Jets' “very large squad” is ready for the new season

A look at the 53 players of the Green-Whites, position by position, from quarterback to specialist Randy Lange

The recipe for the Jets' upcoming season is similar to the recipe for 2023, only with a lot more Aaron Rodgers. Instead of the four weak plays and 4:04 minutes of playing time that the quarterback played before his Achilles tendon tear, A-Rod is expected to play for six months or around 1,200 minutes (20 games), which would land the Jets in New Orleans on Super Sunday 2025.

That goal remains to be seen, but as Rodgers said, he believes the Jets' roster is even better this time around than it was in his first year on One Jets Drive. As for Nawlins, A-Rod said, “The beauty of it is that every year there are eight to 12 teams that could actually do it. And we're one of those eight to 12.”

“We have a very deep roster, touch wood,” agreed HC Robert Saleh. “The competition was really good.” Here's a look at the Jets heading into the 2024 season.

QUARTERBACKS

RETURNERS: Aaron Rodgers (20th year). NEW VET: Tyrod Taylor (14th year).

SUMMARY: Rodgers is almost 100% recovered from his injury and has had a strong summer. Saleh said of his 40-year-old surgeon, “His arm is still 30 and it's very flexible.” The No. 8 has personal goals – with 945 yards he would be only the ninth 60,000-yard passer in the NFL and with 25 touchdown passes he would be only the fifth to reach 500 TDs. If healthy, he will overcome those hurdles and could compete for his most important goal of winning another Lombardi Trophy. And if he has to sit out for a while, new backup Tyrod Taylor has at least one thing in common with the starter in the TDs-to-INT ratio: Rodgers is by far the best of all time (4.52 TDs/INT), while Taylor is 16th (2.24). Together, the quarterbacks have played 32 NFL seasons – the most time for two Jets quarterbacks in the same season ever.

RUNNINGBACKS

RETURNERS: Breece Hall (3rd year), Israel Abanikanda (2nd year). NEW ADDITIONS: Braelon Allen (Rookie – Round 4), Isaiah Davis (Rookie – Round 5B).

SUMMARY: Hall has given it his all in his full season after his rookie knee injury. He finished the season just under 1,000 rushing yards and averaged 4.5 yards per carry despite the OL issues. He led all NFL RBs with 76 catches and 591 receiving yards. His 1,585 scrimmage yards were the most by a Jet since Curtis Martin in 2004. And he will have fresh legs, as behind him will be rookies Allen (5.8 yards per carry this preseason), Davis and Abanikanda battling for reps, runs and receptions out of the backfield after his strong performance against the Giants.

WIDE RECEIVER

RETURNERS: Garrett Wilson (3rd year), Allen Lazard (5th), Irvin Charles (2nd), Xavier Gipson (2nd). NEW VET: Mike Williams (8th year). NEWBIE: Malachi Corley (Rookie, Round 3).

SUMMARY: Wilson can become the first Jet to record 1,000 receiving yards in three seasons early in his career, and his chemistry with Rodgers makes it at least conceivable that he can pile up a season of stats that rival those of Brandon Marshall in 2015 (109-1,502-14 TDs). Williams, who has spent most of this year rehabbing his injured knee, has been one of the NFL's biggest downfield threats (No. 1 in yards/catch from 2018-2023 at 15.8, No. 2 in yards before catch at 11.4). Lazard has had a strong rebounding summer, Gipson and Charles have both contributed, and Jets fans are excited to see how “YAC King” Corley's post-catch talents translate to the pros.

TIGHT ENDS

RETURNERS: Tyler Conklin (7th year), Jeremy Ruckert (3rd). NEWBIE: Brenden Bates (Rookie Waiver)

SUMMARY: Conklin was proud to have achieved his career-best receiving yardage in a season a year ago with 621 yards. If Conk has a solid season with at least 62 catches, 622 yards, an average of 10.3 yards/catch and 4 TDs, he will have career numbers in all of those categories. The offense is very hopeful that Long Island native Ruckert will continue to increase his impact. Bates was acquired from Chicago's waivers list the day after the final cuts.

Offensive line

RETURNERS: G Alijah Vera-Tucker (4th year), C Joe Tippmann (2nd), OL Wes Schweitzer (9th), OL Max Mitchell (3rd), T Carter Warren (2nd), OL Xavier Newman (2nd). NEW VETERINARIANS: T Tyron Smith (13th year), T Morgan Moses (10th), G John Simpson (4th). NEWBIE: T Olu Fashanu (Rookie Round 1).

SUMMARY: Saleh said this year's starting lineup has coalesced not only because of the transactions that brought eight-time Pro Bowl LT Smith, RT Moses and LG Simpson to the roster: “I love the way our O-line is coming together, and I'm not just talking about their style of play. I'm talking about how they actually like being together. They're developing into a pretty cool group.” In addition to the aforementioned veteran trio, Vera-Tucker is ready to settle in as a RG after rehab, and Tippmann is entering his second season as the starting C. Among the replacements: first-round pick Fashanu, who manned both tackle positions this summer, and a quartet that gained experience during last season's injury wave — Warren, Mitchell, Schweitzer and Newman.

Defence line

RETURNERS: DL Quinnen Williams (6th), LB Jermaine Johnson (3rd), DL Solomon Thomas (8th), DL Micheal Clemons (3rd), EDGE Will McDonald IV (2nd). NEW VETERINARIANS: DL Javon Kinlaw (4th year), DL Takkarist McKinley (5th). NEW ADDITIONS: EDGE Braiden McGregor (Rookie-UDFA), DL Leonard Taylor III (Rookie-UDFA), DL Eric Watts (Rookie-UDFA).

SUMMARY: The D-line had the most sacks last year (43 of the team's 46) since the NY Sack Exchange had 59 sacks in 1981. That's significant because Williams could become the Jets' first DL to earn three consecutive Pro Bowl invitations since Joe Klecko and Mark Gastineau from 1983-85. Other big sackers besides “Q” may include Pro Bowl returnee Johnson (listed as a LB), Edge McDonald, Clemons and hopefully Reddick, who held out all summer after transferring. The unit is looking to improve its run-stopping by having UFAs Kinlaw and Fotu (once on the IR list for a short period of time) join Thomas and Williams in the interior rotation. McKinley, one of the heartwarming stories of camp, and undrafted rookies McGregor, Taylor and Watts round out the deep and talented DL room.

LINEBACKER

RETURNERS: CJ Mosley (10th year), Quincy Williams (6th), Jamien Sherwood (4th), Chazz Surratt (3rd), Zaire Barnes (2nd).

SUMMARY: Mosley's leadership as a linebacker, on defense and with the team is top-notch. He's also on pace to become the first Jet to make 150 tackles four straight seasons. Williams stormed into the postseason with unusual recognition (first-team All-Pro but no Pro Bowl spot) based on 139 tackles, an unofficial 13.5 tackles for loss, among the best totals in team history, and a dynamic strip-sack of Russell Wilson that helped secure Denver's road win. Sherwood's rise as a third linebacker continues, and he, Surratt and Barnes are the top ST contributors.

Defender

RETURNERS: CB Sauce Gardner (3rd year), CB DJ Reed (7th), CB Michael Carter II (4th), S Chuck Clark (8th), S Tony Adams (3rd), S Ashtyn Davis (5th), CB Brandin Echols (4th), CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse (2nd). NEW VET: S Isaiah Oliver (7th year). NEWBIE: CB Qwan'tez Stiggers (Rookie – Round 5C).

SUMMARY: The Jets' star lineup returns almost entirely from a top-five pass coverage season. Gardner is looking for multiple INTs to go with his 32 PDs that made him a two-time Pro Bowler. He, Reed and Carter form arguably the league's best CB troika. Clark, who missed all of last year with an OTA knee injury, is back as an intense S starter alongside the irrepressible Adams. Davis, a magnet for takeaways in 2023, was re-signed to guard the back end and work specials. Candidates for DB duty include Echols, Bernard-Converse, Stiggers and UFA safety Oliver.

SPECIALISTS

RETURNERS: LS Thomas Hennessy (8th year), K Greg Zuerlein (13th), P Thomas Morstead (16th).

SUMMARY: In two seasons in green and white, Zuerlein became one of the best kickers of the Jets' first 64 seasons. Legatron has 11 FGs of over 50 yards, set franchise records for longest kicks at home (57), away and overall (of 60 with Minnesota in 2022) and won two games with late FGs last season. The ageless Morstead (38, actually) set franchise records in gross (48.8) and net (41.8) yards/punt and led the NFL with 14 punts inside the 10 and 6 inside the 5. Hennessy never seems to have an errant snap and leads the league's snappers with 21 coverage tackles from 2018-23.