4 forgotten NY Jets players who can make a difference in 2023

2. Jamien Sherwood, LB, NY Jets

The Robert Saleh/Joe Douglas regime made two late draft picks in 2021 to try to find players that fit their mold of intangibles required and physical capabilities to try to develop into elite talent.

Both fifth-round selection Jamien Sherwood and sixth-round selection Hamsah Nasirildeen were college safeties that were drafted and immediately groomed to become linebackers at the next level.

Sherwood was specifically compared to two-time first-team All-Pro Fred Warner by his own head coach before ever playing a regular season so let's just say he made quite the impression in the 2021 offseason. He actually played fairly well throughout that season until he tore his Achilles in Week 7 of his rookie season.

In 2022, Saleh continued the Sherwood hype train calling him the 'Florham Park Strangler,' but the surprising resurgence of free-agent veteran addition Kwon Alexander kept Sherwood in mostly a reserve role this past season.

Now in June, Alexander is still a free agent who may or may not be brought back to the team. If he isn't, then Sherwood is first in line to retake the role that seemed like his in 2021, back when the Jets were sporting the league's worst defense.

With the defensive turnaround in 2022 and now the lofty goals that comes with an Aaron Rodgers acquisition, does Saleh still love his pet project, or is there an added need for a veteran presence out on the field?

It looks like the Jets may be headed toward the former, which means that Sherwood would have a golden opportunity to be a consistent difference-maker for this team all season.