Haven’t posted in a bit, so sharing thoughts on the Jets.
This entire offseason has been like a surreal dream, and I’ve never been as excited (and nervous, obv) for a season as I am this one. On paper, this is easily the Jets’ best roster since 2010—and should be better. I’ll cautiously pick the Jets to win a tight AFC East, with Buffalo and Miami both in the playoffs as wild cards. It’s not that I think they’re necessarily better than Buffalo and Miami (I went most of the offseason thinking the Jets would finish second or third), but I also don’t think that either is overwhelmingly better than the Jets. Also, after an offseason with added attention and content, I fully admit that I’m drinking the Jets kool-aid and may be biased.
For Harley's questions...
Team MVP:
Excluding Rodgers, it might have to be Garrett Wilson. Breece Hall will be eased back in and presumably settling into a split with Dalvin, so they cancel each other out. The receiver depth behind Garrett is probably average at best, and while it might not be crippling, losing Corey Davis to retirement may be a bigger blow than most think. Essentially, I expect Rodgers to play consistent and well enough to elevate the other receivers, but will likely need Garrett to take the next step in his development and make big plays for the Jets to win games against the top AFC teams. Darkhorse MVP candidate: Mekhi Becton if he stays healthy, stabilizes the right side, and plays at the level he did in 2020. On defense, Quinnen Williams and Sauce are obvious candidates.
Breakout Player:
Has to be Jermaine Johnson. Reporters all offseason and through camp have been raving about him, saying it's been night and day between this year and last. He played limited snaps last year due to the Jets’ depth at the position and coaches’ preference for heavy rotation, but he should be able to carve out a much more prominent role this year. Excited to see if it all translates into the meaningful games.
Underwhelmer:
Don’t feel particularly strong about any one player here. Maybe Dalvin Cook, if only because I didn’t think he was an essential signing in the first place (no complaints, though!). Allen Lazard also comes to mind, but being a reliable target in key spots and providing comfortability to Rodgers shouldn’t be overlooked if his numbers don’t end up jumping off the page.
While there are question marks all across the offensive line, I do think they’ll be better than the doom and gloom that the national media would have you believe. Health has been the biggest concern all offseason, and it seems like they’re finally trending in the right direction as of the last preseason game. Mentioned Becton above as key.
