The New York Jets didn’t exactly distinguish themselves in a 31-12 preseason loss to the New York Giants on Saturday at MetLife Stadium.
To be fair, most of the damage on the scoreboard came in the second half, when the Giants reserves badly outplayed the second, third and fourth stringers from the Jets. It was 7-6 Giants at halftime when more familiar faces populated the playing field.
Still, there was enough of a sample size to to make valid opinions on several Jets players based on performances from their second preseason game.
So, let’s dive into the Jets stock report, with several key risers and fallers.
Related: Top New York Giants Rookie Abdul Carter Trolls New York Jets Online
Stock Up: Braelon Allen – RB
NFL: New York Jets at Buffalo Bills
Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Braelon Allen is in the midst of an excellent training camp, and continued the good vibes Saturday, leading the Jets with 34 yards rushing on seven carries. His 4.9 yards per carry was buoyed by how many of those yards came after contact. The 21-year-old is an absolute truck coming at defenders, and impressed yet again battering the talented front four and linebacking corps of the Giants.
Stock Down: Justin Fields – QB
NFL: New York Jets at New York Giants
Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
It’s more than the fact that Justin Fields was one of five through the air, a four-yard completion to rookie tight end Jason Taylor. It’s that he averaged 3.9 yards in the air on those five pass attempts. Fields is not even looking to get the ball downfield, continuing a trend from the preseason opener, a 30-10 win over the Green Bay Packers, and throughout an uneven training camp. He was 0-for-3 targeting Garrett Wilson, and is now 0-for-5 in the preseason looking the sy=tud receiver’s way. It’s not a secret that the Jets will be a run-heavy offense with Allen and Breece Hall leading the way this season, but Fields must show the ability to do more than dink and dunk in order to keep opposing defenses honest.
Stock Up: Kene Nwangwu – RB/KR
NFL: New York Jets at Green Bay Packers
Credit: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images
It feels like Kene Nwangwu locked up a spot on the 53-man roster Saturday. Already the favorite to be the kick return specialist, considering his four career TDs as a returner, Nwangwu had a 38-yard KO return to open the game against the Giants. He later made a great diving play in punt coverage to pin the Giants inside their own 10 yard line. And with Isiah Davis sidelined with an ankle injury, Nwangwu got extra reps as the third running back, and average 5.2 yards per carry (31 yards on 6 rushes).
Stock Down: Andre Cisco – S
NFL: New York Jets Minicamp
Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
The Jets invested pretty significantly in Andre Cisco this offseason. They signed the former Jacksonville Jaguars safety to a one-year, $8.5 million contract to be a starter for them after Pro Football Focus graded him 106th out of 171 players at his position last season. Of the 35 defensive players who saw action for the Jets on Saturday, Cisco had the worst overall grade (27.2), per PFF. That’s largely because he was toasted as the deep man when Russell Wilson connected on an 80-yard touchdown pass to Beaux Collins in the first quarter. Blech.
Stock Up: Brandon Stephens – CB
NFL: New York Jets at New York Giants
Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
On the opposite side of the DB spectrum for the Jets, corner Brandon Stephens continued his impressive summer with a solid showing against the Giants. Wilson tested Stephens once and the 27-year-old made a perfectly-timed pass break-up along the Giants sideline on what would have resulted in a first-down catch if completed. The Jets signed Stephens to a three-year, $36 million contract in free agency and he’s looked excellent playing opposite Sauce Gardner (who actually didn’t play Saturday due to a calf injury) throughout camp.
Stock Down: Xavier Gipson – WR/KR
NFL: New York Jets at New York Giants
Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Xavier Gipson entered Saturday needing a good showing against the Giants to maintain his precarious hold on a roster spot. He did return one kickoff for 23 yards. But he re-aggravated a shoulder injury that’s bothered him this summer and left the game. Thus, Gipson didn’t have the chance to make any plays on offense and remains down the wide receiver depth chart.
Stock Down: Jeremy Ruckert – TE
NFL: New York Jets at Buffalo Bills
Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
Jeremy Ruckert feels like a placeholder. The third-year pro was in the starting lineup Saturday in a twin tight-end set along with rookie Mason Taylor, but doesn’t appear to be a long-term answer at the position. In fact, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Jets landed a tight end off the waiver wire and released Ruckert before Week 1. Ruckert’s strength supposedly is as a run blocker. But he had a 47.7 run-blocking grade against the Giants, per PFF. And he remains pretty much a net-zero in the passing game, where he wasn’t targeted at all.
avatar
Jim Cerny is Managing Editor NHL at Sportsnaut and Executive Editor of Forever Blueshirts, bringing 30 years of experience ... More about Jim Cerny