With August rolling, all 32 NFL teams will embark on preseason journeys. The New York Jets‘ quest begins on Saturday, as a bout against the Green Bay Packers will provide a first look at Aaron Glenn’s squad.
Aside from roster battles, there’s plenty else to monitor over the weekend. First and foremost, fans are likely wondering whether starters like quarterback Justin Fields and others will suit up and play at Lambeau Field.
Luckily for them, Glenn provided a good update during his Thursday media availability.
Jets’ Starters to Play Against Packers on Saturday
Per Glenn, his starters will be active on Saturday. How many snaps they play versus Green Bay remains to be seen. It appears they’ll get a series at minimum, though, which is more than some teams give their high-profile players at times in the preseason. The Jets faithful are closing in on a sneak peek at the 2025-26 regular season group.
“We’re playing,” Glenn said. “We’re playing. I can’t tell you how much guys are going to play. That’s going to be factored by how the game goes, but we’re going to play.”
Glenn kept his reasoning short and sweet.
“I want our guys to play,” Glenn said. “That’s the reason.”
Glenn, a process-focused coach, is making the call to see how the results pan out with starters on Saturday. Given the up-and-down nature of Jets training camp, it’s wise to get more reps on tape. Some of New York’s practices to this point have been sloppy. In fact, one even got cut short by Glenn in a scrimmage setting. It’s clear that in order to get where they want to go, this team needs more time to develop chemistry.
Glenn also wants to put his players in a good position to grab a victory.
“Every game has meaning for me,” Glenn said. “We’re going to win. When I put myself in a situation when it’s win or lose, it means a lot.”
On the injury front, it’s mostly more of the same for the Jets. Defensive end Will McDonald IV did return to practice, but players like tight end Mason Taylor (ankle), safety Azareyeâh Thomas (shoulder), quarterback Tyrod Taylor (knee) and defensive lineman Byron Cowart were absent.
Glenn says Cowart has an ankle ailment.
“The one that has come clear is BC,” Glenn said. “BC has an ankle sprain. He’s doubtful for the game. Other than that, everybody else is status quo.”
Aaron Glenn Comments on Justin Fields’ Maturity Ahead of Unofficial Debut
It’s safe to say that for as long as he’s on the turf, all eyes will be on Fields. The offseason free agent pickup is attempting to resurrect both his career and the Jets organization this year. There’s been no shortage of buzz for him, but that’s been accompanied by plenty of criticism as well.
Glenn finds himself somewhere in the middle, as he recently praised Fields’ progress but acknowledged that he’s been far from perfect. Perhaps the most impressive thing about the field general, according to Glenn, is how he’s solely focused on the Jets’ mission.
“What I’ve said before: He is a very mature person,” Glenn said. “Listen, he understands the highs and lows of this game. There’s so much outside noise that tries to beat him down, and he’s so mature. He doesn’t allow that to be a factor in how he’s going to go about his business. That’s something, again, that we talk about constantly. When you’re at the position of quarterback, you can’t hide from that. That’s just part of it. I get it, I do, but that’s the emotional maturity that we talk about. You can’t let anything outside bother you. Just only focus on the guys that are in-house and only focus on getting better every day, because you’re always going to hear it.”
Now on his third team in as many years, Fields gets the life of a quarterback.
“He understands the noise,” Glenn said. “It’s just part of the business. It’s part of being a quarterback. You can’t hide from that. I’m proud of him.”
This weekend, Glenn and Jets fans will see whether that translates to the field will fellow starters like Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall.
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