We’re under a week from the beginning of preseason games for the New York Jets.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh has already determined that the team would not be starting most of their starters when they hit the game field in Canton, Ohio, but that doesn’t mean everyone is safe going into August.
With two weeks of work under their belt, New York will need to see more from three specific players if they have hopes of making the final 53-man roster.
Mekhi Becton
Becton is the biggest name on this list for good reason. As many expected, the young left tackle has needed time to get acclimated back to the speed of NFL practices. With two major injuries in back-to-back years, it’s been a while since the former first-rounder has actually been seen on the practice field.
For a team in the Jets that is looking to compete for a title, they no longer can afford to be patient with a player like Becton: especially if he can’t take part in certain team drills.
Throughout the last few practices, Becton has not taken part in any of the 11-on-11 work. If he wants to compete for the left tackle position, the longer he can’t go out and perform against the Jets’ defense, the less likely it is that he’ll have a role going into the 2023 season.
There is a ton of pressure on Becton to start the preseason and it could very well mean we see him in spurts during the Hall-of-Fame game.
Michael Carter
Carter has been a very valuable piece of the Jets’ offense through his first two seasons. That doesn’t mean his NFL future isn’t in doubt though.
With Dalvin Cook expected to visit the team on Sunday, Carter’s future in New York could be changing within the next 48 hours. If Cook signs with the Jets, Izzy Abanikanda being a 2023 draft selection, it’s not unlikely that one of the role backs could be released to make room for a 1-2 duo of Cook and last year’s rookie phenom Breece Hall.
That makes the preseason games for Carter extremely important. If he runs with conviction and can perform at a high level, that’ll be something that teams will note should he end up in free agency. Preseason games are extremely important for roster-bubble players not just for their current teams and Carter is a prime example of that.
Adrian Amos
When Chuck Clark suffered a torn ACL during OTAs, questions began to arise on how general manager Joe Douglas would solve the safety position for New York. In 2022, the Jets possessed some of the worst safety play in football (of course it didn’t matter in the long run for a top-five unit), and finding the right combination in the back end will be key against a tough 2023 schedule.
New York quickly signed former Packers’ safety Adrian Amos as a sort of depth replacement for Clark, but his overall skill set has been more in line with Jordan Whitehead’s position than anything else. During practice, while players like Tony Adams have stood out with solid play, it’s been relatively quiet for Amos.
That makes preseason games for the veteran will be extremely important. If Amos can show he can still play at a high level, the Jets will be less inclined to make a move for another safety that could come available on the market. If Amos isn’t able to stand out during the games though, it could very well mean his stay in New York ends almost as quickly as it became.
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