New York Jets 2019: Ranking the 53-man roster — #35 Daniel Brown

As another lost New York Jets season unfolds, it’s time to evaluate this 53-man roster. Let’s continue this daily ranking with #35, tight end Daniel Brown.

It’s difficult to conceive that the New York Jets 2018 tight end unit consisted of Chris Herndon, Eric Tomlinson, Neal Sterling, and Jordan Leggett. No wonder that was another four-win season, that ultimately got the head coach fired.

Ex-general manager Mike Maccagnan knew as much, drafting Trevon Wesco and signing Daniel Brown, a former D-II star receiver at James Madison. The 2015 UDFAs developed his TE game while gunning special teams reps with the Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears.

In the preseason, Jets fans heard all about the lethal passing combination of Sam Darnold to breakout tight end Herndon. But Herndon’s 2019 tuned into an epic flameout of legal procedures, league suspension, and fitness issues that resulted in healthy scratches and a season-ending IR stint.

Ryan Griffin, one of Joe Douglas’ first signees, seized the moment in Herndon’s absence and earned himself a multi-year pact. The same cannot be said for Brown after Griffin went down, with his total of seven nabs for 72 yards and one TD — garnishing a meager PFF grade of 49.4. His three catches for 32 yards in the season finale versus the Buffalo Bills was his career-best day.

We know that Douglas plans to overhaul this roster over the offseason.  And it stands to reason that a reserve player on a mediocre 2019 team who logged just 26% of the offensive snaps and 53% on special teams will be on the outside looking in for 2020.

Yet Brown will have just completed a reasonable one-year deal of $895,000, so offering the 28-yer-old a team-friendly training camp invite may make the most sense for all parties involved.

#53 Trumaine Johnson    #52 Ryan Kalil    #51 Kelechi Osemele    #50  Quinnen Williams   #49 Chuma Edoga    #48 Frankie Luvu    #47 Sam Ficken    #46 Nate Hairston    #45 Brandon Shell   #44 Jordan Willis   #43 Vyncint Smith   #42 Kyron Brown   #41 Bilal Powell   #40 Maurice Canady   #39 Darryl Roberts   #38 Harvey Langi    #37 Tom Compton    #36 Trevon Wesco