5 NY Jets players who shined in the Hall of Fame Game

NY Jets football is back! Sure, it may have only been a mostly meaningless early-August preseason outing with starters and most backups not participating, but the Jets just played their first organized football game in nearly seven months.

The Jets fell to the Cleveland Browns by a final score of 21-16 in this year's edition of the Hall of Fame Game. Of course, the final result isn't what matters. It's about the journey, as they say.

Preseason games aren't for players with well-defined roster roles. They're for the guys trying to earn a spot on the team or secure a starting job. Thursday night's game offered an opportunity for a number of players to do just that.

Let's take a look at five Jets players who made the most of their opportunities in the Hall of Fame Game.

5. Greg Zuerlein, K, NY Jets

It's been a long time since the Jets have had a reliable kicker entering a season. Not since the 2016 campaign have Jets fans been this comfortable with the team's kicking situation.

Greg Zuerlein isn't competing for a starting job. Instead, he just proved why Jets fans are so confident in him with a flawless performance on Thursday. Zuerlein made all three of his field-goal attempts, including a kick from 54 yards out.

The former All-Pro accounted for 10 of the Jets' 16 points and continued his outstanding summer. Zuerlein has missed just two kicks in every practice combined this summer, and one of those misses was from 63 yards (the other was 48).

Most didn't exactly tune in to see the Jets' kicker on Thursday, but Zuerlein was undoubtedly one of the game's top performers.

4. Chazz Surratt, LB, NY Jets

Chazz Surratt exited Thursday's game early with a hamstring injury, but he made sure to make the most of his opportunities before that. Surratt helped force a fumble alongside Jamien Sherwood in the first quarter and responded with an interception of Kellen Mond two possessions later.

Surratt finished the game with three tackles and was at least partially responsible for both of the Jets' takeaways on the night. Not a bad first game for the former third-round pick.

Surratt spent all of last season on the Jets' practice squad after he was released by the Minnesota Vikings as part of final roster cuts. In a razor-thin linebacker corps, Surratt has a chance to stick around on the 53-man roster.

While it might be difficult for him to push for a starting job, don't be surprised if Surratt sneaks onto to the roster as one of the team's backup linebackers. He's putting together an impressive summer.

3. Zach Wilson, QB, NY Jets

Zach Wilson only played one quarter for the Jets on Thursday, but in that quarter, he reminded everyone exactly why he was drafted second overall just two years ago.

Wilson finished 3-of-5 for 65 yards with short completions to Kenny Yeboah and Israel Abanikanda, but it was his beautiful 57-yard bomb to Malik Taylor that fans will be talking about.

Wilson unleashed a gorgeous pass down the left sideline to an open Taylor who had gotten behind the defense. If Taylor doesn't slow down, there's a chance he was gone. It was that good of a throw.

The rest of Wilson's night was rather forgettable, including an airmailed ball to undrafted wideout Xavier Gipson. But Wilson deserves a spot on this list just for that one throw.

2. Joe Tippmann, C, NY Jets

Joe Tippmann was one of the only players to play all four quarters for the Jets on Thursday. At least by my count, he was on the field for every offensive snap — and you didn't hear his name called once.

While the Jets struggled to get much going on the ground, their pass protection was pretty solid for most of the night. Tippmann more than held his own against a pretty deep Browns defensive line.

The rookie second-round pick has been exclusively working with the third-team offense in training camp, meaning that this was the first time he even snapped to Zach Wilson in live reps.

The Jets gave Tippmann an extended look, and he made the most of it. Here's to hoping that helps him climb up the depth chart as the summer progresses.

1. Bryce Huff, DE, NY Jets

Bryce Huff had no business being on the field in this game. While the Jets opted to sit most of their important defensive players, Huff was active, and he received snaps in every quarter on Thursday night.

He quickly made his presence felt, too, picking up a sack in the first quarter. There's probably an argument to be made that he shouldn't have even been playing, but that might say more about how the Jets view him in relation to the depth chart than anything.

Huff and rookie Will McDonald were both active in the backfield for much of the night. The Jets did only manage one sack, but that was primarily because the Browns were doing everything possible to get the ball out of the hands of their quarterback as quickly as possible.

It still seems unlikely that Huff has a role on this Jets' roster if everyone is healthy, but he could make an intriguing trade chip before Week 1. If anything, his extended playing time might have been an early audition.