Welcome to Camp Calm.
Such is the atmosphere around the Jets a few days into training camp. The “Hard Knocks” cameras and all that goes with them are gone. The disbelief at seeing Aaron Rodgers in a Jets uniform has been replaced by acceptance that he is, in fact, the team’s quarterback and the hope that he stays healthy.
This time last year, it felt like an experiment: Could the Jets add a Hall of Fame quarterback to a top-five defense and contend for a Super Bowl? This year, experimentation has given way to experience. The Jets have been with Rodgers for more than a year, even though they only saw him on the field four plays.
The mood around the team right now is one of knowing what needs to be done, rather than wondering if it can be done.
“We’ve been through it,” coach Robert Saleh said. “You know, last offseason there was a lot of hype and everything good, and this year, the guys are a little more focused. It just feels different. I’m trying to explain it in this press conference, but it definitely feels different.”
The fans seem to have changed too.
Thursday’s practice was the first open to fans. The crowd was still large, but it was different from last year’s first practice, which had more of a rock concert feel than a football practice. Fans still went wild when Rodgers threw a 40-yard pass to Garrett Wilson on the first play of the 11-on-11 period. But the novelty of seeing Rodgers in a Jets uniform has worn off.
Speaking with people around the team, the word “businesslike” comes up. The entire team knows this is their chance. Another year without the playoffs will mean big changes. Team owner Woody Johnson has had enough, and there won’t be another reworking like this season.
The pressure is on Rodgers to lead the Jets to the postseason. Saleh is 18-33, but the team may finally have a season in which a star quarterback and a stronger defense can step up. General manager Joe Douglas has bolstered the offensive line and added wide receiver Mike Williams to give Rodgers another weapon. If things go south, all three could be heading elsewhere next year.
That pressure will continue all season, but right now, no one seems nervous. There’s a certain level of comfort with the team. There are new players, but many of the same faces are back. This is their second year under Rodgers and their second year under offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. Many of the defensive starters are in their third or fourth year under Saleh and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.
“The atmosphere around this team is different this year,” Rodgers said. “Obviously last year there was a lot of excitement around me and Hard Knocks. This year, I feel like some things have calmed down and we’ve settled down a little bit.”
That doesn’t mean the Jets won’t get any attention. They’re still under media scrutiny and remain one of the most talked-about teams in the NFL. On the first day of training camp, the main talking point was edge rusher Haason Reddick’s holdout. But that topic won’t be an issue every day like Darrelle Revis’ holdout was in 2010. The Reddick topic will come up every now and then, but it won’t dominate the conversation about the Jets.
“It’s a lot calmer,” Saleh said. “The players have a much more businesslike approach to things, taking it one day at a time and trying to do their best every day.”
There’s a chance an injury or something else could happen in the coming weeks that disrupts Camp Calm, and there’s always the worry that trouble could be just around the corner for the Jets.
But for now, this team knows its mission and feels confident ahead of an eventful 2023 season and another year with Rodgers at quarterback. Their hype and arrogance about 2023 has been replaced with a desire and eagerness to end a 13-year playoff drought.
