What To Watch For In The New York Jets-New Orleans Game

The third game of the NFL preseason is the most important one, because the starters almost always get the most game action they will see in August. And, like most teams, the Jets have plenty of fascinating subplots going into Saturday night’s home game versus New Orleans.

Welcome back. Both free safety Marcus Maye and center Ryan Kalil will make their 2019 preseason debuts. Both sat out the first two games for different reasons, and both are quite excited to be back.

Maye has been sidelined since November 2018 with a shoulder injury, including a nerve issue, but steadily has increased his workload since beginning training camp on the physically unable to perform list. Maye played in only six games last season.

Maye said Thursday, "Once I’m out there, I’m going to go out, fly around and make plays. Just being out there is the first step, just coming back from all the injuries. I’m excited."

Kalil, signed out of retirement by the Jets on Aug. 1, has not played since the 2018 regular-season finale with Carolina as he has worked hard since then to get back into football shape and learn coach Adam Gase’s offense.

"I'm probably a lot more giddy than other guys who've been doing training camp for a little bit longer than me," Kalil said.

This game will be especially important as Kalil and Sam Darnold attempt to establish the type of chemistry that is an absolute must between a center and a quarterback. Kalil already is penciled in as the starting center for the season opener against visiting Buffalo on Sept. 8, and Gase said he intends to play Kalil for about one quarter against the Saints and Jonotthan Harrison for approximately a quarter. Harrison finished 2018 as the Jets’ starting and has mostly been solid during training camp, but the Jets decided before camp started that they wanted someone with more starting experience than Harrison.

The back seven of the defense is depleted.Veteran New Orleans starting quarterback Drew Brees is expected to play for the first time this preseason for an undisclosed amount of time, and he likely will be followed by veteran Teddy Bridgewater, who spent training camp with the Jets in 2018 before being dealt to the Saints. But Bridgewater will barely recognize the linebackers and deep backs, as injuries and attrition have changed the lineup from what he saw last summer.

Cornerback has been a trouble spot for the Jets throughout camp, and linebacker also has been hit hard lately. Starting cornerback Trumaine Johnson still is out with a hamstring injury, and the Jets still are hoping he will return by Week 1. Starting linebackers Avery Williamson (knee) and Brandon Copeland (NFL-imposed suspension, thumb injury) are out.

And of course, big-ticket free agent C.J. Mosley ($43 million guaranteed) has replaced the traded Darron Lee at inside linebacker.

Williamson is gone for the season, and Copeland will miss the first four games of the regular season because he tested positive for a banned substance. He said in an Instagram post Wednesday that “I’ve spent the better part of 28 years building and working on my legacy. This offseason, I began taking a supplement AFTER multiple verifications that it was safe for me to use. Unfortunately, this supplement was contaminated with a banned substance — NOT on its label. Regardless of the reason, League policy says I am responsible for what is in my body."

The suspension will cost him $356,617.

He then missed practice Thursday because of a thumb injury. The suspension answered the question of why, both in practices and in last week’s game against Atlanta, Copeland had been playing with both starters and second- and third-stringers.

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams dialed up many more blitzes than usual for a preseason game against the Falcons. It will be interesting to see what he does against Brees and Co.

Le’Veon Bell won’t play. Gase made it clear this week that the superstar running back won’t play in the preseason. It is an interesting strategy, because Bell, of course, hasn’t played in a game since Pittsburgh lost to Jacksonville in the playoffs in January 2018.

While it would seem necessary for him to get some work (because hitting in practice nowadays usually cannot simulate game-speed, it’s also true the Jets will be missing two/fifths of their projected starting offensive line, even with Kalil back in action. Left guard Kelechi Osemele (pectoral muscle) and right guard Brian Winters (hip) won’t play, so Bell and the starting O-line wouldn’t have been able to work on their chemistry anyway. Bell’s hesitation style of running is unique, and it may take him a little time early in the real season to get a feel for running behind this line.

This will be Sam Darnold’s last preseason action. Darnold and the rest of the starters, save an exception or two, certainly will not play Thursday against Philadelphia in the preseason finale. Darnold and the offense looked fantastic in their first two drives of August, touchdown marches against the New York Giants and Falcons. But his last two series against Atlanta ended in three-and-outs. Darnold already has impressed Gase very much during camp, but it wouldn’t hurt to string together two or three productive possessions in his final game action before the games count.

Will Chris Herndon start again? Tight end Herndon, who will miss the first four games because of an NFL-imposed suspension for a drunk-driving incident, has been getting playing time with Darnold thus far. But considering that the Jets won’t be able to utilize Herndon’s services in a real game until Oct. 12, it would seem to make sense to use either Ryan Griffin or Daniel Brown with the starters so that somebody who is eligible to play the first four games can work on his rapport with Darnold in the passing game.