New York Jets rookies will have to earn it
Brace yourselves, New York Jets fans: Allen Lazard will be the team’s No. 3 wide receiver once training camp opens.
That isn’t to say Lazard will be the No. 3 by the time Week 1 arrives or that he’ll even be the three once the preseason arrives; it’s just a matter of historical patterns making it a near-certainty he’ll be in the starting lineup in late July.
Remember, not until mid-August two summers ago did Sauce Gardner finally take over sole possession of the starting left cornerback role. Despite his clear dominance and freakish attributes, he and Bryce Hall split first-team reps until the Jets could no longer (in good conscience) allow it to roll that way.
And guess what? That’s exactly how it should be.
While it’s true that I have major concerns over Robert Saleh’s strategic mind, he’s an excellent player development coach. One of the things he correctly nails deals with the newcomers.
Saleh always forces the rookies to earn their spot on the roster—no matter the incoming hoopla.
So, don’t expect third-round fresh face Malachi Corley to start on day No. 1. He, like everybody else, will be forced to earn the job.
Usually, this would also apply to a first-round offensive tackle, but that’s hardly the concern with Olu Fashanu this summer. The No. 11 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft enters OTAs as the team’s clear No. 3 tackle- perhaps even the No. 4 (behind Carter Warren).
As far as the entirety of the New York Jets depth chart is concerned, here’s what it currently looks like pre-OTAs:
| Pos | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB |  | Aaron Rodgers | Tyrod Taylor | Andrian Martinez (PS) | Jordan Travis (NFI) | ||
| RB |  | Breece Hall | Braelon Allen | Isaiah Davis | Israel Abanikanda | Kene Nwangwu (PS) | |
| FB H |  | Jeremy Ruckert | Brenden Bates | Anthony Firkser (PS) | |||
| WR1 |  | Davante Adams | Mike Williams | Irv Charles | Jason Brownlee (PS) | ||
| WR2 |  | Garrett Wilson | Xavier Gipson | Irv Charles | Brandon Smith (PS) | ||
| WR3 |  | Allen Lazard | Malachi Corley | Irv Charles | Malik Taylor (IR) | ||
| TE |  | Tyler Conklin | Jeremy Ruckert | Brenden Bates | Anthony Firkser (PS) | Zack Kuntz (PS) | Kenny Yeboah (IR) |
| LT |  | Tyron Smith | Olu Fashanu | Carter Warren | Obinna Eze (PS-INT) | ||
| LG |  | John Simpson | Xavier Newman | Jake Hanson | Kohl Levao (PS) | ||
| C |  | Joe Tippmann | Xavier Newman | Jake Hanson | |||
| RG |  | Alijah Vera-Tucker | Xavier Newman | Max Mitchell | Wes Schweitzer (IR) | ||
| RT |  | Morgan Moses | Olu Fashanu | Max Mitchell | Carter Warren | ||
| 3DRB | | Breece Hall | Isaiah Davis | Braelon Allen | |||
| GLRB | | Breece Hall | Braelon Allen | Isaiah Davis | |||
| SLOT | | Davante Adams | Garrett Wilson | Allen Lazard | Xavier Gipson | ||
| OT6 |  | Olu Fashanu | Max Mitchell | Carter Warren | |||
| BASE LE |  | Micheal Clemons | Eric Watts | Solomon Thomas | Jermaine Johnson (IR) | ||
| BASE DT3T |  | Quinnen Williams | Solomon Thomas | Leonard Taylor III | Bruce Hector (PS) | ||
| BASE DT1T |  | Javon Kinlaw | Leki Fotu | Leonard Taylor III | |||
| BASE RE |  | Will McDonald | Braiden McGregor | Takk McKinley | Haason Reddick (DNR) | ||
| MIKE |  | C.J. Mosley | Jamien Sherwood | Chazz Surratt | Brandon Smith (PS-IR) | ||
| SAM |  | Quincy Williams | Chazz Surratt | Sam Eguavoen | Jackson Sirmon (PS) | ||
| WILL |  | Jamien Sherwood | Chazz Surratt | Zaire Barnes (IR) | Marcelino McCrary-Ball (PS) | ||
| LCB |  | Sauce Gardner | Brandin Echols | Isaiah Oliver | Jarrick Bernard-Converse | Tre Swilling (PS) | |
| RCB |  | D.J. Reed | Brandin Echols | Isaiah Oliver | Qwan'tez Stiggers | Kendall Sheffield (PS) | |
| SLOT DB |  | Michael Carter II | Isaiah Oliver | Brandin Echols | Ashtyn Davis | ||
| FS |  | Tony Adams | Isaiah Oliver | Jalen Mills (PS) | Marquise Blair (PS) | ||
| SS |  | Ashtyn Davis | Jarrick Bernard-Converse | Jaylen Key (PS) | Jarius Monroe (PS) | Chuck Clark (IR) | |
| SUB LEDGE | | Micheal Clemons | Braiden McGregor | Eric Watts | Jermaine Johnson (DNR) | ||
| SUB IDL3T | | Quinnen Williams | Micheal Clemons | Eric Watts | |||
| SUB IDL2iT | | Javon Kinlaw | Leonard Taylor III | Solomon Thomas | |||
| SUB REDGE | | Will McDonald | Takk McKinley | Haason Reddick (DNR) | |||
| GL IDL |  | Leki Fotu | Quinnen Williams | Leonard Taylor III | |||
| SUB LB | | C.J. Mosley | Quincy Williams | Jamien Sherwood | |||
| K |  | Greg Zuerlein | Thomas Morstead | ||||
| P |  | Thomas Morstead | Greg Zuerlein | ||||
| LS |  | Thomas Hennessy | |||||
| HOLD | | Thomas Morstead | |||||
| KOS | | Greg Zuerlein | Thomas Morstead | ||||
| ST GUN |  | Irvin Charles | Brandin Echols | Isaiah Oliver | Jarrick Bernard-Converse | ||
| PUNT PROT | | Ashtyn Davis | |||||
| ST LB |  | Chazz Surratt | Jamien Sherwood | Sam Eguavoen | Zaire Barnes (IR) | ||
| KR |  | Isaiah Davis | Xavier Gipson | Malachi Corley | |||
| PR |  | Xavier Gipson | Malachi Corley | D.J. Reed |
Check out Jets X-Factor’s roster and depth chart page for more information.
