5 winners (and 4 losers) from Jets' ugly preseason loss to the Giants

The Jets walked off the field Saturday night on the wrong end of a 31-12 preseason loss to the Giants, and the performance was every bit as ugly as the score suggests. The offense looked lifeless, the defense gave up big plays, and mistakes piled up across the board in a game that never felt competitive.

Of course, it's always best to take preseason games with a grain of salt, and there were still a handful of bright spots to go along with some players who left plenty to be desired. Here are five winners and four losers from the Jets’ second preseason game against the Giants.

Winners and losers from Jets' ugly preseason loss to the Giants

Winner: WR Brandon Smith

The preseason was made for guys like Brandon Smith. The former UFL standout impressed in the preseason a year ago, and he's making a very strong case to earn one of the final spots on the Jets' wide receiver depth chart with his performance this summer.

Smith led all receivers with five catches for 48 yards and was the featured target for backup quarterback Adrian Martinez. With Allen Lazard sidelined, Smith has been receiving some first-team reps in practice, and he continues to make the most of his opportunities.

In a wide receiver room as thin as this Jets one, it's hard to argue that Smith shouldn't make the 53-man roster.

Loser: WR Malachi Corley

It’s hard to imagine Malachi Corley’s stock dipping any lower than it was entering Saturday’s game, but that’s somehow exactly what happened. Corley finished the game catchless and didn’t see a single offensive snap until the fourth quarter.

The second-year wideout saw just two snaps before the final quarter, both on the kick return team. On the first, he missed a block that led directly to a tackle, and on the second, he was flagged for an illegal double-team block.

Corley is realistically WR9 or WR10 in one of the worst wide receiver rooms in the NFL. It's a foregone conclusion that he won't be making the 53-man roster at this point.

Winner: RB Braelon Allen

Braelon Allen looked like the Jets' best running back on Saturday, and that includes Breece Hall, who averaged just 3.7 yards per carry. Allen, meanwhile, was the Jets' leading rusher, finishing the game with 34 yards and a healthy 4.9 yards per attempt.

The Jets have stuck to their committee approach in the preseason, and Allen has notably outplayed the team's de facto starter. Don't be surprised if he continues to eat into Hall's workload as the season progresses. Isaiah Davis, who missed Saturday's game with an ankle injury, will also be a factor.

Loser: QB Justin Fields

The Jets' passing game with the first-team offense was a mess on Saturday. Justin Fields completed his first pass — a four-yard check-down to rookie tight end Mason Taylor — and then proceeded to throw five straight incompletions before being taken out of the game.

The Jets clearly plan to emphasize their running game, as evidenced by their offensive approach with Fields in the preseason, but it's going to be difficult to survive such a one-dimensional offense. Fields and the passing attack need to be better than they were this weekend.

Winner: WR Quentin Skinner

Another young wide receiver who made quite the impression on Saturday was undrafted rookie Quentin Skinner. The Kansas product finished the game with four catches for 48 yards, with the highlight coming on a diving one-handed touchdown grab late in the fourth quarter.

Skinner has flashed at times this summer and offers an intriguing size/speed blend in a rather weak Jets wide receiver room. It might be tough for him to crack the 53-man roster at this stage, but he continues to make his case. At the very least, he feels like a lock for the practice squad, assuming he clears waivers.

Loser: WR Garrett Wilson

Garrett Wilson didn't necessarily do anything wrong in Saturday's loss to the Giants, but the game was just another reminder that the 2025 season might be tough sledding for the talented wide receiver.

Wilson was targeted three times by Fields on Saturday but failed to haul in a single catch. With the passing game sputtering, the Jets leaning on their ground attack, and defenses zeroing in on him, Wilson could struggle to reach the 1,000-yard receiving milestone this season.

Winner: CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse

Jarrick Bernard-Converse has gotten a little lost in the shuffle this summer, especially after missing the first preseason game due to injury, but the former sixth-round pick was one of the best players on the field on Saturday.

Bernard-Converse was targeted twice in coverage, allowing just one catch for five yards, and finished with a team-high (among qualified defenders) 87.2 Pro Football Focus grade.

The former LSU star was one of the Jets' biggest standouts of the 2024 preseason, and while the team's cornerback room is crowded, it's hard to argue he's not one of the 53 best players on this roster.

Loser: WR Xavier Gipson

It's been a tough summer for Xavier Gipson. The former undrafted standout missed time with a shoulder injury, sat out the team’s first preseason game, and finally returned this weekend — only to suffer another shoulder injury on his very first touch.

All the while, Gipson has been outplayed — both as a receiver and returner — by undrafted rookie Jamaal Pritchett, who has made the most of his opportunities. The writing appears to be on the wall for the Jets' 2023 Week 1 hero.

Winner: CB Michael Carter II

Michael Carter II only played four snaps in Saturday's game, but they were enough to show he’s fully healthy again after a frustrating, injury-riddled 2024 season. Carter finished with a stellar 90.5 PFF grade, recording a run stop and allowing just one yard in coverage on two targets.

The former fifth-round pick played sparingly last season due to a lingering back injury but told reporters earlier this year that he finally feels healthy again. Carter will be looking to remind everyone that he's one of the NFL's premier nickel cornerbacks this season.

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