Entering the 2025 season, fourth-round wideout Arian Smith was a player whom many New York Jets fans were looking forward to watching, due to his tantalizing upside.

Although the pick was widely categorized as a significant reach, fans were enamored with his 4.36 speed and potential to be the field-flipping deep threat that the Jets lacked.

However, during his rookie campaign, Smith was anything but that.

The Georgia product finished the year with just seven receptions for 52 yards and zero touchdowns across 16 games, while struggling to get on the field despite being in an injury-riddled position room.

Entering 2026, the Jets’ outlook at wide receiver is entirely different. After adding players like Omar Cooper Jr., Tim Patrick, and in-season trade acquisition Adonai Mitchell, the team’s depth chart offers more competition than it did when Smith failed to crack the lineup in 2025.

With that in mind, is Smith’s 53-man roster spot in jeopardy?

Will Smith need to have a strong summer to stick around?

Here is a look at the Jets’ current WR depth chart excluding Smith.

  • Garrett Wilson
  • Adonai Mitchell
  • Omar Cooper Jr.
  • Isaiah Williams
  • Tim Patrick
  • Quentin Skinner
  • Irvin Charles
  • Jamaal Pritchett
  • Malik McClain (UDFA)
  • Caullin Lacy (UDFA)
  • DT Sheffield (UDFA)

Among that list, there are five players who seem to be locks: Wilson, Mitchell, Cooper Jr., Williams, and Patrick.

After that, there are multiple possibilities.

If nobody rises to the occasion to earn the sixth spot, the Jets can always roll with five wide receivers, which seems increasingly possible, especially since their tight end room is structured with two strong pass catchers in Kenyon Sadiq and Mason Taylor. Sadiq also has extensive experience lining up in the slot, which could factor into the team’s decision.

If the Jets elect to roll with six wide receivers, though, the players in contention for that spot would include Smith, Skinner, Charles, and Pritchett.

By no means is Smith a “lock” to earn a roster spot. Last summer, the Jets axed Malachi Corley, who had been a third-round pick the year prior and struggled to carve out an offensive role in his first NFL season.

Although Corley wasn’t a draft pick from the current regime, the same could happen with Smith if he doesn’t stand out this summer.

Frankly, the only positive to cling to from his rookie season was his play on special teams. In 54 total special teams snaps, he earned a 78.1 grade from Pro Football Focus, collecting three tackles and missing none.

“I’m really looking forward to his [Smith’s] development,” said Jets special teams coordinator Chris Banjo. “Obviously, he was able to continue to grow throughout the season. I spoke on all the guys coming in with the juice and energy they’ve been able to bring, and he’s definitely been one of those guys who’s really wide-eyed and looking forward to improving on a day-to-day basis.”

However, the same could be said about the other two competitors for an end-of-the-roster spot at wide receiver, Charles and Pritchett.

After tearing his ACL in December of the 2024 season, Charles missed the remainder of that season and the entirety of 2025. However, when he was on the field in 2024, he was a monster on special teams, posting a team-high 88.6 special teams grade from PFF, which was also the eighth-best among qualified special teamers in the league (min. 200 special teams snaps).

Then, there is Pritchett, who was largely viewed as a snub from last year’s 53-man roster.

Last preseason, Pritchett forced six missed tackles as a receiver, which tied him with New England Patriots WR Efton Chism III for the most at the position. He also offers tremendous upside as a kick returner; however, the Jets seemingly have their kick and punt returners in Kene Nwangwu and Isaiah Williams, who were among the league’s best at their spots last season.

For Smith to earn a spot, he needs to continue to flash on special teams while producing offensively against preseason competition. Objectively, Charles has been a better gunner than Smith, but he hasn’t been targeted in two seasons with the team.

Ultimately, the bottom line is that Smith won’t and shouldn’t be handed a spot on the Jets’ 53-man roster for the 2026 season.