Clearly our wr1 and wr2 is Garrett and Corey Davis. Mims and Lazard will back them up. Corey is better than Lazard, who according to Lazard didn't warrant making the team, and wouldn't have if Rodgers didn't go to bat for him. No one has had to go to bat for Corey to make the team...he was a first round selection and brought here to be our wr1...until Garrett took him down! Corey's still our wr2.
There is little chance Strevler makes it over Boyle. Boyle knows Hackett's system, and actually has some guaranteed money. More notably, he is an FOR - friend of Rodgers. Most of McGovern's contract is guaranteed so he's not going anywhere unless he suffers a serious injury in camp.
"Public endorsements" of players are famously disingenuous, so I don't put much stock in Saleh's "endorsement" of Davis remaining on the team. At the same time, I don't consider it a "kiss of death". If they can find someone better or cheaper, then he'll likely be gone. If not, they'll try to rework his contract to be more team friendly. In either case the Jets should improve - on paper. Personally I'm not a big fan of Davis. He's been injury prone, as well as prone to key drops. He has above average ability, but factoring in those two negatives makes him average at best, and I can't see why the Jets could've get someone better and cheaper. As to @NCJetsfan's potential roster, "A" for effort, but there's too much none of us are privy to regarding their thoughts and evaluations of players to be able to really know what they'll do. One particular disagreement I have is with the TE's: I'm pretty certain they'll keep Kuntz. He may be raw, but he has off the charts upside. I think they keep him for at least this year to see if they can tap it.
I agree with both paragraphs, especially the second paragraph. I didn't do the potential roster as any kind of prediction or certainty. It was just one somewhat reasonable example of what it might look like, but mostly, I was trying to demonstrate LAJet's point of how difficult the final cut downs could be, and the Jets probably won't be able to keep 10 OL or 10 DL, unless they plan on being thin at other positions. Competition should be fierce for roster spots, and that's what we want, as it will make the team better and tougher. The thing about both Davis and Kuntz are that the Jets are supposedly going all in this season to make the playoffs, but are they really? If they were going "all in," there are quite possibly some other moves that could have been made in FA and maybe even the draft to strengthen the team more. If they were going all in, would they have taken a raw project at TE or would JD have even traded down twice in the mid-to-lower rounds, or would he have either stayed put and gotten the best player he could or maybe even tried to move up a little bit for a player? I think perhaps that neither Saleh nor JD's jobs are in jeopardy, and they are taking a more balanced approach. Perhaps they feel confident that they will make the playoffs this year and do the best that they can, but they aren't going to ignore the future. Perhaps that's why they took McDonald in the 1st round rather than taking a DT, WR or LB, and perhaps that's why they took Kuntz. They still have an eye to the future. I think what they do with Kuntz will all depend upon how much promise he shows in TC and preseason. It's one thing to have a ton of athleticism and potential, but it's another if that talent doesn't produce results on the playing field. Kuntz did little in college with all that size, speed and athletic talent. While they might like to protect him on the roster, with as tight as the numbers are undoubtedly going to be, I don't see how they can unless he lights it up in TC or the Jets wind up cutting/trading both Davis and Lawson. JD would get killed in the media if he kept Kuntz rather than needed depth at another position and then due to injuries that other position became a problem. I think the light will have to go on quickly with Kuntz, and he will have to outplay depth at other positions by a significant margin to make the final roster, but you could be right and the Jets surprise us at another position by keeping fewer players. For instance, I've seen one person in the media speculate that the Jets might only keep 2 QBs on the final roster. That would be incredibly risky imo, and I would be shocked if they do that, but guess if they like Kuntz' potential more than what Streveler or Boyle could offer during the season, then it could happen.
Thanks. I agree that the team is probably 90% set, and that we have talent at every level on this team. It's exciting. I also agree with you on Sherwood. Even if Alexander re-signs with the Jets, I think Sherwood will be on the team, but that would mean that another position would get shorted by one player or that 6th round pick Zaire Barnes didn't make the team, and draft picks usually make the team unless they're awful or injured. I just used him as an example to show that there could very well be some surprises on the final roster and how tight things will be. I don't envy the Jets' braintrust in making the decisions on the final 53. I'm certain that it's always hard to have to let players go when they've worked hard, but I think the cuts this year and going forward are going to get harder and harder, and be more painful.
I tend to agree you, and question if the Jets are going "all in". I think they are going to do whatever it takes to at least make the playoffs this year. I don't see how they can defend themselves if they fall short. But the "all in" regarding the SB? I don't think so. Not that they won't do their best to get there and win, but I think Douglas's approach all along has been to build a sustainable winner, not just a "one and done" team. And yes, of course whether they keep Kuntz on the active roster, or put him on the practice squad, will be entirely dependent on how quickly he shows has has what it takes, and can make some sort of contribution right now. I also wouldn't be shocked if the Jets only have Rodgers and Zach on the active roster. They can certainly carry one or two backups on the P.S. if Rodgers gets hurts and Zach does what everyone here expects him to do - flop - they can make one of their backups active and even sign a FA vet (not that there will be anyone good still available at that point). But they need to find out what Zach can do under much better conditions, so going with him as Rodgers' backup is a certainty.
JD next three moves are most likely restructure ARs contract, decide on Q and sign the rookies. After that, see the development in training camp and nail down where he is cap wise and what added pieces he needs to bring in depending on performance/injuries.
I am kind of ambivalent on whether we keep Davis. I think we are overloaded at WR, TE ,and DE and still have needs at DT and LB. BUT, Corey Davis basically saved the game for the jets last year at Pittsburgh. On the final TD drive, Zach threw a terrible 20 yard pass behind Davis and about a foot off the ground. Davis stopped the pattern, dove BACKWARDS and plucked the ball about a foot off the turf. The jets took it in shortly thereafter. Maybe Saleh was remembering that catch when he made the recent statement about Davis hanging around.
Agreed--they'll keep Kuntz because he will not pass thru waivers--another team would claim him. I saw an article by someone urging the Browns to draft Kuntz in round 4.
Great post, Craig! Agree with most, but I got a few proposed predictions--Not what they should do, but what I think they will do: 1. I think only Rodgers and Zach at QB on the active roster. Streveler or whomever can run the scout team from the practice squad. 2. I think Mims gets cut or traded because of his trade request (GMs don't like that), and Mims doesn't play special teams. No denying he is talented though if his head is on right. 3. I think either Bernard-Converse or Parks get cut/practice squad. Replace Streveler with DT Solomon Thomas. Not impressed with him, but the jets apparently are. Replace Mims with either Luther or Brownlee. Replace the cut at safety with TE Kuntz--he would get claimed and not make it to practice squad. Also believe they will keep Sherwood--maybe cut one of the RBs Knight or Carter
Sherwood will stay. he play well last year when he was in for CJ. Also, the HC likes his smaller type LB so there is that.
Breece will be 12 months since ACL injury took place at the time of the season starts. Highly doubt he's on short term IR to start the season - unless he comes up with another less severe injury in camp.
