5 Biggest Takeaways from the New York Jets' OTAs

There's little doubt in anyone's mind that the New York Jets have improved their roster this offseason. Whether it leads to improved results is another question entirely. 

We certainly won't get our answer during organized team activities (OTAs), simply due to the nature of the practices. They are the first time in which the rebuilt roster has all taken the field together, so these practices are more about teaching than evaluating the roster. 

There will be plenty of time for overreactions during training camp, when there's actual running, hitting, blocking and tackling taking place—and by then, they will be less "overreaction" than simple reaction. That doesn't mean there's nothing we can take away from the Jets' first series of practices this spring, however.

Here are some of the things we can take away. 

No Decision Yet at Quarterback

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Will there or won't there be a quarterback competition?

That's one question that's still floating around after the Jets' opening days of OTAs. At one point, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said the plan was for Geno Smith to be the starter. At another point, though, head coach Todd Bowles put the brakes on Gailey's comments.

"I agree with how he put it, knowing Chan," said Bowles, before clarifying. "Chan is very matter-of-fact. In Chan's mind, with [Ryan] Fitzpatrick being hurt and Bryce [Petty] just coming in, there was no competition, but come camp time there will be competition at the spot. I said it from Day 1. Geno is the first-team quarterback, Ryan's second, Matt [Simms] is third, and we'll get Bryce and we'll get [Jake] Heaps some reps as we go."

Thus, while Geno Smith may be the front-runner for now, that may not remain the case as the regular season approaches. There's still a long way to go, with a couple of weeks left in OTAs before mandatory minicamp in June, followed by a brief respite before the five-week road from the beginning of training camp to the beginning of the regular season. 

Fitzpatrick's knowledge of the offense could make him a formidable opponent for Smith in the competition, so there's no reason for Smith to take his foot off the gas. 

Todd Bowles Hired Chan Gailey for His Running Game as Much as His Passing Game

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Chan Gailey is indelibly linked to the spread offense like peanut butter is to jelly, but if you think that was the only reason Todd Bowles named Gailey his offensive coordinator, you are sorely mistaken.

"Actually, no," Bowles said. "What appealed to me was when he was [offensive coordinator] at Pittsburgh [Steelers], he was able to run the football. When he was at Georgia Tech, he was able to run the football, and obviously the passing game he had speaks for itself, so that makes him a balanced coordinator which was more what I was looking for."

In 1996 and 1997, Gailey's Steelers were one of the top two teams in the league in rushing. His Dallas Cowboys teams also enjoyed some success running the ball in 1998 and 1999, ranking in the top 10 both years. 

With the Buffalo Bills, he had two gifted backs in Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller, and while those two were highly productive for him in 2012 (the Bills ranked sixth in the league in rushing), his underutilization of Spiller was arguably one of the things that got him fired in Buffalo. Bowles is counting on Gailey to remain committed to the running game this time around. 

Devin Smith Getting Early Looks with First-Team Offense

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Do you think the Jets wanted to build their offense around Chan Gailey's spread system?

That's the only way to explain their offseason moves. Between the fourth-round selection of Bryce Petty (more on that later) and the massive overhaul at wide receiver, the Jets have the look of a team that could air it out with regularity down the line. 

But even with the additions of veterans Brandon Marshall and DeVier Posey among a group that already included veterans Eric Decker and Jeremy Kerley, rookie pass-catcher Devin Smith is getting his fair share of looks with the first-team offense, according to Dom Cosentino of NJ Advance Media. 

Gailey's propensity for running spread formations (his Buffalo Bills teams were in three-receiver sets on 1,669 snaps from 2010 to 2012, according to ESPN.com's Rich Cimini) means everyone will get their turns to "run with the ones," but it's still a show of good faith that the Jets would include Smith in that rotation so early on in his NFL career. 

Lorenzo Mauldin Is a Work in Progress

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

The Jets used a third-round pick on Lorenzo Mauldin to bolster their pass rush. That much is certain. In what role will he do so? That remains a mystery. 

On the surface, it would seem as though he's a great fit at the outside linebacker position in the Jets' 3-4. At 6'4" and 259 pounds with 33" arms, his frame seems perfect for the position (if maybe a little small). That being said, Jets head coach Todd Bowles isn't closing the door on any possibilities just yet and has even entertained the idea of Mauldin lining up as a strong-side linebacker.

"First, we have to see how he handles the point of attack," Bowles said. "If they run the ball at him, how strong he is at the point, with the bigger tight ends in the league, as opposed to college; how he plays in space when the tight end is not on him; how he reacts to certain things. You kind of get a feel that way, to see what his strengths and his weaknesses are."

We know he can get into the backfield; he notched 31.5 tackles for loss and 20.5 sacks in his three years at Louisville. In the NFL, though, his competition will be much greater than it was in the ACC.

The Jets may have found their outside linebacker for the future, but it may take him some time to get acclimated. The first step could be to add some muscle to his frame to help him hold his own at the point of attack against bigger offensive tackles and tight ends. 

Bryce Petty Should Take a Redshirt Year

RICH SCHULTZ/Associated Press

The Jets have drafted four quarterbacks in the past seven years, ranging from the No. 6 overall pick (Mark Sanchez, 2009) to the No. 208 pick (Greg McElroy, 2011). Fourth-round pick Bryce Petty falls almost smack-dab in the middle of that spectrum at No. 103, but while he is capable of justifying a pick much higher, his early-career value could be a bit lower. 

Petty isn't likely to make an impact as a rookie and should welcome the opportunity to take a redshirt year before competing for the starting job. Thanks to Baylor's spread offensive system and a lack of difficulty in his competition, Petty may need to get his feet wet before jumping in with the sharks. That being said, thanks to the arrival of Chan Gailey, the rookie's transition may be a bit easier than anticipated.

Petty doesn't seem overwhelmed, but he also won't go so far as to call it easy, according to Randy Lange of NewYorkJets.com:

"

It's a process. It's one you have to take day by day. It's a mountain that I'm ready to climb and that I'm excited to climb. Being in a spread offense where things might have been a little bit more simplistic in college and then coming here, being able to play quarterback a little bit—not that we didn't in Baylor—you just get more on your plate here, which is what I love. It's why you play the position.

"

Like most rookies, Petty will have some good practices and some bad practices, and according to reports from NJ Advanced Media, he's already been on both ends of the spectrum. The Jets should wait until he shows a little more consistency before pinning the hopes of their franchise on him. 

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained via team news release.