Training camp is the time for undrafted free agents and unheralded fringe players to make their case for an active roster spot. It is also the time for veterans to put everything on the line in order to keep their jobs.
When the Jets report to training camp on July 28, there will be just as many young players duking it out for a roster spot as there will be veterans hanging on for dear life. New York has a good amount of positions up for grabs, which means opportunity for the veterans. However, general manager Joe Douglas and company will have no issue siding with a younger player over one with more experience if the younger player dominates while the veteran treads water.
So, which Jets veterans will be fighting for a job in training camp? Here are 11 that are going to have to impress if they want to break camp with New York in September.
Avery Williamson
It’s rare that a player finds himself on the chopping block less than two years after leading his team in tackles, but that is the position Avery Williamson is in entering training camp.
Williamson missed all of 2019 due to a torn ACL, putting his future with the Jets in flux. Blake Cashman shined as a rookie in Williamson’s place, while New York added C.J. Mosley’s former running mate, Patrick Onwuasor, in free agency this offseason. That does not necessarily mean Williamson is on his way out, but it puts him behind the eight ball when it comes to making the 53-man roster.
Considering the financial gain the Jets stand to benefit from by parting ways with Williamson, all signs point toward the 28-year-old not breaking camp with the team. Unless he leaves no doubt that he should be the starting inside linebacker opposite Mosley, Williamson’s time at One Jets Drive could be running short.
Brian Winters
It’s a wonder that Brian Winters will begin training camp with the Jets after Joe Douglas spent all offseason bulking up New York’s offensive line.
Alex Lewis signed a new contract with the Jets, while Greg Van Roten agreed to terms on a three-year deal with New York. The additions of Josh Andrews and Cameron Clark also bolster Gang Green’s interior offensive line depth and make Winters expendable.
Winters is a solid player, but he no longer has a definitive place on the Jets’ roster. New York would be wise to part ways with him and reap the financial benefits that come with his release.
David Fales
The signing of Joe Flacco to serve as Sam Darnold’s backup all but guaranteed Fales’ eventual release. However, with Flacco on the shelf to begin 2020, Fales will have one last chance to earn his roster spot in training camp.
Until Flacco returns, the No. 2 spot on the quarterback depth chart will go to either Fales or rookie James Morgan. Regardless of the result of the competition, Morgan is not going anywhere, so Fales’ future with the Jets ultimately comes down to whether or not they want to carry three quarterbacks to open the season. How he fares in training camp and the preseason will play a major role in that decision.
Nate Hairston
Nate Hairston’s chances of making New York’s 53-man roster come down to his ability to redeem himself following an underwhelming first season with the Jets.
Hairston did not exactly bring much to New York’s cornerback room after Joe Douglas acquired him in a trade with the Colts before the beginning of the regular season. Douglas liked Hairston enough to trade for him, though, which means there is still a chance for him to earn a roster spot with a strong showing throughout training camp and the preseason.
Kenneth Dixon
It’s tough to see Kenneth Dixon breaking camp with the Jets considering the current state of the running back room.
Le’Veon Bell, Frank Gore, rookie La’Mical Perine and Trenton Cannon are all ahead of the 26-year-old Dixon on New York’s depth chart. That is a lot of ground to make up for any running back, especially one who has spent almost the entirety of his career as a backup.
Dixon could look like a world-beater in training camp and it still might not be enough to make the 53-man roster. The Jets are simply too crowded in the backfield right now for him to make a serious run at a spot.
James Burgess and Neville Hewitt
The Jets have a surplus of talent at middle linebacker, but they are not going to carry more than four inside backers once the regular season begins. That means James Burgess and Neville Hewitt are going to have to duke it out in training camp.
Both Burgess and Hewitt had impressive 2019 seasons. In an ideal world, the Jets would be able to keep both players. Unfortunately, keeping more than four middle linebackers is a major hindrance to the rest of the roster. Even if Avery Williamson is released, there will still not be enough room for both.
Burgess vs. Hewitt will be an intriguing dynamic to watch throughout camp. Both have extremely similar skillsets and can contribute on special teams. Preseason production will likely be a deciding factor here.
Sam Ficken and Brett Maher
The Jets are only going to carry one kicker, which means either Sam Ficken or Brett Maher will be left searching for a new home at the end of training camp.
Ficken has the familiarity factor working in his favor, but that doesn’t really matter for a kicker — especially one who had a below-average 2019 season. Maher, meanwhile, is coming off a brutal year with the Cowboys and could very well be on his last chance in the league.
Ficken and Maher’s battle throughout training camp and the preseason will dictate which of New York’s veteran kickers is left out in the cold once September rolls around. At this point, it’s a toss-up as to which one begins 2020 donning the green and white.
Matthias Farley and Bennett Jackson
Like at middle linebacker, the Jets are not going to carry more than four safeties on their 53-man roster. It is simply not the wise thing to do.
With that in mind, both Matthias Farley and Bennett Jackson will be facing make or break training camps in 2020. Both players have been career backups, but Farley has a somewhat proven track record of production, while Jackson has bounced around the league.
Farley has an inside track at a roster spot, but Jackson has the potential to seriously challenge the 27-year-old.
