The long preseason for the Jets is finally over and now it’s time to get ready for the regular season. One big checklist item still looks large and that’s the cutdown to 53 players this week. So this will be one final guess at which 53 players will make the initial roster — the key word being initial since roster moves will still be made afterward via the waiver wire.
Things obviously changed up a bit this week with Corey Davis stepping away from football. That should mean a player who was on the bubble and perhaps on the outside looking in could now find himself on the right side of the bubble.
So here we go, here’s our shot at the 53-man roster for the Jets with the preseason in the books.
Quarterback
- Aaron Rodgers
- Zach Wilson
Out: Tim Boyle
Boyle was a tough cut. He played well enough in the preseason finale to make his case to stick around but there is a lot of talent elsewhere on the roster that the Jets may cut him loose and then try to stash him on the practice squad.
Running Back
- Breece Hall
- Dalvin Cook
- Michael Carter
- Israel Abanikanda
- Nick Bawden (FB)
Out: Zonovan Knight, Travis Dye
The Jets still love Bawden at fullback and it’s tough to envision them keeping five true tailbacks. The guess is that Knight is the odd man out here but could make it back to the practice squad.
Wide Receiver
- Garrett Wilson
- Allen Lazard
- Mecole Hardman
- Randall Cobb
- Xavier Gipson
- Malik Taylor
Out: Irvin Charles, Jason Brownlee, Jerome Kapp, T.J. Luther, Alex Erickson
This may be the toughest position to figure out, especially after the retirement of Corey Davis. However, that move may be just what someone like Xavier Gipson needed. There is now enough room for the undrafted rookie out of Stephen F. Austin and he has seemingly become the man in the punt return game. The 6th spot is really tough. Do the Jets roll with Brownlee? Do they take the veteran — and former Packer — in Taylor? Do they even keep a 6th receiver at all?
We’ll take Taylor here just over Brownlee as the veteran option with the Rodgers connection versus having two undrafted rookies in the group, including one in Brownlee who tailed off during the preseason.
This will be such a fascinating position to watch. Watch for Charles and maybe even Erickson to land on the practice squad.
Tight End
- Tyler Conklin
- C.J. Uzomah
- Jeremy Ruckert
- Kenny Yeboah
Out: Zack Kuntz, E.J. Jenkins
Kuntz is still very raw and an older rookie, so he should make it back to the practice squad but hasn’t shown enough to make the 53. Initially, the thought was three tight ends, but spots opened up and the Jets love Yeboah as a tight end and in special teams, so they may very well keep four tight ends again.
Offensive Line
- Duane Brown
- Laken Tomlinson
- Connor McGovern
- Alijah Vera-Tucker
- Mekhi Becton
- Max Mitchell
- Billy Turner
- Wes Schweitzer
- Joe Tippmann
Injured Reserve: Carter Warren
Out: Adam Pankey, Brent Laing, Trystan Colon, Chris Glaser, Grant Hermanns, Greg Senat
The top nine look set, especially now that Becton has locked up the starting right tackle position. The Jets should have depth and will pray the injury bug doesn’t ruin them again like it did last season.
Keep an eye on Warren. Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic made an interesting point that the Jets could keep Warren on the initial 53 and then place him on injured reserve. The Jets will debate if they feel Warren can help this season or if they’ll need to rely on him as a depth piece. Placing him on injured reserve before the initial 53 would end his season, essentially redshirting him for the year.
Defensive Line
- Carl Lawson
- Quinnen Williams
- Al Woods
- John Franklin-Myers
- Jermaine Johnson
- Quinton Jefferson
- Solomon Thomas
- Micheal Clemons
- Will McDonald IV
- Bryce Huff
Out: Marquiss Spencer, Tanzel Smart, Pita Taumoepenu, Bruce Hector, Jalyn Holmes, Deslin Alexandre
These ten have felt like locks for weeks now and the practice squad could have even more depth with a few of the guys left out. Hector had two sacks against the Giants.
Linebacker
- Jamien Sherwood
- C.J. Mosley
- Quincy Williams
- Zaire Barnes
Out: Nick Vigil, Sam Eguavoen, Chazz Surratt, Caleb Johnson, Claudin Cherelus
Surratt could sneak in as the 5th linebacker but injuries hampered his progress after the Hall of Fame Game. He should at least make the practice squad. Same with guys like Johnson and Cherelus.
Cornerback
- Sauce Gardner
- D.J. Reed
- Michael Carter II
- Bryce Hall
- Justin Hardee
Suspended: Brandin Echols
Out: Craig James, Jimmy Moreland, Derrick Langford, Nehemiah Shelton
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Moreland instead of Hall here. The Jets need a 4th corner at least for Week 1 with Echols suspended. Then the Jets have to figure out who to cut to make room for Echols, though that could just be either Hall or Moreland.
Safety
- Jordan Whitehead
- Tony Adams
- Adrian Amos
- Ashtyn Davis
- Trey Dean
Physically Unable to Perform: Jarrick Bernard-Converse
Out: Marquis Waters
This is another interesting spot. Whitehead and Adams are starters and Davis is a key piece to special teams. Could Amos be a surprise cut like Jason Pinnock was last season? Dean could be one of the beneficiaries of Corey Davis retiring and the Jets likely placing Bernard-Converse on the Reserve/PUP list to start the season. Dean did all he could to earn a roster spot.
Specialists
- Thomas Morstead
- Greg Zuerlein
- Thomas Hennessy
Nothing cute here. Has been and will be these three, end of story.
