The Jets held their first training camp practice of the summer on Wednesday morning.
But one of the central storylines continues to be about the absence of pass rusher Haason Reddick.
Gang Green players reported for camp on Tuesday, minus Reddick, who currently is in a contract dispute with the team.
“It is what it is,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said about Reddick not reporting with the rest of the team. “That’s the business part of it. Have 89 other guys that we have to prepare.”
After trading for him during the spring, Reddick skipped all of the Jets’ offseason programs, including OTAs and mandatory minicamps. Because of that, Reddick forfeited a $250,000 workout bonus and was fined over $50,000 for missing two minicamp practices.
It is unclear if and when Reddick will show up to Jets’ training camp. According to the NFL collective bargaining agreement, Reddick will be fined $50,000 every day he misses training camp. His fine cannot be waived under current CBA rules.
Reddick, 29, is in the final year of a three-year, $45 million contract he signed with the Eagles in 2022. The Jets attempted to negotiate a contract extension with Reddick before the trade with the Eagles was made, according to sources. The two-time Pro Bowler rejected the offer, but the Jets still acquired him, believing Reddick would play on the final year of his contract.
“When you deal with contracts and things like that, it doesn’t really get to the locker room because we don’t control that,” Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley said Tuesday. “When he does get here, then we’ll have our two cents to say.
“We know he’s a pro. He’s been at the highest level of competition. Whenever that gets worked out, he’ll be here, ready to roll. When he gets here, it’s just another great player on the line.”
With Reddick not in attendance for the buildup toward the September start of the regular season, it puts him behind the 8-ball after joining a new team and having to learn new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s system.
“He’s a veteran,” Saleh said about Reddick. “He has been with multiple teams, he has played multiple positions, he has had success multiple different ways.
“At this point in his career, I’m sure he knows exactly what he needs to do to prepare himself to play football. I’m not overly concerned.”
In Reddick’s absence, more practice snaps were given to second-year defensive ends Will McDonald and Takkarist McKinley. Gang Green selected McDonald in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. However, as a rookie, McDonald registered just 14 tackles and three sacks in rotational duty.
“He’s like Gumby,” Saleh said about McDonald. “He’s athletic, he’s quick twitch, he’s super long, explosive. The thing for him is going to be the power aspect of football and in winning the power battle especially in pass rush.”
McKinley is a former first-round pick (No. 26) by the Falcons in the 2017 NFL Draft out of UCLA. He tried out with the Jets during mandatory minicamp and eventually earned a training camp spot.
PRACTICE NOTES: RED ZONE OFFENSE STRUGGLES
Due to CBA rules, the first day of training camp practice is always one of the lightest. However, the Jets and Aaron Rodgers participated in both 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 drills.
Rodgers’ first day of training camp was up and down.
During red zone work, Rodgers completed 2 of his 7 passes. One of those completions was a touchdown completion to wide receiver Allen Lazard, who had a good day after bringing down two difficult catches during practice. However, Jets receivers had problems separating from defenders, and one of Rodgers’ passes was almost intercepted after he threw it a bit behind Xavier Gipson.
“He looked good,” Saleh said about Rodgers. “He can still sling it. He moved around really good too with his lower half movement looked good too.”
Offensive linemen Alijah Vera-Tucker and Morgan Moses did not participate in team drills on Wednesday. Vera-Tucker, who is returning from a season-ending Achilles tear he suffered last October, did individual work on the side. Moses was working off to the side with a trainer.
Wide receiver Mike Williams, who the Jets signed to a one-year contract in March, was also working on the side. Williams is rehabbing from an ACL tear he suffered early last season when he was with the Chargers. During OTAs and mandatory minicamp, Williams rehabbed inside the building.
The Jets plan is to bring Williams along slowly from his ACL tear, much like they did with Breece Hall a year ago.
The first interception of training camp went to rookie Qwan’tez Stiggers after he jumped up and brought down an interception on a pass from Andrew Peasley.
Gang Green will return to the practice field on Thursday morning, but the team won’t put on pads until Monday.
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