As the [New York Jets](https://www.ganggreennation.com/) offseason plan gets off the ground, it’s worth assessing some of the players currently under contract who the team will be looking to upgrade from.
In some cases, these players will end up playing a bigger role than expected, either because they show some development, fit naturally into the new system or get more playing time due to injury.
There may be names within this list that the team has no intention of replacing and may already have a bigger role earmarked for. However, with so many needs, others may find themselves thrust into the limelight in a less ideal situation where the Jets have been unable to find someone better.
In many cases these will be former draft picks, waiver claims or undrafted free agents who were thought to have some potential but haven’t lived up to that yet. However, players who didn’t show much in their first few seasons can often step up in year three or four. Jamien Sherwood is the best recent example of that, but others like Nathan Shepherd, Brandin Echols and Ashtyn Davis have progressed over the course of their rookie deals in recent seasons.
Could anyone in this list step up in similar fashion?
**Six players who could play a key role**
_**Jarius Monroe**_
As an undrafted safety, Monroe didn’t get many opportunities as he played just 17 defensive snaps. However, he made a big impact on special teams with some impressive moments in kick coverage at the end of the season. The similarly undrafted Tony Adams played just 14 snaps in the first 15 games of his rookie season and started at safety the following season. Could Monroe hope to emulate this?
_**Marcelino McCrary-Ball**_
McCrary-Ball was also impressive on special teams, as he was tied for second on the team in special teams tackles despite missing five games and also contributed well as a blocker. He only played three defensive snaps, but could he perhaps follow the same path as Chazz Surratt, who established himself on special teams first before working his way into the rotation?
_**Phidarian Mathis**_
An under the radar move saw the Jets claim the former second round pick Mathis right at the end of the season, although he didn’t suit up for the Jets. While Mathis has failed to live up to his draft positioning, he’s flashed his talent at times in Washington and could be a good candidate to fill a spot in the defensive tackle rotation with Quinnen Williams and Leonard Taylor the only others under contract.
_**Max Mitchell**_
Mitchell never developed into the starter that Joe Douglas reportedly expected him to become, but he still has a chance to be a reliable backup. Last year, he held up quite well whenever he was called into the lineup, and he has proven that he can play on either side or at the guard position.
_**Eric Watts**_
Watts had a good training camp, but was underwhelming in preseason and it arguably didn’t make much sense as to why he was ahead of the more impressive Braiden McGregor in the regular season rotation. However, as the season progressed, Watts settled into his role and even remained in the rotation after Haason Reddick’s return. He was most impressive against the run, but did flash a couple of times in pass rushing situations in late-season games, so hopefully he could develop further next season.
_**Xavier Newman**_
Newman is another player the coaching staff seemed to like more than some other seemingly superior guard options, which was confusing for a while, although CJ Mosley did tell the media Newman had been impressing in practice. The faith displayed in Newman seemed to pay off as he definitely showed improvement in preseason and when called upon during the regular season. Unfortunately, his year was cut short by injury, but he has a good shot at earning a roster spot as an interior reserve.
**Six players who probably won’t contribute**
Here’s some players who are in similar situations but feel less likely to make the most of it if they get their chance to shine. Of course, we could be wrong about any of these players and one or more could end up playing a bigger role after all.
_**Jordan Travis**_
Travis remained on the injured list all season as he was unable to make it back from a serious leg/ankle injury in his final college season. The Jets are exploring other options at quarterback following Aaron Rodgers’ departure, and a recent statement by Travis’ agent about the Jets alleged mishandling of his rehab process is not a good sign that there is confidence in his ability to compete for a role.
_**Malachi Corley**_
It’s obviously too early to write off Corley after a disappointing rookie season that saw him inactive most of the time. He only had a few touches, with the most memorable seeing him inexplicably dropping the ball before he crossed the goal line on what should have been his breakout moment. When considering players who looked out of their depth as a rookie but went on to be solid pros, Bilal Powell is a good example. However, with the Jets exploring the wide receiver market and a good rookie class, Corley will have to prove himself all over again to the new coaches just to get opportunities.
_**Carter Warren**_
Unlike Mitchell, Warren has routinely struggled when called upon to fill in for injured offensive tackles. Even in his more consistent performances, there’s usually a play or two where he gets totally dominated to allow his man to make an impact play in a backfield. While Warren is a better athlete than Mitchell, his smarts are not on the same level, which probably gives Mitchell the edge in an emergency situation.
_**Jeremy Ruckert**_
With Tyler Conklin expected to depart in free agency, this would be an ideal time for Ruckert to step up and take on a starting role. However, he’s been so disappointing that it seems inevitable the Jets will bring in Conklin’s replacement from outside the organization. Ruckert still got plenty of playing time last year and could in theory have a similar role in 2025 but, unless they sign his former college teammate Justin Fields, it seems more likely he’ll be phased out for someone more reliable.
_**Qwan’tez Stiggers**_
Much like Corley, Stiggers was a player the coaching staff was high on and raved about in training camp, only for him to hardly play any kind of role in his rookie season. The Jets are expected to bring in a replacement if DJ Reed leaves, so Stiggers will remain on the bench again and will likely have to compete just to ensure he isn’t stuck in a special teams-only role.
_**Zaire Barnes**_
Barnes is another player who missed the entire 2024 season due to injury, having only played on special teams as a rookie. When they drafted Barnes, the Jets would have hoped he’d be ready to contribute on defense by now, but he was unimpressive in preseason in each of his first two seasons, and the Jets brought in Surratt, McCrary-Ball and the journeyman Sam Eguavoen as alternatives.
_Do you feel any of the above players were in the wrong list? Or are there other forgotten Jets worthy of discussion? Let us know in the comments._