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The never-ending rebuilding loop that the Jets always seem to be stuck in finally seems to have an end in sight. And they will have plenty of high hopes for the future when the full team reports for training camp on July 26.
Here is Part 1 of what to look forward to when Jets training camp begins, which will be followed by Part 2 on Thursday...
The rise of Sam Darnold
He is going into training camp as the third-string quarterback, but no one expects that to last long. The Jets are convinced they have a star in the making and that it's only a matter of time before he supplants Josh McCown, who will turn 39 on July 4. He shouldn't take long to get second-team reps over Teddy Bridgewater, too.
A lot of his story will be told based on how he performs in preseason games, of course, where he will get many opportunities. There surely will be some early struggles, but the Jets are very open to giving him at least a shot at becoming the Opening Day starter this summer. Even if he doesn't win the job right away, he's still the future. His summer could be very fun to watch.
Confidence from the young, talented secondary
There may not be a Hall of Famer like Darrelle Revis in this group (yet) but this is clearly the best group the Jets have had back there since the early Rex Ryan years. They know it, too, and safety Jamal Adams -- probably the best of the bunch -- isn't shy about saying it or boasting about what he expects from these Jets.
He knows the truth -- this defense could be good, and if it is it will be because of the secondary that features future stars in Adams and Marcus Maye at safety and a big-money addition in Trumaine Johnson at cornerback. The return of Mo Claiborne and Buster Skrine at corner give them plenty of depth, too. They may not be the league's best, but on paper there aren't that many that are better.
The roster-wide youth movement
I've never believed that New York fans wouldn't tolerate a rebuilding season, as long as there were talented young players to watch. The Jets certainly have plenty of those. Darnold may be the centerpiece, and the secondary may contain the best of the group, but there is so much more.
So keep an eye this summer on the development of young receivers like Robby Anderson, Chad Hansen, and ArDarius Stewart, running back Elijah McGuire, and tight ends Jordan Leggett and Chris Herndon. And there are some impressive young building blocks on defense, too, like linebacker Darron Lee and Leonard Williams, who is still only 24.