Don’t let the shorts and T-shirts fool you into mistaking a Jets practice for a vacation at Club Med.
Even in the spring, when NFL rules prohibit wearing pads and ban live contact, there is an edge to new head coach Aaron Glenn that seeps into his players.
There were two skirmishes after the whistle — neither escalated to fisticuffs — during Tuesday’s OTAs. Glenn stopped practice at one point.
“It started to get a little — I don’t want to say ‘physical’ — but pushing and shoving,” Glenn said. “You want to stop that because, listen, we’re all in underwear. Let’s practice and let’s move forward. But those things happen. It’s football. You correct it, and you move on.”
It’s common for tempers to flare during training camp, when temperatures soar into the 90s, the fatigue and monotony of an everyday schedule sets in and pads allow for increased physicality. That’s when a punch might be thrown.
Receiver Josh Reynolds knows the intensity Glenn is looking for after practicing against the defenses Glenn coordinated as a member of the Lions (2021-23).
“We’re going to practice with a purpose, and the purpose is to win games, the purpose is to get better, the purpose is to have detail and technique and finish,” Reynolds said. “When guys are wanting to win, yeah, it’s going to get a little chippy. It’s like a good mixture of, ‘Can we do that but still kind of be under control?’ ”
CB Sauce Gardner, DT Quinnen Williams, DE Will McDonald and DE Micheal Clemons were the most noticeable absences. All OTAs are voluntary, and mandatory minicamp begins next Tuesday.
Shortly after practice ended, Gardner was on X, reacting to a Pro Football Focus list ranking him as the No. 1 corner in the NFL.
“Them fake & forced narratives can’t stop reality. been one of them ones,” Gardner wrote, adding a shushing emoji.
As for Clemons, who has missed multiple media-viewed OTAs, Glenn balked at criticizing voluntary attendance.
“He’s been here,” Glenn said. “Other days, I’ve said we had 100 percent participation. I don’t want to paint that narrative that he hasn’t been here.”
It was Great Catch Day.
Take your pick between Garrett Wilson jumping over the back of Michael Carter II to grab a pass from QB Justin Fields, the tip-to-himself catch by Xavier Gipson from QB Tyrod Taylor, Pokey Wilson’s sideline grab through a view obstructed by a leaping defender on a layered touch pass from Taylor, and rookie Malachi Moore’s diving interception and pop-up return for a touchdown off QB Brady Cook.
Rookie second-round pick Mason Taylor is staking his claim to a starting tight end job.
“It’s the blocking that really gets me going,” Glenn said. “Because I know what he can do in the passing game. For him to come out and do the things he’s doing in the run game … the position, the body language, the leverage, I really love that when it comes to the run game.”
Owner Woody Johnson, vice chairman Christopher Johnson and general manager Darren Mougey watched practice together from the sideline.
The Jets hired senior scout/special projects TJ McCreight, pro scout JaLun Morris and college scout Bird Sherrill.
