8 winners (and 3 losers) from Jets' dominant preseason win over Packers

The Aaron Glenn and Justin Fields era couldn’t have started much better for the New York Jets. The Jets rolled to a 30-10 victory over the Green Bay Packers in their preseason opener at Lembau Field on Saturday night.

It was a performance that gave fans plenty to cheer about — and plenty of reasons to start dreaming big. In fact, there may have been almost too many winners to count.

From breakout performances by young standouts to encouraging debuts from the team’s new additions, the Jets left Green Bay with momentum and optimism to spare. Let's take a look at the biggest winners (and a few losers) from Saturday's impressive performance.

Winners and losers from Jets' dominant preseason win over Packers

Winner: QB Justin Fields

It's hard to have imagined a more impressive start for Justin Fields in his Jets debut. The former Bears first-round pick completed 3-of-4 passes for 42 yards on his one and only drive, capping the possession off with a 13-yard rushing score.

The Jets likely planned to give Fields and the starters more than one possession on Saturday, but their opening drive was so impressive that Aaron Glenn had seen enough. It was a picture-perfect start for the Jets’ new quarterback.

Winner: TE/FB Andrew Beck

Perhaps the biggest beneficiary of Fields' impressive opening drive was veteran fullback/tight end Andrew Beck, who hauled in two of his quarterback's three completions. Beck led the Jets in receiving with two catches for 36 yards.

The seven-year NFL veteran is firmly on the roster entering the preseason, but he already looks to be a key part of the Jets' offense. There's a real chance he beats out Jeremy Ruckert for both the starting fullback job and the TE2 position.

Loser: TE Jeremy Ruckert

Speaking of Ruckert, every active tight end on the Jets' roster caught a pass and impressed in some way on Saturday, except for the Long Island native. Ruckert wasn't targeted in the passing game and again struggled as a blocker.

The former third-round pick registered an abysmal 25.4 Pro Football Focus pass-block grade and a 54.1 PFF run-block grade. Ruckert may have entered the summer as the de facto starting tight end, but he could play himself off the roster if he continues to struggle.

Winner: DT Jay Tufele

Talk about making a first impression. Jay Tufele was one of a number of veteran defensive tackles the Jets added to compete for a roster spot this summer, and he wasted little time proving he belongs in his preseason debut for the team.

Tufele registered 1.5 sacks, three total pressures, two run stops, and recovered a forced fumble in the end zone for a defensive touchdown in the second quarter. He capped off his touchdown celebration by running the ball back to his head coach and on the sideline. That's how you make a football team.

Winner: DT Leonard Taylor III

Tufele was the beneficiary of a Leonard Taylor III strip sack, as the 2024 undrafted rookie beat his man to force a Malik Willis fumble in the end zone. Taylor also added two run stops to go along with his strip sack.

The former five-star recruit was the Jets' highest-graded defensive player per PFF on Saturday, posting an 85.6 overall grade and a 92.3 pass-rush grade. It's been a quiet summer for Taylor, but Saturday's game was an important step in the right direction.

Loser: CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse

Head coach Aaron Glenn told reporters after Saturday’s game that Jarrick Bernard-Converse didn’t play due to a “medical issue” that he later downplayed. While it doesn’t appear to be serious, Bernard-Converse still missed out on valuable reps this weekend.

The former sixth-round pick is fighting for a spot on the Jets' 53-man roster this summer, and while other cornerbacks like Qwan'tez Stiggers and Bump Cooper impressed, Bernard-Converse was watching from home. Not an ideal start to JBC's preseason.

Winner: LB Jamin Davis

The Jets quietly have a notable training camp battle underway for the third linebacker job, and if Saturday's game is any indication, Jamin Davis should be considered the frontrunner.

The former Commanders first-round pick received the start with the first-team defense and finished as the Jets' second-highest-graded defensive player by PFF behind only Leonard Taylor. Davis posted a stellar 78.2 PFF grade in 12 snaps and seems likely to play a sizable role on defense this season. It's his job to lose.

Winner: RB Donovan Edwards

The Jets' running game was expectedly the focal point of their offense on Saturday night, and undrafted rookie Donovan Edwards made the most of his second-half touches. Edwards finished the game with nine carries for a team-best 42 yards, averaging a healthy 4.7 yards per carry.

That doesn't include a near-80-yard touchdown run that was called back due to a questionable holding call on fourth-string center Liam Fornadel. Edwards may be a long shot to make the 53-man roster, but he'll stick around on the practice squad (or another team's roster) if he stacks performances like this.

Loser: WR Allen Lazard

Allen Lazard didn't do anything inherently wrong on Saturday, but his place in the pecking order has become evident. Lazard started with the first-team offense, but was used sparingly and rotated out with the likes of Tyler Johnson and rookie Arian Smith. He remained in the game with the second-string offense.

To make matters worse, Lazard left the game in a sling and is dealing with a shoulder injury, per Glenn. The former Packers wide receiver isn't a lock for the 53-man roster, and there were a number of wide receivers who outplayed him on Saturday.

Winner: QB Adrian Martinez

Adrian Martinez was somewhat surprisingly the third quarterback in the game on Saturday behind undrafted rookie Brady Cook, but the former UFL MVP made the most of his second-half playing time.

Martinez finished 11-of-15 for 152 yards and a touchdown, adding two carries for 13 yards on the ground. The competition between him and Cook will be a fun one, and while the latter also had his moments on Saturday, it was Martinez who stole the show in the second half.

Winner: Jets offensive line

The Jets have found an identity on offense, and it revolves around their offensive line. Whether it was the starting unit, the second-stringers, or even the third-team offense, the Jets' offensive line looked excellent in Saturday's preseason win.

New York rushed for nearly 150 yards and didn’t allow a single sack on 28 pass attempts. The Jets surrendered just six total pressures as a team all game, per PFF. Credit to new offensive line coach Steve Heiden, who deserves a shoutout for the performance of his unit on Saturday.