The Jets have now had three preseason games to evaluate their roster following Saturday’s meeting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They have just one more game and one more week before having the make the cutdown to 53 players on their roster. Even after that, changes will be made at the bottom of the roster. For now, let’s take the current field of 90 and do our best to trim it down to 53 with just days left in the preseason.
Quarterback
- Aaron Rodgers
- Zach Wilson
With the improvement of Zach Wilson, the struggles of Tim Boyle and the talent elsewhere on the roster, the Jets may elect to carry two quarterbacks for the time being and put a third one on the practice squad.
Running Back
- Breece Hall
- Dalvin Cook
- Michael Carter
- Israel Abanikanda
- Nick Bawden (FB)
A crowded running back room means someone probably has to go and, in this case, it’s Zonovan Knight. Hall, Cook and Carter look like locks at this point and the Jets seem high on Abanikanda and Bawden can be used as an H-back and almost like a fourth tight end. Knight’s fumble Saturday didn’t do him any favors either.
Wide Receiver
- Garrett Wilson
- Allen Lazard
- Mecole Hardman
- Corey Davis
- Randall Cobb
- Xavier Gipson
We’re going with six wide receivers here with the guess that Gipson wins the kick and/or punt return role, knocking out Jason Brownlee, who would likely come back on the practice squad.
Tight End
- Tyler Conklin
- C.J. Uzomah
- Jeremy Ruckert
The top three are set and it’s looking like it’ll be just those three, though Zack Kuntz can certainly be stashed on the practice squad. But he didn’t do enough to crack the 53 with the talent elsewhere on the roster.
Offensive Line
- Duane Brown
- Laken Tomlinson
- Connor McGovern
- Alijah Vera-Tucker
- Mekhi Becton
- Joe Tippmann
- Wes Schweizter
- Carter Warren
- Max Mitchell
- Billy Turner
This is an interesting one because Mekhi Becton is trying to work his way back into the starting lineup. If he does, do the Jets keep both Max Mitchell and Billy Turner? With the injury concerns, they might have to. Expect the Jets to scour the market thoroughly for tackle help.
Defensive Line
- Carl Lawson
- Quinnen Williams
- Al Woods
- John Franklin-Myers
- Jermaine Johnson
- Quinton Jefferson
- Solomon Thomas
- Micheal Clemons
- Will McDonald IV
- Bryce Huff
There’s no doubt here. The Jets will carry four defensive tackles and six defensive ends and boast one of the deepest defensive lines in the NFL.
Linebacker
- Jamien Sherwood
- C.J. Mosley
- Quincy Williams
- Zaire Barnes
Zaire Barnes has the edge over Chazz Surratt for the No. 4 linebacker spot. Surratt would be a prime practice squad candidate and could get elevated at times to the active roster.
Cornerback
- Sauce Gardner
- D.J. Reed
- Michael Carter II
- Bryce Hall
- Justin Hardee
- Brandin Echols (suspended Week 1)
Craig James and Jimmy Moreland are trying to make a case to beat out Bryce Hall as the No. 4 cornerback, but other than that, this position looks well set. Echols won’t count against the 53 for Week 1. The Jets will have to move someone to make room for Echols going into Week 2.
Safety
- Jordan Whitehead
- Tony Adams
- Adrian Amos
- Ashtyn Davis
- Jarrick Bernard-Converse
Trey Dean was one of the toughest cuts in this projection. He wound up being the last player cut as Ashtyn Davis’ special-teams prowess should be enough to allow him to stick around and the Jets like the versatility of Jarrick Bernard-Converse, despite him still being on the PUP list. Don’t be surprised if the Jets keep Dean and cut somewhere else, like maybe one of the offensive linemen. Dean has made the decision extremely difficult for the Jets.
Specialists
- K Greg Zuerlein
- P Thomas Morstead
- LS Thomas Hennessy
Zuerlein had the only points for the Jets on Saturday. At this point, nothing needs to be said about the specialists. They are who they are at the Jets feel really good about them.
