To the excitement of many fans, the NFL preseason is coming to an end.
That means the regular season is around the corner.
The Jets will begin their regular season on Monday Night Football against the 49ers on Sept. 9. Before the season opens, they will face the Giants in the preseason finale on Saturday night.
Ahead of the final preseason weekend, let’s answer some fan questions in the latest Jets mailbag.
Will [Hasson] Reddick and the Jets come to an agreement before the season starts? -@jdny2
This is anyone’s guess at the moment.
For those who have been living under a rock for the last month, Reddick has been holding out and is requesting a trade due to his contract situation with the Jets. The Jets traded for Reddick in late March, and he has stepped into the team facility only once. He is in the final year of the three-year, $45 million contract he signed with the Eagles in 2022.
Many surrounding the team are not sure if or when Reddick will show up. He is being fined $50,000 for every day he misses.
Since the Jets reported on July 23, Reddick has accumulated $1.4 million in daily fines. That doesn’t even include the $50,000 he was penalized for missing mandatory minicamp and the $250,000 workout bonus he failed to receive for missing the Jets spring offseason program.
I wouldn’t hold my breath on Reddick showing up for the start of the season. This will put more pressure on former first-round pick Will McDonald and Micheal Clemons to produce this season.
Who are the primary kickoff returners (assuming they run with two)? -@jubgpodcast
My guess is that Xavier Gipson and Malachi Corley will be the two returners on kickoff this season, assuming they opt to have two back there.
This year, the kicking team still kicks the ball from their 35-yard line. But what’s different is that players from the kicking team start at the opponent’s 40 and cannot move until the ball hits the ground or a player in the “landing zone,” which is the area between the goal line and the 20-yard line.
The receiving team can choose to put one or two returners. Despite his lack of experience at Western Kentucky, the Jets want to get the ball into Corley’s hands as much as possible. He can make opponents miss and bounce off tacklers.
Takk [McKinley] or [Eric] Watts making the team? Any surprise cutting candidates?? – @chirench
The Jets have a good problem to have and that’s having young depth on the defensive line. Both McKinley and Watts have stood out throughout training camp and the preseason.
If Reddick does not show up, the Jets should consider keeping McKinley because of his experience and fit in the defensive scheme. He can play on the inside and on the edge if needed. I would also keep an eye on Leonard Taylor III as a candidate to make the 53-man roster.
Surprising cuts, I would look at wide receiver Jason Brownlee or tackle Max Mitchell. Brownlee had a rough outing against the Panthers on Saturday night and has had an inconsistent training camp. But Malik Taylor’s being placed on injured reserve certainly helps his chances.
Mitchell played against the Panthers during the second half, which shows he could potentially be on the bubble. It appears the Jets like Carter Warren a bit more, so Mitchell could be the odd man out especially with rookie Olu Fashanu likely to be the team’s swing tackle this season.
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