Breece Hall has higher expectations for the 2026 Jets than many of the outside pundits, and he thinks these Jets could shock some people.
“Everybody has a common goal, we’re hungry,” Hall said Tuesday after the team’s first minicamp practice. “We’re going to try to surprise everybody this year.”
ESPN recently ranked the Jets 31st in the NFL in its Football Power Index, an analytics rating system. There are not many people outside of Jets fans predicting a big year from the Jets in Aaron Glenn’s second season.
But Hall, who signed a three-year extension with the Jets this spring, likes what he has seen so far from his team.
“With guys like me, Garrett [Wilson] and Geno [Smith], our standard is we’re expected to be some of the best at our positions and we expect to be some of the best at our positions,” Hall said. “As a team we’re spilling that into the team like we want to be one of the best. We want to be good regardless of this being our first year with the quarterback, the team, whatever the case may be.”
Hall pointed out that the defense has been playing hard even in walk-throughs.
“This is definitely different from what we’ve had in the past,” Hall said.
The highlight of Tuesday’s practice was a red-zone touchdown pass from Smith to Adonai Mitchell in the back of the end zone. Smith placed the ball where only Mitchell could grab it and Mitchell did a toe tap to stay in bounds.
Smith and Mitchell have made a lot of highlight plays this spring and seem to have good chemistry.
“I’m really excited about AD,” Smith said. “I think he’s going to be a special player for a long time. He’s obviously got the talent. What people might not see is the way that he works, the way that he studies, just the type of teammate that he is. He’s a great teammate. I think that goes a long way.”
Former Jets coach Rex Ryan was at practice Tuesday. Ryan’s son, Seth, is the team’s passing game coordinator. … The Jets signed fourth-round pick DT Darrell Jackson and they now have all of their draft picks under contract.
Rookie QB Cade Klubnik (back) did not practice but was throwing on the side. Glenn said it was the team being cautious and he thinks Klubnik will practice later this week.
The team’s three-day minicamp concludes Thursday.