With Nothing To Play For This Season, Here’s An Early Keep/Dump List For 2022 Jets
Part I--The Offense
Well, Jets fans, we’re back in familiar territory. Five games remaining, all devoid of any meaning. The Jets (3-9) will be playing for next season.
As such, the best results going forward would be a bunch of 45-42 losses so as to secure at worst their current fourth overall slot in the 2022 NFL Draft while simultaneously exhibiting signs of progress in rookie quarterback Zach Wilson’s ability to lead the offense.
While I have no doubt that the first number in the preferred score above is possible given the atrocity that is Gang Green’s defense, New York just does not have the tools to engage in these types of shootouts.
Who do they have who will be keepers for next season? Let’s take a look by position, bearing in mind that these are my choices, not projections:
Quarterback:
Keep: Zach Wilson, Joe Flacco
Dump: Mike White, Josh Johnson
Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 Draft, obviously is the future and no matter how he finishes the year, he’ll get the same three seasons to prove himself that prior failed savior Sam Darnold received before his trade to Carolina. It never made sense for the Jets to not re-sign Flacco last offseason, unless he rebuffed all advances because he really believed he was going to get a shot to start in Philadelphia. Let’s not make the same mistake and be forced to surrender another sixth-round pick in a trade for a veteran backup in 2022. As for White, he’ll always have the Bengals game and can visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame any time to rekindle the memory. Unfortunately, that stellar performance put him on video, where it showed how his limited arm strength could be exposed by future opponents. A restricted free agent, White should receive a tender that would allow the Jets to recoup a fifth-round compensatory pick ($2.4 million) or a second-rounder ($3.9 million) when another team is dazzled by that one outing and makes an overvalued offer.
Running Back:
Keep: Michael Carter, Tevin Coleman, Nick Bawden
Dump: Ty Johnson, La’Mical Perrine, Austin Walter
Rookie Carter was on the verge of establishing himself as the Jets’ feature back before his ankle sprain. Coleman has received solid grades from ProFootballFocus.com, (29th among RBs with at least 50 carries) even if he hasn’t done anything all that remarkable. A pending free agent, his ties to Head Coach Robert Saleh will work in his favor. The Jets would be better off cutting ties to Johnson ($1 million salary cap savings) and Perrine ($1.1 million) to reallocate to other positions. While Walter had a few nice runs in Houston, he has yet to break a tackle in 10 rush attempts, per PFF—he’s still a practice squad-level player. Until the Jets bring in a better fullback, they could do worse than re-signing Bawden to a training camp deal.
Wide Receiver:
Keep: Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, Denzel Mims, Braxton Berrios, Vyncint Smith
Dump: Jamison Crowder, Keelan Cole, Jeff Smith
Davis, who’s season ended with Monday’s announcement that he will need core muscle surgery, did not live up to his high price in last offseason’s free agency, tying Johnson for the team lead with six drops, per PFF. However, with Moore’s ascension and the possibility that General Manager Joe Douglas will somehow score another top wideout this offseason, he would certainly work in a more ensemble setting. It would be nice if Mims, a 2020 second-round pick, took a leap in 2022 after what to date amounts to a lost season. A healthy offseason could provide some momentum, but the Jets can’t bank on that. Crowder did yeoman’s work under awful conditions in his three years here, but it’s time for both parties to move on. He’s too expensive, as is Cole, who earned almost $5.5 million on his one-year deal. Berrios has cemented his role as the Jets’ return man and backup in the slot—it shouldn’t be too exorbitant to re-sign him in free agency. As for the Smith’s, I’ve always been partial to Vyncint, even if he’s yet to step on the field this season. For all the praise Saleh lavishes on Jeff as a gunner on punt coverage, his 1:3 tackle-to-missed-tackle ratio on special teams suggests otherwise. No need to bring him back.
Tight Ends:
Keep: Trevon Wesco, Kenny Yeboah
Dump: Ryan Griffin, Tyler Kroft, Daniel Brown
It took some courage not to leave the “Keep” row blank. That’s how awful this position group has been—for many seasons, not just 2021. The oft-injured Kroft and useless Brown are easy dismissals as pending free agents while Griffin’s nearly $3.1 million cap savings (with a $200,000 dead money charge) in 2022 make excising him a no-brainer. Wesco and Yeboah are young and cheap enough where another year as understudies to a legitimate starter won’t be too detrimental to the cause.
Tackles:
Keep: Mekhi Becton, George Fant, Morgan Moses, Chuma Edoga
Dump: Conor McDermott
With Becton, Douglas’ 2020 first-round pick, constantly injured (maybe he’ll practice sometime before the season is done—it’s only been 11 weeks since the knee surgery that came with an expected 4-to-8 week recovery period), the Jets need to ensure they have depth here. Fant has played very well this season, surprisingly worth the steep ($9.8 million this season, $10.65 million in 2022) cap hits. Moses, a pending free agent who earned $4.3 million this season, has been less effective, but he too is a keeper given Becton’s inability to stay on the field. Edoga (knee) was placed on Injured reserve after playing just 37 offensive snaps, but they were solid snaps, and since he’s under contract for next season, he’s at least deserving of a training camp invite. McDermott’s best feature is his versatility, but he’s a master of no trade who can be replaced by someone younger.
Interior Offensive Line:
Keep: Connor McGovern, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Cameron Clark, Thomas Hennessy
Dump: Greg Van Roten, Dan Feeney, Alex Lewis, Parker Ferguson
Outside of Vera-Tucker, who’s been a stud; Van Roten and Feeney, who stink; and Hennessy, the long snapper, the others on these lists should have asterisks. For instance, McGovern is way overpriced with a $10.3 cap number next season, but he’s come on of late, allowing just four pressures (no sacks) in his last four games. Can the Jets do better in free agency? Duvernay-Tardif is a pending free agent who should generate interest around the league. The former Chief now has seen both extremes of NFL functionality—is he willing to return to New York at a reasonable cost? 2020 fifth-round pick Clark and undrafted free agent Ferguson are both under contract for next season but are coming off severe injuries—their health will determine their Jets futures. Lewis surely isn’t coming back, having left the team for personal reasons.
Kicker:
Keep:
Dump: Kicker Du Jour
Maybe it’s time to invest a little money in a kicker, huh?
Next week: Part II—The Defense