5 Playmakers to Watch in Jets' Training Camp
The New York Jets are set to begin their 2015 season with renewed expectations under a new regime. With Rex Ryan and John Idzik done as head coach and general manager, the Todd Bowles and Mike Maccagnan era is already underway.
The new duo in power put together a mighty offseason, racking up top talent in the draft while making big splashes in free agency. In fact, some of their offseason additions made this ranking which compiles the top five players to keep an eye on during training camp.
Players have been ranked according to not only importance, but also their place on the team and the extenuating circumstances surrounding them. It isn't a big surprise that quarterback Geno Smith is in here, but perhaps some other names will be.
Without further ado, here's the list. Be sure to comment on whether you agree or disagree with any of the players mentioned.
5. Jace Amaro, TE
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After being selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft out of Texas Tech, Jace Amaro underwhelmed as a rookie.
The 6'5" tight end had just 38 receptions for 345 yards and two touchdowns. He finished No. 16 in receiving yards among rookies in 2014.
Part of his lack of production may have been because he was transitioning to the NFL, but another part may have been his relationship with former head coach Rex Ryan. Their feud has now become public since Ryan left for Buffalo, with Amaro claiming on Sirius XM NFL Radio (h/t Dom Cosentino of NJ.com) the Jets had accountability issues and Ryan, well, saying Ryan things to Sports Illustrated (h/t Rich Cimini of NFL.com) in a profanity-laced response.
Amaro's bond with new head coach Todd Bowles will be something to keep an eye on. If Amaro underwhelms yet again, he could lose snaps to fellow tight end Jeff Cumberland.
Still, Amaro's upside is so high that the 23-year-old should have a nice sophomore season with the Jets and improve across the board.
Bowles didn't have a better option at the position when he was with Arizona, as John Carlson led Cardinals tight ends in every category and had almost an identical year to Amaro. It will be interesting to see what kind of role Amaro will have in the Jets offense this season.
4. Darrelle Revis, CB
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After trips to Tampa Bay and New England, Revis Island is now back in New York. It only took $70 million to get him there.
Revis will be reunited with fellow cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who played alongside him from 2010-12. Cromartie also played for Bowles in Arizona last season, and it will be interesting to see if Bowles utilizes a scheme similar to what he formulated with the Cardinals.
That scheme revolved around Cromartie and Patrick Peterson and was highly effective. The Cardinals ranked No. 4 in the NFL in passing defense in 2014.
There's no denying how great Revis was during his first stint in New York, anchoring Rex Ryan's defense and shutting down half of the field. Jets fans remembered that and have welcomed him back with open arms, even after he joined the hated Patriots and won a Super Bowl while the Jets missed the postseason.
Revis is now 30 years old and entering his ninth season in the league. He was great in New England last year, but with his long-term contract, he's going to have to prove he can still be the shutdown corner the Jets are hoping for.
He's surrounded by a ton of talent in the secondary, so a lot of the weight is lifted off his shoulders, which should make it easier for him to settle in and be effective. Look for Revis to rekindle the same grandeur he enjoyed during his first stint in New York.
3. Muhammad Wilkerson, DE
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Of all the "Three Sons" that compose the defensive line (Wilkerson, Damon Harrison, Sheldon Richardson), Wilkerson is the best and most important.
He will become even more important to the Jets with Richardson suspended the first four games of the season for violating the NFL substance abuse policy. Richardson may face an additional suspension after he evaded police while driving 143 miles per hour with a loaded gun and a 12-year-old child in the car.
With Richardson gone for some time, Wilkerson will likely need to produce his second double-digit sack season and wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks.
The 25-year-old tweaked his hamstring at camp on Sunday, but the injury isn't believed to be serious. He should be healthy and ready to go when the Jets start their preseason games on Aug. 13.
Will he have a new contract?
Although Wilkerson is entering the final year of his rookie contract and has yet to be extended, GM Mike Maccagnan foresees no issues with negotiations.
"We want to have Muhammad a part of this organization for a long time," Maccagnan said, per ESPN. "With all the things that have happened recently, nothing has really changed on that. To me, our goal is to get Muhammad in the organization long term, and it will just work itself out."
With the heightened importance placed on Wilkerson and his lack of a long-term deal, he's a player to watch during training camp.
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2. Brandon Marshall, WR
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The Jets stole wide receiver Brandon Marshall from the Bears for a fifth-round draft pick, giving quarterback Geno Smith yet another weapon to utilize.
Marshall is expected to come in and play alongside wideout Eric Decker, who fell just shy of the 1,000-yard plateau last season. Decker's down year was likely due to him being the only formidable threat for opposing defenses to worry about out of the passing game, so the 6'4" Marshall should create more space for him this season.
Interestingly enough, Marshall has only played three seasons of his career without Jay Cutler as his quarterback (2009-11). Although the two were an effective duo in Denver and Chicago, Marshall has still averaged 1,116 receiving yards and six touchdowns in seasons without Cutler.
He'll look to create chemistry with Geno Smith and bounce back from his woeful 2014. Marshall's 721 receiving yards last season were his lowest since his rookie season.
As a big target and a legitimate red-zone threat, Marshall has a chance to make a big impact on Gang Green's offense in 2015.
1. Geno Smith, QB
5 of 5After a dismal rookie season, quarterback Geno Smith didn't put together much of a sophomore encore.
He threw for just 2,525 yards and 13 touchdowns in 14 games, as the Jets were the worst passing offense in the league and the only team with under 3,000 yards.
It was a rough campaign for Smith, but he showed enough flashes of brilliance for the Jets to think he has a chance to develop into a solid player.
He may never become a Pro Bowl QB, but he can likely be good enough to win games behind their incredible defense, as long as he controls the football. Smith actually cut down on his turnovers in a major way, shrinking his total by nine from his first to second year.
Cornerback Darrelle Revis recently opened up about the quarterback situation.
“We almost made it [in 2009 and ’10], and we didn’t have a quarterback,” Revis told Sports Illustrated, per Bart Hubbuch the New York Post. “Mark was solid. He wasn’t elite.”
Clearly, Revis feels as if the defense is good enough to carry the team, just as it did when the Jets went to back-to-back AFC Championship games.
Still, Smith has potential, and they Jets should have enough weapons around him to make it work. A receiving corps of Marshall, Decker and Amaro and backfield of Chris Ivory, Stevan Ridley and Bilal Powell will allow Smith to mature as a quarterback and take the next step.
Games like Week 17 of last season make you think Smith really can put it all together. He threw for 358 yards and three touchdowns against the Dolphins in the final week, leading the Jets to a season-high 37 points.
The Jets should be able to put points on the board this year, but Smith's progression is something to watch moving forward. If he struggles, it's possible that backup Ryan Fitzpatrick could get a look.
Dan Ferrara is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter to stay in touch.
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