The end of the preseason is finally upon us, and with it comes a game full of names you don’t know and probably won’t need to remember. However, that doesn’t mean the Jets’ final tune-up before the regular season isn’t completely unimportant.
We won’t see Sam Darnold, Le’Veon Bell, Jamal Adams or any of the Jets starters, but this game will still be big for the players fighting for roles on the team. Not just the first backups, but the third- and fourth-stringers as well. These will be the men who step up in case of injury or poor play by the Jets starters. The fourth preseason game will also be the last opportunity for the Jets coaches to try some interesting lineups, offensive plays and defensive packages.
Here are four things to know for the Jets’ fourth and final preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Joe Douglas faces his former team
It’s only the preseason and the Jets will head to Philly in a little over a month, but this will be general manager Joe Douglas’ first crack at his former team since taking the Jets job in June.
Douglas spent three seasons as the Eagles’ VP of player personnel and helped shape the roster that won Super Bowl LII. He’s now tasked with turning around a Jets roster rife with issues, and he’ll get to evaluate his bench players against his former employer. The real match, however, will come in Week 4 of the regular season, when Douglas will surely want to prove to the Eagles he made the right choice in leaving.
Cornerback depth will be on display
Cornerback is still the weakest position on the entire Jets roster. The Jets will feature their backup corners heavily throughout the game to find the players to fill roster spots behind Trumaine Johnson, Darryl Roberts and Brian Poole. The Jets recently traded for Colts cornerback Nate Hairston, who should also be a lock for the roster.
Besides those four, it’s anyone’s guess who will make the team. Kyron Brown remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, so the Jets won’t be able to fully evaluate his ability. Otherwise, it’s between Marcus Cooper, Parry Nickerson, Arthur Maulet, Tevaughn Campbell, Alex Brown and Mark Myers for the final few spots. None have played particularly well, but there’s still time to see if they’re worth a spot on the bench.
Last chance for a roster spot
This is the final game opportunity for players on the bubble to prove to coaches and the front office they deserve to make the 53-man roster. Cornerback is the biggest position up for grabs, but there are plenty of other areas on the team without clarity on their bench.
There are a lot of spots open on the defensive line as well. Leonard Williams, Quinnen Williams, Steve McLendon and Henry Anderson will make the team, but players like Bronson Kaufusi and Foley Fatukasi also spent time with the first-team defense throughout the preseason. The biggest question mark on the d-line is 2018 third-rounder Nathan Shepherd, who’s played a lot with the second-teamers.
Wide receiver, running back, tight end and linebacker are other positions that could see a shake-up on the bench after the preseason ends. Players like wideouts Deontay Burnett and Greg Dortch, running backs Elijah McGuire and Trenton Cannon and linebackers Tarell Basham and Harvey Langi all need to have fantastic games to stay on the team.
The Jets will watch the Eagles’ gameplan closely
Much like the Jets’ first preseason game against the Giants, New York will see the Eagles during the regular season – specifically, Week 4. This game won’t feature any of the Eagles’ regular starters, but Adam Gase and Gregg Williams should keep an eye out on any plays or packages that stray from the norm.
Week 4 of the preseason could also showcase some rookies or role players who may become important for the Eagles when they play the Jets in October. Second-round rookie JJ Arcega-Whiteside could see an increased role in the beginning of the game, and the Eagles’ running-back-by-committee could be on full display.
