Mid Preseason Projection of the 53 Man Roster and Practice Squad
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Running back For a ground and pound team the running back core is not nearly as strong as it should be. Shonn Greene is the starter and will keep the job the whole season. The backup job will be a fight between Joe McKnight and Bilal Powell who seem to be even at this point. The Jets will keep three running backs and use all three. Terrance Ganaway will be stashed on the practice squad. (Greene, McKnight, Powell) Spots left: 47
Full Back John Conner will win the starting job that much is clear. Josh Baker is a valuable backup as a hybrid player being used at both full back and tight end. (Conner, Baker) Spots left: 45
Tight End Dustin Keller is Mark Sanchez’s security blanket and my lead the team in receptions. Jeff Cumberland is a good receiver but cannot block at all. The Jets must add a free agent blocking tight end, possibly after final cuts. Hayden Smith was supposed to be a breath of fresh air but has not done much at all. He is an international player so the Jets would be smart to stash him on the practice squad. (Keller, Cumberland. Free Agent) Spots left: 42
Wide Receiver There is no way around it, the wide receiver class on the Jets is weak. It would have been smart to add Braylon Edwards when he was available. The only two receivers who have set positions are Santonio Holmes and Stephen Hill which is scary. The third receiver position onward is a mystery with Jeremy Kerley underperforming and injuries. Patrick Turner has experience but is not a slot receiver. Jordan White can play slot but he is a rookie and is unpolished. Lastly there is Chaz Schilens who needs to make plays to gain a roster spot. (Holmes, Hill, Kerley, Turner, Schilens, White) Spots left: 36
Safety Almost all the safeties on the team currently will make the squad. Laron Landry looks good when healthy and proved that against the Giants earlier in the preseason. Yeremiah Bell is a very good edition to this team and has a veteran presence among the other players. Eric Smith is finally getting some rest and becoming a backup which he should flourish in. Rookies Josh Bush and Antonio Allen have also been good and will finish out the group. (Landry, Bell, E. Smith, Bush, Allen) Spots left: 31
Cornerback Arguably the best cornerback tandem in the league will be back on the squad within a doubt. Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie will lead a group of unproven cornerbacks. Wilson will yet again be the third cornerback, but after that things get dicey. Ellis Lankster has played well and deserves the 4th spot and based on the roster it seems the 5th spot will go to Julian Posey. Ryan Steed needs more time to get on the field and master his skills; he will be a good practice squad edition. (Revis, Cromartie, Wilson, Lankster, Posey) Spots left: 26
Linebacker The position of linebacker was one that was upgraded through the draft. Demario Davis is the replacement for Bart Scott if he begins to slack. Based on the addition of Davis it eliminates the need for Mauga. David Harris is a player who everyone can rely on. Calvin Pace needs to step up and master his skills. He will start all season along with a healthy Bryan Thomas. Aaron Maybin was a Jets sensation last year and will make the squad with ease unlike last year. Nick Bellore should finish out the group based on his skills on offense and defense. (Harris, Scott, Pace, Thomas, Davis, Maybin, Bellore) Spots left: 19
Offensive Line The Jets offensive line is for lack of better words…ugly. If Wayne Hunter starts at right tackle all bets are off. It is also hard to cut him because the lack of depth the team has. There are a few bright spots in Nick Mangold, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Matt Slauson and Brandon Moore. The rest of the group is backups in starter’s bodies. Austin Howard should start at right tackle ahead of Hunter. Vladimir Ducasse tried and failed to win a starting job and will yet again be a backup along with Robert Griffin, and Caleb Schlauderaff. (Mangold, Ferguson, Slauson, Moore, Howard, Hunter, Ducasse, Griffin, Schlauderaff) Spots left: 10
Defensive Line The defense seems to always be the better side of the ball when it comes to the Jets. With the edition of Quinton Coples it got that much better. Muhammad Wilkerson should flourish with Coples edition and draw less coverage. Mike Devito is an undervalued player who can disrupt the offensive line. Sione Pouha got his extension this offseason and it was well deserved and will be a vocal leader on the line. Kenrick Ellis has served his time and should be a vital part of the backups on the line along with Marcus Dixon (Coples, Wilkerson, Devito, Pouha, Ellis, Dixon, Richardson) Spots left: 3
Kicker/Punter/Long Snapper Brown vs. Folk is a camp battle that is truly still a camp battle. Both men are looking good so it is hard to tell, it seems advantage goes to Brown. The punting battle has been won by Conley, but he is not a very consistent punter. There is a possibility that the Jets hit the waiver wire but probably not. Purdum is a good long snapper, no reason to change it up by starting another player. (Brown, Conley, Purdum) Spots left: 0
Practice Squad
1) Matt Simms, Quarterback
2) Terrance Ganaway, Running Back
3) Hayden Smith, Tight End (does not count against the number)
4) Marcus Dowtin, Linebacker
5) Ryan Steed, Cornerback
6) Damon Harrison, Defensive Tackle
7) Ricky Sapp, Linebacker
8) Fred Koloto, Guard
9) D’Anton Lynn, Cornerback
Tweeners
1) Josh Mauga, Linebacker
2) Matt Kroul, Offensive Lineman
3) Dennis Landolt, Tackle
4) Tarren Lloyd, Tight End
5) Martin Tevaseu, Defensive Tackle
6) Isaiah Trufant, Cornerback
