The New York Jets are set to kick off the NFL’s preseason schedule on Thursday night in the Hall of Fame Game against the Cleveland Browns. Even though this is the first chance for both teams to play a live game since last season, starters aren’t going to see much — if any — playing time on Thursday.
Similar to much of the preseason, Thursday’s exhibition contest will be an opportunity for some of the players on the roster bubble to make a name for themselves. Taking that into account, here are four players on the Jets to watch for in Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game versus the Browns.
QB Zach Wilson
The Jets went out and acquired All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers this offseason as they intend to compete for a Super Bowl this season. With Rodgers in the building, former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson has been demoted to backup as he enters his third year in the NFL.
Wilson hasn’t been able to put it all together early in his career and he’ll need to prove that he has what it takes to stick around in the league this year. Being that the Jets aren’t going to make Rodgers play in an essentially meaningless game, Wilson is expected to start the game under center, and he’ll need to make the most of all of his snaps.
OT Mekhi Becton
Along with Wilson, Mekhi Becton is another former first-round pick that is competing for a role in the offense. Robert Saleh revealed that Wilson and Becton will both see playing time on Thursday, though, it remains to be seen how long both of them are on the field.
Becton, a former 11th overall pick by the Jets in 2020, has played in just one game in the last two seasons due to knee and foot ailments. The 24-year-old offensive tackle is competing for a starting spot with Billy Turner and Max Mitchell, so every snap is important for Becton moving forward.
Edge Will McDonald IV
After taking Jermaine Johnson in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, the Jets added Will McDonald in the first round of this year’s draft to bolster their pass-rushing unit. At the moment, the current starters at defensive end are listed as Carl Lawson and John Franklin-Myers, with Johnson and McDonald expected to have roles behind them.
It’s the first preseason game, making it unlikely that McDonald sees a significant amount of playing time. That being said, this is the first chance for fans to see McDonald in action in a Jets uniform.
CB Bryce Hall
The Jets certainly boast a talented cornerback duo in Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed, but they’ll need other defensive backs to step up this season. One of the depth pieces competing for a role in the secondary is Bryce Hall.
Hall went from starting in all 17 games in 2021 to appearing in only five games throughout the 2022 season. The suspension of Brandin Echols undoubtedly improves Hall’s chances of making the roster, however, he’ll need to make the most of his reps in training camp and the preseason to see more playing time.
