty to like from some players last week and there were also some concerns as well. We'll know more about this team once they put the pads on and start their preseason schedule Aug. 9 in Green Bay against the Packers.

For now, here are five takeaways from last week's mandatory minicamp:

Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner Are Here To Stay

There was some concern that neither player would participate in minicamp last week as both Wilson and Sauce are seeking new contracts. The Jets have a history of letting negotiations drag out before both sides reach an agreement right before the start of the season.

But, Wilson and Sauce were both full participants last week, which is an excellent sign that deals will get done sooner rather than later. GW looked terrific catching almost every ball thrown from Justin Fields as they look to become a dangerous tandem against opposing defenses this season. Wilson also looks much happier as he has reclaimed his spot as the top receiver on this team and doesn't have to worry about Davante Adams taking targets away from him anymore.

Sauce is still one of the top cornerbacks in the league and has taken on more of a leadership role during the team's OTA's. Having them both in the fold for the next few years will make Aaron Glenn's life much easier. It's not official yet, but it seems more like a matter of when they sign their deals, not if they sign them.

Justin Fields

Fields has come along nicely so far and made some impressive throws during 11-on-11 drills last week.  While some of his throws were off the mark, he also played smart and didn't force any of his throws that could have been intercepted. One play that stood out during last week's practices was Fields facing pressure from the Jets pass rush and still hit Josh Reynolds in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. He looks very comfortable in Tanner Engstrand’s offense and will bring an exciting element as both a passer and a runner. Fields said during his media availability that he plans to get the Jets receivers together during the break for workouts. His leadership on offense is starting to shine and it's fun to watch.

Brandon Stephens is Struggling

It was a bit puzzling that the Jets gave the former Ravens cornerback a multi-year deal during the early days of free agency.  Stephens struggled in coverage quite a bit last year in Baltimore and so far, he hasn’t been much better in New York.  The same bad habits that doomed Stephens in Baltimore have surfaced during OTA's with the Jets. His coverage skills have been good, but he fails to turn around sooner, doesn't know where the ball is and gives up too many completions and touchdowns. For now, he's not in any danger of losing his starting position. But, Stephens needs to clean up the mistakes during training camp because Azareye'h Thomas, the team's third round pick, has a chance to steal that starting spot from him opposite Sauce Gardner.

Aaron Glenn Will Not Take the Bait

It always felt like a formality when the NFL scheduled the Jets to play the Steelers in Week 1 that Aaron Rodgers would be making his return to MetLife Stadium against his former team.  It was also only a matter of time that Glenn would be asked about facing Rodgers, especially after the drama that ensued between the two of them earlier in the offseason.

Glenn would not take the bait, refusing to engage on any questions directly regarding Rodgers.  Glenn’s answer to the question was simply that "we have 17 really good games that we got to play and we look forward to playing all of them." Glenn wouldn't let Rodgers control the narrative during their initial conversation about his future with the Jets and he's not about to let Rodgers be the primary focus of this matchup when these two teams meet to open the season.

Glenn only cares about making the Jets a better football team. This is the job he wanted and you can see he's enjoying every minute of being with this organization. He doesn't care about Aaron Rodgers. He doesn't care about what other teams are doing. He's made it pretty clear through his first few media sessions. If it's not about the Jets, don't waste his time.

Roster Bubble Recap

Michael Clemons returned to minicamp last week after sitting out the previous OTA's for undisclosed reasons. There was some speculation that Clemons could have been held out for a potential trade, but that was not the case. With Jermaine Johnson a candidate for the PUP list to start training camp, Clemons will have the opportunity to get plenty of reps to show he can be a contributor to this Jets defense. He took an encouraging step forward with a tackle for loss during 11-on-11 drills, taking down Fields in the backfield on a designed run for the quarterback.

The same can't be said for Malachi Corley, who did not participate all last week due to injury. Glenn has said that he has a plan for Corley, but it becomes very frustrating for the head coach to implement the plan if the player can't get on the field. The deck is stacked against Corley. He'll need to stand out during training camp and the preseason if he has any chance whatsoever to make the team.

Xavier Gipson officially has some competition for punt returns in rookie UDFA Jamaal Pritchett from South Alabama. Pritchett has made some plays so far, including a nice catch off a deep ball thrown by Adrian Martinez during team drills. Gipson has been a non-factor on the Jets since scoring the game winning touchdown against the Bills in Week 1 of the 2023 season. His only avenue to make the roster is as a punt returner. Glenn has no loyalties to Gipson which could give Pritchett the advantage heading into training camp next month.