5 Jets position battles that will be decided after preseason duel vs. Steelers

The New York Jets are in the process of finalizing their depth chart, and their preseason Week 2 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers could be enough to bring an end to some of the position battles that have been the talk of the town in the last few weeks.

With some skill position tussles alongside Geno Smith still unsettled in addition to a secondary that is still being stitched together and some movement in the trenches, the Jets will finally be closer to a finalized Week 1 depth chart.

These five position battles could be firmly settled once their matchup against Pittsburgh ends. Oddly enough, the WR3 battle between Omar Cooper Jr. and Isaiah Williams is not among them. That one might continue well into the start of the 2026 season.

5 New York Jets position battles that will be decided after preseason game vs. Steelers

5. Safety: Dane Belton vs. Andre Cisco vs. Malachi Moore

Every report from Jets practice seemingly suggests that Cisco was getting roasted in coverage while Belton was breaking up passes. Based on merit, this spot should go to Belton despite his past history as a training camp darling with the Giants.

As for Moore, the fact that he appears to be firmly behind both Cisco and Belton could be a sign that he is not in this team's long-term plans.

Winner: Dane Belton

4. No. 2 Cornerback: Azareye'h Thomas vs. Nahshon Wright

Wright may have started the offseason as the starting outside corner next to Brandon Stephens, but Thomas seems to have put in the work and taken that spot by force. Wright being injured certainly doesn't help his case.

While there are questions about his speed, Thomas has shown much better ball skills and decision-making than last year. The Jets didn't use a Top-75 pick on him for nothing.

Winner: Azareye'h Thomas

3. No. 2 Edge Rusher: Will McDonald vs. Joseph Ossai

McDonald actually recorded a sack in the Tampa Bay game and has shown some pass-rush juice, but Ossai can prove he is a more robust option now that he has returned to full health. His ability to play the run remains an invaluable asset.

If Ossai can get to the quarterback against the Steelers, look for that to be enough of a separating factor to give him a starting gig over McDonald. Aaron Glenn's commitment to stopping the run might be what leads to McDonald getting a reduced role.

Winner: Joseph Ossai

2. Backup Running Back: Braelon Allen vs. Isaiah Davis

With Davis on the mend and Breece Hall likely shut down for the rest of the preseason, Allen will get the chance to keep all of the positive momentum he picked up in the offseason steaming ahead.

With a touchdown run under his belt, Allen and his 250-pound frame could be in for a decent workload if the Hall injury is worse than initially believed.

Winner: Braelon Allen

1. Backup Quarterback: Cade Klubnik vs. Brady Cook vs. Bailey Zappe

While Klubnik hasn't exactly been going against Joe Montana and Steve Young in this competition, and he himself hasn't lit the world on fire, one thing that has become perfectly clear is that the fourth-round rookie is a tier or two above Cook and Zappe, the latter of whom looked quite poor against Tampa Bay.

Klubnik will likely play more than just a few drives against Pittsburgh, giving him even more time to strut his stuff. If he looks the part against the Steelers, the hype train Jets fans are conducting may pick up even more steam before the season starts.

Winner: Cade Klubnik

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