Jets vs. Bengals: Five Questions for Gang Green

1. Can Antonio Allen play cornerback?

Nobody knows. That includes the Jets coaching staff. Trying Allen at corner doesn't seem like the kind of move they've thought of making for a long time. They don't sound sold on it, and they don't seem committed to developing him there over the long haul. They're just looking to catch lightning in a bottle and for a way to solve a solution. Can Allen use his size, get physical, and play effectively outside fulltime? We will find out.

2. How will Geno Smith look?

When a quarterback plays a couple of series and throws six passes, we can evaluate what he did. It is difficult to draw any conclusions from such a limited body of work, though. Rex Ryan says the starters will get a half so we will see to what degree Geno has progressed over the offseason in the areas he was weak as a rookie, mechanics and decision-making chief among them.

3. How much of a contribution is Calvin Pryor ready to make in the NFL?

The first round pick is making his preseason debut. GGN member Crackback succinctly laid out things to watch:

Seriously, I want to see Pryor’s recognition. Can he sniff out plays? Can he blow up runs at scrimmage? Does he have presence? Does he make it known that he’s there and that opponents need to identify him? Filling against the run is gonna be big for me, though, in his first pre-season game. I want to see him fill aggressively but within the scheme. I want to see aggression, but aggression with intelligence. I’m also going to be looking for him to enforce the middle of the field. I want to see catches in the middle of the field have a price tag attached. If you catch it, you pay the price.

4. Can A.J. Edds play his way onto the roster?

Edds had a strong preseason opener. He led the Jets with 8 tackles and recovered the clinching fumble. He was all over the field playing with the backups. He seems to have a leg up to be the primary backup at inside linebacker after David Harris and Demario Davis. Can he continue to make a strong case?

5. Can the Jets avoid injuries?

Keeping key parts healthy is a real win in preseason.