4 standouts and 1 major dud from Wednesday's NY Jets training camp practice

The NY Jets completed their sixth official training camp practice of the summer on Wednesday. It was the team's second practice with pads as the Jets inch closer to the regular season.

Offensive tackle Mekhi Becton was held out due to discmfort in his surgically-repaired knee. Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters that Becton is day-to-day and that the team hopes to have him back out there on Thursday.

Meanwhile, wide receiver Allen Lazard remained sidelined with "leg tightness," while defensive end John Franklin-Myers left early with a minor groin injury. Tight end C.J. Uzomah did practice for the first time this summer after being officially activated off the PUP list.

That's the injury roundup for Wednesday's practice, but which players managed to stand out — for better or worse? Let's take a closer look at what happened on Wednesday.

Standout: Jermaine Johnson, DE, NY Jets

The Jets' defensive line has been dominant throughout training camp, and that continued with a six-sack performance on Wednesday. Of those six sacks, Jermaine Johnson tallied two of them.

Johnson toasted Max Mitchell and Carter Warren for a pair of would-be sacks. The 2022 first-round pick has been splitting reps with the first and second-team defenses — a strong indication that he's ready for a larger role this season.

Johnson looks leaner and faster than he did as a rookie as well. While the entirety of the Jets' defensive line has been impressive this summer, perhaps none have stood out more than Johnson.

It's going to be tough to secure consistent playing time in a loaded Jets defensive line rotation, but Johnson is making a strong case that he deserves a larger role in 2023.

Standout: Zach Wilson, QB, NY Jets

Zach Wilson put together his best and most consistent practice of the summer on Wednesday. The former No. 2 overall pick finished 5-of-7 in 11-on-11 drills, including a beautiful deep ball to the newly-signed Alex Erickson for a 60-yard touchdown.

Wilson was done no favors by a shoddy offensive line performance (more on that in a moment), but he responded well to the pressure. He even completed a short outside throw to tight end Kenny Yeboah with Jermaine Johnson right in his face.

The third-year quarterback has had an up-and-down summer to this point, but Wilson has shown promise in recent practices. He looks calmer and more confident in the face of pressure — a significant problem for him in the past.

It may just be training camp, but stacking good practices is the first stage of Wilson's road to redemption.

Dud: NY Jets offensive line

The Jets' offensive line is probably the team's biggest concern entering the 2023 season, and the unit has done little to quell those concerns this summer. Wednesday was probably their worst day.

The offensive line allowed a whopping six sacks in 11-on-11 periods, with the likes of Max Mitchell, Billy Turner, and rookie Carter Warren each having rough days.

The interior of the offensive line wasn't much better, either. The Jets struggled to create any room for the ground game — Quinnen Williams and Al Woods were feasting — and backup center Wes Schweitzer snapped a ball over Zach Wilson's head while working with the second-team offense.

It's hard to say how much of the Jets' defensive line dominance is due to their only abilities or the struggles of the team's offensive line. Either way, it's been a noticeable issue.

Standout: Zaire Barnes, LB, NY Jets

Rookie linebacker Zaire Barnes has quietly been one of the most surprising standouts of training camp so far. The 2023 sixth-round pick recorded a sack on Tuesday and intercepted a Tim Boyle pass on Wednesday.

The Jets drafted Barnes with the expectation that he would serve as a core special-teamer for the team, but few expected him to play much of a role on defense this season. That could change if Barnes continues to impress.

The Jets really like Jamien Sherwood, and he's still penciled in as the starting weak-side linebacker, but Barnes has impressed in limited reps. He's turning a lot of heads this summer.

With Sherwood and Barnes, the Jets may feel comfortable enough with their own linebacker depth and pass on re-signing Kwon Alexander.

Standout: Tony Adams, S, NY Jets

Speaking of players the Jets' coaching staff is really high on, safety Tony Adams deserves a shoutout. Adams has been splitting reps between the first and second-team defense — an indication that the coaches believe he's in the mix to start at free safety.

The 2022 undrafted free agent recorded his first interception of the summer, picking off an errant Rodgers pass intended for Corey Davis. It was a free play as the defense jumped offsides, but Adams still showed off his impressive range to jump in front of Davis and secure the interception.

When asked about Adams following Wednesday's practice, Robert Saleh told reporters, "I guess the cat's coming out of the bag." Saleh even indicated that Adams was competing for a starting job.

The Jets signed Adrian Amos to be their starting safety alongside Jordan Whitehead, but don't be surprised if Adams pushes him for that role. There's a chance Adams is the Jets' Week 1 starting free safety.