Jets’ biggest loser of the 2025 preseason is painfully obvious

En route to a 14-year playoff drought, the New York Jets have whiffed on countless draft picks over the years. From the first-round busts like Dee Milliner, Calvin Pryor, and Zach Wilson to later draft picks like Christian Hackenberg, Denzel Mims, and Malachi Corley, the rap sheet of disappointments is long in Florham Park.

The new regime of Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn is looking to leave their own imprint on the organization, and part of that is cutting ties with players who failed to pan out during the previous regime — and let’s be real, Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh produced a surplus of those. That could start with a third-round tight end.

Long Island native Jeremy Ruckert emerged as one of the nation’s better tight ends during his time at Ohio State, catching 12 touchdowns while being incredibly impactful as a blocker. However, the Lindenhurst native has failed to meet expectations in the NFL.

According to Pro Football Focus, Ruckert ranked 73rd out of 74 qualified tight ends in run block grade in 2024, proving that his reputation as a "blocking tight end" might be based more in fiction than reality.

The 25-year-old has struggled all summer and now finds himself potentially fighting for a roster spot, especially after Gang Green drafted his replacement in LSU’s Mason Taylor earlier this offseason.

Jeremy Ruckert could be approaching the end of his time with the Jets

It’s telling that even in a tight end room this thin, Ruckert has struggled to make his mark. In two NFL seasons, he has caught just 35 receptions for 264 yards and has yet to develop into anything beyond a rotational tight end. It’s gotten so bad to the point that Ruckert could be headed for a new destination in just a few days' time.

Both free-agent acquisition Stone Smartt and hybrid fullback Andrew Beck have outplayed the veteran tight end, and Beck has already established himself as a better blocker than Ruckert. It's all crashing down for a player who sat atop the team's first unofficial depth chart just a few weeks ago.

He had ample opportunity to make an impact on the new staff, but has fallen flat. In three preseason games, Ruckert hauled in just two passes for eight yards while both of his competition showed more flashes in Tanner Engstrand’s tight end-friendly system.

His stock has dropped dramatically this offseason, and while there’s still a real chance he remains a Jet come Week 1, nobody would be surprised if the team opts to cut their losses as a new era is ushered in at MetLife Stadium.

Fans wanted to root for the local kid, but it just hasn’t worked out. All signs point to Ruckert being the latest name added to the laundry list of draft misses who wore green and white.

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