Mar 2, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Penn State offensive lineman Olu Fashanu (OL18) talks to the media during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Believe it or not, it wasn’t all that long ago when the Jets were viewed by the sports books as a top 10 team to win the Super Bowl. In fact, they were ranked seventh in the NFL behind the Chiefs, Eagles, 49ers, Bills, Bengals and Cowboys prior to the start of the 2023 season.
Of those seven teams, only the Jets and Bengals missed the playoffs. The Bengals by one game with a record of 9-8 while the Jets finished up the season at 7-10.
Ravaged by injuries, the Jets season was realistically over as soon as it started. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was lost just minutes after week 1 kicked off. The offensive line was under constant assault from the injury bug. Duane Brown, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Wes Schweitzer, Joe Tippmann and Connor McGovern all missed time at one point or another. And it didn’t end there.
Running back Dalvin Cook was cooked, offering no punch at all out of the backfield. The slew of Aaron Rodgers’ friends who were added amounted to little more than wasted roster spots and cap space. Randall Cobb, Robert Turner and Tim Boyle were of no real use on Sundays. So the question is, how much better is the depth of 2024 compared to 2023?
Quarterback: Having Tyrod Taylor behind Aaron Rodgers over the likes of Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian is a huge upgrade from a talent perspective. However, there are durability issues with Tayler which the Jets will hope won’t be an issue.
Running Back: With Cook gone and rookies Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis on board, the Jets should expect to have more life in the backfield over a plodding veteran with no punch or burst. Second year running back Israel Abanikanda is the most explosive back on the roster not named Breece Hall but there’s no lock he’ll make the cut.
Wide Receiver: Allen Lazard was an abject failure as the team’s number two receiver but with Mike Williams added via free agency and Malachi Corley in the third round of the draft, Lazard as a backup with Rodgers back in the fold could be good value. The Jets could look to add another receiver before the season kicks off but that trio with Xavier Gipson and Jason Brownlee should be plenty of firepower.
Offensive Line: This is the big one. Having used fourteen different linemen (11 different combos) in 2023, there had to be a serious influx of starting caliber players brought on board. By signing free agents Tyron Smith and John Simpson, trading for Morgan Moses and drafting Olu Fashanu, Gang Green, by our count anyway, has six potential quality starters (Smith, Simpson, Tippmann, Vera-Tucker, Moses and Fashanu) a proven backup in Wes Schweitzer and another backup who the Jets are high on in Carter Warren.
That’s eight spots the team should be happy with and room for at least one more. Could Connor McGover return? Or might the team like Jake Hanson, Chris Glaser or Xavier Newman enough to keep them on the active roster?
Whatever the Jets decide, the O-line situation is much improved over last season but this (or any other) unit won’t survive if they suffer injuries on the same level that they did in 2023.