The Jets got down to 53 players Tuesday and certainly made some interesting, and sometimes surprising, decisions to get to those initial 53 players. Let’s run through some thoughts on the roster and how we got to where we are today.
Jets make most of few draft picks thus far in 2022
The Jets only had picks in the first four rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft, so they knew they had to nail pretty much all of them. So far so good, as most of the picks have already made an impact while others could eventually turn into at least solid reserve players and grow into starters in the future.
There was no doubt on the three first-round picks. CB Sauce Gardner, WR Garrett Wilson and DE Jermaine Johnson all are going to impact the team in one way or another as rookies. Same goes for second-round running back Breece Hall. Even fourth-round pick Micheal Clemons has been off to a strong start and should see time in the edge rotation.
OT Max Mitchell has developed quite nicely, earned some first-team reps at points during camp and is currently entrenched as the lone backup tackle. The only other reserve linemen for the moment are both interior players, Dan Feeney and Nate Herbig.
TE Jeremy Ruckert still has a little work to do, but he’ll get to continue developing behind C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin, and turn eventually take the role the Jets hoped Trevon Wesco would play, as a hybrid tight end/fullback type.
Two undrafted free agents also make surprise runs to the 53
It wasn’t just the drafted players that showed out in camp. Two undrafted players, RB Zonovan Knight and S Tony Adams also cracked the initial 53.
Knight flashed as a runner and showed his value on special teams. He recorded a few strong kick returns during the preseasons and will be able to give Braxton Berrios a breather during the game, as the Jets look to get Berrios more involved in the offense.
Adams also performed well during the preseason and worked his way to the fourth safety position, as the Jets cut Jason Pinnock and Will Parks, both surprising cuts in their own right. But make no mistake, Adams can play and the Jets love him.
Lots and lots of pass-rush help
Seven, count them, seven defensive ends on the initial 53-man roster, including two rookies. John Franklin-Myers, Carl Lawson, Jermaine Johnson, Jacob Martin, Bryce Huff, Micheal Clemons and Vinny Curry.
That’s a lot of pass-rush help. And this team needed it. The Jets recorded just 33 sacks last season. Only six teams had fewer sacks. Only two Jets (Franklin-Myers and Quinnen Williams) had more than three sacks.
With Lawson healthy, Martin improving as a pass-rusher and Johnson and Clemons flashing as rookies, the Jets stand to sack the opposing quarterback more often in 2022.
And they may even have more help on the practice squad. Players like Bradlee Anae and maybe Jabari Zuniga — though that might be a stretch — may also find themselves sticking with the Jets.
Slowly but surely, the regime of Mike Maccagnan is slipping away
The Jets entered 2022 with just four remaining draft picks from the Mike Maccagnan era (2015-2019), as the Jets and Joe Douglas have slowly but surely been moving away from that regime.
With Tuesday’s cuts, that number is down to just two. And one of those players was arguably a bubble player in 2022.
The two remaining draft picks from the Maccagnan era are DTs Quinnen Williams and Nathan Shepherd. Obviously, Williams has been a hit. Shepherd hasn’t been terrible, but he was far from a lock for this roster. Guys like Jonathan Marshall and Tanzel Smart made a strong push to beat out Shepherd, but the former third-round pick from Fort Hays State held them off to remain as one of the reserves on the interior defensive line with Sheldon Rankins.
Joe Douglas' first draft also on life support
Joe Douglas has gotten plenty of praise as general manager of the Jets. But entering its third year, the Jets’ draft class of 2020 is already starting to look a bit shaky.
The Jets drafted nine players in Douglas’ first year as general manager after coming over from the Philadelphia Eagles. Four of those players are already no longer with the Jets while four others are either hurt or not starting. Two of those four were cut Tuesday.
Gone are Jabari Zuniga, James Morgan, La’Mical Perine and Cameron Clark, with Zuniga and Perine among this year’s cuts.
Then there’s Mekhi Becton, who was supposed to be the highlight pick of Douglas’ first draft class, but injuries have unfortunately derailed that. Obviously, you can never project injuries, especially those like the one Becton suffered this summer that ended his season before it began. But now Becton will have played one out of 34 games in two seasons and now the Jets have a very interesting decision to make on his fifth-year option next offseason.
After that is Denzel Mims, who wants out of New York. He’s still on the Jets for now, but things just feel awkward with that situation. It may only be a matter of time.
Ashtyn Davis was very much on the bubble and seemed to be on his way out, but now he’s the third (or fourth) safety after the Jets released Jason Pinnock and Will Parks. And Bryce Hall was beaten out by Sauce Gardner as Hall had a rough preseason, including being made to look silly against the Falcons.
The only surefire player, arguably, from that class is punter Braden Mann.
Fortunately, the 2021 and 2022 classes have done well so far, which is certainly strengthening Douglas’ case. The Jets thus far have five starters from the 2021 class (Zach Wilson, Elijah Moore, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Michael Carter, Michael Carter II) plus one key reserve (Brandin Echols). But that 2020 class will always follow Douglas around, for better or for worse.
#Jets drafts the past six years
(Maccagnan 2015-2019, Douglas/Gase in 2020) pic.twitter.com/nqIFPAaCQv
— Joe Caporoso (@JCaporoso) August 30, 2022
