After much anticipation heading into the 2019 season, it ended in typical Jets fashion: a losing record and another year without making the playoffs.
The Jets signed multiple marquee free agents in the offseason and drafted some highly-touted rookies to add to their core of players. However, it all never came to fruition as the Jets put themselves in a deep hole with a 1-7 record. They finished the year at 7-9.
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest disappointments the Jets had in 2019.
Le’Veon Bell
The Jets signed Le’Veon Bell to a massive four-year $52.5 million deal with the expectation that he would be one of the best running backs in football. Instead, he had the worst season of his pro career.
Bell rushed for 789 yards this season, his lowest since 2015. It was also the fewest rushing attempts (245) Bell had in a full season’s worth of work since his rookie year. In the passing game, Bell was expected to be a safety net for Sam Darnold, but that wasn’t the case. He only had 461 receiving yards, which was his lowest dating back to his rookie season.
Now the question remains if Bell will be back next season. His name swirled around during the trade deadline, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he is dealt in the offseason. If 2019 was Bell’s only season with Gang Green, it will go down as another bad free agent signing for the Jets.
C.J. Mosley
C.J. Mosley was another big-time free agent the Jets signed last offseason who was expected to make a big impact. Instead, he spent most of the season on the sidelines.
Mosley’s season was over before it ever really got started. In the first game of the season, Mosley pulled his groin and only returned for one more game. In two games, Mosley had four tackles, two pass defenses, a fumble recovery, an interception and a touchdown.
It was an unfortunate season for Mosley, who is one of the best players at his position. In his previous five seasons, Mosley only missed three total games. So because of the injury, Mosley’s first season as a Jet will go down as a major disappointment.
Quinnen Williams
The Jets had high hopes for rookie defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, but he didn’t contribute much in his first season.
In 13 games, Williams had 15 total tackles, 2.5 sacks and one pass defense. At Alabama, Williams was one of the best at getting in the backfield with eight sacks and 19.5 tackles for a loss. However, in the NFL, the offensive lines are a lot stronger than in college, so he struggled to get past them.
Williams is still young at 22 years old and has plenty of time to develop in the NFL. For being the third overall pick, though, Williams didn’t have the season he was expected to have.
Chris Herndon
Chris Herndon was supposed to be a key part of the Jets offense in his second year, but the injury bug bit him.
Herndon was suspended for the first four games of the season. Then, just before he was about to make his return, he pulled his hamstring and missed another handful of games. Herndon returned against the Giants and went down for the rest of the season with a broken rib.
The Jets looked like they finally found a tight end in Herndon, who had a great rookie season. But Year 2 didn’t go as planned.
Trumaine Johnson
With Gregg Williams as defensive coordinator, the hope was that the Trumaine Johnson of old would return. But Williams’ magic didn’t work with Johnson.
Johnson was the Jets’ No. 1 cornerback entering the season, but he was far from one. He struggled mightily in one on on coverage, especially on crossing routes. Johnson was even benched for two games because of how poorly he played. Eventually, he landed on injured reserve with injuries to both his ankles.
There’s no chance Johnson will be back next season because he is out of guaranteed money. Overall, his season and entire Jets career was a massive failure.
Adam Gase
While the Jets did finish the season strong, Adam Gase’s offense underperformed throughout the year.
The Jets were 31st in points per game, 32nd in yards per game, 29th in passing yards and 31st in rushing yards. Instead of the Jets offense taking steps forward, it took two steps backward. Sam Darnold’s bout with mononucleosis didn’t help, but when the quarterback did play, he didn’t make the jump that he was expected to make in his second year.
Gase will be back next season, so it’s another opportunity for him to improve the offense. In Year 1 though, Gase’s offense was nowhere near where it was expected to be.
