Key Position Battles to Watch as When Jets Face Panthers

As is often the case during the preseason, there will be some key position battles to keep an eye on this Saturday night when the Jets face the Panthers.  As the Jets round out their 53-man roster, here are the spots where the competition is heavy.

Quarterback:

Assuming Jordan Travis starts the year on IR, things at this point are down to rookie Andrew Peasley and former USF star Adrian Martinez.  This is, if the Jets opt to carry a third quarterback.  Both played well last week against the commanders.  Peasley threw the only TD between the two but Martinez hit on a couple of deep balls and showed off his wheels on a couple of third and longs.

Running back:

Should the Jets opt to carry four running backs if Isaiah Davis is primarily a special teams player, the fourth spot is between Izzy Abanikanda and Xazavian Valladay.  Abanikanda found the end zone on a short run last week and looked to be running with a bit more oomph than we saw last season.  Valladay is the more powerful of the two.  This one could come down to which player does a better job of picking up the blitz.

Swing Tackle:

We’d assumed this job was Carter Warren’s to lose, but with rookie Olu Fashanu now working at right tackle in practice, could the Jets be considering Fashanu in that role which will hurt Warren?  We also wouldn’t rule out Max Mitchell as being a guy in the mix for that role.  Yes, it’s only one pre-season game, but Mitchell looked better against the Commanders on Saturday than we believe he did at any point last season.

Fullback:

With Nick Bawden no longer in the picture we figure veteran Anthony Firkser has the edge to win the job if Nate Hackett is determined to carry one again.  But don’t write off undrafted free agent rookie Lincoln Sefcik.  Sefcik has combines impressive athleticism and blocking to give himself a shot to stick despite very little fanfare.  The Jets did also get a look at Kenny Yeboah at fullback last week so that’s something to keep an eye on if Gang Green is trying to find more ways to get him on the field.

Wide Receiver:

Lots of talent in this group so in our view, there are only one or two spots remaining up for grabs.  This of course depends on how many the Jets carry.  Iowa product Brandon Smith came from out of nowhere last week to pick up 70 yards on two catches.  Speedster Tyler Harrell had only one grab but shouldn’t be slept on.  Earlier this week Aaron Rodgers praised the preseason work of Lance McCuthceon which never hurts a guy’s chances.

Glenn Naughton

Glenn was Born in the Bronx, New York and has followed the Jets religiously despite being stationed in several different countries and time zones around the world. He now resides in England and has been a JetNation member since 2005. Glenn will bleed green with the rest of us through the highs and lows.

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