New York Jets Intriguing Training Camp Battle to Keep An Eye On

The New York Jets are an optimistic bunch in training camp. Despite the absence of edge rusher Haason Reddick, the team feels good about the position they are in preparing for the 2024 regular season.

The Reddick storyline is the biggest one right now, as no one knows when he will report. He is losing a ton of money during this holdout, as the Jets are fining him for every day that he misses.

On the field, competition rages on as players look to earn spots in the lineup. Robert Saleh and his staff have a few openings in the lineup that players are competing for throughout camp and preseason.

One of those spots is the starting wide receiver spot alongside Garrett Wilson. The emerging star, entering his third season in the NFL, is locked in as one starter and the top target for Aaron Rodgers.

Who will emerge as the No. 2 target behind him? Rich Cimini of ESPN believes it will be a two-horse race between Allen Lazard and Mike Williams.

Right now, it is Lazard who is holding that spot. He is someone that Rodgers knows well from their time together with the Green Bay Packers and has always spoken highly of. But, New York is going to need to see some production before just handing him the job again.

Lazard, who signed a four-year, $44 million deal during the 2023 offseason, was abysmal in his first season with the Jets. One of the least efficient wide receivers in the NFL, he caught only 23 passes.

Given his struggles, the team made a splash in free agency bringing in Williams. Recovering from a torn ACL, he is currently on the physically unable to perform list as he recovers from his injury.

Cimini called Lazard “a placeholder” for Williams until he is healthy enough to return to the field. That seems appropriate because when Williams is able to stay on the field, he is several levels above Lazard.

Alas, there are some questions about how Williams will look coming off the injury. He appeared in only three games last season and missed four in 2022. Will all of the ailments he has battled finally take their toll as he turns 30 years old in October?

That is something we will have to wait and see. Williams returning to form would provide this offense a huge boost as he would be a dominant No. 2 option opposite of Wilson.

In two seasons with the Jets, no one has emerged to take pressure off of the 2022 first-round pick. New York is hoping that changes with Williams returning to form or Lazard improving with Rodgers back in the mix.