Jets receivers will be put to ‘test’ with critical Aaron Rodgers signals

The Jets are about to green-light Aaron Rodgers to install signals at the line of scrimmage.

Training camp practices begin Wednesday, and one of the main points of emphasis for the offense will be getting its two factions on the same page as it relates to Rodgers’ preferred form of post-huddle communication.

Garrett Wilson, Corey Davis, C.J. Uzomah and other pass-catchers who have not previously played with Rodgers have to learn the quarterback’s many hand gestures that former Packers receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, as well as offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, already know.

“It’s something that he takes a lot of pride in, and it’s something that we love to see because he takes advantage of certain areas on the field,” Hackett said. “It definitely puts a little pressure on the wide receivers because they can’t ever just lock in on something that they’re going to be doing. If the quarterback sees an advantageous look for something, he’ll give you something very quick, and you have to have your eyes on him and eyes on the ball.”

Rodgers ran weekly in-season hand-signal meetings with the Packers offensive skill players and the expectation is that will continue with the Jets.

Brushing his arm or tapping his helmet is how the details-oriented Rodgers alerts receivers and tight ends to alter routes based on the pre-snap look and spacing of the defense.

“We get some simple ones to start and then we’ll start ramping them up once camp comes,” Rodgers said on the final day of OTAs. “Just ease into that, test them every single day. The fun part is in the walk-throughs to not just turn your brain off and be a robot. Test them on signals, test them on cadence, test them on alignments and slight adjustments we might have talked about just in the locker room. The guys pick it up good.”

The reward for paying attention is earning Rodgers’ trust and the opportunity to put up big numbers.

Rodgers took major exception last season with an article in The Athletic that connected his complex, not-written-down signals to the Packers’ history of ineffective rookie receivers throughout his career.

They are hard for young players to remember while playing fast, rookie Romeo Doubs, veteran Sammy Watkins and backup quarterback Jordan Love alleged.

Complaints that Rodgers was a pop-quizzer on information that he didn’t teach is far from the vibe inside the Jets.

“He’s a great communicator and he’s a great teacher,” quarterbacks coach Rob Calabrese said. “When he’s talking with the receivers or tight ends on how he wants certain routes just from experience, it’s special.”

It seemed that the Giants’ secondary had no problem learning Rodgers’ signals in their matchup last season.

When Rodgers touched his shoulder before a crucial fourth-down pass, safety Julian Love communicated that the ball was coming to cornerback Nick McCloud’s side and Xavier McKinney blitzed the passing lane for a batted incompletion.

Whereas the Packers heavily relied on rookie receivers last season, the Jets’ top eight pass-catchers average six years of NFL experience and the youngest, Wilson, is the reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

How much responsibility is on the receivers to learn those signals?

“That’s all on them,” receivers coach Zach Azzanni said. “I don’t want to speak for Aaron and Hack, but we’ve probably done about less than 10 percent of that stuff signal-wise [in the spring]. Those things grow exponentially as we grow.”

Azzanni is another newcomer learning Rodgers’ signals under the pressure that he might “get the side-eye” if a receiver messes up.

He pointed to an example of ironing out kinks in a June 9 walk-through.

“The guys are like, ‘What’s that signal?’ and I’m like, ‘I don’t know,’ ” Azzanni said. “It might have been from 2011, but let’s get on the same page. That’s what’s cool about those guys all being here [voluntarily], working through those things.”

Attendance is mandatory come Wednesday.

Lazard and Cobb will interject in meetings to let the others know some of Rodgers’ preferred intricacies on a given play.

But Rodgers’ voice carries the most weight — and the Jets understand they have to be ready for when he talks with his hands.

“He does it quite a bit,” Hackett said.