FLORHAM PARK — Focus on the 2023 season may be towards Buffalo now for the New York Jets but that doesn’t mean it’s the only thing going on in Florham Park.
Gang Green put the finishing touches on their 53-man roster Wednesday and finally announced additional players added to the roster through the practice squad on Thursday. Today, we have our first breakdown of the Jets opening roster which includes the practice squad and injury updates that have been the focus of the team over the last few days.
Let’s get to it.
53-man roster
QB: Aaron Rodgers, Zach Wilson
No surprises here. Rodgers and Wilson are the duo that will make or break the 2023 season for the Jets. If the quarterback play improves, the Jets should be in the playoffs this year.
RB: Breece Hall, Dalvin Cook, Michael Carter, Israel Abanikanda
Hall and Cook are arguably one of the best 1-2 tandems in football this season. They both offer unique skill sets and both can be weapons in the passing attack. Behind them, Carter and Abanikanda can be solid special teams players and provide depth when the top two guys need a breather.
FB: Nick Bawden
Bawden is back after being cut on Tuesday and adds the John Kuhn-type role to the Jets that Rodgers has been familiar with.
WR: Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Mecole Hardman, Jason Brownlee, Xavier Gipson, Irv Charles
Wilson is the top dog here but the surprise has been the fact that the Jets decided to keep three of their young undrafted receivers. Gipson and Brownlee can provide special teams health and Charles is back after finally cracking the 53-man roster. If this season is to go well though, New York will need Mecole Hardman and Allen Lazard to be healthy for the whole year.
TE: Tyler Conklin, CJ Uzomah, Jeremy Ruckert
All three of the tight ends on the active roster could very well have a role to play in the 2023 season. Conklin and Uzomah are seasoned vets who should help improve the passing attack. Ruckert has the most upside of all three and could be in for a big year with Rodgers at quarterback.
OL: Duane Brown, Mekhi Becton, Max Mitchell, Billy Turner, Laken Tomlinson, AVT, Wes Schweitzer, Joe Tippmann, Connor McGovern
This may be the most complete offensive line the Jets have had in quite some time. As depth goes, Billy Turner, Max Mitchell, Joe Tippmann, and Wes Schweitzer are all quality players and are lightyears ahead of other backups New York has had to deal with over the year. The starter group, when healthy, should have a big year. Health is the only question for this group.
DE: Jermaine Johnson, JFM, Carl Lawson, Bryce Huff, Will McDonald, Micheal Clemons
It’s the deepest position group in all of football. If you put any player on this Jets edge list on any other team and that player is a Pro-Bowler. How the team splits reps will be very interesting but this group can win games on their own this year.
DT: Quinnen Williams, Al Woods, Quinton Jefferson, Solomon Thomas
To think that the Jets have the best core of edge rushers and that doesn’t even include their All-Pro defensive tackle is nuts. Quinnen Williams should be in consideration for the Defensive Player of the Year award this season and should be even better than last year’s mark. Woods, Jefferson, and Thomas are solid players behind him.
LB: CJ Mosley, Quincy Williams, Jamien Sherwood, Chazz Surratt, Zaire Barnes
Like many duos on this roster, the Mosley-Williams linebacking core is one of the best in football. Mosley is playing the best football of his career and Williams is on the precipice of a breakout season. Sherwood will have big shoes to fill on the weak side but the coaching staff is a lot higher on this group than most analysts are.
CB: Sauce Gardner, DJ Reed, MCII, Bryce Hall, Justin Hardee
A reminder that Brandin Echols is suspended for the first game of the 2023 season but this is still a good group of players. Gardner and Reed make up the best corner tandem in football and Michael Carter II can be an excellent choice in the slot. Hardee is a solid special teams player.
S: Jordan Whitehead, Tony Adams, Ashtyn Davis, Adrian Amos
New York’s safety group should be better than last year’s bottom-of-the-league group. Amos, Adams, and Davis should be able to provide more depth. Whitehead received a confidence boost from Robert Saleh which should also help as well. This group should be fine.
ST: Greg Zuerlein, Thomas Morstead, Thomas Hennessy
R-E-L-A-X. That’s the phrase Morstead used when he was “cut” by the team on Tuesday. Now he’s back and joins Greg Zuerlein and Thomas Hennessy to have a very strong special teams group.
Practice Squad Players
Tim Boyle
Craig James
Xazavian Valladay
Tyreque Jones
Trey Dean
Nehemiah Shelton
Marcelino McCrary-Ball
Caleb Johnson
Marquiss Spencer
Samuel Eguavoen
Adam Pankey
Jason Poe
Ryan Swoboda
Tanzel Smart
Zack Kuntz
Jalyn Holmes
Most of the returning practice squad players are people who were released by the team on cutdown day. Poe and McCrary-Ball come from San Francisco while Valladay comes from Pittsburgh. It’s tough to see any of these guys make the 53-man roster without an injury happening but this is a good core of reliable depth behind the usual starters.
Players on IR-PUP-Suspended List
ChuMorelandJimmy Moreleand
Bradlee Anae
Carter Warren
Kenny Yeboah
Ifeadi Odenigbo
Jarrick Bernard-Converse
Yeboah, Warren, and Moreland could be coming back at some point this season. Having two players from the 2023 draft class isn’t pretty, but the team is going to be fine if this list stays the same for the remainder of the year. A reminder that Echols will not be playing in Week 1 but will need a roster spot heading into Dallas.
For more New York Jets news, turn to AMNY.com
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