Preseason games are more important to some players than others.
For the established veterans, preseason games are nothing more than a nuisance, standing in the way of the real games of the regular season. Some veterans — possibly Jets running back Le’Veon Bell and/or Giants running back Saquon Barkley as examples — might not even play a down in preseason.
For players like Jets tight end Ryan Griffin, preseason games are everything. They are their showcase, their springboard to more opportunities.
In the case of the 29-year-old Griffin, who figures to play a lot in Thursday night’s preseason game against the Falcons in Atlanta, his opportunity is a particularly cherished one, considering a big mistake he made last April that left his NFL career in potential peril.