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'It's a Great Challenge': Joint Practice With Packers to Benefit Jets on Both Sides of Ball

The New York Jets will benefit from joint practices and a preseason game with the Green Bay Packers. Players have a chance to face a championship caliber team

Max Goodman

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Joint practices with the Packers this week are extra special for Zach Wilson, giving the rookie quarterback a chance to learn from Aaron Rodgers and pick his idol's brain. 

Wilson isn't the only player that's going to benefit from these few days in Green Bay, though. 

A few practices and a preseason game against the team that was one win away from the Super Bowl last season is going to help players in every position group on both sides of the ball continue to improve. 

"I’ve said it before, this is a championship roster," said head coach Robert Saleh on Wednesday, describing the Packers. "We’re going to have challenges up and down."

Those challenges start with Rodgers, one of the best at his position and the type of signal-caller that can pick apart any NFL secondary. It just so happens that New York's unit of defensive backs is young and inexperienced, the type of group that Rodgers will typically prey upon.

"This group is pretty darn group. It’s an experienced group. Aaron, obviously, is a Hall of Fame quarterback. Davante [Adams] is an All-Pro wide receiver," Saleh said. "To be able to go against different players, different releases, different schemes, is a great challenge for them."

At one point during Wednesday's practice, Rodgers found one of his favorite targets—Marquez Valdes-Scantling—for a 33-yard touchdown pass. Reporters at the facility pointed out that the receiver was wide open on the play, a testament to how difficult it is to defend a group led by Rodgers, even in a practice setting.

"You’re going to get the best of the best practicing against him and his weapons, wide receiving corps, the offensive scheme is definitely good,” safety Marcus Maye said Wednesday. “Just practicing against it and going against it leading up to the game will be good for us.”

That in mind, it's even more noteworthy when you see players like second-year cornerback Bryce Hall defending passes from Rodgers, excelling in a low-stakes environment and continuing to develop prior to Week 1.

New York's offense can benefit from practicing with Green Bay as well. Wide receivers like Corey Davis are lining up against corners like Jaire Alexander while offensive linemen like Mekhi Becton work on blocking pass rushers like Preston and Za’Darius Smith.

"For Mekhi, you can’t draw up a better situation for him in terms of the amount of work that he’s getting from three premier edge rushers," Saleh added. "Obviously, Carl [Lawson] is premier in his own right. Then you get Za’Darius and Preston [Smith] who are both double-digit sack guys. Even for George [Fant] and [Morgan] Moses, the amount of work that they’re getting, the quality of work is priceless. You couldn’t draw it up any better for those guys."

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Max Goodman
MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Jets for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. He also covers the New York Yankees, publisher  of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Yankees site, Inside The Pinstripes. Before starting out with SI, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. While at school, Goodman gathered valuable experience as an anchor and reporter on NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. Goodman previously interned at MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman and connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.

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