The Jets’ Road To 53 Began In Canton
The Jets hype machine is on full blast since the Aaron Rodgers trade in April, so it’s easy to go overboard about the minutia of everything we read about practices and the exhibition games.
You won’t find that here. Are we really supposed to forget about the last two seasons because Zach Wilson threw one nice long ball against Cleveland’s backups in Thursday’s Hall of Fame game? Fourth-string quarterback Chris Streveler’s preseason magic a year ago had zero bearing on the Jets’ ensuing 7-10 campaign, so there’s no need to dissect his failed comeback attempt in New York’s 21-16 loss.
As always, coming out of this preseason in generally good health is the only thing that will count as a win until the real games begin on September 11 versus Buffalo. Though these preseason events, including the upcoming controlled practices with Carolina and Tampa Bay, will give the coaching staff more data points to help sort out the bottom of New York’s depth chart, the starters, with maybe one exception (right tackle) and barring further injuries, appear to be firmly in place.
Here’s where the Jets stand with five weeks to go:
Quarterbacks:
Starter: Aaron Rodgers
Backups: Zach Wilson
No competition here—the only decision is whether the Jets waste a spot on the 53-man roster on a bad emergency QB like Tim Boyle. (The new rules allow teams to make one active that doesn’t count toward the 45-man game-day limit, but they still have to be rostered). Other than Boyle being a Rodgers buddy, there’s no reason they should. Stashing the scatter-armed Streveler onto the practice squad shouldn’t be an issue.
Running backs:
Starter: Breece Hall, Nick Bawden
Backups: Michael Carter, Zonovan Knight, Israel Abanikanda
Head Coach Robert Saleh isn’t always forthright with the media with regard to players returning from injury, but everything is pointing to Hall, who’s ascending rookie campaign last season was cut short by an ACL tear in Week 7 in Denver, being on the field for the regular season opener. As I wrote last week, it appears the Jets are leaning toward keeping a fullback this season, so Bawden’s inclusion here might make the roster gymnastics a bit tricky. I don’t think Carter’s grip on his RB2 job has been lost after a sophomore slump, though the coaching staff seems to be overly enamored with the “Bam” in Knight. Rookie fifth-round pick Abanikanda seems destined for inactive game-day duties. Things could change if free agent back Dalvin Cook circles back to New York, but I still maintain that won’t happen if either Miami or New England shows him the money.
Wide receivers:
Starters: Garrett Wilson, Corey Davis, Allen Lazard
Backups: Mecole Hardman, Randall Cobb, Jason Brownlee
This is as deep a receiver group as the Jets have had in my recent memory when combining both talent and versatility. You can line up most of these guys anywhere--the only hurdle will be whether they can get on the same page as Rodgers. Wilson, last season’s Offensive Rookie of the Year who is nursing a minor ankle injury, is really the only one who has to stay upright for the unit to maximize its production. Hardman’s speed will be a factor here and on special teams. Brownlee, who received the fourth-highest guarantee of this year’s undrafted free agent class, would likely get scooped up if cut, so he should make it as well. Some other potentially solid prospects, like Irvin Charles and Xavier Gipson, will lose out in the numbers game.
Tight ends:
Starter: Tyler Conklin
Backups: C.J. Uzomah, Jeremy Ruckert
Conklin and Uzomah will each see plenty of snaps on game days, as Offensive Coordinator Nathaniel Hackett will undoubtedly go heavy early in games to “establish the run game” (sigh). I could easily be wrong in leaving off Kenny Yeboah here, but with Ruckert healthier and better acclimated in Year 2, is Yeboah that instrumental to the special teams to warrant a spot? My gut says they’d rather keep fullback Bawden over an extra tight end. Seventh-round pick Zack Kuntz, allegedly a freakish athlete with size, screams practice squad player.
Offensive line:
Starters: Duane Brown, Laken Tomlinson, Connor McGovern, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Max Mitchell
Backups: Mekhi Becton, Wes Schweitzer, Joe Tippmann, Carter Warren
Between injuries and performance, the o-line room could be in flux, particularly as it relates to the tackles. They seem to have one too many, even if the group is, as a whole, very shaky. Brown, the incumbent starting left tackle, has yet to practice while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, but the Jets are seemingly unalarmed. Becton, who is under much stress to live up to his No. 11 overall billing in the 2020 NFL Draft after missing almost all of the last two seasons with a knee injury, is playing for his livelihood this preseason. Coming off after seven offensive snaps due to “discomfort” with the Canton turf (he did get on the field for several subsequent special teams plays) on Thursday night may or may not mean anything. Mitchell, who seems to be ahead at the moment in the right tackle battle, and Warren were fourth-round picks in the last two Drafts. So, I’m going to make veteran Billy Turner the odd man out for now, with the understanding that I’m expecting further “developments” on this front that could alter things as the preseason progresses. The interior, on the other hand, seems to be set with Tomlinson, McGovern, and Vera-Tucker all returning to their normal spots while the veteran Schweitzer and rookie Tippmann are each capable of playing center or guard.
Defensive line:
Starters: Carl Lawson, Quinnen Williams, Al Woods, John Franklin-Myers
Backups: Bryce Huff, Quinton Jefferson, Solomon Thomas, Jermaine Johnson, Michael Clemons, Will McDonald IV
The apple of Saleh’s eye. It’s quite a crew, with All Pro Williams, fresh off a rich contract extension, setting the tone in the middle of the line. Saleh could easily rotate all 10 on game days, though I consider Thomas to be a weaker link. With all these ends who can fly around the edge, their third-down pass rush could be dynamic. I’m hoping for nice step-ups from Johnson and Clemons in Year 2 while rookie first-round pick McDonald gets his feet wet. I did find it strange that Huff played quite a bit on Thursday after finishing second in the league last season in pressure percentage (150 pass rush snaps minimum), per ProFootballFocus.com. There are rumors he could be traded. On the flip side, I think Woods will prove to be a huge get by General Manager Joe Douglas to shore up the run defense.
Linebackers:
Starters: C.J. Mosley, Quincy Williams, Jamien Sherwood
Backups: Zaire Barnes
With slot cornerback Michael Carter II receiving nearly two-thirds of the defensive snaps last season, I listed a third “starter” here out of habit. The Jets are gambling a bit that Sherwood can handle the other one-third role filled last season by Kwon Alexander, who was plucked by Pittsburgh as a free agent last week. I’m a bit skeptical—Alexander made quite a few plays with his closing speed and ferocity. Still, this area mostly belongs to Mosley and Williams, who will benefit from continuity in the defense. There aren’t a lot of options to choose from to add to the depth chart—maybe Chazz Surrat makes it. I give up on Hamsah Nasirildeen
Cornerbacks:
Starters: Ahamad “Sauce” Gardner, D.J. Reed, Michael Carter
Backups: Brandin Echols, Bryce Hall, Javelin Guidry, Justin Hardee
As fantastic as these starters are, pray for their health over a long season. Echols is currently slated as the next man up, and he isn’t very good (and he is suspended from the opener due to the league’s personal conduct policy). And I have no idea what has happened to Hall after he posted decent numbers as a rookie in 2020. I did like Guidry’s work as a ball-hawking reserve slot corner before he was released last season, so I’m hoping Saleh gives Guidry a second go-round in lieu of the aforementioned fifth linebacker. Hardee is purely a special teams player, but he’s a team leader.
Safeties:
Starters: Jordan Whitehead, Tony Adams
Backups: Adrian Amos, Jarrick Bernard-Converse
Adams has reportedly been the surprise of training camp, easing the pain from the season-ending injury to newly-acquired Chuck Clark. Many assumed that Douglas filled the job when he signed Amos shortly after the Clark news broke. Amos had a difficult 2022 season in Green Bay but received excellent PFF grades in his seven previous seasons and can play both safety positions. Has Ashtyn Davis, a third-round pick in Douglas’ infamous 2020 Draft, finally run out of lives with this year’s sixth-round selection of Bernard-Converse? If Bernard-Converse doesn’t return soon from a foot injury, maybe not.
Specialists:
Kicker: Greg Zuerlein
Punter: Thomas Morstead
Long snapper: Thomas Hennessy
The fact that the Jets didn’t bring any challengers to camp says it all about how they feel about their kicking game. I know, it’s quite a change.