Looking At The New York Jets’ To-Do List Prior To Training Camp

The New York Jets are scheduled to begin training camp, for both rookies and veterans, on July 27 in Florham Park, N.J., one day after veterans report. Until then, here are some questions that need to be answered and what will take place before that day.

How will the offensive line be configured?

The Jets’ coaching staff played coy about how they would choose to deploy tackles George Fant and Mekhi Becton, neither of whom participated in voluntary spring practices or mandatory minicamp. Fant was recovering from off-season foot surgery, and Becton spent most of the spring in Dallas working with trainers and an offensive-line guru as he continued to attempt to lose weight in what has become an ongoing saga.

“I’m not worried about it,” offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said of the Fant-Becton situation. “The best two are going to be slotted where they may be, and that stuff will work itself out.”

Fant started the final 16 games of the 2021 season at left tackle after Becton suffered a season-ending knee injury in the season opener, and thus it would seem to make the most sense to leave him there. That would seem especially prudent given the fact that, otherwise, the only position that would remain constant would be Connor McGovern at center. Alijah Vera-Tucker, who had a standout rookie season at left guard, is moving to right guard to make way for free-agent signee Laken Tomlinson, formerly of San Francisco.

Will offensive line coach John Benton be suspended?

It is possible that offensive line coach John Benton could be hit with some sort of NFL-imposed suspension for violating its substance-abuse policies for a DUI arrest on March 17.

What’s quarterback Zach Wilson doing before camp?

Wilson said on the second and final day of minicamp that he planned to get together in mid-July with the receivers and running backs for some informal throwing sessions.

“Yes, we’ve got something planned already for those guys,” he said. “I think we’re going to meet up and we’ll get to do this whole thing where we kind of go through the scripts and throw together and, more than anything, just be together and go hang out. We’ll plan some fun activities for those guys.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s going to be the routes,” he added, “the two days of throwing that’s going to be the most beneficial. It’s going to be us stuck in some house together for three days, just getting to know each other and hanging out, talking, just like we do. I think that’s going to be more important than anything.”

Which draft picks must be signed?

The Jets signed fourth-round edge rusher Micheal Clemons last week. Clemons, the 117th overall selection, signed for $4.424 million over four years, per overthecap.com. His 2022 cap figure is $764,096. That leaves running back Breece Hall, their second-round selection, and offensive tackle Max Mitchell (Louisiana), their other fourth-round pick, as their only unsigned draft picks.

This, of course, is much different than last season when the signing of Wilson didn’t occur until the third day of camp.

What other moves could be made?

The Jets looked at some free-agent offensive tackles, including veteran Riley Reiff, who visited camp in the final week of Organized Team Activities. Depending upon how general manager Joe Douglas feels Becton is coming along, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Jets sign Reiff or someone else for insurance.