The New York Jets open training camp on July 29 at their training facility in Florham Park, New Jersey. Here's a closer look at the Jets' camp, which wraps up on Aug. 27:
Top storyline: It's the quarterback "situation" or "competition," depending on how you want to frame it. Semantics aside, it's Geno Smith's job to lose. Privately, the organization wants Smith to put a stranglehold on the job because he has a higher ceiling than Ryan Fitzpatrick, but the team won't hand Smith the job. He has to show something -- anything -- in the preseason to nail it down. Here's another way to look at it: He'd really have to stink it up this summer not to be the Week 1 starter. The hope is that Smith, in Chan Gailey's quick-read, quick-throw offense, can find his way after two wildly erratic seasons -- 41 turnovers in 30 games. The system is closer to what he played in college than the previous offense (West Coast), so maybe he can finally solidify the position. Or not. Smith's track record, coupled with Gailey's confidence in the wise but limited Fitzpatrick, makes a quarterback change seem inevitable at some point during the season. The other big story, of course, is new coach Todd Bowles. He replaces the brash Rex Ryan, whose fingerprints remain. Bowles' job is to win over a team that enjoyed Ryan's loose, free-wheeling style. He already has his first taste of adversity -- Sheldon Richardson's four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy, which tainted an otherwise blissful offseason. Welcome to New York, coach.
Position battles to watch: For a team that was bad in 2014, the Jets have surprisingly few spots up for grabs. That could be a good thing or a bad thing. General manager Mike Maccagnan did a nice job of spending Woody Johnson's money and patching the major holes, but you can't fix a broken-down franchise in one offseason. The biggest concern is at right guard, where aging incumbent Willie Colon faces a challenge from Brian Winters, Oday Aboushi and Brent Qvale. The Jets would like to infuse young blood into an aging offensive line, but the next John Hannah isn't walking through the door. Winters and Aboushi have had their chances in the past; maybe Qvale -- a former practice-squad player -- will surprise everyone and win the job. Another competitive position is running back. Chris Ivory, last year's leading rusher, will go into camp as the starter, but he'll be pushed by newcomers Zac Stacy and Stevan Ridley, if healthy. The depth is decent, but where's the breakaway threat?
Veterans to watch: If the Jets hope to make the playoffs, they'll need Darrelle Revis and Brandon Marshall, their biggest offseason acquisitions, to be ... well, Darrelle Revis and Brandon Marshall. For Marshall, it means bouncing back after an injury-plagued season with the Chicago Bears. At 31, he still has enough in the tank for a 1,000-yard season (FYI: The Jets haven't had one since Jerricho Cotchery in 2007), but his on-field chemistry with Smith bears watching. Marshall is notoriously tough on his quarterbacks when things go awry. The Jets paid an above-market price to bring back Revis ($39 million guaranteed), and they expect him to remain at an elite level. He will. With Revis and Antonio Cromartie reunited, the secondary should be among the top three. Another storyline will be Muhammad Wilkerson, assuming he's not a training-camp holdout. Unhappy with his contract, Wilkerson enters the final year of his rookie deal determined to make a loud statement on the field.
Rookies to watch: Because of Richardson's suspension, first-round pick Leonard Williams will get a shot to nail down a starting job on the defensive line. So much for being eased in; Richardson's absence puts Williams, the sixth overall pick, on an accelerated program. The plodding offense could really use Devin Smith's speed at wide receiver, so look for the second-round pick to be put on the accelerated program as well. Third-round linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin will get a chance to unseat Calvin Pace, but it might be a stretch, considering the nuances of the strongside position in Bowles' defense. Quarterback Bryce Petty, a fourth-round pick, will enjoy camp more than anyone. He's in a pressure-free situation, as the fans will be screaming for him to replace Smith no matter how he performs.
Bubble watch: This could be an unpleasant summer for certain veterans. It's the cold side of the business: new coach in town, old guys are vulnerable -- i.e. Colon, Pace and pass-rusher Jason Babin. A handful of minimum-salary vets will have to play their way onto the roster: defensive linemen Stephen Bowen and Kevin Vickerson, linebackers Erin Henderson and Joe Mays, along with a few others. Of the aforementioned players, Pace is the safest. The Richardson suspension increases the value of Bowen and Vickerson. Looking for a surprise cut? Keep an eye on fullback Tommy Bohanon. Offseason spending spree notwithstanding, there's still a need for youth and speed on both sides of the ball.
Quarterback controversy: The veterans are behind Geno Smith, but that could change if they get off to a bad start. The Jets have an unusual dynamic: It's a veteran, win-now team -- it's not a rebuilding year -- but the quarterback position is shaky. The older players don't want to kiss off the season just so Smith can continue to learn on the job. With Fitzpatrick in the bullpen, Smith could lose the team if he doesn't show early improvement. No one sees Fitzpatrick as a cure-all, but he'd be the better option if the Geno Coaster continues into Year 3.
For daily updates at camp, check out the New York Jets' clubhouse page.
