It Begins Today: Green Curtain Opens on Todd Bowles Era
It Begins Today: Green Curtain Opens on Todd Bowles Era
Jets training camp begins: Green curtain opens on Todd Bowles era
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Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff Writer
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Camp Bowles is set to begin.
On Wednesday morning, the New York Jets report to training camp, starting their first season under Todd Bowles. There will be a conditioning run, meetings and Bowles' address to the team in the evening. On Thursday, they will practice at 2:20 p.m. ET.
A few storylines from Week 1:
With conditioning in mind, Todd Bowles will be conducting afternoon practices during training camp. AP Photo/Julio Cortez
1. Hot, hot, hot: There's a reason why the Jets will practice every day in the afternoon: Conditioning. Bowles wants the players to be on the field during the hottest time of the day. The forecast over the next few days calls for temperatures in the 90s, which doesn't displease the coach. Said Bowles: "It's camp. It's supposed to be hot." This is something new for the Jets, who always practiced in the mornings under Rex Ryan.
2. Easy does it: Heat aside, Bowles isn't planning to run a boot camp. He understands that, in the current NFL, it makes little sense to beat up your players in camp. The two-a-day era is over. Mindful of that, he will stress the mental side of the game in camp.
"We have to be physical, but you have to be smart," he said. "We really have to get good at game situations. We really have to get good with learning how to practice and be physical without hurting each other."
3. Taking attendance: There shouldn't be any no-shows. The draft picks are signed and disgruntled defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, unhappy with his contract, is expected to report. The question with Wilkerson is whether he will put a deadline on negotiations for 2015. Some players don't like to negotiate during the season because it creates a distraction. If he takes that approach, the two sides will have about six weeks to hammer out a deal. Wilkerson is due to make $6.97 million in his walk year.
4. Mea culpa 2.0: Sheldon Richardson apologized in a statement last month for violating the league's substance-abuse policy, resulting in a four-game suspension, but now he gets a chance to address the matter in person -- with his teammates and the media. Hey, it couldn't hurt.
5. Tracking Geno: Geno Smith's progress will be a daily storyline in camp. Yes, again. He busted his butt in the offseason, trying to learn a new playbook and working on his deficiencies. Now we'll see how he responds on the field as he attempts to nail down the starting job, with Ryan Fitzpatrick lurking in the background.
6. Heeeere's Todd: On Wednesday night, Bowles will address the team, as all coaches do on the first night of camp. What will he say?
"My thing will be, we're here to get some work done," he said. "We've got a long way to go and we've got some time to do it. I'll stress the accountability standpoint and the chemistry standpoint. Those will be the main things I'm trying to get across, being where you're supposed to be and doing what you're supposed to do. This is how we're going to do things, this is what I want done, this is how we're going to do it."
7. Walking wounded: Don't be surprised if a few players are placed on the physically unable to perform list. The names to watch are Marcus Gilchrist (shoulder), Dee Milliner (Achilles' tendon) and Stevan Ridley (knee), all of whom were restricted in the spring.
