The New York Jets roster appears set for the season barring any last minute changes, which will most likely be slight. You know all the characters, so which one will be the Jets most valuable player this season? There is a wide variety of individuals to choose from. I know it’s way too early to properly gauge the situation, but let’s see how you do at prognostication.
I will list the players with a tiny synopsis of their qualifications for you to peruse.
Offensive Possibilities:
Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers lasted four snaps last year, so there is nowhere to go but up. He is a four time NFL MVP (years 2011, 2014, 2020 & 2021), so he would be the favorite if this was a betting site. Enough said.
Breece Hall
Hall lasted only seven games his first year in the league before a major injury ended his season. He averaged only 9.25 touches his first four games in 2023 because of that fact, which was a wise move. He had 37 rushes in the season finale against the New England Patriots (Bill Belichick’s last game as coach), so I guess he made it back fully. Hall ended the year with 223 rushing attempts (4.46 APR) and 76 receptions, so he is primed for a huge year with mostly untested players behind him. Hall just turned 23 years old, so he has vast growth potential ahead of him.
Garrett Wilson
Wilson was a target monster even though teams rolled coverage to his side due to a lack of other passing options for the Jets the past two seasons. He is an ascending talent who has not yet reached his 24th birthday. His zenith is incalculable at this point in his career, which already has been dominant at times.
Wilson was the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2022. He had over 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons in the NFL despite a refuse pile of quarterbacks throwing to him. He had the exact same poor catch rate (catches divided by targets) each of his two seasons (56.5%) and only seven total touchdowns. There will be more viable receiving options for the Jets in 2024, so you have to decide if that takes away from his targets or opens him up from coverage, allowing him to get better looks and deeper throws than the past two seasons. If Rodgers stays healthy he can push Wilson to possible greatness. Wilson is the Jets’ most talented receiver without question, so does he develop into an All-Pro type player?
Another Wide Receiver/Tight End
The Jets finally have some receiver depth that doesn’t give you indigestion. Mike Williams played only three games last season before a serious injury befell him, but he is a seven year veteran who also has two 1,000 yard receiving seasons. Williams had nearly the entire 2023 season to heal and get back in football shape. He is also a much bigger target than Wilson at 6’ 4” and 215+ pounds, so he can run by defenders or muscle his way clear. Williams averaged over 15 yards per catch in the majority of his seasons on teams with numerous receiving threats. So you can wonder if Williams helps Wilson to a great year or vice versa?
Malachi Corley is my favorite to win the starting slot position as a rookie. He is an interesting player in that he is an atypical slot guy at nearly 5’ 11” and 215 pounds. Corley had 253 receptions over the past three college seasons (73 as a freshman) for 2,970 yards and 29 touchdowns. With Aaron Rodgers’ recent injury he might be tempted to get rid of the ball a little earlier, so Corley or Tyler Conklin could be a target hog in some games. It would be a smart move, as both players are tough to bring down, with Corley having a rugged style and 4.45/40 speed.
Offensive Line AKA Tyron Smith
Don’t laugh. The Jets offensive line has been so utterly horrible in the past few years a huge improvement might be such a stark contrast that the team (and fans) may take serious notice. Tyron Smith will be the unquestioned leader on the squad. He has eight Pro Bowl and two All-Pro seasons under his belt and is sure to be a future Hall of Fame inductee. If Rodgers is protected and the running game has holes, the Jets will be very successful, and the line will be given huge respect. If all the players above have great but equal seasons and the Jets get deep into the playoffs, Smith may be credited with many accolades as the player who was the difference maker.
Defensive possibilities:
The Jets defense has been the side of the ball that has carried the Jets for the past few seasons. The offense has been so horrendous that the wins were few and far between, but it wasn’t because of the defense.
Quinnen Williams
Williams has developed into one of the premier interior defensive linemen in the entire NFL. He has two Pro Bowl and one All-Pro award over the past two seasons. Williams was double teamed on nearly every play in 2023, but he still graded out as the best interior defender against the run according to PFF. Williams had only six sacks last year, which isn’t bad for a defensive tackle, but he had 70 total pressures on the year. This year with potentially better players around him (i.e. Javon Kinlaw, Haason Reddick and Leki Fotu), along with the development of Jermaine Johnson, Micheal Clemons and Will McDonald, Williams might have more room to roam. At 27 Williams is in the beginning of his prime and the sky is the limit.
Quincy Williams or CJ Mosley
The Jets linebacker duo has been the rock that the Jets defense has leaned on for the past couple of seasons. Mosley is a possible Hall of Fame player, and the development of Quincy Williams to All-Pro status has been key to the defensive resurgence. They were both rated in the top nine linebackers in the NFL in 2023 by PFF.
CJ Mosley has more than 1,000 total tackles in his nine year career, but he has played his best ball the last few years. He has averaged 159 total tackles over the past three years, and he was rated as the NFL’s best linebacker in coverage in 2023 according to PFF. Mosley is a five time Pro Bowl player and has started every game he has ever played in the NFL.
Quincy Williams had an All-Pro season in 2023 with 139 tackles, including 15 tackles for loss. 2024 will be Williams’ fourth season in the Jets defense, so he now is reacting instantly to the play instead of a slight hesitation as he thinks of what to do. Williams is starting his sixth NFL season at age 28, so he is also just entering his prime like his brother. While Mosley is an established talent, Williams is an ascending talent whose peak has yet to be determined. Williams was the #2 linebacker in the NFL in coverage as graded by PFF, so the Jets had the top two rated coverage linebackers in the NFL in 2023.
Sauce Gardner
Gardner is the epitome of a lock down corner who will now often roll to the best receiver, unlike in the past. He was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022. Gardner also earned All-Pro honors in each of his first two seasons, with 31 passes defended (20 as a rookie) and two interceptions. Teams avoided throwing in his direction in 2023, but with Sauce rolling his coverage to the top receivers this year he will get many more opportunities to make game changing plays. Gardner was rated the #2 cornerback in coverage in 2023 by PFF, and both his seasons he has been graded at least 90.0 by PFF. Gardner is entering his age 24 season, so he is still an ascending talent.
Other
I will add the position of other to the poll in case any of you have a personal favorite. If you do select “other,” would you please explain below your choice so the readers can include that player in their considerations.
There you have it. Let’s see what you think. Those with the correct selection will have bragging rights; even more so if you choose a non-favorite (if there is one).
