New York Jets: Winners ands losers of canceled preseason
Examining the New York Jets’ winners and losers from having no preseason.
For the New York Jets and, frankly, every other team in the league, there are going to be winners and losers from the NFL’s decision to not have a four-game preseason due to continued concerns around the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some players would have benefitted from having a preseason and the practice for an actual game. Others, of course, would’ve been just fine. This doesn’t just apply to players, though, as coaches and front office members also are affected by this.
These are the winners who benefitted and the losers who decisively did not on the New York Jets from the 2020 NFL preseason being canceled.
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Losers: Sam Darnold and Breshad Perriman
Sam Darnold‘s lack of improvement over his first two years with the Jets has been concerning. The best way to improve is to get reps and the preseason would’ve offered the young quarterback a valuable opportunity in that regard as he enters his second season in Adam Gase.
Perhaps just as importantly, Darnold could’ve used in-game work to gel with a new receiving corps, including free-agent acquisition Breshad Perriman, who is set to replace Robby Anderson. Not having that preseason work won’t help the quarterback as a whole but especially in terms of developing a rapport with his new weapon.
Winner: Joe Douglas
Believe it or not, general manager Joe Douglas indirectly benefits from not having any preseason games. This comes down to the Jamal Adams situation and a decreased number of opportunities for the safety to speak to the media about his desire to be traded. Perhaps that will decrease the pressure on Douglas to possibly get a trade done in a move that will give the Jets high-end draft capital and a player who can help with the development of the offense.
Loser: New York Jets special teams
New York’s special teams unit is a mess, especially in the kicking game and in terms of the return game. The Jets will have an open kicking competition — as opposed to bringing in a reliable veteran, and that group may be lacking in overall talent. There are again concerns about what might happen if kicks are needed to win close games and not getting to see any possible options kick in preseason games hurts the chances of finding an answer.
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Loser: Adam Gase
Put simply, head coach Adam Gase needs to be on a short leash in the 2020 season. No more excuses, no more emotionless leadership on the sidelines and more accountability in the locker room. And not having the preseason hurts the chances of Gase being able to instill some of those things, trying to get his team prepared for the season ahead.