The Jets will kick off their preseason Saturday at noon when they host the Commanders at MetLife Stadium.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ return from his season-ending Achilles injury will have to wait. The four-time NFL MVP will not play against the Commanders and is not expected to play in the Jets’ second preseason game against the Panthers.
Other veteran starters likely will not play against Washington. That means a lot of snaps for the rookies and young players looking to make an impression before NFL rosters have to be down to 53 players by Aug. 27.
Here are the five Jets players to watch against the Commanders.
TYROD TAYLOR, QB
With Rodgers being held out of practice on Thursday due to inclement weather, Taylor practiced with the first-team offense and was sharp. He completed 11 of 16 passes with two touchdown passes to Garrett Wilson. One of those touchdown passes was a 55-yard pass to Wilson as he burned Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr., in coverage.
After Rodgers’ Achilles tear last year, the lack of a quality backup QB on the roster was a huge topic of discussion for the Jets. First-round bust Zach Wilson struggled and was benched for Tim Boyle before returning under center. Wilson eventually suffering a season-ending concussion in Week 15 and was traded to the Broncos in the offseason.
Although Taylor, 35, is one of the older backup quarterbacks in the league, his experience will be vital in case something were to happen to Rodgers again.
WILL MCDONALD IV, DE
The Commanders offensive line had trouble blocking McDonald during the first joint practice session. He was dominant in both running and passing plays and demonstrated his spin move during a 1-on-1 drill against offensive lineman Chris Paul.
After being selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, McDonald played just 19% of the Jets’ defensive snaps last season. He registered just 14 tackles and three sacks in 15 games.
McDonald received limited snaps because of his slim frame and lack of strength. The Jets also had John Franklin-Myers, Bryce Huff and Jermaine Johnson on the depth chart. During the offseason, Franklin-Myers was traded to the Broncos, and Huff signed a three-year contract with the Eagles.
Haason Reddick’s holdout doesn’t appear to be ending anytime soon and the preseason will allow McDonald to show Jets coaches they can trust him to make a significant jump during his second season.
OLU FASHANU, LT
After being selected 11th overall in April’s draft, Fashanu is spending his first training camp learning from veteran tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses. But he will get his opportunity to show what he can do against the Commanders’ front four.
The hope is for Fashanu not to play during the regular season and watch from the sideline. However, considering Smith’s injury history, that may be unrealistic.
Smith hasn’t played an entire season since 2015 and has missed 37 games since 2020. With both Smith and Moses being 33 years old, preseason reps will be critical for Fashanu, who has been taking reps only at left tackle during training camp.
BRAELON ALLEN, RB
Along with Fashanu, Allen has been one of the most impressive rookies throughout Gang Green’s offseason program. Beginning in OTAs and mandatory minicamps, Allen has shown he can be a power back out of the backfield with his 6-1, 235-pound frame and a reliable pass catcher out of the backfield.
Allen, who was a fourth-round pick, rushed for 3,494 yards and 35 touchdowns in three seasons with the Wisconsin Badgers. Early in training camp, Allen appears to be the leader in the clubhouse for the backup running back role behind Breece Hall.
In addition to Isaiah Davis, the rotation of Allen and Hall could be potent for the Jets, especially later in the season when the weather gets colder and it is harder to throw the ball.
QWAN’TEZ STIGGERS, CB
Stiggers was one of the better draft day stories this year, and he will finally get to show what he can do against another team. He was drafted in the fifth round after being discovered when he played for the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts.
Throughout training camp, Stiggers has made several plays around the football. In Tuesday’s practice, Stiggers intercepted a pass from Andrew Peasley and returned it for a touchdown. He also recorded another pick against Peasley during the first day of training camp.
“Stiggers is an NFL-caliber cornerback,” Jets coach Robert Saleh told reporters. “Now, it is time to see how ready he is for against opposing receivers.”
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