SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Many of the consideration coming into Monday’s Jets opener towards the 49ers has naturally been on Aaron Rodgers and his return after lacking all however 4 snaps final season.
However he isn’t the one Jets starter returning after a missed season.
Chuck Clark will begin at security after lacking your complete 2023 season resulting from a torn ACL.
“I’m extraordinarily excited,” Clark stated final week. “On the finish of the day, it’s soccer for me, the sport I’ve all the time performed. I’ll be even-keeled. I’ll be excited for certain, hell yeah, however I can’t let it get probably the most of me and get out of whack and get out of place or something. I’ll be locked in for certain.”
Clark got here to the Jets in March 2023 in a commerce from the Ravens.
The Jets have been enthusiastic about what Clark may add to their protection, however he tore his ACL within the ultimate OTA of the spring and missed your complete yr.
For the primary time in Clark’s life, he was a spectator.
Clark stayed in New Jersey and took part in conferences however was not a part of the video games.
“That was totally different,” Clark stated. “It was the primary time feeling that for me. It was a brand new constructing for me on the time. I attempted to beat that after which I needed to assault the damage. It was totally different, to say the least.”
Over the last week, Clark has been experiencing the lead-up to a recreation for the primary time in over a yr.
He stated he is aware of he’ll have a second pregame when he displays on his journey again.
“I believe simply this complete week getting again into the operation of the sport — OK, that is quick Friday, that is journey day, every part that I’ve missed,” Clark stated. “It’s going to be a terrific feeling to get all that once more. In the event that they do a flyover earlier than the sport, this and that. I can’t look forward to all of it.”
Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett spoke final week about how concerned Aaron Rodgers is within the game-planning course of.
“It’s very elaborate, we all the time come along with a plan as coaches, after which current it to him like we do each week, or any quarterback, after which simply sort of make clear every part with him,” Hackett stated. “He watches a ton of tape, he has a ton of concepts identical to us, so we simply need to be certain that he’s snug with all of the issues that we’re going to execute on the market, in order we develop the plan we proceed to get it to him, and have lots of talks, be certain that we have now every part that we would like, and go from there, so it’s fairly seamless. It’s simply one other pair of eyes due to his expertise.”