Upper And Lower Position Groups On The Jets Roster

The New York Jets roster is, without a doubt, one of the most talented in franchise history.

Contents

Secondary strengthens dominant defense
Receiving corps has questions after Wilson

More New York Jets news:

Both teams have plenty of young stars and veterans who have been around the NFL for a while now. That being said, there are still areas of the team that could use some minor improvements or more depth. No team is perfect, as even the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs haven’t been the best team on paper over the past two seasons.

After announcing their cuts Tuesday night, the Jets unveiled a 53-man roster with virtually no weaknesses. Here’s a look at Gang Green’s strongest and weakest position groups.

Secondary strengthens dominant defense

When you think about the Jets in 2024, the reason you think they could potentially make a Super Bowl run is their defense. General manager Joe Douglas has done a fantastic job building what is now considered one of the top three defenses in the NFL. One of the biggest aspects of this defense’s dominance is the defensive secondary.

Head coach Robert Saleh preaches about getting the quarterback home in his 4-3 defensive scheme, so the front 4 is considered the most important part of this Jets defense. However, the secondary is the last line of defense and if you don’t have guys to stop the best WRs in the NFL, the DBs are going to get beat, which leads to opposing touchdowns. Having a good secondary is even more crucial for the Jets who are in the same division as top WRs such as Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

Fortunately for the Jets, Douglas provided the secondary with three top-notch CBs: Sauce Gardner, DJ Reed and Michael Carter II.

Gardner is entering just his third season with the Jets and has already been named a two-time first-team All-Pro and a two-time Pro Bowl selection. The 24-year-old has allowed just two career touchdowns. Quarterbacks are wary of throwing passes to Gardner, as he caught just 3.4 passes per game last season.

His game reminds many of another defensive cornerback who once wore a Jets uniform, Darelle Revis. He’s not quite as accomplished as the Hall of Famer, but Revis had his own island and now it seems like WRs are getting lost in the sauce with Gardner.

What makes this secondary unit so special is that all three CB positions are elite. Focus on professional football Carter II ranked Carter II as the 9th best cornerback in the NFL and there is a case that he is the best nickel cornerback in the game right now, finishing 1st in several cornerback categories.

#Jets Michael Carter II was the victim of a crazy lack of respect

This season among slot CBs, Michael Carter II ranked No. 1 in nearly every area

1st in total yards allowed (195)
1st in total authorized receptions (25)
1st in yards per snap (0.54)
1st in snaps per reception (14.4)
1st… pic.twitter.com/7xJc8OYAOm

— Harrison Glaser (@NYJetsTFMedia) January 12, 2024

The Jets signed DJ Reed to a three-year deal in 2022, and Reed has played well beyond his capabilities. Reed tied for 13th in solo tackles (63) last season and his coverage has been phenomenal, forcing 11 incompletions in three straight seasons. He hadn’t even allowed his first touchdown of 2023 until Week 15, when the Jets were nowhere near any playoff hopes.

As if the star power at cornerback wasn’t enough, the Jets added 2022 first-round safety Lewis Cine from the Minnesota Vikings to their practice squad on Wednesday.

Receiving corps has questions after Wilson

The weakest point on this Jets team right now is the receivers room.

A key element in determining this team’s weaknesses is the talent level and depth. The talent level is there when it comes to receivers, highlighted by stars Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams. Wilson is the best WR at this point and is poised to become a superstar with QB Aaron Rodgers back in the mix.

Mike Williams, meanwhile, is a major wild card in this loaded room. Williams is coming off a brutal ACL injury he suffered last year and it will be difficult to predict how his 2024 campaign might play out, especially early in the season. Fortunately, Saleh announced that Williams will now participate in team drills, which is huge if he wants to get playing time in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers.

With Williams still limited, there isn’t much to do next to Wilson if Williams can’t play for some reason. Allen Lazard and Xavier Gipson are the other two WRs with Lazard on the outside and Gipson in the slot.

Lazard was as bad as it gets in his first season with a new team. He signed a four-year, $44 million deal and didn’t put up the same numbers he did in Green Bay in 2022. He threw just one touchdown and caught 23 passes for 311 yards, all of which were career lows since becoming a weekly fixture in 2019.

Gipson is now entering his second NFL season, but he hasn’t been very good, aside from his historic overtime punt return for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills after Rodgers was injured. His WR skills are still developing, though, and he wasn’t a big factor last year with just 21 receptions for 229 yards.

If Wilson were to disappear for some reason, the outlook for this WR room would be vastly different, which is to be expected after losing your WR1, but the dropoff after him is significant.