Ever since the NFL cut its preseason schedule to three games in 2021, the clock has ticked much faster for players looking to prove their worth. Once the opener is completed, you’re already one-third of the way through the preseason.
That means the majority of the New York Jets’ preseason will be completed by the end of Saturday night.
New York has completed one preseason game and two joint practices with the Giants. Time is running out for players who find themselves on the roster bubble.
These five Jets players are desperate to make a statement during Saturday’s game.
K Harrison Mevis
Mevis has had multiple ugly days of kicking in practice. With his competitor being the NFL’s league leader in field goal percentage over the last two seasons, Mevis finds himself in a precarious position.
In last week’s opener, Mevis made all three of his field goals and both of his extra points, but it was not a pretty performance. He had two sub-30-yard field goal attempts that barely snuck past the goalpost.
Mevis needs to be perfect from here on out to make New York consider keeping him on the 53-man roster over Nick Folk. The Jets might not even want to spend a practice squad spot on him if he can’t show some semblance of competency.
WR Malachi Corley
It’s been 475 days since Robert Saleh texted Joe Douglas to get Malachi Corley “no matter what.” Over those 475 days, Corley has not made a single play that Jets fans can point to as justification for why New York’s previous regime was so enamored with him.
Corley picked up two first downs in his rookie season, and he fumbled half of them away with one of the most egregious unforced blunders you will ever see from an NFL player. If you remember when the other one happened, you might be the most die-hard Jets fan to walk the Earth. (It was a 2-yard catch in a 25-point loss to Arizona.)
With the firings of Saleh and Douglas, Corley knew he would have to prove himself to a new regime in 2025. So far, he has failed to do so. He has been quiet throughout training camp, rarely generating headlines for his performance in practice.
In the preseason opener, Corley had one catch for eight yards and a kick return to the 25-yard line.
The Jets know Corley has talent, but far too much time has passed for him to get by on his third-round draft pedigree with nothing to show for it. New York would love to see Corley do something – anything – to show why he should be considered for a roster spot.
WATCH: Joe Blewett's Jets-Packers Film ReviewWR Xavier Gipson
Jamaal Pritchett has emerged as a younger and more impressive fit for Xavier Gipson’s archetype.
The UDFA from South Alabama was the Jets’ primary punt returner in the preseason opener, showing some elusiveness as he made multiple defenders miss. He also forced a couple of missed tackles as a receiver.
Entering 2025, Gipson had a lot to prove after a rough 2024 season that saw him have just as many fumbles as first downs (4), along with a modest 8.1-yard punt return average. He missed the Green Bay game, squashing his opportunity to counter Pritchett’s performance.
With Pritchett’s rise, there won’t be a need for the Jets to keep Gipson unless he starts to perform tremendously.
DE Micheal Clemons
Aaron Glenn has preached about the value of accountability since his opening press conference with the Jets. That isn’t uncommon in the NFL.
What is uncommon? The way Glenn walks his talk.
In Saturday’s preseason opener, Glenn proved his words carry weight. When linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball committed a foolish late-hit penalty, Glenn scolded him.
And when Micheal Clemons was penalized for instigating a fight, Glenn benched him.
Clemons played the fewest snaps (9) among the Jets’ defensive starters in Saturday’s opener. It’s not what he wants as he tries to show a new regime why he deserves a roster spot despite his lowly production in 2024 (PFF’s 101st-ranked edge defender out of 105 qualifiers).
Clemons needs to prove himself not only as a defensive end, but also as a professional. He has eight penalties in his career, five of which were for unnecessary roughness. Glenn acknowledged this issue in July, revealing he had talked with Clemons about his penalty issues.
“He is built the way you want a football player to be built, but there are things that he knows he has to get better at. Some of the penalties that he had last year, we’ve talked about that,” Glenn said.
It’s not great when, less than a month after that statement, you ignore your coach’s teachings.
Remember, Clemons is no youngster. He will be 28 years old in a week; the man is older than Quinnen Williams.
How much longer will the Jets put up with Clemons’ immaturity and poor production when they can save $3.4 million of his $3.6 million cap hit by cutting him? That cap space can be rolled into next offseason to sign a much more reliable veteran backup.
TE Jeremy Ruckert
Ruckert was the Jets’ least impressive tight end/fullback in the preseason opener. Andrew Beck (2 receptions for 32 yards) and Stone Smartt (24-yard touchdown catch) made big plays in the passing game, while Ruckert wasn’t targeted.
More importantly, Ruckert carried over his blocking woes from the 2024 season. Pro Football Focus rated Ruckert with a 45.9 pass-blocking grade and a 52.4 run-blocking grade.
Ruckert continues to be projected as a roster lock by default, considering he is a former third-round pick and the Jets have very little depth at tight end.
But as Ruckert stacks performances like this, it is becoming difficult for New York to justify him as one of the top 53 players on their roster. Yes, the Jets need somebody to play tight end, but with Beck’s emergence, New York might be able to get away with two tight ends (Mason Taylor and Smartt) along with Beck.
As unexpected standouts like Pritchett and Donovan Edwards continue to make serious pushes for roster spots, it is becoming less feasible to choose Ruckert over a player who has earned their keep.
There is also a good chance that a better tight end than Ruckert will be waived as part of final roster cutdowns. That’s why the Ohio State product is competing not just against his teammates, but against other tight ends around the league.
Because of the Jets’ scarcity at tight end, Ruckert does not have to do much to secure a roster spot. With a couple of decent preseason games, he will be just fine. However, if he has two more stinkers, he will leave the door open for New York to choose him as the odd man out on cutdown day.