The Jets mostly know who their starters will be in 2022.
But there are several players fighting for jobs — and in some cases, roster spots — this summer. How they practice could determine their future with the team. Some of these players are coming off bad seasons or failed to make an impression on the new coaching staff. Others come with major question marks heading into the season.
Let’s take a look at six Jets facing make-or-break summers.
OT Mekhi Becton
(Stew Milne-AP)
Becton is not in serious danger of being cut — he’ll probably start, even in a non-best-case scenario — but there are a lot of questions surrounding the embattled offensive tackle. From his dislocated kneecap recovery to his conditioning to his position, all eyes will be on Becton this summer. In his perfect world, he reclaims his starting left tackle job by beating out George Fant. Otherwise, he could move to the right side. But if his health and/or conditioning are not up to standards, the Jets could find themselves frustrated.
WR Denzel Mims
(Stew Milne-AP)
Mims’ stock started trending down last offseason when he failed to pick up the playbook quickly and missed time with illness and injury. He could not capitalize on opportunities in 2021 when the Jets lost several receivers to injury and heads into the 2022 season fifth on the depth chart. The 2020 second-rounder needs to prove he’s a capable pass-catcher before the Jets decide to move on.
S Ashtyn Davis
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)
Davis hasn’t shown he can be a starter on a consistent basis and might not get the chance to prove that in 2022. The Jets kept veteran safety Lamarcus Joyner and signed Jordan Whitehead, which likely keeps Davis in a backup role. Davis needs to play well this summer to keep his roster spot.
RB Ty Johnson
(Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)
The Jets re-signed Tevin Coleman and drafted Breece Hall in the second round to join Michael Carter in the backfield. That doesn’t leave much room for a fourth running back on the roster. Johnson needs a flawless offseason to convince the Jets to keep him around as another piece of the offense.
RB La’Michal Perine
(John Jones-USA TODAY Sports)
Like Johnson, Perine is on the outside of the running back corps looking in this offseason. He didn’t prove he could be a contributor in 2021 after being deactivated for most of the year. It’s tough to see him changing the Jets’ mind this offseason.
DL Nathan Shepherd
(Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports)
In a weird twist of fate, Shepherd is actually one of the longest-tenured Jets players on the roster and the only remaining draft pick from the 2018 class. Joe Douglas brought him back to shore up the defensive line, but that doesn’t mean he’ll stick around if he isn’t good in training camp. The line is extremely competitive, and he’ll need a great summer to maintain his job.
This content was originally published here.