These are the 5 Jets to watch at the start of training camp
Jets wide receiver Adonai Mitchell reacts during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at MetLife Stadium on Nov. 30, 2025. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Five players to watch as the Jets hold their first training camp workout of the summer Wednesday:
Geno Smith, QB
Everything starts with the quarterback and especially for the Jets. Smith will be their 15th different starter since he last started for the Jets in October 2016.
Smith feels he has unfinished business after a messy first tenure and hopes to prove himself by leading the Jets to the playoffs for the first time in 16 years.
It will be interesting to see how the older, more experienced Smith handles the immense pressures of playing for the Jets this time around. He’s earned rave reviews from coaches and teammates for his leadership.
A big upgrade from last year’s starter Justin Fields, Smith will push the ball down the field and take chances. He has four straight seasons of more than 3,000 passing yards and surpassed 4,000 twice. The Jets have had one 3,000-yard passer in the last 10 years (Aaron Rodgers 2024) and one 4,000-yard season in their history (Joe Namath 1967).
Smith needs to cut down on his interceptions, though. He’s thrown 32 picks over the past two years.
Demario Davis, LB
Back with the Jets for a third time, Davis may prove to be their most important offseason signing. The Jets sorely lacked leadership on and off the field last year. The 37-year-old Davis is widely recognized as one of the best leaders in the NFL, vocally and with his preparation and practice habits.
A coach on the field, Davis will get his teammates in the right call based on the offense’s personnel grouping or formation. He also knows exactly what coach Aaron Glenn wants and can communicate that. Glenn was a defensive coach for New Orleans where Davis played the previous eight seasons.
Drafted by the Jets in 2012, one year before they selected Smith, Davis has been an extremely productive and remarkably durable linebacker. He’s missed just two games in 14 years. Davis has nine straight seasons of at least 105 tackles, including a career-high 143 tackles in 2025.
Minkah Fitzpatrick, S
The Jets had too many breakdowns in the secondary last season and needed a leader to shore up the back end of their defense.
Fitzpatrick is another well-respected and decorated veteran with gravitas who players look up to and follow. He has been an All-Pro three times and made five Pro Bowls in eight seasons with Miami and Pittsburgh. Fitzpatrick is not as vocal as Davis. But like Davis, Fitzpatrick can read an offense and get the defensive backs in the right formation.
The Jets allowed an NFL-high 36 touchdown passes and set a record by becoming the first team to go a full season without an interception.
Fitzpatrick has 28 career takeaways and four pick-6s. Last season, he recorded a defensive two-point conversion when he intercepted a pass and returned it 97 yards against New Orleans.
The Jets will move the versatile Fitzpatrick around and play him at safety, slot corner and in the box.
Adonai Mitchell, WR
The third-year receiver has all the tools to have a breakout year and become the Jets' No. 2 receiver behind Garrett Wilson.
Acquired from the Colts last season in the Sauce Gardner trade, Mitchell has yet to play a down with Wilson, who was sidelined for 10 games. Long, strong and fast, Mitchell has flashed, but he has yet to consistently produce.
The Jets are confident that will change this year with Mitchell having a full offseason and training camp with the team. The Jets need a reliable No. 2 receiver to keep defenses honest if they focus all their attention on Wilson and dual-threat back Breece Hall.
Mitchell is also playing with a quarterback who likes to throw the ball downfield, which plays to his strengths. Quarterback stability would be a plus. Mitchell has caught passes from six different quarterbacks in 33 career games.
David Bailey, Edge
The second overall pick, Bailey was the Jets’ choice over Arvell Reese because they believe he has the pass-rushing skills to be game-wrecker.
Bailey’s burst and get-off jumped off the tape when the Jets scouted him. They have little doubt that will translate to the NFL and Bailey will be able to make quarterbacks uncomfortable with his relentless pursuit.
The Jets didn’t have much of a pass rush last year. They envision that changing with Bailey lining up on the edge opposite Will McDonald in a multi-front defense that Glenn plans to run.
Bailey has improvements to make as a run defender for him to become an every-down player. It will be emphasized during camp with defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, who has a good track record for developing players
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
