Over the previous few seasons, we’ve been placing collectively a group of ex-Jets primarily based on how they’d carried out with their new groups in the course of the yr. Final month we recapped how ex-Jets fared in the course of the 2022 season, so let’s now try to put collectively an all-former Jets group for 2022:
Quarterback – Geno Smith
Already this group has a powerful basis, as Smith offers them a Professional Bowl quarterback. Smith, the comeback participant of the yr, led the league in completion proportion and ended up with over 4,200 yards and 30 landing passes.
(Final yr: Teddy Bridgewater)
Operating Again – Raheem Mostert
Mostert missed the top of the yr attributable to harm however had a productive season with nearly 900 dashing yards and 5 complete touchdowns. Mostert, who additionally caught 31 passes and returned kickoffs, was ninth within the NFL in all-purpose yardage.
(Final yr: Godwin Igwebuike)
Tight Ends – Lawrence Cager and Eric Tomlinson
Cager and Tomlinson offers us a pair of tight ends that complement each other effectively as Tomlinson – who began 12 video games and performed over 400 snaps – is an effective blocker and Cager is extra of a pass-catching risk. Tomlinson caught 9 passes for 79 yards and two scores, whereas Cager had 15 catches for 138 yards and a landing in simply seven video games.
(Final yr: Anthony Firkser)
Huge Receivers – Greg Dortch and Kalif Raymond
Raymond makes this group for the second season in a row as he caught 47 passes and racked up 652 yards from scrimmage. Dortch had a breakout yr with 52 catches and simply over 500 yards from scrimmage. He added two landing receptions.
(Final yr: Robby Anderson, Kalif Raymond and Ty Montgomery)
Offensive Line – Morgan Moses and Conor McDermott at deal with, Oday Aboushi and Greg Van Roten at guard, Pat Elflein at middle
Satirically, given the Jets’ battle to remain wholesome on the deal with positions in the course of the season, there was a number of competitors for these two spots. Moses began all 17 video games and one within the postseason, whereas McDermott was constantly strong in six late-season begins after being poached from the Jets. Kelvin Beachum, Brandon Shell and Calvin Anderson had been all additionally worthy of consideration.
Aboushi was an apparent choice at guard as he performed effectively and was on the sector for 339 snaps regardless of solely beginning 4 video games. Van Roten made 5 begins, enjoying each guard and middle however he was way more constant at guard.
Josh Andrews and Corey Levin each began a number of video games at middle, however Elflein will get this spot as he made six begins earlier than getting injured.
(Final season: Tom Compton and Brandon Shell at deal with, Pat Elflein at middle, Jesse Davis and Oday Aboushi at guard)
Defensive Tackles – Shelby Harris and Leonard Williams
For the third yr in a row, Harris and Williams fill these spots, beating out Foley Fatukasi and Mike Pennel. Williams had 45 tackles and a pair of.5 sacks however missed a while attributable to harm. Harris was proper behind him on 44 tackles and two sacks after being acquired from Denver within the Russell Wilson commerce.
(Final season: Sheldon Richardson, Leonard Williams and Shelby Harris)
Edge Defenders – Shaq Lawson and Jordan Willis
Lawson wasn’t very productive off the bench within the first half however bought to begin down the stretch after Von Miller bought injured and ended up with 30 tackles and three.5 sacks. Willis had 12 tackles and two sacks in 9 video games.
(Final season: Tarell Basham and Jordan Willis)
Linebackers – Demario Davis, Frankie Luvu and Blake Cashman
Davis earned his first professional bowl with 109 tackles and a career-high 6.5 sacks, whereas Luvu outproduced him with 111 tackles and 7 sacks, together with a pick-six. Cashman, who surprisingly stayed wholesome, earns the ultimate spot regardless that nearly half of his 26 tackles got here on particular groups. He ended up with three sacks regardless of enjoying lower than 10 snaps per sport.
(Final season – Demario Davis and Neville Hewitt)
Cornerbacks – Artwork Maulet and Rachad Wildgoose
Maulet was a full time nickel with the Steelers, racking up 59 tackles, two sacks and an interception. Wildgoose began three video games and performed over 200 snaps as he had 16 tackles and three go breakups.
(Final season: Pierre Desir and Tevaughn Campbell)
Safeties – Jason Pinnock and Marcus Maye
Though he was only a particular teamer till midseason, Pinnock stepped right into a key position with the Giants and in the end performed nearly 500 snaps. He ended up with 34 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Maye missed a number of video games attributable to harm however racked up 60 tackles and two go breakups.
(Final season – Jamal Adams and Andrew Sendejo)
Kicker – Jason Myers
Myers missed only one further level and three area targets all season, making all seven of his kicks from past 50 yards. He hit a game-winner in a late-season sport in opposition to the Rams.
(Final season – Nick Folks)
Punter – Thomas Morstead
Morstead earns this spot for the second yr in a row, as he was truly the one ex-Jets punter to see motion however did have a strong yr, with related numbers to Braden Mann.
(Final season – Thomas Morstead)
Lengthy snapper – Patrick Scales
Scales retains this spot after holding down the Bears position all yr and matching final season’s career-best by racking up 4 particular groups tackles.
(Final season – Patrick Scales)
Return Specialist – Kalif Raymond/Godwin Igwebuike
Raymond, who’s already on the group, was among the many league leaders on punt returns with a landing in opposition to the Jets, whereas Igwebuike averaged 28 yards per kickoff return after signing for Seattle late within the season.
(Final season – Andre Roberts)
Particular Teamers
A ton of former Jets made robust particular groups contributions, together with Cashman and Maulet who we’ve already talked about above. That is notable as a result of the Jets’ particular groups models regressed in 2022 and so they could remorse a few of their personnel choices looking back. Matthias Farley, Nick Bellore and Del’Shawn Phillips additionally all made robust contributions in a key particular groups position.
Conclusions
With a few professional bowlers, a number of different productive contributors and fewer apparent holes, this group is clearly stronger than it was final season regardless of gamers reminiscent of Fatukasi, Anderson, Adams and Jamison Crowder not contributing as anticipated for numerous causes.
It’s at all times fascinating to contemplate what this implies by way of the Jets’ personnel choices. Does the deeper pool of gamers replicate extra expertise passing by the Jets’ group in recent times or is it an indication they’re releasing extra helpful gamers than up to now?