3 former NY Jets draft picks in danger of getting cut

The NFL draft is a crapshoot. No matter how NFL-ready a prospect seems, there is always the chance that they could bust.

NY Jets general manager Joe Douglas has been praised for his ability to find gems in the NFL Draft, but even he has his misses. Let's take a look at three former Jets draft picks in danger of being cut.

1. La'Mical Perine, RB, NY Jets

La'Mical Perine was a fourth-round pick back in the 2020 NFL draft, and while no one expects the world out of fourth-rounders, the very next year the Jets picked another fourth-round running back in Michael Carter who looks like a potential long-term piece of the offense.

As we enter the 2022 season, Perine hasn't shown much and is on the roster bubble as a result.

In a deep backfield, Perine seems like he'd be RB4 or RB5 at best, and it's highly unlikely that the Jets will be carrying that many backs into the season, making Perine a prime cut candidate this summer.

2. Jabari Zuniga, DE, NY Jets

It's hard to believe that Jabari Zuniga is still on the Jets' roster entering the 2022 season. In two years with the Jets, Zuniga has just four solo tackles and one sack. Not exactly what you're looking for from a former third-round pick.

Zuniga has been nothing short of a bust thus far in his career, and because of this, he finds himself buried in a deep defensive line rotation alongside many talented players who have significantly higher upside.

It would be a shock if Zuniga was on the 53-man roster to start the year for any team, let alone a team with as much defensive line depth as the Jets.

3. Nathan Shepherd, DT, NY Jets

Nathan Shepherd was a pick from the infamous Mike Maccagnan era. It's not hyperbole to say that Maccagnan was one of the worst drafters in recent memory. How bad was he? Well, Nathan Shepherd is the only Mike Maccagnan draft pick to get a second contract. That is impressively terrible.

Despite this feat, Shepherd hasn't been great during his time with the Jets. He is notoriously a penalty machine, and like Zuniga, is buried on a deep defensive line rotation.

While it would be less of a surprise if Shepherd ended up on the Jet's 53-man roster than Zuniga, it's still far from a sure thing, making Shepherd yet another miss in a long line of Maccagnan draft picks.