My Thoughts on Jets Fans' Concerns About Training Camp 'Toughness'

Just because camp has been different doesn't mean that's a bad thing.

Here's why Jets fans shouldn't be concerned about how tough practices have been in Year 2 of the Aaron Glenn era. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

My latest appearance on "The Jake Asman Show" on Sunday ended with an interesting question from a listener.

The main question posed was an interesting one: should the Jets be practicing harder and more physically, in a similar vein to the Giants, than they have to this point?

One fan pointed to the Giants with new head coach John Harbaugh as a prime example of a team working for over two and a half hours on the field to be ready for the season. In their mind, Harbaugh coming from a winning program means the Jets should try to emulate Big Blue's physical practices rather than the more classroom-heavy focus the team currently has.

But there are multiple ways to have a successful training camp, and Gang Green's training camp has been just as competitive as any other.

Jets training camp has still be competitive (even if it isn't as 'tough')

Gone are the days when physical training camps were a requirement for teams around the NFL. Contenders such as the Eagles and Rams are notorious for shorter practices and instead focusing on efficient work throughout the day.

Other teams like Harbaugh's past roster in Baltimore and the Chiefs are notorious for more grueling practices as well as stretching the limit of their work to the maximum allowed by the CBA.

Some Jets fans will point to the Chiefs and Harbaugh's past as reasons to have longer, more physical camps. But preparing for a year is not an exact science. The Eagles and Rams have had plenty of success with their efficient approach. They've also been relatively healthy when the later parts of the season arrive.

Coincidence? Not quite. Teams that focus heavily on injury prevention tend to be the ones that don't have to worry about missing a key player towards the end of the year. The Jets understand this and appear to prefer to be a team that has their full collection of talent for as long as possible.

Jets HC Aaron Glenn & Co. understand that some risks—such as pushing players too hard in training camp—outweigh the potential rewards. \ | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In the grand scheme of things, Glenn is not wrong to push for efficient practices. He believes that preparing the team does not need two and a half hours on the field and instead focuses on specific situations within a game. New York notoriously practices in-game moments (third-and-four or second-and-long situations) as a way to prepare the team.

Will it work? Only time will tell. But to assume that the Jets will not be as prepared as the Giants will be because Harbaugh has them out for longer is nothing more than folly. An NFL season is more about a war of attrition. Harbaugh, specifically, should know this, as several of his most recent teams have missed the playoffs due to a rash of injuries.

Again, perhaps a tougher training camp schedule does not immediately correlate to more injuries later in the year. But there's a reason why organizations like the Eagles and Rams have become consistent contenders. Their lighter practices show that there is more than one way to be prepared for a season without running an old-school style camp.

Glenn is hoping for the same with his team.

It'll be up to the Jets to prove him right on the field when the games actually matter.