FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets wrapped up a scorching Saturday practice with a scrimmage that showcased both explosive offense and a relentless defense, but the day belonged to wide receiver Isaiah Williams. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound playmaker hauled in a 66-yard touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik during a two-minute drill, then added a touchdown grab from Geno Smith earlier in the session.
Williams, who spent last season as a return specialist, has become a central figure in the Jets’ passing attack throughout camp. “Players like that demand respect, they demand reps,” head coach Aaron Glenn said. “It’s no surprise to anybody, coaches, players that he operates the way he operates. I think what makes him such a special player, because I guess from the outside in, everybody looks at him as a special teams player. But man, there’s room for him in our offense.”
Wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson went even further, calling Williams a “dog” and the “heartbeat” of the offense. “If I was in a burning building, boop boop boop boop, ‘I need you to come get me.’ He’s on the way,” Jefferson said. The coach’s praise comes after Williams’ redemption arc. The Jets released him last September following a mishandled punt against the Miami Dolphins, only to bring him back days later. He went on to lead the league’s return specialists per Pro Football Focus, tallying nearly 900 kick return yards and two punt-return touchdowns before Kene Nwangwu took over the job.
Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a joint practice earlier this week, Williams continued to prove his worth. He made several catches in traffic, laid out a pancake block, and even talked smack to the opposition. His receiving numbers last season — 26 catches for 193 yards — were modest, but he was catching passes from Brady Cook, and his role was limited. Now Williams is competing for snaps as high as WR3 on the depth chart, with Tim Patrick providing the competition.
The defense also made noise Saturday. Geno Smith finished 12 of 21 but was under constant duress, sacked three times in a nine-play stretch. Rookies David Bailey and Darrell Jackson Jr. each recorded sacks, and Minkah Fitzpatrick added one of his own. Safety Dane Belton, who signed with the Jets in free agency after four years with the Giants, intercepted Klubnik and made several key stops. Special teams coordinator Chris Banjo praised Belton’s competitive nature, saying, “You see a real competitive guy, right? A guy that doesn’t really like to take no for an answer and it shows on tape.”
Not everything went smoothly. Breece Hall had a touchdown called back due to a holding penalty, and the offense struggled with delays of game. “That’s the discipline part that we got to get out of,” Glenn said. “Once you get fatigued, mentally things start to get jumbled.” Center Josh Myers acknowledged the issues are fixable but emphasized that camp is for working out kinks.
The Jets also dealt with injuries. David Bailey is day-to-day after rolling his ankle, Kingsley Jonathan has a thigh bruise, and safety VJ Payne is expected to miss three to four weeks with a bone bruise. Kingsley Enagbare returned to practice after missing time earlier in the week.
Next up, the Jets will hold two joint practices with the Buccaneers before Friday’s preseason opener.
