Redskins vs. Jets an intriguing training camp, preseason matchup

Redskins training camp begins in just five days, when the burgundy and gold welcome the New York Jets to Ashburn.

The Washington Redskins are a team with promise, but they have a lot of work to do in the coming weeks to prepare themselves, and things will need to fall in their favor if they wish to make some noise. In this sense, the Redskins are not unlike their training camp opponents, the Jets of the AFC East.

Last season, Todd Bowles’ Jets were widely regarded as one of the bottom feeders in the NFL. USA Today had the Jets slated for a 1-15 final record, while various other media outlets pegged the Jets as the first team to go 0-16 since the 2008 Detroit Lions.

But the Jets didn’t go 0-16. The Cleveland Browns did. And the Jets didn’t go 1-15, either. Behind the surprisingly reliable arm of Josh McCown, and the sturdy resolve of Todd Bowles, the Jets started out strong, tripling their projected win total for the entire 2017 season in just five games.

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After starting 3-2, with a win against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Jets trailed off, but by Week 14, the Jets were still clinging to wild card hopes in a weak AFC, sitting at 5-7. They would end up losing their final four games, finishing the 2017 season with a record of 5-11. Much like the Redskins, while the 2017 Jets didn’t make the playoffs, they achieved some modest victories, easily besting their lowly predictions and keeping themselves competitive each week.

In 2018, hopes are higher for the Jets, but they still aren’t widely expected to be a playoff contender. Nevertheless, there is potential, and plenty of intrigue. On offense, the Jets have three borderline starting-caliber quarterbacks in Sam Darnold, Josh McCown, and Teddy Bridgewater, and their offensive cast features a vast allotment of middling, unproven skill players in greater roles. Isaiah Crowell and Thomas Rawls make up part of a mix-and-match backfield, and Robby Anderson, Jermaine Kearse, and Terrelle Pryor occupy a receiving core that has a lot to prove.

The defense, on all three levels, will bring the Redskins a greater test than the offense. Leonard Williams headlines a defensive line with young, high-upside pieces like Nathan Shephard and Folorunso Fatukasi. At linebacker, the Jets have some unrealized potential, but Avery Williamson will fill in as an instant starter who demands respect from opposing teams.

The strength of this New York Jets team, from top to bottom, is its secondary. At cornerback, the Jets have the best duo in the AFC East (Bills a close second) with Trumaine Johnson and Morris Claiborne, and at safety, the ascending sophomore duo of Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye will look to complete the team’s best position unit. Depth is a moderate issue, but the Jets, like the Redskins, have a lot of competition yet to play out, and training camp will provide them that opportunity.

Next: Redskins Training Camp Profile: Pernell McPhee

The Jets are a team on the same path as the Redskins, but perhaps a few steps behind. The Redskins seem to be finding their identity, and the pieces are slowly coming together. The Jets, meanwhile, have some promising fixtures in place, and they may finally have a long-term answer at quarterback. But until they prove themselves, they’re just another team trying to find its place. The Jets won’t help the Redskins play above their own level, but they provide some intriguing competition in training camp, and for a young Redskins team that might need time to gel, the Jets are a fair opponent.

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