New York Jets: 3 Players demanding attention vs. Packers in preseason

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - AUGUST 14: Zach Wilson #2 of the New York Jets prepares to take the snap during the first quarter of a preseason game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on August 14, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) /

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FLORHAM PARK, NJ – JULY 29: Ronald Blair #54 of the New York Jets works out during a morning practice at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center on July 29, 2021 in Florham Park, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

2. DE Ronald Blair

The news wasn’t good this week for a team looking to be more consistent when it came to chasing down opposing quarterbacks.

One of the franchise’s key offseason additions in 2021 was defensive end Carl Lawson, who spent the first four years of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals. The former fourth-round pick from Auburn University played all 16 games as a rookie and finished with 8.5 sacks. He was coming off a year in which he started a career-best 11 contests. He finished 2020 with 36 tackles, 5.5 quarterback traps and a pair of forced fumbles.

Lawson had spent the summer opening eyes and training camp. But he will miss 2021 as he suffered an Achilles injury in training camp on Thursday. It’s a big blow for a club that finished with just 31 sacks this past season and a defense that allowed the fifth-most passing yards in the league.

Veteran Vinny Curry was also added this offseason but he’s currently sidelined as well for now. So perhaps Ronald Blair, a player Saleh is very familiar with, bears watching this weekend and perhaps longer. In four seasons with San Francisco, he managed a combined 13.5 sacks in 47 regular-season outings with the Niners.

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