Grading every position group on the New York Jets’ offense
QBs: Aaron Rodgers, Tyrod Taylor, Jordan Travis
This is as good of a QB room as the Jets have had in a long, long time.
Joe Douglas made the necessary moves to get two new backups, including a veteran in Tyrod Taylor who is extremely capable if called on. He’s a perfect backup for the window the Jets are heading into. Taylor has the ability to fill in for a few games and still give the team a good chance to win. The 14th-year man has a great deep ball and still has some playmaking ability at age 34.
As for Travis, he may start the season on PUP, but he has two great QBs to learn and be a sponge from. I think Travis at worst will be a good backup in his career, with some upside to become the starter down the line. It helps he won’t have to play at all this year.
This room lives and dies by the health of Rodgers. We all know about his ability, I don’t need to get into that. If he’s healthy, the Jets have no excuses not to be contending for the AFC East title.
Grade: A
RBs: Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, Isaiah Davis, Izzy Abanikanda
This room feels like it could’ve used a veteran, but Douglas went the younger route and drafted two RBs in the draft. I was not a big fan of taking two RBs, but it was the Jets’ only draft move that I found odd.
I think Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis will ultimately make the roster over Israel Abanikanda. They both fit the power/gap scheme that it seems the Jets may be leaning into this year. As for Breece, he will have over 2,000 all-purpose yards this year. I am so excited to see Breece with some competent QB and O-line play.
Grade: A-
Breece Hall since entering the NFL:
– 1st in yards after contact per rush
– 1st in yards per route run pic.twitter.com/FRQ8vMXWKw— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) March 27, 2024
O line doesn't get much push at all on inside zone but Breece’s patience, vision and burst is on full display for massive gain pic.twitter.com/i7CTCnX6Tf
— Andrew Fialkow (@afialkow21) January 2, 2024
WRs: Garrett Wilson, Mike Williams, Malachi Corley, Jason Brownlee, Allen Lazard, Xavier Gipson, Irvin Charles
This is another room that is vastly better than last year. I am a huge fan of Malachi Corley and I love the Mike Williams signing as well. I do not see Allen Lazard playing much at all this year.
Williams is the true X-factor of this group. In 2022, Williams was 11th out of 69 qualifying WRs (minimum 60 targets) with a 57.7% contested catch rate (15/26), per Pro Football Focus. He caught 5-of-7 contested targets in 2023 (71.4%) and has been above 50% in six of his seven NFL seasons. This is an area the Jets have lacked in greatly, so having Williams on the field to start this season will be very important.
A glimpse at what Mike Williams could bring to the Jets offense in 2024: https://t.co/ILWfGsDkeh pic.twitter.com/8VtzcopJlq
— Andrew Fialkow (@afialkow21) March 7, 2024
As for Corley, living up to his nickname, he ranked fifth among FBS wide receivers with 683 YAC last season. His 8.6 YAC per reception ranked 16th out of 194 qualified wide receivers. He can instantly make an impact as a playmaker after the catch.
Could be seeing a lot of this in 2024 👀 @CorleyMalachi pic.twitter.com/X6FUlyjiBf
— Andrew Fialkow (@afialkow21) April 29, 2024
The Jets finally have a balanced group of 3 WRs for 11 personnel. Williams is your prototypical X, capable of stretching the field while providing elite contested catch ability. Garrett Wilson slots in as your Z, but we know he can line up anywhere. With Williams and Corley, Wilson can go back to his bread and butter – winning on routes in the short to intermediate range.
Corley will be the quick-hitter/screen guy who gets those invaluable yards after the catch, and you’d figure he will play a lot of slot. Don’t be surprised if he starts the year splitting time with Xavier Gipson and fighting for reps. I think by Week 6 or 7, he will be the Jets’ starting slot.
Still, I am a bit worried about the depth of this group. One or two injuries and you are back to having Allen Lazard on the field. That will always worry me.
Grade: B
TEs: Tyler Conklin, Jeremy Ruckert, Kenny Yeboah, Zack Kuntz
Very solid group here. I think Tyler Conklin could be in for a big year. As for Jeremy Ruckert, you hope that he can make a jump this year in the receiving game and also as a blocker. The Jets will likely be in 12 personnel a bunch this year, so it is important for Ruckert and Conklin to stay healthy, as the depth beyond them is not great.
Grade: B
OL: Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses, Olu Fashanu, Carter Warren, John Simpson, Joe Tippmann, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Wes Schweitzer
This is a deep, deep group. I loved the Tyron Smith signing and thought the additions of Morgan Moses and John Simpson were necessary.
Would be nice to have this as Rodgers' blindside protection for next few years⬇️ https://t.co/L52KlRixjo pic.twitter.com/1Lf6zl0bw8
— Andrew Fialkow (@afialkow21) January 19, 2024
The Olu Fashanu pick also gives the Jets some much-needed depth, as it is all but certain that Smith will miss some games this year. I don’t see a world where Fashanu doesn’t end up playing 5-to-8 games next year, so he will be a very important piece of this unit. Fashanu allowed zero sacks, zero hits, and 10 hurries over 382 pass-blocking snaps in 2023. He had a 2.6% pressure rate, which was tied for 12th among 199 qualified FBS tackles, and his 0% sack rate tied for first. His run-blocking is where he needs some improvement.
I am still a huge fan of Alijah Vera-Tucker and a big fan of Joe Tippmann. AVT is a top 5 RG when healthy. Tippman has shown a lot of promise at C. The key will be to keep these guys at the same position during the year, especially AVT. He deserves some consistency with where he is lining up.
The key to this group is having Smith, Simpson, Tippman, AVT, and Moses on the field together as much as possible. That is how offensive lines create chemistry – something the Jets have lacked over the past few years. If you told me that Smith missed four games while Tippman, AVT, and Moses only missed a handful, this group will be a home run.
Grade: A-
Overall
This offense is as deep and talented as any group I have seen with the Jets. The only two things that can hold them back are injuries and Nathaniel Hackett.
I trust Rodgers to be the OC himself. Although it is a lot to ask of him, he has done it successfully with Hackett in the past. Injuries-wise, the Jets have created a good level of depth around most position groups (the WR room could still use a vet). As long as nothing is season-ending, the team is prepared to weather the storm.
I am so damn excited to see this offense, man. Bring on San Fran.
