New York Jets pre-OTA depth chart: Infusing the rookies

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 ✍️	Andrew Peasley 🛑	Jordan Travis 🚨🩹
HB		Breece Hall	Braelon Allen 🚨	Isaiah Davis 🚨	Israel Abanikanda	Tarik Cohen ✍️
3RD DOWN RB		Breece Hall	Braelon Allen 🚨	Isaiah Davis 🚨	Tarik Cohen ✍️	Xazavian Valladay
GOAL LINE RB		Breece Hall	Braelon Allen 🚨	Isaiah Davis 🚨	Israel Abanikanda
FB		Nick Bawden	Jeremy Ruckert	Lincoln Sefcik 🛑
WR1		Garrett Wilson	Allen Lazard	Malik Taylor	Marcus Riley 🛑	Hamze El-Zayat 🛑
WR2		Mike Williams ✍️🩹	Allen Lazard	Irv Charles	Lance McCutcheon
WR3		Xavier Gipson	Malachi Corley 🚨	Jason Brownlee	Tyler Harrell 🛑
TE Y		Tyler Conklin	Jeremy Ruckert	Kenny Yeboah	Zack Kuntz	Kevin Foelsch 🛑
TE H-F		Jeremy Ruckert	Kenny Yeboah	Lincoln Sefcik 🛑
LT		Tyron Smith ✍️	Olu Fashanu 🚨	Carter Warren	Obinna Eze	Willie Tyler 🛑
LG		John Simpson ✍️	Wes Schweitzer	Jake Hanson	Brady Latham 🛑🩹
C		Joe Tippmann	Wes Schweitzer	Chris Glaser	Xavier Newman
RG		Alijah Vera-Tucker	Wes Schweitzer	Max Mitchell	Kohl Lavao ✍️
RT		Morgan Moses 👍	Olu Fashanu 🚨	Carter Warren	Max Mitchell	Austin Deculus
BASE LE 5-9T		Jermaine Johnson	Micheal Clemons	Jalyn Holmes	Eric Watts 🛑
BASE DT 3T		Quinnen Williams	Solomon Thomas	Tanzel Smart	Leonard Taylor III 🛑
BASE DT 1-2iT		Javon Kinlaw ✍️	Leki Fotu ✍️	Bruce Hector	Leonard Taylor III 🛑
BASE RE 5-9T		Haason Reddick 👍	Will McDonald	Tak McKinley ✍️	Braiden McGregor 🛑
SUB IDL 3-4iT		Quinnen Williams	Javon Kinlaw ✍️	Micheal Clemons	Solomon Thomas
SUB EDGE W9		Haason Reddick 👍	Jermaine Johnson	Will McDonald	Micheal Clemons
GOAL LINE IDL		Leki Fotu ✍️	Quinnen Williams	Javon Kinlaw ✍️	Solomon Thomas
MIKE		C.J. Mosley	Jamien Sherwood	Chazz Surratt	Zaire Barnes
SAM		Quincy Williams	Chazz Surratt	Zaire Barnes	Sam Eguavoen	Jackson Sirmon 🛑
WILL		Jamien Sherwood	Haason Reddick ✍️	Marcelino McCrary-Ball	Jimmy Ciarlo 🛑
SUB LB		C.J. Mosley	Quincy Williams	Jamien Sherwood	Chazz Surratt
LCB		Sauce Gardner	Brandin Echols	Quan'Tez Stiggers 🚨	Myles Jones 🛑
RCB		D.J. Reed	Brandin Echols	Quan'Tez Stiggers 🚨	Shemar Bartholomew 🛑
SCB		Michael Carter II	Isaiah Oliver ✍️	Tae Hayes	Brandon Codrington 🛑
FS		Tony Adams	Isaiah Oliver ✍️	Jarrick Bernard-Converse	Jarius Monroe 🛑
SS		Chuck Clark	Ashtyn Davis	Jaylen Key 🚨	Al Blades Jr. 🛑
K		Greg Zuerlein	Austin Seibert
P		Thomas Morstead
LS		Thomas Hennessy
HOLD		Thomas Morstead
KOS		Greg Zuerlein	Thomas Morstead	Austin Seibert
PUNT GUN		Irvin Charles	Brandin Echols	Jarrick Bernard-Converse
PUNT PROT		Ashtyn Davis
ST LB		Chazz Surratt	Zaire Barnes	Jamien Sherwood
KR		Xavier Gipson	Malachi Corley 🚨	Tarik Cohen ✍️	Israel Abanikanda	Brandon Codrington 🛑
PR		Xavier Gipson	Malachi Corley 🚨	Tarik Cohen ✍️	D.J. Reed	Brandon Codrington 🛑

Check out Jets X-Factor’s roster and depth chart page for more information.