The New York Jets are back at MetLife Stadium to host the Washington Commanders in their first preseason game on August 10 at 12 p.m. ET.
Numerous players on the Jets will now be able to showcase their abilities in a real game environment. There are multiple Jets players to evaluate during Saturday's game, and Jets fans should be excited to watch how these three particular individuals perform.
Isaiah Davis
Rookie Isaiah Davis will have a ton of opportunities during this Saturday's game to present his case to Jets coaches for being RB2 behind Breece Hall.
The 22-year-old nicknamed "Playoff Zay" was the second RB drafted by Jets general manager Joe Douglas after Braelon Allen was taken two picks earlier. Unlike Allen, Davis is an explosive back, leading the FCS in rushing yards, and was named First Team All-American in 2023.
Davis hasn't performed as well as Allen so far in training camp with Allen handling more first-team reps, but that doesn't mean the RB2 spot is set and stone. He'll have a chance tomorrow to display his home run ability and potentially improve his case for RB2 on the Jets unofficial depth chart.
With Deon Jackson being brought in earlier this week and Izzy Abanikanda struggling in training camp, Davis's versatility and downhill ability should separate from the rest of the RB room, especially against backup defenders on the Commanders. It'll be fascinating to see how offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett utilizes the talented back.
Qwant'ez Stiggers
Qwant'ez Stiggers was selected in the fifth round in this year's NFL draft by the Jets. His journey to the NFL is nothing short of a revelation and he became only the fifth player since 1970 to be drafted without playing a single snap of college football.
Stiggers played and thrived in a 7-on-7 fan-controlled football league in Georgia back in 22' after taking a year off from football following the tragic death of his father in a car accident. His high-level play in the FCF propelled Stiggers into a key role with the Toronto Argonauts and he continued to excel winning the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie award.
Fast forward to now, Stiggers has been extremely impressive during training camp and has even been listed as the backup cornerback to superstar Sauce Gardner on the Jets unofficial depth chart. Head coach Robert Saleh spoke highly of the rookie up to this point, especially after the Jets August 2nd practice.
"We're pleased with him for sure," Saleh said. "He's very smart, not book-smart but so instinctive, ahead of his years with regards to route recognition and understanding concepts."
After weeks on the practice field, the 6'0 and 197-pounder will have a chance to back his head coach's words and be primed to have a ton of playing time with Gardner most likely getting little to no reps. Stiggers's road to the NFL was a story tale, but now the test of proving himself in this league begins.
Will McDonald IV
The Jet player you should keep an extremely close eye on is second-year edge rusher Will McDonald. After an underwhelming rookie season, McDonald has been keen on gaining weight to try and enhance his ability at such a vital position for Saleh .
With stud Haason Reddick's return to the Jets an unknown and the 26-year-old Michael Clemons picking up his first-team reps, McDonald has to start showing in-game improvement. The 2023 first-round pick played in 15 games, produced 3 sacks, forced 1 fumble, and had 14 total tackles.
It's clear that the goal in 2024 for McDonald was getting stronger, but according to McDonald himself, what he also needs to keep working on is his get-off. "What I need to work on the most from last year to this year was probably my get off," McDonald mentioned in his July 31st press conference. "I definitely feel like I improved in that aspect, which is going to be a big part of what I do."
If McDonald wants to make his case as a vital rotational piece for Reddick or Jermaine Johnson in Saleh's defense, these next three preseason games are massive to propel him up the depth chart.
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