Jets Training Camp Preview: Top Players to Watch, Biggest Questions originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The New York Jets are thrilled with the work they did this offseason to improve on their 5-12 record in 2024. They get their first attempt to prove themselves right during their 2025 training camp, which opens on July 19 (for rookies) and then on July 22 (for veterans).
For head coach Aaron Glenn, it’s his first chance to run a camp that, if all goes well, can set up the organization for present and even future success. A major part of that test is to ensure the coaching staff develops the young talent already on the roster … however, there will be an assortment of tests, issues and questions along the way.
Most of all, can the Jets be turned into winners in Year 1 of the Glenn era? Our training camp preview breaks it all down here.
Players to Watch
Justin Fields
New York will go as far as Fields takes them. He has had an entire offseason to learn the Jets’ offense, and now is the time to show he can be the kind of stable quarterback the team needs.
Allen Lazard
Lazard is a candidate to be traded this offseason. If he cannot make an important step in New York’s offense, he may very well be traded to a team that needs better depth in its receiving room. He has a long battle ahead of him, to say the least.
Will McDonald
McDonald is a speed rusher. His 10-sack season last year shows he can be a dependable player on a good defensive line. The big question is whether his increase in size can make him better prepared for a full 17-game season against more physical players.
That will be something to watch throughout camp when the pads come on.
Biggest Questions
How advanced will offense look?
The offense will look much different than it did last season when Aaron Rodgers was in charge. With Fields now in charge, the Jets are expected to operate a more run-heavy approach with passes mixed in.
The issue will be that the athletic Fields has yet to figure out a way to show he can be a dependable quarterback from the pocket. If the offense is shaved down in a more basic way, then the system is compromised.
If Fields can develop at a rate that seems realistic to us, the Jets offense will be a lot better than people think.
It all comes down to Fields, though.
Can Jets fix major defensive struggle?
New York’s defense struggled against the run, to force turnovers, and was one of the more penalized groups in the league. Despite a top-10 finish, the Jets’ defense showed blemishes in plenty of categories.
The biggest issue, though, came from tackling.
They have consistently been one of the worst teams in the NFL in terms of tackle rate, and that must change. One way for that area to see improvement is for the defense-minded Glenn to conduct a physical camp, within the limiting rules, of course, that focuses on the technique of tackling in the first place.
That’s an answer to a question that can be revealed early in their set of practices in Florham Park.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared.