3 standouts and 2 duds from third NY Jets open-media OTA practice

The NY Jets hosted their third of four OTA sessions open to the media on Tuesday, and with mandatory minicamp officially canceled, this was one of the last times anyone outside the organization would get a look at the team before training camp.

Aaron Rodgers returned to practice in an almost full capacity, taking part in all aspects with the exception of 11-on-11 team drills. Rodgers connected on a few difficult passes and was particularly effective in red-zone drills.

That said, he isn't someone we're going to be discussing in this article. It's always difficult to gauge the performance of players during OTAs, but these five players all stood out for better or worse.

Let's take a look at a few of the most notable standouts and duds from the Jets' third open-media OTA session of the spring.

Standout: Jermaine Johnson, DE, NY Jets

When the Jets traded up to select Jermaine Johnson in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the team clearly had high hopes for him. Johnson flashed a bit as a rookie, but he was an often overlooked part of the Jets' defensive line rotation.

That could be set to change in 2023. Johnson reportedly "looks faster" this spring, per The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt, and his improved physical conditioning is already paying dividends.

Johnson recorded an unofficial sack of backup quarterback Tim Boyle in Tuesday's practice. Earlier in the day, Johnson was the only one to catch Carl Lawson in a drill that saw two defensive ends race around a traffic circle.

Johnson particularly flashed as a run defender in his rookie season, but the former first-round pick has clearly been working on his first step. The Jets hope to see him earn a larger role in year two.