The Jets took the field just after 9 a.m. on Friday for the first time as a team in 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic wiped out all field practices in the spring and delayed practices this summer. Friday morning, finally, the Jets got to step on the field as a full team and practice.
“I thought today, great energy by the boys,” coach Adam Gase said in a Zoom call with the media after the exercise. ‘You can see they are excited to be there. It’s good to go against each other. It’s been a while. It’s the first exercise we’ve had since December, and maybe it feels like 60 percent of the boys we have are new. That, it was a good start for us. ”
The rest was apparent. The offense, with seven new starters from last season, looked like a group that lacks cohesion, as you would expect. There were several false starting penalties and hiccups as Sam threw Darnold outside and cut his receiver inside. But in general, the first day of training camp for the most part looked like the first day of training camp always looked like.
That is, apart from the masks and memories surrounding the Jets training center that we are still dealing with the pandemic. All Jets coaches wore masks during practice, as did the players who did not participate. Players could only use water bottles designated for them instead of sharing bottles as in the past.
“I think the masks have become part of daily life,” said center Connor McGovern. “It’s something I know I walk into a building, it’s almost natural to throw on a mask now. I felt like I was practicing in a camp. ”
It looked like the Jets were going back to normal football mode when practice began.
“You wear the mask, and that’s the only thing that kind of reminds you of that,” Gase said. ‘You can see the spaces around the field, how everyone was aware of them. But I think you’re getting a little lost at the moment when it’s football, you see guys working extremely hard out there and you’re reminded that it’s your back to work. But at the same time you do not forget the protocols that are in place and you try to do everything right. “
The Jets have been doing strength and conditioning for two weeks and they started doing something on the field this week with the offense and defense apart. Friday was the first day that the whole team practiced together and went on the attack against the defense. The Jets will put the pads on Monday.
This is a condensed training camp, so the Jets do not have much time to gel. There are no preseason games and just 14 padded practices. The Jets are scheduled to open the season four weeks from Sunday against the Bills.
McGovern notes that the offense had false starting problems in the first team period, but none in the second team period. He said players need to clean up much faster this year than in a normal training camp.
“I think everyone realizes the urgency we are in and the urgency where we need to improve and the pressure we’re under to solve that little thing,” McGovern said. ‘Once a game starts, it’s not a small thing anymore. I think we repaired it quickly and it shows how ready we are to take the rest off and get ready for a game. ”
Gase insists on not looking ahead and worrying about having only four weeks. He keeps the focus on the short term.
“We can not panic because we only have four weeks to get ready for the first game,” Gase said. “We need to find a way to get better every day.”
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