With the team’s big-name stars constantly rotating in and out, it’s important to have disciplined rules regarding New York Jets jerseys.
With the New York Jets rookies all having their numbers officially set for the 2021 season, the time has come for fans to consider which players’ jerseys they want to purchase.
To put it lightly, NFL jerseys aren’t cheap. Of course, some diehard fans will always splurge and buy multiple jerseys, but for the most part, the frugal move is to pick one.
But here’s the thing: because of the price, purchasing a jersey often serves as a commitment to that player — it’s essentially buying stock in that player, betting on the fact that they will be a successful New York Jet for a long time. Fans who bought a Le’Veon Bell Jersey heading into 2019 know all too well the consequences of choosing wrong.
But which jerseys are the smartest ones to buy this year? Jets X-Factor has you covered, as each option has been separated into tiers based on a combination of the likelihood they will be on the team long-term, their popularity among the fanbase, and their projected production.
Tier 1: Can’t go wrong
This tier is devoted to Jets legends. The nice part about these guys is that their legacy in Jets history is already cemented. This means purchasing any of these jerseys already means they can be owned and cherished forever, without fear of a team change. The only downside is the fact that they aren’t playing currently, and some people much prefer jerseys of active players, which is understandable. This tier is extensive, so only a few names will be listed.
Joe Namath – Legendary Super Bowl-winning QB. Not the flashiest jersey to own, but Broadway Joe’s number 12 will always be a staple of Jets jerseys.
Darrelle Revis – One of the best corners in NFL history. This jersey is just cool to own for any football fan as “Revis Island” was near impenetrable.
Curtis Martin – Best running back in Jets history. In his early thirties, an age when most running backs nowadays are out of their prime, Martin won the NFL rushing title – with a torn MCL suffered in Week 2.
Don Maynard – Best receiver in Jets history. Maynard was Joe Namath’s favorite target and was crucial to the legendary quarterback’s development. It also doesn’t hurt that he was a key member of the Super Bowl III-winning Jets team.
Wayne Chrebet – Chrebet can’t be left off this list. He played 11 seasons with the Jets and is still an absolute fan favorite. You can’t go wrong with purchasing his jersey. It also doesn’t hurt that the franchise legend is keeping his name on the map by dipping his toes into the podcast game, hosting the all-new Underdog Jets Podcast with Jets X-Factor’s own Robby Sabo.
Tier 2: Safe
Now we can move into the active players. This tier is reserved only for current Jets players who look to be long-term franchise cornerstones. This tier is not devoid of any risk (Sam Darnold likely would’ve been listed here as a rookie), but these players look to have the highest likelihood of being with the Jets for the long term.
Mekhi Becton – Franchise left tackle. Looks to be a long-term cornerstone with the upside to be one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL.
Zach Wilson – The Jets’ new franchise quarterback. The raw talent and potential are undeniable and barring something crazy, Wilson will be with the Jets for at least the next few years.
Tier 3: Good, but some risk
These players come with a bit more risk, but they are quite desirable jerseys to own for Jets fans. These players are expected to be Jets for the long-term and are projected to have very good 2021 seasons, but they do still have more to prove before being considered in the safest tier.
Quinnen Williams – Potentially dominant defensive lineman. Williams is projected to be a franchise cornerstone for the Jets, but he needs at least one more elite season before his jersey can be considered one of the safest purchases.
Carl Lawson – Potentially dominant edge rusher. Lawson provides the first real hope the Jets have had off the edge since John Abraham, as his pressure and disruption numbers are elite. He just needs to turn them into sacks this season before moving his jersey up a tier.
Marcus Maye – Quickly establishing himself as one of the top safeties in football. Maye is criminally underrated. There should be no doubts about his talent, the only thing keeping him from being in the next tier up is his contract situation. Joe Douglas has said that extending Maye is a top priority now, but until that happens, his lack of a definite future with the team holds his jersey back from being among the safest purchases.
Tier 4: Tempting, but wait
These players are all exciting, but it would be smart to wait on buying any of their jerseys. Not because they won’t be good this season, but rather because jerseys are expensive. One should have a certain degree of confidence in two factors before spending upwards of a hundred dollars on a player’s jersey: firstly, that the player is good, and secondly, that the player has a future with the team. In a perfect world, all of these players will have established themselves in a higher tier than this by midseason, but of course, this can’t be guaranteed.
Elijah Moore – Explosive slot receiver of the future. Of course, he is unproven in the NFL, but Moore was taken at the top of the second round for a reason and he’ll be involved early. That opportunity combined with his electric talent bodes well for his long-term success. Plus, aesthetically, this number eight jersey is one of the coolest looking of any Jets player.
Michael Carter – The early favorite to be the team’s new RB1. Carter has legitimate star potential in this offense and one could hardly be blamed for thinking his jersey could become one of the team’s best sellers in no time. However, we must tame our excitement because Carter still has a lot to prove. If he can show early on that his college game translates to the NFL field, his jersey will be catapulted up a few tiers.
Corey Davis – The Jets’ presumptive WR1 heading into the 2021 season. This former fifth overall pick still has plenty of question marks surrounding him, but if he can establish himself as a true top dog without A.J. Brown across from him, his jersey sales will explode. Fans love playmakers.
Denzel Mims – Mims is a fan favorite because of the flashes of elite play he put on tape last year. Similar to Moore’s jersey, a number eleven Mims jersey would be one of the more aesthetically pleasing options out of the Jets roster. He’s a flashy player and if he can take a significant step forward in his sophomore season like many are projecting, his jersey will quickly become quite popular.
C.J. Mosley – The last time we saw Mosley (besides the game against the Patriots that he played injured) he was absolutely dominant. Before getting hurt Week 1 against the Bills in 2019, he was playing like a first-team All-Pro. The two factors keeping Mosley’s jersey down in this tier are that he basically hasn’t played in two seasons, and he doesn’t have a definite future with the team.
Tier 5: Do not buy
This tier is self-explanatory. Purchasing the jersey of any player in this tier poses a significant amount of risk, and your money is probably best spent elsewhere.
Jamison Crowder – While Jamison Crowder has been one of the only sources of consistency over the past two seasons under Gase, the signs are all there that his days with the team are numbered. A Crowder jersey probably won’t be worth very much in a year’s time.
Dan Feeney – Feeney gained lots of fans with his beer-crushing antics at the Islanders game. I’m all for it and he looks like a great culture guy, but talent-wise, he isn’t up to par. It’s best to spend your money elsewhere.
Chris Herndon – Make no mistake, the jury is still out on Herndon. As it stands, though, he is far from a safe option when it comes to purchasing a jersey. Hopefully a year from now, Herndon will have moved up this list, but maybe that’s wishful thinking.
Bryce Hall – Every Jets fan is praying to the football gods that Hall ends up being at least a solid starter. Jets X-Factor’s Michael Nania provided plenty of reasons to be optimistic that this can happen, but until it does, Hall can’t be considered a safe jersey to purchase.
La’Mical Perine – Yes, Perine’s lack of production in his rookie year could easily be attributed to Adam Gase. But other players like Ty Johnson were able to flash in that offense, making Perine a potential surprise-cut candidate. He’s definitely a jersey to avoid at this point in time.
