Five intriguing storylines to watch during Jets’ Hard Knocks series

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh made it clear he didn’t want his team in the Hard Knocks spotlight:

“I know there are several teams that would love for ‘Hard Knocks’ to be in their building. We’re just not one of them,” Saleh said last month, via the New York Post.

But considering the outpouring of excitement that followed Wednesday’s report from Adam Schefter stating Saleh’s club will, in fact, be the focus of this summer’s showcase produced by HBO in partnership with the NFL, the rest of the football world didn’t exactly share his sentiment. 

It’s not every day we get to be a fly on the wall as a future hall of famer lands on a new team with Super Bowl-sized hopes, after all.

That the Jets were selected for this year’s series wasn’t all that surprising. They were among just four teams eligible to be featured based on the league’s rules: No first-year head coaches, no teams who’ve been in the playoffs the last two seasons, and no repeat Hard Knocks appearances dating back 10 years. And with all due respect to the Saints, Commanders and Bears, New York — which last appeared on the show in 2010 — was the obvious choice.

This year’s Jets team is brimming with storylines and great expectations in a division that might just be the best in football. After emerging as a defensive juggernaut last season and landing a Hall of Fame quarterback in dramatic fashion this spring, Gang Green has no shortage of intrigue.

Plenty of storylines will most certainly emerge as the show unfolds, but as we look ahead to the series here are five storylines we’re already excited to see play out.

Aaron Rodgers: Open book, or silent retreat?

Something tells us Rodgers is probably about as excited as his head coach is for the cameras to roll into town when the Jets report for training camp on July 19, but it’s impossible to showcase this club without Rodgers playing a central role.

On the field, all eyes will be on the veteran as he gets to know his new receivers and find new chemistry with former teammates who also came over to the Jets this off-season, and how he interacts with backup Zach Wilson. Surely, we won’t be picking up on any new offensive schemes, but it’ll be interesting to get a sense of the chemistry forming — especially in the wake of his reunion with former Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett (more on him later).

While we want to see how Rodgers is adjusting to his new football home, we’re also starving for insight into what really happened in Green Bay. Will Rodgers share any details on how things went down? Will he open up about his exit? Will he bring us all on a wellness retreat? Who knows!

Welcome to The Sauce Gardner Show

Sure, Rodgers holds the most intrigue, but Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner could be the key to making this a truly fun season to watch. Drafted fourth overall in the spring of 2022, the star cornerback arrived in The Big Apple with very big expectations and it’s fair to say he exceeded them. Now, as the 2022 defensive rookie of the year prepares for his second act, the spotlight is even brighter.

Gardner is the face of the Jets’ elite defence, and we’ll have a front-row seat to witness how he transitions from star rookie to defensive leader. And in a league whose best trash talkers tend to suit up at CB… we’re ready for his best.

Nathaniel Hackett’s comeback tour starts early

Hackett’s coming off a year in Denver that can only be described as an absolute disaster.

His short stint as head coach of the Broncos went wrong in just about every single way, and yet the fact he landed on his feet in New York among some familiar faces says a lot about how well he’s respected around the league.

Hackett, who was named New York’s offensive coordinator back in January following his firing in Denver, worked with Saleh in Jacksonville for one season and also spent time coaching alongside many of the Jets’ other position coaches. Hackett’s father also happened to hold the very position in New York his son now sits in. The scripts write themselves.

And then there’s the Aaron Rodgers connection. Hackett served as offensive coordinator in Green Bay alongside Matt LaFleur — best friend of Saleh — and had instant chemistry with Rodgers there. The QB won back-to-back MVPs while playing under Hackett’s schemes.

Perhaps we’ll get a window into the bond shared by the coordinator and his star QB. Maybe we learn about what went wrong — and why — in Denver. Most likely, we’ll all be reminded that beyond the bloopers in Denver, Hackett is still a sharp football mind worthy of a good comeback story.

Zach Wilson on the sidelines

Another figure in need of some positive airtime? Zach Wilson. He, too, had his share of missteps in 2022 and now takes a giant step back with the welcoming of Rodgers as QB1. Will he, in fact, make the new veteran’s life hell? (His words! Not ours!)

While this isn’t exactly leaked Hard Knocks footage, perhaps it goes a little something like this:

How Wilson handles his demotion and interacts with his teammates will go a long way in his ability to revive his reputation — and his young career. 

Will Quinnen Williams sign on the dotted line?

Every year, Hard Knocks brings us closer to the personalities and the business of the game. And in Quinnen Williams, we could get both.  

Williams, 25, has been one of the premier defensive ends in the game since he first landed in New York via the third overall pick in 2019 and has been deep in talks with the team on a new deal.

The contract, when signed, should see him become one of the highest-paid defensive players in the league on the heels of peers like Buffalo’s Ed Oliver (four years, $68 million), Tennessee’s Jeffery Simmons (four years, $94 million), and Giant Dexter Lawrence (four years, $90 million), all of whom signed their respective extensions this spring.

While no indication has been given that he’ll hold out from training camp, his very presence is a storyline worth watching.