FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- A look at what's happening around the New York Jets:
1. Special opportunity: Justin Fields received a welcome to New York pep talk from a few former Jets who are hoping he can solve the franchise's decades-long quarterback problem.
On Tuesday, a dozen of Aaron Glenn's former teammates from the 1990s visited training camp as a show of support for the new coach. Former Jets center Kevin Mawae introduced himself to Fields on the sideline and explained what it was like in the late '90s and early 2000s, when the Jets made the playoffs four times in a seven-year span.
Mawae, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, told Fields about the wall-sized mural in the trainers' room at the old Giants Stadium -- a picture of the New York skyline with the message "Do you want to own this town? Just win."
"When the Jets win around here, it's something special," Mawae told reporters, repeating the sentiment he shared with Fields.
There hasn't been a lot of winning lately -- nine straight losing seasons, in fact. The organization is counting on Fields to do what Aaron Rodgers, Zach Wilson, Sam Darnold, Josh McCown, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith and more failed to do: get them to the playoffs. The last quarterback to do it was Mark Sanchez in 2010.
Fields is still battling inconsistency at the pro level, but his prolific career at Ohio State, which made him a first-round draft pick in 2021, inspires hope that he can develop into a winning quarterback.
"He can make people forget about Aaron Rodgers and all the other people that came through here, and let people know he's 'the one,'" said Ray Mickens, one of the alumni visitors. "I'm hoping he takes that next step. I think he can do it. He has the skill set to get it done."
Glenn's return to the Jets, his team from 1994 to 2001, has energized the alums. To make it a truly happy homecoming, he will need strong quarterback play, something many of his predecessors never enjoyed.
In the Jets' preseason-opening win against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday, Fields went 3-for-4 for 42 yards. He also rushed for 14 yards and a touchdown on two carries.
2. Last man standing: Wide receiver Allen Lazard is the sole survivor of the supporting cast brought in during the ill-fated Rodgers era. The fact that he wasn't jettisoned in the offseason with the rest of the F.O.R. (Friends of Rodgers) was a surprise.
Lazard said he told Glenn as soon the new coach was hired that he wanted to stay. At the same time, he received permission from the team to seek a trade, leading to months of speculation. Eventually, he accepted an $8.5 million pay cut when he easily could've rejected it to become a free agent, perhaps reconnecting with Rodgers.
He said he wants to create a legacy in New York and show he's more than a one-quarterback receiver.
"There's a reason why I'm still here," Lazard said. "It's not because I had Aaron Rodgers throwing me the ball my whole life."
Of Lazard's 229 career receptions, 196 were thrown by Rodgers. So yeah, he has a lot of proving to do.
Lazard was one of the handful of players and coaches brought to the Jets because of Rodgers, who wanted some familiar faces to help his transition from the Packers. The Rodgers era blew up in spectacular fashion, costing a lot of players, coaches and front-office types their jobs.
Except Lazard, who injured his right shoulder Saturday night and left the stadium in a sling. He will undergo tests to determine the severity of the injury.
3. Measure twice before cutting: Lazard probably will make the 53-man roster, though the only true locks at wide receiver are Garrett Wilson, Josh Reynolds and rookie Arian Smith. If the Jets do cut Lazard, they run the risk of having him reunite with Rodgers on the Pittsburgh Steelers, their Week 1 opponent. He'd bring a lot of Jets intel with him to the enemy, which should give them pause before considering anything drastic.
4. He said what? One of the pre-camp narratives was how the Jets lacked a legitimate WR2 to complement Wilson. That hasn't changed after three weeks of camp. No one has distinguished himself in that role, putting additional pressure on Wilson and Fields.
Smith, a fourth-round pick from Georgia, has impressed with his electric speed and better-than-advertised hands, but he's still learning the game, especially the art of beating press coverage.
Just don't tell Lazard the receiving corps is flawed.
"It's probably the most talented receiver group I've ever been a part of in my eight years," he said, perhaps forgetting that Davante Adams was on the team last season -- and at his peak with him in Green Bay.
5. Expect curve balls: The Jets are a team in transition with a new coaching staff, which means there will be some surprises when the roster is pared to 53.
Some notables on the bubble: Wide receivers Malachi Corley and Tyler Johnson; tight end Stone Smartt; running back Kene Nwangwu; offensive linemen Carter Warren and Chukwuma Okorafor; defensive linemen Derrick Nnadi, Rashad Weaver, Leonard Taylor III and Braiden McGregor; cornerbacks Kris Boyd and Jarrick Bernard-Converse.
6. A no-brainer: Mickens, who is extremely close to Glenn, said he "wasn't surprised at all" that his longtime friend gave Rodgers his walking papers.
"I mean, [Glenn] knew he was going to draw a hard line in the sand," Mickens said. "It's OK. You can be a Hall of Famer or whatever and you're not willing to do this. If you're not willing to do this, you have to move on."
7. Thanks, Dan: One of the biggest challenges for any new coach is mastering the game-management aspect of the job. Some experienced coaches still struggle with it. Glenn, who made his preseason coaching debut Saturday night against the Packers, credited his previous boss with assisting in that area.
Glenn said Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell allowed him to attend game-management meetings on the eve of every game.
"I had a chance to sit and listen, and also put myself in those situations, of how I would operate in those situations," said Glenn, adding that he spends many late nights in his office going through different game situations.
Glenn also has a game-management specialist, Jon Berger, on his staff. He spent more than three decades with the New York Giants in various roles.
8. Something fishy: The decision to draft LSU tight end Mason Taylor in the second round is causing some longtime alliances to shift.
Taylor, of course, has strong ties to the Miami Dolphins. His father and uncle, Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas, respectively, are Dolphin legends and Pro Football Hall of Famers.
When Mason was drafted by the Jets, Mawae received a text from Thomas, his longtime nemesis from so many battles in the trenches.
"He said, 'I guess I'm going to have to root for the Jets now,'" Mawae said with a laugh.
Playing along, Mawae invited Thomas to the Jets-Dolphins game at MetLife Stadium on Dec. 7, which falls on Jets alumni weekend. Mawae said he told Thomas that he'd be happy to let him wear one of his old jerseys for the game.
Jets-Dolphins matchups will be a little less weird for Jason Taylor, who played for the Jets in 2010.
9. Done deal: If there was any doubt about why the Jets signed Nick Folk, it should be erased now that we have the details of his one-year contract. It's a $2.9 million deal, including $1.4 million guaranteed. He will be their kicker, not Harrison Mevis.
10. The last word: "No, not really [an issue]. There's probably still a little bit of swelling. I just have to go from a [size] 12.5 to a 13." -- Fields on his recent toe dislocation.