Tough Decisions Ahead for Mougey; Predicting Jets 53-Man Roster

Jets GM Darren Mougey isn’t going to have an easy time putting together his 53-man roster.  Several players have come from out of nowhere to make a valid case to hang around.  The defensive line and cornerback groups will be particularly difficult to work through, but we’ll give it our best guess here.

QB (2): Geno Smith, Cade Klubnik

Klubnik has done enough to earn the backup QB job.  This means there won’t be any need to use an additional roster spot on a signal caller such as Bailey Zappe or Brady Cook.   One of those two may land on the practice squad, but that’s about it.  If this were a team with legitimate playoff aspirations, you make Klubnik your QB3 behind a veteran.  As it stands, that’s not the case.

RB (4): Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, Isaiah Davis, Kene Nwangwu

Hall is nursing a groin injury but is expected to be ready for week 1 along with Allen and the similarly banged up Isaiah Davis.  Nwangwu is a running back on paper, but a kick returner in reality.  Big year for Allen who needs to prove he can stay healthy and produce at the pro level.

WR (6): Garrett Wilson, AD Mitchell, Omar Cooper, Isaiah Williams, Tim Patrick, Arian Smith

AD Mitchell has dealt with his share of critics since dropping three passes in his Jets debut, but we’re expecting big things from him opposite Garrett Wilson this season.  Add Omar Cooper to the mix and this could be a dangerous trio.  Arian Smith makes it by the skin of his teeth with his status as a draft pick allowing him to survive the roster cutdown.  Tim Patrick gets the nod as a proven vet but going with the younger option in Malik McClain, who we have going to the practice squad.

TE (4): Mason Taylor, Kenyon Sadiq, Jeremy Ruckert, Jelani Woods

Prior to the start of the season we’d wondered aloud about Jelani Woods and whether or not his history with Frank Reich would give him a chance to stick.  Well, it certainly didn’t hurt the situation, and Reich now has a group of tight ends with what should be one of the highest ceilings in the league.

OL (9): Olu Fashanu, Dylan Parham, Josh Myers, Joe Tippmann, Armand Membou, Chukwama Okorafor, Max Mitchell, Xavier Newman, Anez Cooper.

One of the better young lines in the NFL, if we see Fashanu and Membou take another step forward, the Jets offense will benefit tremendously.  Also worth remembering that guard is a new position to Tippmann who we believe will have a monster year.

DL (9): Harrison Phillips, T’Vondre Sweat, David Onyemata, David Bailey, Will McDonald, Jowon Briggs, Kingsley Enagbare, Joseph Ossai, Darrell Jackson.

Sweat stands to be the most important acquisition on defense since Darren Mougey’s arrival if the 360 pounder can hit his ceiling.  Onyemata should work well with the likes of Phillips and Briggs to help fix what ailed the Jets run defense last season.

LB (5): DeMario Davis, Jamien Sherwood, Mykal Walker, Marcelino McCrary-Ball, Jaden Keller

Keller is the long-shot here, but with Davis’ age and Sherwood’s struggles last season, it may make sense to keep another linebacker in the fold and Keller has had himself a good camp.  In the end, the Jets may opt to go with Kiko Mauigoa to avoid cutting a player who was just drafted last year.

CB (7): Brandon Stephens, Azareye’h Thomas, D’Angelo Ponds, Nahshon Wright, Qwan’tez Stiggers, Jarvis Brownlee, Jordan Clark

The Jets have had several players stand out at corner in camp but you can’t keep ’em all.  We’re going with Jordan Clark in the final spot because he’s been outstanding thus far and has some versatility.  Mory Bamba could be headed to short-term IR.  Tre Brown and Samuel Womack have been good enough to justify a spot somewhere in the league and at the very least should land on the Jets practice squad.

S (4): Minkah Fitzpatrick, Dean Belton, Andre Cisco, Malachi Moore

Fitzpatrick is expected to be the best safety on the roster.  Belton has been one of the stars of camp and should be the other starter at some point this season.  Cisco is looking to bounce back from getting injured last season and has played well upl to this point.  VJ Payne has been sidelined with an injury for most of camp so we expect the Jets to  place him on IR for the short-term

Specialists (3): Jason Sanders (PK), Cade McNamara (P), Thomas Hennessy (LS).

If the Jets are smart they’ll be turning over every stone in professional football to upgrade at kicker but we’ll go with Sanders here for the sake of filling the spot.  McNamara is one of the leagues best and Hennessy enters his tenth season.

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