The New York Jets’ defense took a major hit in the 2024 season when their rising star pass rusher went down with a torn Achilles in Week 2. Just as he was breaking out, racking up 7.5 sacks in his sophomore year, the injury robbed him of a chance to prove he was the real deal. Now, with training camp here, all eyes are on his comeback. The Jets need him badly. Outside of him and Will McDonald IV, there’s almost no proven depth at edge rusher. New HC Aaron Glenn is installing a fresh defensive scheme, and every rep in camp matters.

That rising star? None other than Jermaine Johnson, the Jets’ $13 million man who was just hitting his stride before injury struck. Over the weekend, Johnson put any concerns about his status to rest with a straightforward message on X, “I will be on PUP because the team wants to move slow to be safe, which I agree with. Not because I’m not ready. All is well.” The reassurance comes at a critical time. Johnson’s return is vital for a defense transitioning to Aaron Glenn’s new system. ESPN’s Benjamin Solak noted, “Because of the scheme switch from Robert Saleh to Glenn, it’s important that Johnson gets at least some time to knock the rust off in August.” He definitely needs to do that.

Johnson hasn’t seen the field since tearing his Achilles in Week 2 last year, missing OTAs this spring. Yet Glenn remains optimistic, telling The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt in June that the star pass rusher “should be ready for the start of the regular season.” The PUP list move was expected, but it still leaves New York thin at edge rusher as they navigate camp.

Meanwhile, the Jets placed two other players on the injury list. Special teams ace Irvin Charles (active/PUP, recovering from a December ACL tear) and rookie LB Aaron Smith (active/NFI, undisclosed issue). For a team with playoff aspirations, getting Johnson back to full strength isn’t just a hope, it’s a necessity. 

While the Jets figure out their defensive puzzle, there’s another question mark brewing behind center. One that could leave a couple of young QBs sweating out the final roster cuts.

Aaron Glenn’s camp QB conundrum

While Jermaine Johnson’s injury comeback dominates headlines, there’s another under-the-radar competition brewing in Florham Park – one that could make or break two quarterbacks’ NFL dreams. Brady Cook and Adrian Martinez aren’t just fighting for a roster spot; they’re battling for their football futures.

Cook, the undrafted rookie from Missouri, arrived in May with the kind of quiet confidence that makes coaches take notice. He put up solid numbers in college, but NFL scouts questioned whether his arm talent could translate against faster, smarter defenses. Now, he’s getting his shot—but the margin for error is razor-thin. Every missed throw in camp gets magnified. Every hesitation in the pocket gets scrutinized. The Jets like his potential, but it doesn’t guarantee a jersey on Sundays.

Then there’s Martinez, whose career has already been a rollercoaster. After bouncing from the Lions to the UFL, he didn’t just survive. He thrived, winning MVP honors and a championship in the spring league. That performance earned him another NFL look, but at 25, he knows this might be his last chance. His legs are electric, but his inconsistent accuracy has kept him from sticking in the league. The Jets gave him a reserve/future contract last winter, a small vote of confidence, but now he has to prove he belongs.

With Justin Fields locked in as the starting QB, there’s likely only one spot left. The Athletic summed it up perfectly: “If the Jets opt to keep three quarterbacks on the 53, it would (as of now) be one of them. If not, they are fighting for the job on the practice squad.” That means Cook and Martinez aren’t just competing against each other – they’re competing against the Jets’ need for depth at different positions. A dropped snap here or a misread there could mean the difference between a roster spot and unemployment.

For Martinez, it’s about proving his UFL success wasn’t just a fluke. For Cook, it’s about showing he’s more than just a camp arm. And for the Jets? It’s a low-risk gamble that could pay off if either guy steps up. But in the NFL, ‘potential’ only buys you so much time. By September, one of these two might be living his dream, while the other faces the harsh reality that his shot may have passed him by.