3 standouts and 1 dud from second NY Jets open-media OTA practice

The NY Jets completed their second OTA practice open to the media on Wednesday, and once again, starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers was not a full participant.

Rodgers was spotted playing catch on the sideline with a few teammates, and the Jets expect him to be back in a full capacity, either by Friday or early next week. While Rodgers was sidelined, a few other Jets received a bit more attention

It's never wise to draw many conclusions from OTAs as players are still only practicing in shorts, but that doesn't mean we should ignore them altogether. OTAs serve as the first true test of the offseason for many players.

That said, which players shined and which players faltered in the Jets' second open-media practice of the offseason? Let's take a look at a few notable names.

4. Standout: Nick Bawden, FB, NY Jets

Nick Bawden was forced to miss the entire 2022 season due to injury, but with Nathaniel Hackett taking over as the team's offensive coordinator this year, there's a chance he can earn a roster spot in 2023.

Bawden was one of the more notable standouts from Wednesday's practice. The former Detroit Lions draft pick "flashed as a receiver," according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt noted that he received "a lot of action in team drills."

The Jets are clearly interested in getting a closer look at Bawden, the only natural fullback on the roster. Bawden impressed with the Jets back in 2021, appearing in nine games in the latter half of the season.

Hackett has been known to utilize fullbacks in the past during his stops in Green Bay and Jacksonville. Bawden could sneak onto the 53-man roster with a strong summer.

3. Standout: Garrett Wilson, WR, NY Jets

Garrett Wilson has nothing to prove this summer. The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year is coming off the most prolific rookie season by any Jets wide receiver in franchise history and is locked in as the team's No. 1 wideout entering 2023.

That doesn't mean Wilson is going to take it easy, however. Far from it, in fact.

Wilson was arguably the most active player on either side of the ball on Wednesday, hauling in a number of catches throughout the day, including a sliding grab on a pass from Zach Wilson.

We've barely even seen Wilson catch passes from Aaron Rodgers to this point, and he's still been the star of the show during OTAs. The former first-round pick seems primed for a monster second season.

The Jets reshaped their wide receiver room this offseason, signing the likes of Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman, and Randall Cobb, but Wilson is no doubt the centerpiece of Gang Green's passing attack.

Wilson hauled in 83 catches for 1,103 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie, despite being saddled with the worst quarterback play in the NFL. With Rodgers now under center, the sky is the limit for the former Ohio State standout.

Wilson has quickly established himself as one of the stars of this Jets' roster, and he's not resting on his laurels. He's giving 110 percent effort even throughout OTAs.

2. Dud: Zach Wilson, QB, NY Jets

Zach Wilson showed signs of growth in the first open-media OTA session last week. The former No. 2 overall pick filled in for Aaron Rodgers and completed 12 of his 14 pass attempts, including a 9-of-10 performance during 7-on-7 drills.

Unfortunately, Wilson ran into a few more issues in Wednesday's practice. The 23-year-old completed 5-of-8 passes during 11-on-11 drills, including back-to-back errant throws to a wide-open Jeremy Ruckert and an open T.J. Luther.

Wilson seemed more comfortable working through his progressions, but his accuracy remains a concern. Ruckert found an open seam in the middle of the defense, only for Wilson to fire it just off-mark past the second-year tight end.

Meanwhile, fellow backup quarterback Tim Boyle had a more efficient day, completing 3-of-4 passes in 11-on-11 drills. His only incompletion came as a result of a drop by Diontae Spencer, per The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt.

Wilson is still seen as the favorite to win the backup QB job this summer, but performances like this won't help his case. It wasn't all bad for Wilson, who was praised by head coach Robert Saleh before practice, but the accuracy issues continue to be a problem.

Wilson is hoping to string together positive performances this summer, if only just to build his confidence back up. After a disastrous 2022 season, Wilson needs all the positivity he can get.

1. Standout: Jeremy Ruckert, TE, NY Jets

If not for Garrett Wilson, the star of Wednesday's practice might just have been second-year tight end Jeremy Ruckert. A fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Ruckert was a relative nonfactor in his first NFL season, but the Jets still have high hopes for him in the future.

Ruckert has made a noticeable impact in both of the Jets' OTA practices open to the media so far this spring. He made a few nice grabs on Wednesday and nearly missed a big play up the seam as a result of an errant Zach Wilson pass.

The Jets' tight end room is crowded with Tyler Conklin, C.J. Uzomah, Kenny Yeboah, and seventh-round pick Zack Kuntz, but all signs point to Ruckert being ready to take on a larger role in 2023.

It's very common for tight ends to essentially have redshirt rookie seasons in the NFL. Just look at Conklin and Uzomah, for example. Both former fifth-round picks, Conklin and Uzomah, combined for six catches during each of their rookie seasons.

Travis Kelce notoriously played just one game as a rookie. Dalton Schultz hauled in 13 catches over the first two years of his NFL career. Even high-profile rookies like T.J. Hockenson rarely produce a lot early in their careers.

The Jets are very encouraged by the progress that Ruckert has made so far this offseason, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him push for snaps this year.

He may not become a featured part of the offense just yet, but there's absolutely a reality in which Ruckert is the Jets' TE1 in 2024. He's been one of the most notable standouts from OTAs thus far.