Can the regular season just get here already?!

We are just about two and a half months from start of the NFL season and everyone is itching for the action to get going. The Jets just finished up OTA’s and Robert Saleh thought it was best to cancel minicamp this week, which leaves a lot of writers with not much to do but reflect.

Zack Rosenblatt covers the Jets for the Athletic and recently gave his 90 Thoughts on 90 Jet Players.

Some of his observations were obvious, for example he wrote of offensive tackle Duane Brown “He’s working his way back from shoulder surgery. If healthy, it would be surprising if he weren’t the left tackle.”

Other observations were unnecessary like that of Derrick Langford, the 10^th corner on the depth chart, “A UDFA in a crowded room.”

There were others that stood out for what they said, or what it could mean going forward into training camp next month.

Of the reigning offensive rookie of year award winner Garrett Wilson, Rosenblatt said “Wilson looked like the Jets’ best player during OTAs. He has an impressive ability to catch just about any pass, even inaccurate ones thrown away from his body. 'Garrett’s spatial awareness is off the charts,' wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni said. He’s transformed himself physically since being drafted last year. Once he and Rodgers get going, they’ll be scary together.”

The Jets wide receiver room isn’t looked on as favorably around the league as the Jets and their fans view it. Recently, PFF ranked the Jets receiving corps as 20^th in the league. If Wilson is as good as the team and the fans believe he is, there is no way the team should be ranked that low.

Speaking of wide receivers, UDFA Jason Brownlee certainly caught Rosenblatt’s eye saying “Brownlee flashed the most of all the Jets’ UDFAs in OTAs. He got some valuable reps with Rodgers and made some plays down the field. He had the biggest contract guarantee of the undrafted class ($216,000) and could fight his way past Mims onto the roster.”

We said earlier this week that the end could be near for Denzel Mims, but to have his job taken by an undrafted rookie would sting more. At this point it seems like Mims is simply being outworked.

On the defensive side of the ball, Will McDonald looks like he can do the one thing the Jets drafted him in the first round to do: go get the QB. Rosenblatt says “The first-round pick looks the part physically/athletically, but the biggest test will be how well he adjusts to NFL offensive linemen — and how big of a role he’s ready to take on as a rookie. He’s already flashed his athleticism but these are light practices. How will he do when he has to try getting around Duane Brown?”

That’s very similar to what Rich Cimini of ESPN said about McDonald “McDonald's biggest challenge will occur in training camp when the pads go on. At 240 pounds, he needs to show he's big and strong enough to be a quality edge rusher.”

McDonald is going to be an interesting sub plot for the Jets as they inch closer to the regular season. In order to be worth being drafted 15^th overall, he needs to create pressure this year, and that really can’t be seen in training camps because they don’t hit the QB.

The Jets have a lot of players returning from injury and are not quite back to full strength yet. With all of the guys still recovering it is the perfect spot for someone to step up and show the coaches that they can contribute to the team.

The Jets have been known to let a few of those guys who shine in OTA’s and minicamps go in favor of an established player, only to have another team scoop them up and make the Jets look foolish (Danny Whitehead, anyone?)

It may be the boring time of year for fans, but this is arguably one of the most important times of the year for coaches and hundreds of players you probably never heard of. Decisions are coming soon for roster spots and with a team built to win now, every decision could be the difference.

Image via Jonathan Jones-USA TODAY Sports