'Beefy' Zach Wilson and 4 early takeaways from NY Jets OTAs

The NY Jets officially kicked off the OTAs portion of their offseason workout program this week with the first practice open to media taking place this past Tuesday.

This is the first opportunity the Jets have had to get a look at the team's new-look roster in its entirety following the conclusion of rookie minicamp earlier in the month.

Of course, OTAs are voluntary and non-contact, which is why it's never wise to put too much stock into really anything that happens. Teams primarily hope to escape injury-free and establish a bit of chemistry with the new members of the roster.

Still, there are at least a few minor takeaways from OTAs to this point. Let's take a look at a few of them.

4. The NY Jets had 'outstanding' attendance

As a whole, the Jets were very pleased with the crop of players that showed up for OTAs. While no official record has been kept of every player in attendance, there were only a few noticeable absences.

Mekhi Becton is probably the most noteworthy as he and his girlfriend celebrated the birth of their first child earlier in the week. The Jets have reiterated their support of Becton and look forward to him rejoining the team in the near future.

Other absences include the likes of George Fant and Carl Lawson who are both rehabbing from injuries. Fant had a knee scope in the offseason while Lawson is still recovering from his torn Achilles.

The Jets expect both Fant and Lawson to be ready for training camp in July, although their statuses are worth monitoring over the coming weeks and months.

3. Sauce Gardner looks the part

Again, it's always silly to put a ton of stock into reports from OTAs. After all, this is the infamous "best shape of his life" time of the year for many players.

Still, one player who absolutely looked the part during Tuesday's open media practice was rookie cornerback Sauce Gardner.

Gardner wasted little time making an early impact as, just a few plays into the Jets' 7-on-7 drills, the fourth overall pick knocked the ball away from fellow rookie Garrett Wilson for his first pass deflection of the afternoon.

Connor Hughes of The Athletic made sure to emphasize just how physically intimidating Gardner is. As Hughes put it, "Gardner looks a lot bigger in person. Every bit of that 6-foot-3 frame."

Gardner was an early standout from OTAs and he certainly looks every bit of the shutdown cornerback the Jets hope to have landed.

Many saw Gardner as one of the best cornerback prospects to come out of college in years and the Jets were thrilled to see him fall to them with the No. 4 overall pick in this year's draft.

He's projected to start opposite D.J. Reed in a revamped Jets secondary, and it might not take long for him to become an instant-impact contributor on defense.

As far as first impressions go, Sauce Gardner passed with flying colors.

2. Quinnen Williams is focused on a career year

Few players have more at stake for them in 2022 than Quinnen Williams. The former No. 3 overall pick has developed into one of the best overall players on the Jets' roster, but it's fair to say that he hasn't quite taken that step toward stardom just yet.

He's a very good player, but he hasn't established himself as a great one to this point. Williams needs to put together an impressive 2022 season, especially with his contract situation looming.

To his credit, Williams insists that everything is business as usual. When speaking to the media on Tuesday, the former Alabama star said that his focus is on his performance and not his contract.

"I just believe the contract will handle itself. The money will handle itself. I play this game for the love of the game, first and foremost. Money is not a big thing in my heart or in my mind right now. I just want to be the best football player on the field that I can be — one of the best football players."

Quinnen Williams

That doesn't sound like someone who's eager to put pressure on the Jets. That falls in line with what has been a notably quiet offseason in regard to Williams' contract situation.

While other fourth-year stars around the league have made it known that they want their payday as soon as possible, Williams has taken things slowly. Perhaps he's aware of how much more he could make if he finally lives up to his potential this season.

With a talented crop of pass rushers around him and an ideal defensive system, there's no reason why Williams shouldn't be able to put together a career year in 2022, provided he stays healthy.

And if he does, his patience will likely be rewarded.

1. A 'beefy' and 'thick' Zach Wilson

The pressure is on for Zach Wilson to take a considerable leap forward after what most would consider a disappointing rookie season. The No. 2 overall pick needs to be better this season if the Jets are going to have any chance of being competitive.

And Wilson knows this. He's been doing everything right this offseason as he prepares for a crucial sophomore NFL season.

Aside from his offseason tour in which he visited three different cities to work out with teammates, Wilson has clearly put an emphasis on his physical conditioning. "Beefy" and "thick" have been the buzz words to describe Wilson this spring.

When speaking to the media on Tuesday, Wilson revealed that he was up to 221 pounds after playing most of last season at around 208 pounds. He said he plans to play at roughly 218 pounds this year.

Wilson has placed an extra emphasis on his nutrition this offseason with a "plan written out of how much to eat and when to eat — tracking everything down to the macros," per Connor Hughes.

That approach seems to have paid off as Wilson looks bulkier than he did a year ago. Or, as Saleh would put it, he's "thick."

The Jets want to see significant progress from Zach Wilson in 2022. The roster around him is much-improved and the Jets could legitimately compete for a playoff spot if QB1 lives up to his potential.

Physical conditioning is a great starting point. Hopefully the results follow.