There is no doubt that the Jets got better this offseason, but there is still work to be done before New York can seriously contend for an AFC East title.
Despite all of the work general manager Joe Douglas has put in throughout his first offseason on the job, holes on the roster remain. No NFL roster is perfect, but New York’s remaining weaknesses are the difference between contending and competing for draft positioning at season’s end.
So, which positions still need some work before the regular season rolls around? Let’s take a look.
Wide Receiver
Losing Robby Anderson in free agency hurt, but Joe Douglas moved swiftly to fill the void with another speed demon by signing Breshad Perriman. He followed that move up by taking Denzel Mims, who has the potential to develop into a very good player, in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Douglas’ last two moves to address the receiver position are positives, but there is still something missing from the unit. There is no true No. 1 target for Sam Darnold to throw to and past Perriman, Mims and Jamison Crowder, there is not much depth.
Trading for a proven top receiver would do wonders for the wide receiver room, but that’s an unlikely move considering teams are not exactly shopping around their star wideouts right now. At the very least, the Jets need to add another veteran body before training camp kicks off. If that doesn’t happen, the lack of depth at the position could come back to haunt New York in 2020.
EDGE
Retaining Jordan Jenkins and drafting Jabari Zuniga have New York’s pass rush looking promising entering 2020. This unit can still be taken to another level, though.
Jenkins is a nice player and has a history of producing in defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ scheme, but Zuniga still has a lot to accomplish in camp before he can realistically compete for a starting spot. That leaves the Jets with one solid starting outside linebacker and a bunch of unproven ones vying for the other spot. That is not exactly ideal.
Jadeveon Clowney is still a free agent. So is Markus Golden. It’s understandable if Joe Douglas is not sold on either player, but it would behoove him to make some sort of move to bolster the pass rush before Week 1.
Cornerback
Cornerback is one of the positions the Jets improved the most at this offseason. Keeping Brian Poole, signing Pierre Desir and trading for Quincy Wilson have the unit primed to drastically improve in 2020.
Considering the low bar the cornerbacks on last year’s roster set, that is not saying much. Desir, Poole and Wilson can make sure the group is better than it was last year, but that is not going to be enough to contend. The Jets need more to get to that point.
There is no true No. 2 cornerback opposite Desir right now. Even Wilson has a lot to show in training camp to prove he can turn his career around. If the Jets wind up having to rely on Wilson, Bless Austin — who found himself planted on the bench at the end of 2019 — or fifth-round pick Bryce Hall to consistently produce as starting corners, they could be in trouble this upcoming season.
Kicker
Joe Douglas addressed a special teams need by drafting Braden Mann. Now, it’s time for him to find a kicker he can rely on.
Brett Maher is not that guy. Neither is Sam Ficken.
Having a good kicker can be the difference between a win and a loss. The Jets saw that first-hand last season. Douglas doesn’t have to go out and find the next Adam Vinatieri. He just needs to bring in someone that doesn’t make a whole stadium cower every time he gets ready to attempt a field goal or PAT.
