After holding joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week, the New York Jets will take on Todd Bowles’ squad on Saturday for their third preseason contest. Each week is an opportunity for players to earn roster spots and there is less than a month until the regular season kicks off.
The Jets shut out the Carolina Panthers 27-0 in last week’s exhibition game following a 21-16 loss to the Cleveland Browns in the Hall of Fame Game. With the Jets gearing up for another preseason matchup on Saturday, here are six players to keep an eye on versus the Buccaneers.
QB Zach Wilson
In all likeliness, Zach Wilson is going to get a ton of run again on Saturday against the Buccaneers. Through New York’s first two preseason games, Wilson has completed 17 of his 25 attempts for 188 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions.
A positive sign for Wilson is that he hasn’t turned the ball over and he’s been taking what the defense has given him. While the Jets hope Aaron Rodgers is healthy for all 17 games this season, Wilson will want to keep putting together a solid showing in the preseason to prepare himself for the No. 2 role behind the four-time MVP.
RB Michael Carter
Things have certainly gotten interesting for Michael Carter and the other running backs on the Jets this week. New York signed Dalvin Cook to a one-year deal and it’s not like they brought him in just to be a depth piece in the running back room.
Breece Hall is still a potential star at the position, Cook is a Pro Bowl back, Israel Abanikanda has flashed explosiveness as a fifth-round rookie, and Zonovan Knight has stood out in training camp. With all of that in mind, Carter will need to have a strong finish to the preseason to ensure he secures a roster spot for the Jets.
TE Zack Kuntz
Zack Kuntz was a pre-draft darling due to his RAS scores, but he fell to the Jets in the seventh round. Even though Kuntz is an athletic tight end for his size, he hasn’t done much to surpass Tyler Conklin, C.J. Uzomah, Jeremy Ruckert, or even Kenny Yeboah on the depth chart.
In last week’s lopsided win over the Panthers, Kuntz did haul in two passes for 17 yards and a touchdown. The rookie tight end is undoubtedly on the roster bubble and he desperately needs a notable outing versus the Buccaneers to improve his chances of cracking the roster or practice squad.
LB Zaire Barnes
The Jets are seemingly comfortable with their linebacker trio of C.J. Mosley, Quincy Williams, and Jamien Sherwood. That means that the depth spots are up for grabs, and Zaire Barnes is one of the linebackers doing his best to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
After logging five tackles in the Hall of Fame Game, Barnes registered a team-best eight tackles against the Panthers, including a tackle for loss. Another productive performance from the rookie sixth-round pick could be enough for him to fend off veterans Nick Vigil, Sam Eguavoen, and Pita Taumoepenu for a depth spot at linebacker.
CB Jimmy Moreland
The duo of Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed is among the best in the NFL, but the Jets are going to need production from other cornerbacks for their secondary to remain one of the elite units. Behind Gardner and Reed, there’s a competition going on between Bryce Hall, Jimmy Moreland, and Brandin Echols.
While Hall has the most starts under his belt (24), Moreland has started in 10 games in his career, and he’s had a strong training camp and preseason. Even though Hall appears to have a better chance of making the roster and Echols is suspended, Moreland needs to continue making his presence felt to allow himself to remain with the Jets.
S Trey Dean
Another member of the secondary that has put together an impressive few weeks for the Jets is undrafted rookie Trey Dean. Dean led the Jets with eight tackles in the Hall of Fame Game and then proceed to notch four tackles versus the Panthers last week.
Jordan Whitehead, Tony Adams, Adrian Amos, and Ashtyn Davis (due to his contributions on special teams) have the inside track to roster spots for the upcoming season. But if the Jets elect to keep five safeties on their 53-man roster, Dean could make the decision difficult for New York if he has another notable performance against the Buccaneers.
