The Jets are entering the true first week of the NFL preseason schedule. They will be in the Carolinas this week for a pair of joint practices and a game with the Carolina Panthers. The Jets put out an unofficial depth chart heading into the Hall of Fame Game against the Cleveland Browns. Here, we will project what that chart could look like heading into the Carolina game. Not much likely will change but the Jets did essentially swap out a pair of linebackers this weekend, signing Nick Vigil and Sam Eguavoen and releasing Hamseh Nasirildeen and Maalik Hall.
Quarterback
- Aaron Rodgers
- Zach Wilson
- Tim Boyle
- Chris Streveler
No changes here. Wilson showed progress in the Hall of Fame Game and is firmly entrenched as the No. 2 quarterback. Boyle still has the edge on Streveler for QB3.
Running Back
- Michael Carter
- Zonovan Knight
- Israel Abanikanda
- Travis Dye
- Damarea Crockett
- Breece Hall (PUP)
- Nick Bawden (FB)
Carter and Knight had the night off Thursday, allowing Abanikanda to start and flashed during the Hall of Fame Game. Hall remains on the PUP list but will immediately shoot to the top of the chart once he comes off. Bawden is separate for the sake that he is the only fullback. He still has a chance to make the roster.
Wide Receiver
- Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Corey Davis
- Mecole Hardman Jr., Irvin Charles, Jason Brownlee
- Randall Cobb, Malik Taylor, Xavier Gipson
- Jerome Kapp, T.J. Luther, Alex Erickson
With Cobb recently off the PUP list, we’ll see if the Jets move him up to the second team on the depth chart. He’s currently listed behind Hardman. Taylor had a nice deep catch Thursday and Gipson flashed as a returner. The battle for the last few receivers spots could come down to the wire.
Tight End
- Tyler Conklin, C.J, Uzomah
- Jeremy Ruckert, Kenny Yeboah
- Zack Kuntz, E.J. Jenkins
The top three tight ends — Conklin, Uzomah, Ruckert — are locks for the roster at this point. All three were given the night off Thursday, furthering that point, especially Ruckert, whom the Jets are high on and are hoping for big things in his second season. The question becomes will the Jets keep three or four and, if they do keep four, will it be Yeboah or Kuntz?
Offensive Line
- LT: Billy Turner, Mekhi Becton, Greg Senat, Duane Brown (PUP)
- LG: Laken Tomlinson, Wes Schweitzer, Brent Laing
- C: Connor McGovern, Joe Tippmann, Trystan Colon
- RG: Alijah Vera-Tucker, Adam Pankey, Chris Glaser
- RT: Max Mitchell, Yodny Cajuste, Carter Warren
Becton played well Thursday but continues to be behind Mitchell and Turner in practice with Brown still on the PUP list. The Jets seem to be eyeing Turner as the swing tackle behind Brown and Mitchell this season and Warren isn’t going anywhere, so it’s a true 50/50 on Becton sticking around.
Defensive Line
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Edge:
- Carl Lawson, John Franklin-Myers
- Jermaine Johnson, Micheal Clemons
- Will McDonald IV, Bryce Huff
- Ifeadi Odenigbo, Deslin Alexandre
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Defensive Tackle:
- Quinnen Williams, Al Woods
- Quinton Jefferson, Solomon Thomas
- Isaiah Mack, Tanzel Smart
- Marquiss Spencer
Will McDonald flashed and Bryce Huff played well, as expected, during Thursday’s Hall of Fame Game. It was interesting to see Huff play as long as he did, but he came away healthy, which is most important. The Jets will have a deep core on the interior and on the edge.
Linebacker
- Jamien Sherwood, C.J. Mosley, Quincy Williams
- Zaire Barnes, Chazz Surratt, Nick Vigil
- Sam Eguavoen, Caleb Johnson, Claudin Cherelus
The biggest change will be at the linebacker position. Over the weekend, the Jets signed Vigil and Eguavoen and released Hamsah Nasirildeen and Maalik Hall. Vigil could slot in where Nasirildeen was and add to the competition for the fourth (and maybe a fifth) linebacker spot.
Cornerback
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Cornerback
- Sauce Gardner, D.J. Reed
- Bryce Hall, Brandin Echols
- Jimmy Moreland, Craig James
- Derrick Langford, Javelin Guidry
- Justin Hardee
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Nickelback
- Michael Carter II
- Javelin Guidry
Hall and Echols started Thursday and look like they’ll be the top backups to Gardner and Reed — Echols cannot play Week 1 due to suspension — with Hardee there as well as the special teams ace.
Safety
- Jordan Whitehead, Tony Adams
- Ashtyn Davis, Adrian Amos
- Trey Dean, Marquis Waters
- Dane Cruikshank, Jarrick Bernard-Converse (PUP)
Amos is still trying to climb back ahead of Adams for a starting spot, getting extra reps by starting the Hall of Fame Game. It might still be early to say if that’s a sign Adams is locked into a starting spot, but there hasn’t been anything lately to suggest Adams will drop back down the depth chart.
Specialists
- Kicker Greg Zuerlein
- Punter Thomas Morstead
- Long snapper Thomas Hennessy
- Punt returner/Kick returner: Mecole Hardman Jr., Xavier Gipson, Alex Erickson, Damarea Crockett
Gipson and Erickson had nice returns Thursday but Gipson also muffed a kick. If either of these two can grab the job and allow Hardman to just focus on offense, that’s a plus for the Jets. They can allow Hardman to be rested and use his speed on offense rather than having to burn some fuel returning kicks and then coming out for offense. But for now, it’s still Hardman at the top.
