4 NY Jets who could lose their starting jobs this summer

Following an offseason that has received near-universal praise, the NY Jets appear to have assembled the organization's best and most complete roster in over half a decade.

Not only does the roster have few glaring weaknesses on paper, but there is also an abundance of depth at a number of key positions. Depth breeds competition, and the Jets figure to have plenty of both come this summer.

Positions such as defensive end, cornerback, and even wide receiver will feature their fair share of position battles. As such, some incumbent starters could be in danger of losing their starting jobs.

Which players have the most to worry about? We take a look at four current Jets starters who could lose their starting roles this summer.

4. Bryce Hall, CB, NY Jets

This one feels pretty much inevitable, but at the time of writing, Bryce Hall is currently penciled in as one of the Jets' two starting cornerbacks opposite free-agent signing D.J. Reed.

Hall has been a revelation for the Jets since entering the league as a fifth-round pick in 2020. He's coming off an excellent sophomore NFL season, but it's only a matter of time until he forfeits his starting job.

2022 fourth overall pick Sauce Gardner may be running with the backups in OTAs, but that's merely a formality. As long as he doesn't underperform in training camp, the starting job should be his to lose.

This isn't a slight on Hall who played very well last season and would be a starter on close to the majority of NFL rosters. The Jets drafted Gardner for a reason, however, and it's not to sit on the bench.

3. Michael Carter, RB, NY Jets

The Jets aren't exactly going to employ a "starting" running back in 2022. Much like most teams around the NFL, the Jets are expected to utilize a committee approach as it pertains to their backfield.

Right now, the team's de facto top running back is the returning Michael Carter who emerged as one of the team's most promising young players as a rookie last season.

It didn't take long for Carter to establish himself as the Jets' lead back in 2021 and he finished his rookie campaign rushing for 639 yards and four touchdowns on a 4.3 yards-per-carry average.

A high-ankle sprain limited him to 14 games, but he still managed to finish fourth among rookies in rushing yards and looked well on his way to becoming an integral part of this Jets' offense.

That said, while Carter is still internally listed as the team's No. 1 running back at the time of writing, don't expect it to last. The Jets went out and drafted Iowa State's Breece Hall at the top of the second round, and Hall might quickly surpass Carter on the depth chart.

This is a very similar situation to the one with Sauce Gardner. The Jets didn't make Hall the highest-drafted running back by a Joe Douglas team since 2000 for him to play second-fiddle on offense.

He's going to be the guy. Yes, Carter will still receive plenty of snaps and the Jets will likely still utilize the committee approach, but it would be a surprise if Hall wasn't the team's top back before long.

2. C.J. Uzomah, TE, NY Jets

It's hard to say who exactly is the Jets' "starting" tight end right now. Much like with the running back position, the Jets will use a number of different players at tight end and there might not be a solidified No. 1 guy, especially as we sit here in early June.

But the player most expect to be the designated "starter" is free-agent signing C.J. Uzomah.

The Jets signed Uzomah to a three-year, $24 million contract in the offseason and he, along with fellow free-agent addition Tyler Conklin, is expected to provide a major boost to a position that has long been dormant in the Jets' offense.

But while many seem to expect Uzomah to emerge as the team's top tight end, Conklin has been making waves this spring.

The former Vikings tight end has been impressive at OTAs with D.J. Bien-Aime of the New York Daily News going as far as to predict that he will be the Jets' TE1, "by a decent margin."

Conklin was signed to a three-year, $21 million deal in the offseason after a career year that saw him finish with 61 catches for 593 yards and three touchdowns. It was his first year as a full-time starter, and he didn't disappoint.

Third-round rookie Jeremy Ruckert is also in the mix, but if anyone is going to give Uzomah a run for his money, it's going to be Conklin. Don't sleep on the 26-year-old this summer.

1. Lamarcus Joyner, S, NY Jets

Perhaps no position on the Jets' roster was hit harder by injuries last season than safety, and the team's misfortunes began all the way back in Week 1 when projected starter Lamarcus Joyner went down with a season-ending triceps injury just nine plays into the year.

Joyner was expected to serve as one of the team's two starting safeties, and the Jets had high hopes for him after switching back to his natural free safety position. Unfortunately, his season ended before it ever really began.

Nonetheless, the Jets opted to bring him back in the offseason, re-signing the veteran defensive back to a one-year contract. Joyner is once again penciled in as a starter entering the 2022 season.

However, the Jets have a few promising pieces behind Joyner who could push him for playing time this summer. The likes of Ashtyn Davis, Jason Pinnock, and Elijah Riley are all in the mix to receive snaps at safety.

Davis, in particular, has impressed so far at OTAs recording interceptions in consecutive days of practice, including a one-handed snag on Thursday.

A former third-round pick, Davis has fallen well short of expectations in the NFL, but the Jets are optimistic that he can take a sizable leap this year as he takes part in his first full offseason with the organization.

If Davis or any of the other young players on the roster impresses enough, perhaps they can push Joyner for his starting job in training camp. After all, the soon-to-be 32-year-old isn't exactly a long-term solution.