New York Jets Depth Chart
- AFC East
- Stadium
- MetLife Stadium
- Head Coach
- Robert Saleh
- Offensive Coordinator
- Mike LaFleur
- Defensive Coordinator
- Jeff Ulbrich
- Special Teams Coach
- Brant Boyer
- Defensive Scheme
- 4-3
New York Jets left tackle Mekhi Becton said his knee is close to 100% and said his conditioning is fine. He neglected to reveal his current weight, but said he'll be ready for training camp at the end of July. After starting 13 games in his rookie season in 2020, Becton made only one start in 2021 after suffering an MCL injury in Week 1 that he never recovered from. George Fant replaced Becton on quarterback Zach Wilson's blind side and did a commendable job, so the two will battle for the starting left tackle job in training camp this summer. The 23-year-old might be making progress in regards to his knee injury, but it's far from a certainty that he'll be able to regain the starting gig after he was the 11th overall pick in the 2020 draft.
New York Jets wide receiver Jeff Smith was productive at the team's first day of mandatory minicamp practice on Tuesday and got a lot of run with the first-team offense. Smith is currently ahead of Denzel Mims for the No. 5 receiver spot, strictly based on practice repetitions, and Smith is also a top special-teamer. Mims ran with the second- and third-team offense on Tuesday. The former second-rounder had just eight catches for 133 yards in 11 games last year and has yet to score a touchdown in the NFL. He looks good physically this offseason, but he's still buried on the receiver depth chart behind Corey Davis, rookie Garrett Wilson, Elijah Moore and Braxton Berrios with training camp a month away. Perhaps the Jets will trade Mims this year.
Free-agent offensive tackle Riley Reiff, the former Detroit Lions first-rounder in 2013 who spent last year with the Cincinnati Bengals, is visiting with the New York Jets on Thursday, according to a source. COVID-19 and an ankle injury limited Reiff to a career-low 12 games in 2021 with the Bengals, but he's been pretty durable in his 10-year NFL career. He spent the first five seasons playing for the Lions before joining the Minnesota Vikings from 2017-20. The 33-year-old has been a solid run-blocker in his career and would give the Jets some valuable depth on the offensive line should he sign with them.
New York Jets second-year quarterback Zach Wilson didn't look great at the beginning of voluntary organized team activities on Wednesday, but he rebounded in 11-on-11 drills and made three nice throws over the middle of the field. Wilson only completed 55.6% of his passes and tossed nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions as a rookie. He seems to be more confident this year, but Pro Football Network's Mike Kaye doesn't think Wilson is at the point where he can raise the performance of others. However, rookie receiver Garrett Wilson and rookie running back Breece Hall should help Wilson, as well as the continued growth of Elijah Moore and Michael Carter. The Jets offensive line is much-improved, so the pieces are there for Wilson to make a second-year leap.
New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed has been really impressed with rookie cornerback Sauce Gardner early on. Gardner, who was the No. 4 overall pick, didn't give up a single touchdown out of his 1,000-plus career coverage snaps and only allowed 13 catches for 117 yards last year at Cincinnati. "I love him man. I watched his tape and he's everything that the media is saying he is, he's a lockdown cornerback," Reed said. "He did it in college, and I believe he can do it at the NFL. He's prototypical, he has elite characteristics, and he plays with great eye discipline. He can catch, too. He makes great plays on the ball and it's just an overall complete cornerback in my opinion. I'm looking forward to balling with him."
