3 NY Jets playing at a Pro Bowl level through four weeks

The NY Jets have somewhat overachieved through the first four weeks of the 2022 season. Much to the surprise of many, the Jets have played .500 ball to this point in the year. Although it might not feel like it, at least on paper, the Jets have been an average team.

That's a significant step in the right direction given what the team has accomplished over the last few seasons. To find this level of modest success, the Jets have needed a few players on their roster to step up and play at a high level.

There are still various holes on the Jets' roster, perhaps most notably an injury-riddled offensive line. But these three Jets players continue to play at a very high level as we enter the month of October.

Let's take a look at three Jets players who are making a strong case for a Pro Bowl appearance early in the season.

3. Sauce Gardner, CB, NY Jets

The Jets' first pick in the 2022 NFL Draft has lived up to and likely even exceeded expectations through the first month of his professional career. Sauce Gardner has been a part of perhaps the best cornerback duo in the NFL through four weeks.

Gardner ranks top-10 among all qualified cornerbacks in completion percentage against when targeted and top-15 in catches and yards allowed. By all accounts, he's playing like a top-15 cornerback through four weeks.

Gardner has been targeted 19 times through four games and allowed just nine catches for 101 yards. This is despite matching up with the likes of Mark Andrews and Ja'Marr Chase in Weeks 1 and 3, respectively.

There have been minor hiccups with communication issues, but Gardner has quickly established himself as one of the best players on this Jets roster, and it shouldn't be long before he's viewed as one of the NFL's premier cornerbacks.

2. D.J. Reed, CB, NY Jets

It's hard to say if Gardner has been overshadowed by the play of his teammate, D.J. Reed, or if Reed has been overshadowed by Gardner's hype. Either way, Reed's stellar September shouldn't be overlooked.

For as good as Gardner has been, Reed has been even better. The former fifth-round pick has allowed just eight catches for 73 yards on 18 targets in four games this season.

Reed ranks fourth among qualified cornerbacks with a 44.4 completion percentage against when targeted, seventh in catches allowed, eighth in total yards allowed, and fifth in yards allowed after the catch.

He hasn't allowed a catch of more than 19 yards this season and hasn't been flagged a single time. Reed and Gardner are the only starting cornerback duo in the NFL not to be flagged through four weeks.

Reed's 78.9 Pro Football Focus coverage grade ranks sixth in the NFL through four weeks while his NFL passer rating when targeted (32.9) ranks fourth. By every metric, Reed is performing like a top-10 cornerback.

The only cornerbacks I'd comfortably rank ahead of him based on their 2022 play would probably be Jamel Dean, Darius Slay, Jalen Ramsey, and Jaycee Horn. Reed may very well be a top-five cornerback in the NFL at this very moment.

He doesn't hold the same national name value as players like Ramsey, Slay, or even Dean do, but statistically, he matches up with each and every one of them. If he keeps this up, a Pro Bowl invitation should be in his future.

1. Quinnen Williams, DT, NY Jets

Quinnen Williams has been the best player on the Jets' roster through four weeks. Reed and Gardner have helped solidify a position that has long been a weak spot for Gang Green, but what Williams is doing can't be overlooked.

The former third overall pick looks to be in the midst of his first true breakout season as Williams ranks top-five at his position in a host of stats ranging from sacks to pass-rush productivity.

Williams' three sacks rank third among all interior defensive linemen, behind just Grady Jarrett and Fletcher Cox. His 87.5 Pro Football Focus pass-rush grade ranks third behind only Dexter Lawrence and Aaron Donald.

Meanwhile, Williams' pass-rush productivity (a formula used to determine just how effective a player has been as a pass rusher) of 7.9 ranks second among interior defensive linemen behind just Kenny Clark.

Williams is generating pressure and, more importantly, he's translating those pressures into sacks. One can only imagine just how dominant he would be if the Jets had a better pass-rush presence on the edge or if he was allowed to play more than 60-65 percent of snaps per game.

Williams was once again limited to just 61 percent of the Jets' defensive snaps in Week 4, his second-lowest percentage of the season. It might be time for the Jets to start playing their best player more.

Among interior defensive linemen with at least 11 pressures, no player has fewer snaps played than Williams. Williams' 93 pass-rush snaps rank 38th in the NFL despite the former Alabama star ranking top-five in most pass-rush statistics.

Quinnen Williams is the best player on the Jets' roster right now, and he could be even better if the Jets allowed him to be.